It’s been a year since we’ve been off this island, but that is about to change.  On December 2nd (at 11:59PM…so December 3rd if the plane is even one minute late) we leave Kahului and fly to Buenos Aires, via SFO and Houston with long layovers in both. There we board the Viking Jupiter, another small ship, only 930 passengers, to begin a trip around South America. We will visit Montevideo, make a few stops in Argentina, The Falklands, pass through the Strait of Magellan and round Cape Horn, visit Punta Arenas, the Chilean Fjords, and after another few stops, disembark in Valparaiso, Chile.  We then fly to Quito, Ecuador for a five day extension to the Galápagos Islands.  We’ll return to spend Christmas in Quito before returning home on the 26th.  It’s a trip that’s especially meaningful to me because my ancestors came to Hawai’i around the Horn in the 1800’s.  I’m anticipating a much more pleasant trip than theirs though, by virtue of a more luxurious ship…..and a healthy supply of seasick patches. (I am also not planning to get pregnant!  My Great-grandmother gave birth during the voyage from Germany to Hawai’i in January 1878!)

So December will be a full month, made even more full, and more fun, by the fact that friends have gathered here for Thanksgiving, will still be here when we leave, and will be back, celebrating Christmas and awaiting New Years, by the time we return.  So….a full seven weeks packed with our favorite people as well as the new sights and experiences.

Prepararations are well underway for our adventures.  Since temperatures range from 78° in the Galápagos to the low 40’s at some points (even as low as 38° 🥶), “packing light” is a challenge.  But we’re never making the mistake we made on our last cruise; that pile of luggage was just embarrassing!  For 15 nights aboard ship, Larry has decreed that I may take THREE dresses.  But I do the packing, so a fourth could possibly find its way into our bags.

Prepararations are well underway for our adventures.  Since temperatures range from 78° in the Galápagos to the low 40’s at some points (even as low as 38° 🥶), “packing light” is a challenge.  But we’re never making the mistake we made on our last cruise; that pile of luggage was just embarrassing!  For 15 nights aboard ship, Larry has decreed that I may take THREE dresses.  But I do the packing, so a fourth could possibly find its way into our bags. 😉

My other big “preparation”, though not really for the trip, was a summer-long diet.  I can now announce that very little of last year’s cruise wardrobe still fits;  I’ve lost 35 pounds!   I reached my goal just in time for our cruise and Thanksgiving.  Now to match last year’s accomplishment of gaining only a pound and a half aboard ship.  I have to admit to having started with the extra holiday pounds I gained in the company of the same nefarious crew that will be gathered again THiS year, so extreme caution is in order.  There are just so many temptations: wine and cheese on the beach, sunsets and pūpus, dinner here and cocktails there, a great band at Fleetwoods (as in Fleetwood Mac – and Oh!  The lilikoi margaritas!), and always boozy cruises with whales to watch. Talk about a wonderful time of the year!

We will be back on December 26th, but maintaining. “Radio Silence” for the duration.  At $10/day, WE want to decide when we get texts (especially*) and calls, so the phones will stay on Airplane Mode.  They will work on Christmas, of course.
*There are just too many messages from stores, docs and banks updating us about sales, appointments and balances.  It’s easier to block everything than to “reply STOP” and risk missing someone….and then have to start up the important ones again.

The good thing about living here is there’s never a problem finding someone willing to house-sit!  So I can post away during our adventures on the tripwithout fear that anyone is taking advantage of an empty condo back on Maui.  So brace yourselves, here come the travel posts!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving all!