Day 30, Saturday, February 3, 2018 - Tauranga, New Zealand

Taurange, was not what I had expected at all, what a pretty place. I don’t know what it looked like 40 or 50 years ago, but today it is CLEEN and very westernized. Any westerner would be able to live here, I think. 

We arrived on time and woke to cooler temps, I had the alarm set for 7:00, but didn’t need too, as when the ship stopped rocking I knew we were docked.  It was about 6:30 am.  Our tour was to leave about nine so we had time to make ourselves ready to go and see the Maori, and some of the island.  It is cooler the high was only 73 F and a bit breeze. So Ed went up and got coffee in our cups, makes me more human,,, and after a bit of breakfast we then proceeded to the Queens lounge to wait for tour to be called. 

They finely called us and we got our seats on the bus and then found out our driver was taken ill,,, I saw them helping some one to a car out my window, she appeared to be distressed. But they found a substitute that was very competent. Paul, he did a great job all day. 

And we were off. It was quite a drive out to Bethlehem where the Maori tripe was, but pretty. On the way Michele  our guid who was also Maori, gave us lessons in the protocol we were to follow. 

There was a real ceremonial way we were to enter the grounds and Great the chief.  First we had to get a man to agree to be our chief,,, Ed wasn’t volunteering, to long in the military, you don’t volunteer LOL. but we  had a chief, now all the women were to enter first, men following, with the our chief in front. Then their chief came out and tried to intimidate our chief, then we were allowed to come in. Now the women, went to the back to sit down and the men set in front. There was some confusion on this step, have a bunch of 60+ people and you will soon see how many have paired attention.  One little lady way over 80, took off in her scooter, and was going to sit with the Maori. LOL 

So is we were going to be officially welcome and you needed to go through a type of receiving line and touch  noses and foreheads, looking in the eyes as you do it. Then we saw a demonstration of the warriors and introduction of one of the oldest members 90+ but he didn’t remember, just how old, but he got around well! 

Coming in to Tauranga 

Entering the grounds

The meeting house

Kids from the collage 

Feather blanket used in weddings and ther was a small one for baptism 

Then we left, and had a tour of the island and here are some pictures of that. 

This doesn’t look as high as it was, our ship was behind the tree. 

 

Day 29, Friday,February 2, 2018 - Auckland, New Zealand

Well here we are in Auckland, it is sunny, about 74*F, we arrived about 7AM and it is now about 8:30 AM and we are about to leave on our privet tour of the city. So I will be back with a report. 

We got back after walking around, after our tour. Ed left his backpack on the van and is right now down meeting the driver, to hopefully get it back. 

The tour was wonderful we have some wonderful pictures. Auckland is a beautiful city, and I can see why my parents loved so much, it is wonderful now, and in the 70s it must have been really something. So I will try to post some pictures of it. 

 

Supper bowl is here too

  

Botanical garden

Day 28, Thursday, February 1, 2018 At Sea, our third sea day

Well here it is the first day of February and our last sea day for a bit, we arrive in Auckland tomorrow and we will have three Port days in a row. So I felt I better get this post out today. And catch up again. You would think sea days were not very busy, but just the opposite, they are so busy it is hard to keep up with it all. 

The first two and a half sea days we really rocked and rolled, and we’re rocking today but not as bad.  We another formal/Galla night last night it was called “ Bollers and Bumper Stick” the dining room was all decked out with hanging umbrellas and sparkly Boller hats. It was fun, and they had a production show after. Surf And Turf was on the menu..

Inbetween  I had watercolor class, that was a real challenge and a difficult craft class, we did a necklace thay was a bear, lots of loops! Ed did tai chi, and went to the test kitchen to see our favorite chef, it seemed we were running all day. 

So now we are to land for our first stop in New Zealand tomorrow, and this sea day has been very busy again. Sea days are not rest days, but they are fun. 

Art project 

Update to our Alofi Niue post

We just left Alofi Niue, and the captain came on and informed us our good weather was over for a couple days. We are going to be going through a gale and he said to button down the hatches. We will experience in excess of 40 miles an hour winds. So I am letting you know that we may not have internet until we get to Auckland on Friday. Bearing in mind we are going over the dateline so when we wake tomorrow, Monday for you will be Tuesday for us. 

I will keep you posted if I can. 

(Backup) Day 25, Sunday, January 28, 2018 Alofi, Niue 🇳🇺

Well here we are in Alofi Niue a New Zealand island, and when they said there wasn’t much here especially on a Sunday, they weren’t kidding. It was again a tender port, and a bit tricky, I don’t think they really want visitors LOL.  We landed and started the long track up the hill to see what we could see. 

This was just a quarter of the way up, thank God it was a cloudy day!

It got some fame during WWI

Since nothing was open we walked back down the hill to the tender,and it started to rain, I always get a kick out of people dressed in swim attire and they want an umbrella!  Oh well, it didn’t bother us, we went back to the ship for lunch. 

Day 25, Friday, January 26, 2018 Avatiu, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

I am be hind again, as I did not think we would get in to Rarotonga, the captain was not painting a very good picture the night befor, so I thought I would have plenty of time to do the blog. But we did! It was a bit of a chalange to get on the tenders, for the sea was rocking, and  rolling. So they didn’t let anyone who couldn’t walk down the steps on there own, would not be allowed off.  We could walk so we got off, and proceeded to walk our five miles, or 10,000 steps around the island. It was HOT with very little breeze, but we saw a bit of the town and met some nice towns people. What we didn’t do is stay hydrated, which I paired for later, but I get ahead of myself. 

 

Getting on the tenders this morning was really something, first we go up to the Lido to get the tickets or I should say Ed went up this time when he we.nt to get coffee. And he came back with 29 and I couldn’t believe we were that far back, but it seems people have been cheating, some how keeping there tickets, so the can cut the line...... so they started with #40! So we were in the middle of the pack. We finished getting dressed and packing the backpack and waited to be called after the tours went. 

Then we were called and that was an experience in itself. The ship was rocking and the tender was rolling so everyone needed help getting in and even escorted to your seat so you didn’t fall!  Coming back it was the reverse, wow this crew really preformed outstanding, they were able to get 780 people over and back and no one got hurt. 

So after walking around and looking for a rugby shirt,,,, we came back and took showers and went to my favorite place for lunch the Dive-In by the pool to have a hamburger and Ed a hotdog, and a G&T not too smart, as they tasted great, but drinking alcohol when your dehydrated and no water,,, well, and through a straw,,, so guess who got a belly ache later. 

So that night Ed went to dinner alone, I stayed in the room and drank lots of water, and went to sleep.

27 January sea day

Next day it’s a sea day, you would think it would be a laid back day, but we are both so busy Ed with Tai Chi and me with watercolor and crafts class, and because both of my classes are so popular you have to go early, in watercolor class to keep my seat I have to get there at 8:30 and wait tell 9.  And yesterday they had, 

 Chef Charles Lallemand 

in the test kitchen to demonstrate two great dishes, so we went there, then we were hungry, so we went to lunch, and that holds the seats for Kathi and I, for the 2:30 crafts class! We made a paper beads, that was fun and I will do that at home.  Then it was come back and get gusseyed up to go to the captain’s Dinner. It was by invitation, you only get one chance. 

It was a very nice affair you were suppose to have an officer at each table, we were a table for nine people which made it a bit awakward as they set 5 of us in a bench seat, and on the other side they had the cruise director, Harmash and Cynthia a young administration officer then another couple from Seattle. They were nice, but they were really the only ones Ed could converse with as he was on the end. The dinner was very good we were served lamb chops and I mus say they were the best I have ever had. Then we were given another gift, sure glad we aren’t flying home LOL. 

Day 21, Wednesday, January 24, 2018- Vaitape, Bora Bora, French Polynesia

The Amsterdam sailed in about 6:30, and yes I was awake. Morning is beginning to be my best hour! How boring, my dad used to say,,, “ wouldn’t it be awful, if you were a tea totaler and know that when you woke up, that was as good as you would feel all day”!  Well it’s beginning to look that way for me. LOL

It was a beautiful sail in. 

We have been here, several times in the past, but the very fact that it was Bora Bora, makes it magical, and it aways is. There were the musicians playing island music and ladies making Lae Pouos and the venders selling there shell necklaces and of coarse black pearls! 

We are here until 10:30 PM it was a good day on shore, we looked at some of the crafts, but didn’t find anything we really wanted, so we walked down the street to see if the church was open, it never has been, in the past, and it wasn’t open today either.  So we went to the small cafe, that has free WiFi if you buy something and ordered 2 cokes and a cheese pizza to shear. And I sent some emails and so did Ed. After our lunch, we went in the gift shop next door and Ed bought a carved wooden stingray, and I might have bought a magnet or two, but changed my mind, cost $15 for a magnet!

Then walking back to the tender, we came across a man selling some black pearl rings, and I really liked them and so did Ed sooooo, yup, he bought me one.  

So now it’s time to get ready for dinner, the sun is setting, and we aren’t going to Bloody Mary’s, wow!  I guess we have been there done that!

 

Day 20- Tuesday, January 23, 2018 Cooks Bay, Moorea French Polynesia

Moorea, oh how I love this island, it is so beautiful. I believe they used it for the scenery in the movie South Pacific. This island is the best shopping for black pearls of gift quality. The prices are much better then Papeete or Bora Bora, tomorrow’s stop. 

. 

The high today is 83*F and a strong breeze, so we weren’t going to get to hot.  We tender here, so we had coffee in the room, and then went up and got our tender tickets. We we tender 29 and they had only called tender 8. So Ed decided to have an omelet while we waited up by the pool. 

About a 45 minute wait our number was called, and we were on our way. 

This was a wee shopping day, no tours. There were lots of little tables set up with mostly jewelry, but some tea shirts a bit in the back they had pineapples and coconuts. So after a bit we sheared a coconut fo the water in it, nice. 

I fell in love with this necklace on the right, but at $600 decided to pass. LOL 

So, it was back to the ship, and lunch, and a swim in the pool, sail away was at 4:30 

Looks like I can’t get the photos out :(

 

 

Day 19, Monday, January 22, 2018- Papeete, Tahiti

It certainly feels like we are in French Polynesia. The weather has been glorious, today sunny and about 86* F, it felt much hotter, I think because of the humidity. 

We had an all day tour, 71/2 hours around the island. We visited the home of James Norman Hall, the co author of Mutiny on the Bounty and many more novels. His home reminded me of the home of, Hemingway, In Key West. 

Then we saw the Venus Light House, so named because Captain Cook used that spot to determine where they were using Venus, to position the island. 

Now believe it or not, Tahiti is big, very pretty, but very much like Hawaii, and Hawaii is a lot closer. The people that were entertainers leaving the ship in Papeete to fly home to Hawaii, were going to have to fly to LA, and then fly to Hawaii, 20 hours ugh. As there are only a few fights to Hawaii a week! 

Next we had a stop for lunch, at a lovely restaurant that served us a traditional meal with lots of coconut in the foods, not for GD Sally. Or anyone else that can’t eat coconut, but we liked it a lot. 

 

Then we went to the Museum of Tahiti and the island, that, had we visited it earlier in the day we would have enjoyed it more. Next  stop was the botanical garden, by then it was too hot and muggy, to even venture in. Any gift shopping in Tahiti is very expensive, we did buy some vanilla beans,, but at 30$ for about 6 oz!  Like I said expensive!

We returned to the ship and it truly was coming home, nice, cool AC. Showered and got ready for an early diner, so we could see the special Tahitian dance show, that was only going to be on once! It was fantastic, but we were exhausted after watching those kids dance! 

I have tried to send photos, and they won’t go out. 

(Backup) Day 18 Sunday January 21, 2018

Avatoru, Rangiroa French Polynesia 🇵🇫 weather 85 F. This is a very interesting place. It is a large atoll, you can’t see from one side to the other, and there is only one inlet that a ship can get in the center where she needs to anchor. There is not a lot to do here other then scuba and snorkel, or go to the pearl farm. We skipped all that and just walked around in the warm sunshine. Again the sun was very hot, so after taking the tender over, we shopped a bit, and split a beer. I will post some picture to give you the 

 

Here we are coming in, and the nex shot is a picture of a picture of the Atoll. 

Even on Sunday the local people treated us. 

 

Looking back at the ship. 

Tomorrow we are in Tahiti and we have an all day tour of the island, so I best close and go to bed, as it is 11:30 pm here. Good night. 💤 

(Backup) Day 18 Sunday January 21, 2018

Avatoru, Rangiroa French Polynesia 🇵🇫 weather 85 F. This is a very interesting place. It is a large atoll, you can’t see from one side to the other, and there is only one inlet that a ship can get in the center where she needs to anchor. There is not a lot to do here other then scuba and snorkel, or go to the pearl farm. We skipped all that and just walked around in the warm sunshine. Again the sun was very hot, so after taking the tender over, we shopped a bit, and split a beer. I will post some picture to give you the 

 

Here we are coming in, and the nex shot is a picture of a picture of the Atoll. 

Even on Sunday the local people treated us. 

 

Looking back at the ship. 

Tomorrow we are in Tahiti and we have an all day tour of the island, so I best close and go to bed, as it is 11:30 pm here. Good night. 💤 

January 19, 2018 Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

Today we finally landed at Taiohae, Nuku Hiva , after 8 days at sea. Now mind you the sea days went fast for us as we were just too busy. But it was fun to see land again. This is a very small island, and we tender in. Well we almost didn’t, not because of the weather, but because off the tenders, had a problem. We went upstairs to the pool on the Lido deck to get tender tickets, and there was a line all the way around the pool. So much for being early, and we got our tickets, blue 8. We figured that might make the second tender. Ok so we sit down to wait, they call the first tender, through 4, so we will be next, well we were, but that was 2 half hours later. Seems two tenders had mechanical problems, and they had to be fixed. 

It was a beautiful day, 75 degrees and mostly sunny and there was a breeze, thank God as the sun was very intense, so it felt like about 95!  This was why we wanted to go over earlier. So much for plans. At our sail-in they opened the bow, and served juice, coffee, and Polynesian rolls/ Panama rolls! I don’t care what they call them there good. So we went to deck three, and made our way there to get them, mind you we were there at 6:45 am, those of you that know me, know I don’t do early mornings, but I’m learning too! 

This area is not normally open. 

 
We arrived to druming, and pipeing-in from the natives, so cool!

So now we were off for a walk, hot, dry, muggy, we headed to see the church. Then we headed back, ed claimed almost up to the church, but the first big hill to get there whipped me out. It was noon and the intensity of the sun was getting to me.  So we headed back the mile to the gift and restaurant area, to get a coke. 

  

Ed standing in the shade on the way back with the Amsterdam in the back. And  I bought a pretty lai for my head, to wear tomorrow night to Polynesian night Dinner. 

  

 

Making head lai.                       The people are very good carvers. 

So now it was time to head backstory the ship and a late lunch, and a cool drink so we did just that. 

January 17,2018 7th sea day

Good morning, it is a bright and sunny day here, 77 * and 7:39 in the morning. We are now on Anchorage time as we gained another hour last night. These 25 hour days are starting to be enjoyable.  And it appears we will gain another hour tonight. 

What’s happening around the ship? Yesterday we crossed the equator on Monday for the first time, we will do that 4 more times. So they had a ceremony for all the kids that are getting off in Sydney, we missed seeing it, but if you go to the captins blog,,, captinjonathan.com   he posted lots of pictures. He is up late. LOL

We have been asked for pictures of the cabin so I will try to do that now. 

Looking from the balcony 

Lookin the other way

Our desk area, and Aka Cindy’s make-up area, and a pice of the balcony, it’s pretty big but hard to photograph. 

January 16, 2018 6th sea day

Good morning, I just returned from my watercolor class, and decided, I better try to catch up a bit, or it will never happen. As I said before there is sooooo much to do it is hard to find time to do it all. Even with gaining time. We are now on California time. We gained another hour last night, so this is another 25 hour day. So I decided I better put it to good use and catch you up on what’s happening on the ship. 

We had our second Galla/Formal night last night. It was the black and silver ball, and it was very nice. The dinning room was decorated spectacularly. Every one revived a mask, the chairs were all covered in eaither black or white coverslips.  And the menu was special too. We once again had a ships officer sit at the empty place we have at the table, and that proved to be very informative. She is the HR officer, and is from Blackpool, UK. And our table mate Kathie had been there! She was really surprised that some knew where it was, let alone been there!  So it mad for lively conversation. So we got to the ball a bit late, but that was okay, we weren’t going to stay long anyway. 

When we returned we had another pillow gift. A game called Grandventure, it’s a takeoff on monopoly, only it has our map and the ports we are stopping at! Really cool, amazes me that they were able to make a game for us all, that is so specialized. 

So as I said, I have finished my first ever watercolor painting, and I have a photo of it below. 

Tucan

Ed is still doing tie-chee every day, and it really makes him feel good, so I think he will keep it up. Now we will have to find out if they have a Wee program he can use when we get home. 

I will try to publish this and see what luck we have. 

(Backup) Hats