Finally posted in The Later Adventures ... The Orphan and Pepe Le Bell Tour the South Seas ...

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TIMELINE ON BEING ONLY AN EGG PATIENCE, COURAGE AND WISDOM
CAST OF CHARACTERS

The Early Adventures

Boeing:  Land of Heroes and Assassins

JOKES

The Later Adventures

The Mighty Boeing Company

GRANNYISMS

The Orphan and The Boot

The Awesome AquaJet Shower

 

 

 

Dance Cruise Smoking Marathons Ski Matterhorn
 South Seas North to Alaska Education in Ethanol Criminal Side

 

The Later Adventures of The Little Orphan Granny

 

The Orphan and Pepe Le Bell

Tour the South Seas

 

 The Little Orphan Granny and Pepe Le Bell celebrate Pepe as Engineer of the Year

by touring the South Seas, smelling the flowers and diving The Great Barrier Reef

 

 

 

Pepe Le Bell returns

also known as

John Robert Bell

 

 

 

 

 

Years later, Pepe Le Bell did become a wine master, and started the award-winning

Willis Hall Winery

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deliberate Donnie and Morey

on their 50th Wedding Anniversary in 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking up and down the most winding street in San Francisco

the site of a Bullitt car chase

 

Pepe Le Bell by the Regent Fiji on Denarau Island

 

The Island Express to Castaway Island

 

The Orphan by the Castaway grass-roofed hut

 

 

 

 

Fiji Beer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Castaway Pussy

 

The Orphan

at One Tree Hill

New Zealand Fumarole

 

New Zealand Sheep

 

Pepe and The Orphan smell the flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Train to the Bush

 

 

 

Underwater at the Great Barrier Reef

 

 

Santa's Shirt says G'day

 

 

The Brush Turkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pepe Le Bell wearing a shirt reading

"It's What's Down Under that Counts"

 

 

Lahaina condo and beach

 

 

In the fall of 1984, a great good fortune and cash award windfall came to The Orphan’s good friend, Pepe Le Bell.

One day, Dandy (Robert) Dunn approached The Orphan and said that John Bell (Dandy did not know of the Pepe Le Bell persona) was a finalist in the yearly competition for The Mighty Boeing’s Commercial Airplane Company’s “Engineer of the Year” award – an honor that also included a substantial cash award.

Dandy was The Mighty Boeing’s Vice President of Engineering for Commercial Airplanes.  He had previously been boss of Marine Marvin Long and other 747 staff groups, and therefore had worked closely with The Orphan on many critical assignments during The Orphan’s 747 years.

Dandy and The Orphan had developed a mutual admiration – hell – even affection.

After The Orphan transferred to Engine Management in 1978 and Dandy moved to the VP job, Dandy and The Orphan continued to work together – often meeting in the coffee room between their offices to discuss issues – and things.

When Dandy asked The Orphan if Bell was the best candidate, The Orphan replied,

     “…Hell yes. Bell is an excellent engineer…”

However, when relating this story to Pepe in later years, The Orphan claimed to have said,

 

     “…that asshole --- he’d make a good mechanic, womanizer or wine master --  but an engineer – he might as well try skiing or SCUBA diving!”

 

Dandy replied,

 

     “…Then we will elect Bell…”

So Bell was elected and given the award of “Engineer of the Year.” 

Thus began this great adventure.

Pepe and The Orphan had known each other since 1969 and had developed a strong friendship.  They had already built race cars together, run together, and skied together on the Matterhorn (see The Orphan and Pepe Le Bell Ski the Matterhorn).

And The Orphan and Pepe were both in excellent shape. 

During the stormy times in the later years of The Orphan’s beginner marriage, he had become a slender, muscular, fitness nut and long distance runner.  In 1978 he ran his first 26.2-mile marathon, and had continued to run marathons on a regular basis until 1982.

Pepe and The Orphan occasionally worked out together and even ran together (though Pepe disdained marathons in preference of 10 kilometer “races” and other sissy distances).

In late 1984, at the time of the award, Pepe le Bell was single.  Pepe was even more innocently inept than The Orphan in the business of marriage.  He had had a beginner wife, Delightful Diane, then two intermediate wives, Beth the Butt followed by Straying Jessie, and was now “after” all three wives.

The innocent Orphan was also single, and had been so since the cessation of the marriage with his beginner wife (The Kentucky Woman) in 1978.  The Orphan was only slightly better in the business of marriage, having already had a beginner wife, and would shortly thereafter have an intermediate wife -- before later finding his final and permanent wife.

As did The Orphan when without a wife, Pepe Le Bell gathered as much new data on femme fatales from as many new sources as possible. 

The Orphan, because of conducting so much successful research of his own, was temporarily sated and jaded and on a sabbatical.

(In 2005, twenty years later, Pepe is still without a wife – and still doing research – not only because Pepe is a slow learner but because Pepe enjoys research immensely.)

At the time of this award, Pepe’s data source was Demure Debbie – a freckledy, redheaded only child -- though gorgeous. 

When Demure Debbie learned of Pepe’s great good fortune and cash award windfall, she immediately started to make elaborate plans to share in whatever the adventure might be – and even decide where it should take place!

However, very soon after the award was conferred and on a social occasion (it was after a workout and run), Pepe was drinking some sweet pink wine pap, accompanied by Demure.  The Orphan, drinking a Granny Manhattan and also accompanied by a researchee, sat together to share Pepe’s elation.

During this celebration, The Orphan brought one of the foursome to a stunned silence by suggesting to Pepe,

     “…Hey Bell, I got an idea. Why don’t we both go to the South Seas for this adventure? We can take all the 1985 Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Holiday time plus vacation for all of the intervening non-holiday days to get a total of six weeks and tour the whole South Seas together while SCUBA diving and partying …”

Demure was aghast as she heard Pepe say,

     “…Hell of an idea. Let’s start a plan right away…”

Demure knew that, once on a path, Pepe was not to be swayed.

The Orphan called his great friend, Deliberate Donnie, a travel genius at Galaxy Travel, and told her of the 1985/1986 holiday time span and the South Seas SCUBA diving, party and travel desires. 

Deliberate said,

     “…Never fear, boys, I will use my skills learned while Morey (her Mighty Boeing husband) and I were stationed in Australia as representatives of The Mighty Boeing and I was leading vacation tours all over that area.  I will plan for you a trip that will be unequaled and affordable…”

Demure Debbie soon recovered – somewhat – and decided to join Pepe and The Orphan in Hawaii for the last week of the adventure – Demure’s parents owned a condo near Lahaina on Maui – which would defray expenses somewhat (of which there were becoming plenty).

When told of this part of the plan, Deliberate Donnie said,

     “...Boys, a trip such as this requires reservations – both airline and resorts -- during the busiest season in the universe of that area.  While I can accommodate the Hawaii addition, the rest must be cast in concrete way before the fall of 1985… 

     “…or…”

Deliberate had already arranged airline tickets that were “…around the world…” and let unlimited travel occur as long as all legs were west except when east must be traveled to get farther west – and except for a return through Hawaii.

Deliberate explained the seriousness of the scheduling problems to “…the boys…” by relaying broadly the scope of the plan ready to be booked.

The Duo would depart Seattle the Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day for San Francisco, then fly to Fiji, including a diversion to one of the resort islands in Fiji,  Castaway Island, for some SCUBA diving.

After Fiji, they would go to Melbourne, Australia, then to Auckland, New Zealand, on North Island.  Then south by rental car (with diversions to Rotorua, sheep, Maoris, sheep, fumaroles, sheep, glowworm caves, sheep, Wellington, sheep), crossing the bay by ferry to South Island, to see sheep, lupines, sheep, then sheepishly on down to Queenstown).

Then to Sydney, Australia, and north to jellyfish and topless beaches -- Cairns -- where a great diversion would be to SCUBA dive The Great Barrier Reef, then stay on Dunk Island for Christmas week (including a jaunt to Green Island).

Then the Duo would fly to Maui, Hawaii, for a week (with the pre-planned feminine Pepe reunion and companionship of Demure) and finally back to San Francisco, and return to The Mighty Boeing in Seattle.

Pepe and The Orphan carefully thought over Deliberate’s threat of  “…or…” and decided it meant “…or else…” and replied,

     “…We are done and your plan is great…book it…”

So, in 1985, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving during heavy fog and a severe ice and snow storm, The Orphan and Pepe Le Bell departed for San Francisco.  They arrived at the hotel the night before Thanksgiving and met with the frustration of a major holiday when everything was closed.

The Duo toured Nob Hill, the wharf, drove up and down the steep streets where Steve McQueen raced in the Shelby GT Mustang in the movie “Bullitt,” rode cable cars and got used to the feel of complete freedom – plus feasted on good food and booze.

The South Seas adventure really started when the Duo departed San Francisco for Nadi, Fiji, on Viti Levu Island.

Viti Levu was still as green as The Orphan remembered from The Orphan Dances His Way Through The South Pacific -- a green so green that it radiated. They went to the Regent Fiji (Fiji’s first luxury hotel, now the Sheraton Royal Denarau).

The Orphan and Pepe Le Bell decided this trip was also an opportunity to use a special physical fitness regime and discipline and vowed to exercise every day -- and to run when possible. The Duo faithfully maintained this discipline and returned to The Mighty Boeing Slave Ship lean, tanned and fit.

The Duo roamed around Viti Levu to soak in the island atmosphere and enjoy the sights – going to lovo feasts with earth-covered outside ovens, and even watched firewalking – but without ever desiring the personal experience.

Shortly the Duo departed on a launch for a short boat shuttle to Castaway Island where they lived several days in a grass-roofed hut with no air conditioning except gentle breezes. Again there were outside lovo feasts – but no firewalking.

The Duo dove the warm brilliant green waters off Castaway -- without the cumbersome diving gear required to keep from freezing in Puget Sound near Seattle. However the actual equipment was ratty and marginally functional. Pepe griped continuously because he had no buoyancy compensator and had to work instead of just floating, because of all the other weight.

Pepe Le Bell and Fiji Beer

The Orphan re-visited Fiji Beer -- he and Pepe consumed a quantity sufficient to produce a pleasant haze.

It was in Castaway that the Duo began a new tradition -- to experiment with pre-mixing a concoction called a ‘Rob Roy” -- two parts Johnnie Walker Black Scotch with one part Martini & Rossi Sweet Italian Vermouth – and storing a supply in liter bottles previously holding only Johnnie Walker Black Scotch.  This tradition continued throughout the trip.

Yum! Hic!

Some days The Duo wore only swim trunks and no shoes as they practiced to be indolent beach bums.

The Orphan and Pepe even saw a tame pussy that followed them about – and this pussy seemed to really enjoy bed.

Then, suddenly, it was back to Nadi in Viti Levu to depart for Melbourne, Australia, for a few days in a hotel.

Melbourne is a big city.

The Duo then departed Melbourne for New Zealand for a much longer and more detailed exploration and adventure of both the North and South Islands.

The Orphan and Pepe deplaned in Auckland and toured the city. Even though The Orphan was a veteran from The Orphan Dances His Way Through The South Pacific, it was a thrill to see that this city was still similar to Seattle but with sheep on the hillside instead of trees and to see that One Tree Hill was still there.

Pepe seemed to be impressed – somewhat -- to be accompanying such a world traveler – but even more impressed to see the plethora of sheep!

There are so many things to see in the world -- and so little time to see them -- that only a few things can be selected and really looked at – although there is nothing wrong with a quick scan to see the arena. The Duo decided to do both in New Zealand.

The first stop was in Maori Country around Rotorua where there were many fumaroles – it looked like Yellowstone – but with kiwis (in a preserve) and sheep (on the hillside) instead of ravens and bison.

As the Duo wandered about, they visited anything that piqued their interest – sheep herds, glowworm caves, sheep herds, waterways, sheep herds, fields and fields of strange bearded plants, sheep herds, many taverns that served New Zealand and Australian Beer (Foster’s was described disdainfully as “…that export beer…”) and sheep herds – finally arriving at Wellington at the southern tip of North Island.

The Duo took a ferry from Wellington to South Island where they continued the driving journey.

This stretch down South Island to Queenstown was a myriad of flowering trees, sheep herds, lupines, sheep herds, gorgeous mountain roads, sheep herds, Mount Cook, sheep herds and a glory of flowers – and sheep herds.

When The Duo first rounded an alpine curve and saw a small clump of lupines and stopped to view them, they were so lovely that Pepe, after thoroughly smelling them, took a plethora of pictures. Pepe Le Bell smelled many flowers while on this adventure.

The Orphan and Lupines

Imagine the wonder and amazement of The Duo during the next 50 or so miles when there were acres and acres of lupines broken up only by sheep herds. New Zealand is truly a beautiful place and has many sheep herds.

Finally the Duo arrived at the southernmost point of their New Zealand adventure – in Queenstown – where again they toured – even dining atop a mountain only accessible by cable car.

Suddenly it was time to flee back north on South Island to catch a flight to Sydney, Australia, on the way to Cairns and The Great Barrier Reef. 

One of many surprises (delightful surprises, too!) cooked up by Deliberate was when a chauffeured white Rolls Royce limousine was waiting at the Sydney airport for The Duo with a sign that said something about “…The Boys…” The ride to the New Intercontinental Hotel in the chauffeured limousine was a great treat.

Sydney was still Sydney with its Opera House, inlets, docks and nightlife. The Duo even re-united with a couple of “General Electric” friends stationed there as “reps” and got a sumptuous dinner – à la GE.

Then the Duo flew to Cairns.  On arriving, they confirmed the reservation with the SCUBA dive boat arranged by Deliberate and readied for the journey out to The Great Barrier Reef to see a Great White Shark – or to avoid a Great White -- if the truth were told.

During the “readying” time The Duo toured as much of New South Wales as possible – even traveling west by train to preserves in the bush to see giant fig trees – and other things.

Finally, the day to depart for The Great Barrier Reef arrived and The Duo boarded The SCUBA boat and departed. It was a long sail to the reef through the lovely calm area between the mainland and the reef. The Duo basked their suntanned bodies and waited with great anticipation – thoroughly impressed at how far it was to the reef.

Finally, the SCUBA boat arrived at The Great Barrier Reef and The Duo readied their lightweight equipment – marveling at the ease -- when they did not have to don a “Puget Sound” dry suit with forty pounds of lead weights and a automatic giant buoyancy compensator to prohibit one from dropping like a stone to the bottom of the ocean.

Helped by Aussie SCUBA guides, The Duo were awed by the proliferate underwater scenery. These underwater sights were indescribable – even the giant sea turkles (turtles for those without grandchildren) – and especially the brightly hued fish herds – a real relief from sheep herds.

The Duo found no Great White Sharks. (The Duo were later told that the SCUBA boat owners cajoled these monsters to go away because they didn’t want to be feeding them with divers – and that the “armed” Aussie SCUBA guides were really there to make sure the Great Whites were not seen – or otherwise!)

It was a fully sated, tired and relaxed Duo that enjoyed the on-board libations during the sail back to Cairns.

Then, suddenly, it was nearing Christmas and time to fly on an ancient pontoon-equipped De Havilland Beaver airplane for a week at an all-inclusive resort on Dunk Island for non-stop partying.

The Duo spent Christmas on Dunk Island -- imagine a Santa in a swimsuit (no -- the silly actually wore a red suit -- with short sleeves -- and a white beard – and you could see a trail of sweat dripping to the sand!)

On Dunk, The Duo ran trails on Mount Kootaloo daily. It was Pepe’s choice to lead – which entailed breaking the webs of giant spiders until he resembled a giant cocoon.  The Orphan caught the remnants and tendrils from the broken webs. There were always choruses of Yuks and Ughs from the sunbathers when the two sweaty cocoons returned and immediately dove into the swim pool.

The cleaned-up and refreshed Duo would weather the jeers and exit the temporarily filthy pool -- always to find a smiling waiter saying “…mimosas for you, mates…”

The Duo even learned wariness on Mount Kootaloo—but only after Pepe fell asshole-over-teakettle sending leaves flying after stepping in a leaf-covered hole dug by a brush turkey to hide and incubate his eggs.

One of the reasons the Duo ran so fast was because they kept hearing feral booming sounds from the area – which (unbeknownst to them at the time) was a mating call from these turkeys with their nests of eggs broken by Pepe and The Orphan.

Once, The Duo took a spur off their regular spider-web-covered running trail -- to see what there was to see – and chanced on a rusted gun emplacement with a plaque that identified this as a defense location to protect from a possible Japanese attack during World War II. There was an eerie feeling at the ominous sight as the awed Duo shivered somewhat to remember the horrors of that war – and how real it was to a country so near  to the war in the Pacific -- where Tojo, the Prime Minister of Japan, was managing the entire Japanese military.

The tanned -- and sunburned -- Drunk -- er -- Dunk Duo

with their Rob Roys

 

On another occasion The Duo, who had mused as to the origin of the name “Dunk,” chanced on a stone cairn with a plaque stating “In Memory of George Dunk, the discoverer of this island.” 

On a day trip, The Duo flew to visit “Green Island,” one of the few other inhabited coral cays of The Great Barrier Reef.  While exploring and musing as to the name “Green,” chanced on a stone cairn with a plaque stating “In Memory of George Green, the discoverer of this island.”

It had been a long voyage and there were many smiling sheilas on Dunk Island – some of whom fully evoked the Pepe Le Pew persona of Pepe Le Bell in full flair -- whilst The (still jaded) Orphan was continuing his sabbatical – somewhat. The Orphan had started to regain his research appetite – somewhat.  These sheilas, however, appeared to have enormous appetites and were potentially hazardous to a Pepe Le Pew type.

All at once it was time to fly to Maui for a week of “rest” before returning to the rain and fog.

Pepe was met by Demure at the Kahului airport. (The Orphan was also met at the airport by the earlier-mentioned researchee – and for a time The Orphan and Pepe were separated – which was just as well.)

The sophisticated, sated and weary travelers then stayed in Lahaina, and enjoyed sitting by the pool resting and didn’t even really resent fighting the pineapple bugs. America had banned the pesticides used to control the bugs in the pineapple fields -- so there were swarms of these pests, until a new solution could be found.  In the meantime, they sat in the midst of these bug swarms in skimpy swim suits eating bug-eroded, stunted pineapples and having to sift sips of mai-tais through their teeth, swallowing and then spitting out most of the dead bugs.

But all things must end. 

Since Demure and The Orphan’s researchee had a different return flight, the re-united Duo returned to the wet, foggy land of The Mighty Boeing to be re-chained to the oars of The Slave Ship so they could begin 1986 – but enormously refreshed, tanned, slim and fit.

The adventure was a blast! The Orphan and Pepe will always be bonded!

The Orphan was cheerfully unaware that massive changes in his life were looming on the horizon during 1986 – but that is another story.

Photos for this story courtesy of Pepe Le Bell  © John R. Bell

 

Ski Matterhorn End of South Seas North to Alaska

 

HOME THE BOOT'S WEB SITE wild blue goose nature photography
TIMELINE

ON BEING ONLY AN EGG

JOKES

CAST OF CHARACTERS

PATIENCE, COURAGE AND WISDOM

GRANNYISMS

     
The Early Adventures:   Chapter    1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20 
The Later Adventures:   Dance Cruise     Ski Matterhorn     South Seas     North to Alaska     Education in Ethanol     Criminal Side  
The Orphan and The Boot:  

Final Seduction     Guadeloupe     The Great Arvee NW     Cabo San Lucas

The Mighty Boeing Company:   Chapter    1    2    3    4    5    6    7    8    9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20
The Awesome AquaJet Shower:   Title Page     Philosophy     Preface

Boeing:  Land of Heroes and Assassins

 

 

 

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