CRUISE UPDATE

(I wrote this yesterday, but just now trying to post after I posted pictures and they all disappeared. Today I will check with computer expert to see if he can help.)

OK, I am going to sit here and blog. I always think no one really wants to read my travelogue, but for those who have the patience, here goes: Today we were scheduled to land in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. The captain told us on the first day that the chances of really landing in Rarotonga are about 1 in 10. We were signed up for a snorkeling cruise of the lagoon, so ate our breakfast early, donned our swimsuits, cover-ups with sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, etc. and met for the tour. We could tell the ship continued to maneuver without stopping. Finally the captain announced that they had determined the swells were too big to make tendering safe. Soooo, Plan B: another day at sea which we always love. I guess snorkeling is not to be on this cruise. The other snorkeling trip we signed up for had to be cancelled because Dad got sick. Oh well.

Speaking of Dad getting sick, we kept hearing about others on board with tummy problems. Last night we heard that the raw fish salad the natives prepared for us in Nuku Hiva has been determined to be the culprit. (Surprise, surprise, only Dad ate some--the chicken that I am, I declined.)

We loved the cultural experience of the French Polynesian islands. Soooo laid back and gentle. The Polynesian people are simple, smiling, and friendly. The islands weren't exactly the romantic, land-on-the-beach Robinson Crusoe kind of lifestyle, but surely slow and lazy. They speak French and Polynesian, but most could communicate enough in English. I am going to try to post pictures, which will give more of an idea.

We continue to meet interesting people on board. I think I could write a book. We are having dinner again tonight with a movie producer and his wife who loves to entertain us with stories of all the movie stars. Last night we dined with a little lady from London and her very quiet PHD mathematician husband who used to work for NBC doing things like calling the races on election night. The night before we were at a table with a man from New Zealand, his Irish wife, a retired Australian journalist and his American wife who could have been Pam Money's sister. Both couples sailed and the New Zealand man and wife had sailed from San Diego across the Pacific to all these little islands by themselves already in their own sailboat. I always feel like a boring goof around some of these people. No one seems very interested in all our wonderful grandchildren. :)


We are loving emails and blogs about what is going on around the world with our family, including Bailey. It is fun to feel at least a little connected. We heard Hutton got the Mustang Award at the Sports Banquet. Congratulations, Hutton. We are so proud of you.

We have lots to do, which is why it has been difficult to find time to blog. They have had worship services on board which have been great--wonderful pastor from the cruise director's church in Michigan. I also go to the computer classes which have been so helpful. I have learned a lot about editing pictures in Adobe Photoshop and tomorrow he is going to give me a private class. We try to work out in the gym most days. They have lectures on all kinds of things. The best was on the story of "Mutiny on the Bounty"--fascinating. All the the stories from the South Pacific are suddenly more interesting and meaningful.

I am really bummed that we are going to lose Thursday out of our lives because we will be crossing the International Date Line. I could lose some days and not mind, but a day of our cruise doesn't seem right. :) It is really tempting to want to continue on the world cruise with many of the passengers who are going all the way. I am already a little sad about the trip being over. We are still trying to plan our days in New Zealand. We tell everyone that the reason we can't do the world cruise is that we couldn't stand to be gone from our grandkids that long. They just look at us without understanding. One lady (the one married to the Australian) has a daughter who has been trying to get pregnant for 7 years. She is finally due to deliver this week--the lady's first grandchild--but her mom is doing the world cruise so won't be there or even see the baby for 3 months. Later Dale laughed at me as I tried to gracefully act understanding about the situation.

I guess that is enough chit chat for now. I love this rocking, swaying, creaking ship life. The sea is every shade of blue that you can imagine and I love it. The Pacific is enormous--God's amazing handiwork and a beautiful reminder of His awesome grandeur. We think and pray for all of you constantly. Our "Brown Family Prayers" is wonderful; it keeps you all constantly in our hearts.

We love you all, Mom, Grandma

P.S. I am going attempt to blog lots of pictures. Please just ignore them if it gets too boring.

P.S. 2 I guess you can tell my picture blogging ran into complications. All the pictures were there at first and now they have disappeared. I will try again later.

P.S. 3 Yesterday during church they made an announcement, "Code Blue, Code Blue! Men's Restroom Deck 11" Today we learned that a man from Coronado, CA died of heart attack. They discreetly got his body back to Bora Bora though I don't know how since we were already at sea.