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  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 73

    Waitangi (Bay of Islands), NZ

    March 15 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    Today’s our last day of 9 days port marathon and we are tired.

    Waitangi is the site of the signing of the first accord between the British Crown and the Maori people, but we are not going there. Instead we booked a Viator tour to other places.

    Today was a tour to see glow worms and chocolate. What an odd combination. The glow worms were interesting. They lit up the ceiling of the cave in complete darkness.

    We next stopped at a chocolate factory. They have very good chocolates. Then was lunch. It was at a bakery with about 20 varieties of savory pies. Both Australia and New Zealand do a lot of them. I had meat and cheese and it was delicious.

    Our next stop was a forest of kauri trees, their largest. It was a beautiful forest full of ferns and big trees. After we stopped at a waterfall, a lookout spot to take pics of our ship, then back to the ship. It was a long day. Now we have 2 sea days. I am looking forward to it.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 72

    Auckland, NZ. Day 2

    March 14 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F

    For the second day in Auckland we decided to take it easy and get out of the city. The plan was to walk along the shore to Mission Bay. It is a resort town approximately 7-8km from the city centre.
    The weather was perfect and the walk was very pleasant. We passed the Aquarium which we visited in 2017 and few nice beaches. By 12:30PM we were in Mission Bay. The place has laid back feeling with beach and street lined up with restaurants.
    After great lunch in Italian restaurants, we spent time at the beach. No swimming, the water is only 72 degrees.
    We took bus back to the city and after walking some more returned to the ship.
    We had a pass to the spa and it was a wonderful relaxing end to this day.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 71

    Auckland, NZ. Day One. Evening

    March 13 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌙 68 °F

    After some rest we left ship around 5:00PM for afternoon stroll. Then dinner by the water and beautiful evening. Came back on the ship by 9:00PM for local Māori show.
    Tomorrow is another day in the city.Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 71

    Auckland, NZ. Day one

    March 13 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 73 °F

    No tours today.
    Walked out of the ship and we are in downtown of Auckland.
    Today’s plan-just walk and explore the city.
    We walked to Albert Park, which was set aside as a reserve in the 1870s, and developed as a park in the 1880s.
    The steep paths were very challenging for a wheelchair, so Boris walked and I pushed the wheelchair. From the park we wend to adjacent Art Museum of Auckland.
    One of the highlights of this museum was the Goa Pei exhibit, the extravagance and breath-taking fashion of globally renowned Chinese designer Guo Pei.
    Finished with museum, we had coffee break and then walked to so called Auckland Domain. It’s a huge park consisting of 75 hectares (190 acres) of land, Auckland Domain is the oldest park in the city. Again path up and down (mostly up).
    We finally reached War Memorial Museum,
    which sits prominently on the crater rim.

    We were debating to see museum or not. We decided not to see it. By now we were very tired from walking and the motor on the wheelchair was out of power.
    We called Uber and in 15 min were back on the ship. Time to rest before evening.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 70

    Tauranga, NZ

    March 12 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 70 °F

    Tauranga is one of the fastest growing cities in New Zealand. Located on the east coast of the North Island. The main industry of the city is lumber. We saw truck after truck coming to the port full of lumber for export to China.

    For today we joined few other people in a tour that promised to be very good. Unfortunately, sometimes the tour guide makes it not so good. That was the case today.
    There was a lot of driving. We stopped at the volcanic area that resembles Yellowstone. We soaked our feet in a hot mineral water, then we drove to see waterfall, hiked a little and came back to the town. Boris went back on the ship and I walked in the town for 30min. Tried their ice cream and came back.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 69

    Napier, NZ

    March 11 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 70 °F

    Napier, a coastal city on New Zealand's North Island, is set amid the renowned wine-producing region of Hawke's Bay. Rebuilt after a 1931 earthquake, the city is known for art deco landmarks like the zigzag-patterned Daily Telegraph Building. Along the tree-lined waterfront promenade the Marine Parade, the Pania of the Reef statue depicting a Maori maiden, is a symbol of the city.

    Today we joined the tour to see colony of gannets.
    The drive to see these birds was magnificent, the views of the cliffs, the wineries. We drove through the private grounds where only this tour company allowed to visit gannet colony.
    We could come within few feet to the colony could see adults and young nesting in serried rows carrying out their daily routine. In the air above our heads, these amazing birds with their 6-foot wingspan (2 m) swooped and dove as they carried back fish. On the ground, just a few feet away, the pairs preen and perform the dance of the gannets’ recognition ritual.

    These birds mate for life and produce only one offspring per year. Both parents take care of their offspring. When the baby is bigger than parents, it flies to Australia. Only 20-30 percent of them survive this journey. Three year later they come back and start their own family.

    After we came back, we walked around the town and its beautiful waterfront.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 68

    Wellington, NZ

    March 10 in New Zealand ⋅ 🌬 66 °F

    This is our second time in the capital of NZ, Wellington. It is not the biggest city in NZ. Auckland and Christchurch have greater population.
    The weather promised to be perfect for walking, so we decided not to go to the famous Te Papa museum since we have been there before, but just be outside and experience the city.
    The shuttle dropped us across Parliament building. It was too early to go on the tour of Parliament, instead we walked to the waterfront which lead up to Te Papa museum. Across the street from the museum is interesting modern new convention center. We walked inside to use toilet.
    Then on the walk to Cuba street. The street is full of cafes, restaurants, book stores and music venues, but it was Sunday morning and most places were closed. I guess this street is alive in the evening.
    We then took a bus and arrived at the so called “cable car”. Five minutes later we at the top.
    The Wellington Cable Car is a funicular railway between Lambton Quay, the main shopping street, and Kelburn, a suburb in the hills overlooking the central city, rising 120 m over a length of 609 m.
    By that time we felt a little hungry and decided to split pizza.
    We then walked down (cannot suggest this to anyone with a wheelchair) to the Rose Garden and thru cemetery to the Parliament.
    Unfortunately, all tour have been sold out, but we manage to get inside and took few pictures.
    In front of the building soldiers were practising for tomorrow’s greetings of Chinese delegation.
    Back on the shuttle we had just enough time to take shower and dress for dinner.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 67

    Akaroa, NZ

    March 9 in New Zealand ⋅ ☁️ 57 °F

    Today is another small port. Really small. Population is 624.

    Canterbury's oldest town, Akaroa was founded in August 1840 by French settlers. It has been suggested that French interest in New Zealand speeded up Britain's decision to annex New Zealand. By the time French settlers arrived, the Treaty of Waitangi between the British Crown and Māori chiefs had been signed.
    The town still fills somewhat French. The street names, french cafes.

    I forgot to mention it is a tender port, so by the time we got on land it was almost 10:00am. We had two things we wanted to see: The Giants House and Alpaca Farm.

    Little information on the street told us the price of a taxi to Alpaca Farm is $120 and admission is $55pp. Although it’s NZ money, still we thought too expensive.
    The little van to The Giants House was $15pp. We settle on that.
    It is hard to describe what it is.
    The house was built in 1880 and was named by a small girl looking up to it from the valley below, who said it was so big it must be the house of a Giant.

    Now it is a little park with mosaic sculptures around the house. The sculptures created by the artist Josie Martin. She is a modern artist, painter and sculptor.
    We really enjoyed this magnificent sculpture garden.

    After walk in the gardens we stopped for a delicious lunch at french restaurant. We walked around small town, stopping at the stores and ice cream, walked to the lighthouse and back to the tender boat.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 66

    Timaru, NZ

    March 8 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Timaru is a port city in the southern Canterbury Region of New Zealand.
    It is a small town, population 48,000.
    We did not have any plans for today.
    The weather was cool, but sunny. Perfect for walking.
    Our first stop was South Canterbury Museum. Its collections include natural history specimens, Māori artefacts, European settlement and recent social history and documentary history.
    Two most memorable things in this museum: kiwi and the size of an egg it carries. Poor mama. It is a very unique bird….cannot fly, has very strong legs and whiskers like a cat.
    Another was Richard Pearse's plane he flew in 1903. Pearse was an Australian farmer and flew this plane nine months before Wright Brothers.

    Then we visited St. Mary’s church, walked more and had coffee. After they with the renewed energy we visited two art galleries, had good lunch, walked to the beach on Caroline Bay and came back on the ship around 3:30 pm.    Read more

  • Sonia GelmanAustralia and NZ 2024
    Day 65

    PortChalmers/Dunadin, NZ

    March 7 in New Zealand ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    After three days of rough sea we arrived to Port Charmers, which is gateway to Dunadin. We visited it in 2017 and had a tour. For today we booked a tour which we knew will repeat few things we did in 2017, but will also cover new stuff.

    It's known for its Scottish and Maori heritage, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, and a large student population.

    We visited the steepest street in the world. The angle is 38.4 degrees. Then we drove to the overlook of the city and monument to the pioneer who came to the area first.
    We stopped at the university of Ortego where 30,000 students trying to learn something.
    Then we stopped at the botanical garden to see different birds. Some of them talked.
    We toured Dunadin railroad station. It was build in 1906 and its magnificent Renaissance stile has Oamaru limestone facing on black basalt rock.
    Inside floor has 750,000 porcelain tiles.
    After beautiful ride our last stop was Royal Albatross Centre where we had lunch and then a presentation and a walk to see albatross and chicks few weeks old.

    Then I took another beautiful walk to see sea lions on the beach.

    It took one hour to get back to the ship.    Read more

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