Come sail with me on a virtual cruise to Hawaii on Ruby Princess

[azbirdmom]

3 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

I had no idea these chickens could be so noisy and such pests! 🤣🤣

 

Am sure your little bird is much quieter! How is he/she doing? 

 

My little bird can be quite noisy too but she doesn't wake us up at the crack of dawn.  She is fine, especially with us home all the time she is even more spoiled than she ever was!

[ringers0815]

Thank you Ellie for the info on the AZ vaccine. I am hoping to get mine soon. 
 

I had a video call today with my daughter and my new grandson. They are doing well. He was 1 week old today. I hope your daughter is doing well.  
 

Hélène

[azbirdmom]

2 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

So far no reported problems with blood clots.  Of course it could just be coincidence. People experience blood clots all the time so it could be expected that a few might do so around the time of the vaccine, but not actually caused by it.

 

That is what I have read as well.  Still it is sad that there has been so much negative press about the AstraZeneca vaccine.  We are still part of the US trial and they keep saying that they will publish results any time now but I've been hearing that since January.  We are hanging in there but I had a chat with my contact at the trial and they said that even if we choose to unblind ourselves, we can stay in the trial.  And that will still hold true even if we had the trial placebo instead of the real thing and choose to get one of the other vaccines available here in the states.  It's nice to have options but we will give it until the end of the month to see if they have any official news about their US trial results by then.

[CruzinNoony]

Ellie, thanks so much for your input on the Royals.  It was very interesting.  I am dying to watch "The Crown", but we don't have Netflix currently.  Hopefully, down the road we will get it.

 

Did you make that adorable "nappy cake"?  Very cute.  And, how about the cupcakes?  Did you make those as well?

[ellie1145]

 

Back in the van our driver takes us to a most spectacular viewpoint, where scenes in the movie, Jurassic Park were filmed.

 

 

 

He parks the van and accompanies us across a grassy area to the edge of the cliffs where the view is breathtaking.

 

 

It is such a beautiful day and the vista before us is nothing short of spectacular. We just stand and take in the view. 

 

 

 

 

There is a deep gorge, and we can just see the sea below in places. 

 

 

 

I hope you enjoy the photos. Even now it gives me goose bumps when I look at them. I can remember the feeling of awe as I looked down into the valley. What a beautiful place it is. 

 

[ellie1145]

 

 

 

 

 

Having absorbed the wonderful views, we follow our driver back to the van where we set off on another adventure. 

 

 

 

 

 

[ellie1145]

21 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

My little bird can be quite noisy too but she doesn't wake us up at the crack of dawn.  She is fine, especially with us home all the time she is even more spoiled than she ever was!

 

I think that your little bird will be quite ‘miffed’ when you are finally able to go on vacation. I think she will demand to come too! 😉

[ellie1145]

Just now, ellie1145 said:

 

I think that your little bird will be quite ‘miffed’ when you are finally able to go on vacation. I think she will demand to come too! 😉

 

But of course, she will have to be vaccinated first.....🤣

[ellie1145]

21 hours ago, ringers0815 said:

Thank you Ellie for the info on the AZ vaccine. I am hoping to get mine soon. 
 

I had a video call today with my daughter and my new grandson. They are doing well. He was 1 week old today. I hope your daughter is doing well.  
 

Hélène

 

I do hope that you get your vaccination very soon, Helene. We are looking forward to receiving our second dose in a couple of months. 

 

How wonderful to see your daughter and your new grandson. Glad to hear that they are doing well. I hope that you will be able to visit them in the not too distant future.Thank goodness for technology, as at least you can see them on a video call. 

 

We hope our little grandson arrives soon. It’s stressful at this stage when it is a waiting game. Fingers crossed he gets a move on! 👶

 

 

[azbirdmom]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos of stunning Kauai!  And I have no doubt that there will be more lovely pictures to come.

[ellie1145]

21 hours ago, azbirdmom said:

 

That is what I have read as well.  Still it is sad that there has been so much negative press about the AstraZeneca vaccine.  We are still part of the US trial and they keep saying that they will publish results any time now but I've been hearing that since January.  We are hanging in there but I had a chat with my contact at the trial and they said that even if we choose to unblind ourselves, we can stay in the trial.  And that will still hold true even if we had the trial placebo instead of the real thing and choose to get one of the other vaccines available here in the states.  It's nice to have options but we will give it until the end of the month to see if they have any official news about their US trial results by then.

 

I agree, azbirdmom, it is a great shame that these unsubstantiated claims emerge and are given such a lot of press. The President of France, for example, did untold harm when he said it wasn’t safe, and then did a ‘U’ turn and told people to have it.

 

The French are naturally resistant to vaccinations of any kind, so this sort of statement must have done enormous damage. While he, and the rest of Europe are arguing about it, people are dying, and Covid is spreading even faster. The pandemic has certainly revealed some worrying things about the way they have dealt with things.

 

The problem is, of course, that if one country has a very low level of vaccination then it opens it up to variants emerging which could put us all back to square one - especially as so many people seem desperate to take a holiday in Europe. 

 

Good luck with your own vaccinations. It must be really difficult for you having to wait. Let’s hope they get the results of the trial very soon so that you can find out what is the way forward. 

[ellie1145]

6 hours ago, CruzinNoony said:

Ellie, thanks so much for your input on the Royals.  It was very interesting.  I am dying to watch "The Crown", but we don't have Netflix currently.  Hopefully, down the road we will get it.

 

Did you make that adorable "nappy cake"?  Very cute.  And, how about the cupcakes?  Did you make those as well?

 

If you do manage to see ‘The Crown,’ I am sure you will find it very interesting. But just take it with a pinch of salt - it is a brilliant drama based on a lot of truth but it also has to rely on supposition as nobody knows what really goes on behind closed doors. 😉

 

Yes, I did make the nappy cake. I really enjoyed doing it, and my daughter loved it. I also made the cupcakes and the little decorations on top of them. They did look pretty and she has kept some of the little plaques as she couldn’t eat them (she’s on a strict diet because of the polyhydramnios) and she couldn’t bear to throw them away. 

[ellie1145]

6 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

Thanks for sharing your beautiful photos of stunning Kauai!  And I have no doubt that there will be more lovely pictures to come.

 

Thank you, azbirdmom, glad you are enjoying them. It is a truly beautiful island. 

😉

Yes, there are lots more photos to come....

[azbirdmom]

7 minutes ago, ellie1145 said:

Good luck with your own vaccinations. It must be really difficult for you having to wait. Let’s hope they get the results of the trial very soon so that you can find out what is the way forward. 

 

Thank you.  If this is true, we may not have to wait much longer!  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-astrazeneca-idUSKBN2B42JN?fbclid=IwAR27QuE-V08RfwgfsdqiGdF5Z70PoRBPM7YfuKieBCXwsv5DmFKtm8EeCww

[ellie1145]

38 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Thank you.  If this is true, we may not have to wait much longer!  https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-astrazeneca-idUSKBN2B42JN?fbclid=IwAR27QuE-V08RfwgfsdqiGdF5Z70PoRBPM7YfuKieBCXwsv5DmFKtm8EeCww

Fingers crossed for you! 🤞

[cr8tiv1]

The north coast of Kauai has been damaged by the latest storm that passed over the islands this week.  Glad "we" had beautiful weather when the ship docked.

 

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/03/13/hawaii-news/reopening-full-highway-on-kauai-might-take-3-months/?HSA=d01de1655da5bd238397ebd55affe08182f7ae22

 

Other parts of North Shore Oahu (and other islands) have had flood issues.  When it rains, it pours.

[margord]

I am loving this Hawaiian cruise.  We have had no less than 9 cruises cancelled since March 2020.  Every time they cancel one I book another, then it also get's cancelled.  We have booked a Hawaiian cruise for next April and I am so hoping we can go.

 

Marilee

 

P.S.  Loved the shower pictures, the nappy cake and cup cakes.

[AF-1]

14 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

The north coast of Kauai has been damaged by the latest storm that passed over the islands this week.  Glad "we" had beautiful weather when the ship docked.

 

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2021/03/13/hawaii-news/reopening-full-highway-on-kauai-might-take-3-months/?HSA=d01de1655da5bd238397ebd55affe08182f7ae22

 

Other parts of North Shore Oahu (and other islands) have had flood issues.  When it rains, it pours.

wow that video is something.  

[CruzinNoony]

16 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

 

If you do manage to see ‘The Crown,’ I am sure you will find it very interesting. But just take it with a pinch of salt - it is a brilliant drama based on a lot of truth but it also has to rely on supposition as nobody knows what really goes on behind closed doors. 😉

 

Yes, I did make the nappy cake. I really enjoyed doing it, and my daughter loved it. I also made the cupcakes and the little decorations on top of them. They did look pretty and she has kept some of the little plaques as she couldn’t eat them (she’s on a strict diet because of the polyhydramnios) and she couldn’t bear to throw them away. 

 

You even made the decorations on the tops of the cupcakes!!  I am so impressed with your talent.  Have you considered starting a little business where you would make some extra "cruise money"?

[ringers0815]

Well I got my first vaccine today! Very happy!

[margord]

12 hours ago, ringers0815 said:

Well I got my first vaccine today! Very happy!

Congratulations, I know how good it feels to be on the way to be fully vaccinated.  I got my first about 2 weeks ago and go for my second next week.

[cr8tiv1]

Kauai has cleared the road to Hanalei for emergency vehicles.  There is NOT a single island that has a road that goes completely around the perimeter.  Often, there is only one way in and out.  Sometimes there are long detours.  

 

Kauai:  North End/Kuhio Highway.  Only way in and out

Maui:  Road to Hana.  Only way in and out.  Same for Lahaina to Kahului.  

Hawaii Island:  South End cut off by lava flow a long time ago.  But you can detour and drive From Kona South to Hilo.

Oahu:  East Oahu/Kalanianaole Hwy from Kahala to Hawaii Kai.  Only road.  IF there is an accident that closes the road, you will have a very long detour (40 mile detour).  Actually, there are many stretches of Kalanianaole/Kamehameha Hwys that are often shut down due to accidents.  

Lanai....only has one road.

Molokai:  No road to Kalaupapa.  There's one boat day (a year) for the residents.

[azbirdmom]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Maui:  Road to Hana.  Only way in and out.  Same for Lahaina to Kahului.  

 

 

There is another way for both routes but they are slow going.  We've driven them both and the alternate road from Hana is particularly hairy.  Lahaina to Kahului is a little rough in spots but it is a nice drive when you have time to take it slow.  We almost had to do that drive to the airport when the main road from Lahaina was shut down around the tunnel but thankfully they opened the road just in time for us.  This was years ago but I loved our explorations of Maui.

[cr8tiv1]

25 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

There is another way for both routes but they are slow going.  We've driven them both and the alternate road from Hana is particularly hairy.  Lahaina to Kahului is a little rough in spots but it is a nice drive when you have time to take it slow.  We almost had to do that drive to the airport when the main road from Lahaina was shut down around the tunnel but thankfully they opened the road just in time for us.  This was years ago but I loved our explorations of Maui.

 

Agree that both roads on Maui are iffy at best.  I understand that commercial street rentals are not permitted to go on the "other" routes.  There are several other similar roads.  I was referring to the paved (not always well) roads/highways on each island.  

 

Driving in the islands is generally very easy unless you run into traffic/accidents/weather/wildfires...etc.  That's why I would never leave the Lahaina area own my own on a ship's visit.  Nor do a luau out of Honolulu.  I've been stuck...many times going the 6 miles from Kahala Mall to Hawaii Kai or when the Pali Tunnel was closed for almost a year.  AND....I know the ins and outs of Oahu.

 

You are included in the few to have taken the scenic road trip on alternate Maui routes.  Count yourself lucky.

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by cr8tiv1

[ellie1145]

 

Turtles

 

Back in the van we make our way through the beautiful countryside and find ourselves on the coast.

 

 

 

 

Our driver parks the van by the side of the road and we see that the ocean is rough, with waves crashing over semi submerged rocks, throwing  spray high into the air.  

 

 

 

Our driver tells us to look closely and we can hardly believe our eyes as there are several huge turtles swimming in the strong currents. It's an amazing sight, and one I haven't seen before. We watch them for a few minutes as they crest the waves, before disappearing below the surface of the water. The turtles are difficult to  photograph as they are so quick. One minute they are there, the next minute they are gone. It's a  wonderful sight.