Hawaiian Ports (Honolulu, Kona, & Hilo)

After nearly two months, we arrived back in the US via Honolulu on November 25th.  We had originally been scheduled to be in Kona on the 25th and Honolulu on Thanksgiving, but many passengers were disappointed that places like the Arizona Memorial and the Polynesian Cultural Center were to be closed on the holiday.  So the ship arranged to flip-flop the ports.  As we entered the Queen’s Lounge to process through immigration, each of us was given a fresh flower lei, a very pleasant surprise, considering there are about 1100 passengers! 

We had selected a shore excursion that we had done when we were in Hawaii in January of 2008 because we had enjoyed that trip so much the first time.  It consisted of a circle tour of the island, which gave us a great overview of everything.  We set out from Honolulu with questionable but fairly decent skies.  As the day progressed, though, the weather became less and less cooperative.  Knowing Hawaii gets rain every day, we weren’t concerned, but this time the rain didn’t go away.

The trip included stops at Hanauma Bay (marine wildlife center) for a brief overlook, followed by the Halona Blow Hole.  We also traveled up to Pali Lookout, which is windy under normal conditions, but was extremely windy today!  All of those things we had done the first time we’d gone on the Grand Circle Tour.  This guide did change things up a little bit, which made things even more interesting for us.  We made a stop at a cemetery, where we visited a lovely Buddhist Temple, Byodo-In.  The gardens were beautiful and black swans swam through the pond.

The most memorable stop for us was the Polynesian Cultural Center, where we were scheduled to have a buffet lunch.  We hadn’t realized that our tour included admission into the center, so we were very pleased!  And our timing was such that after lunch we got front-row seats for the boat parade.  Despite the misting that was occurring, we were mesmerized by the display of dancers performing their native dances:  Hawaii, Tonga, Tahiti, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Samoa, and Fiji.  Having now visited every single one of those islands, it meant so much more to us than before – a great overview for the conclusion of the trip, causing us to recall wonderful memories of the days we’d spent in these lovely islands!  We just wish we’d also had time to visit more of the center and see the displays in each of the cultural areas.  However, being able to see the boat parade was a very pleasant and welcome surprise! 

Leaving the Polynesian Cultural Center, we drove slowly along the beaches, caught in the daily surfing traffic.  Twenty-plus foot waves crashed to the shores, and our guide told us that this was even high for the surfers, though we did see some brave (or foolish) souls out making a valiant attempt to ride the waves.  The following day we saw that the beaches were closed due to high waves. 

Our stop at the Dole Plantation was so quick it was hardly worth mentioning – we were in, out, and on our way within fifteen minutes. Chuck and I were glad we’d had the opportunity to spend more time there in 2008.

When we arrived back at the ship, we’d planned to visit Hilo Hattie’s, but the shuttles had ended an hour earlier and the store was closing within another hour, so we had to give up on that idea, hoping that we would have an opportunity somewhere else along the line.  Instead we opted for the onboard Hawaiian barbecue on the Lido deck.  It was a drastic change from the Outback barbecue we’d had in Cairns – with warm, glorious weather.  Tonight was rainy and dreary, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of the those who enjoyed the food and local entertainment. 

We set sail at about 10:00 PM in the rain, heading for our Thanksgiving port of call, Kona.  We arrived there at about 7:00 and were anchored outside the charming little village.  We were pleased to be able to make quick phone calls to Joan & Orlan and Lyman & Beryl that morning since we wouldn’t be spending Thanksgiving with family. 

While Chuck did a different shore excursion, I did one entitled Magical Seahorse Discovery.  We drove seven miles out of Kailua to the first seahorse farm in the country (world?) to learn about these adorable little sea creatures, and learn we did!  After scrubbing up to our elbows in soapy water and walking through a rinse for our shoes, we first saw exactly what makes up a seahorse’s diet.  We were amazed to find that they are carnivores!  The seahorse eats tiny (and I do mean tiny) shrimp; if you looked carefully into the container you could barely make out these miniscule creatures! They then showed us what baby seahorses eat, and those were even smaller.  We spent time studying hundreds of seahorses swimming around, hooking onto each other or small grills placed in their tanks.  Seahorses are usually monogamous. While it’s the female’s job to lay the eggs, it’s the male’s job to incubate them, and then to give birth. (Ah, justice for once!)  Seahorses in the wild only eat live food. At the farm, they managed to breed them so that not only would they would eat either frozen or live food but they would also lose their monogamous tendencies, which helps with breeding.  Seahorses have been harvested to the point of near extinction, so this seahorse farm is working very hard to breed them to preserve the species.  As we continued to another tank, we were allowed to take a peek at some sea dragons, amazing little creatures that are indigenous to waters near Australia. The sea dragon is a member of the same family as the seahorse, but they have not yet been bred in captivity.  Everyone was surprised to see what looked like seaweed in the tank, but upon closer examination turned out to be the sea dragons, and as we studied them, we could see the resemblance to seahorses.  The highlight came when we were allowed to “hold” a seahorse.  What this really meant was that they got a seahorse to wrap itself around our baby fingers.  It was interesting watching these delicate little creatures as they flapped their fins at the rate of about 40 times per second.  Our final stop was a small aquarium that housed several species of seahorses of many different sizes and colors.

(As Barb indicated, I did a different excursion in Kona than she did.  We had planned do one together but since our itinerary for November 25 and 26 was reversed after the cruise began, the one we had intended to do was unavailable on Thanksgiving.  I decided to do what was called a “Cloud Forest Walk”, a gentle walk on the slopes of the Hualalai volcano starting at an elevation of 3,000 feet.  This volcano had last erupted in a destructive display in 1801 and typically erupts about every 200 years.  There is no soil  as such but lush vegetation grows on the presently inactive volcano.  We learned that “Norman” purchased a 700 acre cattle ranch that had occupied that land and had decided to return the area to a natural state.  He painstakingly introduced various types of vegetation which are flourishing because of the frequent moisture that is present at that elevation and above.  It is called a “cloud forest” as opposed to a rain forest because, although it gets copious amounts of rain, it is at a higher elevation and it rains there nearly every day.  Kona, though very nearby gets about 22 inches of rain annually, but up in the cloud forest, there are nearly daily rains normally in the afternoons.  Sure  enough,  we saw the skies getting more gray as the morning passed.  “Norman” is an active 70 year old man who has been working on his project for the last 30 years and is seeing the fruits of his efforts fulfilled.  We saw many Hawaiian flowers and trees, some of which were indigenous and some of which had been introduced by Norman to his property.  These were too numerous and tedious to mention; besides my not being a botanist, it makes it a convenient excuse for me not to mention all that was seen!

We were provided with walking sticks which I personally found somewhat cumbersome especially when we were on more level  ground.  As the morning progressed, we began to climb over the tangled root system and through the trees, branches, and large ferns,  It reminded me of the rain forest walk that we had one over  a month ago in Fiji although I would say the one in Fiji was infinitely more difficult.  I was, however, grateful that Barb hadn’t done this one as she would not have enjoyed the walk.  And I admit I enjoyed it more not having to be concerned that she would trip and fall over one of the seemingly thousands of roots over which we had had to maneuver.  We were told that we might observe some wild pigs and maybe some wild sheep on our walk but they usually stay out of the way if people are hiking.  At one point, we stopped as several sheep  were keeping wary eyes on us from a high point on our path.  I managed to get one picture of one of them at a distance before the sheep ran on to safer terrain.  I was fortunate as some who were farther back weren’t able to snap a photo.  The trail back down to our starting point was just as difficult in a different respect as we had to walk on damp leaves as we walked down.  Fortunately no one fell going in either direction but it was miraculous that there were no mishaps.  There were some older people (yes, some older than I) and they managed quite well.  The one who had the greatest problem was a younger woman who apparently was diabetic who had to stop once check her sugar.  I could hear her moaning on occasion as her older husband helped her along.  Several times she shrieked as she nearly fell but thankfully all ended well.  As the hike ended, we returned the short distance to Kona, passing lava fields from the 1801 eruption.  Some of the land has been developed but much has not.  The guide said that with an eruption overdue, most are concerned about investing too much in an area that is prime for volcanic action.

The early afternoon return gave a chance to make the trek to Hilo Hattie’s and other places in Kona for some window shopping and shopping.  Despite the fact that it was Thanksgiving,  most stores were open including Hilo Hattie’s which boasts it is open 365 days a year.  Wandering the streets of small town Kona with the tourist business district concentrated along the harbor makes shopping there quite convenient.

Aloha, Chuck)

While we looked forward to visiting Hilo, it was with mixed emotions, being our very last port on the entire cruise!  The day never really dawned since the cloud cover was so thick.  (Chuck had said if there was one day we needed nice weather, it was in Milford Sound. That was a glorious day!  However, ever since Milford Sound, on the southern tip of New Zealand, we’ve had far more overcast days than sunny days! Hmmm….)  

We should have gathered how the day would go when we received our tour stickers: pink 13.  Pink is fine, and I’m not normally superstitious, but looking back, 13 fit the tour perfectly!  Our group was sent out from the Queen’s Lounge (where we meet for excursions) a few minutes late, and when we got to the pier, they asked us to wait because the bus wasn’t ready yet.  A few minutes later a woman came over and told us that a group from the ms Zaandam would be joining us for the excursion, but that the Zaandam hadn’t yet arrived.  No worries, though, because they’d just take us to Queen Liliuokalani Park and then to the Big Island Candy factory and gift store to help us kill a little time.  Off we went, spending about ten minutes driving through the park, and arriving at the candy shop at about 9:30.  Our guide told us that we’d get samples of candy and Kona coffee (candy – normally fine, but at 9:30 in the morning, not so good; coffee – yuck!  They can keep their sample coffee!)  He said to be back in about 20 minutes.  We enjoyed wandering around in the shop and watching the workers through a glass window, but I don’t think anyone bought anything – the candy was very high-priced!  Someone commented that we’d have been better off being delivered to Hilo Hattie’s for a shopping spree. 

Back on the bus, we waited for awhile longer, then headed back to the pier, cleared security, and finally managed to get to the pier where the Zaandam was docked (a challenge in and of itself).  The people from the Zaandam came out in small clusters, and at 10:45 we were finally ready to head off on our five-hour shore excursion (that should have left at 9:00). 

Our trip the the Waipi’o Valley (located in an extinct volcano) took over an hour, and we arrived there at about noon and took a bathroom break (quite a lengthy one, considering that there were 38 people and two individual unisex bathrooms.  I got steered into a different line than Chuck, and he began to wonder if I’d gotten lost, it took so long!  After a long delay, we finally clambered up into our four-wheel-drive vans and were off on our adventure.  The Waipi’o Valley is lovely – beautiful scenery in a sunken valley with lush green lands dotted with ponds, and pencil-thin waterfalls cascading down over high cliffs.  We drove down and down and down into the valley, making a photo stop along the way.  I was glad I had worn my Crocs as I stepped into deep mud getting out of the van.  On our way again, we reached the floor of the valley and enjoyed viewing the scenery from there.  Our driver pointed out his home that had once been owned by his grandmother but had been destroyed in a tsunami and had been rebuilt.  That was near a hippie camp (these people looked like typical dead heads!)  A very short distance from there, he told us to hang on as we were heading into a stream of water.  We bumped down the road, and, splash!  We were STUCK!! The right rear wheel of the van had slid off the road and sunk.  The driver tried going forward, then going back, and nothing happened other than scraping and grinding!   There we sat in our fishbowl as the van drivers behind us – and the gray-haired hippies – converged to offer their suggestions as to how to get out.  Finally one of the men in our van said, “We’d better climb out because it will lighten the load.”  He took off his shoes and socks and stepped down into the stream.  I took my socks off and started to roll my jeans up – now really glad I was wearing my Crocs!  In the meantime another van driver (with others from our group) had managed to get around in front of us, and had chained our van to his.  A minute or so later, we found ourselves safely on the other side of the stream.  I hadn’t even had to get my Crocs wet!  We waved the hippies good-bye (just kidding) and continued on our way, once again enjoying the sights, which now included wild horses coming right up to the vans and saying hello.  (They sure do like guavas!)   One more photo stop where we had more wild horses come near for pictures, and we were headed back.  Happily, we made it safely to the top without further incident. 

Now it was back on the bus and on our way back to Hilo.  We were relieved that we were on a Holland-America shore excursion because we scheduled to set sail at 4:00, which meant onboard at 3:30.  We did manage to get back onboard by 3:45, but we really cut it close!  I guess you could say we certainly had a very memorable last shore excursion – and plenty to tell our dinner companions that evening!

Our Hawaiian ports have been wonderful, but the weather has been quite overcast and gloomy.  We were so glad that this weather occurred in ports we’d already visited.  When we stayed with Susan & Hugh in Ko Olina in January of 2008, and the week following when we took a cruise of the other islands, the weather was spectacular. 

Now we have four days at sea before arriving in L.A. and flying home to Chicago.  We attended a “coffee chat” this morning that featured our port lecturer, Barbara Haeni.  Barbara, who is from Pt. Pleasant, NJ along the Jersey shore, has been a wealth of information for our various ports of call, and Jacky, the coffee chat host, told us that Barbara has been named the Holland America Employee of the Year!  We were all thrilled to hear this news as she’s given us such wonderful insights into our various ports. 

We’ve planned to go to the Indonesian Crew Show tonight after learning that both our dining room stewards, a former dining room steward, our cabin steward, our dining room manager and two Pinnacle stewards are all performing!  We don’t think we’ve ever known so many people participating in the performance!  But then, we’ve never had so many opportunities to get to know members of the crew until this trip.  Knowing them makes seeing the show more special.

Barb

Since this is our last blog entry, it seems appropriate to say our  travels have taken us to some amazing and beautiful places on earth.  So much was new to us – cultures, scenery, wildlife – that it has given a new appreciation of our planet.  Yet while it is always good to go away, we were happy to return home to the USA when we set foot in Honolulu and were happy to join Hawaiians as we all celebrated Thanksgiving.  We could say that we were not only celebrating Thanksgiving on the ship, but we were celebrating it in the USA.  It wasn’t the same as spending it with family or long time friends, but we were happy to be in Hawaii.  Just a few more days and we will truly be home after our long adventure, looking forward to seeing family and good friends again, and yes, getting back to our daily routines, but we are also happy to have met some new friends with whom we have shared the adventures of travel.

Chuck & Barb

Keeping Entertained on Our Days at Sea

After leaving Samoa, our last foreign port, we spent four days at sea.  We continue to marvel at all the things the crew has planned to keep the guests entertained.  Despite nearing the end of the trip, we have yet to find a day that isn’t jam-packed with events, lectures, and fun surprises.  Our first day at sea, the 21st, the captain announced that we were in the doldrums.  We had been commenting on the flat calm of the ocean, and that explained it!  However, within two days, things would change drastically! 

On Sunday the 22nd as we crossed the Equator, the cruise director Bruce announced that the captain had noticed a little blip on the radar that would require attention.  My first reaction was, “Oh, great, a storm at sea!”  No, not a storm, but the approach of King Neptune!  We were all invited to attend court as King Neptune brought to judgment several poor unfortunate souls who had not paid homage to his royal highness.  Cruise director Bruce acted as judge as King Neptune and his mermaid queen processed in to hold court, with the ship’s captain and first officers acting as jury.  Soon the bailiff approached, leading the chained-up accused, about 25 crew members who had never crossed the Equator before.  (We were told that on the way down, King Neptune was busy on another ship so was unable to hold court at that time.)  Three or four at a time were brought to judgment and their crimes read (everything from erasing all the captain’s charts to asking bus drivers to find every pothole in the road).  After being forced to “kiss the fish” (quite literally), the accused were slimed with horrible gook and covered with corn flakes before receiving their sentences.  The lucky ones were the ones who received the thumbs-down.  They could jump into the pool and have the slime washed off immediately.  The poor souls, including some third and fourth officers, shore excursion staff, and the lead singer and one of the dancers, who received the thumbs-up were forced to sit in the sun and bake in that awful gook until the ceremony was over!  It was all good fun, though, and everyone had a wonderful time!  Although it was our fourth time crossing the Equator (twice on the Peru trip and twice on this trip), we had never witnessed the King Neptune Court.

The following day, the ship began to roll and pitch – some of the roughest waters we’d experienced on the entire trip!  We’d have welcomed the doldrums of two days previously, as people grabbed for railings, elevators clanked and shuddered with every motion, and we’d feel tremendous bumps of waves.  That same day there was a Chef's Grand Show Buffet in the La Fontaine Dining Room, designed to showcase the culinary and artistic talents of the chef and his crew.  We decided not to eat there because we knew it would include a lot more rich food than we could handle, but we did go down for the display and photo ops.  The displays were incredible, with pastries shaped like alligators, spiders, butterflies, to name a few.  Other displays included a QWERTY typewriter cake complete with keys, a cart made of pineapple wheels, tropical paradise made of watermelon (pictured above), a penguin, a turkey, and more chocolate sculptures than I can name!  Once again we came away very impressed at the detail that went into the preparation for this event.

On our last sea day before Hawaii, the ship continued its constant motion, and we commented that we’d laughed a few days before about being in the doldrums.  We noticed fewer people in the dining rooms and shows and wondered if they had taken to their rooms due to all the motion.  Gladly, I’ve had absolutely no problem with motion sickness, even without taking Dramamine or wearing a patch! 

That evening we were treated to a Murder Mystery Dinner at the Pinnacle Grill.  We arrived in the Hudson Room (usually used for small group games, etc.) for our pre-dinner socialization time and were greeted by Nate Nurdley, the reunion chair, and his able committee.  We were encouraged to fill out our name tags with our names and our graduation years (either real or invented).  I wasn’t very original, but I talked with another “classmate”, who graduated the same year I did; she agreed with me that we both very much liked the year we graduated and weren’t ashamed to claim it!  After proceeding to the dining room and being seated, the room suddenly went dark, and we heard a “shot”.  We were informed that Nate had met his demise when he went into the kitchen to check on the caterers’ progress.  During the dinner, one of the committee members, who was a “policeman” conducted interrogations of all the other committee members.  Each played their roles very ably, really hamming it up, particularly the aggrieved widow, Harriet Hamalot Nurdley, the policeman Mario Testosteroni, librarian Agnes Crabapple, eternal alumna Venus Mantrap, perpetual cheerleader Fluffy Carlington, and consummate jock Jacques Strappé, an exchange student from Montreal, Quebec.

We did get quite a kick out of their antics, particularly having gotten to know most of them in various capacities during the course of the cruise.  We were allowed to vote on the culprit, and our table opted for Fluffy Carlington because she had played sort of a back-seat role.  However, Mario’s investigations indicated that the murder had been performed by the widow, Harriet Hamalot Nurdley.  The script had been written by cruise director Bruce (who played Nate – I’d guessed beforehand that he’d be murdered so he could carry on with his other evening “duties”).  All the reunion attendees agreed that we’d had a wonderful time at the reunion despite the untimely and unfortunate “murder”, and we had some great laughs!

We haven’t posted a folder with pictures because most of them will mean much more to us than to people who weren’t there. 

Barb

Nuku’ Alofa, Tonga & Apia, Samoa

Having departed New Zealand and traveling north, we now truly feel  like we are on our way home.  As we continue north, temperatures  are getting warmer again, our last gasp of warm weather before returning to New Lenox for the duration of the winter.

Following two days at sea and a chance to catch up from our busy pace in New Zealand, we began to get back to our on board activities again.  Both of our new lecturers are experts on the South Pacific.  One focuses more on Hawaii and its natural and historical past, while the other deals more with the South Pacific islands.  She has delivered two lectures on Robert Louis Stevenson (who will be cited more when I discuss our stop in Apia, Samoa).

I have tried to continue my sea day activities of  walking the deck before breakfast as I did on our way across the Pacific to Australia.  On the first morning out of New Zealand,  I noticed a bird flying near the bow of the ship.  At first I thought it was a gull far from land but it seemed quite large for a gull.  After 2 – 3 times around the deck, this bird still seemed to be staying with the ship.  But I noticed that it was doing more gliding than flying and began to wonder if it was one of those magnificent albatrosses.  Then I noticed it was flying along side the port side of the ship.  The next time around the deck, it was still there.  I heard a man saying to his wife, “Poor Alby,  he never learned to flap his wings.”  I wished I had had a camera and decided if I saw it again on my next pass to the port side, I was going up to our stateroom and hopefully go out on the veranda and take a picture.  We had tried so hard to get a good picture of an albatross when we were in Dunedin, but only got pictures of them in the distance.  Sure enough, “Alby” was still there, so I cut my walk a little short, went back to the room and asked Barb if she had noticed the albatross.  She of course hadn’t been looking, so she hadn’t seen it.  We went out on the veranda armed with cameras, and saw … nothing but the wide open seas.  I even went up on the top deck and walked around both sides, but it had left.  No luck in my photo opportunity.   I had seen the albatross but as soon as I went for my camera, it apparently had become camera-shy and was never again near the ship.

Before arriving in Tonga, the shore excursions director had reminded us not to expect the sophistication of Australia and New Zealand.  That had been our admonition when we visited the islands on our way across, but we had picked up new guests in Sydney and the rest of us had experienced two countries very similar to the US for over three weeks.  One of the first things we noticed as we approached the Kingdom of Tonga was that the temperatures were becoming warmer.  It had been quite cool in New Zealand, except for the days we were with our friends, Brian and Margaret.  We were scheduled to be at anchor, which would have meant tenders to  get ashore, but were told the night before that it looked like we could dock in Nuku’ Alofa, the capital and largest town on the island of just over 100,000 people.  It was a working dock and rather primitive in comparison with recent ports.  An Australian military ship was docked nearby and we were told that that vessel was present to assist Tonga in relief from a tsunami that had hit the island a year or so ago.

We selected a short tour here, called “Historic Nuku’ Alofa”.  We boarded our buses which were “air conditioned” by the open windows.  Our first stop was at the king’s palace.  As indicated, Tonga has been a kingdom which succeeded in maintaining independence during the years of European and American imperialism.  (In 1900, though, Tonga became a British protectorate, and in 1970 it gained full independence within the British Commonwealth.)  Until recently, the monarch has had most power, but citizens had demanded more rights.  After the last king passed away, the new king, crowned several months ago, has extended more individual rights and we noticed congratulatory messages on  buildings and billboards expressing appreciation to the king for  accepting more limited powers.  In fact, the new king (age 57) hasn’t chosen to live in the palace, preferring to live in his own residence. From there, we visited the extensive grounds where the previous king had been buried. 

Nuku’ Alofa conveys a town which is far from  affluent. (For those with whom we visited Puerto Maldanado, Peru as we entered the Amazon rainforest in 2008, Nuku’ Alofa was more modern and sophisticated than that was, but not by the standards of other national capitals.)   In fact, we were told that Tonga was the poorest of the Polynesian islands which seemed to be borne out by our observations.  These people seemed to be more Melanesian the Polynesian in origin.  Our guide told us that we would see three things in profusion as we traveled from Nuku’ Alofa into the countryside.  These were schools, churches, and cemeteries.  The cemeteries were ornate and decorated much more than cemeteries in the US.  Blankets, quilts, and other items seem to be abundance and many graves are mounded above ground unlike ours that tend to be flat with markers indicating who is there.

We made a short visit to  the spot where Captain James Cook first landed in Tonga  on one of his explorations.  Next we made a stop at the large Ha’ amonga Trilithon archway which was a passageway to the Royal compound about 800 years ago.  The best comparison would be to a Stonehenge structure except not as extensive as Stonehenge.  What really caught our eye however, when we drove up was the sudden appearance of dozens of young children running toward us from their school across the road.  They lined up along the fence, waving at us and singing and yelling happily.  Outside the fence was a table displaying crafts and a sign saying that donations to the school would be appreciatively accepted.  Barb and I were among the first to walk over and leave a small donation in the basket.  Each time someone left some money, the children would call out “Thank you” and wave.  We spoke briefly to their teacher who had traveled to Canada; she told us that the children were raising money for their end of the year and Christmas activities as their school year is drawing to a close with the approach of their summer. 

I found the countryside somewhat similar to Vanuatu and am glad we had the opportunity to see the rural areas of Tonga beyond Nuku’ Alofa.  A visit to Tonga and other South Pacific islands gives one a greater appreciation for the cultures of that region.  It tends to be part of “flyover country” but a visit there generates a greater understanding of their ways of life.

We visited Tonga on Thursday, November 19 and then had a day at sea on Thursday, November 19.  We had thought we were getting two November 20ths.  However, instead, we were told that we would repeat November 19 without resetting our clock times.  Therefore we went from 19 hours ahead of Chicago and then woke up the next morning still on November 19, but now 5 hours behind.

On our day at sea, we did have one very unique activity.  For guests in our stateroom category, we were treated to a “dungeon” tour.  They always give a kitchen tour on every cruise, but we had the opportunity to tour the butcher shop, dry storerooms (dry foods), refrigerator and freezer rooms, vegetable prep  room, the laundry and dry cleaner area (Barb saw her sweater on a hanger ready to be returned), the carpenter shop, upholstery shop, tailor shop, and the garbage room.  We even passed the ship morgue but were not invited in!  No, one one was there.  Someone asked.  However there have been one or two deaths onboard this cruise.  Trust me  when I say that there is a very elderly population here!  One good  thing about getting home is being once again with younger people!  At the conclusion of  the tour,  we were invited to an Indonesian lunch buffet in the “dungeon.”  It was a very interesting tour.

Our last port before Hawaii, USA was Apia, Samoa.  As we arrived, we were treated to Samoan music and dancers who were out at 6:30 to serenade us just as we had experienced in Fiji a month ago.  We did a tour called Apia Highlights  and the Robert Louis Stevenson Museum.  We were put  on tiny seats in small  buses for this tour and made our first stop at a fish market, displaying the day’s catch which included some exotic seafood.  Next we made a brief stop at the national parliament for the small nation of about 190,000 people.  It was an unusual  building with no designation as to what it was outside.  It was a round, windowed building and we could peer in and see the desks.  It did not appear that there was office space in that building so offices must have been nearly.  We proceeded to a lively market of crafts, daily essentials, and food.  It was bustling with locals and tourists as well as men drinking the national drink (kava).  Some were at tables playing games like dominoes and checkers.  It is certainly a slower pace of life!

From there we went up the hill outside town to where Robert Louis  Stevenson spent the last four years of his life.  A man not in good health, he had come to the Adirondack Mountain area of New York State and found the climate of Saranac Lake in the winter to be much too harsh.  Our lecturer spent two days telling us about his life in New York State and how he decided to move to where conditions were better.  Since he was a man of means, he outfitted a ship for a trip to Samoa where he found the life he had dreamed of.  He fell in love with Samoa and the Samoan people who now revere Stevenson.  He chose to be buried in Samoa and his home is now a museum and a tribute to his life.  We enjoyed our visit to his museum as well as the Samoan musical entertainment that was provided there.  (One of our tablemates at dinner tonight told us she had spoken with someone in town who asked where Stephen Foster’s home was!!!  It never  ceases to amaze me how people can take a trip such as this and be so totally clueless as to what they are doing.  Imagine an adult confusing Robert Louis Stevenson and Stephen Foster!)

After we returned to the ship, children from Samoa, ages 5 – 14 put on a wonderful show with, once again the native music and dance.  It was delightful having these children perform.  Samoa (as had nearby American Samoa) was hit by the tsunami of September 29 although here we saw no evidence of the damage.  Before the children’s show, a DVD of the destruction from the tsunami was shown.  At the conclusion of the show, the cruise director presented their school  with a check for $3,000 from Holland America – a gesture which thrilled the kids.  We heard they were invited for lunch at the Lido (informal cafeteria lunch) and were given a tour of the ship.  Story was that the kids wanted to stay on the ship.  As they left and as we prepared to depart, they sang and waved and called “thank you” to guests that were on their verandahs waving back at the children.

Now we are really headed for home in earnest.  After four days at sea, we will  spend 3 days in Hawaii, United States of America!  Despite a wonderful time and great memories of peoples and cultures, it will be good to set foot on American soil again.

Auckland & Bay of Islands, NZ

Our whirlwind tour of New Zealand continued with a visit to its largest city, Auckland.  Auckland was a busy port, and we had a similar central location to that of Sydney, though without the magnificent view of the Opera House & the Harbour Bridge.  In contrast to Sydney’s magnificent weather, Auckland’s weather that day was cool and rainy.  Nevertheless, we enjoyed the beauty it had to offer. 

Auckland is the largest city in New Zealand and had been its first  capital. We were scheduled for a short morning tour, which included the Kelly Tarleton’s Antarctic Encounter & Underwater World as well as the Auckland Sky Tower, touted to be the tallest building in the southern hemisphere at 1072 feet.  We set off past huge container docks and shortly arrived at the Antarctic Encounter.  We were fascinated by the penguins we saw upon arrival.  They have two varieties there, the tall stately king penguins as well as the little gentoo penguins.  A few minutes later we entered the replica of Captain Robert Scott’s Antarctic Hut, which back in 1911 was located on the McMurdo Sound.  We couldn’t imagine making camp in Antarctica now (considering what avid winter fans we are), let alone back in 1911! 

Proceeding on, we boarded a snow cat, which took us into an Antarctic world of penguins, where we were able to see both species of penguins strut, pose, and show off for their guests.  A favorite was the “nursery” where we viewed penguin chicks nestled on the feet of their fathers.  Adorable!  Unlike the pig that Chuck wrote about in Gisborne, I’d have eagerly welcomed the chance to cuddle one of these cute little tuxedo-clad birds.  Alas, our snow cats didn’t stop or offer us such an opportunity. 

Next came a visit to Sting Ray Bay, with the massive fish swimming by us in all their glory.  These sting rays were much larger than the ones we’d visited in Moorea (which seems now like a lifetime ago).  Here we were able to see their bellies and mouths as well as those huge brown eyes we’d become so enamored with so many weeks ago.  We also took a moving beltway that traveled through a tube which allowed large fish, including sharks, to swim around and above us. It gave us the opportunity to see an octopus.

Now it was my turn to panic.  I made a small purchase in the gift shop, and as I opened my purse, I realized that my wallet containing my state I.D., American dollars, and credit card was missing.  Unlike Chuck, I had no idea where it could be as we’d been off the ship for a few hours and I’d been into the purse a few times for the camera.  I didn't remember seeing it since the day before. What especially concerned me was the fact that New Zealand requires an original government I.D. to get back on the ship.  There was nothing I could do at that point but sit and worry.  I climbed back on the bus, rather distressed to say the least.  As I went through my purse more carefully, I discovered that I’d put it in a different pocket as I’d boarded the ship in Tauranga.  Relief!!!

We drove past Millionaire Mile as the guide pointed out homes that were worth multi-millions of dollars (one estimated at $25,000,000 NZ) on our way to the Sky Tower.  Having been in warm weather and away from home for so long, we’d forgotten that Christmas season is upon us, but our arrival at the Sky Tower brought that thought to the forefront as we admired the festive decorations.  We stepped onto the elevator for our quick ride to the top of the tower, and as we began our journey, someone said, “Oh, look, you can see through the floor there!”  I hadn’t noticed that I was standing on a “window” to the workings of the elevator!  I felt like I’d left my stomach down at the bottom!

At the top, we were treated to a magnificent view of the city of Auckland and could easily see the ms Amsterdam docked a few miles away.  We also noted that people had the opportunity to make a controlled jump from the top of the Sky Tower.  We both considered it for a few minutes, and then we decided that, yes, we could do it!  We certainly could step up to the window and watch the brave individuals make their jumps!  I actually got the picture of a person (well, the top half of the person) as he dropped past the window! After returning to ground level, Chuck noticed an older man suiting up. Later, we went outside and witnessed someone making his descent, and when he arrived at the bottom, Chuck said, “That’s the man I saw suiting up.”  I replied, “That’s the Catholic priest from the ship!”

Although it was Sunday, many shops were open, so that afternoon we took advantage of the opportunity to do some shopping.  One building caught my eye as it reminded me of my cousin Michelle!  Right next to a Kiwi Souvenir Shop was the DIlworth Building! 

Soon we were sailing to our final port of call in New Zealand, the beautiful Bay of Islands.  Bay of Islands was voted to have the second-bluest skies in the world (behind Rio), but the Maori name for NZ fit it better the day we were there.  The Land of the Long White Cloud lived up to its name, as we had the cloudiest weather of the trip in New Zealand.  Despite this, we were taken by the beauty of the country and appreciated the friendliness of its people.

Our tour guide in Bay of Islands was of Maori descent, and he was able to give us a very interesting account of the history of the Maori people in New Zealand.  Our first stop was at Kerikeri, where the oldest stone building in NZ stood next to the oldest wooden building in NZ.  Both were constructed by missionaries.  A highlight of the trip was a visit to the Puketi Forest, where we learned about the kauri trees, second tallest in the world only to the giant redwoods.  These stately giants grew straight up, with the trunks being the same width from bottom to top.  At one time they were used for canoes as well as lumber, but now they’re protected.  They were absolutely magnificent.  One tree we saw was documented to be about 500 years old, and our guide said that one of the trees had been dated back 4000 years! 

Our last stop was at the Mangamuka Marae, a Maori meeting house, where we were welcomed by one of the chiefs of the Maori people.  We enjoyed learning about the Maori people, and were invited into the meetinghouse as guests, as well as witnessing a haka ceremony. 

It was so difficult to leave New Zealand, with the realization that the two countries that had been our main destinations were now only wonderful memories. 

Barb

Napier, Gisborne, & Tauranga, NZ

Two of our very best days of the entire cruise were spent on Friday, the 13^th and Saturday, the 14^th. These were the special days that we left the ship and went with a New Zealand couple to their home overnight.

Last year on our Mediterranean cruise, I happened to notice some people on the other side of the bus one row ahead of us on a tour bus in Dubrovnik, Croatia looking at their New Zealand passports. With what was clearly a brilliant deduction on my part, I asked them if they were from New Zealand! When they confirmed my suspicion, we told them that we were going to be visiting New Zealand in November 2009. We chatted briefly and agreed to meet them for lunch on the ship one day so we could show them our Australia and New Zealand itinerary. They gave us suggestions as to what we might want to see. We exchanged email addresses and stayed in touch from time to time through the year. Then several months ago, we received an email telling us that they lived between our ports in Napier and Tauranga and indicating that they could either come down to Napier and spend the day, do the same in Tauranga, or they could pick us up in Napier, take us to their home near Gisborne, NZ, and we could say overnight with them and they could return us in time to get back on the ship in Tauranga. Needless to say, we jumped at that wonderful and generous offer.

We were to meet Brian and Margaret Amor at about 9:30 but since we didn’t know the logistics of the port, we just said that we would come out beyond security, meet them when they arrived, and then bring them on board before we picked up our things and took them out to their car. We decided to leave the ship about 9:00 in case they were early and also to check out the logistics of how we were to meet them. When we went out, we were told that they could probably drive to the inner security check and park since they had approval to board the ship. However, we weren’t sure if they would ask if they could drive past the outer security perimeter so we tried to determine how we could be sure they weren’t sitting outside the farther gate while we waited inside the inner gate. So it was decided that Barb would wait inside the gate and I would take the shuttle bus to the outer gate. When I went to the shuttle bus to tell the driver my needs, he said I could walk to the outer gate in 5 minutes. So I trudged back and asked the security officer if I could walk to the outer gate. No, I couldn’t be on foot in that area but he had another couple he had to transport to the outer gate and I could ride out with him to wait. When I got out there, a car had driven up and was explaining to security what they wanted to do. It was Brian and Margaret! Perfect timing for a change! So they were given approval to drive farther in where they cleared ship security by letting the ship keep their passports until they departed and by having their names checked on the guest roster. After a quick tour of our stateroom and ship, we were on our way with them.

They gave us a quick tour of Napier on Hawke’s Bay in the renowned wine producing area of New Zealand. Napier had been destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 1931 and was rebuilt on the Art Deco architecture style beginning in 1932. Napier and South Beach in Miami are regarded as the two best preserved Art Deco communities in the world. Following a look at the Paila statue on the beach and the sunken gardens, we were in the car to head for their home in Gisborne. Shortly after we began, we noted a sign saying “Gisborne 213”, meaning we were 213 or a little more than 125 miles from their home. We drove over great roads (are you listening, Illinois politicians?) and through beautiful terrain with sheep and cattle dotting the landscape. It was a reminder of all the sheep we have seen in Wales and Scotland. After a break for lunch, we set out for Gisborne.

When Brian turned down the road toward home, Margaret suggested he give us a tour of the town first as it would save time later. Our first stop was for Barb to shop. We had been kept so busy, neither of us had had a moment to do any shopping in New Zealand. It turned out to be a store with good quality items at reasonable prices (the latter we realized when comparing them with similar products in other stores). They knew the proprietor on a first name basis so we wandered, looking for items distinctive to New Zealand to purchase. One interesting refrigerator magnet said “Gisborne, where the sun shines first.” It seems that their city of Gisborne is the first city west of the International Dateline. There are some hills small islands which sees daylight first, but Gisborne is the first city to start the new day. Right now, with their Daylight Savings Time and back home, now being on Standard Time, New Zealand is 19 hours ahead of Chicago. We still have a hard time remembering that time is figured by adding 5 hours to what our time is and subtracting a day. Thus, when it’s 4 PM in New Zealand, it’s 9 PM the previous day in Chicago!

The next stop was a surprise for us. They were showing us their business enterprise. We drove behind a building and were greeted by a sign saying “Amor’s Eggs”. We found they distribute all of their area with eggs. Brian called it a “small operation” as they “only” had 30,000 chickens – but enough to supply Gisborne and environs with their eggs. They don’t ship beyond their local area. While they deliver eggs to businesses, individuals can walk in (as several did while we were there) and purchase eggs for their family. Margaret does the accounting for the office and she introduced us to their daughter-in-law who runs the distribution end. In the next door building, Brian runs his mash manufacturing business. He explained that virtually every part of the chicken is utilized and they supply their chickens with the feed made there After a chicken is killed, the bones are ground to fine particles for later use. He also runs the business that sells the maize from the farm as well as mash to merchants and the general public. We thoroughly enjoyed that informative stop.

Next they took us to the harbor where some smaller cruise ships have docked. Even some Holland America ships have been there when other ports have been filled. We saw the monument to Captain James Cook, who first touched land in New Zealand right there in Gisborne. A few minutes later, we were on a hill above the harbor looking at another statue now called “The Imposter.” It was another statue of James Cook which was long thought to mark the spot where Cook had made landfall but later it was determined that the site we saw first was really the correct location.

Shortly afterwards, we were headed a little out of Gisborne to their home on a large approximately 100 acre farm. We drove past orchards of persimmons and oranges to their lovely home. As we have said previously, this could easily be an American home. After we brought in our overnight bags, Margaret worked on dinner, while Brian gave us a ride through their orchards. He explained that one son now runs the orchards and the other son, who lives on separate property near town runs the poultry farm (more on that later). In addition to the persimmons and oranges of various kinds, there are also kiwis, avocados, limes, and more. There are beehives in several areas which promotes the pollination.

Their son’s home adjoins the property as well and when we drove over there, we could see the sheep timidly viewing the strangers who were looking at them. Most of the sheep were in another paddock but we did see the few that were still behind the home. Brian took us over to see the pigs that came out of the barn to watch us watching them. As you know, Barb loves animals and nothing pleases her more than the opportunity to hold the cute little ones. Every chance she had in Australia, she held a koala and earlier in the week she bonded with a lamb she held. So I suggested she might see about holding the darling pig but she turned the suggestion down flat. Here was this little 75 pound pig looking up at her longingly, just wanting to be cuddled. Its curly tail was wagging (I didn’t know pigs wagged their tails) and standing with its front hooves in its food bowl (after first walking in a bit of mud), Barb still refused using the excuse that her shoulder surgery last January precluded her from holding such a heavy, but cute young pig. I told her THAT was a first – an animal she didn’t want to hold! I should have had our cousin, Dawn, to help her since she likes pigs and has worked with them, but alas, Dawn was probably in southern Illinois. Barb also used the feeble excuse that pigs don’t like to be handled and one has to grab one front and the opposite back leg if they were to be picked up. But I just knew that this particular pig would have let her hold it but since Barb still refused, I can only speculate.

When we returned home, we walked through the family gardens of beautiful spring flowers. About that time, we began to feel raindrops after a wonderful day with clear blue skies. It was a perfect time for the rain as we were going in for dinner and it was nearly time for sunset. Margaret had prepared an sumptuous dinner of “chook” (that’s a chicken who is beyond her days of laying eggs, but the meat is good if pickled and well-cooked), peas, tender cauliflower with a tasty cream sauce, carrots picked after we got back from Napier, and potatoes. Margaret said that regrettably they had had to buy the potatoes in the store but everything else was raised right there on the farm. Last fall’s (remember it’s springtime in New Zealand) potatoes had been eaten and they had to buy potatoes until their new crop was available. The dinner was outstanding and, despite the fact that the ship’s food is excellent, it was a wonderful change of pace. For dessert we had an absolutely huge serving of apple sponge with a choice of a special cream sauce, milk, and/or ice cream! As we ended dinner, the sun was trying to come out despite the rain, and sure enough we saw the rainbow in their garden.

Before going to bed, Brian and Margaret asked if we wanted to sleep in and get a late start or leave about 8 AM and have a leisure drive to Tauranga to catch the ship. If we left about 8, there would be time for some sightseeing. We opted for the latter, choosing to make the most of our opportunity to see whatever we could while on our visit. After the Friday evening rain, Saturday dawned bright and sunny and remained that way the entire day. It was the best day weather-wise from start to finish of any day in New Zealand.

First we went to their poultry farm full of 30,000 clucking hens doing what hens are “paid” to do. Brian commented that some feel that the enclosures are wrong but he commented that they are well fed and that when it’s cool, they get more heat and when it’s too warm, they get cool. They get to know their neighbors and are quite contented as we noticed as we watched the rows and rows of chickens. Scott and Margaret’s son and grandson do most of the work and while we were there, the conveyor belts were turned on and the eggs that had rolled into trays moved along and were sent for personal inspection and removal of cracked or damaged eggs before being put automatically into boxes dependent on the size of the egg. The cartons were automated as well, moving into place as each carton for each size was filled. Never having seen a poultry farm in operation, we found this necessary task fascinating. And, oh, Barb got to hold one of the happy hens and both posed for pictures.

Upon leaving Gisborne, we cut across a peninsula, avoiding a much longer trip around it and providing a chance to travel the length of the scenic Waioeka Gorge. We stopped off at a scenic rest area near the bottom of the gorge and walked down to the riverbed before enjoying a homegrown kiwi as a morning snack. After making the trek across the picturesque gorge, we stopped in a town of Opotiki for an early lunch. We marveled at the beauty of the terrain and, as well, enjoyed seeing the cattle and sheep which made the landscape even better. I must say that virtually without exception, there was no area in the two days we were with Brian and Margaret that was not beautiful. We reached the other side of the peninsula and went through several attractive beach resorts before arriving at Ohope where they have their beach house. Across the road but over a breakwall is the Bay of Plenty and not far behind them is where the boat launch is located. Thus, swimming and boating are available for those that wish to take advantage. We saw some beautiful new homes that had been constructed and a thriving downtown area to service residents, both permanent and seasonal.

As we came closer to Tauranga, we made one last stop at Kiwi360, a visitor center that gave tours of the kiwi orchards and of course had the large gift shop which featured many kiwi related products both edible and nonedible (shirts, jewelry, etc.). We both made a few purchases, taking advantage of the fact that we didn’t have a tour guide telling us we had 15 minutes or so before we had to jump back on the bus. I might say that having those two days with a private tour and tour guides were so wonderful. Where there was a good scenic picture, Brian would slow down and stop if traffic permitted unlike a bus which had a schedule to maintain.

Soon we were within sight of our ship again docked in Tauranga. While Brian wasn’t exactly sure where the ship would be, he drove right to it as though he did. What excellent tour guides Brian and Margaret were! They had planned the itinerary for us and had the timeframes nearly exact on both days. We appreciated beyond words how much effort they expended on our behalf to show us their beautiful native country. As much as we have liked our shore excursions, having friends show us the sights in areas they knew well was a wonderful once in a lifetime opportunity. We thank them from the bottoms of our hearts.

After we said our good-byes and took last pictures, we were reunited with the Amsterdam. However I took advantage of the fact that the ship sailed an hour later than expected, so I hopped off the ship again for a photo walk along the shore. Tauranga was a picturesque setting for the port and we found that Tauranga was the biggest export port in all New Zealand because of the fruits, especially kiwi that is grown nearby (Auckland is the biggest import port.)

While we enjoyed all of New Zealand, these were our two favorite days! But then it was on to Auckland and Bay of Islands at the far north of New Zealand.

Chuck

Wellington, NZ

In Wellington, we each took excursions that suited our own interests. While Barb opted for a full day tour, Lord of the Rings on Location, I opted for two shorter ones. In the morning, I set out with six others in a 4 x 4 fully enclosed “bus”, as it was described for another off the beaten path trip to the coast to find the seals in their natural habitat. Six of us were in the back on benches facing each other with another man sharing the front seat with the driver who happened to own the company. After driving through Wellington, which is located at the far southern tip of New Zealand’s north island, we quickly got out of the city and soon the paved road turned to gravel. One person commented on Wellington being on the south island. I said it was actually at the far southern tip of the north island. One of the ladies agreed, saying I had been incorrect. I was pretty positive that Wellington was on the north island but she stood her ground, insisting I was wrong. Finally the driver/ guide intervened and said, “No, Chuck is right. You crossed to the north island overnight and Wellington is on the north island.” The lady was in disbelief saying, “Really?? I am sure it’s on the south island. I am going to have to check my map” almost calling into question the tour guide who lived in Wellington. The issue resolved, he opened a gate for which he had paid for the rights to travel on the private property for his tours. As in some other places, the road was steep and winding although only in a few places were the roads extremely bumpy. A few times the undercarriage of the vehicle scraped the bottom.

As we traveled, we were surprised to see an ostrich along the road and had a chance to take a picture of “George”. As throughout New Zealand, there were plenty of sheep along the steep mountains. The guide explained we had to go up the mountains in order to come down to the coast. Unfortunately while the excursion was billed as the “Seal Coast Safari”, we saw exactly four seals. The place where many seals are usually found, near a particular lighthouse, was unavailable because that particular coast has been buffeted with exceptionally high waves for the past five days. But we did see 3 pups on a rock and nearby an adult on a rock who kept a sleepy eye on its two-legged observers. Once a particularly large wave got the seal about ¾ soaked, so it decided to move to higher ground. Amidst the snapping camera shutters, it resumed its siesta while still watching what we were doing. The coast was a scene of great beauty with the waves slapping the rocky shoreline. Our return to the ship allowed just enough time for lunch before doing a Wellington city highlights tour.

Wellington is the capital of New Zealand, replacing Auckland in the late 19th century. We had time for a photo stop at the beehive shaped building which is the center of the New Zealand government and observed several other government buildings. A short while later we stopped at old St. Paul’s (Anglican) Cathedral, now no longer an official church, but still preserved because of its beauty and used for weddings, funerals, and other religious occasions. There is a new nearby Cathedral and the old St. Paul’s had been destined for the wrecking ball until preservationists in the 1960s stopped the destruction. We headed through the city and saw homes built on the hills, but interestingly, many of the homes had garages at a lower elevation which were reached by stairs and even private chairlifts. (One of the pictures shows homes built along the hill and the next picture shows the chairlift but unfortunately has reflection from bus window. It was the only picture I could get and it was from the moving bus.) The homes on the hills looked quite picturesque and gave us a good impression of New Zealand’s capital city. From there, we went high above the city to Mount Victoria Lookout where we had a nearly 360 view. Here there was a monument to the Antarctic explorer, Admiral Richard E. Byrd. High above the city, we could observe the city buildings as well as the coastline, and of course our home away from home that seems to show up wherever we are these days for some reason!

Our final two stops were to the Wellington Cable Car which took us up the hill in the city with opportunity for seeing the city rise before us. Many people use this as a convenient way to get to work without the more expensive parking or the afternoon hike up a long hill. Lastly, we were taken to see a part of the Royal Botanical Gardens of Wellington. There wasn’t much time both because we had to get back on board before the ship sailed and the Gardens and Conservatory actually stayed open a bit longer because we were there. When we arrived about six or eight college students were sitting on the lawn drinking champagne from glasses, something one doesn’t expect young people, informally dressed, to be doing. Several from the bus, including the shore excursions director, chatted with them and later told the rest of us that they were celebrating the end of their school term and the gardens seemed to be a nice place to do that. Pretty impressive! By the time we left, they were all waving good-bye to us.

Chuck

When I first realized that we would be visiting Wellington and knew that there would be a Lord of the Rings tour available, I told Chuck that I wouldn’t pass that one up under any circumstances. Knowing that he’s not a fan, I also said that I wanted him to do his thing that day so I could do my own. What follows will most likely be of much more interest to those who know J.R.R. Tolkien’s books and Peter Jackson’s movies as it talks about specific scenes from the movies and books.

As I boarded the bus, I discovered that there were only nineteen passengers and one Holland America representative (the ship’s videographer) on the tour, meaning that we would have many opportunities for questions. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, and we understood why when we realized that he had been an extra in one of the biggest scenes of the trilogy!

Our first stop was at the summit of the beautiful Victoria Park, which provided us a panoramic view of Wellington from above. What might have been magnificent views were somewhat dulled by an overcast day, but it was still interesting to locate the ship as well as other places we would be visiting during the day. (This was the same stop that Chuck had made on his tour.)

About a mile down the road in Victoria Park we took a walk through the woods to view three filming locations. The first was the Rohirrim encampment in The Two Towers, as well as the cave-like entrance to the Passage of the Dead that Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli reluctantly traversed. I was completely amazed since there was nothing that would indicate sheer rocks or caves. From there, we proceeded a few hundred yards down the hill, and the guide asked if anyone knew what had been filmed there. This one I could answer – I called it the mushroom scene from Fellowship of the Ring. He called it “Get off the road!” His way of describing things was amazing. Being a resident of Wellington, he was able to add interesting anecdotes – like the story about the lady who was strolling through the woods walking her dog while they were filming this sequence. She was stopped and questioned, and allowed to proceed when they realized she had no cameras or video equipment with her, let alone the fact that she was completely unaware of what was transpiring there. Being a public park, many people used it daily and had no idea at the time that such a world-famous movie was in production. We picked out trees and paths that could be identified in the movie and enjoyed rerunning that film sequence in our mind’s eye. The final scene was the run to the ferry. We were perched in the exact location of the ringwraith that was scouting for the hobbits and could see the hilly terrain that they had to dash through in order to reach Buckleberry Ferry.

Driving through one section of Wellington, we saw what appeared to be rows and rows of warehouses. Our guide told us not to be fooled. Behind those doors were thousands of sets, props, costumes, etc., that were purposely kept in unassuming places. Yes, we were driving by the WETA Workshop, home of the many, many production aspects of Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia fame. We weren’t allowed inside because of the secrecy behind productions, but we did get to visit the WETA Cave, which had a wonderful display of artifacts and a short video showing the work that WETA does. Not far from WETA was the production studio – and we saw as well as a huge white wall painted in various shades of blue and green – colors used for blue-screen and green-screen scenes.

Then it was on to Dry Creek Quarry. As we drove to a nearby suburb of Wellington, our tour guide had an interesting story. As a Chemistry teacher, he was very much looking forward (as all teachers do) to the end of term, which for Kiwis comes right before their Christmas (summer) holiday. As a bit-part actor, he would occasionally take a call from an agent for a small part in local movies. One evening about a week before the end of the term, he received a call from his agent during dinner. The agent asked if he’d like work, and he said he was sort of busy and wasn’t sure if he should. The agent told him, he was sure he’d want this job, so he finally agreed to take it. The agent told him to report to Dry Creek Quarry at 7:30. He reminded the agent that 7:30 wasn’t convenient because he was a teacher. The agent said, “I mean 7:30 this evening.” So off he went to Dry Creek Quarry, having no idea what he was about to become involved in.

He reported to a wardrobe person who put him into a costume with leather armor, bows, arrows, and a helmet with hair attached since he was bald. The person explained that he was going to be a Rohirrim soldier and directed him to a bus that would take him to the film location. Being the last one on the bus, he found the only empty seat, next to a monstrous person costumed as an Uruk-Hai. The person greeted him, “G’day, mate. How’re ya goin’? Looks like you’re a soldier of Rohan.”

“Yes, sir. It’s my first day on the job.”

“Would you like me to show you around? I’m off-duty now.”

“Sure.”

“Okay, I’ll meet you after breakfast.”

“Breakfast? At 8:15 PM?”

“You’re gonna need it!”

A while later a tall lanky man approached him. “G’day, mate. How’re ya goin’?” At that point he realized this tall thin man was the Uruk-Hai (now sans wardrobe) who had sat next to him on the bus. The man showed him around quickly, and then directed him to the set. That was the first of several months of shooting. He would get to the film set at about 7:30 and wrap up around 4:30 AM, grab a few hours of sleep, then head for school! Those who are familiar with the movie can only imagine how exhausting it must have been to participate in the Battle of Helm’s Deep! I had heard about the t-shirts that were available for those who did the sequence and was going to ask him if he’d gotten an I survived the Battle of Helm’s Deep t-shirt, but he volunteered the information himself. He had decided not to get it, but instead he purchased a license plate saying “ROHAN”.

With that story in mind, we were very interested in seeing Dry Creek Quarry, which was the setting for Helms Deep and later, Minas Tirith. If you didn’t know what it was, you’d drive right by it; it was not at all imposing! (I’ve posted a picture in Picasa.)

A few miles down the road at the location site for the Anduin River scene, the guide told of the problems the Fellowship of the Ring actors had in paddling their canoes. They were finally forced to use scuba divers beneath the boats that steered them. Then we headed to Harcourt Park, where we walked in the path of Gandalf and Saruman as they discussed the finding of the One Ring, carrying staffs and pretending we were one of the two wizards. You could still see where new grass had been planted after they had paved a roadway through the park for the scene.

After lunch, we headed up to the rainforest. There we visited the river that Arwen forded as she took Frodo to see Elrond. A short walk brought us the site of Rivendell and the Council of Elrond. There was nothing left of the filming site, but one could just imagine the gathering of Elves, Men, Dwarves, Wizard, and Hobbits as they discussed the destruction of the One Ring.
On another subject, he showed us a fern that was a symbol that the Maori people use for eternal life. Part of the fern is curled tightly, and this represents new life. As the curl relaxes, it gives more and more of the appearance of a traditional fern, symbolizing the connection with family and history.

The anecdotes that were related are far too numerous and long to tell here without becoming tedious and boring for readers who are not LOTR fanatics as I am. The settings were made much more vivid by the experiences of the guide, who was so familiar with the production details and stories. It was truly amazing to see how much work had been done to recreate Middle Earth in urban surroundings, then to restore those surroundings back to their original state (even to the detail of replacing rocks in their exact original locations!) I’m anxious to watch the movies yet again and enjoy the scenes while revisiting in my mind the locations I saw in Wellington. This was truly a memorable and fascinating shore excursion for anyone who is a Lord of the Rings aficionado!

Barb

Christchurch, NZ

Holland America really did their part to honor the Veterans and recognize Veterans (Remembrance) Day! A few days before the 11th, we received a memo asking us if either of us had served in the Armed Forces and telling us about a service at 6:30 AM on the 11th in honor of veterans. We were unable to attend due to our lengthy day, but were glad to know that HAL was doing something to recognize those who sacrificed so much for our respective countries. On the 10th everyone received poppies to wear proudly, and the daily program for the 11th included the poem In Flanders Fields. More on this later.

November 11th was by far the busiest day of the entire cruise! We had scheduled a shore excursion that was to last 8 ½ to 9 hours, and had also been invited to a shore event in honor of Veterans Day that would start a half hour after we were to arrive home after the shore excursion. We awoke early in order to have everything organized for the day. However, Chuck selected this particular day to misplace his ship ID, state ID, credit card, and cash! So rather than going up to have breakfast, we searched the room quite diligently – and repeatedly! The result was – nothing! As the minutes ticked by, we tried every single place we could think of, including the mini refrigerator and the dirty laundry I had ready to send out. Finally Chuck went to the concierge to ask for a new ship ID and his passport because New Zealand requires an original photo ID to be permitted into the dock area. So off we went, already with frazzled nerves.

As we prepared to disembark the ship, the prerequisite check was conducted. They were searching bags for any contraband items (fresh fruits, grains, seeds, etc., which are not allowed off the ship in either Australia or New Zealand). Each time I see this, I think of my friend Roberta and her dog Buddy because they use “security beagles”. While we waited to process through ship security, one lady asked the handler about her dog. She immediately received a business card. Being a dog lover myself, I requested one also, and was promptly awarded with the most unusual business card I’d ever received – with a picture of Nero the Security Beagle!

The weather was cold and rainy – the dreariest day we’d experienced on the entire cruise – and it suited Chuck’s mood perfectly! The bus headed off through Christchurch in the rain toward our first stop, the Waimakakira River (Waimak for short), where we were scheduled for a jet boat ride to our next destination. On the way, we encountered a flock of sheep trying to cross the road, along with the farmer with his sheep dogs caged in the back of his cab, frantic to get out and take care of the sheep, which were scattering as traffic passed through. That entertaining moment past, we continued on to the Waimak, arriving there mid-morning for tea. After our snack, we were given disposable rain ponchos (something I’d have loved to have had available all those years of doing Outdoor Ed with fifth graders) as well as life jackets. Looking like 30 Nanooks of the South (or Michlen Men – take your pick!), we waddled down to the river and were seated tightly into the jet boat. Our trip down the river reminded me of a water version of the Wild Mouse. We made speedy turns, zipping quickly through the water – making us laugh at the bumps and direction changes. With the rain pelting us and the water splashing up in our faces, we weren’t able to see much of the beauty of the river gorge, but the ride was quite memorable!

From there we boarded tussock buggies (small four-wheel-drive buses)for our journey across Flock Hill Station, a 300,000-acre sheep farm high up in the mountains. By now the rain had subsided and we’d catch occasional glimpses of blue skies. (Bring on the blue!!!) We made several photo stops, looking out over the spectacular mountain scenery. The trip across the farm took about an hour and a half, and we enjoyed it, especially with increasingly blue skies! They say New Zealand has about 35 million sheep (we’ve heard quotes between 25 and 70 million), and we must have seen half of them as we traversed the farm! As I climbed out of the buggy for the last time, I asked the driver a question about a scene from Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie (LWW) that was supposedly filmed somewhere on Flock Hill Station. It was then that I learned he’d been an extra in the movie battle scene. I wish I’d known sooner!

We had a delicious buffet lunch, and then wandered around in the gardens of Flock Hill Station before boarding the bus to head back to Christchurch. By this time, the sky was a brilliant blue, and we were treated to breathtaking views of the mountains. We made a quick photo stop at the location of the LWW battle scene. Having taught the novel as a long-term sub right before the movie came out, I thrilled to be able to visit that site.

In Christchurch, we took a quick tour of the city. Like so many other ports, we wished we’d had one more day to explore! It was a lovely city, and one we’d have liked to visit in greater depth. Two of the highlights were viewing the Christchurch Cathedral and a sculpture made from some of the remains of the World Trade Center. Christchurch is one of a small number of worldwide locations that received metal from Ground Zero to put on public display. We were back at the ship by 5:15, and within minutes Chuck found his lost wallet. In laying out his clothes for the evening, he’d forgotten which pair of pants he’d worn the night before and had checked in the pocket of the wrong pair of pants. It was a tremendous relief!

We headed out to our shore event at 6:00, which was held at the Christchurch Air Force Museum. Upon our arrival, we enjoyed socializing with friends and making new acquaintances. Suddenly we heard an air raid siren, and a jeep rolled in. The emcee for the evening, Major Chaos, introduced himself. Wearing a hat with a bill that was about six inches too long, a crooked moustache, and epaulettes and ribbons that extended about three inches into nothingness, he was quite the comic! He immediately zeroed in our friend Tony. Why? Because they were both bald! He asked Tony to lead the procession into the dining room (hangar), and the lady behind him urged him on. When Major Chaos asked another friend, Grace, her name, she said, “Um…” So Major Chaos immediately announced that “Um” would accompany Tony at the head of the procession. The rest of the evening they were referred to as, “Tony and Um.”

We were seated with four other friends and three people we didn’t know. Imagine our surprise when the man beside Chuck told us he was from Chicago and even further surprise when we learned that he knew several people in Mokena, and mentioned specifically his niece, Michelle Miller. I recognized the name and wondered if I’d had her as a student, but being a common name and several years in the past I wasn’t sure. In the meantime, we discussed favorite restaurants and other Chicago things. (A few days later, he called my room to confirm that I’d had his niece – he’d emailed her and asked her. He asked me if he could come to the room and show me her pictures on Facebook. Amazingly, I realized that I’d also had her son Zach – just a few years before I’d retired! I’d completely forgotten that I’d met with her at parent conferences. When her name had been mentioned, I was thinking of her as a student, not as Zach’s mother! Talk about a small world!)

At one point the room went dark and we heard the sound of an airplane landing. Spotlights focused on the plane, and out stepped the “Andrews Sisters”. They put on a marvelous show – all World War II vintage numbers. We thoroughly enjoyed their music and the entire evening. It was a wonderful way to commemorate Veterans Day and remember those who served their countries. It had been a very long day that had had a shaky start, but it turned out to be one of the most memorable on the trip.

Being very patriotic, we were both so pleased that Holland America had put forth such a tremendous effort to make Veterans Day memorable for the passengers.

Barb

Fiordlands National Park & Dunedin, NZ

Our departure from Tasmania took us across the Tasman Sea which apparently is quite notorious for being rocky. It could have been much worse, and was less rough than the day we rounded the northeast coast of Tasmania from Melbourne. If you look at our itinerary, you will note that the New Zealand segment of our trip is by far the busiest as it is the only time of the trip that we have seven consecutive days with ports plus our busy day of scenic cruising of Fiordland National Park, New Zealand’s largest national park. (For those of you who have traveled to Norway, they spell it with a “j” and New Zealand spells with an “i”.)

Nearly everyone was up bright and early on November 9 as we were scheduled to sail into the first sound (fiord), at about 7 AM. The bow was open for people to watch us sail through and the port lecturer explained where we were and what to notice. We made no stops in Fiordland, but a number of guests transferred to a boat for an overland trip to Dunedin. Once they disembarked the ms Amsterdam, the ship turned around and retraced its path out of the Milford Sound. Milford Sound is in far southwestern New Zealand, so we had come back out and travel around the bottom of the south island of New Zealand before beginning our voyage up east coast. We were fortunate in that the sky was blue which we understand is a relative rarity. The area experiences rain between 180 and 200 hundred days with rain per year. However this day was not one of the rainy days. We lucked out again!

For those of you have not been fortunate to travel in any fiords, they are characterized by steep mountains dropping into the sea and are noted for their magnificent scenery when weather cooperates. As we sailed, we could note mountains behind mountains which gave different shadings of blues, purples, greens, and browns depending on how close they were to us and what the topography was. Many waterfalls cascaded down into the fiord, some with strong force and others with a trickle. Sometimes one could see waterfalls start at the top of the mountain, then disappear behind shrubbery and trees and then reappear as it reached the water. Other times, the falls themselves dropped straight down into the fiord. The rush of the falls was dependent on snowmelt and quantity of rain. I spoke to one English lady who told me as we watched the fantastic natural beauty with the background of sunshine and blue sky, that her sister had been there a few years ago and had seen nothing because it was rainy and foggy. We were most fortunate!

Now we have visited three of the four major fiords in the world. In addition to New Zealand’s, we have seen Alaska’s and Norway’s. The only one we have not seen to be able to compare is Chile’s. Gratefully, we have seen all three fiords in sunshine. Every one is beautiful but they do have some differences. Alaska’s have the added bonus of the glaciers and glacial scenery with the calving of ice into the water. The mountains of Norway are sheer drops into the fjord and many are quite narrow so that one feels that they could reach out and touch each side. New Zealand’s are wider and the ship doesn’t come as close to the shore and gives a wider sweep of panorama. (It’s somewhat similar to how I would compare the American and Canadian Rockies. In the American Rockies, as in Glacier National Park in Montana, one climbs steep mountains with frequent hairpin turns. In the Canadian Rockies, one drives the highway, observing the mountain scenery from a greater distance.)

After moving back into the sea for a few hours, we headed back into the Thompson Sound and exited through the Doubtful Sound. Later in the day, we went through the Dusky Sound for a couple hours. While the day was filled with beautiful sunshine, it grew very windy. At one point, I found myself on a vantage point above the bow off the sixth deck. Barb had been there but wisely went back inside. I remained to take a few more pictures off the port side. A lady had gone to the same area and suddenly the wind grew ferocious and gale-like. Unfortunately the door to the inside there said “staff only”, so we had to go in the public door on the starboard side. Both of us grabbed the handrails and bucked the high wind. At one point, my glasses nearly flew off, so I had to take them off and hold them as I groped my way along. She started down a staircase on the port side but a man was coming up and told us we couldn’t get inside there either. Another man appeared too and when the lady had a hard time fighting the wind to get back to the 6th deck, she was assisted by the two men who were ahead of me. By clinging for dear life on the hand rail, we made our way against the wind to the door to the inside. By the time I got there, the lady was fighting in vain to open the inner door to the ship corridor. One of the men said, “It’s going to be crowded, but let’s all get in between the two doors, close the outer door, and then we will be able to open the inner door.” That accomplished, we all came inside, agreeing it was one of the strongest winds we had ever had to walk in.

As we exited the Fiordland National Park, we counted ourselves thrilled and fortunate for the sights we had seen. The cruise director told us that several people had told him that they did this cruise specifically because the park was on the itinerary.

Tuesday, November 10, according to our daily program, should be clear with a high of 51 degrees. However when we opened our curtains as we sailed into Dunedin, the skies were heavily overcast. Well, we figured, the skies will probably clear. But we donned the warm clothes we had had the foresight to bring knowing that southern New Zealand was the farthest south we would be on our journey and that it might be quite cool. In addition, we are guessing that it might be cool in Chicago when we get home on December 2! So, wearing a flannel shirt, sweatshirt, cords, a jacket, we set off on our shore excursion for the day. I was so proud of myself for bringing a pair of stretchable gloves that certainly came in handy. Dunedin is a city several miles from our docking location and we were in a working port. Lots of lumber was stacked along the port and heavy equipment was making piles of wood chips. The lumber was destined for a paper mill.

We immediately boarded a small boat for a scenic cruise to try to observe the bird and sea life of the Otago Peninsula. Among the more common and ever present gulls, we were watching for albatross some of whom have wingspans of 10 feet. The naturalist explained the seas were not as rocky as albatross like as they like to soar and glide with the wind. However all of a sudden she exclaimed, “There is an albatross coming toward us.” We snapped pictures and even those of us who are not birders could quickly note the huge bird flying with the smaller ones. Then, later, she pointed one out near a lighthouse and again we were pleased with the opportunity to have a rare view for us who don’t live in “albatross country.”

After the two hour cruise, we boarded a bus for a trip to the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre which is a working research center. We visited their small aquarium and saw several species of fish and sea creatures including live lobster-size crayfish, squid, and even some seahorses. Did you know that the male seahorse carries out the reproductive responsibilities? We then boarded some cramped 8x8-wheel vehicles for an overland adventure. Six of us per vehicle plus the driver, rocked and rolled over the bumpy roads to see a gray seal habitat with several seal pups. That was followed by a stop to see some rare yellow-eyed penguins. They were so rare, that we had to look along the shoreline and saw one sitting on a hill and by noting the penguin and aiming the camera, we could take a picture of the lone penguin from the distance. Back in our vehicle we rocked and rolled back to the headquarters for some lunch. Leaving there on the bus, we headed to Dunedin under sunny skies. We had experienced some relatively strong rain at the seal habitat, so were glad when the sunny skies appeared in the afternoon. The terrain was dotted with hills and sheep. We have heard estimates that New Zealand has anywhere from 35 to 70 million sheep which reminded us of Wales and Scotland.

When we returned to Dunedin, which by the way was named for Edinburgh, Scotland, our guide gave us a brief tour of that city. Our tour included various city sites with a quick photo stop at the architecturally interesting railroad station which had an ornate tile floor in the waiting room. He also showed us what Guinness Book of World Records verifies as the steepest residential street at 19 degrees.

Chuck

Melbourne & Hobart (Tasmania), Australia

On the sea day following our departure from Sydney, we had the rockiest waters either of us had ever experienced, with gale-force winds and waves of 12 to 18 feet. I guess if I didn’t get seasick then, I don’t ever have to worry about it again! It was quite an adventure negotiating around the ship, grabbing for rails as the ship rocked, rolled, and pitched! We were amazed that the numerous people in walkers and wheelchairs managed to maneuver themselves through the corridors! We wondered if the rough waters were caused by the fact that we were swinging around the tip of Australia and moving from the Tasman Sea into the far southeastern corner of the Indian Ocean (and meaning we’ve now been in every ocean).

We saw little of the city of Melbourne itself, since we were doing yet another animal wildlife excursion. Our two tour guides Tim & Sarah were back at work after a holiday: the Melbourne Cup (as prestigious as the Kentucky Derby) had been held the day before. They informed us that the Melbourne Cup has been nicknamed “the ten minutes that stop a nation”. Both had been to barbies the day before, but they assured us that they’d never had shrimp on the barbie. Must be an American thing… They also claimed that they’d never been to an Outback Restaurant or had Bloomin’ Onion, though Sarah joked that if she ever got to the US she’d be interested in going to the Outback to see what kind of food Australians eat!

Our first stop took us to the Serendip Sanctuary in hopes of seeing yet more kangaroos, this time in the wild. We caught glimpses of emus, which we learned we’d been pronouncing wrong all our lives; according to Tim, it’s “e-mew, not e-moo”. (We had a “test” at the end of the tour.) For some reason, every single emu we saw was positioned on the other side of the bus or far in the distance. We got off the bus and walked to a billabong, a lake that’s been formed from a dried up river, where there were hundreds of wild birds nesting. I had been excited to see one ibis wandering around the Royal Botanical Gardens in Sydney, and suddenly I was seeing more than I could possibly count nesting in low trees near the billabong. We caught glimpses of babies (not sure what they call a baby ibis) covered with fluff, and we also saw magpie geese – very large birds, that might make our geese look like younger cousins.

Back on the bus, Tim showed us an emu egg (abandoned & unhatchable), and we were surprised at the size and toughness of the shell. He had been in communication with some park naturalists, and they were going to try an experiment. They had sighted a mob of about 50 kangaroos, and had hoped to chase them through our group. We were positioned in small groups near a stand of trees, and the park naturalists were going to spook the kangaroos, and theoretically the kangaroos would take off and run (hop) through the stand of trees to get away. The kangaroos outsmarted the rangers though, because we saw them take off – way at the end of the stand of trees along the rim of the preserve. Oh, well, you can never predict wild animals.

We stopped for morning tea, and were entertained by the cagy little willy wagtails a short distance away. These little black & white birds were plopped on the ground chirping at us. The ranger explained that they were trying to lure us away from their nest. Chuck moved forward a little, hoping to sight the nest in the tree above them, while still maintaining a respectful distance. The ranger said, “Sir, would you step back please? You’re too close to their nest.” The nest was in the tree nearest us and was laden with three fledgling birds. Those wagtails had really pulled one over on us!

As we left the park, we saw a small mob of kangaroos lounging near the entrance – almost as if they were waving us good-bye and smiling at us, thinking, “Another gang of tourists outsmarted!”

After a brief stop for a magnificent vista that displayed Melbourne sprawled at the horizon (much like we might get a glimpse of Chicago from our far south-west suburbs), we traveled on to the You Yang Ranges National Park, where we hoped to glimpse some koalas in the wild. The rangers had been scouting out koalas in trees, and they were pleased to report that we’d most likely be able to see two koalas – unless they’d migrated to a new location while awaiting our arrival. We weren’t disappointed. We thought of our friends Al & Carol, wishing they could see Merle the Koala – a huge reddish koala sitting high up in a gum tree. At first he looked like an enormous teddy bear, but I didn’t dare let our guides hear me say it, as we’ve been informed over and over that koalas are not bears. (In fact, the name koala in one of the Aboriginal languages means “no drink” since they get their water from the eucalyptus leaves.) Merle sat majestically in his high perch looking down at all of us as we looked up at him, snapping pictures and peering through binoculars, till our guides told us it was time to continue on our way so we could meet Smoky the Koala. Smoky was a gray koala, and in her case, they had actually been able to identify her daughter and her grandson. So Grandma Smoky was an older koala, probably about eight years old. Again, Smoky sat watching us sleepily as we studied her. A real treat came when she decided her branch wasn’t that comfortable (I guess) and she climbed down to a lower branch. It’s the most I’ve seen a koala move – they’re such sleepy little animals with such a low metabolism!

We learned the way to tell the difference between male and female koalas – that’s assuming we can actually see their chests! Koalas have white fur on their chests. Female koalas’ fur is all white, while male koalas have a brown spot in the fur. We enjoyed seeing these elusive animals in their natural habitats.

Hobart, Tasmania, our last port in Australia was a wonderful surprise! Tasmania is at about 42° S, which is comparable to Chicago at about 42° N. Our shore excursion was a full-day trip that took us out into the lush, green countryside of the island. Had we not been riding on the left, listening to our Aussie guide, and viewing possibly more sheep than we saw in Wales or Scotland, we might have thought we were driving through upstate New York, with the orchards, vineyards, and rolling green hills. We had read that Tasmania was the most mountainous island in the world, and while we can’t imagine it being more mountainous than places like Bora Bora or Moorea, we wondered if it was considered the most mountainous island that wasn’t volcanic! Our drive to Field Mountain National Park was absolutely lovely, and enhanced by the (unpredicted) sunshine that was ever-present. Being mid-spring, flowers were in bloom, including vivid irises and carpets of brilliant orange and yellow flowers that reminded me of daisies and spread like weeds along the roadside if planted in someone’s garden.

As we arrived at the park, our guide pointed out a vast expanse of lawn and wondered if we could guess how it got mowed. None of us came to the correct conclusion that it was a marsupial lawn that was kept short, not by human gardeners, but by all the marsupials, who are nocturnal animals and come down to graze on the grass each evening. He told us that if we came at night we’d see kangaroos, wallabies, tiny pademelons (little wallabies about the size of a large raccoon), wombats, and possums feeding there. We took a short walk through a lush green rainforest that brought us to the Russell Falls. On our way, we saw umbrella palms (short palm trees that look much like umbrellas), moss-covered trees at every step of the way, the tallest flowering plants in the world (that weren’t quite as tall as redwoods, but came pretty close) and even a little glow-worm cave, though it wasn’t dark enough to see the glow-worms. Both of us saw pademelons. I watched one feeding on some grass, while Chuck was able to witness a family of three – mother & joey, plus what he assumed was the father, who came over to nuzzle the mother. We had been told to watch for platypuses in the stream, but since the platypus is also nocturnal and extremely shy and difficult to spot, nobody on our tour saw one. Russell Falls was a beautiful, three-tiered waterfall, all in succession, unlike what we grew up with visiting at Letchworth State Park in NY. While much smaller, it was a magnificent waterfall!

We made a brief stop in the picturesque little village of Richmond with its sandstone buildings (reminding me of the Cotswolds), which boasted the oldest bridge and oldest Catholic church in Australia. There were quaint little B&Bs sprawled across the town, as well as interesting little shops that we wished we’d had more time to visit. However, we needed to be on our way quickly in order to arrive at the Meadowbank Estates Winery for our lunch appointment. This included a wine tasting; something Chuck and I are such experts at, as most of you know! We tried sips of three different kinds of wine, but our culture when it comes to wine is sadly lacking and we couldn’t tell the difference between the three wines! However, we enjoyed the scenery during lunch. The vineyard sprawled down a hill toward a lake, and the mountains across the valley provided a breathtaking vista.

Our final stop was the Bonorong Wildlife Center where we were treated one last time to the indigenous animals of Australia. We’ve certainly made animal excursions a priority, but Australian animals are so different from those at home that we took every opportunity to experience them. That’s reflected in the frequency of animal pictures we’ve included in our albums. Each experience we had was slightly different, making each very worthwhile. At Bonorong we were able to feed the kangaroos, and we watched them lazing in the sun or hopping around, or just being inquisitive about their human guests. They certainly seem to have a lot of personality! We saw one mother with such a huge joey hanging out of her pouch that we were told she’d probably kick him out of the house pretty soon. (All we could see was legs and tail hanging out.) Chuck witnessed a joey that had been “out” crawl back into his mother’s pouch. We both enjoyed watching the little Tasmanian devils feeding and racing around their pens. There were usually two or three to an enclosure, and if one got too near another, they would go on a merry chase! Somehow I had pictured them as much larger, but they were probably more the size of a Westie. Another treat was seeing a mother koala carrying her baby on her back.

We were very sad to leave Australia, but have three days at sea to “rest up” before arriving in New Zealand. On Saturday night, we were invited to a Captain’s Dinner at the Pinnacle Grill. Everyone has one of the chief officers at their table, and we were told by others on our deck who had already attended the event that there were only about four people to a table. However, when we were escorted to our seats, we found ourselves at a table for fourteen and assigned seats at the table, scrambling people up so they were sitting with others. Chuck found himself just two seats down from the captain, while I was two seats up from the cruise hostess. We really had to be on our best behavior! The Pinnacle manager Kim had told us a few weeks ago that she only puts friendly and interesting people at the captain’s table – so I guess we must appear friendly and interesting!  In conversation with guests sitting near me, I indicated that I was a career teacher and began subbing immediately after retiring. One man commented, “Then you’ll be interested in finding out that our tour guide in Hobart also did substitute teaching. He told us he earns $300 a day as a sub.” My only comment was, “WOW!!!” (However, I do have to substantiate that fact by saying that $300 Australian is probably only about $285 American.)

Sunday evening was “Dinner with the Gnomes”, and our dining stewards were all decked out as gnomes. The poor guys really have to put up with some unusual costumes during this cruise, but they take it in stride and do it with good humor while keeping the guests laughing and having a good time.

One of our table mates told us that in all her travels, she thinks the most beautiful country she’s ever seen is New Zealand. We look forward to our week there. It will be extremely busy, with shore excursions five of the seven days in port (three of those will be very long days with 8+ hour excursions and a shore event on Veterans Day evening), and visiting our friends Brian and Margaret during the other two days, we’re not sure when we’ll be able to post blogs during our time in NZ.

Barb