It is day 15 of our cruise. We have been at sea for 5 days straight when we last saw land at Bora Bora. We learn in elementary school that the earth is 70% water. But you really don't appreciate it until you been out it sea for 5 days would nothing in sight but water as far as the eye can see in all directions. It is quite amazing and quite humbling.
We have been sailing through some of the roughest waters I have experienced. There was one day when the outside decks were closed because the wind and waves were so high. It is also turned cold which is so weird because when we left Hawaii it was hot and humid of course. Today when I did my laps on deck 12, it reminded me of the Alaska cruise that (sister) Dawn and I took awhile back.
Anyway, things are going well. I am feeling better but still experiencing a nagging cough that comes and goes. The days are spent reading and relaxing and roaming the ship. We have had some excellent shows, including a very nice tribute to Elvis the night before last. Last night was a comedy hypnotist that got about 15 people up on stage and put them in various states of trance. I don't know how real or imagined it was. I'm kind of a skeptic in that area but it was very funny nonthe less. I had a very nice dinner last night of fresh sole in buyter sauce. For dessert, warm pecan pie with ice cream.
We are pulling into Wellington as I finish this and Julie and I will go ashore for some window shopping and (me) to find hopefully a nice cafe with good coffee.
Some numbers and statistics today. I figured I would save these up for one blog entry because then I'll have them all in one place for future reference.
Passenger origins:
Aussies: 1,629
USA: 217
Germany: 155
UK: 58
Canada: 38
New Zealand: 27
Brazil: 16
Spain: 10
Others: 50 (approximately)
This is from ship's manifest, courtesy of Julie. When I booked this cruise back in Dec. '16, was surprised how quickly it filled up. Thought, "Boy a lot of Americans are visiting Australia." But it is more a case of Aussies returning home from holiday in USA during the end of their winter. Interesting.
Mileage statistics:
Honolulu to Tahiti: 2,378 nautical miles *
Tahiti to Moorea: 18.5 NM;
Moorea to Bora Bora:; 136 NM
Bora Bora to Wellington, New Zealand: 2,308 NM
Wellington to Picton NZ: 44 NM
Picton to Sydney: 1,190 NM
total distance: 6,290 NM. * 1 NM = 1.15 land miles, so that would convert to 7,234 land miles.
keep in mind Julie and were are already 4,172 mile from our home in Wisconsin to Honolulu when we began the cruise. So when we reach the end of the cruise in Synday, we will be 11,406 miles from home. Quite a distance!
Our ship's fastest speed will be 19 knots (nearly 22 miles per hour) when we leav Picton for Sydney. At that speed, the ship consumes 105 U.S. gallons of fuel per nautical mile. No match for the Prius, but then of course the Prius doesn't weight 90,000 tons either!
We on board are all aware of the horror in Las Vegas. I was just at the Mandaly Bay in June. So very sad on so many levels. Not sure what it will take to end the carnage, but obviously, this still ain't it. Lots of talk, another load of partisan horseshit, and then we wait for the next massacre and start over again. It is hard to believe our nation's leaders have come to accept this as a "cost of doing business" with the gun lobby, but thats the way it appears. Leave your seatbelt unbuckled? We can give you a ticket for that. Get hit in a hail of gunfire? Tough shit.
Until next time,
Bruce
Geez. You're almost half-way around the world from the US of A. So you'll have to tell me some time how you get along with the Aussies. The World Council of Credit unions had a triennial meeting (every three years) and all nations brought their treats (snacks) and their booze. And they brought music, such as a Jamaican steel-drum band and rum. The Hawaiians brought leis for everyone and macadamia nuts. And at every International Night party, the Aussies would hand out the lyrics to "Waltzing Matilda" and we would bellow out the song in starts and fits. They also brought liter cans of Booths beer. And the Aussies never exhibited any pretentiousness. There were "what you see is what you get" kind of people. In other words, fun to be around.
ReplyDelete