Adventures in Paradise

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It seems there was some sort of system glitch and everyone received a posting with tons of code at the top. My apologies for that. Hopefully this is fixed now. Here is the original post:

Connie and I sailed from Los Angeles Friday night on what promises to be our longest time at sea ever. We get home on the 13^th of March after five cruises, two ships and countless islands. In the process we visit Hawaii, Tahiti, the Marquesas, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Indonesia and Singapore.Our first ship is Oceania’s Regatta for a back to back ending in Tahiti and then we join Regent’s Voyager in Sydney for three cruises.

Christmas will be in Hawaii which will be our first time away from home in many years for the Holidays. The ship is already nicely decorated and a festive mood has been quite in evidence. The crew is promising even more decorations and events. Our daughter Audrey is not exactly happy about us being away over the holidays and our cat Max isn’t even speaking to us anymore. He has been in a sulk since the first suitcase was brought out.

It would seem that the cruising industry is very healthy based on the full ships we have been on over the last three months. This cruise has been sold out for months and the next was almost sold out last I checked. There are tremors from the economy reaching the industry with increased costs of operation that are passed on to the passengers. Even with that, the smaller lines are building newer and bigger ships to accommodate the demand. That’s good news for those of us who enjoy the cruising life style.

And speaking of enjoying…what a pleasure it was to not have to fly this time. It was a reminder of how frantic and stressful travel has become. Midway through packing we both realized that we didn’t have to worry about weight, liquids, what went where, cross packing, arriving three hours before the flight and the shuffling lines of passengers clutching their little plastic bags. We loaded six (!) bags into the car and 45 minutes later we were unpacking in the stateroom. Heaven!

Connie and I were a bit unsure when we accepted this long booking. After all, two people living in one room for three months could be a bit of a challenge to say the least. If we don't end up with a white line down the middle of the cabin with her side and my side signs then there may be hope for us. I will keep you posted.

During the next three months I will try to give some insights and impressions of the people, cultures and experiences as we go. Happy Holidays and best wishes for a great New Year filled with calm seas and fair winds.

Harry and Connie

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