Melsea's Adventures of South America & Pacific Adventures Part 22

Reports about cruises on Aurora
User avatar

Topic author
melsea
Senior Second Officer
Senior Second Officer
Posts: 576
Joined: February 2013

Melsea's Adventures of South America & Pacific Adventures Part 22

#1

Post by melsea »

Melsea's Adventures of South America & Pacific Adventures Part 22


Day 75. At sea 5 of 5 before we land at Honolulu.

23rd March Evening casual.

Breakfast in Glass House where they were preparing for our arrival to US shores. They had put a sign up saying no person under 21 to be served alcohol.

I went to the upstairs of the crystal pool where I wrote out Marjorie's birthday card, her birthday is in a few days time, thought I had better write it up now before I forget to do it.
I went to the reception to get an item that has appeared on my statement which I certainly don't remember buying anything and certainly not at the time of day it was purchased as this is when we are in our cabin preparing for the evening. They will look into it and I will go back later to see what they have found out.
Lunch time was in the Medina Restaurant where we both didn't have a starter because the main dish was Shepherds Pie, more than enough to eat at lunch time. After lunch I went to the Art class where we continued with our painting from yesterday.
I went to the spa to book three treatments using the special deal of the 10%, 20% & 30% offer to apply to three seperate treatments.
I went back to the reception to see if they could shed any light to the added payment on my on board account. It seems he hadn't but while I was there he emailed the department to see what they have to say as he did not have the receipt to check.
While getting ready in the evening I had just finished my shower the reception guy rang to ask if I had purchased a travel adapter. To which I replied no I hadn't. As I wouldn't need one. He would let me know when they had refunded my account.
Dinner as per usual in the Medina. Didn't go to any of the shows tonight as I wanted to get my things ready for tomorrow.

Day 76. Honolulu, Hawaii. 6.30am - 7pm

24th March Evening Casual.

Immigration.
The alarm went off at 6.55 which I turned off and woke Bill up. I switched on the television to see if we had docked & we had, so I quickly had a shower & so did Bill. At around 7.25 we both made our way to the area where they will be holding the immigration face to face inspection as we left the cabin they announced for those who were going on tour to go to immigration. I had a tour booked and Bill didn't but he came with me anyway. We tried to join the queue at the midships staircase but found we could not because there were already lots of people queuing. What they hadn't done was separate those taking a tour in the morning from the afternoon ones. As time passed the staff had to go along the queue to find out what time our tours were due as for some people they were further down the line and had to be brought forward so they could get to the meeting time of their tour. This happened to me not that it made any difference as the separate line they had for non tours was catching up with me. I was shown to one of the lines to stand and wait until the couple in front were finished. I have no idea what the hold up was but Bill finished before me and he was 4 people behind me. I couldn't believe it.
Breakfast, quick.
Pearl Harbour tour, I opted to do the P&O tour on the advice of those who had done this when there was immigration at this port, had we done the immigration in San Francisco then I would have done the tour on my own as you would have been able to have got off much sooner, so on this occasion I had to do the P&O one. And what a day it had been. Having been immigrated and had our little ticket to show we had gone through. I headed off to find my coach that was to be my ride for the day, this I did and the coach was almost full. Though another 10 or so passengers came after me. I can't quite remember what time we had set off but we got. We arrive at the World War II Valor in The Pacific National Monument, which is better know to everyone as Pearl Harbour Memorial at 10.45. Our local tour guide who wore a very bright big Hawaiian shirt and was larger than life in personality waited until all of us were together and he explained what was going to happen and where, he first got our tickets which he gave out to us and on there was a time allocation of when we were to gather later for the boat ride to go over to the Arizona Memorial site, this was just before midday. We had about an hour to look around the rest of the place of which there was much to see including the gift shop. There were also at least three veterans of those who were there on 7th December 1941. With very little time to see everything I had to decide what I wanted to see. Everything around you is a reminder of what happened on that fateful day but one thing that struck a cord with me was the memorial of around 30 blue plaques, each one with around 70 names of those who lost their lives that day, among those listed are civilians who were lost also. There are 'story' boards telling the stages of how and when the events of what happen along with illustrations of the geography of the area. It was long before I had to make my way to the place to meet up with my tour. When I arrived there seem to be a lot of people there and I couldn't see anyone from my coach, not that I would have recognised anyone anyway but I did look for the tour number sticker but there was everyone else but my ticket number. It seems like the first two tours from the ship were going to go to the Arizona at the same time along with other tourist who are doing the same. The boats clearly take a lot of people. Finally we got on and we were on our way to probably one of the most famous memorials and one I had heard about from my Father as I grew up, he was a teenager at the time and was working in London during the time after which was after he was an evacuee. He had an amazing capacity to remember all that had happened and the events of Pearl Harbour was no exception. My visit was in memory of him as he would have very much have wanted to visit. As we were getting closer its a strange sensation to be visiting what is in all intents of purposes is a sea graveyard. Our time here was limited and it's amazing how they have honoured them and although there were a lot of people visiting it had a bizarre silence to it even though it wasn't quiet. The first thing I did along with everyone else that were here was to look over the sides to see the ship that was the Arizona with its tinges of brown, greens, yellows and blacks that were the metal grey of a ship quietly sitting on that sunny in 1941. The roll call of names is at the back of the memorial and its quite something to see, I stood back for a while and paid my respects by saying a prayer and reflecting on where I was. Many of us took photos which does seem a strange thing to do but I like to think it's a way of recording and remembering why you are there and to remind us of the many that paid the price of our freedom which, lets face it in todays world that's a precious thing as we do at times take it for granted. It wasn't long before the queue for the returning boat back to shore was forming. I asked the man in uniform when is the next boat as I had a specific time to be back at the bus, he said when it was and I still had time if I wanted to stay longer which was to his delight as he commented to others around me that he thought it was disrespectful for people to just come, take photos and look and why not take time to reflect. I must admit I was a little nervous in staying behind as I saw those from the ship sailing away back to shore but I did make it back with enough time and I was glad I did it. The whole trip to the Arizona was 40 minutes. When we had all met back at the bus we were taken up the mountain to the Pali lookout, it was a bit cloudy but warm and the lookout was rather nice and very lush and green. One strange thing we saw was that there were lots of chickens roaming around. They belong to everybody and they are fed by everyone and anyone. We were afterwards taken to the Veterans National Cemetery - Punchbowl. We were driven around the place and I was waiting for them to drop us off. I was disappointed that we were not getting off. Then it was a whistle stop tour of downtown Honolulu and we were shown the Hawaii State Capitol building as well as another building that is shown as being the headquarters of Hawaii 5-0 but its purpose in the real world is a civic building of which I don't remember of what.
Got back to the ship at 3.30. I immediately took the shuttle bus to go to the shopping mall which we have been to before. Arrived at just after 4pm, I gave myself an hour & a half to do some shopping. I went first though to the Apple Store to update a few things and I also bought a new cover for my iPad, bright pink, as the one I have has served its purpose and was looking rather old and tired. I bought a couple more things, two bags, one from Vera Bradley & the other from LeSportsac, both of these shops are not in the UK. I have bought a bag at the LeSportsac before and had wanted to replace the one I had. I got back to the ship just before 5.30. There was a beautiful sunset and so took some photos along with photos of some of the skyline of buildings near us, I was thinking about the penultimate Photography Competition which will happen before we get to San Francisco.
I did not get changed for dinner as I was too tired. We went to the buffet themed night upstairs which was Italian. Very nice it was too. We have done more themed night meals this time round. This is because we are on freedom dining & you don't have to let the restaurant know you are not attending, which you would do if you were club dining (a set time, 6.30 or 8.30) so that your waiters would not have to delay in starting to take orders.
Did not go to any of the shows. As it happens the second show was cancelled due to the singer Will Smith having laryngitis so could not continue for the second show, poor thing he only got on today!

User avatar

emjay45
First Officer
First Officer
Posts: 1192
Joined: April 2013
Location: Ellan Vannin

Re: Melsea's Adventures of South America & Pacific Adventures Part 22

#2

Post by emjay45 »

I think you meant Will Martin not Smith. He's someone I always go and see when he's onboard. :thumbup:

User avatar

Topic author
melsea
Senior Second Officer
Senior Second Officer
Posts: 576
Joined: February 2013

Re: Melsea's Adventures of South America & Pacific Adventures Part 22

#3

Post by melsea »

Of cousre, I meant to change it silly me. Thank you. I first saw him on the 2007 Worldie and he was just brilliant and I do believe P&O discovered him.

Return to “Aurora Cruise Reports”