New Zealand

SAN FRANCISCO WAS A GOOD STOP-OVER POINT & A NEEDED BREAK BEWEEN FLIGHTS

I WILL BE LEAVING HERE THIS EVENING AND ARRIVING IN AUCKLAND AT FIVE AM THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW

CALCULATE THAT AND IT IS WAY TOO LONG TO BE AN AN AIRPLANE.

IN REALITY, THANKS TO THE INTERNATIONAL DATE LINE, THE FLIGHT IS ONLY ELEVEN SOME HOURS LONG. I SAY 'ONLY' WITH MY TONGUE FIRMLY IN CHEEK.

PASSED OVER THE EQUATOR TOO.
NO CELEBRATION OR EVEN AN ANNOUNCEMENT.
VERY HUMDRUM I GUESS.

AT LEAST THE PLANE IS NICE & COMFORTABLE, LOOK HOW HIGH THE OVERHEAD BINS ARE. NO IDEA WHAT SORT OF PLANE BUT IT IS A NEW ONE FOR ME.

ARRIVING IN AUCKLAND I HAD TO PUT MY BAGS THROUGH THE SCANNERS AGAIN. I CANNOT REMEMBER EVER DOING THAT ON GETTING OFF A PLANE SO I ASK THE GUY WHAT'S UP. LOOKING FOR PLANT MATERIAL MAINLY BUT HE SAYS THAT RECENTLY THEY FOUND A LOADED GUN ON A MAN COMING IN FROM THE USA.
OOPS!

MY CRUISE IS WITH HOLLAND & AMERICA. A STEP UP FROM MY PREVIOUS CRUISE LINES, OR SO THEY TELL EVERYONE.

H & A HAVE ARRANGED FOR MY HOTEL & INCLUDE A TRANSFER FROM THE AIRPORT.

A GUY WITH A CHAUFFEURS UNIFORM IS HOLDING A SIGN WITH MY SURNAME. I ENQUIRE IF IT IS ME HE IS WAITING FOR AND SURE ENOUGH, IT IS.

OFF WE GO TO THE HOTEL IN A CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN LIMOUSINE - ME IN BACK ON MY OWN.
I AM THE ONLY H & A PASSENGER THAT FLIGHT & THAT HOTEL.

I AM IMPRESSED SO FAR.

LET'S SEE IF THEY CAN KEEP IT UP!

AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND

A COUPLE OF DAYS HERE WAITING FOR MY SHIP TO COME IN

MY HOTEL IS VERY SWANKY. IT'S THE ONE WITH THE BIG TOWER THAT IS VISIBLE FROM ALL AROUND AUCKLAND.

I HEAD OUTSIDE & WALK DOWNHILL TOWARDS THE HARBOUR, THINKING I WILL TAKE A FERRY SOMEWHERE.
FERRIES HAVE TO BE ONE OF THE MOST ECONOMICAL & FUN WAYS TO TAKE IN A NEW PLACE - I LIKE THEM.

GOING ON A FERRY BUT NOT THIS ONE...

THIS ONE....

WITH A LOOK BACK AT AUCKLAND'S SKYLINE WHERE MY HOTEL IS PLAINLY VISIBLE.

THIS IS WHERE THE FERRY IS TAKING ME...

I ASK A LADY WHAT IS GOING ON BECAUSE, IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU CAN SEE LOTS OF PEOPLE ON THE SHORE.

IT'S AN ART SHOW. LOOKS LIKE A PLAN..

NOTE THE BIT OF YELLOW IN THE LEFT FOREGROUND. WE GET TO SEE THAT FROM THE TRAIL ABOVE IT IN A BIT

PASSING THIS SIGN,

I FOLLOW THE ART SHOW SIGNS & HEAD UP HILL FOR A LOOK DOWN AT THE FERRY TERMINAL

AND ALL ALONG THE TRAIL THERE IS ALL THIS WHIMSICAL OUTDOOR ART. WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA!

OOPS!

A NAKED MAN. HOW DID HE GET IN HERE?

CARDBOARD CUT-OUTS

VERY IMAGINATIVE

THERE'S THE YELLOW THING .. IT'S A TUBE.

UP HERE ON THE HILL, THE ARTIST HAS A FOOT PUMP HE IS USING TO MAKE THE TUBE SNAKE AROUND IN THE WATER..

THIS GIVES A PRICE FOR ONE OF THE PIECES - HOW WOULD I GET IT HOME?

WHERE WOULD I PUT IT?

THAT'S THE END OF THE SHOW AND TIME FOR AN ICE CREAM. IT WAS A LONGISH WALK - MAYBE 2 -3 HOURS. GOOD FUN.

A BITE TO EAT AT A RESTAURANT OVERLOOKING THIS BAY.

IT WAS JUST AROUND THIS TIME I BOUGHT SOME SUN TAN LOTION. NOT SOON ENOUGH. MY HANDS ARE BURNT. I HAVE NEVER HAD MY HANDS BURN BEFORE .. THIS SUN IS INTENSE BUT NOT OVERLY HOT.

BACK TO THE FERRY . STOP FOR A DRINK WHERE THIS GUY LET ME TAKE HIS PHOTO

NICE TEA SHIRT.... MIGHT NOT MEAN ANYTHING TO ANYONE BUT HERE IN OTTAWA WE HAVE 'DUNKING DOUGHNUTS'. LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE A VERSION IN NZ....

AND TO THE HOTEL...

CHECK THE HEADLINES....

NEXT DAY I AM HEADING TO THE WONDERFULLY NAMED - TIRI TIRI MATANGI - RODENT FREE BIRD SANCTUARY .. IT'S ANOTHER FERRY RIDE

BUT THIS IS MY SHIP, THE MS AMSTERDAM HERE A DAY EARLY. IT HAS COME FROM FORT LAUDERDALE ON THE FIRST LEG OF IT'S AROUND THE WORLD VOYAGE .. I WILL BE ON THE NEXT TWO LEGS, ENDING IN GREECE.

THIS IS MY FERRY....

AN ENJOYABLE HIKE AROUND THE ISLAND BUT NOT TOO MANY BIRDS. WE WERE ALLOCATED A GUIDE WHO KEPT US TOGETHER & ANSWERED ANY OF OUR QUESTIONS .
HE ABSOLUTELY REFUSED ANY PAYMENT, EVEN AS A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ISLAND FUND. SAID TO GIVE IT TO THE LADIES IN THE SHOP.

BACK TO THE HOTEL

I WAS AWAKEN AT ABOUT MIDNIGHT BY WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MY TV. I GOT UP TO CHECK AND HEARD THE NOISE WAS OUTSIDE.

JUST UP THE ROAD THERE WERE PEOPLE GOING UP AND DOWN THROGH THE AIR ON A GIANT ELASTIC BAND.

THE NOISE WAS THEIR SCREAMING.

CRAZY NEW ZEALANDERS.

NEXT DAY I CHECKED MY BAG IN WITH THE BELL HOP & HEAD OUT FOR THE MORNING FOR YET ANOTHER FERRY RIDE ACROSS THE HARBOUR FOR A NICE LITTLE STROLL & A SIT BY THE BEACH

I HEAD TO THE SHIP WHERE THERE IS NO QUEUE TO GET ON. HARDLY ANY FORMALITIES. I GET MY KEY & GET MY FIRST SIGHT OF THE ROOM THAT WILL BE HOME FOR THE NEXT TWO MONTHS.

AND - YESSSSS - MY BAGS ARE IN MY ROOM.

CONGRATULATIONS TO H & A. THE MOST RELAXED EMBARKATION EVER....

NEXT IS A SAIL BOAT RIDE TO SEE DOLPHINS

I FOUND A TOUR ON-LINE WHERE THEY TAKE YOU OUT ON A SAILBOAT IN SEARCH OF DOLPHINS. THEY SAY THEIR SUCCESS RATE IS HIGH BUT NOT GUARANTEED.

AN INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS TRIP IS THAT THE BOAT HAS A BAR ACROSS THE BACK, AT THE WATERLINE. THE IDEA IS THAT PEOPLE HANG ON TO THE BAR AND THE DOLPHINS SWIM ALONG BESIDE YOU. ALL THIS OF COURSE IS WHILE THE BOAT IS UNDERWAY...

HOW COOL IS THAT?

I HAVE NO INTENTION OF GETTING IN THE WATER, BUT IT WILL BE AN EXPERIENCE ANYWAY.

THAT'S THE PLAN TODAY

THE AMSTERDAM LEAVES AUCKLAND BEHIND

THIS IS THE PLACE I WAS AT YESTERDAY MORNING...I FORGET THE NAME

NO EXCUSE FOR NOT KNOWING WHAT DAY IT IS.

AND OVERNIGHTS TO MOUNT MAUNGANU

THIS WILL BE MY RIDE FOR THE DAY

I LIKE IT ALREADY..

DOLPHINS ALREADY....

AND I AM LOOKING PRETTY PLEASED ABOUT THAT.

BUT WE ONLY HAD ABOUT EIGHT OR LESS AROUND US. TOO FEW FOR ANYONE TO GET IN THE WATER WITH THEM. THE MATE TOLD US THEY WOULD BE FRIGHTENED AWAY.

ANYWAY WE HAD THEM AROUND US FOR QUITE A WHILE, RIDING THE BOW WAVE, WITH THE BOAT SWISHING ALONG UNDER SAIL.

VERY EXCITING...

I HAVE A VIDEO THAT I HOPE TO INSERT HERE

TIME TO ANCHOR FOR A SNORKEL FOR THOSE WHO LIKE GETTING WET.

A NICE RIDE BACK TO THE AMSTERDAM WITH A SISTER BEHIND HER.

GOODBYE TO THE GALAXSEA

WHEN MOST OF THE PEOPLE GOT ON BACK IN JANUARY, THE CAPTAIN & OFFICERS WERE PRESENTED ON STAGE. A BIG PRODUCTION.

SINCE THERE WERE ONLY ABOUT FIFTY WHO GOT ON IN AUCKLAND, WE WERE INVITED TO MEET IN A LOUNGE FOR A CHAT WITH THE CAPTAIN & OFFICER & TO WINE & SNACKS.

A BIT OF A BONUS FOR US..

THIS IS THE NEXT STOP - NAPIER

THAT WAS US ENTERING NAPIER. LOTS OF WOOD PRODUCTS ON SHORE...LOTS OF GREY HAIR ON DECK....

AND THEY HAVE CHANGED THE MATS AGAIN. I WONDER IF IT I HAS ANOTHER DAY ON THE REVERSE?

HEADING SOUTH NOW TO CAPE KIDNAPPERS & THE GANNET COLONY THERE....

SOME GREAT SCENERY ON THE WAY......

& NOT SO GREAT....

THE LADY ON THE RIGHT IS FAMOUS.

WELL, FAMOUS ON CRUISE SHIPS.

SHE IS DONNA WHO TITLES HERSELF 'THE STAR LADY' & GIVES SOME GREAT LECTURES ON BOARD ABOUT - STARS. VERY ENTERTAINING AND INFORMATIVE.

I LIKE STARS BUT HAVE NEVER STAYED ON DECK WATCHING THEM. TOO MUCH LIGHT FROM THE SHIP.

AND HERE WE ARE, COMING UP ON THE CAPE. NOTE THE BIRDS DOWN BELOW. GANNETS, I GUESS.

THIS LADY IS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED OF BIRDS. SHE KNEW THIS BEFORE COMING ON THE TRIP BUT MUST HAVE MISSED THE 'GANNETS' PART OF THE TOUR DESCRIPTION.
HER GRAND-DAUGHTER THINKS IT'S FUNNY. POOR GRAN!

THE YOUNGSTER IS ON THE AMSTERDAM FOR THE ENTIRE ROUND THE WORLD VOYAGE. ONE OF ONLY THREE KIDS ON BOARD. THERE IS A CLASSROOM ON BOARD WHERE THEY HAVE A LESSONS. THEN A DIP IN THE POOL & BACK FOR A LESSON.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE.

THE BIRDS WERE JUST LIKE IN THE 'BIRDS'. WHEELING & SCREAMING ALL AROUND US.

APART FROM THE PIGEONS IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE, I HAD NEVER BEEN THIS CLOSE SO MANY BIRDS BEFORE.

QUITE WONDERFUL...

SOME NICE FENCES IN NEW ZEALAND..... YOU WILL SEE MORE LATER... CAN'T WAIT, CAN YOU?

THE END OF THE DAY...

AND GOODBYE TO THE PILOT.....

BUT FIRST A LITLE TOUR OF THE AMSTERDAM.......

AND A WALK ROUND WELLINGTON.

PIES WITH REAL MEAT!

ANYONE UP FOR THE ALTERNATIVE?

THE GIRL ON THE RIGHT IS A STAFF MEMBER.

THE LADY IN THE MIDDLE IS THE CHARACTER ON BOARD.

WELL. ONE OF THE CHARACTERS ON BOARD.

TODAY SHE HAS A WHAT? ON HER HEAD? CHICKEN MAYBE.
EVERY DAY SOMETHING NEW.
MUST HAVE A TRUNK FULL.

ONE DAY SHE HAD A TEA POT!

ADDS NEW MEANING TO THE EXPRESSION 'MAD HATTERS TEA PARTY'

THEN CLIMB UP FOR A LOOK OUT OVER WELLINGTON.

SOME CHARLIE THOUGHT TO BRING BINOCULARS....

COULD BE THE SOUTH ISLAND IN THE DISTANCE. WE WILL BE THERE IN A FEW DAYS....

WE ARE HEADING DOWN NOW.......

.....TO THE BEACH...

AND ON TO THE BEACH.....

.... WHERE WE START TO SEE THE SEALS....

THE SHIPS PHOTOGRAPHER. AN ENGLISH GIRL. VERY PLEASANT.

IS THAT PADDY FROM ALBERTA? MAYBE. YES - I RECOGISE THE SNEAKERS!

AND LOAD UP THE CARS FOR THE RIDE HOME.

WE WERE LUCKY APPARENTLY AS IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO DRIVE THIS FAR ALONG THE BEACH.

JUST OUT OF VIEW ARE BJ & JACK.... GONNA SPEND A LOT OF HAPPY HOURS WITH THEM...

and a little video

its a little bumpy. Ok - a lot bump.

I still chuckle when I hear B J in the car on the beach.

ON WE GO TO THE SOUTH ISLAND.

NOW CHANGED TO SOUTH ISLAND

AND AMSTERDAM IS DOCKED AT LYTTLETON, THE PORT NEAR CHRISTCHURCH

CHRISTCHURCH HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS OF LATE ON ACCOUNT OF EARTHQUAKES. A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER WE LEFT, ANOTHER DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE HIT THE CITY.

THE TOUR TODAY IS TO GO FAR INLAND & INTO THE HIGH COUNTRY WHERE THERE IS A SHEEP STATION. THEN THE HIGHLIGHT SHOULD BE A JET BOAT RIDE.

LORAINE & SANDY FROM MY DINING TABLE WERE ALSO ALONG.

CHRISTCHURCH

NOTICED THIS ON THE WAY INTO DOCK & WONDERED IF IT IS THE ACTUAL CHRIST CHURCH. NEVER DID FIND OUT

FIRST A STOP AT THE GARDENS IN CHRISTCHURCH & A WALK ALONG THE RIVER HERE.

SOME PRETTY LOOKING GRAFFITI FOR A CHANGE...

AT THIS POINT, I FOUND MY MEMORY CARD WAS FULL. I THINK I DELETED SOME OLD PICS & REDUCED THE SIZE OF FUTURE PICTURES. ENOUGH ANYWAY TO GET SOME SHOTS.

I ALSO MET THE LOVELY MARTHA HERE.

IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE WE WERE OUT INTO THE COUNTRYSIDE & SEEING OUR FIRST SHEEP OF THE DAY.

EXCEPT THAT THOSE SHEEP WERE LLAMAS...

GRADUALLY CLIMBING HIGHER

A PARTICULARLY NICE FENCE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY I LIKE FENCES AS PHOTO SUBJECTS, BUT I FIND THEM VERY PLEASING.

I LIKE LAUNDRY TOO FOR SOME REASON.

A MEAL BREAK

DIDYMO

WHAT'S THAT?

SOUNDS BAD WHATEVER IT IS.

THIS IS OUR VAN

AND SOME OF THE PASSENGERS. I GET A FRONT SEAT - VERY NICE.

WE ENTER THE SHEEP STATION & , NOW THERE ARE SHEEP. BUT NOT MASSES OF THEM.

NOW WE ARE UP HIGH. GREAT VIEWS IN EVERY DIRECTION...

AND WE REACH THE RIVER & IT'S TIME FOR OUR JET BOAT RIDE....

TAKING ON A HITCH-HIKER...

AND A VIDEO - HOLD ONTO YOU HATS.

YOU CAN VIEW THAT IN FULL SCREEN IF YOU WANT...

THIS IS A TRIP TO SEE SOME MORE SEALS BUT MY REASON FOR CHOOSING THE TOUR IS BECAUSE THERE IS MENTION OF PENGUINS & ALBATROSS..

MUST BE A SATURDAY...

DEFINITELY A WORKING PORT. NICE TO KNOW SOMEONE IS WORKING

NOT TOO LONG BEFORE WE SEE THE FIRST SEALS...

BE HONEST NOW.. DID YOU SPOT THE PENGUIN ON THE BEACH?

AND THAT'S IT FOR THE PENGUINS....HAVE ANOTHER LOOK.

STILL CAN'T SEE HIM.

ME NEITHER BUT HE IS THERE SOMEWHERE..

A GUIDE SHOWED ME INTO A LOCKED OFF AREA WHERE THESE TWO WERE HIDING IN A CLEFT.

ANOTHER GUIDE CAME ALONG & MADE US GET AWAY AS WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE THERE.

AND THAT'S THAT FOR THE SEALS & PENGUINS... & NOW FOR SOME SHEEP...

WE WERE IN THESE BUGGIES & IT DOES LOOK COLD...THAT'S GENA & HANS. TWO OF MY TABLE BUDDIES.

THIS SHEEP STAYED ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF US, JUST RUNNING AND RUNNING....

ALMOST A SHOT OF A WEDDING AS WE FLASH PAST...

THAT WAS THE PUKEHIKI LIBRARY, WHERE YOU COULD PROBABLY FIND OUT THAT THE MAORI CALL NEW ZEALAND THE LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD.

APTLY NAMED AS YOU CAN SEE HERE....

AN OLD SEA DOG.....

IS THAT AN ALBATROSS? I MUST HAVE MISSED THE SPOT WHERE THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE.

IT'S BEEN A SINGULAR SORT OF DAY.

NOT MUCH WILD LIFE ON THIS TOUR BUT A GREAT RIDE ALONG THE OATAGO PENINSULAR..

I MUST PAY MORE ATTENTION TO THE TOUR DESCRIPTIONS IN FUTURE..

MAYBE A KIWI TOMORROW... IT SAYS SO IN THE TOUR GUIDE..

ULVA ISLAND - NEAR STEWART ISLAND - NEAR OBAN, OR JUST ABOUT AS FAR SOUTH AS THIS TRIP WILL TAKE US

I AM REMINDED THAT THERE ARE REPUTED TO BE KIWIS AROUND HERE.
I HAD READ SOMEWHERE, THAT BECAUSE THEY ARE SLIGHTLY BIGGER THAN THEIR COUSINS FARTHER NORTH, THEY ARE SOMETIMES SEEN DURING THE DAY.
THE LIKELYHOOD OF SEEING ONE IS BETWEEN FAT CHANCE & NO CHANCE, BUT I LIVE IN HOPE.

THEY ARE PROBABLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND..

BEFORE LEAVING HOME I MENTIONED TO A GIRL WHO WORKS IN THE PUB THAT I MAY SEE A KIWI BECAUSE WHERE I AM GOING THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY NOCTURNAL.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOCTURNAL" SHE ASKS.
"I THOUGHT A KIWI IS A FRUIT."

THE YOUNG - GOTTA LUV EM.

ANYWAY, WE DO NOT TENDER TO SHORE IN OBAN & THEN CONNECT TO OUR TOUR. WE TENDER DIRECT TO THE TOUR ON ULVA ISLAND. MAYBE A BIRD OR TWO..

WE ARE GOING TO BE SPLIT INTO GROUPS FOR A WALK AROUND WITH A GUIDE. BEFORE WE EVEN DO THAT WE SEE THIS....

A KIWI??

IS IT A KIWI? LOOKS LIKE A KIWI.

NO - NOT A KIWI....

AND NEITHER ARE THESE....

LOVELY DEEP WOODS. GREAT LOOKING TREES....

OUR GUIDE .... CAMILA SKULKING BEHIND....

WHOA!

I THINK I HEARD THIS IS THE ISLANDS POST OFFICE..

A TENDER COMING IN

LOOKING PRETTY CHILLY ON THE BEACH AT OBAN

THESE GUYS HAVE TO POINT THE WAY TO WATER. WE MAY BE IN TROUBLE

THIS IS OUR LAST PORT IN NEW ZEALAND. AND NOT A KIWI IN SIGHT EXCEPT FOR THE ROAD SIGN. I THINK THEY ARE HAVING A LAUGH..

A FEW LEISURELY DAYS CROSSING THE TASMAN SEA TO - TASMANIA, WHERE ELSE!