John and Diane Hope to Finally Sail Away from Perth

[tennisbeforewine]

Saturday, January 21 - Day 18

Sunday, January 22 - Day 19I

Papeete and Moorea

 

The last time we were in French Polynesia, on the October 3 Hawaii/South Pacific cruise, all it did was rain.  It rained and rained and rained.  In fact, after sailing from one of the smaller islands, the captain came on and said that in his years of sailing, he’d never seen rain like that.  Now, three months later, we found Papeete to be warm (or hot) and sunny and it was an absolutely beautiful day.

 

We began the day with a visit to the souvenir store for postcards, and we were very happy to find out that they also sold stamps.  Not only that, but after choosing our Tahiti stamp, we found one for Moorea as well as for Huahine - where our neighbor’s brother lives.  The cards are now on their way, and all we need for awhile is a card from Raiatea, where we dock tomorrow.

 

After our successful postcard stop, we were off to Champion, one of our favorite French supermarkets.  When we headed for the checkout, we had some of our favorites:  La Vache Qui Rit, a beautiful (still warm) baguette, and a few others for a nice French picnique on our balcony.  Since our shopping bag was heavy, we headed back to the ship to drop off the booty we scored.

 

We do have favorite places to go on many of our former ports of call and, after Champion, we love to go to Trois Brasseurs, or Three Brewers, a great place for lunch almost across the street from the ship.  We had agreed to meet Rich and Ginni there for lunch, and when we arrived they’d already found a table with our friend Jacques, the Cellar Master, who was enjoying a well-made mai tai.  Since it’s a brewery, we opted for beer (or in my case a Panache, sometimes known as a Shandy. ) They make great flatbreads, and for us it was the Savoyarde, with ham, potatoes, and Swiss cheese.  An hour and a half flew by, and then the heat drove us back to the ship for the rest of the afternoon and a nap.

 

The evening cooled off a bit, and instead of the dining room, we walked out to the roulades, or French food trucks.  They arrive every evening, and last night there were about a half dozen of them.  Most had  Chinese food, but one had steak frites and another served crepes.  We have always learned to follow the crew for good food, and we took the recommendation of several of them at the next table to eat at Chez Marie and order both fried rice and “Special” chow mien.  The four of us ordered two plates of “special” and one of fried rice, and enjoyed both.

I had intended to have a lemon crepe after dinner, but I was just too full.

 

That was the end of a wonderful day in paradise, and since the heat had done us in, it was an early bedtime.

* * * * *

 

Today was Moorea, often called the world’s most beautiful island.  If Papeete is modern and charming, Moorea gives the visitor an idea of what the South Pacific Islands were like before the coming of the Europeans.  Of course they have scooters and a lot of modern inventions, but instead of having one large town, the island is a series of small  villages.  We love to walk here, and decided that we’d turn right after the tender port instead of left, since we’d gone left in October.  We set our goal as a mile and a half each way, walking past beautiful lagoons, a few small beaches, some rather nice homes as well as a few that were assembled out of corrugated iron.  The fruit trees were everywhere, and Captain Bligh would have been happy with the plethora (I love that word) of breadfruit trees, since the Bounty had been sent here to collect it as food for the Caribbean slaves.  It was warm and beautiful for our walk, just perfect for a tropical island.

 

The weather forecast for today was for 40% rain, and I guess that’s what we had.  Before we left this morning, there was an absolute downpour, which strong winds blew onto our covered deck and washed our windows.  Then, after returning to the ship this afternoon, while cheering on the 49ers, we had another one, this one driving John inside.  Fortunately, it was just at the end of the game, so we both could watch the satisfying conclusion.

 

* * * * *

 

Tomorrow is Raiatea.  Our original port was to be Bora Bora, but it was cancelled and replaced by an additional day in Raiatea.  I don’t know why.  We’re looking forward to it, since even though some rain is forecast for tomorrow, Tuesday is only forecast to be cloudy.  We certainly understand why the South Pacific is covered with lush greenery, but we’d suggest that you time your visit for the dry season, since we’re still in the rainy season.  Regardless, it’s a privilege to visit this gorgeous area.

 

[cruzingnut]

The reason Bora Bora was canceled was because they limit the number of people ashore now. If we were still on the Amsterdam, we’d be going there. Don’t quote me but I think the limit is around 1,200 people. Or, it could be ships at or under that number. I’m not positive which it is exactly, I only know this ship is too big. We’ll miss our usual hours long soak at Matira beach, that’s for sure. 😢

[tennisbeforewine]

It's funny that the Zuiderdam was allowed to anchor at Bora Bora in November with more passengers,  but not in January. with fewer.  I guess life is full of such mysteries.

[tennisbeforewine]

Monday, January 23, 2023 - Day 20

Raiatea, French Polynesia

 

Many people spend time in Papeete, Moorea, and Bora Bora, but Raiatea is a beautiful little island with friendly people (just like the rest of French Polynesia) and beautiful scenery, but far fewer tourists.  It has a cute little downtown with two excellent French supermarkets, Champion and U, as well as lots of little shops that provide a great deal of retail therapy.  The two-story marche is very much like the one in Papeete, but on a smaller scale.  Downstairs offers fruit, fresh fish, and absolutely gorgeous tropical flowers, while upstairs there is jewelry, clothing, fabric, and local crafts.

 

One of the nicest parts of the docking area is a thatched-roof “village” which houses small shops next to the tourist office.  A cute little souvenir shop provided our postcard, and the post office upstairs enabled us to mail it.  On the far side of the tourist office building is a delectable little patisserie to which we’ve been looking forward, but unfortunately, the sign on its door said Fermature Annuelle, or annual closing, from January 21 to 29.  Oh well.

 

After walking through both floors of the marche, we headed away from town, turning left toward a part of the island we hadn’t previously visited.  We walked and walked and walked, and all we saw were nice houses, lots of fruit trees, and a few local residents.  The only problem was that the forecast rain began as sprinkles, but by the time we’d turned around and headed back to the ship, it had turned into a full-blown rainstorm.  The problem wasn’t the rain but the wind.  We each had an umbrella, but the wind was blowing with such force that the goal now was to point it in the right direction, keep off the rain, and avoid having it turned inside out.  I was successful with that until we approached the ship and then my big orange umbrella turned into a long, narrow walking stick.  Fortunately, the young man at the bottom of the gangway was able to put it back in shape, and then we were almost blown back onto the ship.

 

Since it has now cleared, we’re ready to strike out again, this time turning right.  We’re hoping for drier weather tomorrow, and have already picked up information on a $25 round trip ferry to one of the nearby motus, or small islands, for sunning and snorkeling.  It will, of course, depend on the weather, so I’ll let you know what happens.

 

Last night we really enjoyed the MainStage show featuring The Biddys, three Irish women “of a certain age” who sing and converse with each other and make everyone laugh uproariously.  They’ll be back on January 27, and we’re really looking forward to seeing and laughing with them again.

[oakridger]

"The Biddy's" sounds like something different from the usual and lots of fun!!

 

~Nancy

[oakridger]

I've been to Raiatea once in 2019 and thought it was a place I would love to go back to and spend a couple of weeks.  I liked the laid-back vibe and look of the island.

 

When we sailed away from the port for the next hour or so I was transfixed at the views out of the front of the ship.  Gorgeous spot to sail around!

 

~Nancy

[tennisbeforewine]

January 24, 20223 - Day 21

Raiatea, French Polynesia

 

What a sailaway!  We’re on our aft deck, sailing away from Raiatea, and we can also see Tahaa and Bora Bora.  Not only that, but the three are joined by a beautiful rainbow.  Talk about gorgeous.  We are lucky ducks!

 

If you’re looking for a little bit of heaven on earth, Raiatea would certainly qualify.  It’s green and lush, sparsely populated with kind and friendly people, and surrounded by blue and turquoise water.  When I was in the marche this afternoon, I met a lovely French woman who, at 44 years old, has lived here for 24 years.  She described the island as relaxing and friendly, and I can’t help but agree.

 

John’s been fighting a cough and cold (which he got from me), so today was his “take it easy and take naps” day.  After lunch I insisted that he take a covid test, and fortunately he tested negative.  A gentleman I met near the tourist office said that there was a lot of flu on the island, but I think we began suffering from cold symptoms long before Raiatea.

 

Since he wanted to relax today, I volunteered to go ashore to the U market to buy additional supplies for a picnic on the deck.  I just love buying baguettes in French countries, since they are made fresh every morning and have the price set by the government.  The price of a beautiful long baguette here was 60 centimes, about 50 cents in American currency.  Such a bargain - and so delicious.

 

We made a mistake about money in Papeete; we took too much out of the ATM and had about 10,000 French Polynesian francs (about $85 US) left today.  Since we probably won’t be back here for quite awhile, I needed to change it.  Three banks later, I still had the local currency, so I went to the tourist office  and was directed to the motu snorkeling desk, where they deal with Americans who want to pay in dollars.  Fortunately, I was able to exchange our money, and even though they offered a bad exchange rate, it was better than going home with money we couldn’t use.

 

The all-aboard today was at 3:30, when the sailaway party on the aft deck began.  It had been a beautiful day with warm weather and mostly clear skies.  The deck was crowded, and it’s always a good chance to catch up with friends we don’t see every day.  I sat with Susie and Woody, our first cruise friends from 2008, and we caught up with each others’ lives and kids.

Then I want up to the top deck to watch John (remember the one who was too sick to go ashore?) play paddle tennis.  Rich had called him at about 3:00 to borrow one of his rackets, and since he couldn’t stand to have others play without him, up he went.  Ninety minutes later, he was sweaty and exhausted, but he insisted that the exercise had done him good!  Go figure.

 

Now we have either three or four sea days.  I’m not sure because it’s the part of the cruise when we cross the International Date Line and, in this direction, we lose a day.  The day we’re losing is January 28, so anyone whose birthday is that day is just out of luck.  I think the people who say we have four sea days are counting the 28th, but it will disappear, so it probably will be just three days.  Of course after four port days in a row, I’m ready for a couple of sea days.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I read Mrs. Queen Takes the Train. A good read IMO. Any more suggestions? Is there a book club on this world cruise?

[tennisbeforewine]

Wednesday, January 25, 2023 - Day 22

At Sea en route to Tonga

 

One welcome new addition on this world cruise is an “Entertainment Guide” which gives us two weeks of upcoming entertainment information in a single triple-fold handout.  It includes everything being performed at The Rolling Stone Lounge, Billboard Onboard (the “dueling pianos”), The MainStage (formerly the Queen’s Lounge), and any special events.  It tells us which venues are closed on which nights and who or what is happening on The MainStage.

It’s a very handy reference for those of us who enjoy going to various programs.   

 

Last night, the MainStage entertainer was Stephen Barry who was described as a vocalist.  We went, not quite knowing what type of music or the level of talent to expect.  Boy, were we blown away by the show.  Mr. Barry is a charming young Irishman who sings like Pavarotti and tells stories that had the theatre roaring with laughter.  His accent was just enough to be charming and the standing ovation he received at the end of his performance reflected what the audience thought of his abilities.  He’ll be back next Monday and I’m sure we’ll be there.

 

Tonight’s performer is Barry Seacroft, who is described as an instrumentalist.  Now I’d really like more information than that.  Does that mean he plays several instruments?  I don’t know, so I have to check out The Daily Program (yes, that’s its official name) to find out that he is a “Remarkable saxophonist and celebrated composer” who “presents a stunning evening of well-known music spanning two centuries.”  It sounds promising, but if you’re not a saxophone fan, it may not be for you.

 

* * * * *

 

Today was our second brunch.  On the last (partial) cruise in 2020, there was a brunch on every Sunday that was also a sea day.  This year, the powers that be have decided that we should have that brunch only limited to sea days, but not necessarily Sundays, hence this one occurring on a Wednesday.  The brunches have the same set-up, with a fixed menu consisting of three sampler plates.  Today’s Cold Sampler included a fruit skewer, a granola parfait, smoked salmon, a deviled egg (always my favorite), prosciutto and melon, and a wedge of Beecher’s cheese with an apricot compote.  The first course is always my favorite, and I was a fan of every teeny tiny selection.

 

The Hot Sampler had a vegetable frittata, a sautéed jumbo shrimp, a breaded fried chicken tender, a tenderloin medallion, and biscuit with gravy.  For some reason, this is my least favorite course, and because I didn’t want to get too full, I just skipped it completely.  I also wasn’t a fan of most of the components, with the possible exception of the sautéed shrimp.

 

I did, of course, have the dessert sampler, which included a chocolate creme caramel, a nut tart, and a tiny little slice of pear strudel.  That last one was my favorite, with the creme caramel coming in second.  Rich was looking longingly at the nut tart on my plate, so I gave it to him, in exchange for the deviled egg he gave me on Round #1.

 

The brunch is incredibly popular, with every table downstairs in the dining room full.  Reservations are required - no reservation, no brunch.  Our friend Stephen, the Dining Room Manager, said that it’s also popular with the cooks and the servers because there’s no ordering and every plate (with very few exceptions) is the same.  Our friend Ginni was served the regular dessert plate but because she’s deathly (really) allergic to chocolate (can you imagine?!), she had to send it back so that everything chocolate could be changed out.  The other popular item on the menu is the mimosas.  They’re $8.25, but they’re also two for one, so a couple can each have one for a total of $8.25.  I didn’t want to nap this afternoon, so I skipped it.

 

I found out why I thought we had three sea days before Tonga.  There have been several changes in the itinerary, and we’re now arriving in Tonga on the 30th.  Considering that we will not have a January 28th, that gives us four sea days.  I am certainly not complaining about that.  I can catch up on my Duolingo French lessons and get in an extra afternoon session in the gym.  Life is good!

P. S.  No book club this cruise, but any bibliophiles met to recommend "good ones"  Just this morning I received the printout of those books along with summaries and reviews.  I'll try to post titles and authors tomorrow.  Nice to see you're back!

[forwardho]

I am curious about your French lessons. Is it an online company? I took French in college and in high school and remember enough to get by on menus ,etc., but I really would like to learn Spanish. Wondering if the same company teaches Spanish.

jill

[cccole]

You have been enjoying my second favorite place on earth, French Polynesia.  I never give up my CFP,  if I keep some I am hopeful of returning.   We were in Raiatea several years ago when we hired a captain and catamaran for a 7 day adventure.  Like you, I was looking forward to baguettes.  Unfortunately there was no flour so...no baguettes.  I loved the long "mail boxes" that were for baguette delivery not mail.  Our captain stopped on Tahaa for his wife to deliver baguettes to us. 

 

Just loving your trip and thank you for bringing us along.  Cherie

 

p.s.  several WC's ago you were reading a book that I think was about a young woman coming from France to Tahiti.  I cannot remember or find the name of the book.  Can you help?    

[REOVA]

55 minutes ago, cccole said:

 

 

p.s.  several WC's ago you were reading a book that I think was about a young woman coming from France to Tahiti.  I cannot remember or find the name of the book.  Can you help?    

Was it "All good things"? 

[tennisbeforewine]

Friday, January 27, 2023 - Day 24

At Sea en route to Tonga

 

Tomorrow is a magic day.  Why, you may ask?  Because it will disappear.  We are approaching the International Date Line, at which point all 24 time zones come together and, instead of tomorrow being January 28, it will be January 29.  Confusing?  It used to be, but now we’re pretty much used to it.  However, it does make it a bit of a challenge to set up telephone times with our daughter, since it won’t be until we change days that I’ll have it totally figured out.

 

I mentioned earlier that the MainStage is “dark” once a week, with a ship wide activity planned.  Yesterday was The Derby (pronounced in England as “darby”).  Apparently this week the Derby horserace is run in England, so Ian, our English cruise director, decided that we needed to celebrate the occasion.  Ladies were urged to create big, flowery, floppy hats and there was an actual race.  There were six “jockeys” who rode hobby horses around the Lido pool several times.  It was jam packed and it seemed like a good time was had by all.

 

Unfortunately, we had to just hear about the event because it was scheduled at exactly the same time as our travel agent’s cocktail party.  So . . . here was our choice:  jump in among hundreds of people crowded around “the racetrack” and be exposed to whatever, or attend a cocktail party with wonderful drinks and lovely hot hors d’oeuvres.  It wasn’t too difficult to decide.  I talked to several people who attended and the results were split; some said it was the best event of the cruise and some others said it was just too crowded to really see anything.  Our party, however, was excellent!

 

These four sea days are perfect!  The sea is calm, the skies are clear with only some puffy clouds in the distance, and it’s pleasantly warm.  We’re using our balcony more than ever, but even out there it gets a little too hot sometimes, sending me inside.  It just sends John around the corner of our balcony into the shade.  I’ve been trying to talk myself into getting into a swimsuit and heading up one deck to the aft pool, but then today I realized that I only have to go as far as the balcony to work on my tan (and anger my dermatologist).

 

We’re looking forward to Tonga, since we’ve been there several times and are familiar with it.  In fact, our ship was the last one allowed to dock in 2020 when the pandemic was beginning.  A couple of years before that, we had been here on a Sunday, and since there was a Methodist church, we attended.  Even if you’re not a churchgoer, if you’re on a South Pacific island on a Sunday, go to church.  You will never hear more beautiful music than the choirs and the rest of the congregation.  The real plus on that Sunday was that we attended church with the King of Tonga.  It turns out he’s a Methodist.

 

After Tonga, we have two more sea days before Auckland, and then the ports begin, visiting several in New Zealand and even more in Australia.  I think I’ll just relax and enjoy the sea days that we still have.

 

P. S.  I had a could of questions, so here go some answers.

1.  Duolingo is the online language instruction we use, and it teaches dozens of languages, including Spanish.

2.  No, Cheri, I can’t remember the title or author either.  It might be the one mentioned, but I’m not sure.

 

[cccole]

Thank you Renova,  I'm going to ask our library to try to locate a copy for me.  And tennisbeforewine... thank you again and again for letting us cruise with you.  I'll also be cheering for the 49ers tomorrow.  Cherie

[tennisbeforewine]

Monday, January 30, 2023 - Day 26

Nuku’Alofa, Tonga

 

Good day from The Kingdom of Tonga.  Yes, it’s Monday, even though it’s no doubt Sunday for you.  We did have that International Date Line thing, so my dates won’t be the same as yours for quite some time.  It’s a hot, sunny day in a port that we really enjoy visiting.  Unfortunately, we didn’t have any time with the King, but maybe next visit.  Rain was forecast for about 1:00, but right now it’s 2:30 and the sky is a gorgeous blue and ringed with puffy white clouds.  Looks like we missed a bullet.  The down side is that it’s about 90 degrees.

 

The night before last at dinner, the six of us looked at the next night’s dinner menu and decided that there wasn’t much that spoke to us, so why not go to Canaletto for some darned good Italian food.  Dinner really lived up to expectations.  Since we were pretending we were in Italy, John had to begin with an Aperol Spritz, a pretty orange drink he had learned to love in Sienna, Italy.  It’s a bit bitter for me, so I opted for a Bellini, with prosecco and peach puree, another Italian favorite.

 

The starters for the six of us ranged from their excellent minestrone to the Canaletto Salad with candied pecans, blue cheese, beets, and tomatoes.  Those plates were taken away clean!

Our main courses included lasagne, spaghetti vongole (with clams), and the Sunday special, Chicken Parmesan.  Everyone loved their dinners, and I can speak for the lasagne which was excellent.

 

Of course dessert was a necessity, and Canaletto makes a delicious tiramisu, but by the time I’d had my minestrone, a couple of pieces of bread and lasagne, I just wanted to share.  John agreed, so we asked for one tiramisu to share,  The nice part is that they brought two tiny little glass teacups, one for each of us, with a teeny, tiny serving.  It was so cute - and so delicious.

 

* * * * *

 

Today began with a beautiful sail-in at just about sunrise, and we found ourselves docked and cleared by 7:00 when passengers began heading out.  We were slowpokes about getting ready, so we stayed on board until about 8:30, figuring that if it was going to rain, we’d better get started early.  One of our favorite activities when visiting Tonga is just walking along the beach and chatting up local folks.  The people are really friendly, so its an easy thing to do.  The only exception was when we ran into a group of small boys about nine or ten years old, and our means of communication were limited.  We don’t speak Tongan and they didn’t speak English, so we just stood there smiling at one another for awhile.

 

Many people here wear traditional Tongan attire, which for men is a tupenu (which looks like a long skirt) and a kiekie, or woven mat worn around the waist.  For women, it’s a long tupelo, or sarong, also with the kiekie.  Women generally cover their knees.  These items are always worn at church and are required to be worn by anyone who works for the government.

 

One of the things about Tonga that interested me is that it’s so flat.  On many South Pacific islands one will see signs indicating the uphill evacuation directions for a tsunami.  Here, however, the island is virtually flat, so the only thing possible is to go inland to get beyond any rising water.

 

* * * * *

 

As with any port day, the activities on board are limited with only such choices as exercise classes, bridge, mah jongg, and such.  The sail away party, as with almost every port, is on the aft Lido deck at the same time as all aboard, which is today at 4:30.  In fact, today’s activities are so limited that the Mainstage event is a movie, Joyride.  We’re now looking forward to two sea days and then Auckland, New Zealand, followed by lots and lots of Kiwi and Aussie ports.  We’re looking forward to some of our favorite places.   

 

P. S.  Sad about the 49ers.  I guess it just showed how valuable Purdy is.  

 

 

 

[oakridger]

41 minutes ago, tennisbeforewine said:

Sad about the 49ers.  I guess it just showed how valuable Purdy is. 

 

Yes.  It was a strange progression of events.....injuries!   Maybe next year.

 

~Nancy

[tennisbeforewine]

Tuesday, January 31, 2023 - Day 27

At Sea en route to Auckland

 

It seems that on each cruise, John finds a group of friends whom I call his “Pickle ball friends.”  This cruise, of course, is no different, but due to the length of it, I’ve gotten to know them, some better than others.  There’s Peter, Marina, Mike 1, Mike 2, and a few others.  Even our friend Stephen, the ship’s restaurant manager, and his partner Sascha (that’s how she spells it) have become part of the group.

 

Several days ago, Peter googled, “Tonga Pickle Ball” and found a club.  Upon contacting them, the response couldn’t have been friendlier.  They told him that they would have their best players ready for matches and they would even provide transportation to the club.  That transport was limited, however, so John didn’t get to go.  It was just Peter, Mike 1 and his wife Cheri, and Marina (the best of the bunch).  We had a partial report last night during dinner and then Marina filled us in this morning.  The Tongan group not only provided transportation, but they had a full complement of refreshments and all their best players.  Our players were not only extremely impressed but they were outplayed!

 

The point of all this is two-fold:  wonderful people can be found wherever we look (but we have to look), and Google can find whatever you’re looking for.  I have a feeling that this event will be repeated several times around the world.

 

* * * * *

 

One of the things we’ve noticed on this cruise is that the average age of passengers seems to be much lower than usual.  As seen on the pickle ball court, there are dozens and dozens of young and active cruisers.  In the morning the gym is packed and I often have to wait for a treadmill.  At 7:00 there are so many people out for an hour of “Morning Stretch” that it had to be moved outside next to the Lido pool, and even there it’s pretty crowded.  There are lots and lots of people in the Rolling Stone Lounge each evening ready to dance, and when I run the Promenade Deck in the morning (when the gym is too full), it’s pretty darned crowded.  It’s a nice change, as the younger passengers bring a great deal of energy to this world cruise.

 

Speaking of the Rolling Stone Lounge, the cast seems to be a rotating  group of musicians.  When we went in last evening after dinner, we were surprised that the female singer now had blonde hair, but I assured John it was just a wig.  Then we noticed a few other differences, and when we went out onto the dance floor and got a good look, it was obviously a new singer.  At the beginning, there were three singers, but then one of them disappeared because his contract was up.  Last night, another new singer appeared and he was great.  They’re as good as ever, and even at our age, we enjoy getting out there and dancing, often to the music of our younger years.

 

* * * * *

 

As we head toward New Zealand, we’ve noticed that the seas are getting a bit rougher, and we think it’s lots of fun, but I notice a few green faces around the ship from time to time.  We’re sailing at about 20 knots (really fast) to assure our arrival very early on February 2.  The rule is that we have to be docked before the ferries begin, so we should be tied up around 6:00.  We’re looking forward to it, and we have a long list of errands to accomplish during our one-day stay.  Can’t wait!

 

[oakridger]

I love hearing about the energy and enthusiasm on board.  This cruise sounds really fun based on all the wonderful reports/blogs I have been reading!

 

Thanks again for sharing the cruise with us,

~Nancy

[tennisbeforewine]

Thursday, February 2, 20223 - Day 29

Auckland, New Zealand

 

There are so many reasons to like the city of Auckland that make us so happy to return whenever possible.  We’ve been here numerous times, almost all on cruises, and it never ceases to please us.

 

The sail-in in the pre-dawn hours is beautiful.  The sky is usually clear and the lights surrounding the harbor create a lovely backdrop.  John was out on the balcony getting a perfect shot early this morning and then posted it on Facebook with the caption “Good Morning, Auckland.”  Thanks to our captain’s speedy transit from Tonga at 20 knots, we arrived quite early and did, indeed, dock before the ferries began their daily transits.

 

Even though some people couldn’t wait to disembark, we had a leisurely morning with the gym, breakfast on the Lido, and making plans for the day.  I’m a list maker, so as we discussed what needed to be done I jotted things down.  Finally, at about 9:00, we headed out to cross things off the list.  One thing I love about downtown Auckland is that they have traffic signals that allow cars to go one way and then the other, and then the pedestrian light goes on and walkers can cross any which way.  So practical.

 

John wears Asics court shoes for pickle ball, but his pair had been getting slippery underneath, causing some almost falls.  A replacement pair was first on the list, but when we arrived at the Asics store, we found out that it didn’t open until 10:00, so we headed down Quay Street to the grocery store about a half mile away.  We both just love browsing in any size market tin almost any city,  and this one provided us with all we needed.  We had promised a package of laundry pods to one of our favorite crew members (since they have washers and dryers but have to supply their own detergent), and we found just the thing.  John decided that just laundry soap wasn’t enough, so we bought Erick some Cadbury chocolate bars, too.  I found some Sensodyne and John spent some time looking through the wonderful New Zealand wines.

 

When we got back to the middle of town, the shoe store was open and John was able to find a new pair of court shoes.  After hauling everything back to the ship, it was time to think about lunch.  The best thing about lunch was that we were meeting up with John’s cousin Michael and his wife Sharon.  They live in Southern California and are enjoying their world cruise on the Viking Neptune which, coincidentally, is currently docked right next to us.  We met at one of our favorite pub/restaurants next to the yacht harbor, but found it had changed hands and was in the process of being refurbished.  Since that pub wasn’t available, we found another one called The Fox, since all anyone wanted was fish and chips.  We ate and talked for more than two hours, catching up on all the family gossip.  It seems ironic that we seldom get together in California but find each other almost 7,000 miles from home.

 

Tomorrow is Tauranga, a base for some really interesting shore excursions.  We’ve gone from Tauranga to Hobbiton, the outdoor movie set for The Hobbit, as well as Rotorua, home of geothermal geysers, and a realistic Maori village.  Tomorrow, however, we’re going to do what we haven’t done before:  stay in town and see what we can.

 

[colbe]

38 minutes ago, tennisbeforewine said:

  John decided that just laundry soap wasn’t enough, so we bought Erick some Cadbury chocolate bars, too

Be sure to try some yummy, locally produced WHITTAKER'S chocolate while you are in  Aotearoa/NZ. 

[tennisbeforewine]

Friday, February 3, 2023 - Day 30

Tauranga, New Zealand

 

As I mentioned yesterday, every time we’ve been to  Tauranga it was just a place to begin a tour.  Today, however, convinced me of something new:  I want to live here!  We were told that because of its climate and cost of living, Tauranga is a popular retirement location for Kiwis all around New Zealand.  The city sits on the water between a calm and lovely beach area and a spectacular side with crashing waves and beautiful rock formations, reminiscent of the Big Sur area in Northern California.

 

We set out on and found that the downtown is extremely walkable, with lots of small shops, coffee bars and restaurants.  We did see one Burger King on a side street, but we tried not to look.  We wandered into stores (I almost bought that lovely $200 US rain jacket), and went on a hunt for a local taqueria called Roxie’s Red Hot Cantina & Taco Joint.  We loved the name, but the menu didn’t speak to us, so we just kept walking.  We did end up having a chicken club sandwich at a cute little coffee shop, but kept thinking about those tacos.

 

We walked to the end of town, the location of Mount Maunganui or Mauao, a sacred Maori site which overlooks the city and is called “The Mount” by locals.  It’s a dormant volcanic cone and juts up over the harbor.  Anyone who’s interested has a choice of two walks:  around the Mount at 1.77 miles on a fairly easy trail, or up the mountain at 1.3 miles on a challenging trek.  We chose the first, and just loved it.  We began on the side with the rough water and waves splashing against the rocks and finished on the other side where the calm waters of the bay made us want to jump in.  It took about an hour, partly because John kept stopping to take pictures - and he got some great ones.

 

We agreed that this was probably the highlight of the cruise so far.  Besides its beauty, Tauranga has very friendly locals.  We ran into a group of “blokes” who were preparing for a 37-kilometer kayak race tomorrow and talked about the area in general.  We mentioned that there were a couple of signs nearby, one prohibiting dogs on the beach trail and another forbidding alcohol on the beach on New Year’s.  When we commented on everyone obeying these rules, the fellows shrugged their shoulders as if to say “of course.”  We never saw a piece of litter but found trash and recycle bins along the way.  Many of the residents seem pretty sporty, with swimmers, kayakers, and runners seemingly everywhere.  Shorts and tee-shirts seemed to be the usual outfits, even among those around our age.  It’s just a great place, and if it weren’t virtually impossible for seniors to immigrate, we’d be tempted.

 

Tomorrow, our next port, Gisborne, will have a hard time living up to today’s experience, but we have high hopes.  According to our itinerary, it’s a half-day visit in the afternoon and it’s also a tender port, both disappointing parts of a visit.  It’s a brand new port for us, however, so we’re looking forward to it.   

 

P. S.  We'll look for that chocolate.  

[cccole]

No green mussels?  This is such a beautiful spot.  I especially loved collecting shells on the beach.  When we visited I was sad to hear how hard it is for non NZ citizens to purchase property here.  Loving every post!!!!  Cherie 

[tennisbeforewine]

Saturday, February 4, 2023 - Day 31

Gisborne, New Zealand

 

Originally the itinerary called for us to stop at Napier, but for some reason it was changed to Gisborne.  We’d been to Napier and loved it, but had never even heard of Gisborne.  Again, we loved it.  It’s a small town built on the shortest river in New Zealand - at about 3/4 of a mile.

Unlike Napier, this was a “most of the day” port, but still with tenders.  After we arrived, we walked over the bridge and, looking down at the river with extensive grassy banks up both sides, we both agreed that it looked a lot like the English countryside.

 

We walked up one side of the main street and down the other, poking our heads into a few shops and finding and mailing “the postcard,” and then we headed for the Saturday open-air markets.  On the left side of the park was the fruit and veggie market, and then we crossed over the street dividing it to find the arts and crafts market.  Again, the people were absolutely lovely, and our entire time there passed without seeing one piece of litter - even a cigarette butt.  The stand which called to us in the produce market was one that made absolutely delicious little Dutch fritters, with apples, raisins, and currents fried into them (right before our eyes) and then sprinkled with powdered sugar.  We did have to wait until they cooled to enjoy them, but it was well worth it.

 

I do love these delightful little New Zealand towns.  Of all the places we’ve visited here, now and in the past, they have several things in common:  the residents are friendly and helpful, everything is spic and span clean, and the public areas are wonderfully kept.  I think New Zealand wins the “most popular place to emigrate” of almost any country in the world.

 

* * * * *

 

Last evening was our second Chef and Sommelier Dinner in The Pinnacle, and it certainly lived up to expectations.  Again there were six courses, each with an accompanying wine - and it was just too much for me.  Too much food, too much wine, and too expensive (at $95 each).

But . . . enjoy it we did at our table on the window watching the beautiful ocean go by.

The first course, which surprisingly was my favorite, was smoked duck breast.  The fact that it was accompanied by Domaine Chandon sparkling white wine might have had something to do with it.  Next was a porcini mushroom and artichoke soup (yum!), of which I managed to eat about half.  Its wine was Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.  The fish course was warm lobster salad, and since it was accompanied by a chardonnay (I’m an ABC wine drinker - anything but chardonnay), I had a second glass of the sauvignon blanc.  A roasted beef tenderloin was the main course, with a Beringer cabernet sauvignon.  It was tasty (especially the madeira-dijon sauce), but I just couldn’t finish it.  Dessert was a chocolate pot au creme, and, unsurprisingly, I did manage to finish that.  By then we were both just too full to continue, so we turned down the artisan cheese plate and the accompanying port.  Overall the dinner was delicious and we enjoyed (most of) the paired wines, but again - a lot of food and wine.

 

* * * * *

 

This evening we have a captain’s reception for some of the passengers, and we’re certainly looking forward to it.  Tomorrow is Wellington, and we’re hoping to meet up with John’s cousins again for a late lunch.

[tennisbeforewine]

Sunday, February 5, 2023 - Day 32

Wellington, New Zealand

 

Welcome to “Windy Wellington,” the southernmost capital city in the world (for trivia buffs).  It’s a pretty city of just over 200,000 which reaches from the sea up to the mountains above.  We’ve been here before and very much enjoyed a visit to Te Papa, their world famous Museum of New Zealand.  I remember the enormous statues of Hobbits in the entryway as well as Peter Jackson’s creation of a display remembering Gallipoli, a crucial and deadly battle during World War I which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Australian and New Zealand soldiers.  The battle is remember each year on ANZAC Day, April 25, a national day of remembrance when everything shuts down in the morning.  Often drivers will even pull over for the two minutes of silence, and alcohol cannot be sold before 1:00 PM.  They take it very seriously.

 

Today, however, our adventures took us via the cable car up to the top of the beautiful botanical gardens.  We wandered through the rose garden as well as the begonia house, home to all kinds of tropical flowers including anthuriums and orchids.  The begonias were huge and came in every imaginable color.  From there we headed down the mountain through the redwoods (imported from California) and Japanese cedar.  Near the bottom of the trail we passed through a peaceful cemetery which contained remains of New Zealanders who were buried between 1840 and 1921.  It was especially moving because it brought to mind how brief many lives were in those days.  I was almost in tears at the monument to a husband and wife and their six (!) children, aged from six months to ten years.  Life was hard then.

 

After a chat with our daughter in  California, we passed government buildings, including the appropriately shaped “Beehive,” or capital, and ended up at the edge of the harbor.  Besides the Te Papa museum, there is a really interesting Museum of Wellington.  One thing I really appreciate about New Zealand is that all the museums are free to encourage visitors to learn about their heritage.

 

We wandered along the water trying to choose a restaurant for lunch.  We had hoped and planned to have another lunch with John’s cousin, but their ship changed the itinerary putting us a day apart.  We passed on Rosie’s Mexican Cantina and ended up at a crowded brew pub for fish and chips (John) and seafood chowder (me).  When we were done, I went to the bar to pay for our lunch, hoping that, since we had $75 NZ left, we could use that cash and pay for the balance with a card.  However, when the bill came up to $79, the waitress just said, “It’s on me” and sent me on my way.

 

It took us a while, but with the help of the Rolling Stone band members, we found our shuttle stop, ran into our friend Heo, and headed back to the ship.  It’s going to be a quiet evening, and we’ll probably just get dinner in the Lido followed by a stop in the Rolling Stone Lounge.

The “show” tonight is Julian Lennon’s film Whaledreamers,  We’re still deciding about whether we’ll go or not.

 

Tomorrow is the first of our three days sailing through the Tasman Sea (which can be rough) to Sydney.  We’re hoping to get together with some church friends there, since they’re on sabbatical from Cal Poly with their daughter.  Now we’ll have to review our “G’day” greetings and get ready for the Aussies.

[Sir PMP]

On 2/2/2023 at 12:55 AM, colbe said:

Be sure to try some yummy, locally produced WHITTAKER'S chocolate while you are in  Aotearoa/NZ. 

Whittaker's, sssht, that's a secret, from Wellington New Zealand, delicious chocolate, hard to find.