Jan 29:  Blogging is an old skill.  Ship captains did it 500 years ago.  Today some of us blog, others text. No patience for lengthy discourse - we are a tweet society.  No point in conducting research into this.  No one would read the studies.  Brevity is a problem when blogging about a world cruise.  So much world, so few syllables.  How to compress the rich tapestry of human existence into short bursts of haiku-like tweets?  India, 11 days - spicy.  China, noodles.  So I compromise.  No novels, but nearly complete sentences.

Lazy day in Papeete, Tahiti. Seems appropriate.  Hang out on ship - enjoy two helpings of Torta Santiago for dessert.  Get busted for this, but worth it.  Walk around town for a few hours. City population is 131,000.  Tropical climate, intense sunlight.  Moderate traffic.  Pleased to discover that drivers in this town are very courteous.  A welcome change from the crazed warriors driving in many urban locations.  Tea-time trivia in the afternoon. Dinner with new friends, a great evening.

Jan 30: Bora Bora.  Arrive early at this tropical gem surrounded by sparkling blue waters.  Excursion in a small glass-bottom boat to view sharks and stingrays. The local tour owners have trained these fish to gather in a small shallow area several hundred yards offshore.  They've fed them daily for twenty years so they don't attack humans.  Like cruise ship passengers, these fish are well-behaved.  Provided with hassle-free food, they cheerfully pose for photos and relinquish their rightful place in the food chain.  We relate.

Sail away at sunset watching Bora Bora disappear past the horizon. Next three days at sea.  We arrive in Tonga in 4 days after sailing for 3 days.  You ask how?  On Feb 2 we'll cross international dateline.  We will skip ahead 23 hours. Brings up lots of philosophical questions.  It's late, I have no answers.

Jan28: Sail into Moorea around 6 am under a cover of dark clouds.  Originally developed as a volcano, this tiny island is now a favorite  honeymoon destination.  Many bungalows built right over shallow ocean water, just a few meters from the beach.  Good for photo ops, not good for sleepwalkers.

No deep water port, so we are tendered ashore.  Arrive on land, serenaded by partially-clad natives dancing, playing bongos.  Then right away to business - merchants line the harbor with tents, selling their wares. Local art, clothing. Black pearls, gray pearls, green pearls.  Beautiful shells.  (for more photos, see Brigit's blog at http://anchorsawaygrandworldcruise.blogspot.com/2011/01/moorea-french-polynesia.html)

The sun rises, clouds recede to reveal the visual gem upon which we will spend this day.  Lush, flowered landscape.  Tall, sharp peaks rise dramatically into the sky.  Island surrounded by coral reef.  Charles Darwin climbed to the top of the highest peak here and described Moorea as 'a picture in a frame'.  A good excuse for some scientists to live here and study the ecology of coral.  Ocean water looks photoshopped.  If I worked at the Crayola company, I'd invent a crayon called 'Moorea Blue'.

Bonjour - the French accent at first seems misaligned with the tropical setting.  A few words of my limited French vocabulary return to me.  Combien cout?  How much does it cost?  We rent a car - four hours, $120.  Ouch.  We circumnavigate the island by car, stop in several places for photos, buy fruit, visit resorts.  We search for the appropriate evocative term to describe the taste of Moorean bananas - not your average banana.  Some time on beach, swim in the ocean - warm, clean, sparkling water. 

We are in Moorea just 6 hours.  Locals are not unfriendly, but not particularly friendly either.  Just 16,000 people live here.  Resorts appear to operate well below capacity.  Expensive here.  We buy two gallons of gas for the car before returning it.  Twenty dollars.  Again, ouch.  Back to the ship.  Sit on our balcony and sip champagne as we sail away at sunset for the one hour ride to Tahiti.  Au revoir au paradis. 

Tues 25th.  On deck as we cross the equator.  The crowd cheers, the band plays. We move from winter to summer.  Dinner with friends.  Another great day somewhere in the Pacific ocean.

Wed 26th. No internet today.  Attend three different lectures.  Dinner with another couple plus the husband/wife cruise directing duo of Jamie and Dana.  Always nice to meet new people.  Many wonderful stories.  Jamie tells of meeting an 86 year old Chinese man in forbidden city and inviting him for an interview.  The man decided to conduct the interview at the local McDonalds, because according to him it had the best tea in all of China.  We lament the homogenization of the world.

My blog address is firstworldcruise, but of course Ferdinand Magellan really holds the distinction for this achievement.  In 1519 he set out to conquer his own xenophobia by sailing around the globe.  'Ferdi' was a snappy dresser.  Invented 'formal night' for the cruise industry.  Although he did not live to complete circumnavigation of the globe, some of his crew did eventually make it back to Spain where they were awarded Platinum status by the King, thus enjoying extra perks on subsequent cruises.

A cocktail party for Regent's repeat customers.  Since 82% of passengers onboard are return customers, they invite all passengers.

Jan 27.  Mauritius is a tiny island nation - a speck of land in the Indian ocean 600 miles east of Madagascar.  Settled or visited at various times by the Dutch, French and British, it is now an independent nation.  I meet Prithum, a native of Mauritius who speaks fondly of his homeland.  He suggests we visit sometime, says it's a nice place.  On this cruise Prithum is working in the Veranda buffet aboard the Regent Seven Seas Voyager, which happens to be my breakfast venue of choice.  Each morning as I saunter towards the buffet, I see him arranging smoked salmon, keeping the buffet fully stocked.  Eye contact.  Just a quick glance, a slight nod, and he dashes back to the kitchen to fetch a dish of sambal oelek, my new favorite hot sauce.  Another example of how the international crew on this ship are quickly learning the names and habits of the passengers, anxious to make our journey as pleasant as possible.

Enjoy breakfast on the deck just outside the buffet.  Begin to notice the subtleties of ocean and sky.  Slight differences in wave motions.  Dramatic cloud patterns.  Nature speaks to us, but to our untrained ear sounds like a Thai cab driver.  We have no idea what she is saying.  Experienced sailors are fluent in the language of the sea.  Ancient Polynesians were master navigators yet had no metal, no modern tools.  Just stars, weather, currents, birds.  Moved across the vast Pacific in hand-made wooden canoes.  Hear story of a blind man who helped ancient polynesians navigate.  He could successfully navigate the Pacific ocean by tasting the seawater and detecting changes in salinity.  We wonder if ocean water still tastes the same as 1,000 years ago.

Tuesday Jan 25.  Third day at sea en-route to French Polynesia.  Calm waters.  Internet speed is 500K bps - slow by on-shore standards, acceptable for the middle of the Pacific ocean.

I develop a Pavlovian response to the constant motion of the ship.  Some people get seasick, but my brain now associates ship movement with top-quality dining.  I actually crave sea motion and salivate when the ship is underway.

I get the name of my new favorite hot sauce: sambal oelek - an Indonesian concoction.  Distributed by a company in California.  I research it online and become an expert.

French polynesia is a collection of 130 islands dispersed over a huge area of the south Pacific - almost one million square miles.  Total land area of all its islands is 1,622 sq. miles - slightly smaller than Connecticut.  The first European to visit the islands was Ferdinand Magellan, who stopped in Tahiti while on a world cruise in 1521.  It was here that he developed his well-known fondness for crème brûlée.

Islands noted for black pearls, vanilla bean, noni fruit.  Also beautiful clear water.  Official language is French, principal industry is tourism.

Polynesia became a protectorate of France in 1842, a territory in 1946 and most recently a collective in 2004.  Indigenous peoples now lobbying for it to become a patisserie.

Later today we will cross the equator heading south. This is a big deal - an event filled with ritual and superstition dating back at least 400 years. First timers are known as 'pollywogs', while veteran equatorial crossers are called 'shellbacks.'  Four hundred years ago, during the golden age of exploration, sailors developed a number of unsavory traditions that amounted to hazing the more junior staff upon crossing the equator.  Pollywogs through the centuries were made to pay respect to Neptune and his aquatic god friends by enduring some sort of humiliating activity, while the more veteran sailors watched.

In keeping with these long-standing traditions, Regent will conduct festivities appropriate to the demographic of a modern, pricey cruise ship.  The captain will command the pollywogs to pay respect to Neptune by making a sacrificial offering - they will toss a tray of tiramisu overboard.  The wait staff will serve champagne, the band will play and a good time will be had by all.

Since we already made this crossing on our journey to the Galapagos islands 15 years ago, we are now shellbacks.  So no sacrifice for us. We can have our tiramisu and eat it too.

Scheduled to arrive in Papeete, Tahiti in 3 days.

Thurs Jan 20: Pull into Honolulu harbor around 9 am.  Have been to this city many times but this is the first time arriving by boat.  Very beautiful entrance,  perfect weather, arrive as we're enjoying breakfast on deck.  Bus tour to various beaches & parks on southern part of island.  Learn some of the history of the islands.  Settled maybe 1,000 years ago by polynesians.  First European visitor was captain Cook in 1778.  King Kamehameha united the 8 islands into one kingdom in 1810.  Hawaii was attacked by Japan in 1941.  Became 50th state in 1959, and only state that was previously a monarchy.  Could have just googled this, but then no buffet.  Bus driver points out a six-story building that was originally designed as a seven-story building.  But that's another story.

Lunch on ship, then a special tour for world cruisers to see Iolani palace, which was the palace for Hawaiian royalty built in the 19th century.  Very beautiful, European-style building. Reportedly the first palace to have electricity, it was built in 1882. Gracious greeting with old-fashioned flower leis, live entertainment, hors dourves, drinks, then back to the ship around 8pm.

Jan 21  full day in Honolulu.  Tour Pearl harbor - sobering visit to museum and memorial facilities that preserve the memory of the 1941 attack.  Later stroll along Waikiki beach and shopping areas.  Learn that state of Hawaii is likely to legalize casino gambling within next few years in effort to boost tourism and state revenue. 

Wonderful barbeque/buffet, entertainment on top deck, then sail to Maui at midnight.

Jan 22 Lahaina Maui:  For our short time in this old whaling town, we choose a whale-watching cruise - Brigit gets the photo above with whales up close, Lahaina & Regent ship in background.  (To view more photos visit Brigit's blog at http://anchorsawaygrandworldcruise.blogspot.com/ )   Stroll shopping area, lunch at our favorite Lahaina restaurant (Pacificos).  Then we say aloha to Hawaii and the U.S. for the next five months.  We sail at 5 pm, headed south toward French Polynesia, where we will visit Moorea, Bora Bora, and Tahiti.  Maybe an opportunity to practice my French.   Will be at sea for the longest continuous time of this cruise - six days, or 18 consecutive buffets.

Jan 19, Hilo Hawaii:  Nice to see land after more than 4 days of ocean.  We try the breakfast buffet today instead of breakfast in our room.  I request hot sauce for my omelette - something more interesting than Tobasco, so the Indonesian waiter brings me some unpronounceable dish of an Indonesian red chili sauce, which is delicious. 

After breakfast we stroll the top deck as the ship sails into harbor.  Much to our surprise we see the snow-capped Mauna Kea towering over Hilo.  This is a bit of a mind bender since it's close to 80 degrees at sea level.  We photograph it through the haze. 

We visit the local astronomy center for a planetarium show and garden tour.  Chosen for the ideal conditions atop the 14,000 foot Mauna Kea, this island houses an observatory with some of the world's most advanced telescopes.  During the garden tour we learn that first settlers in Hawaii were very clever in their use of plants.  And that before becoming a sport, the surf board was used by these early voyagers to navigate past reefs that sat too high in the water for their canoes.  In the planetarium we learn that the universe is very big.

We depart Hilo at 4:30 after less than 8 hours here. As we pull away from the harbor we stand on our balcony and watch whales breaching close to the ship.  The captain announces that the lava is flowing actively down the slopes of Kilauea and in fact burned a house in its path yesterday.  I recall a realtor once mentioning to me the importance of location.  I wonder why someone would choose to build their home downslope from one of the world's most active volcanoes.  During dinner we will sail by the point where it flows into the ocean.  We were hoping for a brilliant spectacle of a glowing red river spilling into the sea.  But we are three miles from shore and there is some haze in the air.  The lava flow is indistinguishable from a backyard barbeque.

We wander about, check out a few dvd's from the library, chat with a few people, then it's off to sleep.
Tomorrow in Honolulu for a two days.

Fourth day at sea. Notably warmer today and a bit more humid.  We take an early morning walk around the outdoor deck.  Lots of fellow passengers walk at this hour.  Have become accustomed to the constant sway of the ship.  Wonder if walking on land will feel odd.

Getting an inside view of the culture of luxury world cruisers.  Veteran world cruisers are taught a secret handshake, but as a newbie I am outside of this inner circle. Maybe next year.  We learn that several of the segments will have fewer passengers than the full capacity of 700.   Must be the economy.  Around 120 of the passengers are here for the world cruise.  The rest are onboard for one or two segments.  Next year Regent is not planning a world cruise.  This is a problem for many serious travelers.  Some will be forced to winter on land.  Bummer. 

Hours today gazing at the ocean or sitting by the pool.  Attend a social gathering for world cruisers.  Meet several couples.  Have lunch with a very nice couple married 64 years - this is their second world cruise.  As we've now heard from quite a few people, at the end of their first world cruise they didn't want to leave the ship. 

Attend afternoon tea and join my trivia group for the daily trivia game.  Collectively we possess a remarkable amount of useless information.  Which of the six wives of King Henry VIII was not divorced or executed?  Not so easy without Google (Katherine Parr).  If you have pentheraphobia, what do you fear?  This one got the most laughs from the participants.

I learn a few jokes.  What do you call a woman who always knows exactly where her husband is?  A widow.  Lots of widows on this ship.  Two antennae get married.  The wedding is okay, but the reception is fantastic. 

It's important to feel productive every once in a while.  I manage to get some work done.  Am modifying my accounting system to handle multiple currencies. 

I realize that in a few weeks we'll cross the international dateline.  This is not a social website or phone service for lonely singles.  It's an arbitrary longitudinal demarcation running north/south through the Pacific ocean. When you cross this line, you are instantly transported in time, either forward or backward one day depending on, among other things, your direction of travel and whether or not you cross on a formal night or during business casual.  Either way, with twice-daily maid service, someone else will change your clock for you.

Tomorrow we're scheduled to dock around 9 am.  I plan to get up early, stand at the ship's bow and yell "land ho" when Hawaii comes into view.  Always wanted to do that.

Sunrise on the Pacific Ocean, viewed from our balcony - Jan 17, 2011.

We've been at sea now for almost 3 days.  No land, no other boats, no birds.  Just ocean in every direction. Very calming to gaze at the endless sea.  Weather is getting warmer and sunnier as we move south.  Enjoying ship life, meeting a surprising number of people who have been on 2 or 3 world cruises. Some have been on a dozen or more.  This is an older crowd.  Brigit is the self-proclaimed 'baby on board.'

Our satellite internet signal has been unavailable for 2 days now.  I try to imagine the realities of sea life centuries ago, before satellite navigation, before Internet, when the world was a truly mysterious place. I conjure up images of mischievous characters on the open sea, navigating by the stars, drinking rum, sailing uncharted waters.

Christopher Columbus set out to find a shortcut to India.  He instead discovered the Bahamas. Despite the mounting evidence that his discovery was of a 'new' continent, Columbus went to his grave insisting that the lands he found were part of Asia.  Then Amerigo Vespucci came along and set the record straight, thus getting two continents named after him.  Still lots of Italian ship captains navigating the world's oceans, but with modern technology they're unlikely to get lost.  Today Columbus could easily find an Italian restaurant in Mumbai.  Or an Indian tailor in Koh Samui.  In fact anyone with a uniform and an iPhone is fully equipped to navigate a ship.  Perhaps things would have turned out differently if Columbus had Google maps. 

In two days we'll stop at our first port - Hilo Hawaii.  Will also spend 2 days in Honolulu and a full day in Maui before heading to the south Pacific. 

Cruising has changed over the past few decades.  Our ship does not have a midnight buffet. The regular seatings are gone, replaced with open seating in the big dining room, plus two excellent small restaurants that require reservations.  The buffet is also available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Sensitive to the demands of its passengers, all of the food we've encountered so far has less sugar, less salt and less fat than you'd find in most restaurants. Portion sizes are always small and its all very high quality.  Service is superb.  Room service is available with a diverse menu 24/7.  All of the rooms on this ship are well-appointed suites and all have a balcony. Bathrooms have separate tubs and showers. 

One of the features we've already found to our liking is that fact that the cruise price is all-inclusive.  It doesn't make the cruise a bargain in any way - it just removes the need to open your wallet or even think about money.  Other than shopping in port, passengers literally do not need to spend a dime on this ship.  The meals, excursions, beverages, gratuities and room service are all included, as is just about everything else.  Last night I left my shoes outside our cabin door.  This morning they were freshly shined with a note thanking me for the opportunity to be of service.  Three days have passed, 142 days remaining - so far so good.

San Francisco

San Francisco, Friday January 14:  around 4:30 pm we pull out from pier 35 and head west to begin our 145 day journey.  For this golden photo opportunity, we stand at the ship's bow as we sail under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Blasted by bitter cold headwinds, a tear rolls down my cheek.  I'm not sure if it's from the elements or the wave of nostalgia I feel as I reflect on from my years growing up and working in San Francisco.  

Within minutes the city and its Golden Gate are hidden by thick fog as we pull away from land, headed straight to Hawaii.  The next four days are at sea.  Time to relax, socialize, eat.  We meet several couples who are on their second world cruise with the Regent line - a very good sign.  They say that the last trip was too short, that they didn't want to it to end.  We meet Ruth, who like us, wanted to go on a world cruise before she was too old.  She has lived in Switzerland, Austria, Egypt, Libya and traveled extensively.  Unlike us however, Ruth is 89 (though you'd never guess it from meeting her).  We have an elegant dinner before enjoying the live entertainment in the auditorium.  Entertainers are Norm Crosby and Joel Grey.  Very nice.  I could get used to this.

Boarding the ship

January 13, 2011:  Brigit and I board the Regent Seven Seas Voyager in San Francisco, settle into our room and unpack our 10 suitcases.  We scout out the facilities in what will be our home for the next 21 weeks, or as some describe it, 435 buffets.  Tomorrow we will literally sail into the sunset, pass under the Golden Gate bridge and leave the western hemisphere in our wake.   Over the course of these next 145 days we'll visit 30 countries and 67 ports.  We'll ride camels, try new foods, see new things and hopefully meet lots of people.  Should be interesting.  The picture I've posted here is the two of us sailing under the Golden Gate in 1990 on our way to Alaska.