Dandan's adventures
I have a very good friend who is now lucky enough to be on a cruise with his wife. He has sent some amazingly good emails and I have at last got his permission to publish his emails on my blog. So, as his life is more interesting than mine, here goes...
24th October...
"Hi everyone.
Well this is it, my last day at home before leaving on our trip, With aprox 50 stops in 30 countries over a four month period ahead of us, it truly is a voyage of discovery. I will of course visit a cyber cafe or two and hopefully catch up with many of you enroute whilst learning more of your many and diverse countries.
In particular the southern oceans have always had a fascination for me and I look forward to seeing my first albatross and who knows maybe even a whale or two. Rounding the horn, evokes memories of my boyhood and the many seafaring books(Hornblower ect) I readily devoured and the more recent adventures of the round the world sailors, ( a couple of meetings with Robin Knox Johnson in particular springs to mind) though I hope my journey will be somewhat more comfortable than theirs, I do harbor thoughts of a storm or two.
May i take this opportunity to wish you and all your families, a merry Christmas and a happy, successful and prosperous new year. Ours will be spent in Australia and New Zealand.
Will see or talk to you on our return in February.
Regards"
~~~~~~~~
3rd November
"Just a quickie to say allis well here and we are having fun, we crossthe equater today on our way to brazil tomorrow, will attempt to find a cyber cafe there and talk to all to all.
cheers "
~~~~~~~~
6th November
"Hi Sheila,
Sorry I haven’t been in touch, we have struggled to find internet access ashore and it is 16p a minute on here.
Anne is so black, have started calling her Abbo what with her frizzy hair and all, Lol. The food on here is monstrous, so hard to be sensible; they were offering steak for breakfast today. We don’t do lunch normally, but it is Tapas today, Anne fancies that, and i am pissed off with dressing for dinner, so we are going up on the top deck for an Italian tonight. Good job you are not here I don’t think the hunky staff captain would be safe, Lol.
Got some great shots of sea birds, boobies, frigate birds ect, they joined us in mid-Atlantic and just glide along with the ship without flapping there wings, diving occasionally to grab a flying fish. Not found my Albatross yet. The naturalist on board is Tony Soper, bet you remember him from BBC with Peter Scott, oh my how time flies
We are due in Rio on Tuesday and are booked to go up Sugarloaf, should be good, they are warning us against taking expensive gear with you, will check with the tour guides but may use the g2 not the new one.
Give my regards to all and will catch you soon.
Love Dan and Abbo."
~~~~~~~~
14th November
"Hi Sheila,
Thanks for the email, things do seem to be moving at last, stick to your guns love and you will win through, truly our thoughts are with you and a big hug from both of us is there if it helps.
Have not been able to see your blog yet, but will as soon as I can, was in messenger yesterday and so sorry you were not available, Anne and I had a great chat to all and sundry, but no Sheila, will catch you soon as I can, have devious plans to find a cyber café late one night in Sydney. Until then I can’t see me being on line at any time that is likely to catch you because of the time difference. We have to be on board by five most evenings and as you are only about three hours ahead it means you are not home from mums, darn it. 16p a minute on board ship, given the speed I type at, is just too expensive to do anything other than just cut and paste, pre typed emails, as this one is.
Our journey thus far has been good. Though Anne has been less than thrilled with some of the rough seas, but since that was part of the reason for me wanting to come this way, I have loved it.
South America is certainly different. We were unlucky in Rio with low cloud obscuring the famous Christ statue; it was still possible to ascend Sugar Loaf Mountain, even though the views were a bit limited. Copacabana beach was empty so no spicy photos for you I am afraid.
On the other hand Buenos Aires is a must see city, in my view far nicer than Paris, in fact perhaps the nicest I have seen. with big wide avenues, luscious parks and the most superb cathedral, and so cheap as to be ridiculous. On top of that to be there over the weekend that Argentina played England at football and lost was a hoot,
The food is laughable and the portions huge, Anne asked for a fillet steak and got three, my mixed grill was, full size steak steak, pork cutlet, chicken, tripe, kidney, black pudding, sausage, both with all the trimmings, plus a pint each, beer for me and fresh squeezed orange juice for Anne. Ten Pounds the lot and this in a restaurant in the heart of the tourist district.
Anne true to form has just broken a filling on a tooth and we will be at the dentists in our next stop in Chile, god bless her she is so consistent, lol a true accident waiting to happen
. We are sailing back up the river plate at the moment, if you can call a water way 150 miles wide a river. Whilst the Falklands with there wildlife and then rounding the horn, comes ever closer. I have not met my albatross yet; he waits out there for me somewhere, maybe along with a whale or two.
Life on board is laid back, with food to die for as you would expect, we have not bothered with any of the shows or entertainment yet, preferring our computer, books, dvds, cds and photos, early nights and mornings. The stars in mid ocean have to be seen to be believed and I am able to be totally alone on deck watching them while the other passengers are at dinner or a show, wonderful
The change from dressing for dinner and polite society to the empty deck, force five and six winds pushing large waves capped with flying spume and white horses is dramatic and exhilarating, I know which I prefer. I think perhaps in a former life I must have been a sailor, although it is fair to say mountains have much the same effect on me
Not many of the tours are deemed suitable for people with walking difficulties, so we have taken to doing deals with taxis in most places and are getting a good look at the cities if not the surrounding countryside.
So three weeks in and still happy, looking forward to a rush of places to visit over the next fortnight, will attempt to brief you on them as we go. If my inane wittering is boring let me know and I will cease and stick to the price of fish ect lol
Lots of love and hugs from Darby and Joan on the high seas"
~~~~~~~~
5th December
"Dec 4th. mid Pacific. 12 hrs past Pitcairn Island. Two days sailing from Tahiti. 26 degrees, gentle breeze, hot and sticky. Anne up on deck cooking, me in a nice air conditioned cabin.
South America has been interesting scenically, mountainous and rugged, cold and wet, but worth the journey.
Missing the Christ figure in Rio due to low cloud was a disappointment, Santiago was smog ridden, so all in all the cities excluding Buenos Ares, which was superb, were less than impressive.
Sailing the Beagle channel and the Fiords of the straights of Magellan was awesome. As they are also overlooked by the Andes Mountains, right the way down to the most southerly point of the Americas, which is marked by a cross high on mountain as a memorial to all the sailors who have perished in these waters. Beautiful and sobering
Rounding the Horn, a never to be forgotten experience, the fulfilment of a personal dream, every bit as awesome as I thought it would be. My admiration for the Sailors who travel these waters under sail, already high, has soared. There are not words for the courage and fortitude of these incredible people.
The photos I have taken will be a constant reminder of a very special journey, both inspiring and humbling through a part of the world where nature is king and man very much a bit player and aware of his own mortality..
Falkland Islands. Windswept and rocky, covered in peat bogs, course grasslands and minefields , home to penguins and a proud and hardy people, who guard there British heritage fiercely. Mega expensive as most staple foods have to be shipped in Examples. 5 kilo of spuds £9.00. 2lb of cherry jam already past its sell by date £16.00. Difficult to understand why politicians, decided people had to die over this strange bit of Empire, down on the doorstep of Antarctica, unless of course, it really does give them access to oil.
Home also to strange vehicles, I rode in a land rover? With a Mazda engine, Rover gearbox and Dumper truck wheels. Different but it worked. Would not like to take my shogun where he took me in that thing. Interestingly the young man who worked the small boat I rode in came from Middlesbrough. Had been in Stanley for two years and would not go back to the uk for a fortune. Though he did admit to missing going to football, which he was able to watch every Saturday evening, so didn’t miss it to much. The Falkland islanders themselves can fly to the uk for £1200.00 on an air force plane, this is about half the actual fare.
As always it was the people that made it special. To travel with, listen to and share the reminiscences of the surgeon who commanded the British army medical team on the island, during the war. Along with a lady officer on our ship, who volunteered at twenty one to stay on Canberra, the P and O liner that became a troopship for the duration of the conflict, was also a privilege.
Quite rightly they were invited to tea by the governor, and then had dinner with the British commander of the garrison, whose troops made a right fuss of them. It was the first time she had been back, a day of mixed emotions for her. But having seen the commander’s photos and heard her story, she deserved her medal, and the reception the troops gave her, left her in no doubt of there opinion.
Incidentally the surgeon was honoured by both the UK and Argentina governments because he refused to differentiate between wounded men, cared for them all regardless of nationality and has royal dispensation to wear both medals on his uniform. Quite a guy
Then on to the part of the journey that Anne has been waiting for. Nine days sailing across the pacific. Sunshine, Dolphins, Whales and for me, an Albatross. Alas no camera, but there is still time and on to Tahiti. Via….
Easter Island, fun here, politics again, Chile wanted 25k from the ship as we had entered there territorial waters, then they had to put people aboard to check out all our passports, they threatened to hold the ship if we refused. So they gaily checked all, as we cruised round the island. Again a photogenic place, the stone carved statues clearly visible, difficult to capture without a big lens, but we did our best. Then on to..
Pitcairn Island a high, green, pinprick of an island, unbelievable small, with just one place where a small boat can land. The islanders came out to wave and photograph us as we photographed them in the fading light. There are surprisingly large wooden houses on the steep slopes, home to these descendants of Fletcher Christian and the men of the bounty, who finished up here. Forty people live here, I hope they like each other it’s that small. We have since been told that the uk is going to build a docking facility so cruise ships can land there.
We saw a whale right next to the boat yesterday, jumping out of the water just like a dolphin, of course no camera, so no pictures, but it made Anne’s day
Anne is of course blacker than the Ace of spades, she is incredible, will lie in the sun, cooking from seven in the morning, until she has to come down and change for dinner or go to the hairdressers, doesn’t bother about lunch, just eats some fruit she pinches each morning at breakfast, which tends to be, you guessed it fruit Lol. She has the occasional dip, when she gets too hot and has guys looking after her fetching her drinks and ice creams, helping her in the pool ect, when I am not there, which is a lot of the time, far too hot for me. (There wives tell em to, unbelievable) and then they tell me not to worry, they will see she is all right. Lol she is something else.
So six weeks in to the journey, missing kids, grandkids, radio, football, chatting. Enjoying new places and friends, food ( tooooooo much Lol ) Sunshine for Anne and vast skies full of stars for me. Mars was too bright to look at through binoculars last night incredible.
That’s it for now folks.
Trust you are all fit and well, not to cold and looking forward to Christmas.
Will speak to you all again before then I hope.
Regards Anne and Dandan"
~~~~~~~~
Sunday 11th Dec.
"Now between Pago Pago and Fiji, Temperatures in the eighties, very humid with frequent squalls and rain storms. Towering cloud formations, black at the base rising into huge white anvils, dwarf the ship. Water a deep inky blue, flying fish leave the water at the bow of the ship and glide far further than seems logical, cannot decide if there different wing colours, mark different species or are a result of reflection from sun, cloud and water.
We have just passed Tin Can Island. Part of the kingdom of Tonga. So named as passing ships do not berth here, but put all the mail they carry for the islands into tins and throw them into the water, for the waiting islanders in there outrigger canoes to collect. You are able to include letters you want posted and they are stamped by the islanders and handed into the catch nets of the next ship along, thus providing one of the most sort over postmarks in the world.
Unfortunately we were unlucky as this being Sunday, the very religious South Sea Islanders,( mainly Catholic, but all denominations seem to be represented) refuse to put to sea on a Sunday, consequently we were carrying no mail
The island is low, highest point 800 feet, formed by volcanic eruption, indeed the central cone of the volcano is home to a lagoon, where volcanic activity in the form of geysers and mud spouts still continues.
Has been an interesting experience travelling through these isolated waters. Easter Island is reputedly the most remote inhabited spot on the earth,
Incidentally for any of you who are interested go to www.onlinepitcairn.com and you should see a video of us on Artemis cruising round the island according to a radio message we received from the islanders.
Since leaving Pitcairn we have visited, Papeete, Tahiti. Bora Bora in The Society Islands. Pago Pago.(Pronounced Pango Pango) In American Samoa.
All these islands have your typical castaway, white sandy beaches with coconuts, as portrayed in the holiday brochures, but are in fact far more memorable for there rocky and mountainous structure, which is in turn covered by typical rain forest growth, plus breadfruits banana ect.
The smiling and friendly people make visitors feel very welcome and the dancing and singing they provide is infectious and melodic. They also have the added advantage of making me feel slim. No mean feat, given the eating regime on the ship.
Bora Bora, holds the record so far for the most expensive fridge magnet, we have ever found $13. Would you believe?. It also has hotels. With Palm thatched stilted huts as your bedroom and a shower toilet under the stars, stretching out into the unbelievably, blue lagoon. Take a wrong step n the night and a wet surprise wait’s you. All this for a mere $2000.00 a night..
Anne was especially pleased when we stumbled onto traditional Samoa wedding, as we drove through the countryside in Pago Pago, the friendly bride gladly gave me permission to photograph them, a pleasant memory from a delightful day.
The family unit is very strong in these islands, consequently when you die you are invariably buried in the garden of the house you occupied, usually just outside the front or back door along with your forbears, very nice.
Tomorrow is interesting as there isn’t one, we are at present 12 hrs behind the uk (0k) on Sun the 11th, some time tonight we cross the international date line and leap 12 hrs ahead of the uk (got that) and therefore when we wake up in the morning. It will be Tues the 13th of Dec. Where did the 12th go.(Lol) Better check the invoices I am sure P and O charged me for that day.
Been to see the captain, he says we get an extra day in Jan when we cross the date line on the way back from New Zealand to America and P and O didn’t charge us for that one. I hope you are all following this.
Think that will do for now, Fiji and New Caledonia to visit this week and then on to Brisbane for next Sunday.
Best wishes to all, Anne and Dandan.
Ps Josh and Adam, Mikey and Sophie, hope you are all being good. Thought you might like to know, even on these lovely Sunny Islands, father Christmas comes in his Red suite, there are decorations every where, and all the carols have the same words as ours bur are sung to a reggae beat.
Love to you all."
~~~~~~~~
I will add to this if Dandan allows it... but this is the story so far...
I wonder if Dandan will actually be bothered to chat to us all again after this cruise, but on the other hand, I will be knocking on his door until I see all his photographs too
Thanks Dandan... and Anne
And have the holiday that you have dreamed of...
24th October...
"Hi everyone.
Well this is it, my last day at home before leaving on our trip, With aprox 50 stops in 30 countries over a four month period ahead of us, it truly is a voyage of discovery. I will of course visit a cyber cafe or two and hopefully catch up with many of you enroute whilst learning more of your many and diverse countries.
In particular the southern oceans have always had a fascination for me and I look forward to seeing my first albatross and who knows maybe even a whale or two. Rounding the horn, evokes memories of my boyhood and the many seafaring books(Hornblower ect) I readily devoured and the more recent adventures of the round the world sailors, ( a couple of meetings with Robin Knox Johnson in particular springs to mind) though I hope my journey will be somewhat more comfortable than theirs, I do harbor thoughts of a storm or two.
May i take this opportunity to wish you and all your families, a merry Christmas and a happy, successful and prosperous new year. Ours will be spent in Australia and New Zealand.
Will see or talk to you on our return in February.
Regards"
~~~~~~~~
3rd November
"Just a quickie to say allis well here and we are having fun, we crossthe equater today on our way to brazil tomorrow, will attempt to find a cyber cafe there and talk to all to all.
cheers "
~~~~~~~~
6th November
"Hi Sheila,
Sorry I haven’t been in touch, we have struggled to find internet access ashore and it is 16p a minute on here.
Anne is so black, have started calling her Abbo what with her frizzy hair and all, Lol. The food on here is monstrous, so hard to be sensible; they were offering steak for breakfast today. We don’t do lunch normally, but it is Tapas today, Anne fancies that, and i am pissed off with dressing for dinner, so we are going up on the top deck for an Italian tonight. Good job you are not here I don’t think the hunky staff captain would be safe, Lol.
Got some great shots of sea birds, boobies, frigate birds ect, they joined us in mid-Atlantic and just glide along with the ship without flapping there wings, diving occasionally to grab a flying fish. Not found my Albatross yet. The naturalist on board is Tony Soper, bet you remember him from BBC with Peter Scott, oh my how time flies
We are due in Rio on Tuesday and are booked to go up Sugarloaf, should be good, they are warning us against taking expensive gear with you, will check with the tour guides but may use the g2 not the new one.
Give my regards to all and will catch you soon.
Love Dan and Abbo."
~~~~~~~~
14th November
"Hi Sheila,
Thanks for the email, things do seem to be moving at last, stick to your guns love and you will win through, truly our thoughts are with you and a big hug from both of us is there if it helps.
Have not been able to see your blog yet, but will as soon as I can, was in messenger yesterday and so sorry you were not available, Anne and I had a great chat to all and sundry, but no Sheila, will catch you soon as I can, have devious plans to find a cyber café late one night in Sydney. Until then I can’t see me being on line at any time that is likely to catch you because of the time difference. We have to be on board by five most evenings and as you are only about three hours ahead it means you are not home from mums, darn it. 16p a minute on board ship, given the speed I type at, is just too expensive to do anything other than just cut and paste, pre typed emails, as this one is.
Our journey thus far has been good. Though Anne has been less than thrilled with some of the rough seas, but since that was part of the reason for me wanting to come this way, I have loved it.
South America is certainly different. We were unlucky in Rio with low cloud obscuring the famous Christ statue; it was still possible to ascend Sugar Loaf Mountain, even though the views were a bit limited. Copacabana beach was empty so no spicy photos for you I am afraid.
On the other hand Buenos Aires is a must see city, in my view far nicer than Paris, in fact perhaps the nicest I have seen. with big wide avenues, luscious parks and the most superb cathedral, and so cheap as to be ridiculous. On top of that to be there over the weekend that Argentina played England at football and lost was a hoot,
The food is laughable and the portions huge, Anne asked for a fillet steak and got three, my mixed grill was, full size steak steak, pork cutlet, chicken, tripe, kidney, black pudding, sausage, both with all the trimmings, plus a pint each, beer for me and fresh squeezed orange juice for Anne. Ten Pounds the lot and this in a restaurant in the heart of the tourist district.
Anne true to form has just broken a filling on a tooth and we will be at the dentists in our next stop in Chile, god bless her she is so consistent, lol a true accident waiting to happen
. We are sailing back up the river plate at the moment, if you can call a water way 150 miles wide a river. Whilst the Falklands with there wildlife and then rounding the horn, comes ever closer. I have not met my albatross yet; he waits out there for me somewhere, maybe along with a whale or two.
Life on board is laid back, with food to die for as you would expect, we have not bothered with any of the shows or entertainment yet, preferring our computer, books, dvds, cds and photos, early nights and mornings. The stars in mid ocean have to be seen to be believed and I am able to be totally alone on deck watching them while the other passengers are at dinner or a show, wonderful
The change from dressing for dinner and polite society to the empty deck, force five and six winds pushing large waves capped with flying spume and white horses is dramatic and exhilarating, I know which I prefer. I think perhaps in a former life I must have been a sailor, although it is fair to say mountains have much the same effect on me
Not many of the tours are deemed suitable for people with walking difficulties, so we have taken to doing deals with taxis in most places and are getting a good look at the cities if not the surrounding countryside.
So three weeks in and still happy, looking forward to a rush of places to visit over the next fortnight, will attempt to brief you on them as we go. If my inane wittering is boring let me know and I will cease and stick to the price of fish ect lol
Lots of love and hugs from Darby and Joan on the high seas"
~~~~~~~~
5th December
"Dec 4th. mid Pacific. 12 hrs past Pitcairn Island. Two days sailing from Tahiti. 26 degrees, gentle breeze, hot and sticky. Anne up on deck cooking, me in a nice air conditioned cabin.
South America has been interesting scenically, mountainous and rugged, cold and wet, but worth the journey.
Missing the Christ figure in Rio due to low cloud was a disappointment, Santiago was smog ridden, so all in all the cities excluding Buenos Ares, which was superb, were less than impressive.
Sailing the Beagle channel and the Fiords of the straights of Magellan was awesome. As they are also overlooked by the Andes Mountains, right the way down to the most southerly point of the Americas, which is marked by a cross high on mountain as a memorial to all the sailors who have perished in these waters. Beautiful and sobering
Rounding the Horn, a never to be forgotten experience, the fulfilment of a personal dream, every bit as awesome as I thought it would be. My admiration for the Sailors who travel these waters under sail, already high, has soared. There are not words for the courage and fortitude of these incredible people.
The photos I have taken will be a constant reminder of a very special journey, both inspiring and humbling through a part of the world where nature is king and man very much a bit player and aware of his own mortality..
Falkland Islands. Windswept and rocky, covered in peat bogs, course grasslands and minefields , home to penguins and a proud and hardy people, who guard there British heritage fiercely. Mega expensive as most staple foods have to be shipped in Examples. 5 kilo of spuds £9.00. 2lb of cherry jam already past its sell by date £16.00. Difficult to understand why politicians, decided people had to die over this strange bit of Empire, down on the doorstep of Antarctica, unless of course, it really does give them access to oil.
Home also to strange vehicles, I rode in a land rover? With a Mazda engine, Rover gearbox and Dumper truck wheels. Different but it worked. Would not like to take my shogun where he took me in that thing. Interestingly the young man who worked the small boat I rode in came from Middlesbrough. Had been in Stanley for two years and would not go back to the uk for a fortune. Though he did admit to missing going to football, which he was able to watch every Saturday evening, so didn’t miss it to much. The Falkland islanders themselves can fly to the uk for £1200.00 on an air force plane, this is about half the actual fare.
As always it was the people that made it special. To travel with, listen to and share the reminiscences of the surgeon who commanded the British army medical team on the island, during the war. Along with a lady officer on our ship, who volunteered at twenty one to stay on Canberra, the P and O liner that became a troopship for the duration of the conflict, was also a privilege.
Quite rightly they were invited to tea by the governor, and then had dinner with the British commander of the garrison, whose troops made a right fuss of them. It was the first time she had been back, a day of mixed emotions for her. But having seen the commander’s photos and heard her story, she deserved her medal, and the reception the troops gave her, left her in no doubt of there opinion.
Incidentally the surgeon was honoured by both the UK and Argentina governments because he refused to differentiate between wounded men, cared for them all regardless of nationality and has royal dispensation to wear both medals on his uniform. Quite a guy
Then on to the part of the journey that Anne has been waiting for. Nine days sailing across the pacific. Sunshine, Dolphins, Whales and for me, an Albatross. Alas no camera, but there is still time and on to Tahiti. Via….
Easter Island, fun here, politics again, Chile wanted 25k from the ship as we had entered there territorial waters, then they had to put people aboard to check out all our passports, they threatened to hold the ship if we refused. So they gaily checked all, as we cruised round the island. Again a photogenic place, the stone carved statues clearly visible, difficult to capture without a big lens, but we did our best. Then on to..
Pitcairn Island a high, green, pinprick of an island, unbelievable small, with just one place where a small boat can land. The islanders came out to wave and photograph us as we photographed them in the fading light. There are surprisingly large wooden houses on the steep slopes, home to these descendants of Fletcher Christian and the men of the bounty, who finished up here. Forty people live here, I hope they like each other it’s that small. We have since been told that the uk is going to build a docking facility so cruise ships can land there.
We saw a whale right next to the boat yesterday, jumping out of the water just like a dolphin, of course no camera, so no pictures, but it made Anne’s day
Anne is of course blacker than the Ace of spades, she is incredible, will lie in the sun, cooking from seven in the morning, until she has to come down and change for dinner or go to the hairdressers, doesn’t bother about lunch, just eats some fruit she pinches each morning at breakfast, which tends to be, you guessed it fruit Lol. She has the occasional dip, when she gets too hot and has guys looking after her fetching her drinks and ice creams, helping her in the pool ect, when I am not there, which is a lot of the time, far too hot for me. (There wives tell em to, unbelievable) and then they tell me not to worry, they will see she is all right. Lol she is something else.
So six weeks in to the journey, missing kids, grandkids, radio, football, chatting. Enjoying new places and friends, food ( tooooooo much Lol ) Sunshine for Anne and vast skies full of stars for me. Mars was too bright to look at through binoculars last night incredible.
That’s it for now folks.
Trust you are all fit and well, not to cold and looking forward to Christmas.
Will speak to you all again before then I hope.
Regards Anne and Dandan"
~~~~~~~~
Sunday 11th Dec.
"Now between Pago Pago and Fiji, Temperatures in the eighties, very humid with frequent squalls and rain storms. Towering cloud formations, black at the base rising into huge white anvils, dwarf the ship. Water a deep inky blue, flying fish leave the water at the bow of the ship and glide far further than seems logical, cannot decide if there different wing colours, mark different species or are a result of reflection from sun, cloud and water.
We have just passed Tin Can Island. Part of the kingdom of Tonga. So named as passing ships do not berth here, but put all the mail they carry for the islands into tins and throw them into the water, for the waiting islanders in there outrigger canoes to collect. You are able to include letters you want posted and they are stamped by the islanders and handed into the catch nets of the next ship along, thus providing one of the most sort over postmarks in the world.
Unfortunately we were unlucky as this being Sunday, the very religious South Sea Islanders,( mainly Catholic, but all denominations seem to be represented) refuse to put to sea on a Sunday, consequently we were carrying no mail
The island is low, highest point 800 feet, formed by volcanic eruption, indeed the central cone of the volcano is home to a lagoon, where volcanic activity in the form of geysers and mud spouts still continues.
Has been an interesting experience travelling through these isolated waters. Easter Island is reputedly the most remote inhabited spot on the earth,
Incidentally for any of you who are interested go to www.onlinepitcairn.com and you should see a video of us on Artemis cruising round the island according to a radio message we received from the islanders.
Since leaving Pitcairn we have visited, Papeete, Tahiti. Bora Bora in The Society Islands. Pago Pago.(Pronounced Pango Pango) In American Samoa.
All these islands have your typical castaway, white sandy beaches with coconuts, as portrayed in the holiday brochures, but are in fact far more memorable for there rocky and mountainous structure, which is in turn covered by typical rain forest growth, plus breadfruits banana ect.
The smiling and friendly people make visitors feel very welcome and the dancing and singing they provide is infectious and melodic. They also have the added advantage of making me feel slim. No mean feat, given the eating regime on the ship.
Bora Bora, holds the record so far for the most expensive fridge magnet, we have ever found $13. Would you believe?. It also has hotels. With Palm thatched stilted huts as your bedroom and a shower toilet under the stars, stretching out into the unbelievably, blue lagoon. Take a wrong step n the night and a wet surprise wait’s you. All this for a mere $2000.00 a night..
Anne was especially pleased when we stumbled onto traditional Samoa wedding, as we drove through the countryside in Pago Pago, the friendly bride gladly gave me permission to photograph them, a pleasant memory from a delightful day.
The family unit is very strong in these islands, consequently when you die you are invariably buried in the garden of the house you occupied, usually just outside the front or back door along with your forbears, very nice.
Tomorrow is interesting as there isn’t one, we are at present 12 hrs behind the uk (0k) on Sun the 11th, some time tonight we cross the international date line and leap 12 hrs ahead of the uk (got that) and therefore when we wake up in the morning. It will be Tues the 13th of Dec. Where did the 12th go.(Lol) Better check the invoices I am sure P and O charged me for that day.
Been to see the captain, he says we get an extra day in Jan when we cross the date line on the way back from New Zealand to America and P and O didn’t charge us for that one. I hope you are all following this.
Think that will do for now, Fiji and New Caledonia to visit this week and then on to Brisbane for next Sunday.
Best wishes to all, Anne and Dandan.
Ps Josh and Adam, Mikey and Sophie, hope you are all being good. Thought you might like to know, even on these lovely Sunny Islands, father Christmas comes in his Red suite, there are decorations every where, and all the carols have the same words as ours bur are sung to a reggae beat.
Love to you all."
~~~~~~~~
I will add to this if Dandan allows it... but this is the story so far...
I wonder if Dandan will actually be bothered to chat to us all again after this cruise, but on the other hand, I will be knocking on his door until I see all his photographs too
Thanks Dandan... and Anne
And have the holiday that you have dreamed of...
posted by Sheila at
23:10
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