Well here we are in the beautiful country of New Zealand. The city of Auckland is the port of call. We cannot remember how many times we have visited here before, but it is numerous times. And we can add an extra day to that number since today is a bonus one, added after the cancellation of Nuku'alofa, Tonga. The Queens Wharf had been assigned to the Volendam temporarily, then the plan was to move to Princes Wharf the following day at 4am.
One thing for sure, there were quite a number of excursions to book here. Sixteen choices actually. Some of the ones we did on past visits included the city drive and Auckland Museum for 4 hours and $90. Devonport by ferry and the north shore for 4 hours was $110, while wonderful Waiheke for 5 hours was $210. America's Cup Sail was 2 hours for $190 and Waitomo Caves to see the glow worms was fun for 9 hours and $290 with lunch. There used to be a tour to Kelly Tarleton's Aquarium, but it is no longer on the list. There were more, but we just gave you what we did. Today as you might guess, we took off on our own.
With all of the preparations before arriving here, such as getting the tourist visas, then filling out the declaration's forms, we did not have to have a face-to-face inspection this morning. Nor did we have to carry our passports with us. All the clearance must have been done onboard early this morning.
During breakfast, the only announcement that came through to the entire ship was the biosecurity notice. There was no mention of the ship being cleared, or even where the gangway was located. There was another crew drill held at 9:30am, and with the noise, we decided to leave the ship by 10am. We had to ask one of the hall monitors during the drill where the gangway was. First she thought it was deck two, then changed her mind and said it was on deck three forward. That was correct.
The weather was confusing to say the least. Before breakfast at 7:30am, there were plenty of clouds in the sky, but there was sun peeking through as well. The forecast was broken clouds, with temperatures in the mid 60's. The humidity was low, but the winds were picking up. During breakfast, one of our friends stopped and said we better be prepared for rain. Really? Back in our room, we noticed that the veranda was almost flooded and the streets below were very wet. Must have been a good passing shower. So we played with the idea of packing the umbrellas but ended up leaving them on the ship. With the blustery winds, the umbrellas would not have worked well. As it turned out, it never rained again.
Our marathon hike took us up the streets towards the Sky Tower, then onto Albert Park. We decided the streets have become steeper since the last time we were here. Or perhaps we are just taking them slower. What was nice was the fact the ship was staying overnight, and we did not have to worry about being back onboard by 5 or 6pm. We could afford to take our time. Just about anywhere in this area, you will be able to see the Sky Tower at 1,072 feet high. There are spectacular views from the top, where we have experienced the 360 degree scenery.
Albert Park is located high on a bluff with a fountain, statues, flowers, and buildings that date back to the 1800's. The mature trees might be that old as well. The wind was blowing strong there today, which did not seem to affect the dozens of college-age students that frequent the park. We had wandered into the University of Auckland campuses and really realized how few people our age were out and about. Finding the pedestrian bridge across a highway, we walked Symonds Street past many historic buildings and the old cemetery. That led to the Graftton Bridge that took us past the Auckland Hospital and into the Graftton district.
The entrance to the Auckland Domain is there, and the beginning of our downhill walk. Following the winding road in this very green park, we found the Wintergarden Pavilion. It is a really nice place to visit with tropical gardens, a formal pond, and seasonal flowers. Straight up the hillside is the Auckland War Memorial Museum loaded with Maori and Pacific treasures as well as military, social and natural heritage. There was a Shark Exhibition taking place for a while. On previous trips here, we went to the museum at least twice. There was no time today or the energy to do it again.
Hiking down the grass knoll, we joined the street that took us to the Parnell District, which was Auckland's first suburb. Today it is a unique area with small boutiques, shops and businesses for the locals as well as tourists. Far from glitzy, they have second-hand shops, cafes, bakeries, and restaurants that open mostly at night. The last time we were here, we discovered a very cozy Italian caf? that specialized in pizza and wine or beer. Doing our homework, we knew it was still opened for lunch customers, and by luck, we found it. Taking a table for two across from the bar, we chatted with the bartender/waiter who was most friendly. We ordered two Peroni beers and one Margherita pizza to share. A young fellow, he was most interested where we were from. His dream is to be able to visit the states someday, and we told him it was a "must do", telling him all about the San Francisco Bay Area. Then our pizza arrived, and it was just as we had remembered. It was cooked in a wood-fired oven with the best crust and toppings. We decided the pizza is all about the crust. Toppings are interchangeable, but the right ingredients make the pizza all the better. We added one slice of the most decadent chocolate cake that was like silk. What made the experience better was sitting and relaxing for over an hour. We do not know the exact mileage we put on, but it was worth it for the reward of such a nice lunch.
Time to move on, we slowly made our way downhill to the very nice Woolworth's Grocery Store near Quay Street. Picking up a few snacks for our room, we strolled back through the Britomart District passing a few more eateries until we reached the ship. Passing by the local agents in the terminal building, we had the grocery bags checked before proceeding back onboard. Our ship's security team was in place so we went through xray like we usually do. Needless to say, it was wonderful to be back after walking over six hours.
One of us had run into a problem with the computer regarding photo files. There was a request to update things, and by pushing one key, it went into something that was not expected. It might be a while before photos will be included with the reports.
Dinner was fairly light for both of us. They had a new beef soup which was not creamy, and that was perfect for one of us. A small salad and a shrimp appetizer were starters for the other. Mains were one chicken parmesan with spaghetti and one boneless beef rib meal for the other. Desserts were one sliced banana and a small jello. That makes our waiters laugh since we do not indulge in the sweets every night. There was a variety show with two of the entertainers from last week. Since there were fewer folks at dinner tonight (figured they went out to dinner), we doubt the show lounge was filled.
Looking forward to a good rest tonight to take on another day in the City of Sails tomorrow.
Bill & Mary Ann
