Solstice Live: Australia/NZ/Hawaii, Many Pix’s, Jan. 20-Feb. 3

[TLCOhio]

All packed!! It's 11 pm. Had a super great day sailing in and around the Bay of Island, enjoying the small towns, seeing the wonderful scenery, etc. Our private sail trip worked so, totally well for our group of twelve. Went ashore on one of the unique islands, plus seeing/playing with the dolphins along side of our 60' craft, going out into the Pacific Ocean, etc., etc.. Totally awesome!! Helped by perfect weather day. Wait till you see the pictures to prove it. Nice dinner tonight in the Main Dining Room. Sad to depart the Solsitice, but two full days in Auckland, with Hawaii's Big Island for catch-up and more fun.

 

Appreciate all of the continued good comments and interest. Lots more pictures and details to follow in the next few days and later in February when home in Central Ohio.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now over 132,821 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Cyclospora]

Many thanks Terry. Really enjoying your posts and amazing photos. We are on the sailing on the 22nd :)

[lovestx]

Thanks, again, Terry.

 

Once you get back to Ohio (and what a downer that will be!), it would be great if you could do a post that lays out your itinerary day by day with the excursions you did. Hoping to do this trip, or one similar to it, in the future and would be great to have "one stop shopping". Sorry if this sounds demanding....you are just so kind, I thought you might be willing to do this for us Down Under neophytes.

[gdlamberth]

Terry,

Enjoyed your blog a lot:D. Especially, since we'll be heading to NZ in a couple of weeks. Did you post any photos of Queenstown or Doubtful/Milford sound? The search function has been temporarily disabled so I couldn't search for any:(.

 

Greg

[lovedecruise]

Thanks for the great review. Brought back many happy memories of our NZ/Aust trip on the Solstice, which we undertook early January this year.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Celebrity Solstice docked at Princes Wharf , Auckland ,beside the Hilton Hotel

Enjoy your stay in Auckland Terry.

 

[Waihekean]

Hi Terry,

I'm so happy that you managed to get most of the good weather. Apparently we will be getting some strong winds by Wednesday.

Hope you have an awesome time in Auckland and especially of course on our humble little island Waiheke:D

[TLCOhio]

Terry, Enjoyed your blog a lot. Especially, since we'll be heading to NZ in a couple of weeks. Did you post any photos of Queenstown or Doubtful/Milford sound? The search function has been temporarily disabled so I couldn't search for any. Greg

 

Waihekean: Hi Terry' date=' I'm so happy that you managed to get most of the good weather. Apparently we will be getting some strong winds by Wednesday. Hope you have an awesome time in Auckland and especially of course on our humble little island Waiheke [/quote']

 

Kiwi Kruzer: Celebrity Solstice docked at Princes Wharf ' date=' Auckland ,beside the Hilton Hotel. Enjoy your stay in Auckland Terry. [/quote']

 

lovestx: Thanks' date=' again, Terry. Once you get back to Ohio (and what a downer that will be!), it would be great if you could do a post that lays out your itinerary day by day with the excursions you did. Hoping to do this trip, or one similar to it, in the future and would be great to have "one stop shopping". Sorry if this sounds demanding....you are just so kind, I thought you might be [b']willing to do this for us Down Under neophytes[/b].

 

Cyclospora: Many thanks Terry. Really enjoying your posts and amazing photos. We are on the sailing on the 22nd

 

Yes' date=' Greg, I will be having many [b']more great visuals from Milford Sound, Queenstown[/b] and nearby to post. Wonderful area. Love it so much from our visit there. Things have gotten busy, busy and that is one of the big "gaps" to fill. Queenstown was the start of our great weather after "suffering" a decent amount of challenge during our rocky two-day Tasman Sea crossing from Hobart to Milford Sound. Greg was with us on the below noted July 2010 Norway/Arctic Circle cruise. From that cruise, Janet and Dennis, plus Sharon and Izzy, traveled with us on this Sydney-Auckland Solstice sailing.

 

Appreciate the picture posted by Kiwi Kruzer and the good welcome from Waihekean. We saw your scenic island from the north beach of Auckland and know where to catch the Fuller Ferry in the am.

 

Yes, for lovestx, I will be posting such a more details summary with various info/connections to be of help for future travelers. Don't worry, we all started out as "Down Under neophytes". It is fairly easy to figure out and make work for this part of the world. Just takes a little time, energy and patience. Good luck to those on future sailings for these great areas.

 

We are now all checked in at the SkyCity Grand. Very nice location and facility. Free Internet. We are on the top level of its 21st floor. Great views and very quiet. BUT, in checking in here, who would you guess walked to the hotel desk? Mike from Miami who did our great roll call listings and details. Saw Mike and his wife lots on our cruise. They did the Queenstown overnight, TransAlpine, etc.

 

Getting ready to walk across the street to watch the Super Bowl.

 

All worked very, very well with Alan from Elite Travel this morning for our ship pick-up, taking our group of eight around town for a super introduction to this city and its highlights. Alan is a wonderfully nice guy. The perfect weather here today made it all work out so well. Alan took two couples from our Central Ohio group to our hotels mid-day and then was taking two more couples to the airport for mid-afternoon flights out. The Auckland passenger terminal where the Solstice docked is very handy, but very congested. It was great having someone meeting us, handling luggage, doing this tour, etc. Don't expect to walk off of this cruise and get a cab in an easy manner. This tour really gave us a good idea of this city that is one third the population for the whole country of New Zealand. Our travel agent set us up with Alan. His contact is: alan@elitetour.co.nz.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now over 133,119 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[2morecruises]

We are now all checked in at the SkyCity Grand. Very nice location and facility. Free Internet. We are on the top level of its 21st floor. Great views and very quiet. BUT, in checking in here, who would you guess walked to the hotel desk? Mike from Miami who did our great roll call listings and details. Saw Mike and his wife lots on our cruise. They did the Queenstown overnight, TransAlpine, etc.

 

Getting ready to walk across the street to watch the Super Bowl.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry

 

Yep, ran into Terry many many times during "The Adventure". One memorable moment occurred when our tour bus stopped in a little town for a break and as i hopped off there was Terry from another bus sitting on a street bench banging away on his laptop.

I just shook my head in amazement and Headed to the icé cream stand.:D

 

Mike

[TLCOhio]

Yep, ran into Terry many many times during "The Adventure". One memorable moment occurred when our tour bus stopped in a little town for a break and as i hopped off there was Terry from another bus sitting on a street bench banging away on his laptop. I just shook my head in amazement and Headed to the icé cream stand. Mike

 

Not sure Mike's story of me being on a street bench banging on my laptop is correct. Did all of my posts, as I recall, while on the ship. BUT, when you hang out with some Aussies, as Mike did, it is a chance that our Miami friend picked up their ability to "enhance" stories to make them more interesting and colorful.

 

Appreciate the continued views and comments. Now getting ready to go over 20,000 views for this live/blog. Keep up the good work. Much more to come. Too much to do in NZ affecting my timing flexibility. As I am on the way tomorrow for our flights to Hawaii, I'll get more pictures reviewed, fine-tuned and added reports prepared.

 

Really enjoyed our first day in Auckland. It's big and urban, but has lots of suburban-style residential areas; great neighborhoods with charming character, nice beaches, wonderful viewing locations, good shopping, lots of great parks, etc. And food? We had dinner last night with Karen and Ed from our Central Ohio group. It was at O’Connell Street Bistro, right next to their DeBretts Hotel location. Both of our hotels are very handy and central. Their hotel only has 23 rooms and is top-rated by TripAdvisor.

 

If anybody is going to be in Auckland in the future, then O’Connell Street Bistro is well worth a visit. Had super good there. Pictures to follow. A "foodie" in Columbus had suggested this location and it was a super winner!!

 

We are getting to be going to Waiheke Island. It is 11.0 miles from Auckland with trips taking about 35 minutes. There are nearly 9,000 permanent residents plus an estimated 3,400 who have second or holiday homes on the island. Most live in the western area closer to Auckland and its connections. It is New Zealand's most densely populated island and is the most accessible offshore island. There is regular passenger and car ferry services. Waiheke translates as "the descending waters" or "ebbing water", tied to when a Maori explorer landed on the island. The island is 12.0 miles long from west to east with varied widths from a half to 6 miles. Its surface area of 36 square miles. The coastline is 83.0 miles with 25 miles of beaches. The port of Matiatia at the western end of the island. Waiheke is very hilly with few flat areas, the highest point being Maunganui at 758 feet. The climate is slightly warmer than Auckland, with less humidity and rain and more sunshine hours.

 

Waiheke Island has become known as New Zealand's "island of wine", home to winegrowers who have matched the maritime climate and ancient soil structures for classical grape varieties to produce red and white wines with distinctive varietal character. Waiheke's climate are well suited to growing Bordeaux wine-type grapes, with also some Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc varieties considered to be good. Waiheke winegrowers regularly win awards for Syrah.

 

The Eyewitness NZ book cites this island's "alternative" reputation known for its artisans and organic farms. National Geographic cites its "fine bays and beaches". Frommers, in its five pages of details, gives the island three stars and notes it as a "divine little paradise". They rate this island's Onetangi Bay as one of the seven best beaches in all of NZ. It is rated as a "Fodor's Choice" and they note how it has been transformed from a once sleep spot and hippie haven to a more upscale escape. Fodors gives high marks for dining to Te Whau Vineyard (with their Bordeaux blend), Mudbrick Vineyard and Cafe and Vino Vino. The NZ Insight Guide credits the high-speed catamaran for making this island easier to reach and notes that many of craftspeople on this island are "world-class". Shopping opportunities??

 

Waiheke Island's biggest demographic groups are 82% European, 12% Maori, 4% Pacific Islander and 2% Asian. It is highly diverse, with the creative sector (artists, musicians, scientists, writers, poets and actors) and "eccentrics" strongly represented. Around two thousand people commute daily to Auckland for work. The main employment sectors are hospitality (23%) and retail (15%) followed by education, agriculture/horticulture and healthcare (10% each).

 

Much of this info is from

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiheke_Island

You can go to this site for much more detail and background on the various wine places there, beaches, added history, etc.

 

Will take lots of pictures and have more to share later. Our flight out from NZ will be mid-afternoon on Wednesday.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 160,644 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[upwarduk]

Terry,

We visited Waikeke Island 6 years ago on Feb 4th. I was so relieved that it was not on Feb 6th which is Waitangi Day, as most of Auckland take the ferries over and have BBQ's in celebration of their 'National Day.'

The one thing that could have gone against us, was that as it was a National Holiday, our Departure Tax ($25) from the airport could have been doubled, as we flew out on Feb 6th. As it happened, we weren't even charged a surcharge for a heavy case.

I have read that there is no longer a departure tax however, so you are in luck!!

Edited February 3, 2014 by upwarduk

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I have read that there is no longer a departure tax however, so you are in luck!!

 

Unfortunately the tax is still there . It's included it in the Airfare . :rolleyes:

 

[Essexlass2]

We'd love to be where you live Kiwi Kruzer and is that Mount Eden behind you on your profile photo? :)

[u2cruiser]

Hi Terry, I'm really enjoying your blog, especially the pictures. Thank you for all the time you give up to entertain and inform us here on CC.

 

I know this trip is more about the ports than the ship, but how does the Solstice seem since your last trip on her in 2011? Any changes noted? Have you enjoyed the ship as much as last time? :)

[TLCOhio]

Terry, We visited Waikeke Island 6 years ago on Feb 4th. I was so relieved that it was not on Feb 6th which is Waitangi Day, as most of Auckland take the ferries over and have BBQ's in celebration of their 'National Day.' The one thing that could have gone against us, was that as it was a National Holiday, our Departure Tax ($25) from the airport could have been doubled, as we flew out on Feb 6th. As it happened, we weren't even charged a surcharge for a heavy case. I have read that there is no longer a departure tax however, so you are in luck!!

 

Essexlass2: We'd love to be where you live Kiwi Kruzer and is that Mount Eden behind you on your profile photo?

 

We are now getting ready to pack up in Auckland and head this afternoon to the airport for our 3:55 pm flight to Brisbane and then connecting with Hawaiian Airlines to Honolulu and then the Big Island. Yes' date=' this is suffering, especially when we are reading that ten inches of snow and more cold weather is coming into Columbus Wednesday evening. Such good timing and luck on our part, right? It's early morning as I sit on the hotel's open deck with the soaring SkyTower, coated in red lights, right next to me. Very special, unique setting.

 

Yes, Jackie and Adrian, I shared your Waikeke Island info from six years ago with the other couple in our Central Ohio group still with us in Auckland. All four of us headed yesterday on the 10 am [b']Fuller Ferry to Waikeke Island[/b]. What kind of experience did we have on this arty island filed with lots of character and wine places? Super excellent, times five!! Here are the Waikeke Island specifics:

 

1. Fuller Ferry is easy to catch. It costs 36 NZD, round-trip, but ask for a senior discount. That saves more. Karen discovered that little secret. It's only 35 minutes. They leave exactly on time. Lots of sailings going back and forth. Nice views of main Auckland from this ferry.

 

2. We got a rental "car" from Fun Rental on this island. We were dealing with "Di" who grew up on the east coast in Conn. and lived for thirty-some years in Malibu, Calif. She was great to talk with, get island tips/ideas. She said we'd get a "mini Hummer". More of a "micro Hummer", but it was 4WD and had 221,000 klm. on it. It only cost about $54 USD for the day. We could not hurt it and we needed that toughness for going to the far eastern end of this island on their "unsealed" or dirt roads. I'm doing the driving on their hilly and twisty direct roads. It is, of course, on the "wrong side", needing to shift gears with my left hand, etc., etc. Lots of fun memories and stories to tell just on the car and driving there . . . safely!! Ed navigated, plus with lots of "help" from our back-seat driving wives. FUN??!! Not boring!!

 

3. We headed to the far end of the island away from the crowds and tourist shops. Great to see more of the "real New Zealand". Our first stop was Man of War Winery near where Captain Cook had some battles in the 1700's. The winery was great. Right next to the scenic water, beach, etc. No big crowds or congestion here!! Got a couple of "platters" with varied, interesting food items, tasted some of their wine, etc. Wonderful experience and location.

 

4. Now to our main destination at 2 pm on Waikeke Island. It's Connells Bay Sculpture Park. Karen had researched and found this somewhat hidden and distance "gem" several months back, made a reservation and had us ready for this treat. It is well-known around the world for its more than 30 sophisticated and surprising site-selected sculptures exclusively by New Zealand’s lead*ing contemporary artists. About half the pieces were commissioned from sculptors invited to stay in one of the property’s cottages and develop a vision without interference from their benefactors, who appreciate and encourage the process, the art and the relationships that emerge. Before opening Connells Bay, John Gow, a former banker, was one of Andrew Lloyd-Webber's early sponsors and part-owner of the rights to 'Cats', 'Les Misérables' and 'The Phantom of the Opera'. That large revenue stream helped finance this project for outdoor art. It was just the four of us on what worked out to be a two-hour tour. Who was our personal guide? His wife, Jo Gow! WOW!! Great art, sites and so many interesting personal stories about the art, their experiences in the world of big-time theatre, etc. She picked us up at the top of the hill where we parked on our car and she took us down the super-steep, dirt road to reach near water wide where they live and our private tour started. Wait till you see the pictures. They are channelling these tour royalties (it was only 30 NZD to do this tour) for a long-term endowment to support this project/site long into the future. It is a stunning collection of outdoor art, including works such as Gregor Kregar’s army of factory workers, Phil Dadson's musical instrument installations and Fatu Feu'u's huge moai-like macrocarpa-wood head, 'Guardian of the Planting'. These are all uniquely sited in a setting of native trees, bushes, patches of carefully contoured lawn, a darling lake with water flowers, etc. It was lots of walking up and down, but the beauty and experience was totally amazing. Plus, nice weather at the right lower 70's temperature. No rain, again, in NZ!! Wait till you see the pictures. Jo was so wonderful, kind and charming. Loving it!!

 

5. Then we driving around more in the far end of the island in another direction, quickly getting back on paved, but twisting roads, etc. We stop at Onetangi Bay, rated one of the seven best beaches in all of NZ, enjoyed that scenic location. Gas up at their BP station, head back to the Ferry location, leave our car there for Di to pick up later.

 

Could we have a better day on Waikeke Island?? No! It was another super experience in New Zealand. Nice, easy Fuller Ferry ride back. Then we walk for dinner at Marvel Grill in the new and expanding North part of the harbor there in Auckland. We were hungry after a very active day!! Much more later.

 

For our wonderful UK friend, Essexlass2, Mount Eden was the first location we visited here in Auckland when Alan gave us our introductory Monday morning tour. Such great views and a nice starting location for here in this scenic and hilly city with so many wonderful sights, beaches, etc.

 

Now over 20,700 views, far exceeding my two other live/blog at this stage of reporting and sharing. Appreciate the continued great interest, comments, questions, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now over 133,260 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Hi Terry, I'm really enjoying your blog, especially the pictures. Thank you for all the time you give up to entertain and inform us here on CC. I know this trip is more about the ports than the ship, but how does the Solstice seem since your last trip on her in 2011? Any changes noted? Have you enjoyed the ship as much as last time? :)

 

Appreciate your nice comments and following along. YES, will have more on the Solstice, its condition, staff, food, etc. Yes, this trip has been more about the ports and traveling with the six other couples/friends in our group from Central Ohio. Will share a number of impressions and opinions on the Solstice at age five versus what we saw during the Med sailing two and a half years. Have lots of upcoming airport terminal and flight time to sort pictures, share more of those kinds of impressions, etc. My wife reads books while I play on my MacBook Pro laptop. Keep up the good questions, suggestions and comments.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 160,644 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[u2cruiser]

Appreciate your nice comments and following along. YES, will have more on the Solstice, its condition, staff, food, etc. Yes, this trip has been more about the ports and traveling with the six other couples/friends in our group from Central Ohio. Will share a number of impressions and opinions on the Solstice at age five versus what we saw during the Med sailing two and a half years. Have lots of upcoming airport terminal and flight time to sort pictures, share more of those kinds of impressions, etc. My wife reads books while I play on my MacBook Pro laptop. Keep up the good questions, suggestions and comments.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 160,644 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Thank you. I ask as we will be back on board her 2 weeks today, in Perth.

No scary carved melon pictures from you this time :D

[TLCOhio]

Thank you. I ask as we will be back on board her 2 weeks today, in Perth. No scary carved melon pictures from you this time :D

 

Good luck on your upcoming "Top of Australia" sailing on the Solstice. Correct, no carved melon pictures on this trip. They did not have the big, Grand Buffet, on this 14-day cruise. With only four sea days (including two of them crossing the rocky Tasman Sea), they skipped it for this cruise. Do not know how that will work on your cruise and/or for the other Aust.-NZ sailings. It's nice to see the eye-candy with such big buffet staging. BUT, we had plenty, plenty to do, keep us busy. And for food, we had plenty.

 

Look forward to hearing more your trip. My understanding is that about 600-800 people are doing the full, 35-day circumnavigation of ALL of Australia. They started that "adventure" Monday from here in Auckland.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Celebrity Solstice Visual Highlights? From our June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in France, Italy, Kotor and Dubrovnik, I have pull together a number of wonderful visuals of the Solstice, its features, food, entertainment, options, etc. We are now at 15,771 views for this shorter version of my larger full review of that cruise and all of the port pictures/details. Check these postings and added info at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1803477

[Waihekean]

Hi, Terry Just a little tidbit.

If I walk out of my street (a quiet cul de sac, next to a vineyard) turn right, walk for 1/2 a minute and there is the Onetangi BP station:D

Then down the hill for 5 minutes and I'm on the beach for my morning walk.

It's wonderful that you managed to see Onetangi beach whilst here.

 

Have a great flight (hope you can sleep) and may the good weather hold in Hawai. Greetings from us Kiwi's.

[upwarduk]

-------My understanding is that about 600-800 people are doing the full, 35-day circumnavigation of ALL of Australia. They started that "adventure" Monday from here in Auckland.

 

Now that would be on my bucket list!

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Haere ra Terry.

 

[boeckli]

Good luck on your upcoming "Top of Australia" sailing on the Solstice. Correct, no carved melon pictures on this trip. They did not have the big, Grand Buffet, on this 14-day cruise. With only four sea days (including two of them crossing the rocky Tasman Sea), they skipped it for this cruise. Do not know how that will work on your cruise and/or for the other Aust.-NZ sailings. It's nice to see the eye-candy with such big buffet staging. BUT, we had plenty, plenty to do, keep us busy. And for food, we had plenty.

 

We were told by an assistant maitre'd during our Dec 10, 2013 Solstice sailing that the "brunch" (which I assume is what you are referring to) had been discontinued - he said, due to increased health concerns. On the Oct 23 sailing we had no brunch, as there was an increased level of GI illnesses around (on that sailing we also had only 3 out of 12 days of self-service at the buffet). So u2cruiser, you may sadly not have a brunch to look forward to.

[TLCOhio]

Waihekean: Hi' date=' Terry Just a little tidbit. If I walk out of my street (a quiet cul de sac, next to a vineyard) turn right, walk for 1/2 a minute and there is the Onetangi BP station. Then down the hill for 5 minutes and I'm on the beach for my morning walk.

It's wonderful that you managed to see Onetangi beach whilst here. [b']Have a great flight (hope you can sleep) and may the good weather hold in Hawai.[/b] Greetings from us Kiwi's.

 

Now at the Auckland airport awaiting our flight in about an hour to Brisbane. Three and a half hour flight. Two-hour lay-over there, then a nine-hour and 20-minute flight to Honolulu covering, 4690 miles. Finally, today, a 43-minute flight from Honolulu to Kona. Lots of flying today as we cross the International Dateline and gain a previously-lost day back.

 

Late morning to finish in Auckland, we did a visit to their Art Gallery with its excellent NZ collection and many interesting pieces featuring their native population. Much of that history featuring the Maori was not accurate, but looked good. The portraits done of historic Maori chiefs and leaders was super fascinating. This building had several contemporary pieces by NZ artists that we had seen outdoors yesterday at Connells Bay Sculpture Park. This gallery has had some very nice, new additions that are works of art in their own right. Good stop and sampling late this morning and early afternoon.

 

Glad to be so close to where Waihekean lives on your wonderful island.

 

Correction: It was Man O' War Winery, not Man of War. Their website is:

http://www.manowarvineyards.co.nz

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, you might look at this earlier posting that I did on the Italy board that shows many options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling the great history and architecture. This posting has now had 33,177 views and I appreciate those who have dropped by and tuned in.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

[The_Big_M]

Unfortunately the tax is still there . It's included it in the Airfare . :rolleyes:

 

 

Still a lot better than having to find the cash, and time hassle, to pay it separately when leaving.

[h20cruzer]

I know this is a really silly question, but I will ask anyway. Is there a way to look at all your pictures without clicking on each link in each post?

Norma