 Dale Sievert | Gulliver's Travels |
On January 27th, I left Milwaukee for Los Angeles, where I caught a 10-hour Air New Zealand flight to Rarotonga, Cook Islands, arriving on the 28th. Over-ample heat and humidity was my welcoming committee.
I was in the Cook Islands for seven days before flying to Tahiti in French Polynesia on February 3rd. It rained every day I was there, though not all day, so I did have some nice sun.
I was in the Cook Islands for seven days before flying to Tahiti in French Polynesia on February 3rd. It rained every day I was there, though not all day, so I did have some nice sun.
Here's an overview of my travel itinerary.
Why go? Well, because I was never in the South Pacific, so I just had to. Besides, it got me over the top--that is, I now have visited over a hundred countries, always a goal of mine. I am now at 102, expecting to hit 130 or so by age 80 in 2022. I have always loved traveling, starting in 1946 with a month-long trip out west with my family, coming back on Route 66. I have been to all 50 states and all seven continents on 52 foreign trips. It's a great source of joy, and since Dorothy passed away last year, it is good therapy.
COOK ISLAND
These photos were taken on the island of Raratonga in the Cook Islands. I hiked across the whole island, a grueling trek in very hot and humid conditions, with extremely steep and muddy trails.
These photos were taken on the island of Raratonga in the Cook Islands. I hiked across the whole island, a grueling trek in very hot and humid conditions, with extremely steep and muddy trails.
 I took a six-mile trek over the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. It was grueling, as the trail was very steep in parts, and always muddy. And it was very hot and humid. The man with me is Pa, the owner of the touring company. He doubted that I would be able to complete the trek, worrying that "I don't want to have to carry you out." He didn't! |  This shot was taken about half way to the top of the ridge we had to cross. |
This photo was of the beach from my hotel, where I was trying to get great shots of waves--when two people upset me by getting in the picture. I think they were women.
 I took a short flight to the Island of Aitutaki. It is very flat, but it has an incredibly beautiful lagoon with turquoise-colored water. I went snorkeling there, viewing beautiful fish and coral. In Fall 1942 the US built runways on this island for the military to use in case the Japanese expanded their military conquests. |  The native men of Aitutaki are all handsome, as is this one. |
FRENCH POLYNESIA
I flew to Tahiti in French Polynesia on February 3rd, staying until the 10th. It, too, was very hot, very humid, and very rainy (some parts of every day, but sun, as well). Tahiti is a volcanic island, formed about 5000 years ago. It is roughly a circle of 20 miles in diameter, connected to a much smaller island by an isthmus. It's highest mountain is a bit over 1500 feet high.
I flew to Tahiti in French Polynesia on February 3rd, staying until the 10th. It, too, was very hot, very humid, and very rainy (some parts of every day, but sun, as well). Tahiti is a volcanic island, formed about 5000 years ago. It is roughly a circle of 20 miles in diameter, connected to a much smaller island by an isthmus. It's highest mountain is a bit over 1500 feet high.
 A Russian man and I hired a 4WD vehicle for the day to cross the island via beautiful Papeno'o Valley. Heavy rain the night before contributed to low clouds, which gave a true sense of what the tropics are like. The Russian did not poison me with ricin or a nerve agent. In fact, he gave me good tips for my trip to Ethiopia in late December. And I will visit him when I am in Moscow next spring. |  Decision time. We had two choices to get across the river: by road through the river; or over the bridge. I voted for the road, the Russian and the driver voted for the bridge. Another great experienced missed! I thought Russians didn't like democracy. |
 I never saw so many waterfalls in one day in my life. This is a reservoir for a hydro-electric power-generating facility nearby. |  I finally got my way, as we were forced to drive through this spillway. The driver kept steering to the right, as the current kept forcing us to the left. Mild excitement, but not nearly as fun as the other road would have been. |
From this spot I counted 40 waterfalls (most out of the photo). Those shown are a mile away.
This photo was taken two days later--still low clouds due to heavy rains. I was at an altitude of one foot, as that is the Pacific Ocean nearby.
NEW CALEDONIA
On February 10th I flew to Noumea, new Caledonia, staying for just three days. Too bad, as the weather was perfect. Dew points in the 50s, low humidity, and no rain. But the terrain was not very interesting, though I had a nice hotel right on a beautiful beach with nice palms around. I had a great chance to get a photo of a topless young lady in a grass skirt on the beach--but my battery was dead.
On February 14th I flew to Port Vila, Vanuatu. Again, a short stay, this time only two days. I could not control my stays, as inter-island flights are very hard to schedule, as they often only go once or twice a week.
On February 10th I flew to Noumea, new Caledonia, staying for just three days. Too bad, as the weather was perfect. Dew points in the 50s, low humidity, and no rain. But the terrain was not very interesting, though I had a nice hotel right on a beautiful beach with nice palms around. I had a great chance to get a photo of a topless young lady in a grass skirt on the beach--but my battery was dead.
On February 14th I flew to Port Vila, Vanuatu. Again, a short stay, this time only two days. I could not control my stays, as inter-island flights are very hard to schedule, as they often only go once or twice a week.
I spent quite a bit of time getting just the right shot of this palm tree and the shrub at its base. That was a bit dangerous, as coconuts are known to fall unexpectedly. None did.
 I never saw so many great clouds as I did in the South Pacific tropics. |  I don't know where the ship was going, but all I know is that "I" wasn't going to where it was going. |
SOLOMON ISLANDS
On February 16th, I flew to Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Honiara is on the island of Guadalcanal, site of the first major victory the US had over the Japanese. Japan built a big airbase there, and we attacked the island on August 7th, 1942. The battle was always important for me, as I was born 10 days later, on the 17th. I often imagined the ship, air, and ground battles that raged for months, while I gave my mother lesser battles. By February 1943, 1762 Americans and 24,000 Japanese had died. I stayed in a private house right in the path of US ground attacks. A construction foreman a block away, where a church is being built, told me they found 17 live Japanese grenades in a filled-in foxhole on top of a ridge. We need to keep reminding ourselves how thankful we should be that such sacrifices were made by our military personnel, especially under such brutal environmental conditions, including heat, humidity, disease and filth. Unimaginable!
On February 16th, I flew to Honiara in the Solomon Islands. Honiara is on the island of Guadalcanal, site of the first major victory the US had over the Japanese. Japan built a big airbase there, and we attacked the island on August 7th, 1942. The battle was always important for me, as I was born 10 days later, on the 17th. I often imagined the ship, air, and ground battles that raged for months, while I gave my mother lesser battles. By February 1943, 1762 Americans and 24,000 Japanese had died. I stayed in a private house right in the path of US ground attacks. A construction foreman a block away, where a church is being built, told me they found 17 live Japanese grenades in a filled-in foxhole on top of a ridge. We need to keep reminding ourselves how thankful we should be that such sacrifices were made by our military personnel, especially under such brutal environmental conditions, including heat, humidity, disease and filth. Unimaginable!
This is a US Sherman tank destroyed by the Japanese. Near this spot 8000 Japanese reinforcements forced back US troops on February 2-3, 1943 in a fierce battle.
 This is the remains of a Japanese supply ship sunk by US forces. The body of water was nicknamed "Iron Bottom Sound," as dozens of US and Japanese ships were sunk there. |  This is a destroyed US fighter plane at a museum of war relics. |
 This is a destroyed US P-38 Lightning fighter. It was the type of plane flown by Popular, Wisconsin Major Richard Bong, the leading US fighter ace of WW II. |  The orange-colored ground on top the hill is the filled-in foxhole (or machine gun nest) where 17 live Japanese grenades were found. The house I stayed at was just over the hill. |
This is a US carrier-based fighter, as the wing is hinged.
FIJI
On February 24th, I flew to Fiji for a short visit of three days. But I saw a lot of beautiful scenes, nonetheless. Finally, I was getting much less rain--though the heat and humidity still oppressed.
On February 24th, I flew to Fiji for a short visit of three days. But I saw a lot of beautiful scenes, nonetheless. Finally, I was getting much less rain--though the heat and humidity still oppressed.
This picture was taken from my window on the plane passing over Guadalcanal on the way to Fiji
 I hired a car and driver to take me to a remote village where life goes on in traditional manner, with a village chief, bamboo houses with thatched roofs, and no electricity or plumbing. No one had a smart phone, so I might move there. |  They live five miles off the main road, so beauty is everywhere you look. |
Two sisters, each with a baby, live here with their husbands and parents.
 This area reminded me of Ireland, with various shades of beautiful green. Notice . . . the tropical sun did not bleach this youngish-looking man's hair. |  This area is about 1500 feet high and not too far from the main city on Fiji. |  This is NOT a native. He told me he was a photographer from National Geographic. |
Sunset on Figi. This was my favorite sunset shot of the whole trip--and I took tons.
TONGA
On February 22nd, I flew to Tonga, which had just suffered through a category 4 hurricane two weeks earlier. Devastation was widespread, with only the city of Nuku Alofa with power, even when I arrived. Tonga has the friendliest people I ever encountered in all my travels. So many people greet you and want to talk. I had lots of fun. Only Samoa came close to Tonga in that respect. Another similarity with Samoa--about a third of men wear skirts that extend well below the knees, a holdover from their traditional dress of centuries past.
On February 22nd, I flew to Tonga, which had just suffered through a category 4 hurricane two weeks earlier. Devastation was widespread, with only the city of Nuku Alofa with power, even when I arrived. Tonga has the friendliest people I ever encountered in all my travels. So many people greet you and want to talk. I had lots of fun. Only Samoa came close to Tonga in that respect. Another similarity with Samoa--about a third of men wear skirts that extend well below the knees, a holdover from their traditional dress of centuries past.
 The Tongan people do go in for elaborate graves. Many times lava or gravel is piled on the gravesite. |  These farmers are harvesting yams. They are not like our Thanksgiving yams, but grow downward as deep as four feet. They are then dug by hand with long bars--in the brutal heat and humidity. |
The water shooting up vertically comes through what are called blowholes. Channels through the lava rock allows water from waves to be blasted through the lava, exiting vertically through these holes.
SAMOA
On February 25th, I flew to Samoa, the last island group I visited. Like most of the others, it is a geologically young volcanic island, so the mountains are steep--and beautiful. It is an independent country, but nearby American Samoa, geologically of the same origin, is an American possession. I went there on a time machine, as I left on Wednesday, the 28th and arrived on Tuesday, the 27th (I have the schedule to prove it).
On February 25th, I flew to Samoa, the last island group I visited. Like most of the others, it is a geologically young volcanic island, so the mountains are steep--and beautiful. It is an independent country, but nearby American Samoa, geologically of the same origin, is an American possession. I went there on a time machine, as I left on Wednesday, the 28th and arrived on Tuesday, the 27th (I have the schedule to prove it).
This is a 160 foot high waterfall in a remote part of the island
 See, I told you lots of men wear skirts in Fiji and Tonga. |  At a restaurant in American Samoa after lunch (notice how big my belly is, though my hair has still not been bleached--though it has thinned). |
This is in American Samoa National Park. It is the 56th of 60 US national parks that I visited so far, a main reason for me flying there.
Well, that's all I have folks (actually, I have 600 more photos plus lots of videos, but to see them will cost you). So, these are just a teaser. If you have a chance--and you all do consider visiting one or more of these beautiful islands, and if you want a much more dangerous experience, have Vic Schiegg take you along on a sailing trip to Fiji (ask him about it).
So, am I done traveling? No, on March 27th I'm off for 15 days to South Africa, where I will rent a car to drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg, and maybe points east. And I have tentative plans for lots of trips (I say trips, not vacations, as I have no intention of resting) until I am 80 (and then many more places after that--if I am ambulatory and have a functioning brain).
Be well and travel safely,
Dale
So, am I done traveling? No, on March 27th I'm off for 15 days to South Africa, where I will rent a car to drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg, and maybe points east. And I have tentative plans for lots of trips (I say trips, not vacations, as I have no intention of resting) until I am 80 (and then many more places after that--if I am ambulatory and have a functioning brain).
Be well and travel safely,
Dale
 First edition of Gulliver's Travels | Gulliver's Travels Author Jonathan Swift Original title Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of several Ships Country Ireland Language English Genre Satire, fantasy Publisher Benjamin Motte Publication date 28 October 1726 (291 years ago) |
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