Hawaii

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I've never really been terribly clear about which bits of this part of the world are islands or cities or states so here's what I have finally learnt today. We sailed into the Hawaiian archipelago this morning - a country that, in 1959, became the 50th state of the USA. We docked at the city of Honolulu which is the capital of Hawaii and on the 3rd largest of all the 162 islands: Oahu. Because Hawaii had its own King before it joined the USA. it is the only American territory that has a royal palace - and very pretty it is too.

Our visit meant today gave us the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbour and it turned out to be far more moving that either of us had anticipated. We met a survivor of the Japanese attack here and spoke with the daughter of another survivor. Pearl Harbour is still the home of the American fleet in the Pacific and it is run with military precision and a clear passion for order. There isn't a blade of grass out of place or a leaf that's been allowed to fall and lie in the wrong place. Your tour starts with a film of the original attack and it's presented so movingly that we were not the only ones who left the cinema wiping tears from our cheeks. A navy launch then takes you the short distance across the harbour to alight on the memorial over the wreck of the USS Arizona. The oil has been, and still is, bubbling from her tanks ever since she sank 70 years ago. It is unbelievably moving to see a small bubble of oil rise to the surface, for it to hang in the heat of the sun and then burst into a multi-coloured and tiny slick. The Americans refer to the droplets as the tears of the 1177 men who are still entombed inside the wreck. I know this doesn't sound like much of a holiday destination but if travel really is to broaden your mind, then this is the place that will help do that. Their motto here is "Remember - Understand - Honor" and it is terribly fitting for such a tragic and beautiful place.

Our afternoon was rather more upbeat as we toured this lovely island. Its landscape is so volcanic it is utterly stunning. I also love the sense of humour of their highways department who named the highway "Likelike Highway". We likelike'd it lots!

Later we visited the largest Hawaiian shirt shop on the island ... and bought! Richard is now the proud owner of a loud shirt that is being paraded into dinner straight away! We also had an island delicacy - a sort of sorbet made from pineapple juice. Zero carbohydrates and 100% yumminess.

Sailaway tonight was rather fun. The setting sun made the glass towerblocks in the city light up and shout "take my photo" - which, of course, we did. Lots. And the ship played some wonderful Hawaiian music so we duly ponced around on deck doing some hula hula dances. Cheesey but fun!

Tomorrow is the first of 4 more days at sea as we head south to American Samoa. We're already in the topics and heading now for the Equator so the temperature should start to climb even higher than today's perfect 72 degrees F.

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