5/22/24 Cruise to Singapore and Happy Thanksgiving
Subject: Statendam Cruise to Singapore and Happy Thanksgiving
Hi to everyone,
This is getting to be old news so I thought I’d at least start to chronicle Joyce’s and my
cruise. The last voyage of the Statendam for Holland America Lines. The thirty day trip
to Singapore was to position her for a refit and a new life sailing for the P and O Line as
the Pacific Eden. She’s already doing so.
But first she had to get there so off we went
on a beautiful Seattle afternoon. And what a lovely sendoff. “Time To Say Goodbye” was
playing over the loudspeakers as we sailed close to the Seattle shore where a great many
people were waving a shouting from the shore. The Holland American staff from the home
office which is in Seattle were saying goodbye. The fireboat put on quite a show. It was
sad!!!
Our first stop was in Vancouver, B.C. the next day. Had a wonderful fish and chips lunch
and settled into shipboard life. We were to have a six day crossing to Hawaii. It wasn’t
near as calm as last years cruise but not too bad. Great to be back on board the
Statendam again.
Our first stop was in Honolulu. We had our usual dim sum brunch in Chinatown and spent
most of the day getting me to the doctor and for an MRI. For those of you who don’t
know, I’ve been having strange motion disabilities for a year or so. I have been under the
care of a neurologist since last May and he’s in Honolulu so why not go see him when I’m in
town. He now believes (and so do I) that I’ve got something terribly wrong with my neck
and spine which is causing my slowness, weakness, clumsiness, and tension. I’ve an
appointment with a neurosurgeon on Dec. 15th and can’t wait to get fixed. It’s been
rather a bad time for me and I’m just relieved that it’s not Parkinson’s which was
suspected for many months. More on all that when there’s more to tell. (It was and is Parkinson's, grrr)
Anyway, Audrey and Jerry spent their whole day hauling me around to these appointments
and they had a nice visit with Joyce. We did have about an hour to spend at Gordon
Biersch before leaving for Hilo.
Hilo was a bit rainy and very beautiful. We rented a car a took a drive before going into
Hilo town to the market day activities. The flowers there are the best and we got some
for our room. Had a great Mexican lunch as well. Pacifico beer on tap!!! Which, by the
way, to those of you that care is also available up the hill now at the new Paco’s Tacos at
the Kukuiolono Golf Course. I know a couple of you reading this will perk up at the news.
Next stop home sweet home Kauai. Now I hadn’t been home for four months so it really
was weird to visit for such a short time. I had things to deliver that we carted onto the
ship for transport and I took some clothes home and packed others. Wouldn’t be needing
anything for cool weather from here on out.
We had arranged for Mike to be able to come
aboard and that was wonderful but, again, strange to have him there and then watch him
leave.
The Nawiliwili Yacht Club had their weekly sailing race right off our balcony as we waited
to depart for Majuro, Marshall Islands.
We had a long sail to Majuro and it was mostly rainy, windy and grey. Majuro is an atoll
and it was rough even once we got inside. Not much of a tourist destination but the people
were very welcoming. Those children were behind a fence because it was their school.
They really wanted us to take pictures of them as you can see.
Our next stop was to be Chuuk Lagoon, famous for wreck diving and supposedly looks a bit
like Bora Bora. Well, one of our engines got saltwater in where it’s not supposed to be so
we had to skip that port. Dang.....would liked to have seen it.
We were to get parts and
repair personnel in Guam and had one stop before there about 200 miles north at Saipan.
Saipan was super interesting. We learned a lot about what went on there during WW2.
Huge battles that were very important to our country. The Bansai Cliffs are beautiful and
very sad. The Japanese were so convinced that they would be tortured by the American
military that many jumped to their death instead. Even women with their babies....really
sad. And unnecessary.
We had a young man drive us around for a couple hours that took
us everywhere and explained everything is pretty good English. There had been a terrible
typhoon just a couple months earlier and he had lost his restaurant business and was
trying to rebuild. The island was pretty beat up. It poured rain but we found a great
place for lunch and Pacifico!!!
Next, we went to Guam and were not impressed. But we did get the engine going once
again. So next stop is the Philippines. But I’m stopping now to get ready to go to
Thanksgiving dinner. So, I’ll see ya later and HAPPY THANKSGIVING.
Aloha, Gayle 
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