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New Zealand 2022
  • Kristofor Mallegrom
Nov. – Dez. 2022

New Zealand 2022

Our first international family of four trip.. PLUS the extended family - My Parents, Brothers, Two nephews, and sisters in law for a group of 12.
Cruising (mainly) the North Island of New Zealand from Sydney return. Weiterlesen
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  • Beginn der Reise
    25. November 2022
    Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    A New Dynamic of Travel

    24. November 2022 in Australien ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Ive enjoyed plenty of travel over the years. Its been quite an evolution. As a kid, and teen, I have memories of the US and South East Asia with my parents and brothers. My travel bug really hit in earnest in my early 20s, when I set off to Europe by myself for a couple months. A memorable part solo, part with friends World Cup trip in 2010 broadened my confidence and experience. Following that, in 2011, I signed up my wife-to-be in as my new adventure companion.
    That was the first big change, from flying solo, following your own feet and whims, to a collaborative endeavour. That colloboration comes with restrictions sure, but the sharing of experiences and exploring with a loved one makes for a more memorable and rewarding undertaking.
    What adventures we experienced since. Two adults, two giant backpacks. 2011 - South East Asia, 2012 Africa, in 2013 - 38 countries, circumnavigating the planet in 7.5 months via all continents (except Antarctica), 2014 - New Zealand South Island, 2016 South America and 2017 Japan.
    Then in 2018, things changed. We became parents. Our eldest was born at 24 weeks (very premature) and priorities shifted. I spent a week in China for my brothers wedding, but none of us thought we'd be dragging a premature infant around any time soon. It seemed unrealistic and inconceivable.
    Maybe not. In 2020, we thought we'd give a Pacific cruise a spin. Ryland was 18 months (approx), the cruise left out of Melbourne, no flights required, why not?
    Our two backpacks changed to wheelie bags. Weight limits for plane baggage was pushed, we met the oversized baggage checkins, personal clothing luggage changed to nappies, bottles, wipes. Cruise routine shifted from interior state rooms, late daily dinners, drinks, socialisation, pool and spa time and shows to balcony rooms, early nights, rotating pool time and isolation. It was a challenge.. but not all bad.. as before that extra share of experience was so precious.
    I conceded perhaps a short-term travel haitus might be in store following that cruise to allow Ryland to grow. Covid comprehensively agreed with impecable timing, announcing itself towards the end of our February 2020 cruise (even altering our itinerary to give us a bonus unplanned taste of Vanuatu).
    With the pandemic in full swing, we opted to use the time to tinker our three-person trike, adding an Axel to make a four wheeler in November 2020.
    ... and here we are again. As 2022, we're sitting here in Sydney ready for a new adventure. We board Ovation of the Seas tomorrow for 11 nights around New Zealand.
    We're a party of four with Ryland 4.5 and Axel freshly 2 (2 days ago), with with eight others, my parents, brothers, sisters in law and their boys Flynn 3, and Myles 1.5.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Plaaaaan

    25. November 2022 in Australien ⋅ ☀️ 22 °C

    The largest extended family trip yet. Twelve of us. My family of four, my parents and my two brothers parties of three; with wives and young ones.
    It feels like more stress, thought, drama, planning and incident has gone into this trip than our 7.5month duo adventure many years ago.
    The packing took an eternity too, it felt like it took days, and a miracle we ushered it all into the car and to the airport. Three jumbo bags, two wheelies and a duffel, totalling around 70kg.. two single prams, three backpacks and a lightning mcqueen pullalong...
    The kids both love airports already. Its "Plaaaaan" from Axel and "whats that one whats that one" from Ryland.
    Aboard the little Virgin Australia plane, we had four adjacent seats in rows of three. From left to right; Ryland on the window, me in the middle, Axel aisle right and Nat aisle left.
    Next to the comfort of dad, Ryland lovvvved the flight from boarding, to take off and landing, never deterred by bells, beeps, rumbling or turbulence.
    Axel enjoyed his own seat, being 2 days past his second birthday.. he was mostly cooperative whilst occupied, except wanting cuddles from mum on the landing and falling asleep just before that occured.
    An on time flight and easy bag collection, led to our first major challenge... moving those bags, and kids, without a trolley.
    First, the reminder of our mandatory relationship with lifts... and ramps.. a theme that would resound throughout the trip..
    Rolling a giant duffelbag on top of two wheelie bags makes a fine, movable 70kg bundle of fun, so long as youre on a "pure-level" surface, without crowds, or obstructions, going in a straight line, on a sealed surface, with no cracks, distractions, bumps, drains, dirt, wind, air movement or insects and you maintain a precise amount of momentum.
    Two collapses en route to the Sydney bound train was a decent effort. Once we clogged a carriage and scrambled with relative grace and dignity off at Circular Quay, we were just "six minutes" walk from rest and relaxtion at The Sebel West Quay hotel. Six plus... minutes, 1-10 bag collapses and 1-3 good Samaritans overcome with pity later, we made it, a little ragged and soaked.
    We were grateful for a lovely upgraded apartment with great views of the harbour bridge.
    We had time for a breather before catching up with an old friend of mine at Pancakes on the rocks for dinner.
    We're almost off now. A challenging but rewarding day behind us.
    Ryland was remarkably well behaved. Axel had a bit of a Jekyl and Hyde day, as is his style between adorable charm, and screaming frustration at not getting it his way.
    Its all downhill from hotel to ship tomorrow! What could go wrong?    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Ovation of the Seas

    26. November 2022 in Australien ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    With all twelve of us seated at dinner, sailing east of the coast of Sydney, it was almost hard to believe it had all come together - passport applications, covid protocols, bureacrracy, decisions, travel plans, group collaboration, customs, boarding and checkin and everything else and here we were... and you know what, nothing is ever as hard as it seems, people say, or you might expect.
    It was no walk in the park (why should anything be), well at least after Taronga zoo, which basically was just that, but its been a great reminder of how much you can do, easily, if you want it, and how satisfying it is when you pull it off, even moreso if it is challenging.
    With the cruise checkin at 3pm, we opted to leave our vast warehouse of bags at the Sebel for safekeeping, whilst we headed out to the Taronga Zoo via ferry. "Exactly how many bags do you have? You don't know exactly??" - the polite Sebel conceirge query as we set off.
    The morning to afternoon ran beautifully, ambling downhill with boys in prams, seamlessly onto the ferry via a Subway breakfast and off to Taronga Zoo about 15mins away. The boys loved the ferry ride over and gondala up to the top of the hill where you enter the zoo. Free entry for us Victorian zoo members we set about worming our through the zoo, down the hill, in glorious sunshine.
    It wasnt the most prolific exhibitionism display from the zoo residents, but that wasnt really any bother to us enjoying the weather and surrounds.. Ryland spent most his time in the pram whilst Axel ran amok.
    The Gorillas were a major highlight, along with the endangered Bongo.
    Getting back to circular Quay was another breeze without incident or delay, and returning to the hotel was no big deal.. now for just 7 minutes from hotel.. this time its downhill and Im used to pushing three big bags, easy surely?
    I can proudly say I made it 90% of the way without collapse... the last street was a fairly steep decline, and whilst momentum can be your friend... too much can be an avalanche.
    With another unrequested (but welcome) stranger assist, we were down the hill in front of our home for the next 11 nights.
    For all the prefilled, overwhelming admin and bureaucracy, checking in and getting aboard was a breeze really. Axels patience ran a little thin, but we made it.
    Our room is 9538 on deck 9. A balcony room, for four. This would be a first, all of us sharing one room to sleep. Cruise rooms arent huge, but offer excellent storage space. Being tidy and space efficient is part of the fun really and we set to it.
    The plan is a balance of direct and extended family time, with couple and individual time perhaps an outside chance given the opportunity.
    All 12 of us plan to meet daily for dinner booked 5.30pm. We managed it tonight for a great start. The kids were fantastic today 8/10each, and whilst settling in for sleep for the first night wasnt flawless, nor was it catastrophic.
    The next few days we're at sea, New Zealand bound which will give us ample opportunity to explore all 16 decks of this 4000 passenger liner.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Cruising East

    28. November 2022, Tasman Sea ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    Two days at sea, eastward bound towards New Zealand.
    Cruise cabins are never huge but they do have loads of storage space. Its part of the fun, finding a spot for everything, maximising space efficiency so the room still feels big. Despite our truckload of luggage we managed to unload efficiently.
    The ship has 16 decks including a dozen restaurants, shopping esplanade, multiple theatres, bars, cafes a casino, bumper cars, basketball/soccer courts, a casino, three major pool areas, spas, gym, lounges, arcade, table tennis, surfing simulator, rock climbing wall, theatres, big screens, jogging track, scenic viewing arm and much more.
    Theres around 4000 passengers on board, but hasnt really felt overwhelmingly crowded yet apart from the main theatre.
    We've always preferred to try get to restaurants when cruising as opposed to buffets, and with kids that trend has continued.. its even harder juggling kids and gathering plates in an endless rotation relay.
    We've spent plenty of time both afternoons around the pools with the kids, though child access is a bit of a bureaucratic mess, policed mercilessly by veteran operatives authorised to save or end lives. So the rule is: fully toilet trained and no swim nappies can access everything. Failing this, theres one pool of filth and shame, ankle deep, with a few hoses for the toddlers.
    So of all the kids, we approved a "free-range" licence for Ryland, but of course the toddlers swamp is 'exclusive' to the unclean ones, so any attempt for Ryland to water play with his cousins was met with swift and savage intervention from the fun police.
    Next, theres a 42 inch height requirement for kids to ride water slides.. day 1, Ryland was failed by the officer in charge, interpreting his height to be 0.000000000001mm below requirements. Day 2, after a 1000 point check, and analysis from a quantum physicist, he was cleared to slide. Guess he grew a centimetre overnight....
    The restaurants have been a little underwhelming thus far really, in service, speed and the food itself. The wait staff have been friendly and kind as always.
    The first couple theatre shows weve ducked into havent been too exciting, a comedy show and a burlesk type thing.
    Ryland loved a hit of air hockey, and we've done plenty of laps. With two kids theres little you can really stop to enjoy. Weve spent a few sessions in the sole kids playground area.
    Sea days are a little challenging and hectic with kids 2 and 4, but some onland adventures should be a lot of fun.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Arrival Auckland

    29. November 2022 in Neuseeland ⋅ ☁️ 19 °C

    After a few days in the deep blue of the Pacific, we spotted land on waking this morning.
    There was a slight time-clock malfunction this morning. We woke at 7am, and I had us up and scrambling to make breakfast in the restaurant by 9.30am.
    Arriving at 9.29.59, I was pleased to see it quiet, and parties still arriving after us! Then parties kept coming and the restaurant filled. Little did I realise my international roaming had kicked in, auto adjusting the time by 2 hours forward.. too bad Id already manually done that... meaning We were up 5am and rushed to breakfast by... 7.29...
    We didn't have a set itinerary today, planning to get a ferry out to nearby island and explore the city and thats what we did.
    Getting off the ship at 1.30pm, we were docked at the Auckland commercial port. All passengers needed to be shuttled to the citys tourist harbour/waterfront. I made impromptu enquiries at the ferry terminal, and organised a trip out to Waiheke Island for the four of us, with Brody, Alyssa and Myles to come along.
    We caught the 40minute, 3.00pm ferry and off we went.
    Without a lot of time or prebooked transport, we set off with prams for a 25minute walk to Oneroa. We had time for a scenic coffee, wander through the town and down to Little Oneroa beach for playground and beach time.
    After which, a 35minute walk had us back at the 6.00pm ferry with 4 seconds to spare!
    Being back at Auckland before 7 gave us time to have an hour stroll through the heart of Auckland up to the skytower and back to port, grabbing some souvenirs and dodging homeless along the way. All in all it was a pretty place, super clean and modern.
    Back aboard the ship via shuttle and a haphazard full body cavity search on reboarding, we (the 4 of us) opted to chance our luck for mytime restaurant dining at 8pm. The kids were fantastic and we just about pulled off 3 courses and slow service without significant incident or embarrassment and have Axel down by 9.30 and Ryland 10.
    We have our sole cruise excursion to a glow worm cave starting 8.15 tomorrow (not 6.15). So time for sleep for an early start!    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Worms and Forest

    30. November 2022 in Neuseeland ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    Back North from Auckland today to anchor right in the heart of Bay of Islands. Today was our one and only cruise-associated tour - a five hour trip through the countryside to Waiomio caves to see glow worms, then further afield to Kauri Forest.
    We were up 7.15 for an 8.30 group meet in the theatre. Getting the kids sorted, in prams, gathering food and a place to eat, made it a tight affair. Spotting dolphins from the Windjammer buffet was a nice surprise!
    We met Brody, Alyssa and Myles in the theatre, then piled onto a tender with our group of 40 or so. It was quite a lengthy one, it felt like around 20-30 minutes from ship to shore.. though both boys seemed to enjoy it.
    About 30minutes to the first stop - Waiomio Caves
    A short walk from the carpark, pram drop off and into the caves we went. The caves themselves were spectacular.. great waxy textured faces of stone and stalactite.. with a stream running alongside the boardwalk, deep underground. We carried kids with our group all in all around 400m down into the dark, equipped with a few lanterns. At a couple spots, we turned out the lights for the spectacle of a bizarre "starry sky" underground. Thousands of glow-worms reside here, spidery creatures that light up and glow in the dark. The scientific explanation has been omitted in lieu of the sounds of screaming children blotting out education from the realms of possibility. All kids present enjoyed/were amazed and confused by the glowing worms, but simultaneously none too fond of being subjected to lengthy cave darkness.
    Next up a further 45minutes to the Kauri forest for a 500m guided boardwalk circuit. Again, any education was impossible at the back of a hoarde with a screaming child, but there was plenty of gorgeous forest to take in, in its simplicity. Some of the trees were huge and impressive, I think I heard a top 5 in size for wood girth. This entertained Ryland for about 5 minutes before he leaned back to sleeps embrace and the heavens opened up for a good downpour half way along.
    All that remained was a good hour bus return to the tender port with two, well three including Myles, hungry, tired kids..
    The countryside was nice, but driving volume portion to experience pretty dissappointing, especially with no snacks or opportunity to shop for kids 9-2.
    Then, after another 30+ minutes on tender we were able to feed the famished pizza. Feral Axel regained himself with a self-declared "happy beLLy" complete with satisfied pat.
    We were all in attendence for dinner, as we look forward to our major family group tour tomorrow.
    Nat myself, sleeping Ryland and energy/experience overloaded Axel took to a 7pm light/dancing theatre/music show. This further overloaded Axel into trance mode, which meant putting him down at 8.30 impossible. After taking turns to walk it off, the only solution to over-stimulation was more stimulation.. after taking him back for a second dose of show hes finally down.
    Heres hoping it's smooth sailing tomorrow.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    The Big Day

    1. Dezember 2022 in Neuseeland ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    The two standout destinations of this trip were locked into the one tour, departing from Tuaranga - Hobbiton and Rotorua. Fortunately I booked this independently as for whatever reason, Royal Caribbean had cancelled all exorbitantly priced tours to each of both destinations (they didn't offer any trips to both), claiming a lack of drivers.
    This was interesting as on disembarking, there was a tourist desk offering trips to each location, but not both. It took a fair effort to preorganize ANY tour that covered both destinations so it was great to find such a well reviewed private operator with 'Auckland and Beyond' for all 12 of us.
    We met our guide Warren waiting for us at the pier at around 9.15am. We piled 4 prams and 12 people into our private Mercedes minivan and set on our way for an hour drive to Hobbiton.
    Warren advised that a booking mix-up meant our group had been split into two for Hobbiton, 6 at 10.30 and 6 at 11.15. By the time we made it for a photo finish at 10.30, that had been rectified with all 12 of us to go at 11.15. This gave us time for a coffee and snack at Hobbits Rest before setting off to explore the Hobbiton set.
    Our day at Hobbiton consisted of about a 2 hour guided tour and walk around the village straight out of the Shire from Lord of the Rings. The place far exceeded expectations, with the tiniest details and props making you feel like youd stepped into the movie.
    Sadly none of the little homes/ hobbit holes here were more than an exterior facade, with interior scenes shot elsewhere. Nonetheless we visited/saw dozens of them before crossing the site of Bilbos farewell party, over mill bridge to the Green Dragon for refreshments (pale ale, amber ale, stouts or non alcoholic ginger beer for the kiddos).
    The gorgeous sunny weather further added to the immersion and atmosphere of the village, truly picturebook.
    After a stop in the gift shop we returned to Warren and piled into the bus for the journey to Rotorua. Whilst the kids had been fantastic for the first leg journey, Myles and Axel, side by side, opted to engage in a screaming match for the entirety of the drive to Rotorua. Whilst our guide appeared to be a wealth of information, this was sadly unable to be utilised for the day.
    The site of Te Anau at Rotorua offers unique geothermal geysers, a kiwi sanctuary and cultural site. Again, we were received by a private guide to take us through the area for a couple hours. Firstly to a kiwi sanctuary to view the iconic local birds. Despite being clearly advised not to photograph the animals, a certain someone was unable to resist and received a deserved scolding and ejection to the embarrassment for us all. That aside, it was great to see these birds up close, much rounder and larger than I remembered or expected.
    Onwards to the geothermal site, to feel the heat, observe the bubbling earth and behold the erupting water abound.
    Ryland enjoyed laying out and warming himself on some smoith, naturally heated stone faces. The kids all ran amok as our guide regaled us with stories and information about our location.
    Sadly, no haka on show today I thought the kids would love, but we did wander over to observe and learn about Mouri crafts such as woodworking, carving and weaving.
    With the kids tiring (and Myles bleeding from a nasty fall) we grabbed our souvenirs and via a supermarket stop at Woolworths (New Zealand dubbed - Count Down) for child related supplies, made the hour scream-a-thon drive back to the ship by 6.30pm.
    A big applause was due to our guide (at wits and exhaustions end) for getting us around on todays grand adventure. That tour company, and our guide are based out of the Auckland area (requiring our guide to depart there at 5am and return by 10pm) and had, prior to my request, never taken a group to both Hobbiton and Rotorua on the one day, from Tauranga port. Keep 'Auckland and Beyond Tours' in mind whenever you're on in the area in New Zealand.
    The majority of us headed to an impromptu dinner at a different restaurant segment, 8 of us fitting on a circular table, much better for conversation than our regular long table.
    Dinner was again, just ok, and again, extremely slow going.. over two hours from arrival til walking out... long dinners with tired kids prone to screaming is especially rough for tired parents when glaring cruisers get their a game on..
    Still, we returned to our cabins happy, (a little sunkissed) and thankful for a great day, with plans of a relaxing, leisurely beach stroll and aquarium visit at Napier tomorrow. Or so we thought until the announcement..    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Cancelled

    2. Dezember 2022, South Pacific Ocean ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    The Port of Tauranga imposes restrictions of winds to be no greater than 20 knots for ships to depart.. Evening winds of 22 knots, meant we were held there until 2am, and unable therefore to make it to our next port of Napier in Hawkes bay by 1pm the next day..  Napier would be cancelled entirely.
    Super dissappointing. I write this from our stateroom balcony, after another boring sea-day, its 5pm, we're southbound, watching Hawkes Bay pass in the distance with not 20, but 50knot winds and the ship and sea are hardly moving. The waves wouldnt even be a metre high. I think this is our 13th or so cruise and we've never had a port cancelled entirely. Once, our last with Ryland had a port change due to covid, but never cancelled. Seems ironic it happen now, on our biggest ship yet, for such paltry, conservative wind restrictions. Weve been on ships with 100knot winds before, choppy seas, and a nasty storm or two, but here we are.
    The day has really highlighted how sea days on a cruise ship with toddlers, are more chore than fun.
    There's the pool issue, no real access to kids in diapers, you cant exactly stop for drinks, or shows, or relax and unwind. Kids dont allow for that, they scream, fight, fuss and constatntly require attention.
    Further, whilst this isnt a bad ship, for the biggest we've ever been on, its unremarkable/nothing special. It doesnt have anything of real note others ships havent had, and really lacks any grandeurn or spectacular elements.. the shops, cafes, promenade, theatre and decks are a little plain and uninspired. The restaurant has been our least ever enjoyed, rather than a grand locale, this ship separates its main dining into four separate themed, smaller spaces; Silk (Chinese), American Icon (American), Chic (Designer) and Grande (European). We're allocated to the former. It'd be nice to try others... the staff have been lovely, but the seating arrangement not great, food very ordinary and service slow.
    We tried a bit of a swap today, I spent 45min in the adults only pools while Nat took kids to the playground and then she took Ryland to the pool whilst I sat with Axel for a nap.
    Weve had zero time together, and no relaxation. Time ashore has been fun, sea days not so. Bring on Picton.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Picturesque Picton

    3. Dezember 2022 in Neuseeland ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Curiously, today's location was the quietest, with the least enticing activities, but the longest port time. We docked at 9am, and had until 7pm to explore.
    My prefferred activity for the day was Waipupu Wildlife Sanctuary. Only accessible by boat/jetty, ironically the trail for this location passed within about 200 metres of where our ship was docked. You could almost see and touch the trail from our cabin, but no access.
    Too bad we couldnt get access to some of the timber here at this working port after the huge delays we experienced this year for our new home build.. After a short shuttle transfer, we were in the heart of Picton.
    The harbour area here was really just as I remembered it eight years ago when a younger Nat and Kris couple drove in here on a South Island road trip. Only then, we shared the grassy lawn here with ducks, this time, we had a thousand cruise passengers for company... I know which I preferred. The ducks were in agreement.
    I grabbed Nat and I some coffees and scouted for and secured ferry tickets to Waipupu. The whole family opted to follow. While waiting for our noon departure, we wandered the waterfront, main street, stopped for pies at a bakery and browsed and a small market.
    The 5-10 minute ferry dropped us at Waipupu, a little after noon, giving us a couple hours to walk the hilly jungle island, with prams, which presented a small challenge. A few huffed and puffed here and there but we made it around without any major incident. There were dozens of penguin boxes you could peek inside, but we found all 10-15 empty and unoccupied. We didnt see many other birds, a couple here and there. The track was thick forest, offering nice panoramic views.
    A couple hours later we were back in town via the ferry. Disembarking the ferry, the kid's lunch bag slipped out into the water.. but fortunately the ferry operator was able to fish it out.
    With plenty of time we decided to amble along the shore accross to the aquarium.
    Itd be hard to be positive about that experience. Nat and I avoided it on our visit 8 years ago, and it wasn't hard to see why. The $26 adult admission was way overpriced. The 3-4 rooms were dated, shabby, mouldy, in disrepair, containing a dead squid, couple lizards, turtles, rabbits (for some reason?? - possibly the least aquatic animal possible) and maybe 10 types of fish total. There were a couple big ones in the last tank and very cool porcupine fish.
    That was enough for the day and we headed back to the ship via shuttle.
    A nasty cold has dogged me from the start of this trip, and our entire group is basically sick now... there's talk of covid aboard and mask wearing has increased notably.
    No show tonight, just an old movie in the theatre for some reason. Probably just as well as we all need rest and relaxation for our last day in New Zealand tomorrow.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Wonderful Whirlwind Wellington

    4. Dezember 2022 in Neuseeland ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    I think Wellington ended up being my favorite city in New Zealand. It was a bit of a shame our Picton and Wellington days got switched and we ended up with such a tight window here. We were docked around 7.30, with a 25minute shuttle required from port to town centre, and final shuttle back at 2.30pm..
    I was up 4-6am for Netherlands Vs USA in the World Cup. We grabbed breakfast and caught most of the first half of Australia vs Argentina, before heading ashore to make the most of our time in Wellington.
    The shuttle dropped us at the city I-Site (Information Centre) where we could purchase tickets and jump on a free shuttle to our first stop; Zealandier.
    This was basically a huge open range, jungle, bird sanctuary. I gotta say, I was really impressed with the surrounds as well as amount of birds we saw, even with a noisy group of kiddos - **specify birds** The most spectacular were the Kaka parrots, swooping about us and on clear show earning food from pedal-operated lunch boxes. We spent about 2 hours here before taking a 25minute walk along the hilly suburbs of Wellington. I never realised how mountainous this city was, homes by the hundreds scattered about on all arrays of slopes, many super steep, near all with great views.
    Eventually we ended up atop the Wellington Gondalas, basically a steep tram descending the mountainside down to the harbour. Great views, $5 tickets, fun for the kids and largely pram friendly. From the base, we had a 15minute walk along the waterfront to the te Papa Museum.
    This was an amazing museum, we had to rush to get through even a few sections. The Ww1 Gallipoli Exhibit and Nature area (animals, geothermal, sea) were both very impressive. It really blew Melbourne Museum away.
    All we had time for from there was a quick McDonalds stop, a couple souvenirs and 2.30pm shuttle trip back to the ship with the hoardes.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Two Sea Days Homeward Bound

    6. Dezember 2022, Tasman Sea ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Sea days with kids haven't been a holiday highlight, but I felt we made the most of/ enjoyed these two days more than the first two.
    Overall, I didnt find Ovation of the Seas to be a particularly amazing or memorable ship. It was the 13th cruise I'd been on, 5th with Royal Carribbean, the largest ship I'd been on but would probably rank around the middle for design, excitement, activities..
    There wasn't any fundamental issue or gripe with the design, just little unique features or grandeur.
    The cabins have been excellent, among the best I've had. Efficient space layout, great storage, comfy beds, nice balcony, even enjoyed the colour themes. The staff have generally been pretty good as expected, friendly and helpful for the most part.
    The entertainment has been clearly the worst, least exciting and laziest Ive ever experienced on a cruise ship, period. The ship boasts two great theatres, the main enclosed, double storey at the front, and a smaller, windowed boutique theatre at the back.. both dominated by b grade comedy and tumbleweeds. Across the 11 nights (22 show opportunities over both venues), we had about 6 comedians, one burlesque dancing show, one jazz show, one great but weird light/dancing show, and a comedy juggler... three nights the main theatre had nothing, whacking on old movies... and most nights the rear theatre had nothing...
    For kids aged 1-4, there was very little for them to do, unless you wanted to discard them for a high cost at childcare.. which wasn't the objective of a family trip. There was only one "swimnappy" permitted "splash" area about 5m long, closed at least half the cruise.. the kids waterslides and whirlpool was closed as well at LEAST, half the cruise, more I think.. leaving us to have to lie about toilet training to get some younglings into the 10cm deep indoor pool... who knows why it wasnt toddler designated... you'd raise an eyebrow and want a working with children check for any solo adults without kids lurking in there.
    The kids play area was weak... one tiny playground with about 4 toys and a slide.
    Overall, food was fairly plentiful but substandard. The restaurants were separated into four small segments, rather than a grand dining hall. Service was friendly but always super slow and atimes, when not with our regular attendants, incompetent - bringing wrong orders.
    Only a handful of dishes would have been better than 6/10... as many would have been worse than 4/10.
    Another big issue was the onboard cost hikes... beers $10US, cocktails $15US, no happy hours (there used to be) photos $130US for 20... and shore excursions, usually pricey, now extortion.. I think they ended up wanting $800US for a Rotorua or Hobbiton tour and they cancelled all those.
    We had some fun at sea the last two days though, my brothers dad and I (with a filler) competed in a 6 a side soccer comp, air hockey with Ryland, lots of pool and spa time, fish n chips, a few cocktail evenings with the kids dancing up a storm, dodgeball comp for me, and Nat Ryland and I took a ride on the North Star, a gondola on a mechanical arm that rose 300m above the ship.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    Getting Home

    7. Dezember 2022 in Australien ⋅ ☁️ 23 °C

    We woke to the surrounds of the beautiful Sydney Harbour. Mostly packed from the night before, we were up around 6am and by 7.30, saying goodbye to Cabin 9538. We waded through crowds of queues, to the back of the ship, grabbing breakfast at our usual spot, before waiting for our 8.30am disembark call.
    Alas, a prompt and efficient disembark was not to be. For we were a Category something-something covid ship you see, the port has insufficient staff available and something-something else, meaning lengthy delays, standard shambles and incompetence and clogged exits.
    We had a sneaky ambition to tour the aquarium this morning, but with the delays and such, that ambition was laid to rest. I think we were off the ship eventually by around 10. We'd opted for 'assisted luggage disembark' to help with our three jumbo bags, but the problem was, every other cruiser had done the same, and the bag-reclaim spot might as well have been a 1000 foot flaming pile, with no organization or structure to pick up, and cruisers colliding left-right and centre. Bloodied and tired, we finally cleared the ship and its surrounds. Now adept at mass luggage transport, we slowly, but much more surely made our way to the Circular Quay station, picked up some tickets and had our way to the airport by around 11am.
    We opted to check in this time with prams taken to the gate. Never done that before, but gave it a whirl. Had it's pros and cons. Clearing security was hectic, but it was handy keeping the kids rested and apart, especially given our flight was delayed from 2pm to 2.50.
    The kiddos again loved the airport, and I spent a couple hours wandering with them, showing them the planes. They were both fantastic on the flight back when we got aboard, Axel having his best flight yet (of 4 this year).
    It was smooth sailing back in Melbourne, for an hour peak hour drive back to bring our holiday to a close.    Weiterlesen

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  • Kristofor MallegromNew Zealand 2022Reisender

    That's a Wrap

    8. Dezember 2022 in Australien ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    .. annnnd we're done!
    That was the biggest group I've travelled with and had to help organize. A group that size, obviously has its pros and cons. It's harder to keep in touch, be on the same page, cater for all styles and preferences... but when it works, it's lots of fun to share the experience with more. More sharing is more fun right? Well, most of the time, sort of!
    Ultimately, I think most of the group would agree the cruise itself was a little underwhelming, but I'm sure everyone still enjoyed themselves as a whole. I think my brothers found the experience of travelling with kids as challenging as it was rewarding. Just wait until they have two! ha-ha. It was certainly a further step up for Nat and I having the duo, compared to our trip with Ryland in 2020. We did get a little practice in Queensland in July this year, and I gotta say we coped better and better as we got used to it this time round, finding better ways to manage and strategies. It was still no cake walk, but I expect it gets easier as the kids grow, and we all gather experience.
    Overall, I still loved the trip, it refreshed my passion for travel and made me remember that adventure actually isn't that hard. We can all do more than we think, easier than we think. There's still plenty ahead for us to do. I'm not sure cruising with young kids is the way to go but travelling with them is so rewarding. If we can swing it among moving into our new home next year, perhaps a couple weeks in QLD or Perth or SE Asia, and maybe 2024 Japan would be great. I do miss Europe but that may have to wait a while
    For now, reflecting on this trip.. what were the best experiences... here's a top 5 -

    5. Waiheke Island, Auckland
    My second trip to this place. We spontaneously decided to return here with Brody, Alyssa and Myles on our stop at Auckland. We were a little rushed for time, but still managed to hoof it from the ferry to Oneroa and back. It's a gorgeous island with great beaches, cafes and wineries.

    4. Waiomio Glow Worm Caves
    The cruise tour here wasn't great, but it was a memorable experience to see a place like this. I've been to plenty of caves before, without ever seeing glow-worms, and so many of them! (not my photo as none permitted - but an example of how they look)

    3. Zealandia & Wellington
    I was really impressed with Wellington. I loved the city and hilly surrounds, and our few hours at the hilltop bird sanctuary Zealandia there, was a great start to the day. I also loved the walk from there, through the hilly suburbs to the tram, and a whirlwind visit of te Papa Museum on the waterfront.

    2. Rotorua
    A bit of a unique experience seeing erupting geysers, bubbling mud and volcanic landscape different to other places I had visited. A little Mouri culture and getting up close with Kiwis added to the experience.

    1. Hobbiton.
    Despite being a fan of the Lord of the Rings (and similar franchises/games etc) I was a little reserved in my expectations of this place, expecting it to be touristy and gimmicky. My expectations were definitely exceeded, and it was a lot of fun to immerse ourselves in this place. The weather, detail and quality of the set really felt like stepping into a fantasy world. A great day.

    That's it for now. Until our next adventure!    Weiterlesen

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    Ende der Reise
    7. Dezember 2022
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