Hilo, Hawaii: Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens.

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing."

~Helen Keller

Our first stop on the cruise, after four days at sea was "the big island" of Hawaii. Our port was in Hilo. Mom, of course, was still deathly ill, so we left her at home (on the ship) and Stephen, Shep, and I ventured out. While waiting for our car rental, we selected a few spots that we thought we could pack in and still be back to the ship in time to get on.

First we headed south to the Pana'ewa Rainforest Zoo and Gardens.

Interestingly, this was one of my favorite stops in Hawaii. Get ready for a major photo dump because it was beautiful there.

One of the best parts were the peacocks who were just wandering around. They were not shy at all.

They were really stunning. And then there was the bird who fell in love with Stephen.

This white cockatoo (I think that's what it was) was very interested in Stephen and his camera and got very angry, hence the raised head feathers, when Stephen tried to walk away. It screeched and screeched as we started to walk away. Stephen got it interested in another family that was wondering in that direction and we made a run for it!

And we ran right into this guy.

Haha. It wasn't long before we found more colorful views.

It really was a beautiful day at Pana'ewa.

After leaving the gardens, we decided to stop for a little treat. Shepherd saw a sign for a bakery up ahead, so we stopped to find the Mt. View Bakery, home of the famous stone cookies. They aren't kidding. The cookies are like stones. Hard as rock. But interesting and pretty tasty.

Next stop in Hilo: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the Akatsuka Orchid Gardens.

(Written July 25, 2013)

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Cruising to Hawaii.

"Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop."

~Ovid (43 BC - 17 AD)

Following a horrendous sickness (yet again) over Christmas and into the New Year, we embarked on a much-needed (and deserved, in my opinion) vacation, a cruise on Princess Cruises to Hawaii. Mom, Stephen, Shep, and Stephen's brother and wife (Jeff and Linda) and mother and father (Virginia and Karl).

We departed from Long Beach, California so we went down to visit Grandpa first and also Shep and I visited my Dad and Nancy. They drove us to the ship on Wednesday morning, January 2nd. Never having been on a cruise before, I didn't know what to expect. But Nancy just kept telling me how big the ship would be and she was right. When we arrived at the port, I couldn't believe how huge it was.

Prior to boarding, we left our luggage with a purser, who would load the luggage on one of the lower decks and get it to our room for us. As we were walking the corridors toward our entrance, I actually saw my red bag being loaded, a real fluke, since there were thousands of pieces of luggage!

If you've ever been on a cruise, then you know that the first thing that happens once everyone is on board is the emergency call reporting to your muster station. This means that you grab your life jacket, follow the route to your assigned muster station and then go through the drill and instructions in case of an emergency.

They point out all the lifeboats on the side of the ship, which are closest to your station. These boats, though dwarfed by the size of the ship itself, can actually hold nearly 100 people each, I think.

After our muster station drill, we were off to sea.

The next few days we were at sea, and I was adjusting to a room with no windows (inside cabin) and feeling slightly seasick. It didn't help my mood that Mom ended up getting the sickness that I was getting over and spent the next week (out of two) in bed. I know it's not my fault that she got sick, but it kind of was and I had a hard time getting over it because I knew how sick she felt. I had been there. And it was awful. But she tells me I can't dwell on that part of the trip, so months later, as I write this, I'm still trying to get over it.

Being at sea was an adjustment for a number of reasons. I did feel a bit queasy, which was remedied fairly quickly with a few doses of meclizine, thanks to Dr. (Uncle) Jeffrey. But I also had to get used to the idea of not doing anything. When you work day in and day out, sometimes it's hard to truly relax on a vacation. I ended up walking the ship quite a bit, watching movies on the upper deck at night in their "Movies Under the Stars" upper deck "theater," playing cards, reading,watching movies in my room with Shep, etc. Eating was also a big part of the entertainment.

They have big buffets at breakfast and lunch, with lots of fresh fruit, and just about everything you might want. Dinner was a sit-down affair with a waiter, and waiter's assistant. They were extremely attentive and encouraged us to order as much as we wanted, even if it was just to be able to taste a dish. Kind of decadent, if you ask me. But it was fun. I had a shrimp cocktail nearly every night.

Stay tuned for our first stop at Hilo, after four days at sea, on the big island (Hawaii).

(Written July 24, 2013)
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I don't know where to start...

"Do the best you can where you are, and when that is accomplished,

God will open a door for you, and a voice will call "Come up hither into a higher sphere."

~Henry Ward Beecher

The last time I blogged was September 22, 2012.
Today is January 27, 2013.
I don't know where to start.
Four months has passed.
Four months and five days.
Tonight is probably not a good night to start.
I'm tired.
Even though I stayed in all day because I'm sick and it's snowing and I'm tired.
Did I mention I'm tired?
A lot has happened in the last four months.
And at the same time, nothing has happened.
Funny how that works.
Anyway.
I'd like to update the blog with some trips.
Mt. Rushmore/Devils Tower.
Jackson Hole, WY.
Hawaii.
Oh, and I guess the majority of things missing from my blog in the last four months (or really, the past year) are all the sicknesses I've had.
For over a year.
Have I mentioned I'm tired?
On a brighter note... I bought a humidifier.
I love humid, moist, wet air.
So, now that I've broken the ice with a blog post, maybe I'll try to write more.
And add some pictures.
Pictures are fun.
And I like reading and looking back, even if my readers are now non-existent.
So yeah.
Starting again.
Fresh start.
New year.
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