# Hawaii Calls



## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 5, 2006)

Yes Friends, *Hawaii Calls!*

My wife and I are boarding the _Island Princess_ docked at the World Cruise Port Center in San Pedro bound for Hawaii bright and early tomorrow morning, January 6th, and we’ll be back on the 21st! 

At sea we’ll be busy sampling all the public places on board ship: the casino, the swimming pools, the gym, the library, the restaurants (sampling the gourmet menus), the promenades, the dance floors (my dear pal and I will be dancing the nights away, I’ll be schmoozing it up with the shipboard musicians at intermission), the bars and lounges (sampling all the tropical drinks), catching the cabarets and stage shows, perhaps taking some of the onboard classes — generally having one helluva good time — and — taking pictures, pictures, pictures and keeping our own ship’s log on our laptop!

During our five days in the Hawaiian Islands, we’ll be doing shore excursions and experiencing the highlights/delights of Kona, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui and Hilo!

This will be a two-week trip to the Undying Lands (and back!) where “the grey rain-curtain rolls back, turning all to silver glass” and my soulmate and I “behold white shores and a far green country under a swift sunrise” 


I have a special website set up right here so you can follow our trip. The introductory album is ready for you right now (and don’t forget to sign the Guest Book and even leave comments about the pictures if you wish), but the rest of the albums — each representing a day of the cruise — will have to wait until we get back. The last picture in the intro album contains a link to the ship’s 24/7 Bridge Cam (and there are other interesting links — see if you can find them), so you can follow right along with us. You might even see us there, who knows? 

So — _See you in two weeks,_ and *“Aloha”* from

Barley 

PS: *To our regular patrons:* The Prancing Pony will be open as usual while we’re gone, with the indispensable Bob and Nob in charge. 

Be warned: they do _not_ abide more than the usual foolishness in the common room — even less so than I (because they have to clean it up)! So just because I’m not there, don’t get any “notions.” They will report to me _any_ group’s or individual’s “unseemly behavior,” with appropriate consequences to follow:

In all cases, any damages must be paid for in full before the offender is allowed back in The Pony.

For lesser offenses it will be a month’s stable duty, including shoveling out the horse stalls as well as wagon wheel greasing (after all, Bob and Nob will have a lot of extra work to do during our vacation). 

For major infractions: three to six month’s “inn probation” during which time _no_ beer be sold them, plus their _wives_ receive a full report of their ridiculous behavior (not sure which is worse). Otherwise, I have full confidence that all my patrons will comport themselves with manners and dignity befitting a Breeman!  

evil moddess moved thread. . .HLG


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## e.Blackstar (Jan 5, 2006)

My my, what a lucky pair you are. Have a great time, and take lots of pictures! We want to see our faithful innkeeper at long last!


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## Niirewen (Jan 5, 2006)

Have fun! Can't wait to hear about it when you get back!


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 6, 2006)

Aha! I didn't realize that The Forsaken Inn had a Travel Area; I would have begun the thread here.

Anyway: we're leaving the apartment in about 5 hours from now (Jan. 6, '06, 6 AM PDT) loaded with luggage to wait outside for our Super Shuttle to take us to the dock.

Once again here's the magic link that will take you to our special website that documents the whole trip. You will see a picture or two of your redoubtable innkeeper and his wife there. I hope that one and all will sign the guestbook and leave commentary!

Aloha,

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 21, 2006)

We're baaaaaaaaaaaaack!

Details to follow — eventually...

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 27, 2006)

My God, I've been inundated with responses to our Hawaii cruise — NOT... 

Anyway, my main computer crashed, so I'm going on our laptop. It will be a while before I resume editing the photos and actually start uploading them and regaling you all with our adventures.

Getting used to OS X. Had a roaring cold the past day or so, but getting better. IS ANYONE THERE?

Barley


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## e.Blackstar (Jan 27, 2006)

I checked the site the other day, but there aren't any pictures...I'm anxiously awaiting a glimpse of our old innkeeper. 

EDIT: Woo, just looked at the 'intro' album. That's YOU, Barley? I think I'm gonna need a small while to recover...


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 31, 2006)

e.Blackstar said:


> I checked the site the other day, but there aren't any pictures...I'm anxiously awaiting a glimpse of our old innkeeper.
> 
> EDIT: Woo, just looked at the 'intro' album. That's YOU, Barley? I think I'm gonna need a small while to recover...



Shocking, isn't it? And that's _before_ two weeks of cruise ship eating! However since we've gotten back I've lost 5 pounds in as many days.

I have a note in the kitchen now: REMEMBER THE ISLAND PRINCESS *FATSOS.*

There was an amazing number of grossly obese people on the ship. And by that I mean that they were so fat that it interfered with their normal activities. They were so obese that they needed walkers, wheelchairs and in at least two instances electric tricycles.

My wife says she thinks that it's cheaper for them and more comfortable to go by ship than by air! These are the people who would have to pay for _two adjacent seats._

Anyway, it will be a while before I can get the pix up. My main computer had a serious crash and had to go to the shop, where it will spend a week before it can even be looked at, they're that backed up.

Then I will have to configure it (I have just made the switchover to OS X.4, Tiger — you Mac-heads will know what I'm talking about), then I'll have to install all the software again. Then I'll have to finish editing all the pix in Photoshop (it crashed right in the middle of the project, I hope to God they aren't deleted in the process, I left instructions). Then I'll have to choose and create web-sized (in terms of kilobytes) versions of the pix for the photo albums you saw, and upload them with commentary. So it will be a while.

Meantime I'm learning a lot about Tiger here on this laptop. So hang in EB, it _will_ happen!

Barley


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## Uminya (Jan 31, 2006)

I am sure you had a great time on your cruise, Barley *blows on fingers numb from cold* Though I can't say I envy you. All that warm air and *picks up leg frozen to the floor* pleasant drink will make a person *pries open frozen nostril* soft!


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## Barliman Butterbur (Jan 31, 2006)

Ciryaher said:


> I am sure you had a great time on your cruise, Barley *blows on fingers numb from cold* Though I can't say I envy you. All that warm air and *picks up leg frozen to the floor* pleasant drink will make a person *pries open frozen nostril* soft!



We were thinking of swimming back towing the boat from ropes in our teeth to toughen up a bit, but thought better of it... 

Barley


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 1, 2006)

There are now two new albums up at www.picturetrail.com/ourhawaiiancruise/ — now you can see ME! 

Barley


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## Wolfshead (Feb 2, 2006)

> In order to go to Hawaii one needs at the least a certified copy of one’s birth certificate, but our agent recommended passports. So we decided to get passports. I’d never had one, and Sachi’s had expired, so we each needed to get new ones. That meant going online to the Department of State’s website, filling out the proper forms online, and printing them out. Then came the red tape of getting copies of our birth certificates (the originals wouldn’t work, we had to get certified copies — more time and red tape) and getting passport photos taken. Finally we had all the paperwork properly done (according to the post office worker in charge of processing passports). We paid our fees, pulled out our driver’s licenses and swore to God that we really were who we said we were! (Once the paperwork and fees are submitted, there’s about a six-week wait for the passports to come back.)


You've never once in your 69 years left the US, Barley?  You always struck me as a well travelled man who had seen the world many times. Not a problem - just expressing my surprise


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 2, 2006)

Wolfshead said:


> You've never once in your 69 years left the US, Barley?  You always struck me as a well travelled man who had seen the world many times. Not a problem - just expressing my surprise



Indeed I have left the U.S. I have been twice to Tijuana, Mexico!  And I was stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi for two years, which is the equivalent of living on another _planet..._

By the way — the FIRST SEVEN albums from our cruise are now up and ready for viewing at
www.picturetrail.com/ourhawaiiancruise/ . Please feel free to click the COMMENTS buttons and sign the Guest Book!

Enjoy!

Barley


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## Wolfshead (Feb 3, 2006)

Barliman Butterbur said:


> Indeed I have left the U.S. I have been twice to Tijuana, Mexico!


You don't need a passport to travel to Mexico?


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 3, 2006)

Wolfshead said:


> You don't need a passport to travel to Mexico?



It's a border town. A lot of things are forgiven, winked at, and looked the other way at the border. America's border troubles with it's neighbor to the south are legion. However there are so many _turistas_ coming in and out that there'd be a rebellion if Mexico got any stricter than it is. Thou shalt not disturb the tourist trade!

Actually, if you want to get technical, Tijuana's really in Baja California. The only thing you REALLY WANT TO HAVE is Mexican car insurance! If you don't have that, they'll slap you in the _calabozo_, and you don't want _that_ to happen _at all._

Barley

PS: Did you get a chance to explore the 
www.picturetrail.com/ourhawaiiancruise/ site yet? I'm workin' my arse off to get that up, buddy!  I took so many pix in Honolulu, that I'm preparing a four-volume album!


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 3, 2006)

I've taken a brief glimpse, and the pictures look very nice, Barley. Looks like you guys had heaps of fun and I'm sure some time away from the hullabaloo of big city life was more than welcome.


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 4, 2006)

Ithrynluin said:


> I've taken a brief glimpse, and the pictures look very nice, Barley. Looks like you guys had heaps of fun and I'm sure some time away from the hullabaloo of big city life was more than welcome.



It was _amazing,_ especially since we were cruise virgins before! I recommend it to anyone who's willing to scrape the necessary shekels and dinars together to do it — at least once!

Barley 

PS: I'm putting together a four-volume set of the pix we took at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Honolulu — if ever there was a Polynesian Paradise this is it: www.picturetrail.com/ourhawaiiancruise/


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 5, 2006)

Eleven albums are now available for viewing at 
www.picturetrail.com/ourhawaiiancruise/ .

Enjoy, and please sign the Guest Book! 

Barley


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## Ithrynluin (Feb 5, 2006)

What's the site address, again? I don't think you've mentioned it yet?


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## Barliman Butterbur (Feb 6, 2006)

Ithrynluin said:


> What's the site address, again? I don't think you've mentioned it yet?



www.picturetrail.com/ourhawaiiancruise/
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Barley

PS: BTW— my main computer crashed, which has the rest of the _edited_ pix on it. So I'm taking a short hiatus from uploading, because I don't want to do any unnecessarily redundant duplication (how's _that_ for a redundancy).


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