NEW ZEALAND

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After leaving Tahiti we were scheduled to stop in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. There is not a dock there so it is necessary for any visiting ships to drop anchor and take passengers ashore via tender. Still feeling the effects of Cyclone Funa, it was necessary to cancel our visit as it would have been too dangerous to try to get everyone ashore in heavy seas. We have been to Rarotonga and enjoyed it very much as it is like French Polynesia but with a British flavor. Captain Dag said in one of his morning announcements that we have been dogged by low pressure systems since leaving Los Angeles. That’s the luck of the draw. We hope we will encounter a “Pacific High” soon!

We crossed the International Date Line which meant there was no January 26. As we circle the globe we will gain back that day hour by hour—so all is not lost. Several people whose birthdays were on that day figure that they didn’t actually grow another year older since they missed their birth date.

After all the rocky seas, it was a pleasure to cruise into the protected Bay of Islands on New Zealand’s northern tip. We scheduled an outdoor party for our Cruise Specialists guests and the timing was just right. The weather turned warm and we had the perfect backdrop of forests, islands, beaches and harbors to welcome our passengers to New Zealand.

We took the ferry ashore to Russell, probably one of the quaintest and cutest Victorian towns in Kiwi land. From there we took a ferry to Piahia and hiked to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, which is one of the most important historical sites in New Zealand. The treaty signaled the end of the warring between the English whalers and the Maori people. Regent sponsored a special event called “Birth of a Nation” on the Treaty Grounds for all of the passengers. There were Maori dancers and singers and crafters and canoeists and Kiwi foods and lots of New Zealand wine—all of which made for a fine summer afternoon “Downunder.”

We arrived in Auckland shortly after sunrise where private car tours had been arranged for some of our group. The tour company was able to bring the cars onto the pier, which made it very convenient for our passengers to go right from the ship’s terminal to their waiting BMWs and Mercedes. We later heard that the driver/guides were excellent and the travelers all declared that this was the best touring they had ever done.

We caught the ferry to Devonport, a small suburb across the bay from Auckland. It actually reminded us a lot of Sausalito with charming Victorian houses climbing up the hillsides, small restaurants and chic shops and a wonderful view of the city. We went to the local library where they gave us each an hour of free internet time, which we really appreciated. We heard a local complaining about the heat remarking that it must be the hottest day of the year. We loved it! We took a hike around the foreshore and through the neighborhoods and after a Japanese lunch enjoyed a sunny ferry ride back to Auckland. On the ferry we ran into two of our passengers who were leaving the ship and were going to take a two week driving holiday in NZ. This was the first time we had cruised with Kenlynn and Peter, a delightful couple. Kenlynn is a former Pan Am flight attendant and so we had many stories to exchange regarding the old days of flying—back when it was still fun.

The ship scheduled a sail-away as we departed Auckland. As we left the harbor we farewelled new friends, Rick and Nancy, who were on their balcony at the Hilton Hotel. We could have almost touched hands as we glided by their hotel room. The City of Sails lived up to its name as we had to pass through dozens and dozens of sailboats with spinnakers flying as we made our way back out to the open sea. Meanwhile on deck there was music and hors d’oeuvre. When we were in the Bay of Islands, passengers Chet and Carl had gone deep sea fishing and managed to land a 684lb marlin. They brought it back to the ship where they used the boat hoist to get the behemoth aboard. At the sail-away, the chef bar-b-qued one very fresh marlin—it was delicious!

Tauranga, which is located on the Bay of Plenty, is one of the fastest growing regions in NZ. The local tourist literature tells of the plentiful sunshine --2400 hours per year. We didn’t happen to be there during any of those 2400 hours as we arrived in a steady downpour. We actually docked in Mount Maunganui, a small beach town which is famed for its surfing and swimming and especially for Mauao Volcano which sits on the water’s edge. We hiked the beach and then walked the 2.2 mile trail around the base of the Mount in a light drizzle. Several crew members with a lot more energy than us, ran to the top of the 826’ volcano.

There is just one street which serves as the main drag in town. We found a great fish and chips restaurant run by a pair of Chinese women. NZ is known for its abundance of fish and this basket of fish was so light and tasty, it was almost like tempura.

Since it is summer “Downunder”, we enjoyed long days with the sun setting around 9pm. It was amazing to go from the darkness of the northern winter in California to the antipodean summer in a matter of three weeks time.

The Kiwi kids were still on summer holidays and thus all of the beach towns and campsites where packed full of families enjoying the last week of vacation. Mt Maunganui boasts a complex of hot salt water pools which we had planned to use, but when we got there it was wall to wall kids and so we opted for the peace and quiet of the pool and spa back on the ship.

Continuing southward along the East Coast of the North Island, we arrived in Napier on Hawkes Bay. This is a town that was virtually destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1931. It was resurrected in the building style of the era and now is renowned as the Art Deco capital of the world. We were the first off the ship (which was a first for us) since we just had a very short stay in port and we were meeting friends who were vacationing from Sonoma. John and Janice picked us up at the gate and took us to the Mission Estate Winery for tasting and lunch. This is the oldest winery in NZ and was founded in 1851. Housed in a superbly restored seminary building, the winery is a visual and epicurean delight. We had lunch out on the lawn overlooking the vineyards. John and Janice came back to the ship where we took them on a tour of our floating home and finished off the visit with tea in the Observation Lounge.

Wellington is the political capitol of New Zealand and for many Kiwis it is their favorite city. It bears a resemblance to Hong Kong, geographically speaking. The setting is spectacular with its huge curving bay surrounded by hillsides covered with trees and pretty houses. We were really excited since we were meeting up with my youngest brother and his Kiwi wife. Steve and Deb live in New Plymouth—about a five hour drive up the west coast of NZ. They picked us up at the port gate and we went on a tour of the city and her suburbs. While driving around we got caught up on family matters and heard about their life in this most distant of lands. They took us to Deb’s father’s house which sits on a promontory in Eastbourne. They fixed us a delicious lunch which we had on the patio overlooking the harbor with our ship visible off in the distance. On the way back to the harbor, we stopped at a gypsy encampment where a dozen caravans were set up displaying their arts and crafts for sale. Steve told us they are roving gypsies that travel throughout the country all summer selling their jewelry, crystals and clothing.

We came back to the ship for a swim, ping pong, paddle tennis and a tour of the bridge. We were then joined by Kevin’s distant cousins Rhian and Peter, British transplants who now live in Wellington. The six of us had a lovely dinner in LaVeranda, enjoying each other, the food and the water views. The evening ended too quickly as the ship prepared to depart and we bid farewell to our family.

Our last stop in New Zealand is one of our favorite locales in this country. We first traveled to Nelson 22 years ago. It is supposed to have the nicest weather and is a very laid back Victorian town populated with artists and new age dreamers. The weather lived up to its reputation and we basked in the warm summer sun. The cruise line had arranged for another special event for all of us “rounders.” We were taken to the World of Wearable Art and Classic Cars Museum—WOW for short. The clothing has to be seen as it is a stunning collection of winners of the internationally renowned WOW Arts Awards. Each costume is made of various materials spanning the animal, vegetable and mineral spectrum. The beautifully restored cars are an automotive lovers’ delight.

New Zealand is probably one of the most pleasant, beautiful countries we visit on the world cruise. Her people seem to be the most welcoming, friendliest and squared away population in the world. About thirty years ago a New Zealand satirist wrote of his country: “Terrible tragedy in the South Seas. Three million people trapped alive.” Now it would have to be said that New Zealand is home to 4 million of the luckiest people on earth.

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