The Ultimate tourist

And the Untimate Tourist Award goes to . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . ta da! Mars Global Surveyor.

The little mapping satellite went silent recently, but not before snapping 240,000 pictures of Mars. Couple this with the millions and millions of miles NASA's MGS has traveled and no earthbound tourist can match it. Compare its travel time with the normal two weeks with pay, and ten years that it has spent mostly orbiting Mars, makes it a true traveler.

The photos are being used to map the planet.

Travel Agents are a Good Deal.

Why is a travel agent a good deal? For one thing, you don't pay them anything. If you book a hotel room, a flight, or a cruise with a travel agent, the hotel, air line or cruise line pays them a persentage. Travel agents know where to look for the best prices. The people they talk to at a hotel, for example, would never think to quote a rack rate to a travel agent. If the agent hears a low quote, they are more likely to call that hotel again, and throw the business their way.

What is the rack rate? It's the list price, or highest rate for that room. The desk clerk might ask you to pay rack rate, but not if you book through a travel agent.

Travel agents are also travelers. Chance are that they know from experience, how good the service is on a cruise ship. They know what facilities the ship has and how big the staterooms are. They will tell you how much it costs to park your car or hire a van from the airport. A good travel agent will remind you to take your passport. They can even tell you how to pack so as to get through airport security smoothly.

Your travel agent will get you the best trip possible for the best price, because they want your repeat business.

San Pedro, California

On a visit to the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, I took a walk.

The view from the walkway.

Strowling along the walkway, you can see this big suspension bridge, and on weekends, maybe a cruise ship.

You can stroll along the waterfront in San Pedro.

Along the walkway, you can see a trolly track, a bicycle path, and granite benches, stools and tables.

History of San Pedro

Along the walkway, you can read about events in San Pedro's history. These two tell about how San Pedro was annexed to become the seaport for Los Angeles, and about the days when San Pedro was known as the "Mexican Hollywood." A number of movies were made there.

On Board Infinity

Willette and Howard on board Infinity.

Infinity and Molokai

Infinity at anchor off Lahaina with Molokai in the background. Lahaina is a tender port. The harbor is too small for a cruise ship so tenders shuttle passengers in to the pier. It works the same way at Kona, but we docked at the other ports.

Taxi, anyone?

You don't need a taxi very often in a small town like Lahaina, but if you do. . .

On the Waterfront

Maui's spectacular sunsets can best be seen from this area.

Cannon

You're safe on Lahaina's waterfront which is protected by this cannon.

Lahaina's Banyon Tree

This banyon tree in Lahaina covers about an acre, on one city block. One picture is not enough.

Typical Tourist and Whaler

A typical tourist talks to a whaler in the old whaling port, Lahaina, on Maui.

Cinder Cone

Cinder cones like this one near Lahaina are common on older volcanoes. They form when hot gasses blow small particles out of a vent.

West Maui Mountains

There are always clouds over the West Maui Mountains above Lahaina. The island of Maui was built by two volcanos, these mountains are all that remain of the older one. Haleakala, on the east end of Maui, is larger and younger. It last erupted in the late 1700's.

Observatories on Mauna Kea

Sometimes, early in the day, the clouds move away and you can see the top of Mauna Kea where there are a number of astronomical observatories. This picture of the 13,000+ ft. summit was made from sea level, and 28 miles away. Not bad for a little pocket-size digital camera.

Hilo Bay Jetty

Infinity docked behind this breakwater at Hilo Bay. This area was heavily damaged by a tsunami in 1946.

Hilo Hula Show

The best place to buy aloha shirts and muu muus is Hilo Hatties. There is a store in Honolulu and one in Hilo. The one in Hilo has a free hula show. The stage is about a yard wide, and like in a real hula show, everything moves.

Lava

Trying to photograph lava flowing into the sea is easy, but what if it is night, no moon, and the glowing lava is surrounded with black? What if you are on a ship some distance from the shore? I took a dozen picture and seven of them didn't show anything. Here are a couple of shots made with telephoto and greatly enhanced. It was the best I could do.

Tom and Lollie

Tom and Lollie were seated at our table in the main dining room. They are wedding planners and have a website at http://www.anelegantbeginning.com/

Mauna Loa at Sunrise

On the Kona coast, the first rays of the rising sun light the top of Mauna Loa, a volcano over 13,000 feet above sea level.

Typical Tourist and Banyon Tree

This typical tourist had his picture made next to this banyon tree in 1982. The tree still looks the same. Tourists age faster than Banyon trees. Yes, that trunk is just one tree.

Willette calls home

When on vacation, don't forget to phone home.

Strolling Down Alii Drive

20Church%20sign.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" />

Go for a walk down Alii Drive in Kona, and photo ops just keep jumping out at you.

Kona

On the Kona side of Hawaii ("The Big Island"), clouds build up at mid-day, but it hardly ever rains.

Ria

This is Ria, one of the two Canadian ladies at our table in the main dinning room. Ria is Dutch, but lived in England before coming to Canada.

Bruce and Judy Nichols

This is Bruce and Judy Nichols from Wisconsin. People usually just use first names on cruises, but I can remember their last name because I began my teaching career at Nichols School.

Bruce has an antique Lincoln, a rare 1941 Continental convertible with a V12 engine. Our family car back in 1950 was a 1941 Lincoln Zepher, but it was a sedan and not as rare as Continentals.

Pacific Sunset

I can never seem to pass up a good sunset. Sometimes I shoot a series like these pictured of the sun setting as seen from Kialua-Kona on the west side of the Big Island.

Marion and Willette

This is Marion, from Alberta, Canada, and Willette from Tennessee.

A Group at Dinner

I think this was the last, or maybe next to last night of the cruise. Left to right, Marion, Willette, Howard, Bruce, and Judy.

Rudi

This is Rudi, the Indonesian gentleman who was our server in the main dining room. Like most Indonesians, Rudi was very friendly. He was also an excellent waiter.

Diamondhead from Waikiki

For the best view of Diamondhead, go to Waikiki.

Duke

This is "Duke." I can neither spell nor pronounce his last name, but he is the guy who popularized surfing when Hawaii was in it's early tourist days. Picture made at the Diamondhead end of Waikiki.

North from Aloha Tower

This it the view toward the mountains from the top of the Aloha Tower.

Infinity

Infinity as seen from the top of the Aloha Tower.

Cruise ship next to the Aloha Tower

Royal Carribean got the choice pier next to Honolulu's historic Aloha tower. This picture was made from Infinity over at Pier 2.

Pearl Harbor

Battleship Missouri on the left and the Arizona Memorial at right.