We awoke at 6:00 AM to cloudy skies. Bruce had some emergency tasks to do for his computer clients in the morning before we left the hotel (while we still had free internet).
Our shuttle to the port came at 11:45. We got checked in quickly, our bags were waiting for us at the stateroom, and we actually found a place for everything. I really must have done a perfect job of packing! We always book an inside cabin for several reasons:
1. We can travel twice as often by spending half as much (and we still go all the same places, eat the same food, and enjoy the same entertainment, etc.)
2. I have sleep issues and prefer the dark cave
3. If I had a balcony I would probably be too distracted by the scenery and not get my writing done
So - let the feeding frenzy begin! Lunch was yummy. It takes a lot of restraint and will power to not overdo it at the buffet. We agreed to pace ourselves and remind each other that we have 39 days so we don't have to eat it all on the first day. HAH!! It's just soooo yummy... oh boy, gotta get grip on this! Tomorrow....
Around 2:00 the rain set in. First just a drizzle, then at times it poured. Hawaiians have a saying that if it rains on the day you leave, it means the island is crying and that you will return. It rained the last time we left and we did return, so I hope this holds true for the future. I love Hawaii.
On Royal Caribbean we are Diamond status (loyalty program). One of the benefits is a Happy Hour each day with free wine, champagne, and soft drinks. Bruce took his laptop and worked, I read my book, while we sipped champagne. I passed the halfway mark in this 500+ page book I'm reviewing, thanks to lots of reading time on the plane.
Dinner was nice. We're at a table for 8, but only one other couple showed up. Kay and Roger are from Las Vegas - nice couple who love movies. That made an easy topic for getting acquainted.
We got to do the always fun and exciting muster drill at 10:30 PM. We thought some people might come in their PJs and bunny slippers. There are 500 children on board, or so I overheard an officer tell someone. I felt sorry for the sleepy little ones who had to stay up for the drill. Seems it's Spring Break time in Australia. 1,500 of the 2,500 aboard are Aussie's. We've been hearing that accent all day. By the end of the trip I'll probably have picked it up.
The jet lag has really caught up with me. I'm ready for a long sleep. I think by tomorrow I'll have my body adjusted to the 4 hour time change. Getting my "sea legs" may take a few more days. That's what I call developing adequate leg muscles to climb stairs all the time. The elevators take too long and we can always use the extra exercise. I'll probably be feeling it tomorrow after running around the ship all day today.
I can feel the ship moving now, so I believe we are under way at last. We opted not to go to the sail-away party. We'll have 2 more opportunities to do that when the hour is more reasonable and we aren't so tired. There's nothing like being gently rocked to sleep by the motion of the ocean.
Tomorrow is forecast to be sunny and warm. We'll be at sea for the next 5 days and they have lots of fun things to do: lectures, dance classes, demonstrations, shows, and food galore.
G'night all... more tomorrow. (Oh no - was that a touch of Aussie already slipping in already?)
Bruce and Jan
Dancin' Through Life Together
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Day 1 - Honolulu
Today we began our adventure. 40 days and 40 nights, a lot of water, a large ship, and animals all neatly paired off. Maybe there's a story in there somewhere? Can we write a screenplay about it? Oh, wait - I think that story's already been told. And the animals are really just "party animals" anyway.
Early this morning we began our trek with a long flight from Denver to Honolulu, arriving one day before we board the ship. I don't like to risk flying in and boarding the same day, in case there are any travel glitches. Our flight was uneventful, just the way we like them. We got an AWESOME hotel room just 2 blocks from Waikiki Beach for a bargain $95 on an internet special. The travel deals are out there, for sure! That's one of the few great things about the economy - travel is more affordable than ever.
We met up with my niece Jana who has lived here for a few years now - what a lucky lady! I think I need an island to call home. We enjoyed a relaxing happy hour on the beach before a yummy dinner at Duke's.
We took an after-dinner stroll and enjoyed some of the local entertainment along the street. One of our favorites is a guy who does "contact juggling" with crystal balls. His performance is mesmerizing - the large crystal ball weighs over a pound and yet it looks like it just floats in the air. We saw him last year and hoped we would find him again. To our delight his show was even bigger and more impressive. Bruce knows what he wants to do in his retirement days - assuming he retires someday. Check out these videos - it's amazing!
http://www.billybellew.com/videos.php
The jet lag is killer - I've been up for over 24 hours. Ready for some sleep. Tomorrow we will board our ship and sail away. The first 5 days straight are sea days. We won't see land again until Tahiti. I guess we'll be forced to get some writing done. I'm ready!!
Early this morning we began our trek with a long flight from Denver to Honolulu, arriving one day before we board the ship. I don't like to risk flying in and boarding the same day, in case there are any travel glitches. Our flight was uneventful, just the way we like them. We got an AWESOME hotel room just 2 blocks from Waikiki Beach for a bargain $95 on an internet special. The travel deals are out there, for sure! That's one of the few great things about the economy - travel is more affordable than ever.
We met up with my niece Jana who has lived here for a few years now - what a lucky lady! I think I need an island to call home. We enjoyed a relaxing happy hour on the beach before a yummy dinner at Duke's.
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| Jan and Bruce on Waikiki Beach - Diamondhead in background |
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| Jan and Jana at Duke's |
http://www.billybellew.com/videos.php
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| Billy showing Bruce some tricks |
Monday, September 27, 2010
Just 1 more day...
Up til now it's been all about getting US ready to travel. We made sure to get our flu shots last week. Getting sick on vacation really sucks!! All our bills are paid up and the online payment system has been set up and tested for several months now. The bags are packed and sitting by the front door.
Today it's all about getting the HOUSE ready for our absence. Doing up the last bits of laundry like sheets and towels, emptying out the fridge (and asking the neighbor to set the trash out for us - can you imagine coming home to 40 days of stinky trash smell??), making sure all the dishes are done, bringing all the plants in from outside, unplugging all unnecessary appliances, getting the sprinkler system blown out for Fall, etc. etc.
I'm such a Nervous Nelly that I've double and tripled checked that our passports and Australian tourist visas are in my purse along with the boarding passes and itinerary info. Can't imagine what I've forgotten to pack, but there's not an inch of space left in any suitcase, nor is there an ounce to spare, so it doesn't matter anyway. We'll just have to beg, borrow, or steal anything we forgot.
It'll be hard to sleep tonight, we're so full of anticipation and excitement for our adventure. I always fear doing the "Home Alone" thing - sleeping through the alarm and being woken by the limo driver only to have to scramble like crazy people. And yes, there really is a limo driver. It's way cheaper than 40 days of parking at the airport and kinder than asking our working friends and family to take us and pick us up.
We fly from Denver to Honolulu (via San Francisco) with arrival at 3:07 PM. We'll take the shuttle to the hotel and get checked in. When my niece Jana gets off work, she'll pick us up and we'll do the town. So until tomorrow.... Alooooooooooooha!
Today it's all about getting the HOUSE ready for our absence. Doing up the last bits of laundry like sheets and towels, emptying out the fridge (and asking the neighbor to set the trash out for us - can you imagine coming home to 40 days of stinky trash smell??), making sure all the dishes are done, bringing all the plants in from outside, unplugging all unnecessary appliances, getting the sprinkler system blown out for Fall, etc. etc.
I'm such a Nervous Nelly that I've double and tripled checked that our passports and Australian tourist visas are in my purse along with the boarding passes and itinerary info. Can't imagine what I've forgotten to pack, but there's not an inch of space left in any suitcase, nor is there an ounce to spare, so it doesn't matter anyway. We'll just have to beg, borrow, or steal anything we forgot.
It'll be hard to sleep tonight, we're so full of anticipation and excitement for our adventure. I always fear doing the "Home Alone" thing - sleeping through the alarm and being woken by the limo driver only to have to scramble like crazy people. And yes, there really is a limo driver. It's way cheaper than 40 days of parking at the airport and kinder than asking our working friends and family to take us and pick us up.
We fly from Denver to Honolulu (via San Francisco) with arrival at 3:07 PM. We'll take the shuttle to the hotel and get checked in. When my niece Jana gets off work, she'll pick us up and we'll do the town. So until tomorrow.... Alooooooooooooha!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Ready... Set...
I arrived in KS just in time to say goodbye to my dear mother. The funeral was on Wed and I flew home right after. So now my attention has turned to trip preparations.
Today I packed. It only took about 4 hours - I'm finally becoming efficient at this task. We have 2 large suitcases and each one weighs in at 49.2 pounds. I'm pretty good at knowing exactly how much I can get away with! The 2 carry-on bags are also pretty heavy but at least they have wheels. All that's left now are the last minute things - like the laptops. Hopefully I saved enough room for them. The challenge: to be sure that the souvenirs don't exceed the space or weight of the consumables that they'll replace in the suitcases. It's a good thing that jewelry and refrigerator magnets are small and light!
Just one more day to think of anything I missed. We'll be busy with errands and phone calls. Then a good night's sleep, up early, and off we go. First stop - Honolulu (via San Francisco). We're so ready for some "Island Vibe".
I woke up this morning thinking about my screenplay. I'm looking forward to being able to focus on it and incorporate all the new things I've thought of lately. I have about a page of notes to work from. I also have a 500+ page book to read (could possibly be writing an Adapted Screenplay from it, if we all like it). Never a dull moment in the life of writers!
Stay tuned..... the fun begins on Tuesday!
Today I packed. It only took about 4 hours - I'm finally becoming efficient at this task. We have 2 large suitcases and each one weighs in at 49.2 pounds. I'm pretty good at knowing exactly how much I can get away with! The 2 carry-on bags are also pretty heavy but at least they have wheels. All that's left now are the last minute things - like the laptops. Hopefully I saved enough room for them. The challenge: to be sure that the souvenirs don't exceed the space or weight of the consumables that they'll replace in the suitcases. It's a good thing that jewelry and refrigerator magnets are small and light!
Just one more day to think of anything I missed. We'll be busy with errands and phone calls. Then a good night's sleep, up early, and off we go. First stop - Honolulu (via San Francisco). We're so ready for some "Island Vibe".
I woke up this morning thinking about my screenplay. I'm looking forward to being able to focus on it and incorporate all the new things I've thought of lately. I have about a page of notes to work from. I also have a 500+ page book to read (could possibly be writing an Adapted Screenplay from it, if we all like it). Never a dull moment in the life of writers!
Stay tuned..... the fun begins on Tuesday!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
12 Days to go...
Hi everyone, I'm Jan and my sweetie is Bruce. Welcome to my blog. I plan to document our travels to the Land Down Under using this high-tech blog software. This is a test post to see if I can figure it out. Wish me luck! So here goes...
Our trip begins in Parker, Colorado. On Sept 28, 2010 we will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii (routing through San Francisco). We'll arrive there mid-afternoon. We'll check into the hotel and then hook up with my niece, Jana, after she gets off work. We'll have the evening and almost all of the next day with her to enjoy Oahu. We'll board the ship in time for our first on-board dinner. Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas will set sail at midnight. She'll be our home for 39 days, taking us to Tahiti, Bora Bora, east coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Fiji Islands. We're both experienced cruisers - okay, we're addicts. The first step is admitting it, right? We've already been on 8 cruises this year alone. This will be our longest single trip, though. Everyone keeps saying that 39 days is nuts - but as writers we'll hardly notice the 6 consecutive sea days. We'll just use the time to write our brains out and create something totally awesome for you to see in the theater next year!
So at 12 days out I have: put a stop order on the newspaper, filled out the card to have the mail held, set up the last straggling bill for online payment, and thought about packing - A LOT!! Not that I've started yet, I've just been thinking about it. How does one pack for a 40-day trip, anyway?? The tendency is to pack everything I own, but then I temper it with the reality of space restrictions. There's no way I could store all that stuff in the little closet. I will continue to refine the list until it's honed to perfection.
Packing for the big trip seems less important at the moment than packing for my trip to Kansas. My elderly mother has taken a turn for the worse and we nearly lost her yesterday. She has suffered with Alzheimer's and heart problems for many years and hasn't known me for at least the past 5 years. She quit eating 2 weeks ago. She's having great difficulty breathing and her extremities are cold and blue. She somehow made it through the night with a slight improvement. But it's still just a matter of time. I will fly there on Saturday and then stay as long as I can. But I have to be back to Denver by Thursday in order to prepare for the big adventure. She enjoyed many travels around the world, and I know that she would want me to go on the trip that we have planned and saved for over 2 years to do. This photo was taken almost 2 years ago - holding my granddaughter Caylin, with my daughter Amy and me. Four generations of us.
Our trip begins in Parker, Colorado. On Sept 28, 2010 we will travel to Honolulu, Hawaii (routing through San Francisco). We'll arrive there mid-afternoon. We'll check into the hotel and then hook up with my niece, Jana, after she gets off work. We'll have the evening and almost all of the next day with her to enjoy Oahu. We'll board the ship in time for our first on-board dinner. Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas will set sail at midnight. She'll be our home for 39 days, taking us to Tahiti, Bora Bora, east coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Fiji Islands. We're both experienced cruisers - okay, we're addicts. The first step is admitting it, right? We've already been on 8 cruises this year alone. This will be our longest single trip, though. Everyone keeps saying that 39 days is nuts - but as writers we'll hardly notice the 6 consecutive sea days. We'll just use the time to write our brains out and create something totally awesome for you to see in the theater next year!
So at 12 days out I have: put a stop order on the newspaper, filled out the card to have the mail held, set up the last straggling bill for online payment, and thought about packing - A LOT!! Not that I've started yet, I've just been thinking about it. How does one pack for a 40-day trip, anyway?? The tendency is to pack everything I own, but then I temper it with the reality of space restrictions. There's no way I could store all that stuff in the little closet. I will continue to refine the list until it's honed to perfection.
Packing for the big trip seems less important at the moment than packing for my trip to Kansas. My elderly mother has taken a turn for the worse and we nearly lost her yesterday. She has suffered with Alzheimer's and heart problems for many years and hasn't known me for at least the past 5 years. She quit eating 2 weeks ago. She's having great difficulty breathing and her extremities are cold and blue. She somehow made it through the night with a slight improvement. But it's still just a matter of time. I will fly there on Saturday and then stay as long as I can. But I have to be back to Denver by Thursday in order to prepare for the big adventure. She enjoyed many travels around the world, and I know that she would want me to go on the trip that we have planned and saved for over 2 years to do. This photo was taken almost 2 years ago - holding my granddaughter Caylin, with my daughter Amy and me. Four generations of us.
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| Amy and Caylin Butler, Joy Rogers and Jan Rogers - Oct 2008 |
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