Jim_Iain Live - 2nd Half World Cruise - B2B Singapore to Down Under 11/25 – 12/21

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, 2023 said:

Jim,

Thought you’d be interested in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper. Crossed 115km north of Cairns as Cat 2. Do you recognise the Port Douglas main st where you got your shirts? Daintree Village got 200mm in 6 hours. Weakened significantly when it made landfall but still a fair bit of flooding. Most business closed for the clean up.

 

All I can say is WOW ----- I might of gotten a good price on shirts....  What a difference a week makes.

 

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, Barwick Cruiser said:

Great pics from Devonport Jim, really too bad about the weather, we’ve done that ferry previously but fortunately had beautiful weather. Love the pic of the dog in the truck checking you out! 

 

I got a kick out of the dog.    Actually Devonport itself was beautiful with the exception of one 3 minute shower.   

[Jim_Iain]

6 hours ago, Redking said:

Hello from across the harbour. Wishing you a wonderful if windy day in the beautiful Port of Tauranga and wider region. Bit to far away for a good shot of the ship on my phone camera!

 

 

 

What a beautiful view from your home.    Did you see me waving at you from the top of the Volcano?    Thanks for arranging such a beautiful day.    The amazing part was the Leeward side of the Mountain was no wind.     It was howling at the Summit.

 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, flifish64 said:

Paage 50 and finally caught up.  Love reading your reviews and enjoy all the photos.  Ian looks great in your new shirt. 

 

Carol

 

Thanks Carol.    I'm just about caught up myself with reading all the wonderful support and information.    I try not not miss any messages but sure I must at times. 

[Jim_Iain]

4 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

Maybe, I'm just as glad I got off in Singapore. 

 

It is an incredible journey -    New Zealand has surpassed my wildest dreams.    I love it.

 

[Jim_Iain]

Finally the hike video uploaded. 
 

 

[Redking]

18 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

What a beautiful view from your home.    Did you see me waving at you from the top of the Volcano?    Thanks for arranging such a beautiful day.    The amazing part was the Leeward side of the Mountain was no wind.     It was howling at the Summit.

 

🤣🤣🤣Thank you and you're welcome 😁 The view from the top is a great reward for the climb. I was at a pilates class with a tour operator today and she said that the high winds may have made your departure challenging, I hope not?

[Baynanno1]

"We arrived in Tauranga - the 3rd largest city in New Zealand."

 

By area - yes, but by population it slips to 5th with a population of 158,300.

 

Auckland - 1.7 million

Wellington - 542,000

Christchurch - 389,000

Hamilton - 179,000

[Redking]

19 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Finally the hike video uploaded. 
 

 

Epic, what a fantastic capture.

[Scottishclover]

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

5 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I will only post a couple pictures so I don’t bore everyone

 

Jim, believe me you are not boring anyone with your wonderful photos! My sister lived in Auckland for 5 years and I have friends who live in Tauranga so it’s lovely to see the scenery. 

 

As always, another fantastic review of your travels. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[hcat]

4 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Hope you have a wonderful Holiday -- Glad you made it to Florida and I'm sure the weather is much nicer than back home.

thank you.. this will be home for 3 months... warmer weather makes it easier to  be outdoors ..Our Community is a nature preserve.. instant calming affect!  We already have tickets to the Sarasota Ballet for Sat..looking forward to it!

 

Congrats on reaching the Summit..and sharing  another group of stunning photos. Stay safe in bad weather!

[DaKahuna]

10 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Finally the hike video uploaded. 
 

 

 

You left your new 'boyfriend' out of the video?

 

[81Zoomie]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

It is an incredible journey -    New Zealand has surpassed my wildest dreams.    I love it.

 

Hi Jim, we are thoroughly enjoying your reviews and pictures.  It’s a great introduction to our upcoming trip.  Thanks for the awesome photos!

[upwarduk]

11 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Finally the hike video uploaded. 
 

 

Fantastic. Just wish we didn’t live so far away and wern’t aging so rapidly.

[venicecruiser]

Jim-

 

Please do not stop posting your photos!  They are never boring and always a treat!

 

Claudia

[Jim_Iain]

12 hours ago, Redking said:

🤣🤣🤣Thank you and you're welcome 😁 The view from the top is a great reward for the climb. I was at a pilates class with a tour operator today and she said that the high winds may have made your departure challenging, I hope not?

 

Departure was no problem at all -  thankfully.    We just came around the western point heading into Napier.   We have some pretty heavy swells causing a pretty good roll from side to side.

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, Baynanno1 said:

"We arrived in Tauranga - the 3rd largest city in New Zealand."

 

By area - yes, but by population it slips to 5th with a population of 158,300.

 

Auckland - 1.7 million

Wellington - 542,000

Christchurch - 389,000

Hamilton - 179,000

 

Your are 100% correct -  After posting Iain said.... oops... it's the 5th larges.     Thanks for showing the actual population.     Obviously I can't trust my trusted source. LOL

[Jim_Iain]

13 hours ago, Redking said:

Epic, what a fantastic capture.

 

Considering the natural beauty it is impossible to take a bad picture.

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

You left your new 'boyfriend' out of the video?

 

LOL... Actually he asked me to take his picture so I shot on my camera and airdropped it to him.   I did have to give Iain a little kidding since he didn't join me.       I started to say this is me after I took my shirt off. 

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

Hi Jim, we are thoroughly enjoying your reviews and pictures.  It’s a great introduction to our upcoming trip.  Thanks for the awesome photos!

 

New Zealand has surpassed all of my mental images.  I want to see one thing and will see if we have time in Christchruch.   ----  I WANT TO SEE A KIWI.      Their is a captive breeding park about 30 minutes from Christchurch.     We will see if i can make my dream come true. 

 

It's like going to Alaska and not seeing an American Eagle.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, upwarduk said:

Fantastic. Just wish we didn’t live so far away and wern’t aging so rapidly.

 

Iain made me promise to keep an eye on my Pulse Rate and rest when it got to high.    I did take a number of rests along the way and had water to sip and keep hydrated.   

 

Along the way I saw a number of exercise freaks jogging both up and down.  

 

I've decided to do what I can as long as I can.    Walking 10 Miles (20 km) a day help keep me agile. 

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, venicecruiser said:

Jim-

 

Please do not stop posting your photos!  They are never boring and always a treat!

 

Claudia

 

Thanks Claudia...All caught up until Napier... Maybe a couple Food Porn from last night.

 

[Jim_Iain]

Last night was rather quiet in Luminae.   Kumar has been asking us to look at all of the dining menus and wanting to have the chef make something that Iain is in the mood for --  A Guinness and Beef Meat Pie.  That will be coming up in two days. 

 

Tonight I had the Aspargus (cold with a nice Hollandaise Sauce.  For dinner we had the Lamb Shanks from Cyprus.     They were perfectly cooked and nicely reheated by the Chef in Luminae.

 

 

It was interesting that a close by table the Maitre 'd asked how they found Luminae.   The man politely said I usually don't complain but you asked.   He said that there were lots of misses and that on the B4B they had eaten at MDR, Blu and Luminae 2X.    He said that things just didn't flow.   A fine dining experience is like a dance where things are smooth and choreographed.    He felt like Luminae was just learning to dance.    He said things were choppy -  long waits between service and not choreographed at all.      Menu come - after a while bread shows up but the Sommelier doesn't show up quickly and the waiter constantly asks if you need a refill then goes an finds the Sommelier.    Many dishes come out in piping hot plates but the food itself is warm to cold in the middle.       I would say he hit the nail on the head. 

 

He said that Celebrity Sells a "Fine Dining Experience" but felt the waiters should be sent to Cosmopolitan where things just seem to flow.  The MD was fidgeting and wrote down the comments in his little notebook. 

 

He was both eloquent and direct and said he wasn't complaining  but you asked.  

Wow --- that's the total feeling I get on EDGE throughout.

 

Was a beautiful evening and we sat outside for pre-dinner drinks.   They had silent disco in Retreat. 
 

 

 

 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Jim_Iain

[Jeaannie55]

Thoroughly enjoying your review, thank you.  I was lucky enough to spend 5 weeks in Auckland earlier this year, staying with relatives and they took us touring a LOT, so your photos are bringing back some wonderful memories.  I loved Napier!  Such a beautiful art deco town, the best advice I was given was look up! Such wonderful art deco architecture.  We had a tour round the town in a vintage car, run by the Napier Trust, which was fun, including a private visit to the cinema!  

[Jim_Iain]

14 minutes ago, Jeaannie55 said:

Thoroughly enjoying your review, thank you.  I was lucky enough to spend 5 weeks in Auckland earlier this year, staying with relatives and they took us touring a LOT, so your photos are bringing back some wonderful memories.  I loved Napier!  Such a beautiful art deco town, the best advice I was given was look up! Such wonderful art deco architecture.  We had a tour round the town in a vintage car, run by the Napier Trust, which was fun, including a private visit to the cinema!  

 

Looking forward to Napier.     Our tour is suppose to include a "Drive Through" the Art Deco area.     We took a ships excursion because of such a short stop --  10:30 AM to 3:30 PM. 

 

Looks like a beautiful day with a high expected of 73 F.     Nice blue skies and the winds have subsided.