Australia/New Zealand Part IV

 Sunday 11/4/18 - Napier

Awakened this morning to bright sunshine, but there was a cross-wind that prevented our ship from safely maneuvering into the harbor in Napier, so we got an unexpected sea-day.  we had a short day in Napier from 7:45am to 1pm anyway - so we weren't too busted up over missing the port.  and rather safe than sorry with a ship this size.  so we had gotten up early and had our breakfast at the buffet with plans to visit the vineyards today, but we had a leisurely morning instead.  we read, looked at our photographs, and dozed in the library for quite a while.  then Steve did laps around the promenade deck while i did one lap and then headed up to the lido deck for a cup of coffee and to bask in the sunshine and write for a while.  this area is well sheltered from the wind and the sun feels marvelous on my skin! so relaxation is the word of the day!  And it. feels. marvelous. Steve has promised a visit to the vineyards in Auckland, so i am satisfied and glad of the chance to rest my sore feet. thanks to my magic socks, no blisters, but my R heel is very tender - not sure if it's merely a return of plantar fasciitis or if I tweaked my ankle when I slipped on the wet deck on fjord day.  either way, ibuprofen and Voltaren gel have been my constant friends.  i am ever so happy for the sunshine after the chilly rain yesterday in Wellington! It is well with my soul!!  Afternoon in the sunshine, lunch, and more relaxing in the sunshine are on my agenda.....then afternoon tea and scones and then to get ready for dinner.  all 4 couples were there for dinner tonight and it was very pleasant.  afterwards, we went to the library where i donated my 2 books and borrowed another one.  we saw the sunset from the library windows - spectacular behind an island and clouds!  Then we went upstairs to snack on cheese and nuts and get a drink to carry back to our cabin.  we arrive in Tauranga tomorrow am and we dock at 7:45am 

Monday 11/5/18 - Tauranga

We woke up early again to brilliant sunny skies and we were bellying up to the dock as we finished our breakfast at the buffet. well fortified, we made our way down to deck 5 and we were among the first few off the ship.  it was cool in the ocean breeze, but the further way from the water , the better that got and we were quite comfortable in shirt-sleeves - especially with all the walking! we explored through town and made our way to the shorter mountain - Mount Drury and we began the climb up!  I made it with only a few stops to catch my breath and rest my ankle and knee.  the view from the top was VERY nice! the wind was whistling up top though!  We went down the mount on the other side, trekking along a downhill path flanked by bright emerald soft grass and clover and shaded by gnarled ancient trees - it was like a  fairy tale Forrest!   We were serenaded by exotic birdsong and we spotted a very unusual black bird with a red head and blue-green coloring - he was fabulous!  We tried to capture him with our cameras, but he was a bit skittish.  we continued down the slope and found ourselves right at the beach and access to the giant mountain!   Steve was determined to climb the giant, steep mountain, so he took off on his personal trek and i set off to explore on my own!  Steve waved good bye and i set out across the sand. I couldn't believe that I had the place almost entirely to myself!  The morning sun was making the sand and water sparkling like diamonds! the rocks, trees, birds, flowers, ancient trees, birds, moss, lichen......Oh!! I was in heaven!  I took my time -exploring each nook and cranny - and smiled the entire time!  I stumbled upon small patches of rock flowers in bloom - and discovered beds of clover!  I found eddies of flowing water - I listened to the music of squawking seagulls...and felt and smelled the sunshine, and the reveled in the cool shade of ancient trees with gnarled and twisted trunks and rough-barked palms.  i strolled back across the sand and rested on driftwood and poking around in the sane, I found some beautiful shells and a 20cent NZ coin!  I was just grinning like I had won the lottery!  From my log seat, I made my way up the hill to gaze out over the beach and giggle at the silly antics of the sea birds. i found a bench to rest and empty all the sand out of my shoes and socks and rest my tootsies!  after i banished the sand from my socks and shoes, i strolled long the upper bank, gazing across the sea oats and down the beach access areas. it was a very peaceful and wonderful morning.  i met up with Steve and he survived his mountain trek. he was tired and sweaty, but happy as he had met his challenge!  We visited the public toilets and then headed back to town to browse in the shops.  we found some gift shops.  Steve bought a NZ hat and i found some kiwi bird ear rings made from the teal colored, swirled iridescent shells.  we ducked in/out and out of shops and stopped at a sidewalk café called Gustov's Café where i had a Chai Latte and Steve had a glass-bottle Coca-Cola Classic.  we sat and enjoyed our beverages on a sidewalk in the sunshine.  it was sooo lovely! we made our way back to the ship to have lunch and we both decided on burgers from the pool side grill.  we ate our burgers and fries and enjoyed our tea and then decided to grab our jackets and take another walk along the water front to the base of the giant Mont Manganui.  The breeze was very stiff and boisterous along the water.  hats blew off and we had to close our eyes near the sand as the wind whipped around and around., effectively sandblasting exposed skin.  we saw a guy kite surfing in the harbor and he came ashore as we were passing and he asked Steve to help him capture his wind foil - so he did.  i got some awesome action shots of him pulling the bright orange kite to earth.   We walked along the boardwalk, seeing all the boats upturned along the shore and a caravan park (RV park for us Americans).  We saw a whole crop of yellow, orange, and red poppies growing along hte rock-seawall at the base of the mountain.  we started along the gravel trail around the base of the mountain with beautiful views of the harbor on the left and the rugged, steep hills covered in emerald grass and dotted with white, fat grazing sheep.  the views were just lovely! but we had walked about 7 miles already today at this point and my feet/heels were KILLING me.  so we began the slow hobble back to the ship.   we got a quick drink of tea at the buffet and then we stopped off at the library for a rest and read before afternoon tea.  after tea, we got a few minutes to relax in our own cabin before time to shower and dress for dinner.  it was Italian night and I had a shot of Limoncello with my dinner and got a souvenir shot glass to take home.  we had tiramisu for dessert.  After dinner we went out to the Promenade deck on  the starboards ide to watch us sail away- as we had been promised views of the back side of Mount Manganui as we exited the harbor.  we got to see the tugs help turn the ship around and we were not disappointed by the beautiful views as we sailed away.  the icing on our cupcake was the knock-your-socks off sunset!  We came back to our cabin for an early evening of reading, writing, and TV viewing.  All in all, it was a spectacular day! Tomorrow we are in Auckland!  I can't believe how fast these 2 weeks have flown by! 

Tuesday 11/6/18 - Auckland 

The morning dawned sunny and cool, but not cold or blustery.  We had breakfast at the buffet and we were the second non-tour folks off the ship.  we hurried and found the ferry office and bought our tickets for the ferry and the Hop-on-Hop Off bus on Waiheke Island - known as the "Napa" of New Zealand.  Famous for Pino Gregio and Syrah.  We had a wee-bit of time before the first ferry so we walked around the CBD for a while - upscale shopping like Prada, Dior, Gucci, etc.  way too rich for my blood.  But windows shopping is free!  We found the BNZ (Bank of New Zealand) who we know from other ports offers free public wifi.  so we logged on and checked Facebook and emails.  neither of us could remember what time we had to be back on the ship, and we had to walk back to the ship to check and we confirmed it was 8pm and we planned to be back in well before then. w e went to the ferry and found we could go ahead and board  our ferry at gate 2 - so onboard we went!  I was shocked! The ferry was large, bright, and clean with comfy padded seats and tables - very nice!  It was a 45 min ferry ride, but it was smooth as butter and quiet and comfortable.   even the toilets were sparkling clean and well appointed.  The Ferry docked on Waiheke Island at Cable Bay.  It was a working port, but parts of it were very picturesque.  We were very early for our bus, so i had ample time to explore and take photos of pretty little Cable Bay and the boats in the harbor.  Our bus finally arrived and we decided to ride the entire circuit from start to finish and then decide which stops we wanted to stop and get off.  so we rolled over hill and dell - Emerald Green fields overlooking aquamarine waters - vineyards over the rolling hills to the sea - edged with olive trees and tons of colorful flowers every where!  Breathtaking views from hilltops to the sea!  colorful houses, local shops, cafes, and coffee shops.  we came to the end of the line and we got off and walked along the beach road, taking in the pretty houses with brilliant landscaping and flowers - tons of vibrant, rainbow hued flowers!  old, gnarled trees lined the waterfront and provided ample perches for the song birds and gulls.  Giant bunches of lavender, beach daisies smiling and nodding their pretty faces in the sea breezes - we had a 30 minute walk and then caught the bus heading back and we got off at the winery stop and visited the Tantalus Winery first.  The views and grounds of his estate were breath-takingly beautiful!  The vineyards, the olive trees, the roses at the end of each row of vines, lavender, and all sorts of blooming flowers - horses neighing in the distance - just magnificent every way you looked! We got there about 5 minutes before they opened and had some time to stroll the grounds and take photos before they opened.  we had a regional wine tasting with a minerally Pino Gregio and a buttery-creamy chardonnay, and a well-balanced Rose' and a peppery Syrah.  The tasting was lovely and the inside of the winery was simple, tasteful, and beautiful in an understated manner.  Even the chandeliers were intertwined with grapevines.  after our tasting, we exited through the gardens and took a gravel path through the vineyard and across a field to  Stony Ridge winery - the entire building covered in ivy vines.  they have beautiful olive tree orchards as well.  we decided against a second tasting, opting to walk back down the drive to the bus stop.  we enjoyed the walk past a tone bridge and along a water-lily pond and trees.  We ended up waiting about 10 minutes for the next bus and we took the bus to the seafood market where we were told fresh oysters could be bought for less than half the price of restaurants.  So we stopped for fresh oysters.  and we went to the Countdown Grocery store next door and bought cans of hard cider to have with our oysters and we rounded out the meal with a small loaf of freshly baked ciabatta bread.  It was such a delightful meal!! The oysters were so fresh - they were still chilled from the ocean water and tasted like the fresh, briny sea - brightened with a squeeze of lemon! Absolute perfection with the Cider and bread.  We waited 30 minutes for the first bus, but it was full and we had to wait another 30 minutes for the next bus - but the timing was right to catch the 2:30pm ferry back to our ship in time for afternoon tea.  Our ferry trip back was just as smooth as our trip over.  We stepped off the ferry in Auckland in time to see revelers celebrating the premier of the running of the Melbourne Cup Race  in hats, dresses, and fancy Duds (just like the KY Derby for us - but without Mint Julips!) haha!  We made it back to our ship in time for afternoon tea and after our snack, we came to our room to kick off our shoes and rest before time to get ready for dinner.  After a rest and a nice, hot shower, we got ready for dinner.  Dinner was nice tonight - and I had a fancy swan-shaped pastry and cream creation, swimming in a Chantilly sauce pond.  After dinner we went to the Princess Theater to see the Maori Native Folklore show which was SUPER cool - learning about different cultures is part of the joy of traveling, for sure! They ended the show with a traditional Haka or war dance.  Quite impressive!  We went up to Deck 14 to get photos of Auckland at night -which was beautiful all lit up!  Then we got iced teas and brought them back to our room and rested, relaxed, and chilled.  tomorrow is our last port:  Bay of Islands.  

Australia New Zealand Trip Part III

 Wednesday 10/31/18 - Happy Halloween!!! 

Wakeup call was at 5:30am and we hurriedly dressed in warm layers and hats and gloves and took off for our photo ops of sunrise and to watch as we slipped into Milford sound.  we snapped our predawn pictures and then we had a Horizon Court Breakfast and coffee and tea and warmed up before heading out to see the beautiful Milford Sound and her calmer waters and majestic waterfalls from craggy mountain faces, wrinkled by wind, rain, and scarred by mudslides.  the deep forest green of the evergreens, the chartreuse bright yellow green of the mossy algae growing along the rocky shoreline, the moss and silvery olive green shadowy green leaves of the New Zealand Holly trees with tiny white flowers!!!  The rugged, craggy rock faces and the waterfalls Streaking the mountain down to the ocean.  The mountain tops shine with patches of perfect brilliant white snow!  We see Sterling falls and near the back of Milford Sound we see the powerful Ms. Bowan Falls!  And tourist (tiny) town with the lone hotel of Milford Sound.  we saw sealions frolicking in the wake of hte ship.  we came inside to warm up a bit before the next Fjord.  we read and rested until lunch time.  at lunch, we sat a a lovely table with several nice people and the conversation was very wonderful and enjoyable. we talked for almost an hour after dinner and we were sailing into Dusky sound as we left the lunch table - so we took up our favorite fjord viewing spot a the back of the boat where we are sheltered from the worst of the cold wind. it was very misty and pouring rain at times, but we were able to stay fairly warm and dry6 and still snap pics of the beautiful mountains rising straight up out of the sea mist.  the mountains wear a shroud of mist like a mysterious lady's cloak.  we got to see dolphins frolic in the waves this afternoon and we saw more waterfalls and islands.  we decided we were fjorded-out and we found a cozy couch in the wheelhouse bar to sit and relax until tea-time.  Team was lovely!  we shared a 4 top table with a  couple from New South Wales - she was an RN as well and we enjoyed another hour long conversation very much! after tea we had only about an hour to relax before dinner time.  so we came back to our cabin and read for a while, then dressed for diner.  while we were resting, our entire ship was transformed into a Halloween ship!  complete with a haunted trail (we did not check that out!).  The atrium was festooned with pumpkins, spider webs, and a giant skull and cross-bones and orange and black streamers and balloons were decorating every door and window!  when we got to the dining room for dinner, all of the waitstaff were in costume! Philopena was dressed as a Chinese Madam with a slinky black and red dress and a bright red wig.  our assistant waiter, Ecker was dressed as a tourist. the head waiter was a creepy joker-like creature. some folks went all out with costumes and some slapped red lipstick on their neck to look 'kina' like zombies.  any way - it was all in good fun! We found a spot to sit and read and people watch.  more folks dressed up than i thought would.  we made a stop on the Lido deck for tea and ended up with cheese/nuts/and snacks and we got to see the kids on the ship all dressed up and trick-or-treating!  Soooo cute!  then back to our stateroom for bedtime. tomorrow is our first port!! Port Chalmers and Dunedin!  Dunedin is 9 miles from the port, so we will have to take the shuttle bus into town.  so sweet dreams!  No spooky dreams for his this Halloween!  

Thursday 11/1/2018  Port Chalmers and Dunedin 

I slept well and woke up before the wake-up call and showered and dressed as we watched the ship near land on the TV Screen in our cabin.  we went to breakfast in the dining room and enjoyed our meal and even lingered over tea to chat with our new Aussie friends.  we were comparing culinary delights :  Peanut butter and Jelly versus Vegemite sammies!  Haha!  Aussies actually prefer limp bacon and abhor crispy bacon.  we all had a good laugh over our differences and marveled over what made us the same.  just after breakfast, we got the "all  clear" to go off the ship and into port.  we were on the first shuttle bus to Dunedin.  we had a lovely 9 mile drive along the coastline...just lovely views and vistas!  Bright yellow splotches of Scotch Broom flowers intermingled with Jasmine white flowers and pink and red coral rhododendrons - a profusion of perfect blossoms along with palms. evergreens, and tender new green leaves of the hardwood trees. It's just turning to spring time here "down under."  the houses were quaint and colorful!  As we entered Dunedin, we got our first glimpse of the magnificent train station and the towers and spires of First Church and the catholic chapel and the town hall.  we par4ked at the octagon and de-bussed and our first stop was the library for the free wi-fi!  We logged on and posted a few pictures on FB and then we walked around the shops with the Possum Wool place being the most interesting. We made our way to the train station and heard a fella in a kilt playing the bagpipes - we photographed the heck out of the "most photographed building in New Zealand" and  then we went inside.  we climbed upstairs and took in all the antique tin tiles, the tile mosaics, and the fancy wood work.  we walked past the train station to the Chinese Garden but didn't want to pay the entry fee, so we walked across to the war memorial and then up and down the streets of the town, gazing up at the architecture and painted murals. we made our way to the church and went inside - so beautiful!  Stained glass windows, old wooden pews, and the ancient trees on the grounds.  the blooms and blossoms of the rhododendrons and other flowers!  We made our way back to the shuttle bus area and came back to the ship and had lunch in the buffet and then went back out to explore the area around Port Chalmers. we walked all 4 streets and it didn't take too long at all.  it's just a tiny port-side town.  we found a local pub and ordered half-pints of stouts.  Steve's was a dark 'Iron Eagle Stout" and I had "Voo-Doo White Stout" from Christchurch.  Hoppiest stout i ever had.  It was sooo bitter my mouth is still puckered!  but we enjoyed the ale anyway and the free wifi and then we made our way back to the ship. we stopped for a coffee and tea and then came back to our cabin for a rest and i watched "I feel pretty" and then English comics until time for dinner.  dinner was nice and we celebrated Judy's birthday tonight. highlights included melon soup and hazelnut soufflé. as we were finishing up dinner, we started to move way from our berth in Port Chalmers and as we were leaving the harbor, dolphins were playing in the water beside a sandbar.  we went to the show after dinner and saw Sweet Soul with the singers and dancers and band.  lots of Tina Turner and lots of shimmy-shimmie!  We went up for our nightly tea and came back to our cabin for an early evening to read and write and watch TV. tomorrow another port! 

Friday 11/2/18 Akaroa 

We were up early and went to 7am breakfast in the dining room.  we were seated with an Aussie family and a couple from Dallas Fort Worth.  after we were fortified, we headed straight to the downstairs dining room which doubled as a tender waiting area. we were assigned numbers 129 and 130 and we were on the second tender to shore.  on our way across, we were below deck and couldn't see, but it seemed to take about 20-25 minutes to reach our disembarkation pier across the water.  our ship was too large to get any closer in.  the port town of Akaroa is beautiful!! The shimmering green-blue water is surrounded on each side by tall, lush green mountains with vineyards and trees and lush emerald grass.  we spotted herds of cows, lowing on the verdant hillsides. the setting reminded me of the hills and mountains surrounding the Napa and Sonoma valleys! We walked right into town, well before most shops had opened.  we found the library first - free wifi!  We checked Facebook and for messages from home and from realtors and then we decided to explore the streets of the town.  there is a strong French influence here and most of the stores, streets, and houses have French names and French Flair.  Most of the small colorful wooden cottages had lovely gardens with a profusion of blooms and picket fences that beckon passerbys to pause and linger over a perfect blossom, marvel over a riot of blooms, gaze at the tumbled, jumbled happy flowers, and smile and smell the roses, jasmine, wisteria, lilies, peony's, geraniums, and laugh with the daisies, sedum joy, and giant lupines that look like they came to life from the pages of Dr. Seuss! Saliva, nasturtiums, calla lilies, and blooms i could not even recognize but instantly loved just the same! such a happy, flowering place!!  the shops sold antiques and crafts and sweaters (they call them 'jumpers'), gloves, scarves, and woolens, all made from possum wool (but not THAT kind of possum!)  I bought a cute little wooly lamb with a sweet ceramic face as my only souvenir but the pictures!!  Oh my! I clicked pictures sooo happily!  every way I turned, every new view, every glance showed another perfect shot! I wanted to capture everything to keep in my heart for days when all is not happy and sunny in my world!  i can't wait to see how the pictures will turn out!   we walked along the waterfront to a park and watched a puppy play in the park. we strolled beside cafes that were open for breakfast and boasting coffee and pastries under colorful umbrellas. the aromas were tantalizing!  Rich coffee and freshly baked pastries wafted on the sea air!  there were lots of fish and chip take-ways. we explored the streets and shops and back along the way to the pier where we waited for a tender back to the ship.  we rode on top of the tender on the way back  in the sunshine shimmered out he water like diamonds!  we had lunch on Deck 14 and then went up to our cabin to gather our dirty clothes and take advantage of the mostly empty ship to do our laundry.  we lucked upon an empty washer and had no trouble washing our clothes but after an hour and half, they did not dry - so we had to bring them back to our cabin and hang clothes from every available surface in hopes they would dry quickly.  we missed our afternoon tea, being stuck with laundry duty, but at least our clothes are clean and will hopefully be clean AND dry soon. only one other couple - Julie and Ian showed up to dinner tonight. even so, it was lovely. we got to watch as our ship struggled and churned sand in the very shallow waters of the harbor.  we didn't want to see the country jam show or the 2 weird comedians, so we came back to our cabin for an early night. tomorrow we are in Wellington. 

Saturday 11/3/18 - Wellington 

We woke up and checked the weather screen, disappointed to see rain falling.  we went to breakfast and then returned to our cabin to give the crowds time to wind down and hopefully to allow the rain some time to slack off.  after an hour, it didn't look like the rain was going to let up, so we grabbed our frog-togs and grabbed a ticket for the shuttle to town with no waiting.  we climbed onto our shuttle and headed out on the 8 minute ride to town.  we got off on the furthest stop out and walked back to check out town.  lots of high rise buildings with high-end shops and department stores, cafes, coffee shops, banks, barbers, and offices lined the streets.  we counted 3 different McDonald's from the ship to the second stop and one Burger King and one Subway and a Pita-Pit.  along with numerous local places like "The Somewhat Temporary Ramen Noodle Shop" and curry take-aways.  This is a very modern and city-centric town.  nothing rustic here!  It's the capital of New Zealand and Parliament is shaped like a bee-hive.  we walked the blocks and peered into expensive clothing shops and sniffed the coffee-scented air outside the cafes.  we searched for the "Bucket Fountain" and we were shocked to find that it was actually just sand pails that filled with water and spilled out into the buckets below, like a Dr. Seuss machine.  so we continued to brave the mist and gusts of wind to find the cable car to the top of the mountain.  we finally found it and Steve bought our tickets and we only had to wait a few minutes for the next train.  it reminded me a lot of the incline, but not quite as steep as without a glass room for the view. it was still very steep and I'm very glad we rode up instead of climbing! once we got to the top, we visited the free cable car museum and got to visit the gear rooms to see how the cars were pulled up and down the mountain.  it was a really cool museum.  complete with old cable cars.  we tried to look out over the vista from the top of the mountain, but the view was obscured by fog, mist and rain and the wind whipped around us so boisterously that our frog togs were flying up over our heads. the blowing mist soaking our clothing underneath the togs.  we found the signs for the botanical garden trails and there was no charge for admission so we decided to brave it as we decided we would not melt.  so off we went down the botanical trail under ancient cedars and giant twisted  rhododendrons and Camila trees.  the air was chilly and the mist was cool and the raindrops mixed with goosebumps - so we kept walking! the trees helped shelter our paths in places.  i kept my camera under my frog-top, but I kept pulling it out to photograph flowers and trees and vistas and I had to keep wiping the moisture from the lens with my shirt tail.  the flowers were delightful and in full bloom!  we saw bleeding hearts, azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, columbines, carnations, yuccas, camellias, palms, Japanese maples, cedars, roses, ferns, and moss - poppies, queen Anne's lace, alyssum, daises - all just so beautiful!  we explored the trails, delighted by the sweet fragrances!  We followed the trails on around through the cemetery.  we saw graves from 1800's with fancy statuary and iron=work gates around the graves filled with flowers under giant ancient trees on the top of the hill.  the windswept hill overlooking the city.  we continued to follow the trail as it wound down the mountain and into the rose garden and then over the bridge  over the highway and we finally ended up behind the parliament beehive building and our cruise shuttle buss was picked up in front of the beehive! so after our 4 mile trek, we made it back to the shuttle bus- both dripping wet and chilled to the bone...and we climbed in and headed back to the ship.  we scrambled up the steep gangway and through security.  we gathered our things and went straight to the Lido dining room on Deck 14 for lunch. warm coffee and lunch made me feel 100% better, so we came back to our cabin to hand our clothes and frog-togs to dry and rest our tired legs.  we read, watched a movie about Mr. Rodgers, looked at our photos and wrote a b it.  I'd had my fill of windy, wet, wellington!  We rested until time for afternoon tea.  at tea we were seated with an elderly couple who were originally from Germany but now live in Sydney.  their German accent made conversation a vee bit difficult, but we managed.  and of course, they asked us the inevitable question - what do we think of President Trump.  our politics are essentially a 3 ring circus these days and it seems the whole world is laughing at our crazy antics.  after tea, we got ready for dinner and everyone showed up for dinner so we had a full complement of 4 couples and Philopena, our waitress was happy, smiling, and singing.  I do so enjoy our evenings meals!  after dinner, there was no show we wanted to see, so we had an early night in our cabin - a glass of wine and a movie and reading and perhaps a little loving (wink-wink)<3  And we slept very well. 

Australia and New Zeland Trip 2018- Part II

 

Sydney, Australia – Sunday, 10/28/18

We woke up around 7am without an alarm!  Our bodies already adjusting to life on this side of the dateline.  It was dark and drizzly outside with a good, stiff breeze.  We took our time this morning – leisurely watching Daffy Duck Cartoons and sipping our coffee/tea in bed while we lazed about like pampered tourists.  We took our time getting ready and got our checkout time moved to 1pm and arranged for an Uber to the cruise port as we realized that our ship will NOT be docked where we walked yesterday – but on the OTHER side of the harbor about 50 minutes away – so we won’t be able to walk it.  the nice lady at the hotel desk got us a fixed price taxi for $21 AD from the front door of the hotel to the front door of the port- NO schlepping for miles pulling 2 suitcases and sweating on dying feet.  Whew!  So then, a we were all set for later, we set out to find our breakfast place, called Social Brew – that we had passed the night before.  We found it easily and found the perfect seat outside on the sidewalk.  I had something called a “double-double” which was a sandwich made with black forest ham and cheese on sourdough with Dijon and Steve had a sandwich with a fried egg and bacon with tomato jam and I got a latte with a pretty feathered pattern on top!  Just like I’ve ALWAYS wanted!!  It was perfect!  After getting our tummies full, we came back to our hotel to pack up and wait for our 1pm trip to the cruise port.  We packed, read, watched TV, wrote, and had more coffee/soda.  

The taxi was right on time and  had us to the port, dropped off at the front door.  Our luggage was checked in right on the sidewalk and we walked through registration and security and were on the ship in less than 10 minutes flat!  Easiest embarkation we’ve ever had! Our cabin was ready too, so we dropped off our carryons and went up to Deck 14 for lunch.  Ever mindful of fitting into my formal dress, I had salad and fish only.  This dang dress better fit.  Surely all this walking burned some calories too!  We explored the ship after lunch – this ship has amuch different floor plan that any of the other Princess ships we’ve been on- we will have a learning curve.  Things seem kind of shipped up as far as locations, but the ship is very beautiful and clean and was refurbished just last year.  We walked all over the top decks and photographed Sydney from just about every imaginable angle.  It really is a spectacular city!

We got our luggage right way and even had time to unpack before the muster drill.  We were assigned to Muster Station C in the Vista lounge and not having to take the Life Vests is SOOO much better!  We went back up tot eh top decks to watch us sail away – passing under the giant historical bridge with barely enough clearance~!  I had to hold my breath because it looked like we would hit it for sure!  We sailed past the Opera House and marinas full of yachts and sailboats;  we sailed past light houses and rocky cliffs until we hit the open sea!  And BOY, did we start rocking and rolling right way.  We ended up taking our Dramamine immediately and we had to hold onto the hand rails in the hallways as we stumbled around like drunken sailors. 

We went down to our cabin to change for dinner and found our dining room.  We are assigned to table #91 and there are at least 3 other couples  (and one set of empty chairs) and they are all from Australia.  We are the odd ones out, being from the US.  We are the youngest at the table as well.  Our waitress is funny and sunny and sings to us!  Her name is Philippina from the Philippines and our assistant waiter is Ecker from Indonesia.  We had a lovely dinner and tea and afterwards , Steve ironed a couple of his shirts in the laundry and we went to the internet café and had our devices set up.  My user name is Amanda and my password is 123456.   These were assigned to me.  How imaginative.  We decided to go to the library and read/write because our cabin steward had not turned down our room yet .  looking out the window, I can see the whitecap waves and we are rocking and rolling. I will sleep well tonight being rocked to sleep.  In the distance, I can see the Royal Caribbean Ship keeping pace – but through the sea mist and darkness, the other ship looks ghostly and spooky all light up and sparkling across the water. Fitting, I suppose, since it’s almost Halloween.

Sitting here in the library, I hear loud snoring and looked over beside me – poor Steve was zonked out.  Reading put him right to sleep.  Hopefully our room will be ready soon and we can head to bed.  We have to set our clocks ahead by 1 hour tonight.  Tomorrow will be a sea day – I am actually looking forward to a lazy day! Sweet dreams being rocked by the waves! 

 

Crossing “The Big Ditch” – Monday, 10/29/18  (Sea Day)

Our bed was soft as a cloud and so comfortable!  We both slept well, awakened occasionally by a giant rocking wave and the contents of our closet shifting back and forth as we rocked along through the night.  This is likely the deepest water we’ve ever sailed – over what is called “The big Ditch” between Australia and New Zealand. Much more “motion of the ocean” than we are used to, for sure! We are thankful for our Dramamine.  We woke up around 4am and talked for a while, then dozed off and on until our 7am wakeup call.  We got ready for our breakfast in the dining room where we were seated with a sweet couple from Melbourne who had done this cruise 10 times.  They shared their favorite places to go/see and sights not to miss. If I remember half of it, I will be lucky!  We lingered over coffee/tea, swapping travel stories.  It was a lovely breakfast. Then we browsed in the ships on board in the atrium and went and got our books and found comfy deck chairs along the promenade on Deck 7 and enjoyed the fresh air and tried to focus on the horizon as the ship continues to rock and reel.  I noticed that sea-sickness bags are strategically being placed at every stair case now.  Back at our room, they decorated our door with a congratulations poster for Steve’s Graduation celebration!  😊   I took his photo standing by it, proudly grinning! He worked very hard for his degree and his graduation gift.  And thankfully he allows me to tag along for the ride.  We browsed the Princess Patter and decided to attend the destination talk for Port Chalmers and Steve decided he may join the pop choir this afternoon.  I’m considering an art class for box making, but I’m not quite sure.  I will play it by ear.  Tonight is the formal night and I will wear my dress! Then much of the pressure will be off and I can enjoy the rest of the trip with dessert and tea in the afternoons.  We plan to attend the champagne waterfall patty and watch the show “Star Dust” in the Princess theater tonight! Such grand plans later – but for now!  A short nap in the sunshine!

What is it they say about the best laid plans of mice and men?  Even though our weather is beautiful, the waves and ocean motion have been relentless and sea-sickness + jet-lag = YUCKY YUCK.  We both got sea sick before dinner – so we were sweaty and nauseous putting on our fancy duds.  Our pictures are sad because we are both pale and diaphoretic and fake-smiling for the pictures.  We ordered ginger ale before dinner, which helped me, but not poor Steve.  It was a difficult dinner. No show for us tonight.  I snagged a glass of champagne at the Captain’s welcome party on our way back to our cabin where we got out of our party clothes and into bed to try to be flat and still and keep the nausea at bay.  Sea Sickness is miserable.  And yet – we are still rocking along like a hobby-horse.  A hobby horse hopped up on crystal meth!  Surely we will hit calmer water soon!  This is crazy enough!

Second Sea Day – Tuesday 10/30/18 – still crossing the Ditch

What a night on the rough sea.  We had to put our wine bottles in drawers and separate the glasses in different drawers to keep them from banging into each other and breaking. Poor steve was up and down all night with what we think was a kidney stone?  Sharp and severe pain and urinary urgency in addition to sea sickness. From the constant rolling of the ship.  Several times during the night we felt the ship going up and then quickly falling back down – taking our stomachs along for the ride.  We are exhausted this morning, feeling like we rode a runaway rollercoaster all night.  Add in my hot flashes and you have a sweaty, nauseated mess.  Sometime around 4am, we both managed to sleep and the wake-up call at 7am jarred us from exhausted slumber.  Faces washed, teeth brushed, contacts in, I feel 100% better and at least Steve’s acute pain was gone – but he still has a scary shade of gray to his skin as we stumbled along the corridors to get breakfast in the dining room.  We were seated with a couple from Oklahoma and another couple from Australia. We had lovely conversation and Steve’s color started to return after his second cup of tea.  We both opted for a light breakfast of fresh fruit and muesli with tea.  After breakfast, we found window-front chairs with foot rests in the library looking out over the boiling, roiling sea waves.  It’s partly sunny and 60 degrees, but the wind is whipping as we sail along.  I’m praying for calmer seas the closer we get to land.  We spent our day between meals lounging, reading, dozing, watching TV, and chatting.  A perfect lazy sea day.  we got dressed for dinner and were feeling some better, even though walking in a straight line continues to be impossible. And we swagger back and forth like drunk sailers on holiday but we haven’t had a drop to drink- don’t dare risk even  a sip of wine- we’ve been too miserable sick and afraid to risk it.  before dinner tonight we have the Elite and Platinum passenger lounge for h’ Ordures and we stayed for only a few minutes and a few bites of cheese and crackers. Then we went to have dinner and we were able to enjoy it w/o feeling too sick.  After dinner, we decided we felt okay to catch a show tonight – the Harvey and Pearson Comedy Duo – it was decided LAME.  We were still n bed by 8:30pm and too sleepy to stay awake and read despite all our naps tonight.  Maybe tomorrow we will be more awake and less sick.  Early wake up for Fjord sailing tomorrow morning!

 

 

 

 

Australia and New Zealand Trip 2018 – Part I: The Longest Day

 

10/25/18 – Today is the big day!  The countdown has been > 1 year and I am ready to get this party started!  It seems like we have ben waiting forever! This trip is Steve’s graduation gift for obtaining his doctorate degree and just like his degree – I am along for the ride- albeit with much less proof-reading responsibility. 😊   We both worked today; I went in a 7am and worked until 1pm – cramming  meetings and a file review into those hours – it was like squeezing blood from a turnip!  But he business helped the time fly by and it was 1pm before I even realized it. Steve dropped me off that morning and picked me up – we took the Element loaded up with suitcases.  As the clock struck one pm, we were merging onto the Interstate and headed towards the Nashville Airport. Traffic was smooth, despite the ubiquitous left-land cruisers and we made good time, stopping in Jasper/South Pittsburg for lunch at Krystal before the climb up Monteagle Mountain.  The trees on the mountain were just beginning to show their first blush of autumn color! Yellows, reds, russet-potato browns, ochers and oranges. I do love fall!  The mountains and rolling hills of Tennessee are just a part of my soul.  I suppose I want to click my heels and repat after Dorothy “There’s no place like home! There’s no place like home!” and I truly mean it.  I do not regret moving back to Tennessee at all. 

We made excellent time on I24 and even had time to stop and check out the tile at Floor and Décor on our way.  We parked our car at the Music City Sheraton hotel – which is MUCH cheaper than paying long-term parking at the airport. We just missed the airport shuttle, so we stood under the portico for about 30 minutes waiting for the next one.  We were joined by a group of sales folks who had been attending a sales conference in Nashville and we had a very pleasant ride chatting with a nice lady from New Jersey who was on her way home.  we finally made it to the Nashville Airport and checked our 3 bags.  The black, the blue, and Bertha.  We walked straight thru security with no waiting and not even removing our shoes thanks to TSA pre-check. One of the most painless check-ins ever.  We found our gate and decided to wait a bit further down a the end of the terminal so that it was less crowded and we had access to charging plug-ins.  We read and rested for a bit over an hour and decided to walk and stretch our legs and see what we wanted for dinner.  We remembered the Blue Coast Burrito and decided that was it! But it was in Terminal C, so we walked from B to A to C and had our dinner at Blue Coast.  I had a giant salad with chicken and black beans and it was 4 times what I could finish.  Steve had a burrito and we both had happy tummies. W e walked some more and made our way back to our gate to wait to board.  One last call to my mom – Sophie wouldn’t listen to me on the phone – I think she was made at me for leaving her at Granny’s again. 

We boarded the plane and wonder of wonders:   Steve and I had the whole row to ourselves!  We enjoyed watching The Incredibles 2 and I played some word games and read a bit.  The 5 hour flight wasn’t awful and we landed a few minutes early at LAX.  We had to take a shuttle bus to terminal 2 but thankfully no going back through security like at JFK, so even though we had a tight turn-around time, we made it with plenty of time to spare.  Thanks to the Mayor of Mexico City and his security detail, we had a few EXTRA minutes to wait to board, but it was good to stand and stretch our legs – knowing that the next 15 hours or so would be spent folded into an economy plane seat. 

When we boarded, we were told it was a full flight but once again, we ended up not having to be the middleman on the flight – even thought Steve had to sit in the row in front of me.  It still worked out.  I got a window seat and he got the aisle.  15 hours seems daunting, and it really IS a very long time.  I read for the first bit and then we were served our meal.  I had sesame ginger Thai chicken salad, fruit, cheese, and crackers.  I saved my brownie – tucking it away in the goody bag to serve as a snack for Steve later on.  Brownies are not my favorite.  After I finished my late night dinner, I took my PM meds and laid my head over on my travel pillow and tried to sleep.  I took out my contacts and put on my slipper socks and tried my best to get comfortable, which is no mean feat while sitting upright in a confined space.  I was thankful that I didn’t require a seatbelt extender – and I was especially thankful for the empty seat beside me.  I wiggled and squirmed for what felt like hours and dozed off and on for what felt like minutes.  I tried listening to classical music, but my earbuds hurt my ears and after about an hour and a half of the “soothing” classical music, I felt like I was trapped in an elevator – so I gave up on that. I woke up just before the mid-flight snack was served – we were 7 hours into the flight. I made my one trip to the tiny bathroom in the entire 15 hour ordeal and then enjoyed a flakey pastry of some sort filled with meat and cheese.  It was actually pretty good – even if it did come in a cardboard box.  I was also served a chilled banana in a draw sting bag and that was just refreshing! I might have to consider chilling my bananas at home!  I had a nice cup of diet coke and took 2 Motrin because my back was killing me.  Then I watched the movie Ferdinand about the peaceful bull who loved flowers .  I really enjoyed that (side note: should we be at all concerned that all of my inflight entertainment came from the Sky-Kids Collection?  Nahhhh.  That’s just who I am! 😊)

 I dozed again after the movie, catching a few brief naps between squirming and trying to stretch and reposition myself in my seat.  It was too dark to try to read, so in between naps I played a few word games on my screen console in my seat and then I decided to watch one more movie.  I watched “Sing” which wasn’t what I was expecting, but I did like it.  reminded me of many of the Muppet Movies with theme of “The Show must go on” with deep characters and comic relief and modern music.  As “Sing” was ending, the stewardesses were gearing up for our arrival breakfast and I had scrambled eggs (didn’t eat the mushy potatoes or sausage), a croissant and fresh fruit and took my morning meds.  I had a strong cup of Starbucks Coffee and opened my window shade so the morning light could help quickly reset my circadian rhythm and hopefully decrease my jetlag.  I’ve slept very little since Thursday and now it’s Saturday morning and we have a full day and a half of exploring ahead of us and we are on our final approach to land in Sydney!  This vacation is about to begin in earnest!

 

We landed, deplaned, and made it through customs and security in less than 30 minutes.  We took the train to central Station and we found out that the light rail trains were down for maintenance for the whole weekend.  We ended up having to stand in a line for a bus with senior citizen Asians and disillusioned and inconvenienced college aged kids who were accustomed  to a train every 4 minutes like clockwork and were not used to waiting 25 minutes for a bus (or for anything, really).  Never the less, we hefted our luggage onto the bus and 2 stops later, we were at our stop and all we had to do was cross the train tracks, take the lift to floor 4, cross the car park, and we arrived at our hotel:  The Ovolo!  It was just 9am, too early for check in, but they allowed us to stow our luggage and provided a room for us to freshen up.  I took full advantage of the freshen-up option – after 20 hours of airplane sweat, I felt grimy and gross.  I washed off with the lovely ginger-spiced soap and moisturized my parched skin with ginger and tangerine scented lotion and applied some eye make up and I felt 100% better!  They also provided us with a lovely service of tea – pots of English Breakfast with tiny pitchers of milk, and a pottery pot full of raw sugar.   Hot, sweet milk tea hit the spot!  I had 3 cups and felt somewhat revived.  By the time we finished our tea, the hotel lady told us that our room was ready and we could have an early check-in.  we came up to our room, got the camera and readied ourselves to go out and about to explore Darling Harbor. 

The first hours or so was just lovely! We saw the Australian Maritime Museum and the submarine and war ships, along with a fully rigged sailboat and all the yachts and sailboats and the light house in the harbor.  There were colorful flags flapping happily in the wind, sunlight twinkled and wined at us from the water and the sights, sounds, and delicious smells from all the cafes that lined the walk beckoned with enticing colorful sidewalk umbrellaed tables and barkers wishing us “G’Day” from the entrances of every establishment.  It was magical!  We crossed the large bridge, lined with flags that dissects the harbor and turned left to check out the area and see where the cruise ships would be docked tomorrow.  We walked and walked and walked up and down hills and stairs – past quaint shops and apartments and churches.  We found the wine store Steve had scouted out and bought 2 bottles to take on the cruise with us.  We saw the giant harbor bridge and headed along the shoreline to the upscale shopping area called “The Rocks” and then made our way down to the international cruise terminal where Splendor of the Seas was docked.  We walked along the water for fabulous views of the Opera House and the Jacaranda trees were in full bloom – scenting the park with a sweet aroma that mingled with the white jasmine in a heady perfume.  Birds of paradise and other tropical plants and palms made the area feel lush and very beautiful.  Heading back up from the park was almost 100% up hill and it was a TRUDGE.  Steve forged ahead and would have to stop and wait for me to catch up.  I was huffing and puffing and read faced and out of breath with my legs on fire and a dull ache in my lower back from sitting on the plan for 20 hours with no lumbar support.  The entire trek back was just 100% misery.  Unmitigated misery.  I had to stop and buy some water bottles and I felt like my tongue was too big to fit into my mouth. My mouth felt like it had bene lined with felt and my giant tongue was frothed up with some weird white slimy film.  I felt hot, chilled, nauseated, and like I was very likely going to diet on the side walk.  We slowly, painfully made our way back to the harbor with me stopping every 10-15 minutes to spit out the white froth and take a slug of water (which I am convinced was the only thing keeping me alive at that point).   It was noon and the sun was overhead and beating down on me relentlessly.

It was time for lunch- maybe that would revive me?  But the thought of foot made my nausea worse. Steve had found a place on Trip Advisor before we left home – a place called “Betty’s Burgers and Concrete” well, I felt like I’d already ingested concrete.  I couldn’t have eaten a Betty’s Burger if force-fed.  Turns out, concrete is another name for a frozen custard- and that was all I thought i could tolerate.  So steve ordered a Betty Burger and I had a vanilla concrete and a diet coke.  We sat and ate and I calmed down and felt a little better after cooling my tummy with concrete and caffeine from my cola.  Then we headed back to our hotel for a rest.  We both had showers followed by a short nap and we both woke up feeling more human. 

We took off again – this time heading out behind our hotel to check out the fist market and find the place where we plan to have breakfast.  We walked down nice suburb streets with iron picket fences and flowers and jacaranda and more jasmine trees.  We found the fish market, but were sad to see that it closed at 3pm (it was almost 6pm now)   we got to SMELL the fish market though! Ha-ha!  That’s a special scent, no matter what city you are in! We ended up back at Darling Harbor at the big Bridge and we cut through the shopping mall  - taking in all the sights and sounds and smells of fudge shops, clothing stores, seafood cafes and bars.  We headed back toward where we had lunch earlier and we passed Betty’s Burgers, headed out past the Chinese friendship garden to find a Japanese café called Sushi Rio – the highest rated sushi place – with a sushi-train as a bonus!  We were the only non-Asians patrons, letting us know that it was an excellent authentic choice! Steve had 3 plates of sushi and I had 2 plates and it was fun to eat with chip sticks and watch the food roll by on the conveyor belt. We decided to forgo a drink with dinner, as our hotel has a free mini-bar with beer, wine, water, and soda, juice, coffee, milk, and tea – as well as a “Loot-Bag” full of snacks. 

We wanted to stay out and see the Harbor after dark, but we were both soooo tired!  We found a park bench and people-watched for a long while.  Some folks were dressed up for Halloween.  Some dressed to the nines for the theater , some dressed casually for a night of walking in the park, and some were even dressed for a night at the club, maybe twiring around a pole? (!) we were able to hold out until almost 8pm when the sun went down and the lights came up.  We got to see the ferris wheel all lit up and the lights on the highrise buildings and hotels around the harbor.  Sydney at night does NOT disappoint!  We had an early bedtime – coming back to the room for beers and snacks and we were both asleep before we even turned off the TV.  We both slept very well and slept away the jet lag!  Tomorrow is another day!