Hilo and Honolulu in Hawaii

Look at the size of these trees - they get lots of rain in Hilo

We visited two of the Hawaiian Islands on Monday and Tuesday this week.  First, we visited the Island of Hawaii, or Big Island – because it is.  However it has a much smaller population than the Island of Oahu where Honolulu is the capital.

There are seven inhabited islands in the Hawaiian group which were only unified in 1810 by King Kamehameka in 1810.  Thirty years earlier in 1779, Captain Cook had been killed on the Island of Hawaii.

Craft and material shop in town

By 1819, missionaries had arrived and began converting the Hawaiians to Christianity. As always happens, diseases came with western civilisation and decimated the population before it started to grow again in the late 19^th and 20^th centuries.

Hilo where the ship docked is the main town on the Island of Hawaii and services a population of 43,000.  The island was formed from five volcanoes and two of them, only 25 miles apart are quite active.  The others are dormant.

Our bus

We had no plans for Hilo, since the ship didn’t mention any wheelchair accessibility, but once on shore we discovered the Hoppa On, Hoppa Off buses which stopped at various designated stops from the black sand beaches on the left of the port to the town on the right hand side.  Two of their three buses had wheelchair access, only one spot, but both John and Fred squeezed in on the way back to the port.

We decided to take a ride right around the route, so first we went to the beaches and

Rainbow Falls

then to the Rainbow Falls where water cascades over a lava edge.  Then back into town where we wandered around the town, stopped to have a (ghastly) American coffee and nearly got caught in one of their 10 minute downpours.  We had a lovely chat with the owner who spent his adolescent years in Perth with his geophysicist father.  As you can imagine there are lots of scientists come to this island to study its fascinating geological makeup.

Farmers' market in Hilo

We were unable to take advantage of the tours on Hilo – we would certainly have loved to see the volcanoes.  Many fellow cruisers took a helicopter ride, but sadly our days doing that are over – John’s skin can’t handle the damage these days, that’s even if he could find a helicopter pilot willing to lift him onto the seat…

Hilo is rather depressed, with low cost housing which attracts many retirees.  It is also subject to tsunamis and has endured some bad ones in modern times.

Twin towers in Honolulu

Overnight we travelled to Honolulu which supports a far larger population on the Island of Oahu.  Unlike Hilo it has many high rise buildings, and a much more multicultural population.  The most popular religions are Catholicism, Buddhism, Protestantism and Mormanism, in that order.  It is known as a crossroads to east and west, with many Japanese, Filipinos, Anglo-Saxons as well as indigenous Hawaiians, now inter-married.  In recent years, land has been set aside for people who can prove they are 50% Hawaiian. 

At Pearl Harbour

When Pearl Harbour was bombed, 37% of the population was Japanese, so not all of them were interned, only those who were influential or who had been educated in Japanese territories.  Our guide’s father had spent his childhood in Okinawa, although born in Hawaii, so he was interned, not in Hawaii but on the mainland of the USA.

The ship’s tour office was able to offer us

John and our Japanese Hawaiian coach driver Roy.

an accessible tour of a number of places, so we chose Pearl Harbour and City Sights.  This proved to be a mainstream tour in a wheelchair accessible coach which had two wheelchair spaces.  Jenny and Fred had also booked this tour, and the seating was quite adequate.  The tour was well worth the money as well, unlike that in Auckland.

We travelled about seven miles out to Pearl Harbour, which is on the next bay from where the ship was docked.  Once inside the precinct, there were two free museums then we were taken like clockwork into the theatre for a 35 minute presentation about the attack on Pearl Harbour.  From there we were taken via a flat bottomed boat to the USS Arizona Memorial, across the bay.  The memorial is above the “graveyard” of the warship which was sunk during the attack by the Japanese.

USS Arizona memorial

The tour was fully wheelchair accessible.  We even stopped a mother tipping her daughter with a broken leg out of her wheelchair – had to explain about tipping the wheelchair backwards and use the bar at the back of the chair to make that easier.  The daughter nearly ended up with two broken legs.

Looking towards the north east of the Island

After that, we were taken on the motorway through a tunnel and along a bridge through the volcanic range and up to a lookout to view the northeast side of the island.  The scenery was like nothing we’d seen before.  All these vertical ridges covered in vegetation, the result of lava flows hundreds of thousands of years before.  Magnificent.

Royal palace

Then we were taken back to the centre of the old town to view the statues of the King and Queen, the Royal Palace (the monarchy was overthrown in 1893) and the beautiful churches and an old mission houses.

The coach then returned us to the ship for a very late lunch, after which John wanted to return to town to take photos, since he hadn’t been able to get off the coach earlier.  He eventually went off on his own and explored more streets whilst I returned to the ship, not feeling very well.  We were all “done” for the day by then, although we were not due to leave until midnight.

Aloma Tower

Our table mates, Anne and Ted had been invited to a special dinner on shore, guests of Cunard.  Apparently all cruisers who had done a world tour with Cunard were invited, and there were eight coachloads! About 400 people.  They had a thoroughly good night, everything laid on, and Ted was somewhat worse for wear the next day.

This island was one where we’d rather spend at least a week, maybe more – there was so much to see and do, with most of the local buses wheelchair accessible.  We missed Waikiki, just a short bus trip away and more especially the rest of the island – so beautiful and with such a great temperate climate.

And I had no chance to do any shopping at all!

Pacific Islands - Tonga and American Samoa

Tourist offerings near wharf at Nuku'alofa

Since we missed a day in the Bay of Islands, we might have decided to visit Tonga a day early, but the Tongans do not welcome cruise ships on Sundays.  So we spent a day longer at sea – we would have had to sometime anyway!

The Tongans are very religious indeed,

Free church of Tonga

and there are lots of churches.  The buses are really just converted trucks and are very colourful – no air conditioning and large steps to mount.  There were no wheelchair accessible buses or taxis so we simply wandered around the town of Nuka’alofa which is the capital of the Tongan Islands.

John on way back to ship

John realised belatedly that he could only travel on the roads, since the footpaths had few gutter ramps.  Luckily the traffic was slow so he didn’t feel unsafe.  The drivers and pedestrians were all very friendly (other than some fellow passengers who never return greetings).  Fortunately the majority of cruisers are very friendly – passengers and crew alike.

We spent some time at the Friends Café which has good coffee and cakes, and more importantly wifi at $2 per hour.  The Tongan dollar is worth 50 cents American, but one can pay in Australian or NZ dollars.  They calculate the cost of the food etc and make the exchange rate faithfully, but if it comes to $15 AUD, the change is in Tongan dollars!  So that’s how they make their money.  Then the next drink is exactly the Tongan $5…

The island of Tutuina (must check that) is extremely flat – no volcanoes there.  96% of the

Royal Palace, now used for ceremonial occasions

population are Tongan.  It appears very poor, which is probably why there are big Tongan populations in NZ and Australia, particularly Sydney.  One young woman told our dinner companions that she had been living in Honolulu with her grandmother and had been to school there and started work, but her grandmother wanted to come back to Tonga and her grand-daughter said she was bored silly and had to take a casual job on the tourist markets.  Only about 13 cruise ships visited the port annually.  She certainly must have noticed the difference from Hawaii.

After two hours or so we embarked for the rest of the day since John was finding the weather too hot and humid.

The day we were in Tonga was St Patrick’s day, so I wore my emerald green top out, and my pink and green top at dinner that night.  However, the next day was also the 17^th March so that day at sea, we enjoyed Irish stew, beef hotpot with pastry and other delicacies.  There was also an Irish Ball which we didn’t attend – we were too busy chatting to our Californian friends in the Bistro on Deck 9.  I had met Doug and Peggy (early retirees) three days before at lunch, introduced John to them the day after, and he has been having a great time chatting about American politics, asking for explanations, and telling them about Australian politics.

A man sitting at the next table in the Wintergarden kept pricking up his ears (according to our American friends) and after they left, John said to him “ I hope we weren’t too noisy for you”.  He (a Kiwi) said no, to the contrary, and showed John a book he was reading with a picture of Obama on the front, and said “It’s a good book, proves that President Obama is a totalitarian, and the author has the facts to proof it!”  John and I politely killed ourselves laughing (after he’d turned his back).

There are a lot of people who would disagree with our politics on board, but mostly nice all the same.  Peggy and Doug (with whom we can discuss politics ad nauseum) have recently bought a nineacre property with a Californian style bungalow in Oregon, and apart from the trees and deer, you’d think it was a house in Australia.  Their politics could not be further from that of my beloved Florida cousins who are well aware we disagree on many things.

Tourist market in Pago Pago

On Tuesday 18^th (being now across the International Date Line) we visited the American Samoan port of Pago Pago (pronounced Pango Pango).  Pago Pago is like Tonga writ large and the buildings are very old and mostly run down, but with much more an American influence.  There

was even a Macdonalds!  American Samoa became strategically important to the Americans in the late 19^th century, using it as a refuelling station. The island of Tutuila where Pago Pago is situated is very photogenic, the land being mostly mountainous and volcanic.  There are 65,000 residents, 95% of whom are settled on the very flat areas of Tutuila.  Farming is undertaken on steep hillsides. This island is the only American territory in the southern hemisphere (and only just).  It is self-administered, but there was much infrastructure built during President Kennedy’s era.

One of many buses in Tutuila (island)

The Samoans are also very religious and many of the colourful buses (similar to those in Tonga but a bit better maintained) have religious statements on them, such as “God is my provider”.  Tourists are expected to dress conservatively, with bikinis and short shorts permitted in the tourist resorts.

Our wheelie and vision impaired friends

Fred, Marg, John, Jenny at market

will be pleased to hear that American Samoa has gutter ramps everywhere in the main centres and also Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSIs).  Once again, like the Tongans, the Samoans were extremely friendly and helpful.

Fishing boats and Queen Vic in harbour

We left Pago Pago yesterday afternoon and are now in very tropical seas with water temperature of 30 degrees and air temperature at least the same.  The captain is trying to avoid tropical storms where possible.  We are used to walking slowly around the ship since it is very rocky.  Still no sign of sea sickness though so I don’t suppose we will have any now.

I shall put up some more photos on Facebook probably tonight.

Farewell New Zealand

Today we were supposed to visit the Bay of Islands, but the weather has turned on us.  The Queen Victoria is trying to avoid Cyclone Luci which is bearing down on New Zealand.  So we have an extra day at sea, prior to anchoring at Nukuolofa (Tonga).  It is getting slightly rougher, and we are told to expect much more swell tonight.  The sea has been like a millpond up til now.

Since Sunday, we have visited a port a day, and lovely weather except for Dunedin which was very cold.  Some days have started off grey and overcast, but before long the sun comes out and there is hardly a cloud in the sky.

We caught the cable car up and walked down

We’ve enjoyed every port – all so different.  Dunedin has beautiful old buildings, especially the railway station; Wellington has the cable car and beautiful Botanic Gardens; Napier has lovely Art

Art Deco Centre in Napier - one of many

Deco buildings, since the whole place was rebuilt in the early 1930s after a terrible earthquake killed 160 residents; Tauranga (a replacement cruising Port rather than stopping at Christchurch) reminded us of Terrigal – lovely beaches, great shopping and modern apartments; and Auckland has a wonderful view from the top of the sky tower (60 storeys high).  And the traffic is far less urgent than Sydney.

In Auckland yesterday we enjoyed our first booked tour, very pleasant with a friendly and competent taxi driver named Joe who had migrated from Samoa 40 years earlier.  We drove across the harbour bridge and up to a lookout at Mt Victoria near Devonport.  The latter is a very old area, now very popular with commuters who take a ferry to work in the city.  Then we returned to the city, drove through the Botanical Gardens to the Auckland Museum where we spent an hour and a half in the company of a very knowledgeable senior volunteer.

Being farewelled in Napier by a jazz band

Whilst the tour was pleasant, we were less pleased with the cost - $277 for the two of us.  We didn’t think it was value for money, so will think twice about another tour.

Our taxi in Auckland

After the tour, we were immediately claimed by my cousin Mike and his wife Maureen who live in Auckland.  They took us to lunch and then up the Sky tower where the view was magnificent.  It was so nice to see them – only our second meeting – and to get to know them better.

John is resting up today – the combination of a port a day and a change in his eating habits was getting to him.  But otherwise he’s fine and has definitely enjoyed New Zealand.  I’ve been enjoying everything and am about to go and get an Internet subscription.  I shall be treating my wifi hours like gold – it costs almost as much.

Looking down on our ship from 60 storeys up.

Finding our way around the ship

Deck 1 near Purser's office

It’s now Day 4 of our cruise to the northern hemisphere and we are at last getting into the swing of things, starting to find our way around the ship, meet people and working out what we like doing and what we don’t.

On Wednesday afternoon we arrived at the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay about an hour ahead of the designated time, but were able to check in immediately and then leave the ship again to take photos. The process was so much smoother than at airports – a Cunard ID card enables us to purchase anything on board without money exchanging hands, to quickly embark at ports and also allows us access to our “stateroom”. All cabins are called staterooms, so it’s nothing special.

Queen Victoria at Circular Quay 5 March 2014

Our room is on the inside corridor – no windows – but we are very happy with it. It’s a room with plenty of space and a great bathroom – just a shower, toilet and practical vanity unit with bench space. There is also a flip up seat attached to the shower wall – a good idea for many people. Cupboards and wardrobes are generous and there is also under bed space. In fact the room is much bigger than many motel rooms we’ve experienced.

So far the sea has been calm – like a millpond sometimes – and although we can hear the ship’s engines and feel a slight rocking, it is easy to get used to. The engines sound like an air-conditioning system does.

We usually request breakfast in our room, anytime from 7:00am to 9:30am. The coffee is dreadful, so after the first day we changed to tea. The variety of food is very good, but I’m having trouble working out which is soy milk and which is dairy milk – my sense of smell has never been good and nothing is labelled.

We’ve tried out the evening room service and that was OK too, with variation to the printed menu not a problem. In fact, nothing seems to be a problem for the crew; they are very well trained indeed.

The first two evenings were “informal” but even in the Lido bistro, men are still supposed to wear a jacket, something John did not bring since we had only one semi-large suitcase for all our clothes. Too much other equipment and medical consumerables to bring… But he got away with a long-sleeved shirt in the main restaurant, and we were seated as requested at a table for six, and met a nice couple from Yorkshire. There are many English aboard, Americans, Canadians, German and some French. Quite a lot of Asians too, but I suspect they are Australians or Americans. 90% of the passengers are seniors – probably because it’s school term everywhere, and Cunard – a more conservative and traditional company than say P & O or Princess Cruises.

Friday night was a “formal” night – John has decided to avoid them – so we dined in room, and John had been in bed all day anyway, resting up to avoid a skin problem. Tonight is also a formal night so we will try out the Lido Bistro instead – it serves meals 22 hours a day. We had breakfast and lunch up there today, watching the New Zealand coastline and meeting new people.

Deck 9 sundeck

Yesterday I was on deck by myself and met a very nice woman, Maxine, a retired teacher from Lincoln in the UK. We chatted for a couple of hours, took to each other, and this morning whilst cruising the Milford Sound, I introduced her to John. She and her partner had a nightmare of a start to their trip in Sydney – they opened their cabin door to find someone else’s possessions in there. They were double booked! Cunard was most embarrassed – something had gone seriously wrong – but since the ship is not fully booked, they were upgraded both for their room and their dining table.

At lunch today (Saturday) we introduced ourselves to a couple like us – a guy from Brisbane using a wheelchair and his retired physiotherapist wife. Fred and Jenny are also travelling to Southampton, but are old hands at cruising, unlike us. We will probably join them on some tours – Cunard has arranged wheelchair accessible vehicles for some tours in New Zealand and Honolulu. We won’t be doing tours at every port – can’t afford to.

On Saturday morning we cruised the Milford Sound for two hours - stunning scenery.  It was very overcast and later it rained.  Lots of low cloud.

John making the most of Milford Sound

                Here is a photo of the library on board.

Margaret making a book selection

Competition for the Mardi Gras - three Queens in town

QE2 docked at Circular Quay

Last week the Queen Mary 2 was in town, today it's QE2 docked at Circular Quay with a huge Mardi Gras banner, and in only four days time it will be the Queen Victoria - our ship.

It was a very wet day, but the area around the Opera House was still buzzing.  We were there to see a play - an English farce called Noises Off (Michael Frayn) at the Drama Theatre.