June 13th, Saturday, Hilo, HI

Home again!  We officially circumnavigated, or at least traveled, around the world.  It took us 164 days.  There are  26 more days until July 9th when we return to Kona, for a total of 190 days of traveling.

The view from Hilo of Mauna Loa volcano

Arriving in Hilo.  there is this breakwater we had to go around to get to the pier

We finally got off the ship after 10:30am because we had to see a customs agent who inspected our luggage which we then packed into our car.  Roger and Mary kindly drove to Hilo to meet us.  

David, Mary and Roger

They took this nice photo of us.

Leaving Hilo

We visited the Tsunami museum in town which was quite interesting.  We now know why there is a great area of downtown that is green park.  It was not restored after the second tsunami that devastated the town.  Hilo uses it as various sports venues and family picnics.

We spent the rest of the afternoon at Cafe Pesto where they let us sort through our two shopping bags full of mail.  I found a jury summons and several checks.  We also found a bill or two.  We also got our new credit cards which somehow had been compromised.

We made it back to the ship in time to play trivia and have a mai tai on deck with Tom and Deanna and Russ and Denise.  Russ had over a hundred photos of the Tropical Botanical Gardens.

That night was another talent show.  We had dinner at Polo with Kees and Mia, Martha and Gene.  Martha was in the talent show.  She said we could go to the bathroom while she sang her song if we wanted.  She loves to joke.  Her song was a long tale about a man who had the longest and the best.....  

Martha Merryman singing her funny song

Martha lost the mustache during the song

Shelby told her amusing stories about living in the South

Later we learned that Martha was having chest pains.  She had to go to Queens hospital the next day.   Sadly, Martha had another serious heart attack and stayed in Honolulu until she was allowed to fly home.  She was so lucky to have this happen in the first US port with the biggest hospital, and Dr. Spies one of the top cardiologists in Hawaii to take care of her.  She and Gene are good bridge players.  I had played with each of them.  We enjoyed their company a lot on the ship.  They spent 15 years traveling the country in a motor home, only recently purchasing a home in Kentucky.  They will be missed but not forgotten.