4/23 Friday Los Altos to Honolulu
Simone (Botkin) Andrade called me Thursday night to make sure I was packed. Carol Simcock picked me up at 7 am; I was all packed - ready to go. Checking in at SFO AA was no problem, and the flight was uneventful; I read and sorted out mail and paperwork. I arrived about on time (only a little early), got my checked suitcase, and Mum arrived within 30 seconds. We drove to Arcadia just in time for lunch. I spent the afternoon chatting with Mum & Dad, going over papers with them, and working on their computer, rebuilding it pretty completely and taking an image back on my external USB disk - all computer work done by the end of Saturday. (They now have two volumes: Macintosh HD and iMac 9.0.4.) We all went down to sing at 5 pm before dinner.

4/24 Saturday Honolulu
Dad I & walked Punahou track and then went up Rocky Hill, stopped to visit Dick Cox, and returned via new Case Middle School at Punahou. The buildings are beginning to come together with roofs, rain gutters, etc. Mum brought Molly Moore down for lunch (we visited her briefly in her assisted living room on 3rd floor earlier), and we had a nice lively conversation during the Arcadia lunch. I finished computer work after lunch. In the evening, I picked up Marjie Cox for dinner at Arcadia, and we had a good time talking before, during, and after dinner.

4/25 Sunday Honolulu
We all went to Meeting. Breakfast and "dinner" at Arcadia. I left some things out of my suitcase, including dirty clothes and computer stuff not needed on the trip. The day was bright, warm, with few clouds.

Arrived at Aloha Tower, pier 10 dockside, about 2:40 pm, saw Punahou classmates, and easily got one big bag checked (it was 48# out of SFO) and through easy security to board the Norwegian Star shortly after 3 pm along with classmates. The ship carried about 2300 passengers and 1100 crew - officially 3382 people. My stateroom was inside cabin well forward on deck 8; there were 13 decks. My bag arrived at the stateroom door in early evening. The stateroom, 8519, was interior (no balcony, porthole, or windows), port side, well forward. It had closet, tiny dressing table, TV (17 channels, one being announcements and current weather and position reports and another the forward bridge webcam [see http://ncl.com/fleet/02/webcam.htm - everyone could have followed my cruise from there], stools, twin beds [with upper bunk fold down and supplemental bed under a bunk] with tiny twin tables between, and bathroom [nice shower, sink, tiny counter, vacuum-assisted toilet]. The cabin was fine for me. It had a 110 volt outlet, so I could do work on the PowerBook G4 I took [borrowed from work] for 'homework' [these cruise notes, finishing the reunion website html, and trying to figure out why the PYM books are so screwed up].

Boat drill was moved to 5:30, so I organized cabin, tried to get bearings, and met Punahou group in Spinnaker lounge at 5 for introductions and brief conversations with classmates and their families. Lifeboat lecture - in the theater & not a drill - which holds about 1000. Then to dinner at Aqua, an organized group affair at 6 (15 min late opening); I was at table with Deanne & Lorrin Wong, Larry Linn & Joy, Clifton Furukawa & Renee, and Joel Kendall. A very nice lively funny dinner, lasting into dessert as ship pulled out from Honolulu at 8 pm. I finally went up to an open deck to see hula dancers and wandered around as Honolulu-Waikiki darkened, finding Lorrin Wong & Mike Befeler - then wives joined us, for chat until about 9. Thence to bed. Notice is out that Hilo arrival will not be 8 am - instead 11 am, and relatively early departure therefrom. The ship can't make 24 kts with broken starboard azipod, so it was slow. (What's an azipod!?)

4/26 Monday Hilo
With PowerBook on PDT, it woke me at 7:00 am PDT (4:00 am HST!) so up at about 7 and outside by 8, thinking we'd be starting Alenuihaha, but we were already past Laupahoehoe, abreast Mauna Kea, completely cloudless with bright sun on the observatories shining on top. Walked circuit (4 = mile) some on deck 13, had breakfast with Bowmans on deck 12 Market Café. The captain pointed out Pu'u O'o in his announcement, and it was an obvious hill over horizon with ample fumes. Clouds came in to Mauna Kea by 8:30. Docked 11 am. At our 9 am meeting (daily meeting in forward card room to check in, give announcements, and get organized), I offered to tour-guide Kilauea, but with no offers, I went with Simone & Leonard Andrade and Ipolani & George Bailey to Hilo Hattie's (bought ample dog care presents) then to Macy's for dress shirt for Leonard and lunch, then downtown for clothes for the ladies, finally to Queen Liliuokalani gardens for quiet stroll by myself (was dropped off on cab back from downtown). Back on foot (about 2 mi) about/after 4 pm, so I wrote postcards and posted them back at port (requiring a second security check onto the ship, but this time with a much longer line), then did a little homework (website), finally went on deck at 5:45 (all aboard by 5:30 & depart 6) into howling wind and pouring rain - this after quiet day of sun and mixed clouds. Watched departure from Hilo in "near gale" and waved to hula dancers, who appreciated at least one passenger at the rail waving (from deck 7, which is protected walkway all around the ship). Got with Befelers and Lederers for good dinner at 7 pm in Versailles, then a little work in cabin until 9:45 waiting for previously announced 10:15 at volcano, despite captain's warning that weather was closed in and no view. I went up to deck 13 anyway, and there Kilauea's eruption was with clear view of lava flow over the edge of the first descent from Pu'u O'o at 2000 ft in many little specks, viewable with binoculars (lost another lens cap). I tried to take a picture with camera, but the lava illumination was too weak to see on the screen at max zoom. Thence to bed ~11. Good night.

4/27 Tuesday Kailua, Kona
I was not up early enough to see us coming by Keauhou, but was as we came to station-keeping off Kailua (no harbor or pier - than only at Kawaihae too far away from center of tourism). A few were off right at 7 am for golf (Leonard). After morning stroll and breakfast with various classmates, and the 9 am meeting, Woody & Simone organized a lunch with Wayne Easley (and other Kona classmates, but no others showed) at Kona Inn, so after some website work, I took lighter ashore at 11 and walked to Kona Inn. We had a good group in the old restaurant, with low stone wall next to surf and view straight out to M/S Norwegian Star. We were entertained by spinning porpoises out in the harbor. Wandered back by Hulihe'e, church across the street, and heiau (on which Kamehameha's house is built) via Scandinavian shaved ice for Simone, Woody, and me. I finished up nearly completely the "reunion" website in the afternoon. Weather was cloudy and uncertain in early morning, but it was sunny and nice with gentle breezes until after we left at 6 pm. I watched us pull out. Later it was 38+ kts and "gale". Woody and I were invited to dine with Paddy Dunn & Sally Halstead, so I went down at 7, and we and Linns had dinner at Soho (cover charge restaurant), slow but quite good, finishing dinner about after 10 pm. Thus after a short walk, I turned in with hiccups.

4/28 Wednesday Kahalui
Linda (Cockroft) Schoephoerster, Brian & Micheline Lederer, John & Grace Bowman, and I borrowed one of the class 7-passenger vans arranged for the birthday party to go up Haleakala. We did not leave until after the 9 am class meeting, so I expected that the crater would be clouded in already. We were very lucky that, at about 11 am, the crater was mostly cloud free, although it filled in markedly over the next hour. We went from the first ranger station to the old overlook at the rim: Haleakala is beautiful and impressive, even after all these years and hiking through, etc. It was cold, and jackets were essential. I hiked up to the top of the pu'u at the rim overlook, then we went on up to the very top, near Magnetic Hill, near the small set of observatories, to view and walk around at 10,023 ft. Both Mauna Kea and Loa were clearly visible above the clouds, with some snow still left near their tops. Of course I took the little "don't step on the endangered species" trail too. Then we went to the lower overlook (still good view of crater, including Kapaloa cabin), and trail with very few silverswords. Thence down the mountain to Kahalui, a mailbox, and manapua before getting back to ship at 2:30 pm. This left not much time to regroup and change for vans to the birthday party on the beach - a beautiful spot right on the water, but right next to the airport - and a swim before dinner and cake. Lots of Maui class members arrived too, which was very nice; they did excellent job organizing for us, especially Hunnybun Hillary, and Willa. Much talk. Jim Haynes acknowledged that Dave was at his place for a reunion. I pooped out and took van #2 back, could not find a movie, and moved on to minor web work and turn in before 10 for rest, being tired out last two days.

In 4 days 3 dental floss dispensers ran out; so none for tomorrow. How can they all run out at once? (I did finally find a 4th floss container before we returned to Honolulu, but it too ran out after one piece.)

4/29 Thursday at sea
We slowly steamed out of Kahalui at 11, when I was asleep, and meandered northwest of Molokai beginning early am, past northern coast of Molokai, to and into Molokai Channel, able to see Oahu and Diamond Head, then returning back the way we came, getting from the east end of Molokai to Lahaina overnight. It was a busy day. I watched Molokai, with water falls coming down cliffs over a 1000 feet almost directly into the ocean, and walked the deck, as usual (a couple of circuits of Deck 13 with Mike Befeler). We had 10:45 am group pictures in Atrium, which turned out quite well, then our Mai Tai Birthday celebration in forward card room with full decorations and pupus and cake - and free pair of mai tai glasses, clean and boxed (I managed to get mine home, hand carried, unbroken). Then I went straight to the postponed Hawaii history with Wayne Chang, but adjourned after 1:30-2 until 3:30-5. So I had a quick lunch by myself, then tried to sort out the errors in the PYM books in the reading room, but the rocking boat pitching me forward and back was unpleasant, and I could not find the unbalanced entries (but did find the new year not done according to agreements). Then back to Wayne's very interesting talk on Hawaiian history and culture from pre-"discovery" to 20th century. Then quickly to cabin and back to Cinema for Master & Commander - nice to watch a sailing warship movie on-board the rocking ship. Then another quick change to dressy clothes to the Music of the Night live show in the 1000-person theater, where I hooked up with Linda and David Schoephoerster. (Big hemorrhage in left mid & ring fingers at palm while I changed.) The show was only about an hour, so we went to dinner at Versailles, where I tried to have a very nice small dinner. Then a little walk and to bed after 10 pm. All this on a lazy day going nowhere, but still little idle time for reading.

4/30 Friday Lahaina
Up a little after 6 am, brief walk around Deck 13, and breakfast with Woody, Simone, Leonard, then John & Grace Bowman - a nice chat and organizing 11:30 lunch an Bubba Gumps with Simone's parents. The ship cannot dock at Lahaina either, so we were parked out at sea, with Kahoolawe off the bow, Molokai off the stern, Lanai off the starboard, and Maui off the port. In line to go ashore about 10, then wandered around Lahaina (Banyan tree, courthouse, jail, fort, Ho Wing, etc.) and walked out to Bubba Gumps as Leonard & Simone arrived with her parents; Ipo & George joined up with us too. Lunch was too big; Simone's parents insisted and paid. Returned with Woody and Bowmans to shower and do a bit of reading - with John Lacy - in the reading room. Then I went to the debarkation instruction in the theater at 5 pm - humorous but little real information. Then I was off to meet with Bowmans and Woody for drink at Red Lion and very good dinner at Versailles - next to Patsy, Paddy, & Sally, followed by all sorts of classmates in the hallway, mostly going to the show at 9:30. Hence to bed as we arrived well into the Molokai channel, or so it seemed, since the ship is rocking and a rolling pretty good. (Some stayed up late to watch Honolulu, lit up in lights, as we passed Oahu.)

5/1 Saturday Nawiliwili
Got up early (6 am) after my party balloon burst at 2:30 am; breakfast at Market Café as usual with usual crew, including Bowmans. Borrowed Woody's phone but was unable to reach Jay Politzer (I had planned to visit with him for the day) or my parents (at breakfast), so I appended myself to the Woody Fern Tour party, if there were space. So we went to Budget with him about 8 and upgraded from standard car to van for a mere $53, so all were able to go: Joel & Lynne Kendall, John & Grace Bowman, Simone Andrade, Ellwood Fern, and I. He decided that Waimea and Haena was too much, so we leisurely went to Haena by way of Kapaa, Wailua Falls, Opaekaa Falls, Kilauea Light, suburban Hanalei, dry and wet caves, etc. We stopped at Lumahai beach and other beaches I remembered from ancient day. Most exciting was Kilauea, a federal national seashore site, but it being Kilauea Lighthouse Day, there was no fee for May 1. Unfortunately I chose an idiot to take a picture of me. I saw a pair of Nene, through 10x binoculars a Laysan Albatross baby, shearwater, red footed boobies, and lots of other birds - also the Na Pali cliffs plant (Alula) with no living pollinators, which have been rescued by hand pollination until seeds were collected and successfully grown into adult plants. Helpful docent/volunteers there. Cliffs, waves, and some rain in Hanalei and beyond. No malasadas, but I did get a couple of Hawaiian Island place mats at Longs. I called Mum & Dad, but no suitable liquor for sale; too late to call Jay. Thus did little until showered & dressed for dinner - Endless Summer and pseudo-Hawaiian dinner for all the Punahou '62 party. All dinners too large. Good time at the table: John & Carolyn Lacy, Carol (Yates) & Carl Lehman, Brian & Micheline Lederer. Good pictures, good-byes all around. Packed. The ship is too big to fit into Nawiliwili, but they go in anyway. The azipods and thrusters allow them to move sideways from the dock (it was too long to fit along the dock) and then spin in place to turn around. So, the azipod was off-line (obvious off the stern with blast of water rearward only from the port side) either because a prop broke or because the motor was overheating (conflicting reports), and the manufacturer would not honor the warranty if it were used and overheating. The Norwegian Star seems to have 2 of these things, maybe about 20 MW electric motor pods with prop on rear which are completely steerable - think of huge oscillating fan mounted upside down on bottom of ship. There is no rudder. This was the Norwegian Star's last Hawaii cruise; from Honolulu it was to go to Oakland into drydock for repairs and then to Alaska and Mexico service with other NCL ships to take on the Hawaii and Fanning Island trips.

5/2 Sunday Honolulu
I drew royal blue for 9:15 am debarkation. Since no liquor for mum & dad, I have nothing to declare. Awake first after 4 but up by 6. Bill is OK - a mere $100; bag is picked up and gone. So I went to usual breakfast, ate leisurely and took a walk around. The top deck (14) is about Aloha Tower clock height. Then to debark, which was quick and easy. Found bag, waited with Simone, Carol, etc. until picked up before 9:30 am. It took all day (actually several days) to get my land legs back. I was very tired all day. I gained just over 5# with all the free very good food, with ample deserts. I was able to get to Meeting after dropping bags at Arcadia. I skipped "dinner" but went to supper with Mum & Dad, then chatted and packed, figuring how to get just 50# in suitcase and not have way to much top hand carry. Thus I took only one bottle of wine. I also borrowed a compact flash memory reader from Ev at Arcadia to show Mum & Dad all the pictures I took, but in Mac OS 9, I needed a driver, and the Internet connection to the world through JJJaquette AOL was awful, slow, and unreliable, so the whole process took a couple of hours. If only I'd remembered the camera's USB cable.

5/3 Monday Honolulu
The bag, finally packed Monday morning, was 50.8#, but I had a 1.1# book and 0.9# camera I could get to easily. As it turns out, the $25 fee for bags is for 51# and up to 75#, so no problem, and I wasted 0.1# of checkable capacity. Dad and I walked the track at Punahou. Since Mum had doctor's appointment at 9:45 and then bridge date, Dad took me to airport by 10:15. The flight left on time and got in 10 min early; it was uneventful, and I finished all my Wall Street Journals plus a Swarthmore paper I'd carried around for a year. Carol Simcock met me curbside after short wait, and when I got home, Sailor was very excited. To bed after 11 pm PDT.