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Random thoughts from the sea

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A Lazy Afternoon Sketching in Kona

Posted on October 15, 2022July 6, 2026 by Jo Johnston

Day 10, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand Cruise Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022; Kona, Hawaii. I didn’t plan ahead for our Kona port on the Big Island, as many call the actual island of Hawaii to distinguish it from the collection of islands that make up the state. I’ve stayed

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2022 South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, USA
11 comments

Stunning Kauai from the Sea and the Land

Posted on October 10, 2022July 6, 2026 by Jo Johnston

Day 9, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand Cruise Monday, Oct. 10, 2022; Nawiliwili, Kauai, Hawaii Kauai truly is the garden island. Its striking mountains are covered in lush greenery. All that vegetation requires a good bit of rain, resulting in the island’s status as one of the wettest places

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2022 South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, USA
8 comments

There’s Always Something Fun to Do in Honolulu

Posted on October 9, 2022July 6, 2026 by Jo Johnston

Day 7, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand Cruise Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022; Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu is a great first port after five sea days on a long cruise. The Walmart is just three blocks from the pier. More about my shopping trip later. My new friend Diana joined me

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2022 South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand, USA
8 comments

Sometimes it’s Good to Stay Negative

Posted on October 8, 2022 by Jo Johnston

Day 5, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand Cruise Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022; At Sea, North Pacific Ocean If there were any question as to whether we have put Covid-19 behind us, the answer is no — at least on the MS Westerdam. Today brought a round of Covid testing

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2022 South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand
19 comments

Can You Lose Weight On a Long Cruise?

Posted on October 7, 2022 by Jo Johnston

Day 4, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand Cruise Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022; At Sea, North Pacific Ocean My first stop this morning was the gym – sadly, not to work out, but to step on the ship’s scale. Its report was about what I imagined. My goal is to

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2022 South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand
23 comments

The Start of A New Adventure

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Jo Johnston

Day 1, South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand Cruise Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA As an act of faith, I set off Friday for Seattle to board the MS Westerdam. After more than two years on land, the disappointment of eight canceled back-to-back cruises this summer and the

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2022 South Pacific, Australia and New Zealand
25 comments

You Can’t Take Everything on the Journey

Posted on September 25, 2022 by Jo Johnston

My month-long holding pattern is about to end. On Friday I’ll leave for my first cruise since the pandemic abruptly interrupted my 2020 world cruise. I feel at a loss during time between trips — like I’m not living in the present, but just planning and preparing. Right now, I’m

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About Cruising
14 comments

Born to the Life of a Nomad

Posted on August 28, 2022 by Jo Johnston

I guess you could say I’ve been on a road cruise since leaving Santa Fe a couple of week ago. I’ll eventually get to my sister’s house in Fort Smith, Ark., but there is no rush. I drove for two days to Brownsville, at the most southern spot in Texas.

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About Cruising
12 comments

Serendipity – My Third Summer in Santa Fe

Posted on August 13, 2022 by Jo Johnston

And just like that … my summer in Santa Fe is coming to an end. I will miss the beautiful sunsets, the buzz of the hummingbirds and the good times with friends I have met over the past few summers. One of my best friends since high school came to

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About Cruising
9 comments

And Not an Ocean in Sight

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Jo Johnston

I thought I would be blogging from the deck of a cruise ship this month, after 810 days stuck on land. My plan was to fly with my two sisters to Amsterdam today and board Holland America’s ms Volendam, sailing as far north as Svalbard and as far south as

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About Cruising
41 comments

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I’m a writer in love with the sea, sailing, travel and sketching.

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