"Live" (I hope) from Radiance - Sailing to Hawaii

[daisyaday46]

Here's another Aussie saying a big thank you for your wonderful report and great photos. Every day I call my hubby to the computer with, "Come and see what Bill and Marie are up to today." Your generosity in sharing your travels with us is very much appreciated. It's so good to see you are having a wonderful time....Cheers ......and happy days, Kay

[PCWalton1]

Here's another Aussie saying a big thank you for your wonderful report and great photos. Every day I call my hubby to the computer with, "Come and see what Bill and Marie are up to today." Your generosity in sharing your travels with us is very much appreciated. It's so good to see you are having a wonderful time....Cheers ......and happy days, Kay

 

Thanks Kay, I appreciate your kind words. Glad to have the chance to brighten your day. :)

 

Bill

[PCWalton1]

Today our day starts with our stop at Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Unlike our last stop on the Big Island, we anchored out and will be riding tender boats back and forth to the shore. We did not rush around this morning as we had no plans for the port other than to walk around town for a few hours.

 

We grabbed breakfast in Windjammer then headed down to deck 5 to get tender tickets. Cruise director Bobby had just announced they were still working at getting the excursion people off the ship (paying people get priority) and that they were now going to take people with tender ticket #5. We walked up to the girl giving out the tickets and they were for tender #5. So much for long waits, from the time we grabbed tickets to the time we were ashore was twenty minutes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[joand452]

Love the photos from Volcanoes National Park. We spent the night at Volcano House in 1982. I don't remember the lava tube (we would have loved that), but remember the steam rising at night. We have got to get back there!

[PCWalton1]

Once ashore we just did a leasurely stroll down Alii Drive along the water. Stopped in a lot of shops including every ABC store (Marie can’t pass them up). We did a walk through the famers’ market, I bought a few gifts for friends back home and Marie bought some rambutan, they are similar in taste to a lychee. We found a coffee shop where I got a nice Americano and figured it was a good time to eat the rambutans since we can’t take them back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[supsan]

Count me in as one more who is enjoying this review! It is helping me decide on what our next cruise will be, Hawaii or Alaska.

[Beth C]

Add me to your grateful readers... we just booked the Rhapsody Hawaii - Vancouver sailing for next May and in the early planning stages for the islands. Giving me tons of ideas!

 

Thanks :)

[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

With all the fresh fruit and flowers, the market place smelled amazing!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Royal Kona Resort - we stayed there back in 2003.

 

The coffee here was outstanding (so was the lemon blueberry scone).

[PCWalton1]

Count me in as one more who is enjoying this review! It is helping me decide on what our next cruise will be, Hawaii or Alaska.

 

Which do you want to be, hot or cold? :D

[PCWalton1]

We continued walking down Alii Drive to the Royal Kona Resort which is the end of the shops then headed back. One the way back I picked up an Ironman teeshirt (dreaming) and Marie a blouse and some sarongs.

 

Fresh bananas

 

Great place to have dinner at sunset. I don't remember what the food was like but the view of the sun setting into the water was breathtaking.

 

 

 

I may be wrong but I think these are candlenuts.

[PCWalton1]

These are for Sherri (Middle Aged Drama Queen) if she happens to drop in, should give her a chuckle. And yes it must be a guy thing. :D:p

 

 

 

 

I am even for the dogs. :D

 

I couldn't pass up a picture, look at that face.

[PCWalton1]

 

 

 

 

Now that is my kind of cop car. :D

 

 

 

[PCWalton1]

We continued past the dock to make a stop at the Kona Brewing Company. The next tour was not till 3pm so we just got a table at the pub and ordered lunch. Marie had some fish tacos, I had a Cubano sandwich made with Kalua pork and a pint of Castaway IPA to wash it down. Now that was a little piece of heaven.

 

 

 

Castaway IPA beer and a Cubano sandwich made with Kalua pork. Had already started on it when I remembered to take a picture.

 

Marie's fish tacos and a Diet Coke (designated driver)

 

Hawaiian filling station

[PCWalton1]

 

After that we headed back to the ship and made a beeline to the pool figuring it would not be crowded. We were right and Marie finally got some time in the pool while I enjoyed my kindle. Now back at the room where I am finishing up these notes while Marie naps. Tonight will be dinner at the Samba Grill, I hear its fun.

 

 

 

 

[PCWalton1]

Love the photos from Volcanoes National Park. We spent the night at Volcano House in 1982. I don't remember the lava tube (we would have loved that), but remember the steam rising at night. We have got to get back there!

 

Not sure if I would have got a good night's sleep there. Yeah I know nothing happens, but what if it did the night I was there. :eek::D

[PCWalton1]

Add me to your grateful readers... we just booked the Rhapsody Hawaii - Vancouver sailing for next May and in the early planning stages for the islands. Giving me tons of ideas!

 

Thanks :)

 

It should be beautiful (and hot) here in May. enjoy

[Coralc]

Love the photos from Volcanoes National Park. We spent the night at Volcano House in 1982. I don't remember the lava tube (we would have loved that), but remember the steam rising at night. We have got to get back there!

 

Volcano House closed in 2010 Joan. :(http://www.volcanohousehotel.com/

 

And the very last resident Jack Thompson in the Royal Gardens housing tract had to move out in March of this year, because of an active flow: http://hawaiianlavadaily.blogspot.com/2012/03/jack-thompson-walks-his-lava-covered.html

[KruisinKath]

On top spending your precious vacation time providing excellent, funny commentary and gorgeous photos, we readers also expect an education: You said ambutan are similar in taste to a lychee, but what's a lychee!!?? (and what's an ambutan?) No, I don't get out much....:o

 

Try and get some cat pics for Middle Aged Drama Queen, too; I seem to recall some of those in her review as well, if my terrible memory actually "serves"...

 

Lastly, what camera are you using to get those awesome shots? BTW - I, too, love the pic of the flower that looks like a spider! Throw it in again anytime you want!

[PCWalton1]

On top spending your precious vacation time providing excellent, funny commentary and gorgeous photos, we readers also expect an education: You said ambutan are similar in taste to a lychee, but what's a lychee!!?? (and what's an ambutan?) No, I don't get out much....:o

 

Try and get some cat pics for Middle Aged Drama Queen, too; I seem to recall some of those in her review as well, if my terrible memory actually "serves"...

 

Lastly, what camera are you using to get those awesome shots? BTW - I, too, love the pic of the flower that looks like a spider! Throw it in again anytime you want!

 

First it is rambutan and like a lychee it is a tropical fruit. Here is some info (be glad Marie is taking her time getting ready for Samba Grill tonight :p)

http://knowandenjoytropicalfruit.com/chapters/lychee-rambutan-longan/

 

Most of the pictures is with a Nikon D3000 with a Tamron 18-270mm lens. It allows me to look like I know what I am doing. :D

[PCWalton1]

Heading up to Samba Grill for dinner.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[PCWalton1]

Samba Grill

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

[vegasneon]

I am enjoying following your cruise immensely. Our first trip to Hawaii will be this coming January. Thank you for posting all of this !

 

Do you happen to know the name of this little bird you photographed? - hopefully he will show in this message. He was the single gray bird with a puffin shaped head. In your post he was between the yellow birds and the dogs. I tried to use Google image search but nothing simular came up.

 

 

 

[Heni1805]

So are you taking a cruise down under? I would love to go on one of them.

 

Yes we are doing the 14-night New Zealand tour. Normally i could not do a tour down under, because the airfare from Germany is really expensive.

But I am going to do a semester abroad in New Zealand, so it is a great chance for my girlfriend and me to do the tour :)

 

And when I see your pictures I am getting even more excited! :) We are also staying in an aft cabin, therefore I love your balcony pictures! :D