2/1/09: At sea now 8380 nautical miles from New York [17 degrees 38.72 N, 159 degrees 15.97 W]. Here it’s warm - 74 at 7 am and never boring. Our speed is about 20 knots - wonder how that compares with the WWII ships?

Yesterday’s tour of military sites on Oahu included the Arizona Memorial, Wheeler Field, Schofield Army Barracks, Ft. Shafner, the Punchbowl Memorial, and the Home of the Brave Museum - particularly interesting to me because of the Dear Coach book. Anyone who watched From Here to Eternity saw these places. Our guide showed us some scenes from that movie and others like Pearl Harbor that matched where we were. Few of the Dear Coach writers served on Hawaii but several probably passed through here. I know that Roy Herr and Phil Lowell were here; Althouse, Sauder, Horning, and others probably passed through.

We have some lectures on board about the Pacific wars - and I go to some of them. Other times I opt out for exercise or sitting in the sun. Or meeting people. had breakfast, for example, with a couple from England who are taking the segment from LA to Sydney and then flying home. We do have Rotary meetings every Monday too. I usually sit in the Commodore Room to write these blogs - it’s two floors above the bridge, so you can imagine the view; actually right now I’m seeing exactly what you’d see if you logged in to www.cunard.com and clicked on Queen Victoria, and then the live bridge cam. NOTHING BUT SEA. The sea is always in motion - somehow I expected more glassy calm “pacific” seas. They say the waves are 4.9 ft but from up here they don’t look that big. There are white caps scattered about and lots of clouds today. Around Hawaii the sea is miles deep I’m told. I know there’s lots of life down there but we don’t see it. No whales or dolphins, no birds around here - but I think you’d have to be watching all the time to see them if they were here - the sea around us is so immense. From this room I have about a 200 degree view. The earth must be round - either that or there’d be an immense waterfall all around us.

Four days at sea and then we will reach Apia. While we’re out here in the Pacific satellite TV service is poor so I really don’t know much about what’s going on at home. We do get a news sheet in the morning - I’ve noticed that it’s prepared in English, German, and probably other languages - with appropriately different news. Sunday one of my friends brought a New York Times on board so I did get to catch up a bit. I use internet mostly to post this blog and not to surf. Decided to spend my money on my personal trainer and get in shape. Yes, some of you may be surprised that I’m still doing that. I never thought I’d take a cruise to get in shape - most people do the opposite. I knew the trip would be a life-changer but this is not the change I would have predicted! I am motivated when I’m out by the pool - there are lots of cruise bodies out there, and I don’t mean skinny.