Day 5---The Sunshine Coast

Entering Nelson/Richmond district

Tasman Bay

Randi and I traversed the wilds of New Zealand, going from Blenheim to where she and Jim used to live, Mapua, a village on what is call the sunshine coast...it was, sunshiny, that is.  But first there were 110 km of steep, windy, precipicey(is that even a word?) road to travel.  Good news, Randi did not get carsick, but then again, she was driving.

Pohutukawa

A tui--the spot on his shoulder is sun.
Those are feathers on his neck

After stopping in Nelson (for quilting material), then Richmond for lunch, we visited the village of Mapua.  Very pretty site, on an estuary, with wonderfully colored water all around.  Visited the wharf, went for a short walk to see tui, a very large honeyeater endemic to New Zealand, as well as, finally, a puhutukawa, the New Zealand Christmas Tree, a member of the myrtle family.

Yes, I fed an eel

From there we went a little further down the road west and ended up at a restaurant/pub named The Jester.  The reason for this was a Kiwi "experience," feeding eels.  Interesting, as I had never seen an 

eel alive before--they are as slimy feeling as everyone thinks a snake is.  Now I can say "I fed an eel."

Finally, before the trek back over the mountains, we went to a museum named WOW.  This stands for World of Wearable art, and has costumes made of about anything you can make art out of.  Interesting use of fibers.

THE Ring
At the WOW Museum

More art at The Jester

Art at The Jester

 Sorry everything is so messed up tonight, but I couldn't get the pictures to move around properly, plus I'm tired.

Day 4--A Lazy Day in Blenheim

My favorite beer
from Jim's brewery

Brew hall with all the fermenters

Since we have been doing so much walking, Randi and I decided to take the day off--sorta.  First thing was to do a wash...I was getting into desperate straits as far as underwear went (TMI?)  First we went to the Renaissance Brewery to see where Jim works, and I got to taste and tour the small brewery.  Next we drove to the CBD (central business district) where we went to an art gallery and then walked the main section of town, about four square blocks.  I picked up plastic mailing envelopes to mail some fabric home so my suitcase wouldn't be so heavy.

Low door---read the sign

Don't the hills look like San Jose?

CBD of Blenheim

New Zealand brown duck
Imaginative name

After lunch we went to Pollard Park to feed ducks and walk around.  Very pleasant park, but I wish they would label their trees so I would know at what I was looking.



Made curried chicken with basmati rice and roti for Jim and Randi tonight.  They do have an Indian store/restaurant in town run by some Brar's from Batinda.  Small but a nice selection.

Don't complain about US gas prices.  That's NZ$2.10
a liter, about $8 a gallon

Day 3---Back to South Island

The morning view from my window

What a great egg cup!

Randi holding up a globe--
Public art in Wellington

Today Randi and I went to Te Papa Tongarewa, the national museum of New Zealand, which is located on the waterfront in Wellington.  It is very new, having only opened in 1998.  The name literally means "place of treasures of this land" in Maori.  It has six floors with everything from
volcanism and earthquakes to Maori culture to history of New Zealand.  Very nice museum with lots of interactive exhibits.  I like museums and this was an easy one to like.  Unfortunately, pictures are not allowed inside.

Jim on the ferry

South Island in the distance

After Jim caught up with us (He had been off doing "beer" things.) we picked up our luggage from the hotel and took a taxi to the Interislander Terminal for our trip across Cook Strait to the South Island.  Luckily it was very calm and Randi did not get seasick.

Grocery shopping
a.) check out the price
b.) check out the origin

Picked up the car and drove the 30 km from the ferry at Picton to Jim and Randi's home in Blenheim.

Day 2--Wellington revealed

Wellington cable car

Looking back toward the harbour

Our brunch companion

Named "Blue and Gold"

After walking to the Cable Car and riding to the top, we got off and walked downhill through the Botanic Garden to a restaurant on the bottom.  There we had a wonderful brunch to refuel ourselves for the climb back up the hill.  What a hill, think of San Francisco hills on steroids, but what beautiful scenery, plants and flowers.  It was hot, but not too hot, and there was plenty of shade from glorious old trees, but I was really glad to sit down at the top.

Brush looking up

We then caught a shuttle for Zeelandia.  This is a reserve based around an old reservoir, and completely fenced off so the introduced predators: rats, mice, stoats, cats, possums and dogs, cannot get inside and kill the native fauna.  Randi says it looks just like the brush.  Did not see a kiwi there as they are nocturnal, but did see takaki, tuatara, shags and many LBB (little brown birds).

A tuatara, not a lizard
the beads are for identification

Looking into the brush

Takaki

This was much more walking, but mostly level, with quite a bit paved and shady, so it was not strenuous.  We must have been there for two hours, and could have spent more time there, but had to catch the shuttle back to the cable car so we could get to our hotel.

Theater where LOR Premiers are held.

After a shower and a short rest, we walked to a pub/restaurant the Jim knew about and had a nice dinner.  Took a taxi back to the hotel for a good nights rest.

Body to Soul in 11 steps
Public art in the garden

Day 1---Down the North Island

Me and my little corner

Very impressed by KiwiRail.  Baggage in baggage compartment, so I'm free!  Earphones with commentary, cafe car available, able to move freely, leg room; no comparison to airline at all.  Given the chance I would travel by train anytime.  Someone had my seat, so I sat in someone elses---finally put me in the "corporate lounge," aka Cafe Car.  Fine with me as I have a table to write on and two seats, one to spread out on.

Adding an engine

I feel like a success.  I made it from the ship to the hotel, woke up in time, made it to the train station, walking four blocks with two suitcases and a backpack...almost all downhill or I wouldn't have made it, and got on the train.  Next great adventure, besides those Randi hints about, will be getting home, especially getting to SWA on time.  Hope to have less weight then---will try to send some material home.

In Hamilton an electric engine was attached to the front of the diesel to provide extra power for the climb over the Raurimu Spiral to get to the central volcanic plateau.  The train will travel 6.8 km to complete 2 km of distance as it climbs 132 m in height, nearly straight up.

A tunnel on the
Raumiru Spiral

Before the spiral we spent an hour or more going through hill country, or king country (referring to the Maori kings), which are broken hills that remind me of the country south of San Jose heading toward Salinas.  Most of the country is sheep and cattle, with the occasional pine plantation,  until we reached National Park where there is a lot of original forest remaining.  We could see, off in the distance, Mt Ruapehu which is the only one on North Island with glaciers, and Mt Taranaki just to the north.  We continued down into a plain, still with lots of sheep and cattle, and thus to Wellington.  Jim and Randi met me, but neglected to bring the bells Randi said they'd greet me with.

Mt Taranaki
Nicer cone than Mt Fuji

Mt Ruapehu

Wellington Train Station
check the platform number

The appetizer

Walked to the hotel, and then to the waterfront for dinner.  Bed finally.

My salad, all I wanted
Grilled salmon, calamari and shrimp

Day 14--Off the ship in Auckland

Can't say I'm much impressed with the 14th day of the cruise--can it even be counted as a day?  We woke early this morning as Tanis had to be ready to go at 0700.  Packing not a problem as we had to have our luggage in the hall by 2100 last night.  Up for our last breakfast, then Tanis off on a tour and then a long wait at the airport for her flight to Vancouver at 2000.  I did not have to be ready to leave until 0935, so I went back to the cabin and relaxed for an hour.

Part of the huge queue for taxis

Hurry up and wait!  Did not get off the ship until about 1000, then walked to the terminal to find my luggage.  Thank god they have trolleys to put your luggage on.  Out the terminal to a huge queue for taxis.  I decided to take a taxi instead of walk the four blocks or so to the hotel because I was not exactly sure where the hotel was.

Turns out the Shakespeare Hotel is on top of a microbrewery/restaurant, surprised the taxi driver, as she did not know it was here. Lots of Sikh taxi drivers/people on the street---first Punjabi I have heard in a long time. Actually Chand Grewal has relatives here, but I don't know their name, so no looking them up.

Check out the McD ad on bus
Peri-peri is chili sauce

Auckland is NZ's largest city, and looks pretty much like cities anywhere. I walked down to Britomart Transport Centre to find out where I have to go at 0700 tomorrow morning. Turned out there is a kiosk which is only open for about a half hour to check in travelers on KiwiRail. Hiding in plain sight, I did not at first see it because it is covered in advertising. At least I know where to go tomorrow morning.

Diamond Princess docked
just about city centre, I think

Day 13--Tauranga

Again late, for reason see previous post.

Bay of Plenty beach

Tanis and I had signed up for our first tour to be in Tauranga. This tour was 8 ½ hours long, so we thought it was the best value to be had of all the tours offered by Princess. We started by driving around Tauranga, which is a beautiful seaside town on the Bay of Plenty. From there, we set out for the Te Puia Thermal Reserve, driving through kiwi, avocados, hops, corn and lots of sheep and cattle. Then we came to the plantations of pine, which are harvested after 20 years of growth and shipped overseas as logs to be returned to NZ and other places as paper and pressboard. The Kiwis call the Bay of Plenty the “Kiwi Capital of the World,” but have recently been having a big problem with a black fungus that kills the plants.

Te Puia thermal reserve

Beautiful maori design

We arrived in Rotorua after about and hour and a half driving. Rotorua is actually the caldera of a volcano, the center of which is a lake about 26 miles around. Very scenic, which is why it is a resort area with steaming springs and mud pots common. I'm not sure I would like to live in such a volcanically active region. We went to the Te Puia Thermal Reserve and Maori Arts&Crafts Institute for a tour, and walked all over the place...saw a real kiwi-the bird-also.  Unimpressive, looks like a dirty brown chicken.

Soup on top, squash in middle
you can tell what the rest is

For lunch we were served a Maori hanga---think luau, as the food is steamed in the ground. We were offered chicken, pork and lamb, squash and sweet potato, scalloped potatoes, curry, watercress and sweet potato soup, and for desert pavlova, which I quite like. Neither Tanis nor I are sure that pavlova was an indigenous food of the Maori.

NZ sheep breeds

After lunch we saw a show at the Agrodome, which featured sheep breeds in New Zealand, sheep shearing, cow milking, lamb feeding. Nothing new for me, but well presented. After, we drove through Rotorua, around the lake, and back to the ship.

Kia Ora to you. This is the Maori equivalent of hello, goodbye and good health, just like aloha.

Day 12--At Sea

This is being published late because a)  there was now internet reception on the ship, and b) I refuse to spend 69₵  a minute for internet.  Thank you, Princess Cruise Lines

A new Sylvia Pippen
quilt I intend to make

Koala in a Eucalypt

At sea today, and as such had our last quilt class. I know for myself, although I have been stitching on sashiko when I had a chance, that I was going through quilting withdrawal. Class today was “Koala in a Eucalypt” and was well attended. I almost finished the central part---a little applique on the koala and I'm done. I will put the borders on at home.

The Teachers
Sue Daley, Australia, Sue Spargo, Australia, Sylvia Pippen, Hawaii
English paper piecing, wool work, sashiko respectively

Our last formal dinner, the Captain's Jubilee Dinner, involved lobster and such, but no picture, as I had pants with no pockets, so no camera.  After dinner,  all those on the quilting cruise met up top the ship to show what we had done. Some of the projects from the other classes were very nice.

More wool work
I like the left especially

Wool work from Sue Spargo's class