35 Days to the South Pacific with The Inside Cabin - Live from the Zuiderdam

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

Ah, mine is a paler shade of coral-pink from Outdoors Tribe, but similar:

I think it's the same.  The one I posted from Amazon was the brand not the color.   Here is a close up. 
 

[crystalspin]

19 minutes ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I think it's the same.  The one I posted from Amazon was the brand not the color.  

THanks for the Amazon link, more colors than Outdoors Tribe (and a better price!). OT has a men's version, but according to the reviews it is scarcely if at all, larger than the womans. And my DH has a BIG head... 😞

 

Love that it packs flat in a suitcase.

Edited March 9, 2022 by crystalspin

[sandiego1]

Oohh, I might have to buy that hat! Thanks for the link, Pete.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's menu - we will be back in the MDR tonight 

 

tonight's entertainment 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Arrived Hilo.   It's been 12 hours since our PCR test without a phone call or people in Hazmat suits knocking on the door so I guess we "passed".   This test was required for entry to Tahiti. 

Edited March 9, 2022 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Nymich]

3 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Tonight's menu - we will be back in the MDR tonight 

 

tonight's entertainment 

 

They don't cry yi yi

[crystalspin]

21 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I think it's the same.  The one I posted from Amazon was the brand not the color.  

Looking again, I may have to get that "watermelon" Salmon-colored one! I wear more brights than pastels... The brand on Amazon doesn't seem to have any mens hats, but you got me searching, and I have ordered a light gray "boonie" hat that claims to fit up to a 24" diameter head. That will be a little tight on my DH, but better than 23" which would just sit on the point of his head! Hoping it lives up to the description.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

Sometimes you can wet the headband area and gently stretch it. My dad used to wear a mesh baseball type cap and we had a metal mixing bowl that was just the right size. After washing the hat, it dried stretched on the bottom of the bowl. Looked silly but it worked!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

From our visit to Hilo.   We rented a car from AVIS.   They have a shuttle to pick you up from the cruise terminal.    Otherwise $15 cab ride to their airport location. 
 

Visited Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Kilauea Military Camp, Rainbow falls, Big Island Candies and Walmart.   
 

Thai Food Truck in Volcano was not operating 

 

Edited March 10, 2022 by The-Inside-Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Arrived Kona.  Tender port 
 

Last port for six days.  Tonight's menu.  
 

[iflyrc5]

17 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Looking again, I may have to get that "watermelon" Salmon-colored one! I wear more brights than pastels... The brand on Amazon doesn't seem to have any mens hats, but you got me searching, and I have ordered a light gray "boonie" hat that claims to fit up to a 24" diameter head. That will be a little tight on my DH, but better than 23" which would just sit on the point of his head! Hoping it lives up to the description.

I have a FAT head and get mine hats from Tilley - size 8.  They are great.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Good time on the Kona Food Tour today. .   Here I am with the guides as we wrapped up.    I am making the "Shaka" sign.  

"A shaka sign – the unmistakable pinky and thumb salute – is the ultimate symbol of Aloha and local culture in Hawaii. Interpreted to mean “hang loose” or “right on,” the Hawaiian Shaka is a constant reminder that in Hawaii, it is not the norm to worry or rush."

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's entertainer. 
 

Martin Beaumont. 
 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's menu.   Culinary Council. 
 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

My blog is updated with links to all the When and Wheres, menus and names of evening entertainers. 
 

https://www.theinsidecabin.com/2022-south-pacific-cruise-itinerary/

 

 

[bluesplayer]

Thank you for posting the menus!  Are you taking a screen shot in the Navigator app?  Would like to do a live from Alaska this summer

[The-Inside-Cabin]

9 hours ago, bluesplayer said:

Thank you for posting the menus!  Are you taking a screen shot in the Navigator app?  Would like to do a live from Alaska this summer

Yes.   It's easy peasy. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tomorrow is our second Gala Night.   
 

Join  us at The Junction if you are onboard!  
 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here's the latest from The Inside Cabin Hike to the top of Diamond Head (Post #9) By The Inside Cabin on Mar 12, 2022 01:53 pm Click "Show More Posts" to show all the links to the other posts for the 2022 South Pacific Cruise   We hiked to the top of Diamond Head Crater today and enjoyed a spectacular view of Waikiki and western Oahu Cruise Map Itinerary Table Cruise Reference DIAMOND HEAD HIKE Today we hiked to the top of Diamond Head Crater.  It appears to be a little daunting, but we’ve done it several times before, and it’s not so bad.  The trail is 8/10 of a mile long with a vertical climb of 560 feet.  The view from the top is worth the effort.  More about the hike HERE and HERE. Before we left the ship conducted training and lowered many lifeboats and tenders.   Here is a photo that shows the difference between a lifeboat and a tender. Tender vs Lifeboat  Starting your climb earlier is better because you’ll have cooler temperatures and better light for photos at the summit.  Nevertheless, we didn’t follow our own advice and started around 10:30 AM.  The drive to Diamond Head took about 20 minutes from Aloha Tower.  The parking lot was full when we arrived, but they organized a line so when one car would leave another would be allowed to get a parking spot.  This was much better than circling the lot and hoping you would be in the correct position when someone left.  Parking was $10. Diamond Head State ParkBuy Tickets Here This is a Hawaii State Park and there is a visitor’s booth that sells souvenirs and rents audio headsets that will provide recorded information along the hike to the summit. Hiking passes are five dollars per person and are purchased from machines next to the parking lot.  They only accept credit cards.  Restrooms are available near the Visitors Center in addition to water fountains and vending machines that sell soft drinks and bottled water. The trail starts out on a slightly uphill paved path for about ¼ mile.  The remainder of the trail is on uneven rock and dirt.  There is very little shade after leaving the paved path.  Every couple of hundred yards there is a bench where hikers can take a rest.  Once you get up a couple of hundred feet, there’ll be viewpoints and lookouts every hundred yards.  These are great places to take pictures and rest. Trail starts as a sidewalkAfter a quarter-mile, the trail gets rockyPlenty of lookouts and rest stops along the way During the upper half of the climb, there is a tunnel about 50 yards long.  It has dim lighting along the footpath and the tunnel is tall enough so that it’s not necessary to stoop.  It’s wide enough for hikers to go in both directions simultaneously. The tunnel is about 100 yards long  After the tunnel, there are two ways to reach the top.  A sign describes both choices.  It encourages hikers to take the slightly longer way up and the 99 stairs down.  We took the longer, but more gradual route in both directions. This sign shows your choices as you approach the summitThese are the 99 steps if you turn right A final set of stairs leads to the summit, where hikers are rewarded with a spectacular view of Waikiki and western Oahu. View from the summit  We were moving slowly the entire day.  So for us, going down took about the same amount of time as going up.  Our round-trip time was about three hours.  Moving briskly, without stopping, each direction would probably take less than 45 minutes. After our hike we enjoyed a pineapple smoothie from the refreshment stand. Judy and I enjoyed a post-hike pineapple smoothie Our track to the summit and back RAINBOW DRIVE-IN One of our favorite local restaurants is The Rainbow Drive-In.  It’s close to Waikiki and not too far from Diamond Head Crater.  Famous for its Plate Lunches, it’s not on most tourist itineraries.  More about Plate lunches HERE.  Our favorite is Loco Moco.  Loco Moco is a pair of fried eggs on a hamburger patty served over rice and covered with gravy.  Delicious.  Try it at home!! Rainbow Drive-InLoco Moco Here is a link to a file that lists many of my favorite restaurants and things to do in Hawaii. ALA MOANA SHOPPING CENTER Before our next stop at Ala Moana Shopping Center, we drove down Kalakaua Boulevard in Waikiki to see what’s changed since our last visit in 2015.  It looks pretty much as we remembered it from seven years ago. Ala Moana Shopping Center is the largest shopping center on Oahu and is relatively close to the Pier 2 cruise terminal or Aloha Tower.  We were headed to Jam’s World, a local clothing line featuring bright, colorful Hawaiian prints.  Jams World is a clothing line that Judy enjoys, and we wanted to see the new lines of colorful Aloha wear. Jams World  HERE is a link to their website. After Jams World we headed to Target, on the back side of the Mall, to pick up a few odds and ends.  On the way to Target we stopped at a store called “It’s Sugar”.  As the name implies it sells candy – lots of candy and candy in super-sized containers.  We couldn’t resist picking up a giant Snickers Bar package filled with 63 mini-Snickers. Pete with giant Peez in It’s Sugar  After returning our car to Aloha Tower, we walked back to the ship and relaxed in our cabin for the rest of the evening. SailAway was at 11 PM.  About 100 people enjoyed the festivities at the Sea View pool as we left Honolulu for Maui. Aloha Tower at SailAway

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Special Sunday Brunch Menu.  
 

we advanced clocks 24 hours.   Skipped Saturday.   Will retard clocks before next port.  Apparently there is some advantage to doing this WRT French Polynesian COVID entry requirements.   Don't ask me to explain.  
 

they are collecting passports now 

 

[rkacruiser]

17 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Special Sunday Brunch Menu

 

Another very unlike HAL menu!  So many delicious and unusual selections.  Caramel Corn Pancakes:  never saw that offering on any breakfast/brunch menu anywhere!

 

What did you order?  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Banana Foster pancakes and the Eggs Benedict with a Bloody Mary. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight's Gala night menu

 

[bluesplayer]

On 3/12/2022 at 1:04 PM, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Yes.   It's easy peasy. 

Thanks for the info..  having fun ordering my imaginary food!!!  Asian salad and turkey please...

[Florida_gal_50]

Thanks for sharing your trek up diamond head.  I did it about 32 years ago when I was much lighter and my knees still worked.  I remembered the last part of it being in pitch dark and you had to climb a spiral staircase.  It was so frightening.  Barely made it to the top.