Honolulu after 6 days at sea

Day 9 of LA to London 2023. 

We're on our 2nd "world cruise". It's still sinking in. 

We started from LA on January 8, 2023. Stormy weather made sure we didn't stop in Santa Barbara, which would've been our first stop. Skipping Santa Barbara turned out to be a smart decision by the captain. Incessant rain had the city under water (or close) from what I understand. 

That meant we started off our cruise with 6 days at sea! Rough seas, with high swells, and lots of rocking and rolling. I was a bit sick but not too bad. 

On to Honolulu, Hawaii, our first stop. But first, our time at sea. 

Rough Seas! 

                                                                  

    Christening the Viking Neptune (our ship - it's new!) - 

really, they did christen it! 

 On-board Entertainment by the Ocean Groove (resident Viking band) 

We've had some amazing "enrichment lectures" on the settlement of the Pacific, its geology (lots of volcanoes and volcanic activity), modern human migration and the culture, language, and history of Polynesia and the Hawaiian islands. And of course, on the war(s) in the Pacific. 

Did you know that we have a common ancestor? - Mitochondrial Eve in Africa! We're all related. 

On our last day at sea (the day before we docked in Honolulu), we sailed past an active volcano on Hawaii's Big Island: Kilauea. It was not doing much when we sailed past it, but its eruption is "ongoing" according to the US Geological Survey.  That black stuff? Old lava. 

We were happy to see land! 

A close-up view of the area around the volcano shows lots of black lava, a lava beach and what appear to be a couple of tents of some sort. Are people camping there? 

In other "sea day" news, both Matt and I have been playing a little bridge in the afternoons and taking lessons in the morning.

And now, 

First Stop: Honolulu. Aloha!

Honolulu Sunrise! (yes, I was up and took this photo). That's Diamond Head to the right - a volcanic cone on the East side of Honolulu. 

More sunrise over Diamond Head. 

We spent 2 days in Honolulu. The original plan was to stay in Honolulu one day and spend the next day in Kauai - another (even more beautiful) Hawaiian island. But Viking couldn't get enough guides and tour buses for all our excursions! The reason? Covid. Hawaiian tourism took a massive beating during the pandemic and hasn't  recovered. Folks that worked in tourism have found employment elsewhere (or something). Personally, I was fine with it - after 6 sea days I was happy to spend 2 days in port. 

Below are some sights of Honolulu. 

An emotionally stirring visit to the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor. The memorial is built over the original hull of the Arizona, the remains of which lie below it. It was very touching to know that the dead are entombed below where we stood. 

And to learn that survivors are interred along with their shipmates. The most recent interment from 2021. 

A movie at the Pearl Harbor visitors center had actual footage of the Japanese attack and told a moving tale about it, including reasons for the attack. 

It is hard for me to imagine that day. 

Some remains of the USS Arizona (near the memorial). 

Rainbow with Matt looking at bikes! Matt biked a bit using a biki bike (you can pick them up and drop them off at different locations). I walked or took a taxi and met him at the biki drop-off points. 

Street art! 

Sunset view from our balcony

Sunset Selfie

The Aloha Tower, also from our balcony. A retired lighthouse, the tower stands tall on the harbor, welcoming visitors to Honolulu. It was the tallest structure in Hawaii for 4 decades during the early part of the 20th century. It has long since been overtaken. 

Lots of skyscrapers in Honolulu today, and the largest open-air mall in the U.S. 

Iolani Palace

The State House, flanked by a mimosa and a banyan tree. The columns along the perimeter have shapes resembling palm trees. 

A statue of King Kamehameha I in front of the Supreme Court. King Kamehameha I united all the Hawaiian islands into the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1810. 

View of Diamond Head from Waikiki Beach

Waikiki Beach 

Drinks at Duke's on Waikiki Beach. We had lunch at Duke's and walked briefly on the sand. Duke's is a beachfront restaurant on Waikiki beach. It is named after and inspired by Hawaii's own Olympian and surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. The drink on the right was called Endless Summer. It was fabulous. 

Sailing away from the sunset (view from Deck 8)

Goodbye, Honolulu. 

And welcome another 5 days at sea.  I will be taking a cooking class - green curry with mussels in coconut milk (or something like that) - the first of several. 

Next stop: Vaitape, Bora Bora, French Polynesia