Come Along with Bill & Mary Ann Going Full Circle on the 2015 World Cruise -114 days+

[Folk Singer]

We always have a some with us and take a tube of After bite as well.

 

Thank you for the updates.

[WCB]

Report # 35 Sailing Towards Auckland, New Zealand February 3, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees

 

What a difference a day can make. That is in regards to the weather. The Amsterdam has sailed far enough south of Tonga for us to get a bit cooler weather with far less humidity. The skies have turned mostly blue, and the breeze carried a hint of coolness in it. We heard through the grapevine that more than a few passengers are glad we are leaving the South Pacific Islands behind, and heading towards a more modern society in the cities of New Zealand.

 

Speaking of New Zealand, Barbara H. gave a talk on things to do and see there. We think the last of the South Pacific classes for making flower headbands and ukulele lessons may be coming to an end as we leave the area. Melvyn Foster continued his talk about nature, and Maoris, missionaries, and settlers in New Zealand.

 

A big event for lunch was the repeat of the Mongolian Cookout at the Lido pool. Many of the officers like this venue, because we see them with their plates piled high while they dine at the aft pool.

 

It was so comfortable, we stayed at the aft pool later than usual, missing lunch. We had a snack in our room instead. Since we will be arriving very soon to New Zealand, we needed to buy some of the local currency. That is something we can easily do at the front desk. By the way, we found out that 70 passengers will be leaving in Auckland, and another 70 will be boarding. We inquired if we will go into the 48 hour serve everything, but were told no, that is not the procedure anymore. It appears that most of the sick people have finally recovered from the terrible colds that spread like wildfire this last month. The poor lady next door to us is still coughing during the night.

 

Dinner was fun tonight. We had pre-ordered Jamaican Mud pie, and our kind waiter followed through. Sure was good.

 

The entertainment was a short performance by the Airborne team, and another concert with Elliot Finkel. He really has put on good shows on this cruise. Funny thing happened on our way back to our room last night. The movie must have ended in the showlounge, and the folks were coming down the forward staircase by the dozens. What was strange was the fact that they were carrying pillows, sweaters, jackets, and even blankets. Sure must get cold in the Queens Lounge. And here we just had walked the promenade deck, where the temperatures were still in the high 70's.

 

One more lazy day at sea, and we will be in New Zealand.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[freestyling]

Enjoying reading about your travels. Thank-you for the reports

[Hflors]

Report # 35 Sailing Towards Auckland, New Zealand February 3, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees

 

We heard through the grapevine that more than a few passengers are glad we are leaving the South Pacific Islands behind, and heading towards a more modern society in the cities of New Zealand. Bill & Mary Ann

 

Did they say why they were happy to be leaving the south Pacific Islands?

Thanks again so much for your daily reports. I really enjoy them.

[Folk Singer]

Enjoy New Zealand and looking forward to next update.

[WCB]

Report # 36 Sailing Towards Auckland, New Zealand February 4, 2015 Wednesday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees

 

At the entrance to the dining room this morning, we found opened umbrellas on the floor, surrounding the kiosks. The backround was draped with black and white satin, leaving us wondering what the theme for tonight was going to be. It's a formal, and originally, it was slated as Commonwealth Dinner. Now we are seeing that it will be Bowlers and Bumper Shoots Night, something we will have to ask our Commonwealth friends. Surely they will know how the umbrellas tie into this theme. Could it be that bowlers are hats, and bumper shoots are umbrellas???

 

Today's highlights included the first "On Deck for a Cause" 5K non-competitive walk around the promenade deck. It tied in to the fact that today is World Cancer Day, although we do know that this walk will be repeated during this cruise.

 

Later in the morning, Barbara H gave a talk on things to do and see in the Bay of Islands, the next stop after Auckland. Sure would be nice if we were touring more of New Zealand, but not this year on this cruise.

 

The first segment is coming to an end tomorrow, where 70 guests will leave, and another 70 will take their place. There was a Grand Dollar redemption for world cruise prizes today. The choices of prizes are on a first come, first serve basis. Many folks save these dollars to use on future trips. We have only participated on one world cruise, when we got DAM dollars for walking a mile on the promenade deck twice a day. By the end of the trip, we were both able to get a very nice zippered sweatshirt that advertises HAL on the back.

 

Guest speakers lectured on the First World War and Germany's Pacific Empire, and about the fashion and function of clothing worn around the world.

 

As for us, we spent some relaxing time reading at the aft deck. A nice breeze kept the afternoon most comfortable. We have even seen the first tropicbird of the cruise. It was flying over the ship with some other smaller seabirds. They stand out because they have two very long tail feathers. The closer we get to New Zealand, we will watch for gannets as well.

 

The winners of the first photo contest was announced at 1pm. And the first edition of the world cruise voyage DVD was showcased in the Queens Lounge. If you were present, you could win one DVD for free.

 

The HAL Chorale has been practicing with Dusty. Not sure who Dusty is, but this was one of Bruce's (our former CD) favorite things to do. Glad to see someone has continued on with this activity, since many guests seem to like it.

 

Well we did find out at dinnertime that bowlers were hats.....all of us got one, either silver, gold, or black. And bumper shoots were parasols, which were placed, opened in a weighted vase, on each table. Didn't anyone tell them that it is bad luck to open umbrellas inside? We have to admit, it was different. There sure has been a change with the formal decorations. Ever since waiter Yamtana left, the extra glitz is gone. He was part of the decorating team, and had a knack for the artistic. Nothing stays the same forever, does it? In the same vein, the formal menu choices are a notch down from last year's grand voyage. We can't remember a formal evening without caviar of some kind as an appetizer. In a month's time, we have seen it once. They must have gotten a good deal on escargots, because they show up often enough. We ordered veal condon bleu with a marinara sauce, and it was very good. Not exactly formal, but there was lobster as another choice. Key lime pie topped off the meal just fine.

 

And we had another surprise with a guest at our table. We actually had an officer, Rene, from the maintainance department. He sure looked familiar to us, and the more we talked, we realized that he was on the Statendam last fall the same time we were on. He remembered us from the almost weekly cocktail parties in the Crows Nest. Between Alaska and the Hawaii/South Pacific cruises, we were on for over 40 days. He told us that Bart (the Hotel Manager on the Statendam) and Daphne, his wife, were godparents to his baby. Small world. His plans include going back to the Statendam after his time off this spring. He will stay on the ship all the way to Singapore, where it will go into drydock, then handed over to P&O.

 

Some of us pressed him for information on the new ship, the Konnigsdam, coming out next year. Asking who the Captain will be, Rene said he could not remember his name. Or he is not allowed to reveal that yet. He did indicate that the new Captain is an older fellow, not young. That is to be expected. Experience comes with age, doesn't it? When he excused himself, he went to each of us, shaking our hands. Really nice young man. And, oh yeah, he did supply the wine also.

 

Rita Rudner is on stage for her final performance tonight. She is known for her one-liners, and continuous story-telling with humor. Fourteen years in Las Vegas and one and a half million tickets sold, has earned her the title of the longest running solo comedy show in the history of Vegas. Not too sure if any of us was going to the show, since we will be in Auckland early tomorrow.

 

There was a log of the cruise in our room this evening. Since leaving Ft. Lauderdale, we have traveled 8,548 nautical miles or 9,830 statute miles.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

PS Regarding the little battery-powered clock in our bathroom........it is about 1 1/2 square clock, which happens to have an alarm setting, which we never use.

[colbe]

Kia ora. Welcome to New Zealand, and thank you for bringing the rain with you. :) Our drought has broken over night. Not so good for you as you go out and about visiting Auckland today, but wonderful for our gardens and farms..

[erewhon]

Thanks for your reports.

 

Welcome to New Zealand, hope that you are able to try rocky Road Ice-cream during your stay.

[WCB]

Report # 37 Auckland, New Zealand February 5, 2015 Thursday Chance of rain & 64 degrees

 

What a perfect day to spend in Auckland, New Zealand.....the Land of the Long White Cloud, as it is known here. New Zealand is a most beautiful country, although there are only 4,315,800 people living on two islands with an area of 103,710 square miles. The capital is Wellington, and the official languages are Emglish and Maori. The best time to visit for sun is November through April. But if you are looking for snow, then a visit in June through August is the time to come.

 

Having visited New Zealand many times on cruises, we have seen the volcanic geothermal pools at Rotorua, or the world's talled kauri trees, towering at 167 feet high. They are reportedly from 1200 to 2000 years old. Wineries are located throughout the countrysides, along with sheep, kiwi birds, and gannets. You can bungee jump off bridges in Queestown, or sail in and among the many glaciers of the South Island. Here's an interesting fact: no matter where you are in New Zealand, you will never be more than 75 miles from the sea.

 

The favorite food here is lamb, and the delicious dessert of pavlova, the meringue shell filled with cream and fruit. In our little black book is hokey pokey ice cream too.

 

Auckland is the largest city with about one million people and almost as many boats, earning it the name of the City of Sails. Among other things, it is famous for their bridge, the Sky Tower at 1,072 feet, and the America's Cup village. It is also where the Amsterdam docked early this morning, specifically at Queens Wharf. The first thing we heard after we were cleared by the local authorities, was that we needed an original government issued photo ID, like a driver's license. And, do not bring any food of any kind off of the ship. We never do that, with the exception of a bottle of water or soda. To take this even further, we could not bring off wooden items, plants or plant material, shells, coral, nuts and seeds, or animal products. Today we brought nothing (we thought), but got checked anyway. More about that later.

 

During breakfast, we spoke to Pandi about why the dining room was being closed today. Apparently 100 travel agents were due to tour the ship, and a special luncheon was held for them in the dining room. He added that when we get to Sydney, there will be 200 travel agents touring then with a lunch offered as well. While we were chatting, we watched a dark cloud come over the ship, and suddenly it was raining. Don't ever remember it raining here this time of year. Hope it clears up, because we had planned a day of walking the city.

 

Around 10pm, we gathered our stuff, including an umbrella, and headed off the ship through tight security. Of course we expected the cute little beagle who likes to sniff purses and bags. We're not sure how it happened, but when the dog was sniffing my bag, Ellen B, our friend, bent over and petted the dog's head. With that, the dog got really interested in my bag, and decided to sit down on my foot. Yep, that's the signal to the handler that something suspicious is in my bag. Over to the side table we went, where the contents of the bag was checked. Of course, there was no food, but I did have a bamboo fan that I pack everywhere. Never thought about that as a wood product. The official was satisfied that the dog sniffed that and nothing else, and did not confiscate it. No doubt about it, they are very strict with their quarantine laws.

 

From there on, the day went well. With tourists maps in hand, we started off on our walk. It was then that we ran into new friends, Roxanne and Joe, a younger couple who have been second-guessing themselves about taking this long trip. Usually seeing them everyday at the aft pool, we have noticed they have been missing the last couple of days. Well, we noticed that Joe's foot was wrapped, as asked what happened. He said a dog savagely bit him while biking in Tonga the other day. Getting it checked with the doctor onboard, he found that he needed stitches and drains. One good thing is that no dogs on Tonga have rabies, so he does not have to go through the series of shots for that. After talking to Henk, our Hotel Manager, we learned that he also got chased while biking with Christel on Tonga. He was able to think quickly, and toss the dog a half sandwich, then peddle for his life. Funny thing, is that we walked past a dozen dogs in front yards that day, but none of them came after us. Must have something to do with the bikes, since we saw no locals on them at all. That will teach us to be a bit more careful however.

 

Everything is pretty much within walking distance in Auckland. A nice place to stroll is the America's Cup Village in the Wynyard Quarter. This is an old area near the cruise terminals that has been remodeled over the years. Crossing the Viaduct Harbour Bridge, we strolled around the yachts and boats in the harbor. Eventually, the carless road leads to old warehouses that have been converted to restaurants. Spotting a place for pizza, we decided to come back and eat there.

 

The Auckland Fish Market sits right in the middle of the quarter. It is always a busy place with fresh-caught fish for sale. You'll see salmon, trout, eels, red snapper, squid, monkfish, and lots of assorted shellfish. A small grocery store is part of the fish market, but we noticed that everything was pricey.

 

By 1pm, we went back to the Jack Tar Restaurant, where we ordered a delicious margherita pizza with 2 mugs of Steinlager beers. Sitting outside was lovely, since there were occassional clouds, but the drizzle had stopped, and the sun was out. The waitress surprised us by asking for a credit card or a driver's license to hold while we ate outside. Jokingly, we asked if that was their assurance that we would not run off without pating the bill, and she said YES. It was a local ordinance that they take some form of ID, or a credit card that you obviously would not leave behind. Now if we had chosen to dine inside, that would not have been necessary. We spent an hour there, watching crowds of people walking by.

 

We were in need of more suntan lotion, so we spotted some in the local market near the cruise terminal. After taking an hour break in our room, we took a hike first up Queens Street to see the Sky Tower at Sky City. At 1,072 feet high, it is the tallest structure in the Southern hemisphere. We were curious to see how much it cost to jump off of the tower, in a special suit and safety belt of course. We never did figure it out. Although it would have cost us $22. NZ to access the top of the tower. That's the senior discounted price. Since we have been up to the top at least twice, we passed on the trip today.

 

It's always fun to stroll through the casino at the Sky City. The majority of slot machines are 1, 2, and 5 cent machines. From what we saw today, the place was filled with mostly Asian customers. Oh, and our buddy Maureen, who was there to spend a few bucks to try her luck at the penny machines. Trouble is you have to put much more than one penny in to win anything big. She told us that the fellow that sat down at the machine she was going toplay, won over $350. Guess she brought him good luck.

 

We did see two folks jump from the top of the tower when we went outside. It took them less than 11 seconds to get to the platform at the bottom. Glad it was them and not us.

 

From there, we headed back downhill, and went to the pharmacy to buy the lotion. Since the Kiwis need to use lots of sunscreen, due to the black hole in the ozone down here, the price is not excessive for the lotion. After buying two scoops of hokey pokey ice cream, we headed up the road to the Countdown, the big grocery market which stays open 24/7. We found some of our favorite chips and snacks for the room.

 

Before we knew it, dinnertime had arrived. It was a special one, because it was Barb's birthday today. Ellen B, Barb's closest buddy, joined us, but Pamela and Stuart had other plans. We had a nice dinner and even a nicer pineapple upside down cake for her birthday. Another total surprise, was spotting the Aussie group, Black Tie, eating in the dining room. We did not know they were scheduled to perform this year. Maureen, who knows them well, went right over and invited the four of them for dinner before they leave the ship in Melbourne. When they realized it was Barb's birthday, they came over and gave all of us a hug.....especially Barb. Hope they are able to come one night, since they are lots of fun.

 

Tomorrow will be another great day in Auckland for sure.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[newfarmers]

Did they say why they were happy to be leaving the south Pacific Islands?

Thanks again so much for your daily reports. I really enjoy them.

 

A bit too third world for some I'd guess.

 

We heard similar comments after our call in Dakar quite a few years back on Rotterdam. People commented on the fact that they could get far more tourists if they watered the streets to keep the dust down and maybe planted the median strips. Maybe the locals had more important things to do than keep the dust down:rolleyes:

[WCB]

Report # 38 Auckland, New Zealand February 6, 2015 Friday Day Two Chance of rain & 71 degrees

 

The day started with a splash, and we don't mean a splash in the pool, but rain.....lots of it. During breakfast this morning, the sheets of rain blew past the windows much harder than yesterday. Thinking today was going to be a bust, we were surprised to see the clouds pass over and the sun peek out. By 10am, most of the rain was gone, and it stayed that way all day. Lucky for us.

 

Our destination today was Albert Park, a decent walk from the Queens Wharf. We zigzagged through the side streets of Queen Street on the hike uphill. Not too many shops were opened this morning, because it was Waitangi Day, a holiday for the Kiwis. We were told that some stores and attractions may be opened like on a Sunday. Passing some pretty neat coffee shops off of Queen Street, we found our way to Albert Park. Having been here a few years ago, we remembered how nice it was landscaped with ancient trees. We could identify the sycamores, or London Plane trees, cedars, magnolias, and Norfolk Island Pines. They also had some oak trees, which were in the process of dropping their acorns. Scattered throughout the park were statues of British royalty and war heros. Fountains and gazebos were near the top, with many park benches along the way to relax. The flower beds held many plants we recognized such as gazanias, petunias, canna lilies, salvia, and lilies. We understand there has been somewhat of a drought in this area, so keeping these plants flowering must have taken some special care.

 

A good excuse to relax is taking photos of the many birds in this park. Many types of gulls were in this park, driven inland we think, because of the stormy weather. Pigeons were everywhere, begging food from the walkers in the park. Unlike our parks at home, there were no squirrels.

 

From studying the map, it looked like we could access the larger park nearby, the Auckland Domain. Happening upon the Wellesley St. East bridge, we followed it across the highway, then noticed the signs to Auckland Domain. In order to reach this park, we needed to follow the road that took us to the Grafton Bridge over the freeway. Another couple were trying to figure this out too. They asked us for directions, and between the four of us, we found our way.

 

We passed a very old cemetery with grave markers from the 1800's. Most of the permanent residents were no more than early 60's when they died. There were a considerable number of very young children also buried here. Kind of made us realize we are on "borrowed" time.

 

Walking past Auckland's Hospital, we almost blew off of the top of the hill. It sure was a blustery day, threatening rain. Of course, we packed the umbrellas, so that meant it would not rain. Entering the park, we took out the map to make our way to another favorite attraction.....the Wintergardens. We were first here in 2000, and did a tour that took in this area. Now we had the time to linger and take photos for as long as we wished. No bus to answer to.

 

Before we set off, a very nice local couple approached us and help point out the way. Guess we looked like lost tourists. The main thing we needed to know was did we have to backtrack up and over the hills to get back to Queens Wharf? No, they said we could continue through the park, and go to the Parnell district. From there, we could easily head back to the waterfront, avoiding the steep hills of downtown. That worked for us.

 

In the meantime, we found the duck pond and the Wintergardens. This formal garden setting was surrounded with a maze of plants with a rectangular fountain in the center. On each end was a huge hothouse. One was full of every flower and vine that blooms this time of year. It was filled with blooming fushias, exotic hibiscus, scented geraniums, asian lilies, grasses, and groundcovers. There was also a huge sign saying do not pick the flowers. The opposite hothouse was locked up tight.

 

In the center, we entered the fern grotto, a most sheltered spot with two levels of assorted ferns. There were signs in there warning against touching anything on the ground, since they had recently baited the area with rat poison. That's a bad thought, knowing that the rats were probably hiding in the foliage. Goes with the territory we guess.

 

After taking a million of pictures, we continued on towards the museum, an impressive structure on the highest hilltop. We realized that we had been through this museum over 15 years ago. Time was ticking by so fast, we figured outdoor photos were all we could take of the museum. Not knowing how far away from the ship we were, we kept moving.

 

Parnell, Auckland's oldest suburb, was our next destination. After spending some time with Ellen B yesterday, we recalled she recommended an Italian Restaurant on Parnell Road. Eventually, we did find it, but it was closed. So were most of the cafes there. Since we had walked so far (at least 100miles, it seemed), it was time to sit, relax, and have a beer and perhaps pizza. We got lucky. There was a nice pub across the street that looked opened by the name of Windsor Castle. Not as formal as it sounds, it was really a pub that served some good food. Pizza was one of them. Lucky us......we ordered 2 beers and a margherita pizza, which was even better that yesterday's. The crust was thin and cooked crispy. The sauce was intensely tomatoey, covered with tasty mozzarrella cheese, melted and bubbly. Guess we were hungry, that's why it was so good.

 

After about an hour, we pried ourselves off of the bar stools and continued on. Following the map, we ended up at Countdown, the same 24/7 grocery store we shopped in yesterday. As long as we were there, we picked up a couple more bags of seasalt chips, using some coins we had been collecting. Back at the pier and the ferry boat dock, we treated ourselves to another hokey-pokey ice cream.

 

With the last of our change, we picked up 11 assorted pens in the pier building, just as they were closing shop. The ship would be leaving soon, and most of the guests had already returned. It took the rest of the afternoon to download photos.

 

The sailaway party was moved to the Crows Nest, due to high winds outside. It never did rain again, but we had to hold on to everything on the aft deck, including glasses, cameras, and jackets. Even though we are fairly close to our next stop at the Bay of Islands, it looks like we may have a rough sailing there.

 

We had company for dinner.....half of the Black Tie group, Yuri and his wife, Val. Unfortunately, Barb was asked at the last minute to go to dinner in the Pinnacle Grill. When we informed her that Yuri and Val were coming, she felt really bad, but could not cancel her other invite. And Stuart and Pamela would have really enjoyed meeting the duo, because they are from Australia as well. But they had been gifted a Pinnacle dinner for having had the inconvenience of the leaky room and damp carpet for days. They will be leaving the ship in Sydney, so they are running out of days to dine elsewhere. As it turned out, we had a really nice private meal together with them and our tablemate, Maureen, who also knows them well.

 

The entertainer this evening was a fellow by the name of Peter Cousens, an Aussie singer, who has played the Phantom of the Opera on London's West End. He is also an actor and director, recently directing a Hollywood movie "Freedom", due out sometime this year.

 

Tomorrow's port will be a short visit with arrival at 8am, but departure by 3pm. It will also be a tender port.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[Going Coastal]

I have been enjoying your Auckland report especially because it is just like being back there.

Thank you for taking the time.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Vict0riann]

In 2006, on the Statendam, we had the group "Black Tie" on board. I'm not sure where we picked them up, if it was in Fiji or the Bay of Islands, then we were headed for Auckland, via Tauranga, where we docked for the day. We were late leaving, as some people were late. We heard it was Black Tie, and that they re-boarded in Auckland. I think maybe they boarded in Fiji, because we did see then once or twice, but I think that evening leaving Tauranga, the ship had to make some changes as they were missing. I wonder if they remember that. It was one of our early cruises, so we certainly do!:)

[csss]

I'm following along, and we remember you from the WC 13. We had our bikes along, and happily rode in many of the ports, and are very sad to hear our good friend Joe had a bad experience on Tonga with the dogs. We were on bikes on Western Samoa in the fall, and were warned by our guide that it was an issue, and since our ride was accompanied by the guide he told us he would try and zoom in between us and a dog. He also said that oftentimes making a fist as if you are going to throw a rock will make the dog retreat, as they are used to that happening. If you see this Mary Ann, please tell Joe that we are so sorry to hear he was hurt. And thanks for your posts!

[bigshoppingtrip]

Thank you so much for your wonderful posts. My cousins Bev and Tom Willett are on your cruise but they are not "computer literate" so I am so enjoying your reports of how the cruise is going and the weather! We have been to many of the South Pacific islands you are visiting and your descriptions are bringing back pleasant memories! And yes I think the ice cream in New Zealand is the best!

[WCB]

Report # 39 Waitangi, Bay of Islands, New Zealand February 7, 2015 Saturday Partly cloudy & 79 degrees

 

Very early this morning we woke up, looked out the window, and saw another ship across the bay from us. It was Celebrity's Solstice, built in 2008, with a capacity for 2850 passengers and a gross tonnage at 121,878. She made the Amsterdam look like a peanut at 62,735 gross tons with 1380 passengers maximum. It must be a nice ship, because they got a 4 plus star rating in the cruise ship book. The downside to having them share this port with us, is that every venue will be crowded.

 

We have been to the Bay of Islands several times, but for some reason we did not remember the tender pier. We figured the reason for the memory lapse was due to the fact we have always been on an organized tour. No matter where we had tendered, we got on a bus and went out of the area. Some of the outlying areas we have visited (some more than once) are Kerikeri, a village established by the missionaries in 1832. They built houses made of stone, and a few are still standing. It is in an area inland where they have groves of orange and grapefruit trees. These days, a community of artists and craftpeople live there.

 

If you had missed the Waitomo Caves out of Auckland, then you still could see the glow worms in the caves at Kawiti Caverns. An interesting fact is that if someone makes a noise while in these dark caves, the glow worms stop glowing. The first time we saw these little crteatures, we would have sworn they were plugged in tree lights.

 

Nearby Russell was the first permanent European settlement. Actually, it was a sailor and whaler's port....lawless and bawdy. Today, you can find historic houses, old churches, craft markets, museum, cafes, and colonial homes. In order to get there, you need to take a 20 minute ferryboat ride.

 

A bus ride to Puteki Forest gives you the chance to walk among the ancient kauri trees.....some reportedly 2000 years old. They had been almost decimated in the 1800's to be used in construction. Located in the subtropical rain forest, we recall walking through the trees on metal stairs and ramps off of a steep hillside. They are so huge, it is hard to get them in a photo.

 

A visit to the Waitangi Treaty House was do-able from where we tendered today at Paihia. This is the spot where the Maori chiefs signed the treaty that turned over the sovereignty of their lands to Britain. It is still a controversial issue today, since the native Maoris lived here for over 800 years.

 

The most exciting thing happened when we boarded the tenderboat this morning. Two big dolphins were swimming around the boat within arm's reach of us. Unfortunately, we could not get the camera turned on quick enough to get a good shot. We watched for them all day long, but never had another sighting. Speaking of wildlife, fishing is also a big tourist activity in this area. You can catch blue cod, terahiki, trevally, and snapper. None of which can be kept. The boat crew gets to take the fish home. Many boat captains will take you for a dolphin sighting tour. A typical excursion costs about $100 NZ for about a four hour boatride. Those who are brave enough, can actually swim with the dolphins. Most often seen are bottlenose and common dolphins. But you may also see orca, brydes whales, and migrating whales, depending on the time of year you visit.

 

Paihia is where we tendered today, because the Celebrity folks were using the Waitangi Yacht Club as their tender point. The passengers from that ship were being shuttled to Paihia. Established in 1832, Paihia is a very touristy destination. Because of its central village, marina, beaches, and great summer weather, it is the perfect vacation area for the Kiwis. It was so crowded this morning by 10am, we decided to walk towards the Waitangi area first. Following the beachside road, we took our time and strolled for at least an hour. The weather today was a mix of everything. When the sun peeked out, it was warm. But then it would cloud over, and start to drizzle where you almost needed the umbrellas we brought with us, but not quite. The mist went away as fast as it came.

 

We came to the bridge that ties Paihia to Waitangi. First we saw the sign that said no diving from bridge. Then we saw the kids, who were jumping from the bridge. Guess that's what teenagers do on the weekends here. All of the young kids were Maori, each one trying to make the biggest splash. Some of the older boys were pretty big, and did make a terrific splash, just short of a belly flop.

 

Continuing on, we followed the signs to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds where you can pay $25NZ for a guided tour. Since we have been on a tour that included this stop, we passed on it. By walking uphill, we came upon the golf course on the top. There were great views beyond where we saw a monument to Governor Hobsen from the 1800's. It was written on the monument that he was well-liked, but ruled with a firm hand.

 

There was another trail near the golf course that would have taken us to Haruru Falls, meaning "big noise". It would have taken two hours to hike there, so that was out today. The last tender was at 2:30pm, and we did want to stop back in Paihia for pizza and beers. That would be our reward for the long walk.

 

Back in town, we did find an out-of-the-way restaurant for pizza. All the waterfront cafes were over-loaded with guests, so we walked up the street to find a place called Ruffino's Pizza and Pasta. Located up a flight of hidden stairs, we relaxed with Steinlager beers and a delicious 14inch margherita pizza. It was very good, even though the place was not fancy, sometimes they are the best.

 

Because today was a Saturday, several craft markets were set up. Across the street was a small craft market that offered some unique items. Everything was handmade such as quilted eye glass cases, plastic bags holders, wooden items, leather belts and bracelets, and some costume jewelry. An elderly lady was sitting behind a table making paper beads. Yes, she was using magazine pages, cut into long strips, then winding them on a needle with glue. Depending on how wide the strips were, the beads were about 1/2 wide or wider. Stringing them with small beads in between, they made a very unique necklace. They ran about $20. each. Last year, while on St. Helena, we found a similar necklace with the same type of beading. However, that necklace was made by a blind woman on the island. And she sold them for $7. At least we learned how we can make the same beads out of a simple magazine that would end up in the trash. Very clever.

 

Right around the corner was the Village Green & Craft Market. Tents were set up on the lawn full of artistic items for sale. Most of it was quite nice, but also a bit expensive. At least they admitted that no article was made in China. Not that there is anything wrong with Chinese made items, it is nice to find things locally made as well.

 

The time was getting away from us, so we lined up for the tenderboat and were on our way back by 2:30pm. That was the time that another complimentary food and wine sailaway party began in the Lido pool area. Along with local wines and beer, we could order all the sodas we wished to drink. It was so nice and warm on the aft deck, we waited until five minutes before it was over before we went for two cans of Coke. We heard there was nice food being served, but we were still full from lunch, so we passed on the food.

 

Resting up in our room, we downloaded all the photos from today. Dinnertime came quickly once again as we sailed north up the coast of New Zealand. Once we rounded the top of the North Island, we began to hit deep waves. During dinner, we noticed that the ship was rolling quite significantly. Sure hope we will not run into rough seas crossing the Tasman Sea. Some folks are expecting it.

 

The clocks went back one hour tonight, which is nice, We sure do need the extra sleep to get ready for Sydney in a couple of days.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[erewhon]

Thank you for your reports.

[WCB]

Report # 40 Sailing Towards Sydney, Australia February 8, 2015 Sunday Partly cloudy & 71 degrees

 

Sure was nice to have that extra hour to sleep last night. We are sure the crew would agree with us. This morning started off fairly overcast, but the seas had calmed down after a rather rocky sailing last night. If we heard correctly, the waves were about 13 feet as we sailed across the north end of New Zealand. That's nothing compared to the 55 foot seas we experienced back in 2002, while sailing on the Asia/Pacific Grand Voyage near Dutch Harbor, Alaska. That was bad. We can handle 13 feet, but still have to be very careful especially going up and down stairs.

 

Barbara H. gave a lecture on things to do and see in Sydney. It is such a neat city, that we could spend a week there and still not see everything. That's the beauty of being able to go back over and over again. Both guest speakers, McCormack and Foster, are still onboard delivering speeches all about Australia.

 

A new guest chef has joined us by the name of Janella Purcell. She was turning up the heat in the Culinary Center with coconut and peanut butter rough?, tahini dressing, hummus, and spring rolls. Also tofu....which we are still on the fence whether we like it or not.

 

A champagne welcome was offered for the first time cruisers in the Wajang Theater this afternoon. This is the first time we have seen this done, which is nice. Wonder how the staff will weed those people out if many uninvited people decide to go? That could be awkward.

 

During breakfast in the dining room, we noticed the second Sunday Brunch being set up in the center. They serve from 11 to 1pm, and from what our friends reported last time, it was very good. The regular lunch menu was not available during this special buffet. Live music during the buffet promised a relaxed and refined ambiance during the meal.

 

We have a job to do either today or tomorrow. The Australian Immigration procedure will require everyone onboard to present themselves in person the day we dock in Sydney. This is a mandatory face to face inspection with our passports. So we need to pick up our passports at the front desk to be ready to go through the drill. We have already filled in the landing cards, which should be slipped in each of our passports. They will call each group by number. Ours is S, for Pinnacle and Neptune suites or Presidents Club. We used to joke that the S means "special". Guess it is, because we are allowed to go from 7:15 to 9am, whatever is most convenient. Once through the inspection, we turn our passports back to the front desk staff. Sometimes our passports are handed to us as we entered the Kings Room, then turned back in. Would be easier, we think. Since we will need to get Aussie money, we can kill two birds with one stone when we get our passports.

 

Before we are totally out of the area, we wanted to talk a little about tatoos of Polynesia. The different designs of the tatoos can be traced to each set of archipelagos. This set each tribe apart from each other. It was also a passage from childhood to adulthood, and a barrier against evil influences. The technique used was basic, and not necessarily sanitary. In ancient times, soot from a burned candle nut was thinned out with water. When it was tapped under the skin with sharp teeth of sharks, for instance, it turned blue. A mallet was used to hit the handle that held the shark tooth. Even bird bones were used like needles. From the Polynesians in Tahiti, the Marquesas, the Tuamotus, and the Maoris, we have seen almost every native sporting some sort of tatoo. That includes the women. They too have the desire to keep the ancient custom alive and prove their courage. Of course, it is also a desire to be the most handsome. Many years ago, we met Mr. Tahiti, a young fellow who was covered from neck to toe with a continuous tatoo. That must have been painful, but he was proud as a peacock.

 

The weather was almost perfect today at the aft deck. It was warm, but not too hot. The whole time we were back there, no one went in the pool. It was clean, but sure looked cold. All together, there were perhaps a dozen of us sunbathers out today. Perfect time to read books.

 

Perhaps a lot of folks took in the Wajang movie called And So It Goes. We heard from friends later on that it was a good movie, as in feel good movie. Will catch it tomorrow on TV.

 

Dinnertime found us all back to our table. Pamela and Stuart had gone to the Pinnacle Grill last night, but were a little disenchanted with the experience. They felt that overall, the food and the service has been brought down a notch since they sailed two years ago. Since we have not had a chance to go there yet, we will reserve our opinion until we do. Truthfully, ever since the beef has been purchased from a new supplier, it has not been as good as we remembered it.

 

Tomorrow will be another day at sea, which is great. Another plus is that we get another hour back on the clock tonight.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[WCB]

Report # 41 Sailing Towards Sydney, Australia February 9, 2015 Monday Partly cloudy & 71 degrees

 

Looking out our window early this morning, we saw 49 shades of gray. Translated, it looked dismal and raining. Expecting a day to be spent indoors, we were pleasantly surprised to see the sun peeking out by 10am. Things can change on a dime in this part of the world.

 

Last night during dinner, Henk, our Hotel Director, stopped by and chatted for a bit. He said that 90 passengers were leaving in Sydney, while about 90 newbies were joining the ship. Among them will be new tablemates for us, Martha and Bob. It has been at least 10 years since we met Martha, but only about six years for her husband Bob, who began sailing with her on various world cruise segments. In fact, it was Martha who introduced us to our current tablemates, Pamela and Stuart, who unfortunately, will be leaving us tomorrow in Sydney. Since they live in Adelaide, we hope to see them when we stop there overnight in a week or so.

 

Forgot to mention that yesterday, we got our bi-monthly President’s Club amenities of huge flower arrangement and a case of soda. Sure is a nice perk. Also in the same vein, we have been invited to a Kitchen Social, an event held in the main kitchen just for the President’s Club members. Barb went last year, and told us that it involved a light lunch while touring the kitchen. We shall find out on February 12th.

 

Today we got a different type of notice and forms to fill out for the Australian Government. In a nutshell, it is an important message about strict biosecurity laws that affect us. A document needed to be filled out asking if we have travelled to Africa in the past 21 days. If you answer yes to having been in any one of the African countries, we could be subject to a quarantine inspection. A false statement could result in a penalty. As we have already filled out the incoming passengers forms stating we will not be bringing anything in the food, plant, or animal department, we should be set to go. Finally, if any of us are experiencing a communicable disease with fevers, chills, or sweats, we would probably be denied entry. Other than that, we should be free to go.

 

A few different activities took place today. One included instructions on how to play a didgeridoo. That might look easy, if you have ever watched someone do it. But trust us, it is not. You have to have some pretty developed wind capacity, and know how to circular breathe. Any musician that plays a wind instrument would have no problem.

 

Again Australian related, a cultural ambassador spoke about story time or dream time of the Aboriginals. We have had the opportunity of seeing an aboriginal dance that portrayed the dream time, and found it to be a totally out of this world type of experience. Very eerie.

 

Then to put the folks in the mood for the Down Under, Ancient Continent, Ancient Sound was played by the Rhythm & Music of Australia with Stephen Kent in the Crows Nest during happy hour.

 

Once again, we spent a pleasant afternoon reading at the back deck. So few of us passengers were outside, it was like a private yacht. Truthfully, this is the first cruise we have been on where there has been no saving of lounges, or not enough lounges for the guests. Not that we are complaining, it is super nice.

 

Out of the blue, we experienced a problem with our older computer, not that we didn’t see it coming. So we are switching to the new one, and hope all goes through OK.

 

This is the end of a small segment…..from Auckland to Sydney. We have now traveled a total distance of 11,320 statute miles since leaving Ft. Lauderdale. The new segment starts tomorrow and will end in Singapore on March 5th. At that point, the trip will be over half over.

 

Dinner was bittersweet, knowing that it was the last evening we will spend with our Aussie buddies, Pamela and Stuart. They have been a wonderful addition to our little family and will be missed. There were several good entrees tonight like prime rib, BBQ spare ribs, fish, and turkey salad. We all tried something different, and were not disappointed.

 

Hope all goes smoothly with tomorrow’s immigrations check. There are always folks that don’t show up as requested. And since 90 passengers will be leaving, probably by plane, delays in the morning’s procedures could cause some to miss their flights.

 

Looking forward to two busy days in Sydney.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[cruz chic]

Thx for the update.

[regnig]

Report # 41

Once again, we spent a pleasant afternoon reading at the back deck. So few of us passengers were outside, it was like a private yacht. Truthfully, this is the first cruise we have been on where there has been no saving of lounges, or not enough lounges for the guests. Not that we are complaining, it is super nice.

Bill & Mary Ann

 

If you'd take me along next time I'd be more that delighted to sit out on the back deck with you. :D;)

[carri cruiser]

If you'd take me along next time I'd be more that delighted to sit out on the back deck with you. :D;)

 

I can do better than that!! I'll sit in the lounge for you while you go to lunch, play bridge, walk the deck etc.....

[WCB]

Report # 42 Sydney, Australia February 10, 2015 Tuesday Partly cloudy & 75 degrees

 

G’day mate! That what we expect to hear a whole lot of while we are in the fabulous country of Australia. Even though it is a land of deadly snakes, spiders, sharks, and crocodiles, that has not stopped 21, 007,310 people from living in this huge country. We are talking about an area of 2,967,124square miles of seemingly endless sun-baked plains, dense tropical forests, and wild southern beaches. Although not the largest city in Australia, Canberra is the capital. And it sure helps us that most all of the locals speak English, the official language.

 

Actually, there is no other place like Australia in the world. You can be at an opera in Sydney one day, then play “Crocodile Dundee” in the Outback the next. For the adventurous, there is the Great Barrier Reef, visible from space. Or Uluru (Ayers Rock) that is considered sacred to the Aboriginals. Tasmania has devils, but also wineries. We have had the pleasure of visiting many of these places, with the exception of Uluru. Maybe someday…..

 

 

What do people eat here? Anything and everything BBQ’d. Sydney rock oysters, very rare kangaroo meat, and Vegemite, an acquired taste. What do the folks drink? Beers…..lots of it, and some of the best wines. What is there to buy? In a word…..opals. An interesting random fact about this country is that they are responsible for some great inventions such as the bionic ear, the black box flight recorder, the note pad, and wine casks. Who knew?

 

 

Sydney is our port of call for the next two days. With around one million natives, the population is a mix of Europeans, Asians, and Aboriginals. Many can trace their origins to the convicts that were brought here back in the 1800’s from Britain. Sydney is the oldest and largest city with a harbor like no other in the world. Too bad we missed the scenic sail into the harbor, because it happened sometime around 5:30am. Barbara, our port lecturer may have been giving a commentary on the TV channel, but we are certain the loud speakers could not be used on the outside decks. Many years ago while on the Prinsendam, we went to the bow for the sail in, and got drowned, because it rained cats and dogs. We will definitely be outside for the sail out of the harbor tomorrow.

 

We went to breakfast as usual, then proceeded to the immigration inspection shortly after 9am. According to the schedule, that should have been towards the end of the “zero count” where everyone should have been cleared and off of the ship. The group numbers had begun with S, then proceeded with the number 5 through 19 or more. Then, the 90 people going home had to be called off. Those that chose not to go into town that early, waited in the cruise terminal to re-board the ship. Unfortunately, we heard later on that this did not happen until 10:45am, not 9am. Bet there were a few cranky passengers at that point.

 

We were prepared to take a walk, and that’s exactly what we did. Despite the overcast and clouds, the humidity and temps were up, enough to make it uncomfortably sticky. The wharf at Circular Quay was busy with commuters on their way to work. It was nice to be back at the Overseas Passenger terminal, after being in White Bay last year, and Darling harbor two years before that. We can look right out our window and watch the ferries zoom by, and the people walking the harbourfront.

 

 

We made our way towards the Sydney Opera House, opened in 1973 and dedicated by Queen Elizabeth 2. Some lucky guests will be going there tonight to see a performance of Madame Butterfly ($230. to $300. per person). We must have taken at least 100 photos of the iconic structure from many different vantage points.

 

The backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, opened in 1932, made some net pictures too. Nicknamed the coathanger bridge, it is the world’s largest steel arch bridge. Can you believe it costs $500. per person to climb this bridge, over 440 feet above the water? That is HAL’s price, by the way, which does include a drink after the climb in the Rocks area. Interesting tour, but we can think of better things to do without raising the blood pressure that much.

 

Entering the Botanic Gardens at the Queen Elizabeth 2 gate, we began a hike of this nice 74 acre park. Originally, it was planted for a local farm for the new colony that began in 1788. There are over 9000 Australian and overseas plant species in this massive park. Last year we noticed that the greens were barely green due to the lack of rain. This year, the grounds are plush and very green. But that also added to the humidity today. You could feel the heat rising from the ground.

 

We made our way through the entire garden, passing flower beds, herb gardens, mature trees, ponds, fountains, and statuary. Many native birds take sanctuary here like the ibis, silver seagulls, crows, plovers, ducks, comorants, and sulphur-crested cocktoos. The lower pond was full of large fish and also three foot long eels.

 

As we got to the end of the park, we came across Mrs. Macquairie’s Chair, a sandstone rock formation carved in the shape of a bench. She was the governor’s wife in 1810, and liked to sit here watching for ships to come into the harbor. This was as far as we chose to go, because it was a long way back to the ship. We still wanted to walk to the Rocks area, and find a place for lunch.

Wendy still worked there.

Cooling down for a while in our room, we walked to the Rocks and found Caminetto’s, the Italian restaurant on the side of the hill. The same waitress by the name of Wendy still worked there. .Although she did not remember us from last year, she did guess where we came from. That is California, but only because one of us was wearing a t-shirt from the Hard Rock Café in San Diego. Anyway, you may guess that we ordered pizza and beer, which was really, really good.

 

On the way back to the ship, we stopped at Royal Copenhagen for two cups of hokey pokey ice cream. It was even better than the ice cream in New Zealand.

 

 

We had another friend who joined the ship today……Pat D., a former tablemate from 2011. He has kept us on his blog list ever since then. We suspected that we might find him in his usual seat in the Crows Nest around 6pm. And we were not wrong. Was great seeing him, and we invited him to join us often for dinner.

 

 

We had company for dinner…..our new tablemates, Martha and Bob. Since we have all been friends for so long, it is like our family is back again. Bob will stay until Singapore, and Martha will be on until Dubai. And so the fun continues…..

 

Bill & Mary Ann

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Sorry if I missed this but what is hokey pokey ice cream - what is the flavor like? Thanks.

Edited February 10, 2015 by SJSULIBRARIAN

[colbe]

Sorry if I missed this but what is hokey pokey ice cream - what is the flavor like? Thanks.

 

Plain, creamy vanilla ice cream with small solid lumps of honeycomb toffee in it. The toffee melts a little around the edges and flavours the ice cream.