Yesterday we went ashore on our first port stop – Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, French Polynesia. It was a tender stop rather than a pier dockage. This ship has beautiful tenders – padded seats, no steps up or down to enter, and little rocking from wavelets. Why is this important? We have about a dozen tender trips over the course of this cruise and uncomfortable tenders can ruin a day’s outing. You want to feel good starting the day and not tossed around and bruised from just the ride into town…

The main village (read: thriving metropolis anywhere else…) is Taiohae with about 350 inhabitants. They came out to greet us with dances, music, and flowers for the ladies (and men – a local custom, I’m told). We took about 45 minutes to fully explore the village, found an ATM to get some XPF (South Pacific Francs), eyeballed some of the local crafts in the “shopping center” and tendered back in time for lunch aboard. Practiced a tiny bit of French, but they do not speak the style of French we are used to. We were able to get directions to the ATM and make our way around the market, but that was it.

We found out later in the afternoon that several of the locals would be joining us over the next several days – until we reach Papeete – to provide entertainment, instruction in dance and song and to just generally remind us that Polynesian people in general are among the most beautiful in the world. 

Nuku Hiva beauty

Before we upped anchor in Nuvu Hika, the dancers came on board and gave us about an hour’s worth of local dances, song and mock fighting demos.

Warriors of Nuku Hiva

This afternoon we are again at sea on our way to Rangiroa. Rangiroa is an atoll in the Tuamotu Archiopelago, still part of French Polynesia. An atoll is nothing but a big pool of water surrounded by a chain of small islands (“motus”).

Rangiroa, French Polynesia
Ship was anchored right about the "T" in Tiputa. The Pearl Farm was right about where the "U" is in Avatoru. The Passe de Tiputa is the only way into the lagoon for anything larger than a canoe, kayak or very small fishing boat. The lagoon is the remnant of a volcanic crater.

Well, today we have anchored in the lagoon that make up most of Rangiroa. Our morning was spent at a pearl farm. We had a most interesting lesson on just how cultured pearls are produced. Did you know that the “seed” is not a grain of sand, but a piece of oyster shell about the size of a small pea? That shell piece is harvested from one specific type of oyster found only in one place in the world – the Mississippi River! After seeding the pearl oyster, they wait about two years for the pearl to develop.

Prepping the pearl oyster for the seed. They make a small crack between the top and bottom shells and insert a very small wedge to hold the shells about 1 cm apart.

Seeding the pearl oyster. The technician has to attend a school for this that takes about a year. He inserts the "pea" into the body of the liver oyster and then pulls the wedge back out closing the shell.

Pearls anyone? Pearls are sorted by size, shape, lustre, and color. A grade A, Round, 10 mm, high lustre, can go for as much as $1200-1500 each - at the pearl farm. More at retail in a piece of jewelry.

After the lesson and tour of the farm, we shopped in the pearl store. Except for one gift, all of our pearl buying was of the vicarious type only. We then drove back to the pier, window-shopped at the local tents and tables, and tendered back to the ship for lunch.

Tomorrow we are at Moorea, which is just off of Tahiti. More to follow about that adventure soon…

I have had a few questions along the line of “What do you do with so many sea days? A week at sea before the first port? Egad, what is there to do????” and similar expressions of doubt that we can keep entertained, let alone find time to eat and sleep. We have now had the first week art sea and tomorrow we drop anchor at Nuka Hivu in the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. More on French Polynesia later.

Let’s start with food. There are four restaurant choices for lunch and five for dinner. In addition, there is afternoon tea and there are special food events from time to time. The food is probably the best we have had on any ship we have been on. Variety of courses, selection of food, and presentation are all top-notch. Bear in mind that the ship only carries about 370 people when full and we currently have only about 260 people aboard. I imagine that when we get to. Sydney, we will pick up a bunch more. The public spaces – bars, theatre, meeting rooms for card players, etc. are all spacious and another hundred people or so should not affect our perception of the ship. We love that there is no waiting in line for elevators, food, or any service. In addition to actual eating, there have been both food and wine lectures and tastings.

For example, the other evening, we ate in La Terrazza, an Italian-themed “Slow Food” restaurant. The food, wine and service were excellent. Bonnie and I both started with an amuse bouche of duck confit. That was followed by house-made pasta course and the main was a veal scaloppini. All were served with the appropriate wines. Not too shabby… The main dining room, somewhat understatedly called simply “The Restaurant” is where we normally have dinner. Every evening there are choices of fish, meat, pasta, regional specialty, or just plain steak chicken or salmon, all accompanied by the appropriate vegetables and garnishes. And more wine…

Among the wine lectures we had a discussion/comparison of Old World vs. New World and a very good primer/review of Italian wines. The food demonstrations/tastings have thus far ranged from home-cured salmon (which I have been doing for a few years, but I learned a new trick) to an eggless lemon pudding called a “posset” that was as creamy and rich as any custard. We can’t wait to get home and try these ourselves – well, yes, we can…we still have 108 days to go…

Silversea is also all about service. The staff and crew are eager to assist and we believe they are sincere. This is a no-tipping cruise line and the staff seems very content as many of them have been with the line for a number of years. One of the junior officers told us that the turnover is very low for a cruise line. Apparently, they practice strict in-house training and promote from within. This is also an Italian-owned line and it shows in a lot of the smaller items. The European sensibility about what is really luxury versus what is the appearance of luxury is evident in everything from the flower arrangements – simple, but abundant – to the fact that there is no steam table at any food venue. Just about everything is cooked and plated a-la-minute.

For our bridge-playing friends: yes, we are playing bridge occasionally (and not doing all that well…), but there is so much to do that we don’t want to miss some other opportunities. For example, I have been attending a series of lectures by an eminent scholar, Dr. Robert O. Freedman of Johns Hopkins University, on world events concerning the issues in the Middle East. He has given lectures about world affairs that I must admit I thought might be sleepifying, but I have found to be quite stimulating. One day we did a galley tour and that is when we found out that they do not use steam tables and saw how they prep for 300 or so people and make every plate distinctive.

Of course, reading, napping, having a cocktail or a coke with new-made travel friends are also part of the day. This crossing of the Pacific is the lead-in to our upcoming adventures in Australia, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Typically, we sail back from Europe and use the Atlantic crossing to relax, refresh and re-compose after trekking around Europe. This time is seems that we, and many others, are using the Pacific crossing to gather strength for the upcoming stops.

Bonnie and I have also been very pleased that we do not have to pull out a key-card every time we want a coke or an adult beverage. There are no “ship’s photographers” bouncing around every time there is an event. There is no pressure to get the “drink of the day” or to line up for Jackpot Bingo. An all-inclusive fare is just that – all-inclusive. While the price might seem slightly higher than other cruise lines, when you factor in the constant out-of-pockets, which come up daily on those cruise lines, against the all-inclusive fare, there is only a slightly higher per day cost. That higher cost is more than made up for in the service and quality of everything aboard.

So much for the ship and the logistics. Let’s talk about French Polynesia. Here are a few basics:

Size: ~ 1300 sq mi

Administrative Capital: Papeete, Tahiti, Society Islands

Population ~268,000, over one third of whom reside on Tahiti in Papeete

Currency: Central Pacific Franc (XPF), about UD$1=XPF$100

Ethnicity: 74% Polynesian, 12% European, and about 14% Asian

Official language: French

The islands of French Polynesia make up a total land area of 3,521 square kilometers (1,359 sq mi), scattered over more than 2,000 kilometers (1,200 mi) of ocean. There are 118 islands in French Polynesia. The highest point is Mount Orohena on Tahiti. French Polynesia is composed of five major island groupings: the Marquesas Islands, the Austral Islands, the Gambier Islands, the Tuamotu Archipelago, and the Society Islands. We will be stopping at Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, Rangiroa in the Tuamuto Archipelago, and Moorea and Tahiti in the Society Islands. One of the territory’s most famous citizens was the painter Paul Gauguin.

Here is a look at where French Polynesia lies:

Seriously, here is French Polynesia:

The first stop is Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, followed by the atoll of Rangiroa in the Tuamotu Archipelago, then Moorea and Tahiti in the Society Islands.

Stay tuned….

We have now had a few days on the ship as we cross the Pacific. I thought it might be a good time to give some indication of how we are living aboard and what happens on this ship on sea days, of which there will be many over the next four months.

Of course there are meals. The food is probably the best we have had on any ship we have been on. Variety of courses, selection of food, presentation are all top-notch. Bear in mind that the ship only carries about 370 people when full and we currently have only about 260 people aboard. I imagine that when we get to. Sydney, we will pick up a bunch more. The public spaces – bars, theatre, meeting rooms for card players, etc. are all spacious and another hundred people or so should not affect our perception of the ship. We love that there is no waiting in line for elevators, food, or any service.

We are finding that Silversea is all about service. The staff and crew are eager to assist and we believe they are sincere. This is a no-tipping cruise line and the staff seems very content as many of them have been with the line for a number of years. One of the junior officers told us that the turnover is very low for a cruise line. Apparently, they practice strict in-house training and promote from within. This is also an Italian-owned line and it shows in a lot of the smaller items. The European sensibility about what is really luxury versus what is the appearance of luxury is evident in everything from the flower arrangements – simple, but abundant – to the fact that there is no steam table at any food venue. Just about everything is cooked and plated a la minute.

For our bridge-playing friends: yes, we are playing bridge occasionally, but there is so much to do that we don’t want to miss some other opportunities. For example, I have been attending a series of lectures by an eminent scholar on world events concerning the issues in the Middle East. Today, I will be attending one about Putin and the rise of the new Russian hegemony. Yesterday, we did a galley tour and that is when we found out that they do not use steam tables and saw how they prep for 300 or so people and make every plate distinctive.

Of course, reading, napping, having a cocktail or a coke with new-made travel friends are also part of the day. The crossing of the Pacific is the lead-in to our upcoming adventures in Australia, Indonesia, and Southeast Asia. Typically, we sail back from Europe and use the Atlantic crossing to relax, refresh and re-compose after trekking around Europe. This time is seems that we, and many others, are using the Pacific crossing to gather strength for the upcoming stops.

Bonnie and I have also been very pleased that we do not have to pull out a key-card every time we want a coke or an adult beverage. There are no “ship’s photographers” bouncing around every time there is an event. There is no pressure to get the “drink of the day” or to line up for Jackpot Bingo. An all-inclusive fare is just that – all-inclusive. While the price might seem slightly higher than other cruise lines, when you factor in the constant out-of-pockets, which come up daily on those cruise lines, against the all-inclusive fare, there is only a slightly higher per day cost. That higher cost is more than made up for in the service and quality of everything aboard.

So much for that. Stay tuned for more when we start hitting our port stops. The first will be Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas, French Polynesia. Here is a preview map to give you an idea of where we will be stopping:

Well, we are now underway and our first day was very different from some other cruises we have taken. To begin with, the crew is much more attentive and we believe it is a sincere effort to respond to the guests rather than mere fawning.

We have had two meals on board today: lunch and dinner. Both were above average in menu selection and service. We also had our first walk through the ship. The experience can best be told in two words: understated elegance. The ship is small by most modern standards. It can carry 382 passengers if all cabins are occupied with all berths (some threes and fours). Right now, it is our understanding that there are only about 250 aboard. The full crew is, however, about 306, so the service is, as mentioned before, very good.

Today was spent mostly getting acquainted with the ship and unpacking. It is amazing how much stuff you need to bring for a four-month cruise. Wonder of wonders, everything managed to fit in the space available – if we can remember where we put it all.

Tuesday was the first sea day. It gave us an opportunity to really explore the ship and to see how we will be spending our sea days. Keep in mind that although we will be visiting over 30 countries and have about two months ashore all together, we will also have about two months at sea, split into one, two, three, and longer day intervals. The ship is small as I said earlier, but we have already discovered four bars and five restaurants, so we don’t have to worry about going hungry or thirsty.

I also had an opportunity to listen to the first of a series of enrichment lectures given by highly credentialed authorities on a variety of subjects. The first in the lineup is a series of discussion/lectures about the Middle East: its history; the oil issue; political infrastructure; the effect of US policies, or lack thereof, on the world; the Russia/China conundrum, and other similar weighty matters. The speaker is a Middle East policy expert and author who has served several presidents, met with Arafat and Abbas and Israeli leaders, and has specialized in these types of issues since the 60s. This is the type of heavyweight we can expect for the remainder of the enrichment series.

We also got our first glimpse of the upcoming port stops. Our first is Nuku Hiva in French Polynesia. You may remember that is where Survivor 2002 was filmed. We believe our short stay will be slightly more comfortable than theirs was…

At dinner we were invited to join the Port Lecturer and his wife. She teaches photography techniques for the guests. We had a very nice time discussing some of the places we had all been to and several that are on both of our “bucket lists.”

 Here is the sunset this evening from our balcony:

Sunset - somewhere in the Pacific heading toward Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

More to follow...stay tuned...

Here we are in Los Angeles. It is beginning.

We are at the Montage Beverly Hills Hotel for two nights; the cruise line's choice - and not too shabby either... Tonight we had planned to have dinner at Spago, Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant; however, after a late takeoff from MIA, a loooong wait for luggage at LAX, and a rather pleasant drive in a private car to the hotel, we were just wiped! Oh well, maybe there will be a next time...

Fortunately, the hotel is lovely, the room is lovely, the meet 'n greet was lovely. Everything so far has been lovely. And so to bed...

Sunday we went to the LA Farmers' Market and just sniff, sample, and people-watch. After that we hopped on a short (45 minute)  trolley tour of Beverly Hills. Interesting history and much opulence as to be expected. Sort of makes Port Royal look rather ordinary.

Sunday evening we had the first cruise get-together for all of the full world cruise passengers. That's a terrific way to find out who will be on the cruise for all eight legs. It is also an opportunity to observe the other long-term passengers to ferret out who might be good travel companions for sharing private cars, private tours, special restaurants, etc. It is also a sneaky way to figure out who one might want to avoid later on...

We really lucked out at the welcome dinner. During cocktails we met another couple who introduced us to a third couple and the six of us sat together for the dinner. What a hoot! If the rest of the trip is anything like this first dinner, then fasten your seat belts, we're in for a great ride!

Dinner was cocktails with butler-passed hors d'oeurvres followed by a four-course dinner. Should have had all my clothes let out...Finally poured ourselves into bed and ready for sail-away tomorrow evening.

Here is a map of the first leg's itinerary:
 

First Leg: Los Angeles to Papeete, French Polynesia

The first seven days are sea days. Some folks might wonder: "What on earth will you do for an entire week with no ports to visit or shop or tour, etc.?" We view sea days as an opportunity to relax, refresh, and recharge. We read, play bridge, attend ship's lectures and other activities. When we get to the later parts of the trip, a sea day will be a welcome "day off" from touring. We speak from experience. We once did eight ports in eight days and were so wrung out that it took two days just to stabilize.

Once we get underway, there will be more to follow as we learn about the ship, the daily routine, and get ready for the first few ports.

Once we get to sea, the Internet will be via satellite and tends to be flaky depending upon the atmospheric conditions and the ship's position. Therefore, it may be several days before you hear from us again.

Stay tuned...

Two weeks from today we will be winging our way to Los Angeles to spend the night before boarding the ms Silver Whisper for our around-the-world trip.

I thought I might share some of the pre-trip logistics for this long adventure, so here are a few of the things we have had to research and prepare before we leave:

• One of the first things we did this fall was to see the travel doctor to make sure our shots are up to date and get the necessary boosters. We also had to get our prescriptions for anti-malaria, antibiotics, and anti-fungal woes.
• We are still going through the ship’s shore excursion catalog and trolling the internet to find private guides and comparing costs, details, reviews, and timing to make sure we get the biggest bang for the buck for a lot of places that we probably won’t ever have an opportunity to return to. We actually began this item almost a year ago when we first booked the cruise. We needed to become familiar with both the itinerary and the timing of the port calls so we could begin to hone in on whether to use the ship’s tours or really spend the time to find a private guide. We have been very fortunate over the years in finding private guides – and many of these have been on a par cost-wise with the ships tours, or better yet, even less expensive and more personalized. We really don’t like to do a lot of bus trips.
• We have also been shopping and putting away new clothes for the trip. While we are not completely re-outfitting, we do want to have some newer shirts, pants, blouses, etc. For both the days at sea and the dining room at night. Plus, it’s a good excuse to rotate stuff out of the closet and get rid of that shirt or pants that I haven’t worn for a couple of years.
• We are fortunate in having the cruise line handle most of our luggage. They will pick up four of our large suitcases, via FedEx, on Friday, Dec. 26 and have them on board when we embark on Jan. 5th. We can then fly to LAX with only our carry-ons (and perhaps one checked bag). However, that means that we need to begin packing next weekend. There are items that you don’t think about on a day-to-day basis that you have to think about when you may not be near a CVS or Walgreen’s (or Costco) for four months. For instance, I need to stock up on hearing aid batteries and razor blades and shaving cream. Bonnie needs to stock up on shampoo and other girly toiletries (of which I am blissfully ignorant). Of course we could hope to replenish along the way, but we discovered on our South America and Antarctic trip last year that stuff we take for granted may be very, very scarce outside the US.
• Electronics are another issue. I will need to take my laptop for the blog, email, and any web surfing I want to do. I also need a reader and I am not fond of my ancient (by today’s standards) Kindle – it’s about four years old. Bonnie loves hers and will use that, but I have a small laptop/tablet (a laptop with a detachable keyboard) that I have been using for about six months as a reader and will bring that as well. There is also the iPhone. Because we need to keep communications open for Bonnie’s Mother at Moorings Park, I need to bring that (That’s no chore since I am an iPhone addict…).So…there are power blocks, cords, adapters, curling irons, accessories, etc. that have to be packed in the carry-ons. The good news is that most of the electronics are dual power, so they can charge from either a 110/115 or 220/240 socket. We just need to bring along the 220/240 socket adapters. We will still need a converter for those items that are not dual capable.
• A number of years ago, we found that having a “just in case” bag (plastic baggie) with Band-Aids, ointments, cold pills, etc. is another must-have travel accessory. This time we are also going to have a “just-in-case” bag for a few minor office supplies (paper clips, a sticky note pad, extra pens, etc.) since we found that not every ship can bail you out if you need such mundane items. I will also be including a small sewing kit and a few feet of man’s universal solution – duct tape.
• We also have to take care of the house and the cars. We have a house-sitter that will come in once a week, so that should fend off any long-term issues. We usually do this when we plan to be away for more than a couple of weeks. We have made arrangements with our neighbor to have our mail forward to them One can never know how comforting it is to have neighbors that make that kind of offer. I can't imagine how the mail might either pile up or begin getting returned to sender. We also have to make sure that both cars are "vacationized" since they won't be driven much for four months. Then there is making sure that both the refrigerator and freezer(s) do not have any perishables and can be left for a while.
• Finally, I always make up a notebook consisting of those clear plastic open-top document holders that can be placed in a three-ring binder. I use one for air tix and info, one for the ship’s boarding info, one for each major stop along the way, one for car rentals, etc. For this trip, I will probably have a three-ring notebook about 2” thick loaded with these holders. I learned this trick from one of our good friends with whom we have travel over the years. She and her husband are very organized and after fumbling for some misplaced air tickets once when we were with them, she showed me her system and I've used it ever since.

I have rambled along with some of our prep work and I probably forgot a few things, but I hope you get the idea that there is more than a little work involved in longer-term vacations. At the end, though, it is still fun, exciting, adventuresome, and we wouldn't give it up for anything!

More to follow, stay tuned…

Hello to all!

It is one month until we set sail (figuratively...) for our newest adventure. We will spend an overnight in Los Angeles prior to sailing. 

We decided to begin this blog to document our around-the-world cruise - mainly so I can remember a lot of what we did for more than a few weeks after our return (getting older is not for sissies...).

Bonnie and I hope you all enjoy following along with our travels. We have some exciting places to visit and exciting things to discover and to do.

I chose this blog engine because it appears to offer more flexibility than the one I used for our South America, Antarctica, and the Amazon trip last year. I hope I chose well. There is a place below for comments on any of the posts or just to drop us a note to say hello. Please feel free to do so. Our normal email addresses are also in use and available to us.

Speaking of email, since we will be on a ship for most of the journey, we are certain to get flaky Internet service - usually sloooow and often sporadic. We will brace up and do our best to make do. Perhaps we will be surprised and find that the new cruise line we are using has better Internet, but that is our hope.

Many of you know that we have become fond of Holland America Lines ships over the past years and their great food and service; however, we could not find an itinerary that we liked from among their offerings the past few years, so this year we opted for something new - Silversea Cruise Lines and the ms Silver Whisper.

The itinerary gets us around the Cape of Good Hope and southern Africa. Before the Ebola crisis we were going to come up the west coast of Africa, but about a month ago the cruise line made the decision to break off of Africa after we visit Namibia (a wise move, we think) and pick up additional ports in the Atlantic and the Caribbean. We are disappointed that we won't get to some of the African countries that helped us choose this itinerary, but we are not disappointed to away from the Ebola-stricken areas. Our hearts go out to those people, but it is what it is and we applaud the cruise line for taking that step to protect its passengers.

We had originally booked this trip based on NOT going through the Suez Canal since we have spent so much time in the Mediterranean. We wanted to see more of Africa and thought this would be a way to do it. Well, best laid plans and all that... but we are just as happy that we can avoid the dicey areas and still claim an around-the-world trip.

I found a way to get a picture of our cruise itinerary in a format that will give you some idea of where we will be traveling to.

Here it is:



Los Angeles  and west to Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Singapore, and continuing west to the east coast of Africa, then around Cape Horn and across the Atlantic and the Caribbean to Fort Lauderdale and home.

You can see by the red line how the Ebola crisis has changed our itinerary. Here is a link to the actual itinerary, if you are interested:

Ed and Bonnie's Around-the-World Itinerary

More to follow as we get closer to lift-off. Stay tuned...