Skipping Napier, New Zealand and a Shore Excursion to Rotorua, New Zealand

---

Tour Day 45, Cruise Day 45 – Napier, a coastal city on New Zealand's North Island, is set amid the renowned wine-producing region of Hawke's Bay and is sometimes referred to as the "Nice of the Pacific." The town was virtually flattened by the 1931 earthquake, was rebuilt in the art deco style and, therefore, is more commonly referred to as “The Art Deco Capital of the World.” Given that wineries and art deco architecture haven’t made it to my A-list, there were no shore excursions I found appealing. Given the weather was uncooperative, I stayed on the ship.

Tour Day 46, Cruise Day 46 – The Living Village Experience (5.5 hours) - An authentic, living Maori village steeped in history awaits you, along with the best of Rotorua's geothermal activity. Enjoy a panoramic drive from Tauranga to Rotorua, passing lakes and forests. Your destination is Rotorua's Whakarewarewa -- the Living Maori Village. A cultural experience introduces you to Maori song, dance and language, including the world-famous haka. Visit the geothermal fields of boiling mud pools and hot springs to learn how local Maori adapted to the devastation of their home after the 1886 eruption of Mt Tarawera, and how they have lived on the land for centuries using geothermal activity for warmth, cooking and bathing. Dine on a hangi lunch -- cooked courtesy of nature's geothermal steam boxes and mineral pools. Notes: The hangi meal is not suitable for vegans and vegetarians, as meat and vegetables are cooked together.

---

Photos

Leaving Port from Napier, New Zealand
Logging Is a Big Export Industry in New Zealand – Mostly to China for Paper

On the Way to/from The Living Maori Village Experience
Two Stages of Reforestation After Clear-Cutting

The Living Maori Village Experience – Whakarewarewa, Rotorua, New Zealand
We Started With a Guided Tour of the Home Village of Our Tour Guide - Here Explaining the Communal Cooking Oven

The Living Maori Village Experience – Whakarewarewa, Rotorua, New Zealand
The Water Is Cooled Before Bathing

The Living Maori Village Experience – Whakarewarewa, Rotorua, New Zealand
Bathing Is Not Gender Differentiated and Is Au Naturale

The Living Maori Village Experience – Whakarewarewa, Rotorua, New Zealand
I Sure Hoped the Cultural Performance Would Be Worth the Climb

The Living Maori Village Experience – Whakarewarewa, Rotorua, New Zealand
It Was!!!