Day 35 – Feb 9 – Napier, NZ

Well, here I am again the intrepid traveler.  Don’t let anyone kid you this traveling stuff is hard work.  Every city is different but at least now that we are in the same country, the currency remains the same.  The evening before is spent in looking over the maps, reading Lonely Planet’s book on NZ and then settling on a plan that may be changed in the morning.  Anyway, our day in Napier was well spent.  Sharon & I went on a tour to Tukituki Farm Land, a sheep station and a fantastic ride up and down a stunningly beautiful rugged mountain.  The Tuki Tuki River runs into the Pacific Ocean and has created a valley of fertile soil and mountains.  We passed many winery’s and rows upon rows of kiwi vines.  After a 30 minute drive we arrived at the Clifton Sheep Station, which has been owned by the same family for 159 years.  I thought that this part of the tour would have a “put on” show like atmosphere but it didn’t.  I was so touched by the hominess and down to earth manner of this family and their staff that I purchased a pair of wool socks and 2 skeins of wool that were produced there.

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Tom Gordon, the present owner.

We finished off this part of the tour with a bit of tea and scones with coddled cream and jam.  I’ll have to walk around the ship’s deck 10 times tonight.

At the midway point up Te Mata we were met by our motorcyclist guide.  He was to go ahead of us to stop on-coming traffic, that’s a good thing because the road was quite narrow, steep and with no guard rails.  What a thrill.  I can’t seem to find the appropriate words for the landscape of this country.  It has everything.  In less than an hour we go from sea level through farmland and then up this unbelievably rugged mountain which is 899 meters above sea level.  I have no idea what that is in feet…..  

Panoramic views of the Heretaunga Plains and Hawkes Bay.

I so wanted to be hiking those trails and not getting back on the bus with 50 other tourists.  But I got over it as our bus driver took us to a farm stand to have some fruit ice cream or yogurt.  I opted for the yogurt so that I wouldn’t feel too much like a pig.

On our way back to the ship we were driven through the downtown section of Napier which is famous for their Art Deco buildings.  Hard to take a picture from a moving bus but this is what I got to give you a general idea. 

In 1931 Napier was hit by a massive earthquake which leveled most of the buildings.  Therefore, when they rebuilt they decided to do it with an art deco architecture which has certainly led to the charm of this delightful city.  At the port we were greeted by a club of Napier antique car owners who make it a practice of coming down to the port dressed in the fashion of the 1920’s to bid farewell to all the cruise ships.  They are accompanied by a rag time band.  It was fantastic.  I felt like I was embarking on the Queen Mary.  All I needed was to be wearing a flapper dress and to have a dashing “swell” at my side.

There’s always a feeling of a little sadness as we leave these welcoming port cities.

Day 34 – Feb 8 – Tauranga, NZ

Once again, a good day.  Our port of call is Tauranga, NZ which is on our route as we head south along the coast of the North Island of NZ.

This is the sight that greeted me when I rose to look out our window – Mt Maunganiu “Resting Place for Canoes”:  It’s believed that the first Maori who came from the general area of Indochina landed here after their long journey.

My plan was to hike this mountain and then explore this popular beach community.  I first had to do the ole internet “thing” but I consider it part of the travel experience because foreign internet cafe’s are always so much fun and this one Jett Cafe didn’t disappoint me.  For the cost of a Iced coffee, I got about 60 minutes of internet time.  Another passenger calls it a “good day at the office”. 

We are docked in the Bay of Plenty and of course Captain Cook also sailed into this bay in 1769.  In fact, he named it “Plenty” because of the thriving settlements of friendly Maori.   

Mother Nature decided that hiking was not in the plan for me because 2 weeks ago a very serious avalanche occurred here and then another one happened the night before we docked.  A very nice young man who was standing guard at the trailhead gave me a brief history of the mountain and of the avalanche.  There were many Maori clan battles here and the mountain is considered sacred because it is the final resting place for the fallen warriors.  The Tauranga city officials are being very careful to not disturb the human bones in their avalanche clean up efforts.  There’s a feeling of deep respect for the Maori.

I was told that their was a broadwalk on the other side of Tauranga where there was another beach with great surf.  It’s also used to train the lifeguards.  So off I went.

And yes there was a beach 20 miles of white sandy beach.  Tom you would love it here.  Surf’s UP!!!

Local boys playing rugby. 

I then took a short hike out to Moturiki Island, where I just marveled at how the sun sparkles like diamonds on the blue ocean water.

I also found a great reading spot;

where I read while watching a single kayaker ride the waves and two strong female Kiwi swimmers swim back to the mainland after jumping off the cliffs of the island that I was on.  Does life get any better than this??

I took a different route back to town which brought be over a trail through the Druey Reserve.

A cluster of the coastal Pohutukawa trees, called the New Zealand Christmas tree because in December red flowers bloom on these large trees.

 

I ended up back on the main street where I did some light shopping and then had to run to make it back to the ship before our departure time of 6 PM.

Later that evening Captain Olaf announced that their was a “tropical disturbance” in our forecast.  So I took some motion sickness pills and put my wrist bands on.  We survived the night but the ship sure was rocking and rolling.  Such fun.. 

Days 32 & 33 – Feb 6 & 7 – Auckland, New Zealand

We had 2 days to spend in Auckland, New Zealand and we both are thrilled to be here and to know that we now have 6 more port of calls in NZ

I took a hike up Mt Eden.  This is a small mountain that overlooks the city and the two bodies of water that border Auckland (Pacific Ocean and the Tasman Sea).  It was great to be out and about in the woods, listening to the birds.  Good for my soul.  I am looking forward to longer hikes in this next week.

Volcano crater

I shared the trails with a few hikers and joggers.  Had a lovely chat with a woman who hikes this mountain as often as she can, she provided me with the names of trees that I was intrigued by.

New Zealanders love their land and in many ways are ahead of the rest of the world with their environmental efforts.

The summit is a very popular spot for tourists and locals.  The view is spectacular.

I had fun watching a busload of young Japanese girls flirting with a group of German boys. 

This evening we had an absolutely fantastic Folkloric Show:  “Haka Legend Maori”.  I’m usually not a big fan of these type of shows, they sometimes feel very fake, this one was very real.  The moderator was a delightful Maori woman who spoke with much knowledge of her people and their culture.  The dancers/singers were a joy to behold.  Their chants and love songs have the same melody that we most associate with the Hawaiian islands.  The Haka warrior demonstration is one of defiance, arrogance and bodily strength, especially how they stick out their tongues.  We westerners laugh but I’m positive it was very frightening to their enemies.

On the second day both Sharon & I went on a tour to the Auckland Museum, this was part of a bus tour of “Highlights of Auckland”.  Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and has the largest commercial port.  It is called the “City of Sails”.  Which is quite evident as your drive along the shoreline.  The Yacht Club has a lot of huge yachts from the Grand Caymans (a tax right-off??) But back to the museum, it was a big hit and we were there for 90 minutes.  The Maori section was exquisite.  Sharon chose to spend all of her time there.

This museum is also called the War Memorial Museum and is sitting on a large hill overlooking the city.

We returned to the ship and I watched some of the 2nd quarter of the Super Bowl game (yes we had a live broadcast in our main ballroom with great food). 

  Sharon stayed for the remainder of the game.  We both know that this will shock our family and friends but it was a little bit of Americano for us and also fun to be with a bunch of crazy football fans.

I left before half-time to walk over to the Maritime museum.  Oh and how I wished that I had been able to spend more time there.  It was filled with gallery after gallery of pictures, films and artifacts of NZ’s interesting maritime history from the canoes of the Maori to their recent sailing victories.  I must now read the biography of Peter Blake, a key player in NZ’s yachting industry, who lead the sailing team that brought the Americans cup back to New Zealand.  I was also intrigued by their immigration history.  I didn’t realize how many different ethnic groups made their way to this relatively new country.  They had a very real like replica of a British steerage ship dormitory.  Mind bogging to compare that to the cabin that Sharon and I share and the luxuries that we have on this ship. 

Another interesting fact that I learned on our first tour was that Auckland has the largest population of Polynesian people in the world.

These are pictures that I took as we sailed away.

The event coordinator had people jumping in the pool with their clothes on to get a FREE bottle of Champagne.  I declined!!

This is the Pilot Boat which every large harbor has.  A local pilot is required to come onto large ships and monitor the ship’s entry and departure from their waters.  What I wasn’t aware of was how the pilot actually comes aboard and leaves the ship as we are out at sea.  It’s done as both our ship and this small pilot boat are moving at slow rates of speed.  A rope ladder is lowered and the pilot climbs down and then jumps onto the deck of his boat.  So much fun to watch and not good for taking pictures of since I was leaning over the railing.

Suburbs of Auckland.

  Surfers paddling their surf boards.

Here’s some additional pictures taken on our last formal night:

Ain’t we Grand???

Friends at the Piano Bar

“The Little Girl with the curl in the middle of her head”

Days 30 & 31 – At Sea

Not much to report just more of the same.  I do enjoy the days when I just read and not get all wrapped up with all the activities that they have scheduled for us.  However, this is not an easy feat to accomplish.  So much to do….

Here are some more picture of Bora Bora and Tonga that Louie took:

Trying to get the gang all together

Encounter with a sting ray

Mato singing us back to the boat…

Julia’s little friend wanted to come with us.

Hiking in the Jungle

Hiking at the Arch

Me taking a picture of Louie

  The Arch of Tonga

Limu Pool

  Swimming in Paradise.