LIVE from the 2018 HAL Grand World Voyage!

[Scrapnana]

Still can’t get on my blog using iPad or laptop. Pete tried to help me but it still is impossible to get my blog. Nobody else can get in either.

 

I will continue posting, minus the pictures, here on Cruise Critic for now.

[beach bunnie]

Sorry you can't get into your blog. But thanks for the heads up. I'm looking into posting by email for our next trip and next year's GWV. Hope you continue to have a great cruise and thanks for posting on CC.

[scluvsrain]

Hi Kathi. I'm not sure which blogger site you use but if it's blogspot you can update your blog and post pictures via email. That's what I do now. Much faster too.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scrapnana]

Kathi, I suspect your problem is that wherever you are in the world right now something is triggering a warning that you're in a high internet piracy area.

 

Roy

You might be right, Roy. I am so glad it is back!

[Scrapnana]

At Sea – January 17, 2018

 

Up early (for me) to get to water aerobics at 9. There was a terrible smell in my cabin (and the hallway) which I later heard came from the ship’s smoke blowing back into the a/c system.

Was in the pool for 45 minutes although the class only lasted 30 minutes.

 

Sit and Stitch at 10. Pete (The-Inside-Cabin) helped me with my blog issues (more later about that). I made a mistake and added a stitch and spent some time ripping out stitches.

 

We did a little better at morning trivia with 10 correct. Five teams tied with 11 correct.

1)What did B.B. King name his guitar?

2)What does “CNBC” stand for?

3)Who is the patron saint of grave diggers?

4)What is the name of Canada’s most famous sailing vessel?

5)How old was Jimi Hendrix when he died?

 

Decided to wait on lunch and went back to my cabin to finish fixing my knitting and check to see if my blog had magically reappeared (it hadn’t).

 

After lunch I sat with Cyndi waiting for arts and crafts. Today we made a paracord cobra knot bracelet. Nancy has to finish them off because they have to be burned with a blow torch.

I planed to swim again after arts and crafts but both pools had a number of people in them so I enjoyed an hour of sitting in the sun. It is finally getting warmer along with more hours of sunshine.

 

We only had 12 out of 17 points and the winning team had all 17.

1)Who was the voice of Donkey in Shrek?

2)Who became King of Italy in 1804?

3)What nationality was Pope John Paul II?

4)In what country did opera originate?

5)Who wrote the book “Silence of the Lambs”?

Tom, Jeanette, Marilyn, Rodney, and I sat and talked for about an hour after trivia.

 

Tonight was Moulin Rouge night and the dining room looked very nice with a black and red theme. Everyone received a black or red top hat. I had seafood vol-au-vent, French onion soup, Beef Bourguignone, and Crème Brulee.

 

The show tonight was singer Helen Wilding who was very good.

 

After I had pretty much given up on my blog, I tried it again after the show and to my immense surprise, it was no longer blocked. I am not sure what happened but I am very glad I do not have to spend hours creating a new one!

 

We gain 30 minutes tonight (no, that is not a typo).

 

Morning trivia…

1)Lucille

2)Consumer News and Business Channel

3)St. Anthony

4)Bluenose

5)27

Afternoon trivia…

1)Eddie Murphy

2) Napoleon

3)Polish

4)China

5)Thomas Harris

[DeeniEncinitas]

Kathi

Glad your back up and running!

Enjoying your blog and my coffee!

Denise:)

[jaxonboy]

Food isn't better anymore? Or is this a touchy subject?

 

SFOPeter

 

The food is great, whether Lido, MDR, or Pinnacle.

[erewhon]

Thanks for your reports.

 

We are pleased that your blog is running again.

[Scrapnana]

Kathi

Glad your back up and running!

Enjoying your blog and my coffee!

Denise:)

 

Thanks for your reports.

 

We are pleased that your blog is running again.

 

Thanks! I am overjoyed that it came back (even if I don't know how or why:D).

[Scrapnana]

At Sea – January 18, 2018

 

Had my alarm set for 8:15 because I was planning on attending water aerobics again. I woke up at 7:54 (!) and decided that it was not worth going back to sleep so I was in the pool by 8:30. Water aerobics lasted from 9-9:30. The instructor is Amanda one of the assistant cruise directors.

 

Arrived at Sit and Stitch at 10. About 6 present.

 

Unfortunately, we have another sick trivia teammate. Marilyn is feeling under the weather so is staying in her cabin until she feels better. We had a sub join our team and we ended up with 12 with the winning team having a perfect score of 15.

1)What is the only bird that can fly backwards?

2)What is the smallest member of the flute family?

3)How many animals are in the Chinese calendar?

4)What is the capital of Tunisia?

5)What is the chemical symbol for silver?

 

I had the pasta and fresh fruit again for lunch and read until it was time for arts and crafts. Today we made a fabric flower jewelry pouch.

 

Came back to change into my bathing suit and the maintenance crew was washing down the front of the ship above my deck, including washing my windows. I decided to work on the blog instead of sitting in the sun.

 

Afternoon trivia gave us a very presentable 15 out of 17. Winning team had 16.

1)What is Alaska’s most populous city but not its capital?

2)What is the name of the devilish cat in Cinderella?

3)In which city was the Bastille stormed in 1789?

4)Which common golden flower is fed to chickens to give them an appealing golden color?

5)Which exotic bloom is the flower of Singapore?

 

Went straight from trivia to the Lido Pool where I swam laps for 30 minutes before it was time to get ready for the evening.

 

My travel agency had a very nice cocktail party at 7 pm and I chatted with Ernie and Helene who I met at the agency’s pre-cruise dinner in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Dinner was good with cream of celery soup, Caesar Salad, Chicken Cordon Bleu, and cinnamon ice cream for dessert. The show tonight was called “Variations” with the Singers and Dancers. They were very good but after two glasses of wine at the cocktail party I had a hard time staying awake.

 

Port day tomorrow with a visit to Nuku Hiva.

 

Morning trivia…

1)hummingbird

2)piccolo

3)12

4)Tunis

5)Ag

 

Evening trivia…

1)Anchorage

2)Lucifer

3)Paris

4)marigold

5)orchid

[Krazy Kruizers]

Great reports.

Knew most of those trivia questions the last couple of days.

[travelnap]

Kathi, I am enjoying following your voyage. I agree with KK, I have done better on the trivia questions the last couple days. Yesterday I would have been 9 for 10. Earlier in the voyage I would have been lucky to get 3 or 4 out of 10. I hope you are enjoying your cruise.

[kazu]

So glad to hear you get access to your blog Kathi.

 

Very good news that you don't need to start fresh :D

 

Feeling a bit relieved since those Trivia questions were answerable fro me ;). I was getting concerned about my brain power with the earlier ones.:')

[DeeniEncinitas]

Kathi,

Your photos of your paracord bracelet is so pretty! The weave I really liked and the pouch you made. I would enjoy those craft classes and water aerobics! Sorry to hear one of your trivia team players is under the weather! Hope the flu

Won’t spread on the ship.

Stay healthy and relax!!

Denise:)

[Scrapnana]

Taiohae, Nuku Hiva – January 19, 2018

 

Luckily, I had decided that today I was going to be on the “No Plan” plan because we had some issues that changed our schedule. I woke up around 5 to pull up my shades and there was a lady out on my deck watching for the sunrise apparently. Too early for me! Turned over and went back to sleep and was awakened around 8:30 with an announcement that we had been cleared and the first tenders were available to go to shore – they called the first few blue tickets. Went back to sleep again and awoke around 9:30 surprised that I had not heard any more tender numbers called. It was not for almost another hour before the captain announced (even in the staterooms) that one tender had a burned out starter, another had a water cooling issue, and a third (we have only 4) still had slight damage from Panama. They were still calling blue numbers in the single digits at that time.

 

I started considering not even bothering to go to shore. I was here on the South Pacific cruise I did in 2016 and had taken a tour which covered all of the sights there are to see. I went out on my deck (they have replaced the teak [fake teak?] railing around the deck that they took off last week) and took some pictures.

 

Last night I had been feeling around in my safe (it is up too high for me to look inside it) and found a credit card from a previous occupant of my cabin so my first stop was to the front office to turn it in. Although I am sure the owner has already cancelled it, I think he would be happy to know that it was not stolen and where it actually was.

 

It was then time for morning trivia. Marge (who played one game with us yesterday) joined Rodney, Marilyn, and me. Luckily, Marilyn is starting to feel better. We had 11 correct and the winning team (there were only six teams) had 13 out of 17.

1)What is the largest city to connect two continents?

2)How many years is an eon in geology?

3)Who was the first US President to declare war?

4)In publishing for what does “POD” stand?

5)What was the original color associated with St. Patrick’s Day?

 

I went up to the Lido dome where they were passing out tender tickets to get one although I was still not 100% certain I was going to get off the ship. I then went back to my cabin to work on my blog. My number was called around 12:30 so I decided to go ashore.

 

Everything seemed to be much the same as two years ago. I looked at the crafts (bought nothing) and took some pictures before returning to the ship.

 

After changing into my swimsuit I had lunch from the Dive-In and then swam (65 minutes total) and sat in the sun until after 4 pm when I returned to change for trivia.

 

Only three of us playing trivia. Jeanette is once again not feeling well. We had 10 correct (out of 17) and the winners had 16.

1)A tandoor is a type of ____.

2)Which planet has the longest day?

3)What is the name of Aladdin’s monkey in the Disney movie?

4)Which country has the most volcanoes?

5)In which month is Earth closest to the Sun?

 

The sail-away party was by the Sea View Pool at 5:30 (although we did not actually sail until 6). Wasn’t much going on at the “party” so I ended up watching from my deck.

 

Jamm was having a “Name That Musical” Trivia at 7 pm. I played by myself and only had 7 correct.

 

Only five of us for dinner because Kathy and Mike were going to dinner with the hosts from the travel agency in the Pinnacle Grill. I had a shrimp salad, Beef short ribs, and fruit with a scoop of watermelon sorbet for dessert.

 

I skipped the evening show which was a variety show with two of the performers who have been on before.

 

We gain another half hour tonight.

 

Morning trivia…

1)Istanbul

2)a billion

3)James Madison

4)print on demand

5)blue

 

Evening trivia…

1)oven

2)Venus

3)Abu

4)Indonesia

5)January

[Scrapnana]

Question for Copper 10-8

 

 

What are these? They are on deck 6 about two feet forward of where the bridge wings are above.

 

This is what they look like from the inside of the deck.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[kazu]

Oh my heavens Kathi, on all of the tender issues!

 

How disappointing for so many on your cruise.

 

Hope they can get this resolved so you don't have the same issue at other tender ports.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is terrible that 3 tenders are not in proper working order.

Hope that situation can be fixed soon.

[DeeniEncinitas]

Good morning Kathi!

I would think that those tenders

Would always be inspected prior to any tendering. Sorry to hear about that. Glad you got your water aerobics in.

Enjoyed your pictures too.

Denise:)

[Happily@Sea]

Kathi,

 

I know you do it for convenience and to identify the location, but every time you say 'my deck', I smile - it's like claiming a balcony.

 

I'm enjoying the ride along, and I also did a Nuka Hiva tour with our group, but I did like the craft market. I don't know if that would have been enough incentive to make me take a tender in though.

 

Carole

[Rowsby]

Just curious....if you could logistically do it.......could you bring a folding chair onboard and then take it out to use on "your deck"....??? Or would it be too short to see over the railing....??

[Anna32]

+1 on the „my deck“ observation, loving it! Thank you so much for taking the time to blog, I am enjoying it immensely. Wishing you safe and happy travels and best of luck for your Trivia team!

[rafinmd]

Kathi,

 

I know you do it for convenience and to identify the location, but every time you say 'my deck', I smile - it's like claiming a balcony.

 

<SNIP>

Carole

 

Just curious....if you could logistically do it.......could you bring a folding chair onboard and then take it out to use on "your deck"....??? Or would it be too short to see over the railing....??

 

When I was on the Grand Asia cruise I passed by Kathi's deck many times and sort of suggested that she might want to bring a folding chair. She indicated she had a chair she thought might work; she'll have to say if she actually packed it

 

Roy

[Rowsby]

When I was on the Grand Asia cruise I passed by Kathi's deck many times and sort of suggested that she might want to bring a folding chair. She indicated she had a chair she thought might work; she'll have to say if she actually packed it

 

Roy

 

Thanks Roy...

 

I read that one of the World Cruise bloggers brought a queen size memory foam mattress pad....so I wouldn't think a folding chair would be a problem....:)

[erewhon]

Thanks for your reports.

Hope the tenders are promptly repaired.