This entry is actually for April 12 and 13. Our shore excursions were canceled on the morning of the 12th. Akaroa is a small port where we needed to tender into the port, but the winds were up to 30 mph and higher so we couldn't get off the ship. The other problem was that since the situation wasn’t confirmed until 7:45AM, it was too late to try and make our next port-of-call, … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – 13 April – Picton New Zealand
Travel
Travel Journal – 11 April – exploring Dunedin in New Zealand
Today we had our first shore excursion where we left the ship. We returned to Port Chalmers and Dunedin for a tour of the Olveston House and the botanic gardens. Olveston House was interesting, filled with antiques from its original owners. The highlight of the day was the trip to the gardens, where there are acres of gardens, winding paths, greenhouses, and more. There was a … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – 11 April – exploring Dunedin in New Zealand
Travel Journal – 10 Apr – the fjords of New Zealand including Milford Sound
Wow! What a day. We started out going into Milford Sound at 6 AM. It seemed strange going in so early—after all, it wasn’t even light yet. However, the cliffs lining the sides of the fjord were hazy ghost images that held a great deal of drama. The further into the sound we traveled, the lighter it became and soon those cliffs had definite outlines. At one point, I saw rain … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – 10 Apr – the fjords of New Zealand including Milford Sound
Travel Journal – 9 Apr – on the Tasman Sea and more from Australia
The ship’s time advanced an hour again last night, which put us on New Caledonia Standard Time. I never thought about it before, but if you don’t like Daylight Savings Time and the changing of the clocks twice a year, think about doing that nearly every day! When I got up this morning to start working, I found that the crew members were out washing off the Promenade Deck. I was … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – 9 Apr – on the Tasman Sea and more from Australia
Travel Journal – 8 Apr – first full day sailing on the Tasman Sea
I was up early yesterday, just as the sun was rising over the Tasman Sea and the ship was coming alive. People drifted slowly into the Lido Deck dining room and the hum level in the room rose steadily. It was our first full day at sea and the ship was rolling more than either of us expected. So far, I’m not having any ill effects other than the inability to walk a straight … [Read more...] about Travel Journal – 8 Apr – first full day sailing on the Tasman Sea