2006 - NCL WIND - VANCOUVER TO HAWAII

IT'S SAID THERE IS A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING & FOR MY SECOND CRUISE, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME IN HAWAI.

VANCOUVER

I WAS HERE MANY YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS HITCH-HIKING ACROSS CANADA.

THIS TIME I AM FLYING IN...

I HAVE A VERY VAGUE RECOLLECTION OF SLEEPING ON A BEACH IN VANCOUVER..

MAYBE IT WAS NEAR HERE...

THIS TIME I AM CRUISING OUT OF THE CITY, PASSING THE LIONS GATE BRIDGE. FOUR OR FIVE DAYS ON THE PACIFIC BEFORE LANDFALL AT HILO ON THE BIG ISLAND OF HAWAII.

GETTING A FEEL FOR THE NORWEGIAN WIND...

VERY NICE - I THINK I WILL STAY ON..

THIS LOOKS LIKE A GREAT BREAKFAST SPOT...

THEY ARE GOING TO BE GIVING HULA LESSONS ON BOARD ... MAYBE I WILL, & MAYBE I WON'T..

MY FIRST SIGHT OF HAWAII.

ON TOP OF THE HILL - MOUNT KECK OBSERVATORY MAYBE

I THINK IT WAS HERE OR MAYBE THE NEXT STOP WHERE I SAW MY FIRST REAL LIVE HULA DANCERS.

THEY WERE DANCING ON THE FLOOR JUST INSIDE THE AIRCRAFT HANGER THAT IS THE SHIPS TERMINAL. I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE ANY PHOTOS SO THEY MUST HAVE BEEN TOO GOOD TO TAKE MY EYES OFF.

MY FIRST TOUR IS A HELICOPTER RIDE OVER WATERFALLS & A VOLCANO.

EXTINCT VOLCANO, I EXPECT..

... OR MAYBE NOT...

THEN A RIDE UP THE COAST FOR A WALK DOWN TO THE OCEAN THROUGH A BOTANICAL GARDEN

LEAVING HAWAII, WE MOVE ON TO MAUI.

FOR MANY PEOPLE, THIS IS THEIR FAVOURITE ISLAND IN THE GROUP BECAUSE IT IS SO SCENIC.

A PITY OUR BOAT TIES UP NEXT TO A SCAP METAL BARGE - RUINS THE EFFECT SOMEWHAT.

THIS IS THE ROAD TO HANNA TOUR.

MAKES YOU ILL WITH ALL THE TURNS IT DOES.

A WALK ALONG A BLACK SAND BEACH ... WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE AT HANNA..

AND THEN ANOTHER TOUR ( I WENT A LITTLE CRAZY WITH TWO TOURS A DAY AS I NEVER EXPECT TO GET HERE AGAIN )

THIS TIME TO A NATIVE FARM...

AND NOW FOR A SUNSET BOOZE CRUISE....

AND BACK TO THE SHIP

THAT IS ANNA - SHE IS ONE OF AT LEAST THREE GIRLS I HAVE MET ON MULTIPLE SHIPS.
ANNA WAS ON A TRANSATLANTIC CRUISE & A US EAST COAST CRUISE.
HER HUSBAND TRAVELS ON THE SAME SHIP AS HER BUT THEIR BABY STAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES.

A LOT OF THESE GIRLS DO THAT.

NOW I AM OFF THE SHIP & A COUPLE OF DAYS ON OAHU.

WAIKIKI BEACH ....

DIAMOND HEAD ...

I TAKE A BUS TO THE NORTH OF THE ISLAND & SPOT AN AD IN A SHOP FOR GLIDER FLIGHTS.

I PHONE THE NUMBER & THE GIRL SAYS THAT IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET TO, BUT AS I HAVE NOT GOT A CAR., SHE WILL COME & PICK ME UP.

SOUNDS GOOD TO ME .. & THAT'S ME DRIVING THE PLANE .. REALLY - THE PILOT ASKED ME IF I WOULD LIKE HIM TOTAKE MY PICTURE.

I SAID "I DON'T THINK SO, WHO WILL FLY THE PLANE? "
"YOU WILL".

SO I DID.

WE DID A LOOP-DE-LOOP.
I LET HIM FLY THE PLANE FOR THAT.

WALKED THROUGH THE AUDUBON GARDENS TO THIS WATERFALL.

AND ON TO A BEACH TO WATCH THE SURFERS.

I TOOK THAT SHOT UP TO MY KNEES IN THE OCEAN , NOT HAVING SEEN THIS SIGN ON THE WAY IN.

NOTE TO SELF :- ALWAYS, ALWAYS - CHECK THE SIGNS BEFORE ENTERING THE OCEAN.....

AND BACK TO WAIKIKI.