04.12.2018 update

Wednesdayday was a big day for us.  It was the 2^nd anniversary of John’s heart transplant, our 2^nd heartiversary. We went to dinner at the steak house and it was good.   John broke some rules:  he had a glass of wine; he had a steak that was not well-done.  He added salt to food for the first time in about 24 years!  There were three specialty salts: one from Hawaii that had lava in it (charcoal), a pink Himalayan salt, and a salt from Yakima WA, John’s home town.  Just a few grains went a long way.  It was great.

We are on the last bit of four days at sea.   In the morning, Thursday, we will be in Pago Pago.  Pronounced Pongo Pongo, believe it or not.  We do have an excursion scheduled and they have a great crafts bazaar just off the pier.  We still try to buy a Christmas ornament in every new port.  We found a spectacular one on Kauai.  Nothing like it in our collection. 

We will not be crossing the International Dateline and back after all. Samoa is divided between West Samoa and American Samoa.  The Port of Apia is in West Samoa which has most business dealings with Australia, so wants to be on their day.  American Samoa does most of their business with America, so wants to be on their day.  Apia was cancelled due to pier construction, so we will stay on the east side of the International Dateline.  That makes it easier to understand rather than losing a day one day and doubling up on another day. 

Tuesday we crossed the equator.  There is always a ceremony for all ‘pollywogs’, those that have never crossed the equator by ship before.  It is for crew as well as passengers.  We crossed the equator twice in 2015 as we cruised around South America, so we were able to enjoy it from the other side, since we are ‘shellbacks’ now.

Colleen and John