AquaeGrannus

We’re GOING! Booked through AVC on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Pride of America. (Plug for my Agent: Laina 1-800-308-0073)
Cruise Itinerary:
Sat. Honolulu, Hawaii - 8:00 PM
Sun. Hilo, Hawaii 8:00 AM 7:00 PM
Sun. EVENING SAIL BY MOUNT KILAUEA— --
Mon. Kahului, Maui, Hawaii 8:00 AM -
Tue. Kahului, Maui, Hawaii 8:00 AM -
Tue. Kahului, Maui, Hawaii - 6:00 PM
Wed. Kona, Hawaii 7:00 AM 6:00 PM
Thu. Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii 8:00 AM -
Fri. Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii - 2:00 PM
Fri. At Sea — --
Sat. Honolulu, Hawaii 7:00 AM -

Was stationed with the Navy at Pearl Harbor from '90 to '94 and have seen the islands from the sea, but never in Comfort and Luxury, and I was always working, this will be a marked improvement.  One thing I especially like is that you can visit several islands without having to schlep luggage on a plane, in a cab, and into different Hotels, and these ships stay in port overnight giving you more time to experience the port call, rather than the "shop and leave" routine of a lot of caribbean cruises.  Another Plus for U.S. citizens: No customs and no passport required.  I have been to the Carribean a lot,(live in South Florida), and without going into derogatory detail, I have seen enough. I have lived in Hawaii, and the only thing I can say negative is that it is a LONG flight but well worth it!

Went here in the summer, so no skiing. Stayed the first night in Portland at the Kennedy School, then Rented a Subaru outback, (there’s a lot of em on the roads there for a reason!)drove up to Mt. St Helens in WA, then came down went south on the eastern, inland side of the range, Mt. Hood, Timberline Lodge, crossed over to see crater lake and then up the coast from Gold Beach all the way up to Seaside. We took 10 days, mostly on the road, enjoying the ride. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Set a wedding date after finding the perfect rings in Coos Bay at a Gallery.

On April 1, 1968, I was born here. Dad was temporarily based here in the construction biz, so I’ve really never seen the place.

The same trite, I suppose, American THING: Roots. My great Grandfather was a Grant and I know the reality that back in the day anyone even remotely associated with a clan that came to the U.S. would take a Name and or a story of association that may or may not have truly existed. Being from the South, I doubt that the name was co-opted from our own famous Grant, (US)from our Civil War period. The story I got was that my GreatX3? Grandfather was part of Olgalthorp’s Debtor Colonists in Georgia, (Ah how the pride does swell), and when that whole experiment failed around 1752 everyone just sort of wound up fending for themselves as we poor of the world always seem to manage by luck or larceny. In their case it was distilling and a sort of rural racketeering. In any case my Great-Great Grandmother was full-blood Cherokee, (or Ojibwa as they called themselves, and my Great Grandfather who had never had a light bulb in his home somehow managed to be an electrician at a cotton mill in Porterdale GA. He married my Great Grandmother when he was 16 and she was 13, (mother died in childbirth, father unknown, burden on the mean aunt who supported her. Maiden Name: Tuggle a branch of the family that seems to have proliferated in Georgia though I’ve never been aquainted with any of them) they lived in company housing, dirt floor, company store, owning nothing until their older son was killed in WW2 and they got a check with which they bought 42 acres, milled and built their own home, (which still stands solid today) planted their own apple and peach orchards, farmed the rocky ground and made a quite civilized life on a farm where I spent my summers as a child, taught to value simple existence and independence. They always assered that we were Scottish although I am absolutely certain that over the years that must be well tempered with a variety irish/English/etc. So with all that impeccable pedigree I would like to see how the distant cousins made out. I’ve done a bit of research on the country over there and the reality of it is not as quaint as my juvenile imaginings would have it but I still want to go. My middle name is Grant and I have done some research on that particular clan, even have a pic of the coat of arms and a replica of a 16th century Claymore. So yeah…all that being as goofy and childish as it is, I still want to go. “Stand Fast, Craigellachie!”

I’m not even really sure why I want to go. It’s just so close and seems to be quite scenic. I have read that it’s a good place to tour on a motorcycle so I just would like to do it.
We are going to Hawaii this fall, but I used to live there and I live in Fort Lauderdale now so the Tropical/Beach thing I’m kind of saturated with, would much rather take a Bike trip in Nova Scotia.

As a very small child, My Aunt lived there with her husband/boyfriend? who was in the U.S. Army, so that sort of dates when. The only memory I have is of Iguanas the size of Dogs in the backyard. And just a note for note’s sake, places I cannot remember, places I want to forget, places that are even lame or that I had a terrible time in I always consider them Worth Visiting. Even the one that I put “Not worth visiting”,(Somalia), had a profound, (and I think, positive) affect on me that will last a lifetime, how could that truly be considered Not Worth It?

There’s only one thing that I don’t Love about Japan, It’s so far away. I am an absolute Nihonophile, if my wife would let me, I’d totally geek out and decorate the house in 16th century dojo style. For a time I studied the Language daily with the intent of moving there for good. Wish I could go there more than once in a decade.

I went to college here. Love it/Hate it. Miss it/Never wanna go back. That kind of thing. Best of times/worst of times. Pretty safe place to send your kids, caring concerned personal attention to students, by the end of the first year you know everyone, Love em/Hate em. I have family in the Area, that made it nice/and sometimes not so nice. Good place to postpone growing up for a few more years, while for the most part being away from the big bad world.

Deeply disturbing experience. Active Military, Bag and Tag. War. Death. Fear. Filth. Wish I had not thought about it while checking off the places I’ve been. Ouch. Memory best forgot.

Kitchy cool. A little pricey, very touristy, but if you are a tourist that’s what you do. Food: 7(10), Show,6(10), Atmosphere 10(10), Service 6(10). Go for happy hour on Friday, they have made the “Best of” list for buffet for their Friday buffet. I’m a little jaded to tropical/luau type settings as I have been to so many, (Jamaica etc, Hawaii, etc…) but if you are not you will definitely enjoy the vibe.