SO HOW WAS OUR LATEST TRIP?

Nice to be home after our 5-week trip.  Here was our sunset view in Honolulu last night from where I am composing this posting.

This morning.

And towards Punchbowl Crater.

Meanwhile, the price of oil jumped today. Adding to investors’ worries, a meeting set for today between Iran and Gulf countries regarding Hormuz was postponed “in the interests of consensus,” Oman’s foreign minister wrote on X. The international oil benchmark, Brent crude, rose as high as $108, while U.S. crude oil touched $103 per barrel.

The bad news about Tropical Storm Norbert still at 40 MPH is that he is not turning more southward, once on a path taking him south of the Big Island.  Now, Norbert is heading straight for the middle of the Hawaiian Islands.  However, environmental conditions are such that the system is expected to degenerate into a post-tropical remnant low tomorrow, then dissipate by Wednesday.  It should be rainy and not so windy on Thursday.

We in Hawaii are now paranoid about these ocean storms, so what about Tropical Depression 15-E which has formed in the Eastern Pacific?  No problem, while there are sustained winds of 35 MPH, the system might strengthen some today before beginning to weaken from Tuesday night or Wednesday.

About other newsworthy items:

Mariska Hargitay, who plays the beloved Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” will take the stage tonight as host of the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards.  Here’s everything you need to know, including start time, the red carpet and how to watch.  This year’s event pits longtime favorites against breakout stars. HBO’s “The Pitt” leads the nominations with 25, followed by “Hacks” with 24. Several shows in their first seasons have garnered multiple nods: “Widow’s Bay” is up for 19 awards and “Pluribus” for 18.

However, I'm not familiar with any of the above series.  From Google AI:

According to data from Nielsen, streaming captured a record 44.8% of total television viewing time, outpacing broadcast (20.1%) and cable (24.1%) combined for the first time. A Pew Research Center survey also shows that 83% of U.S. adults use streaming services, while only 36% still subscribe to traditional cable or satellite TV. [1, 2]

Some sports news:

• On the Silver Whisper, I was watching Texas get drubbed by Ohio State on ESPN by late in the third quarter, 23-3.  So I went to dinner.

• 
  This is Arch Manning, Texas QB.  We knew his grandfather (Archie), uncles (Peyton and Eli) and father (Cooper).
• Well, he led a comeback of historic proportions.
• Final score?  Texas 24 - Ohio State 23.

• 
  American Ben Shelton put up a good fight, but Alexander Zverev of Germany beat him for the Men's U.S. Open Tennis Championship.  Who is Ben Shelton?
• 6'4", 23 years old and now ranked #4 in the world.
• Started as a pro in 2022.
• Father Bryan was a pro, and mother Lisa was a highly ranked junior tennis player.
• The NFL began, but I have no fantasy teams, so will not be closely following these games. At least in NCAA football, I have three alma mater teams to follow.

At the end of a long trip, I always provide a summary.

• Can't say it was perfect, but fine, maybe even great.

• 
  Can't believe I gained 10 pounds.  
• Must be the reason why my knees hurt more when I walk.  Like carrying 10-pound bag of sugar.
• After our last trip earlier this year, I gained 7 pounds.
• Took me a couple of months to lose that, for only the day before the start of this latest, I finally got that weight back to normal.
• Our next trip is in December, so I have three months.  Hope to accomplish this in a month.

• 
  A second negative is that we returned to 15 Craigside, and they were in the midst of a COVID outbreak.  The numbers were terrible ten days ago, even worse than during the pandemic.  But fewer active cases today.  We need to wear a mask, and this will continue for weeks to come.

• 
  Other than that, we're both fine...except for our combined weights.
• Highlights?
• Getting to Iceland for the first time in my life.  However, don't plan to go back again, ever.  That graphic is not what we saw.
• Took a tour.  Wasn't much.  It was also raining during the entire bus ride.

• 
  The Azamara Journey cruise was only okay.  
• Too long at 18 days.  I don't like to stay on a ship for more than a week.  
• I'm a landlubber.  
• The cuisine was good enough.
• I asked the ship's band to sing Anak, and they did.

• 
  THE CAPTAIN DID GET US TO SEE THE TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.
• However, it was cold on the deck and the view was spotty.
• At total, the air did not chill because it was already too cold.
• Saw a few icebergs.

• Cruised by several glaciers on Greenland.

• Band again played Anak for me.

• Why Anak?  Read this posting.

• Took our only tour in Nuuk, Greenland.  Saw a pink tree.  This 18-day cruise had few flowers because of the climate.

• Read why my life on the Azamara Journey reminded me of the film, Groundhog Day.
• A few video highlights of the rest of this cruise.

On August 26, the Azamara Journey arrived in Montreal, Canada.  I'll continue further highlights as Part 2 tomorrow.

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