Fiji the long way with our last QFi JASA.

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On the first cruise we only had one wet landing at Pagan and one other zodiac landing.However the itinerary with the Japanese islands along with Pagan,Saipan and Tinian really appealed to me and certainly glad I did it.
But back to Guam.There was a much more impressive place over the road from the Latte park-the former Spanish Governor's place-

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The little house would have been very popular with us.It was the chocolate house.The former position of the Governor's residence-

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And the other place that would have been a favourite of mine-the siesta house-

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The arches are said to be original structures-

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And across the road the Catholic cathedral-

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Impressive windows-

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The monument to the local militia who bore the brunt of the Japanese invasion-

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Apparently Pope John Paul on his visit delivered a sermon from this spot-

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Then a drive to Two Lovers Cliff passing a statue of a local chief and another picture of GUM-

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Two lovers cliff is where a local couple jumped to their dearhs when the woman was being forced to marry a Spanish officer-

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Now a place where hordes of Asian tourists take selfies and people think it is no problem defacing a public place with the current locks of love fad.

 

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The last pictures of two lovers cliff-

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Then we had an unscheduled stop at a museum of US culture-

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The current leaders residence-

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Some pictures on the way back to the ship-

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The navy leaves-

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How many containers can you fit on a ship-

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So the second cruise begins.The Expedition leader is Mick Fogg who we sailed with twice on Orion.Sail away coughtails were cut short by heavy rain.Departure was delayed then by 4 hours as medical supplies had not arrived.At dinner we sat with the couple from Adelaide and a couple from Canada who were all on the last cruise so a good night and once more last to leave.There is a group of 31 from Hawaii who had their own coughtail party and ate as a group.Raj the sommelier had raided the supplies and came up with a bottle of Corban's port so I could finish with a cheese plate.
This is our first experience of back to back cruises.A different feeling.What are these strangers doing sitting in our seats?
Wednesday and we are heading for Gaferut,Yap.We are meant to snorkel today.The island is uninhabited but has plenty of bird life.Unfortunately the swell and high winds due to the typhoon north of Guam means the zodiacs cant be launched so we just do a sail around.

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A recent wreck probably of a trawler-

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[love_the_life]

The water looks quite choppy so no wonder they couldn't launch the zodiacs. It must be a funny feeling on a B2B with a bunch of new people arriving. Were there many doing the B2B like you?
The itinerary looks very full on with lots of visits - not sure I would be able to keep up the pace! The pics are great as it's not an area of the world I know much about unfortunately. You must have hit some better internet as you've been able to upload regularly.

 

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Gaferut continued.You can see why the zodiacs were not launched.Lots of bird life,mainly frigate birds but they wouldn't stay still which makes it impossible for me to get a shot.coughies are much more considerate.

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After dinner on the first night we had adjourned to the bar for the odd Amarula or 3.Feeling quite tied so on the Wednesday we dined by ourselves and got to bed early.The seas were the highest since we boarded in Otaru.We still slept well.It was no surprise that the next morning when we arrived at Ifilat,Yap that the conditions were once again unsuitable for the zodiacs.This island is inhabited,the people on the beach also seemed to believe we were not going to make it onshore.It looks beautiful but unfortunately we have now missed landing on any Yap island.Maybe another day.

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The internet certainly has picked up the further east we gn our first day in PNG I could not upload pictures.A couple of days later I could but only if online which would make it very expensive.Now though I can compose the posts off line again.
About 20 of us are on B2B.One Australian couple got on in Longyearbyen and are getting off in Ushuia.Last night was the Venetian Society coughtail party.102 of the 113 pax are Venetians.66 have sailed over 100 days.Between all the pax the total days sailed prior to this segment was over 22000.
Back to Gaferut.It is a collection of islands around a large central lagoon.

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A great sunset that night-

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That night it was back to Hot Rocks for dinner with 2 other Australian couples-

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The next day was always going to be a sea day.But now it was the third in a row.It was interrupted by the crossing of the Equator ceremony.A good laugh with a good looking queen-

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At night we had dinner with the chief engineer.Interesting conversation.He was on the ship with the previous owners.The bank kept him on when it was seized in bankruptcy proceedings.Then Silverseas kept him on.Most of his engineers have been with the ship from its first sailing under the Silverseas flag.

 

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The night was much smoother and we only awoke with the 0630 knock on the door for our morning cup of tea.We soon got our first sight of New Guinea.

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We began to see a lot of rubbish floating by and then the Vanimo peninsula-

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The main activity of the port is the export of timber mainly by the Chinese and Malaysians.Cutting down the rainforest to harvest 100 year old Kwila.I guess the Chinese just doing their bit to combat AGW.One of the barges used to take the timber out to waiting ships obviously had a problem-

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The zodiacs are launched and the locals are gathering to greet us-

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And we get a view of Vanimo international airport.

 

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At last we get to leave the ship.What a welcome-

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Then it was into busses to be taken first to the viewpoint-

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Then to the Vanimo Beach resort where it was said the mayor and the local Governor would greet us.Only the mayor turned up-

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Once again lots of locals were there to look at us-

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Then a group from the highlands performed.Most were 15 year olds and they had driven 3 hours just to dance for us-

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[love_the_life]

Such great pics. Isn't it a bit overwhelming to be treated like royalty?

 

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The people mainly were just so friendly.Nearly always smiling-

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Our busses.

 

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Next we were driven to a local village.Not the one initially planned as they had had a death.So this became a nice break where you could swim.The villagers supplied free coconuts.

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The local boys were having fun climbing trees and jumping into the shallow creek-

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Internet has become flaky again.Once more unable to upload photos.Picasaweb wont even load.

But an update on the cruise.The day after Dobu Island was a sea day and the Venetian coughtail party and dinner.We ate with the staff Engineer and got the real story of the anchor.We heard some unusual sounds so Ann asked him if he could tell if anything was wrong just by hearing the sound from the engines.He said he could but that noise was coming from the staff dining room who were having their BBQ that evening.
Saturday it was Honiara,the capital of the Solomon Islands on Guadacanal.A necessary stop for Immigration and customs.Most went off to a village but we just wandered the town.I had been here in 1969 and brought the family back in 1980.I wanted to remember it the way it was.
Sunday and Santa Ana Island.Fabulous.The inter island ferry was in and as usual packed to the rafters.A great welcome show climaxing with the Santa Ana mudmen which brought the house down.The locals though had more laughs first when a British woman joined the dancing and then when an older local woman invited me out for a dance.I had learnt the right moves from the witch doctor on Dobu.It really brought the house down.Unkinder people described the style as twerking.
I had my first snorkel here.Not a great reef but I was under instruction from the grand daughters to get a photo of Nemo.I succeeded.
Monday and at Malur last stop in the Solomons.I rate it as the highlight.A completely different style of dancing to any previous village.Though I once again performed at the end to the delight of the locals.
Another snorkelling session in the afternoon with a greater variety of fish and corals but no Nemo.Now off to Vanuatu.