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.