HOT POOLS AND COOL BLACK SWANS

Saturday, February 22, 2025 – Tauranga is the biggest/busiest port in New Zealand. The population is about 160,000, and it’s the fastest growing city in New Zealand. The growth is attributed to the moderate climate and the many retirees moving to enjoy the pace of life and outdoor activities available. We docked mid-morning and were […]

CATCHING UP IS HARD TO DO

Sorry I’ve been remiss in posting updates over the past several days. The excursions have been long and busy and beautiful! Often I get back to the ship in time to wash my face, brush my teeth, run a brush through my hair, change my clothes (sometimes) and go downstairs to dinner! By the time […]

WAITANGI TREATY GROUNDS

Friday, February 21, 2025 — today we visited the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, considered New Zealand’s most important historic site. At this location, the signing of the treaty between the British and the Maori took place in 1840. There are far too many details to summarize in this short space, but I encourage you to read […]

ALL AROUND AUCKLAND

Thursday, February 20, 2025 — we met up this morning after breakfast and went out to find the first stop for the Hop On Hop Off bus around Auckland. We ‘hopped on’ and stayed on the bus for the first few stops, then got off to see the Domain Wintergardens. These were the gardens I […]