Auckland and west

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Day 169 Monday 31 August

Auckland

15c rainy, cool



As it was raining we did not hurry to get off. We walked down to the harbour but because of the rain there was not a lot going on so we went to the Tourist Information Centre and got some information on the Auckland Coast to Coast City Hike that we were going to do. The information will be handy for another time as we are going to be in Auckland 4 times in the next 2 years.



We walked back down to Queen Street and changed our $US into NZ$ then found a supermarket and bought some toothpaste. We wandered around the city then went back to the ship as it was miserable. We had a cup of coffee then went back to the cabin and did some packing. As we packed all the non clothing items we broke the back of it.



There was a Maori Folk Loric group performing so we watched them then went up to the Horizon dining room and had dinner. Then back to the cabin.



I finished "Double Cross" by James Patterson



Day 170 Tuesday 1 September

At sea. Moderate to heavy swell

15c cloudy, some rain.



As there was no Zumba we did a bit more packing then went to listen to an interview with the Captain, William Kent, who is originally English but now lives in Australia. It was very interesting.



We had lunch with Mark and Christine and Margaret and Geoff and then we played 500 then had a shower and changed then went to the afternoon tea dance which was enjoyable except that there was a concentration on Latin American dances which we don't do. Then we did some more packing then went to dinner and the show which was a production which was very good.



Day 171 Wednesday 2 September

At sea very heavy swell on a westerly course across the Tasman Sea to Sydney

15c, strong winds, heavy rain.



Again no Zumba and there was an emergency drill that closed down passenger services so we stayer in our cabin and finished our packing. While we doing it we watched a movie "The Vow" with Rachel McAdam. It wasn't bad. Then we went to lunch in the pizza restaurant. We played Mahjong then got ready for the formal night.



The swell was so heavy that the Captain changed course to the South to get around the worst of the weather.



We went to the early show which was a group of three guys called The Rat Pack Is Back who sang Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Junior songs but not well. From there we went to the Atrium for the Captain's Farewell Cocktail Party which wasn't bad then to dinner. We all took photographs. After dinner we went back to the Atrium where they had dancing and a golden balloon drop to celebrate Princess Cruises 50th Anniversary. Then to bed.



I finished "Kickback" by Val McDermid.

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