Days 9 and 10 - October 26 and 27, 2018 - Kiwis and Kangaroos

Day 9, October 26, 2018 - Wellington

New Zealand's
Parlament Buildings
affectionally called
The Bee Hive

Wellington, New Zealand’s capital and most southern city on the North Island, boasts cool and crisp weather all year round. Summer temperatures never rise about 77 degrees, and winter temps never go below 39 degrees. It became the capital city in 1865 and also serves as a large port for importing and exporting goods.  It is a very clean, modern city with a population of almost 400,000, alive with tourism, the film industry and many cultural activities. While Mary Jo and Richard enjoyed the afternoon learning about this as the capital of Middle Earth in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Glenn, Trudy and I did a lot of walking exploring the City of Wellington itself.

From the boat we took a shuttle to the government buildings, then we walked the bustling streets to the Old Bank Shopping Arcade. The building, originally a bank, is constructed in the form of a triangle to fit between the streets that merge at that area. It is now filled with retail shops and restaurants.  Trudy and I looked at the clothes in a few stores, but neither one of us wanted to pay the $300+ price tag for the blouses or pants!  We then meandered over to the famed Te Papa Museum, a national museum dedicated to the country’s culture and environment with special emphasis on the Maori inhabitants.  We spent almost two hours there exploring the various displays about the  intertwined history of the Maori as the first inhabitants and the Europeans, the rich culture of the Maoris, the coming of the Europeans and how that affected their way of life. That history is rather similar to the encroachment upon Native American lands in USA history, though some of the Maori tribes really were more peaceful and worked for many years to achieve their rights and lands without a lot of bloodshed. 

From there we walked to where we could board a cable car  up 390 feet for a beautiful view of the city and harbor, walked along the path lined with huge pohutukawa trees (trees that seem to have a very short trunk with many large limbs growing upward and outward) and a gorgeous rhododendron tree in bloom with deep pink flowers. The cable car museum was also very interesting, as it showcased the use of cable cars in many New Zealand cities until its demise around the time of WWII.  We then walked back to catch the shuttle, stopping at a souvenir store to browse through the many New Zealand treasurers.

Pohutukawa tree

Cocktails before dinner brought all six of us back together with stories to tell of our day. We’ve been meeting at the same bar all week mainly because of the wonderful waiter from India named Cyril. Richard and Mary Jo raved about their tour to The Lord of the Rings, learning so much of what was done behind the scenes of that trilogy such as the selection of the actors, how the actors were made to look like little hobbits, how the blood was made, the challenges of the scene rolling down the steep hill, trying on some of the costumes, etc. etc.   At our wonderful evening dinner, our waiters are simply exceptional – so accommodating, attentive and fun!  It’s been another fantastic day in New Zealand!!

Day 10 – October 27, 2018 – Akaroa

This morning our ship slips into Akaroa Harbour which is actually a large, extinct, volcanic caldera which erupted millions of years ago.  But because of recent earthquakes in the area, we are unable to dock; so the ship anchors in the middle of the harbor and we tender about 10 minutes into the city (meaning a covered ships life boat holding about 150 people or so takes us from the ship to the shore).  Akaroa is a small, quaint little town with a population of less than 700, sitting in the cove of the harbor completely surrounded by rather steep, high, sometimes rugged, unpopulated mountainS of both trees and plains.  It was originally settled by the French in 1840 (but always remember, the Maori were really here first) and is the only French settlement in New Zealand, so there is a bit of a French influence here.  Currently the rather short one-way main street hosts a plethora of boutique-type stores and restaurants, all with outdoor seating.  Then, there’s also the many excursion store fronts bidding for our business.

Akaroa Harbour

Bob and I enjoyed a walk down main street and then decided to take the adventure with the Akoraoa-Jet boat.  The boat was at high speed across the harbor to where we stopped to see the scenic Nikau Palm Gully, the Dan Rogers Bluff and the affectionately called elephant trunk formation. At the Cathedral Cave, we saw dozens of nesting cormorants and a few little blue penguins, as well as a sea lion in the rocks and a sheep on the cliffs. Other interesting sites were the marine salmon and paua (very popular beautiful iridescent blue shells) farms. We did not see the endangered Hector’s dolphins … probably because we were zipping through the water very fast! The thrilling part, of course, was the high-speed, 360 degree turns done at the end which got many of us a bit wet!!  After a delicious sea-food basket and a beer for lunch, we tendered back to the ship to relax a bit before meeting up with the others for cocktails.

Generally called the Elephant's
trunk

Richard and Mary Jo took a bus to Christchurch, through the mountains about 40 miles away. Christchurch, established by the English, is New Zealand’s second-largest city and has a Victorian flare with lovely gardens.  On September 4, 2010, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck Christchurch causing widespread damage and minor injuries. Just six months later on February 22, 2011, another very destructive earthquake killed 185 people and caused thousands of buildings across the city to either collapse or suffer severe damage.  Actually, 4,558 earthquakes of over magnitude 3.0 were recorded in this entire region from September 2010 to September 2014! So by 2013, 1,500 buildings had been demolished, which has lead to the recovery which is still underway.  Christchurch also has a history of being involved in the exploration of the Antarctic.

Richard and Mary Jo thoroughly enjoyed their journey to Christchurch, as the first portion of the bus trip went through beautiful mountains looking back at the gorgeous Akaroa Harbour and town.  They found Christchurch on a plateau surrounded by fields of many cattle and sheep as well as asparagus fields which were being picked at this time.  They found a lot of evidence of the damaging earthquake seven years ago but also saw beautiful buildings and gardens.   Glenn and Trudy went into Akaroa, attended Mass and enjoyed a leisurely lunch in town. This afternoon Trudy also treated herself to a spa at The Lotus Spa on board … I’m envious! 

It’s getting to be a nice routine as we enjoy a cocktail while catching up on each other’s activities, then down to another scrumptious dinner.  Overall it’s been so enjoyable that I have to pinch myself to make sure this is real!  God Bless.

Days 6, 7 and 8 - October 23, 24 and 25, 2018 - Kiwis and Kangaroos

Day 6, October 23, 2018 – Transition

It’s been a transition day as we enjoyed yet another breakfast at Savor and Devour, then finished packing and Ubering to the Princess Warf to drop off our luggage.  We tooled around the harbor for an hour or so before going through the somewhat slow process of passing through security, then by a New Zealand checkpoint to leave the country and finally checking in to get our cruise cards to board the Majestic Princess.

And the Majestic Princess is indeed majestic!  It is only a year old and is nicely decorated with many places to eat or have a drink. It is a long walk from one end to the other, over 1,000 ft, and many steps to climb between floors! The ship houses up to 3,500 passengers with a crew of 1,300; so at least for today with everyone coming in at once, it did seem rather busy and crowded. As the ship quietly slipped away from the wharf, we enjoyed seeing the boats and sailboats all lined up seemingly giving us a grand send-off.

Of course, the food for dinner was excellent and our waiters are terrific.  With so many laughs together already, it’s obvious this is going to be a grand time!  What a Blessing to be able to enjoy all this … plus the extra bonus of enjoying it with wonderful friends!

Day 7, October 24, 2018 – Maori Culture and Traditions

Our first stop on this cruise is at Tauranga on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island at the natural harbor of the Bay of Plenty. Tauranga is known for its kiwifruit (the fruit … not to be confused with the term for the people of New Zealand who are called Kiwi, named after the nocturnal kiwi bird). The local beach here is considered the best beach in New Zealand and fourth best in the South Pacific by Trip Advisor. What struck me was the many “modern” homes and condominiums, buildings of sleek architecture often with flat roofs and plain glass sides along the outdoor decks. We’re told the housing market is very expensive at this time because of foreigners purchasing them. Because this makes it difficult for the locals to afford $1 or $2 million dollar houses, a law has just been passed that one must have a resident visa to purchase property.

We are taking a tour to a Living Maori Village, but our driver, who has just become a NZ citizen, provides some interesting information about the country.  She explained that generally the Kiwis are serious about staying fit, going to bed as early as 8:30 p.m. and rising at 5 or 6 a.m. to walk, jog or run before enjoying their favorite coffee!  The North Island never sees snow; the country is very neat and clean; there is little crime and most people in this area grow their own fresh vegetables.  If there is a surplus of vegetables, they will be put out in front of the house for sale in the morning along with a bucket for payment.  In the evening, the vegetables are gone and money is in the bucket --- all based on the honesty system.  Dairy is the biggest industry in New Zealand, followed by logging, tourism, meats of beef or lamb, wine and kiwifruit.  Over 90 percent of the milk is exported, mostly to Asian countries, in the form of powder for baby formulas.  Immigration to NZ is difficult and based on a point system, points given for age, skills useful to the country, etc.  Over the age of 45 receives zero points (that leaves us out!)!  Plus one must be in excellent physical health. First a two-year work visa is issued; and if one contributes to the country during that time, it requires a minimum of another three years to get a driver’s license and become an official Kiwi citizen. 

This area is a large producer of kiwifruit, which is not native to here but was originally from China. Surprising to me, the kiwifruit grows on vines with very high, narrow evergreen hedges intertwined in the fields to prevent the wind from knocking over heavily laden kiwi plants. Mostly it looks like the vineyards we see in the States and elsewhere. All kiwifruit is hand-picked, with workers imported from the Polynesian Islands by the growers, who must post a $15,000 bond for each worker and is responsible to see that the worker returns home after the season is over.

So the Maori are the first inhabitants of New Zealand, coming here about 1,300 years ago. There were many local tribes that didn’t get along, so the ritual evolved of strong, vigorous dancing for the warriors to psych themselves up for battle. These dances consisted of deliberate moves, loud noises, sticking out the tongue and bugging out the eyes, loudly slapping their bodies, all in the hopes of intimidating the opponents so they wouldn’t fight at all. Tattooing is also part of their heritage, but only the king could tattoo his entire face and the queen would tattoo her lips and chin. Others had tattoos, generally indicating their mother and father’s family lineage.

 We saw firsthand a performance of some of the warrior dances as well as the love story between the king and queen of the tribe living in this village. Fascinating! This particular sub tribe, consisting of 25 families all with lineage to the same chief of 300 years ago, is the only tribe that lives in a geothermal area. It’s like a mini Yellowstone with steam coming up out of the ground all over, with a miniature version of the Mammoth Hot Springs that has two Old Faithful type geysers on top that erupt about every two-to-three hours.  The 80+ people who live here do not heat their homes, as they come to the local bath area to enjoy the warm therapeutic qualities of the local communal, nude, hot springs bath. The tribe also does all of its cooking over a hot springs. They just place the meat and vegetables in a pan or bag and lower it into a homemade box built over a hot spring, and the steam cooks the food in two to three hours.  We tasted delicious corn cooked three minutes in the hot sulfur springs … sweet and delicious!

Our cooked corn from the hot springs

Cooking over steam

Homes are never for sale in this village, as they are simply passed down from one generation to the  next. The Maori are a very spiritual people, and it was interesting to see how they weave their cultural believes of life, earth and death into the Catholic and Anglican churches. What a fascinating way to live using the earth’s resources of mud-pools, steam vents and bubbling pools.

After a wonderful lunch at a local hotel, we enjoy a short stroll through a portion of the Redwood Forest – the same California redwoods which were planted here in memory of the fallen in WWI and WWII.  So while these tree trunks are younger and not as enormous as what can be found in California, they certainly are big, tall and straight. It was interesting to see that the silver fern grows beneath these giants creating a lower canopy below the extremely high redwood canopy on top.  Another stop was at the large lake called Lake Rotorua where we enjoyed seeing many black swans and the beautiful scenery. Finally, we stopped at a kiwifruit farm where we could see exactly how the kiwifruit vines are staked to keep them from falling when heavily laden with fruit. We also got to taste the green and sweeter golden kiwifruit and juice, as we also learned about a new, even sweeter, beet red kiwifruit that will be coming out in the markets within the next year!   We learned so much today … it was a fantastic tour!

Black Swans

Trudy, Richard and Mary Jo decided to walk toward Mount Maunganui for a bit before coming back  Then after happy hour and yet another scrumptious dinner, the other two couples went to the show, which they said was excellent. I was beat, so we just came back to our room to chill out.  Overall it was a busy but wonderful day exploring New Zealand.  After being here several days, I’m getting more used to driving and walking on the left … and it’s even getting easier to understand what they are saying, as their accents often pronounce words differently.  We continue to be Blessed to be able to learn and experience this beautiful country.
on board ship.

Day 8, October 25, 2018 - At Sea

The Fifth Floor Atrium of Magistic Princess

Awwwww.  This is the life … waking up whenever you want and looking out the window to see the beautiful deep blue sea and the rugged white cliffs of the North Island shore a ways off!  We enjoyed coffee and croissants brought to our room this a.m., prayers out on our balcony, then tooling around the ship scoping out the shopping and many bars and restaurants. I enjoyed mimosas at the jewelry store and found a gorgeous ring (unfortunately way over my budget!). Then Bob and Richard attended a reception for military/veteran guests, men and women vets from many countries and many services, sharing stories and experiences of military life. I attended a seminar on How to Increase your Metabolism.  It was very informational, though I haven’t yet decided if I want to spend the money to participate.  Bob and I had lunch at the World Fresh Marketplace buffet.  Yummy.

This afternoon we participated in a fun wine tasting with Glenn and Trudy.  A couple of the wines were really delicious.  Glenn has been frustrated all day trying to get the computer to work so he can apply for his Australian Visa (something he thought had been completed prior to our leaving the States).  This frustrating task was finally completed late this afternoon.  

Trudy and Glenn

Mary Jo and Richard

 The Captain’s welcoming reception was held this evening.  A pyramid of champagne glasses was built in the main atrium and people had a chance for a photo opt of pouring champagne into that waterfall.  The main staff was introduced and we all enjoyed a complimentary glass of the bubbly before going to experience another fabulous dinner.  Our waiters are so caring and witty; and many of the Staff came over to present Richard with a birthday cake and sing to him as well. We’re stuffed!  It was another delightful day at sea … we certainly do love cruising!

Happy Birthday, Richard 

Day 5 - October 22, 2018 - Kiwis and Kangaroos

Day 5, October 22, 2018 – Wild West Tour of NZ

When in Auckland, one must eat as the locals do … so we enjoyed a very delicious breakfast at a little, very friendly hole-in-the-wall restaurant called Savor and Devour.  The coffee was flavorful and strong, the eggs and hash cake, saffron egg and hash cake, salmon with eggs and cream cheese were gourmet; and everyone was so friendly.  Actually, we’ve found everyone to be very friendly and helpful as we tourists often asked dumb questions!

Our tour driver Brett picked us up at our house, and for the next seven hours we had a wonderful time learning about the region’s geology, wildlife and Maori heritage.  We’re on the northern island of New Zealand, where the east side is very calm with many bays and islands and very good for sailing. The west side is volcanic with steep cliffs, no islands and rougher waters, the waves being very good for surfing.  The extremely lush, dense vegetation reminds us of Florida. 

Manukau Harbour

New Zealand sits on about 50 volcanoes, and the Waitakere Range is the edge of what was once a massive volcano. The area gets about eight feet of rain a year. Five dams have been built, and Auckland gets about 30 percent of its water from the Waitakere Mountains. The coldest it gets in the north island is about 50 degrees in the winter, though the southern island does see freezing temperatures and year-round snow, especially in the higher mountains.  There are 4.5 million people in New Zealand, but only one million of them live on the southern island.  It is interesting that New Zealand was one of the last countries in the world to be populated, the Maori people settling here in about 1300. Today, only about 15 percent of the population is now Maori though there are many references and reminders of that culture. There are no dangerous animals or big critters on the islands; though deer, sheep and other animals were brought here by the English for food and game.  

Richard & Mary Jo
enjoying Karikari Falls

Our day consisted of meandering up and down, twisting and turning through the mountains with fantastic views of the valleys, lakes, bays and the City of Auckland way down below. We walk through the Hillary Trail in the Arataki area of the Waitakere Range learning about the silver ferns and other flora of the area as well as savor the breathtaking views of both the west and east coasts of the north island from this vantage point (Hula and Manukau Harbours). Next we descent to Karekare, a very isolated region along the west coast  with a few homes nestled on the steep slopes where we venture down through dense vegetation and sweet smelling flowering trees to the base of lovely Karekare Falls.

Piha Beach

At the Piha Café we enjoyed yet another delicious lunch, after which we walked and explored the black sand Piha Beach, a surfing hot spot.  The black volcanic sand contains a lot of iron, but over the years the efforts to extract that iron has met with minimal success.  The densely vegetated steep cliffs surrounding the very wide beach provided an interesting exploration of volcanic layering and even a narrow, dark cave, mussels and barnacles.  Finally, there are the gigantic kauri trees.  Once the island was filled with these trees that are second only to the Redwoods in terms of size. They can live to be up to 3,000 years old!!  Because the trunks are perfectly straight, the wood never rots, it is hard wood but easy to work with, this tree was coveted for use in the boating and housing industries. With its trunk 10-30 feet in diameter, it is said one tree can build 40 houses. Today they are protected, but only a limited number remain.   We saw one that was estimated to be over 1,000 years old … unbelievable!

Ta-da -- on Piha Beach!

Trudy & Glenn strolling the black-sand Piha Beach

In  front of a 1,000-year-old Kaui Tree

After yet another delicious meal at a local Pub called the “Malt House” (We first mistook it for an ice cream shop), we’re all ready for bed.  We’re also all very excited to be boarding the cruise ship tomorrow and begin the next leg of our adventure. It’s been another marvelous day in New Zealand … I have to pinch myself to believe we’re on this “bucket list” experience!

2018 - Kiwis and Kangaroos - Days 1-4

Days 1, 2 and 3, October 18, 19 and 20, 2018  -  USA to Australia to New Zealand

One would think that sitting for almost 40 hours would leave one rested and refreshed, but that’s not the case when you’re traveling internationally!  Our destination is Auckland, New Zealand, a place I’ve always wanted to experience. Bob and I are so fortunate to be traveling with such good friends, Trudy and Glen, Mary Jo and Richard.  So the trip overall was long – first a four-hour flight to Los Angeles, then a 14-hour flight to Sydney plus another almost 3 hours to Auckland.  We cross six time zones plus the International Date Line, meaning our Friday the 19^th was a very short 5 hours!!  Most of us had little to no sleep on the long flight in the cramped seats that were less than conducive to a good sleeping position.

But we are grateful to have arrived in Kiwi country without a hitch … until the baggage claim area in Auckland where we discovered that, oops, our luggage, along with that of everyone else who traveled from LA, never left Sydney!  After the very slow process of letting the airline know about this glitch, then finding transit to our Airbnb, we are “home” for the next few days … without luggage, toothbrushes, makeup … you name it.  However, the washer and dryer saved the day, so while we wear the same clothes for a fourth day tomorrow, at least they will be clean!

Our home away from home is really cute with all the amenities we need.  The other two couples walked around the neighborhood a bit and came back with delicious fish sandwiches and wine for a late dinner.  By now we’re all getting very giddy from almost 40 hours without sleep, so it’s early to bed … all very grateful to be in the kiwi country of New Zealand.

Day 4, October 21, 2018 – Auckland

Our biological clocks have not yet caught up with New Zealand time, so we awoke early to the chorus of birds and simply enjoyed the sunshine, prayers out on the deck, croissants left for us by our host and coffee from a strange-looking expresso maker. We Uber over to Mass at the lovely Cathedral of St. Patrick and St. Joseph, after which we walked to the iconic Sky Tower of Auckland, the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sky Tower in Auckland

From the observation deck of the Sky Tower we experience a beautiful 360-degree view of Auckland and the surrounding area. Auckland is known as the City of Sails where, we’re told, one in three households owns a boat. The New Zealand Maori called this area Tamaki Makaurau, a maiden desired by a hundred lovers. It was fought over for it vast riches of forested hills, productive volcanic soils and harbors full of seafood.  Today, it is striking how clean the City is, which has been rated the third most liveable city in the world.

Daring Trudy standing on the
glass floor 52 stories high!

Lunch at the Orbit 360 Dining

Cheers!

 We had a delicious, leisurely lunch at the Orbit 360 Dining on the 53^rd floor of the Sky Tower. The restaurant rotates 360 degrees every hour giving us a continuous view of the City.  We then walked down to Quay Street and thoroughly enjoyed strolling along the harbor, people watching, having a drink at a sidewalk café, watching a very tall luxury sailboat return to its slip, enjoying the warm spring sunshine along with hundreds of other people. 

Dinner at the Crab Shack

We ate dinner at the local waterfront Crab Shack … seafood salads, lamb burgers, clam chowder and a plate of huge prawns hit the spot.  It’s getting late, so we walked up Queens Street, Auckland’s famous commercial area, then hailed an Uber back to our home.  The best news has been that, yeah, our luggage is here. It showed up 2 1/2 hours later than promised, but we did get it!!   It’s been a wonderful day  … great friends, delicious food and drinks and the leisurely enjoyment of some of best of Auckland!