Friday, February 3, 2023 – Part 1
Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland started for us on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. We were supposed to be in Waitangi for the day, but weather was too poor for a tender operation. Therefore, the captain made the decision to skip Waitangi, Bay of Islands, and head directly to Auckland. We initially were supposed to arrive between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.
Mid-morning, the captain once again came on the PA system in all areas of the ship to say that the weather in Auckland for the afternoon and evening wasn’t looking so good. He had made a deal with the Harbor Master. We would take on the pilot at around 11:30 a.m. and be docked about 1:00 p.m. However, due to construction occurring in the Cruise Terminal, we would not be able to leave the ship until after 5:30 p.m. The option might have included another day at seas. So everybody should be happy. I know we are.
Tuesday evening, we were scheduled to try another menu at the Chef’s Table – “Sweet & Salty”.
1st Course: Tomato & Watermelon Gazpacho. Very nice.
2nd Course: Grilled Scallop. WOW The scallops were so tender they just about melted in your mouth.
3rd Course: Prosciutto & Melon Granita. Excellent!
4th Course: Veal Tenderloin.
Again, perfectly cooked.
5th Course: Strawberry &
Basil Delight. Boy was it a delight.……….
And, the
weather isn’t as bad as it sounded like it would be.
There is also this strange building at the end of the dock. It looks like it was someone's home at one point, but now appears to be some sort of art installation. A house full of neon.
Wednesday – February 1, 2023
When we got up, it was still dark outside, but the lights on the dock showed us we were experiencing gale conditions. The wind was howling and the rain coming in at no more than 45 degrees. But it was a balmy 69 F. By the time the sun came up, the rain was gone, and the wind was letting up. We had a quiet morning with a haircut and pedicure for Jan. Then lunch and getting ready for our 1:00 pm “Included” excursion - Auckland, the City of Sails. One in 3 families in Auckland has at least one watercraft.
As is common for “Included” tours, we had a bus ride around the area for a couple of hours. Very good driver/guide. We were taken back a bit when we went to get on the bus. We loaded from the left-hand side of the bus. Of course! New Zealand drives on the “other” side of the road. We had a good laugh at ourselves. But it certainly is a different feel. A very nice little tour of the area.
We saw numerous examples of the remnants of all the rain they’ve had. Slippages blocking lanes of traffic, large trees laying on their sides, ponds in the middle of parks that obviously weren’t permanent.
A primary
feature of Auckland is their Sky Tower. 1,076 feet high. Currently the 2nd
tallest building in the southern hemisphere.
Between our bus and the Central Business District is a 1,500 slip Marina. Just a few boats.
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