Semester at Sea - Fall 2010 Itinerary

Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada – August 27
Cadiz, Spain – September 4-8
Casablanca, Morocco – September 10-14
Takoradi, Ghana – September 22-25
Cape Town, South Africa – October 3-8
Port Louis, Mauritius – October 14-15
Chennai, India – October 22-27
Singapore – October 31-November 1
Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam – November 3-8
Hong Kong / Shanghai, China – November 11-16
Yokohama / Kobe, Japan – November 19-23
Honolulu / Hilo, Hawaii, USA – December 3-6
San Diego, California, USA – December 13

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Aloha from Hawaii

ALOHA!!!

           Well friends we have reached the last port of this journey, and I have to say it feels good to be back in the United States!!! Hawaii was beautiful and the warm weather is a great change from cold China and Japan, We spent the first night in Honolulu, which meant I had a lot to get done before sailing’ to the BIG ISLAND where we docked in Hilo. Honolulu is not what I expected it to be, it’s very much a city and not the tropical Hawaii I was picturing. However it still was unbelievable to be here FUN FACT: this is the farthest west I have ever visited in the United States; now to you all reading that must seem like a “no really” situation as it’s the farthest west in the US you can get especially from Boston. But I have never visited as far west as Florida in our own country, I know kind of embarrassing to say especially after I have just seen the far ends of this world, but its true I have stayed on my beloved East coast minus a layover in Chicago in my twenty one years. Anyways, the SAS kids who don’t have international plans were going Hog Wild when they realized that Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and all other American providers were working so they were all texting away bright and early at 6:30 AM when we had to be up for immigration. 

Around 8:30 AM we were off the MV and into the city, a bunch of my friends headed for Sky Diving on the North Shore, while Gail, Marcus, Carly, and I headed to Pearl Harbor to pay our respects. FUN FACT II: My grandfather has a journal on the Battleship Missouri, from when he was in World War II including the signing of the end of World War II, which took place on the Missouri, so that was a good enough reason for me to visit the historic landmark. Pearl Harbor while very interesting to see and something I am glad I had the opportunity to see was sort of a disappointment to me. Just the national park was not at all what I thought it was going to be. First for those who have not been its right off the Hawaiian Highway, which irked me a little I was expecting more of a grand entrance to such a historic landmark, and then it just was a park on a base that had some artifacts and a ferry that took you to the Arizona and a shuttle that took you to the Missouri. It just seemed like there was more that they could have. I felt rushed as if you get on the ship to see the Arizona and then you can pay to go see the Missouri or you’re done. What I did like was that they had real Veterans there from the Pearl Harbor Attacks to give you first hand stories from that day.

Now don’t go thinking I’m telling none of you to go to Pearl Harbor because I still believe it’s one site everyone should see in their life, but just go in with the understanding that it is a tourist trap. Plus now I can say I have seen where World War II began with Pearl Harbor and ended with the A-BOMB dropped on Hiroshima. 

So after Pearl Harbor, Gail, Marcus, and Carly headed to the North Shore and I went to meet up with my friends, Liz, Steph, Rhae, Margaret, Barto and Joe to spend the afternoon/night down on Waikiki Beach. Before heading over there I explore the center of Honolulu, which was right next to the ship, I saw Aloha Tower, and a lot of public buildings. On the bus a woman told me that the Governor-elect was hosting a function where he invited voters to meet with him and discuss what they hope to see in the next four years. That was cool I thought that a politician would look for feedback before even in office. So after a walking tour I ended up at Waikiki where I met my friends for some beach and then spent time there before heading back to our hotel for dinner and some evening activities. 

The next day we woke up around 9:30 AM and headed off for another day at the beach. Today we decided to get away from Waikiki as it is also a tourist trap and head to a more what I call “Real Hawaii” spot. We ended up at a beach known for its snorkeling, about 30 minutes outside the city. It was cool you got to actually swing with the fish in the coral reefs. We saw a variety of fish and the water was nice and warm that we had no problem staying in for hours. The beach had a nice mix of locals, tourists, and SAS students and was big enough that we all were spread out doing our own thing unlike other beaches that put all us SAS students together. Finally it was time to leave and head to the ship so we could transfer to Hilo for the rest of our Hawaiian adventure. 

The next day we had made it to Hilo, much different from Honolulu. For starters Hilo is no tourist trap in fact the city is not know for its tourism. This day everyone did their own thing in the morning. My friend Mandi and I decided on breakfast and the beach. We headed to this local spot with national recognition called Ken’s Pancake House. Mandi got a breakfast burrito and pancakes, while I settled on Crab Cakes Benedict. The Plates were ENORMOUS, and the prices were decent for what you got, both plates came with a side of home fries and I chose toast over pancakes. Food comas were the result of that breakfast, and then we headed off to the beach. We met up on a small black sand beach with basically everyone from the MV at Richardson’s Beach. It was nothing like the beaches I was used to and if anytime resembled a lake beach with the large amounts of grass and trees covering the area, the other half was covered by rocks and get this Sea Turtles and not just little turtles Gigantic sized ones and a good number of them too. It was crazy to see, after a while it started to get cold and started to rain, so it being Sunday with a great line up of Football games on had us and a few of our friends head to the city’s only sports bar, Cronies’, for lunch and to see the Cowboys beat the Colts. Afterwards we headed over to my roommates hotel room at one of the islands only hotels for the Steelers and Ravens, where my roommate, Tom, a Steelers fan celebrated as we watched the Raven’s blow the game to his beloved Steelers. (Unfortunately I missed the Patriots game the next day where they bulldozed the Jets, but New England Fan’s on the ship were celebrating here on the MV). 

The next day was a bittersweet day; it was our last day in a port and also it made me realize that the next time I would be stepping off the MV would be forever in San Diego. Plus Finals were this week and I don’t know who loves finals cause it certainly is not this kid. So the goal was to make the most of my last day in Hawaii. The morning started back at the SAS filled Richardson’s Beach (the next closest beach was over and hour away) and an afternoon at the Waterfalls. That was cool I jumped off a cliff into the water (so there you go Alicia, Jumped off a Cliff, Skydived, and Bungee Jumped) although due to our location cameras would have been impossible to bring so I need to repeat this for a picture opportunity. It was really cool, I have done a lot of fear based activities this trip and loved them all, only had a freak out on two of the three (one’s on camera). 

Now it’s back to life on the MV, just took three of my finals and glad to be done with them, now it’s packing up Cabin 2034, my last final, Ambassadors Ball, and its time to get on with my life. Oh we had a Shipboard Auction to benefit the Scholarship Foundation for SAS and me, along with Tom and Gail bought a Ski Trip to Utah!!!! So we got a reunion coming up, but now all this kid wants to do is get to Boston, see the family, my friends, and prepare for one hell of a Semester in Dudley at Good Old NC. One more post to come probably once I am in San Diego, maybe Boston to wrap this up. So far all I can say is I lived the dream! Until I’m Stateside, enjoy the pictures that are in the post below this.

Later,

Ed

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