Each day, the sun rises and sets first over New Zealand. Before
leaving on our journey there last winter, my husband and I enjoyed
telling everyone that we would be crossing the International Date
Line and that we would return home from Auckland 10 hours before we
left. And because our flight put us in Auckland around 5:30 a.m.,
we had a full day to explore the city before boarding Holland
America’s Statendam the next afternoon.
Though it was January, it was summer in this part of the world,
so we had blue skies throughout much of our seven-day cruise from
Auckland to Christchurch, although we did encounter an occasional
rainstorm. Our ports of call included Tauranga, a major vacation
area; Napier (which rivals Miami as the art-deco capital of the
world); Wellington, the southernmost capital city in the world; and
the agricultural area of Picton. Most of our fellow passengers were
baby boomers, like us, and retirees.
Much to our delight, by the second evening of the sailing, New
Zealand options began appearing on the Rotterdam Dining Room menu,
and kiwi fruit was dispensed with after-dinner mints. It was the
perfect accompaniment to our days exploring the country.
On this port-intensive itinerary, I was glad we had pre-booked
our shore excursions. After studying HAL’s Web site, we selected
those that promised access to spots we couldn’t easily explore on
our own.
In Rotorua, the first port, we chose an excursion to the
Agrodome, where we saw 19 different kinds of sheep as well as a
sheep shearing. We lunched on native Maori foods and watched a
traditional performance, then took a tram ride through a park,
featuring furiously boiling mud pools and spouting geysers.
On a hazy day in Napier, our tour took us over hill and dale,
past vineyards and kiwi fields and through roundabouts galore,
continuing on a winding unpaved road through the isolated private
land of Summerlee Sheep Station. We even forded a stream. All this
to view an extraordinary cliff-top colony of almost 5,000 squawking
yellow-headed gannets a highlight of the trip for me. This was
followed by morning tea in an authentic woolshed.
In Wellington, we chose to explore on our own. We walked to
downtown and boarded a red cable car to the Botanic Garden for a
panoramic view, then moseyed down to the blooming Lady Norwood Rose
Garden and the Begonia House. We continued on through peaceful
Bolton Street Memorial Park cemetery and later returned to town.
After shopping Cuba Street and lunching at a tiny Malaysian
restaurant on Courtenay Place, we toured the impressive new
National Museum and caught a cab back to the ship. Other passengers
opted for the popular “Lord of the Rings” excursion.
Action-packed days in port made us glad to have the Statendam to
return to. I pampered myself with a pedicure in the Greenhouse Spa
one day at sea. Gazing at the azure South Pacific from the salon’s
floor-to-ceiling windows, I realized that cruising was such an easy
way to see this diverse country. I enjoyed every minute of my shore
time among the hospitable Kiwis, but was always pleased to be back
on the ship again.
Holland America Line
800-426-0327
www.hollandamerica.com
| SPENDING A DAY IN AUCKLAND Morning: Ride the local Link bus up through the
Parnell area, to just past the Auckland War Memorial Museum stop.
After exploring shops and breakfasting, perhaps in an inviting
open-air Italian cafe, walk into Auckland Domain Park. At the War
Museum, view the world’s largest collection of Maori artifacts,
enjoy a Maori show and then pose with performers afterward for a
fabulous photo.
Afternoon: While sitting at a breezy open bar
overlooking the street action, dine on exquisite local hapuka fish
and organic Phoenix ginger beer at The Fishmonger. Browse the
shops, and catch the Link for a scenic loop tour back to Queen
Street, the main shopping thoroughfare. Evening: The place to be is Viaduct Basin,
located along the pier where the Statendam docks. Dinner venues
include pubs, Italian eateries and even a cook-it-yourself
“barbie.” |
