Photos of our Tour to Pencarrow Lodge, a sheep farm outside of Wellington & a Winery Tour outside of Napier with a Drive to the Top of Mt. Te Mata:


Our Drive from Wellington was along the Shoreline.








The New Zealand farmer and his Dogs.




The Sheep Dog Put The Sheep into a Nice Grouping.

Top: Don, Carolyn, Mark - Bottom: Cheron, Sherri, Bud, Ngaire.
Waiting for our Tour to Depart From The Seven Seas Lounge in Napier.


The Abbey Vineyard.


View from Mt. Te Mata

Gannets at play. (note: this 'play' quickly lead to x-rated activity!)



Doug

Today is a Sea Day and we are on our way to Tauranga. Captain McNeill decided to take us to see White Island on our way to Tauranga. This is an active volcanic island that was giving us a display of steam as shown in the photos below:

Beth, Andi & Crystal


Napier


Gannets in Napier


Wellington Gardens


Andi

Yes, Opossum World was a hit with Andi and Crystal. Living in the the south, I just couldn't think of buying anything there. Tomorrow, our last day ( :mecry: :mecry: :mecry: ) some of us LCTers go on the "Thermal Underwear.... I mean Wonderland" excursion in Rotorua. Should be a great day filled with laughter. We had Krew Kapers tonight with Seth and Christopher as the stars of the show. They both have such talent. They are loved by many on board. We are all hating to get off and leave this great group. Thanks to Ngaire & Ken for being wonderful hosts!!

I am hating for you to go too. Such great posts.
Safe trips home

From the Harbour cam at Tauranga Marina, looking over to the wharf at Mount Maunganui

Debbie's parents and myself are staying on. It will be so difficult to see the others go.
Advise for next group to visit gannet colony in Napier. Don't just take a shower when retuning to the ship. Also, WASH YOUR HAIR! Or you will wake up the next morning smelling like gannet you know what!

Did he alone do it........NO!


They did it. With the help of a lovely ocean breeze blowing across all 7000 of them!


It was a beautiful location, high above this view, with at least another 7-10 thousand on the ledge below.

Sounds sort of like getting up close and personal with penguins, Betty! :eek:

Fabulous photos! This sounds like a really wonderful trip. NZ is such a special place. Enjoy the rest of your journey, Betty. To others, safe travels home.

The thermal wonderland was quite thermal (as was our bus). It was interesting to see, but wouldn't be on my list for a return visit. The smell....ick!
At lunch Andi talked me into doing the Sky Swing at Rotorua. It was so much fun!!! Hopefully Doug got some good shots of us crazy ladies. Now I can say I have participated in one extreme adventure in NZ.

Its been really great following your adventures around NZ. To all those leaving tomorrow, Safe Journey Home, and to all those boarding Bon Voyage as you transit the Pacific.

Heres the link to the Auckland webcam if anyone wants to spot Navigator in Auckland tomorrow.

Auckland webcam

Thank you all, for all your posts! It has been a wonderful trip for all of us, thanks to your efforts, since we could not be there! How I love to travel 'round the world' with this group of lct people keeping us "in touch".

I can't believe it's over already. Glad I am home and missing that long flight to get here but I can say I am really sorry that we missed that cruise with so many great friends on board. Thank you all for the virtual journey

From the Auckland cam .

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 06:46 Auckland, New Zealand




Arriving at sunrise. The other ship in port is Pacific Dawn , ex Regal Princess .

Hope all arrive home free of any airline hitches - sure will miss your seamail - Betty up to you now to keep us informed :) :)

I'm off of the ship and checked into the Hyatt. The nice thing is it's up on a hill, so it has nice views; the bad thing is it's up on a hill so it's always uphill on the return.

I've done the free city circuit bus, wandered the waterfront and had lunch. Now what?

Lauri: The Park Hyatt where we all have used our Haytt cards? So walking back is really uphill?? Asking for Tony (unknown to him) who had surgery recently BUT DO NOT want him walking strenuous uphill jaunts in February - cab I guess

Joanna - I think Lauri is at a Hyatt in Auckland. The Park Hyatt in Sydney is on the waterfront - no hills to get there.

Leslie is correct, the Park Hyatt in Sydney on nice flat ground. The location couldn't be better. The Auckland Hyatt is up on a hill and not terribly close to anything. If I had to do it over again, I'd stay somewhere else in Auckland.

OH thanks had major DUH moment .... IF had thought about it would have realized but not much thinking with me lately - thanks Leslie and Lauri :angel2: :angel2:

Evening capture of Navigator in Auckland..

We met with Frank and Wendy early this morning and Doug got a lavender rental car, F&W waved us off and we were on our way north to KeriKeri for a few days. stopped off at a bee farm for some honey, went to a glow worm cave, and visited some world famous bathrooms on our way...we are staying at the 88 lodge and the owners are delightful. We spent the afternoon with them and relished in their lovely gardens and pool. Then, went to a great dinner where I had real NZ rack of lamb and now we're going to relax in our outdoor hot tub. Tomorrow off for. 90 minute jet. Oat rice, meeting F&W for lunch And have booked a three hour walk at night to se kiwis in the wild. Life doesn't suck!

My 3rd try to send this. Keeps logging me out.
The ship is just pulling out of Auckland. All my friends but Jean & Bill got off today. Everything on the ship was shut down until noon including the internet. Since I spent 5 days here several years ago I only got off to walk to the Hilton to look in their gift shop. After setting off metal detectors and showing my passport to at least 3 different people I finally got there only to find out no gift shop in the Hilton. What kind of hotel doesn't sell something? So back through the maze of security to the ship for a massage. Saw a few people I know at lunch. Fun dinner with Jean and Bill. Lots of laughter. We opened the CR and we closed it. Got back to my cabin in time for the sail away and took photos of the lights of downtown Auckland, but don't think they turned out. Tomorrow is Bay of Islands, my last stop in NZ. Have already seen their sights so will take the tender in and walk around. Maybe I can actually shop there. Met the couple who now live next door and they have asked me for dinner one night, so I will need to get out tomorrow and meet more. Sad good bye to all the DINGOs but especially those that stopped at my cabin door this morning. Very special. I will miss all of you but hope you enjoy your time in Auckland or wherever you might be. Safe travels home. You left, but are leaving me with wonderful special memories. Thanks to each one of you.

Andi and Betty: Keep having fun on sea and on land

very nice posts

It was really funny (but I was in awe that he could do it) to watch Doug drive on the other side of the road, which he has never done. I kept reminding him to stay on the left and screamed a few times to move over to the center more. We took a very ambitious 3-4 hour journey yesterday over wandering and narrow country roads. I had to replenish my honey stock Since after buying some manuka honey in Tasmania, we found out that it couldn't be brought back through New Zealand. I used 1jar, gave 1 jar to Betty and another to our stewardess. We passed a huge honey farm and store. With about 30 varieties of honey, with both liquid and creamed versions. They also had infusions with apple, strawberry, Ginger, etc. Additionally, they sold medicinal versions of manuka honey and all sets of honey cosmece uticals.

I will always think of sheep when I think of NZ, but we passed more cows than sheep during our travels north. We've learned that, while the kiwi bird is the national bird, few have seen a kiwi out of captivity. We saw one the other day (in captivity) and we were all struck by how large it was...about goose size, maybe a tad larger. Its feathers look like hair and it has a long beak and is nocturnal. That is why most folks say I have heard kiwis at night but have never seen one! Off for an exciting day. We love this B&B. Our hosts make it wonderful.

Andi we almost divorced over our trip to Ireland and Tony's driving and my inability to read a map - we'd hit a roundabout and go around 5 times! still can picture coming around blind curve (Tony in middle of narrow 2 lane) and BAM! a farmer and his flock crossing the lane - brakes squealing - Tony got so close to one building he knocked side mirror off of rental car - Congrats to Doug!!!

Andi makes me think my replacement trip to No California was almost as good as Dingo. We had cows, Llamas, Goats, Sheep. Ocean, Birds, (the whole west coast) and lots of wine and wineries. We even had a place called Compass Rose. We had all suite accommodations. We had a train ride, some gourmet stores, Frank drove, I yelled some as co-pilot and then got to drive too. No bagpipes or vibration. Scenery was spectacular. And we didn't even have to fly for 14 hours each way.
Here is a taste of the alternative
http://www.flashfrozenphotography.com/Travel/Monterey-Mendocino-Napa

Gorgeous photos Kathy! Your "cottage" looked adorable and I particularly like the photo looking back at San Francisco in the fog. Looks like a beautiful time of year to visit Napa!

Kathy, your photos are wonderful, and I so enjoyed your slideshow. But no, having been on this itinerary, as well a a couple of trips to No Calif., I still say you and Frank should do it when the time is right! I'm just glad you took Regent up on the offer and did something else. Nothing worse than NO vacation.

Thanks Leslie and Olivia. There is no DINGO itinerary next November when it is good for us to go. We will probably end up doing a land trip. Frank has been there on an extensive stay - he has former family there and did a tour just before we met. What we missed most is the travel with friends benefit.

We are in Auckland, getting ready to leave the Stampford Plaza Hotel for our flight tonight. We did the Harbor cruise yesterday and the Hop on Hop off bus today. Parnell Village was our favorite spot in Auckland. We watched Navigator sail away last night. The Captain was on the fly bridge. A crew member yelled they could not play Amazing Grace because it was after 10pm. So we on the ground sang it for the captain - he seemed to really get a kick out of it. Did you hear us Betty?

Now that is sweet!!!!!

Well it's about time we heard from you, dixiechick! Hope you had a great time on this cruise, just like Betty and others!

I cannot believe how time has flown by... 3 Weeks ago we were suppost to leave for Dingo... And we would of been home on Friday... Oh Well, gets us that much more anxious for our Feb 8th Voyager cruise.. Thanks to everyone for all your good reports, gives us plenty of ideas what to do on our trip... Mariner in January with all our friends and then Voyager in February, no complaints here..

Frank

then Voyager in February, no complaints here..

and just missing us :mecry: :mecry:

No, I missed seeing or hearing you and I was on my balcony, in my nightgown, taking photos of downtown Auckland as we sailed away. It was a gorgeous view with the lights of Auckland and the nearby islands all around. The Navigator lounge just wasn't the same without you all there. It was exciting to run into Andi and Doug in Russell, Bay of Islands, after their jet boat experience this morning. I know Andi will post all about it. My DINGO pin was been retired to the wall behind my desk so although that section has ended, post-DINGO will sail on for 3 more weeks.

posted December 01, 2010 08:42 PM                      
Well, back from a really fun day today seeing the Bay of Islands. We took a jet boat, the Exciter, for 90 minutes through the Hole in the Rock. As the Captain would say, it was quite roly poly...and even bumpy wumpy. The skies threatened rain, but it was comfortable. Our B&B hosts recommended as first choice for this area a tour of the 9 mile beach but once we found out that it would entail a 10 hour big bus ride we quickly decided against that. They also recommended a Maori settlement, but we looked up what the Regent tours were and decided we'd had enough of large crowds. We thoroughly enjoyed the jet boat ride. Most enjoyable was meeting Frank and Wendy on the pier in Russell and then running into Betty for hugs and kisses. Frank, Wendy, Doug and I wandered around the small town of Russell (where the ship tendered to) and had a seafood chowder lunch. Then we headed off on the ferry to Pahaia,another beach town, to walk around a bit. I bought some more possum and wool stuff for Xmas gifts and Wendy bought a thimble. We compared daughters, discussed getting together in NY during their cruise next fall and our Antarctic trip together in 2012.

Last night's dinner at a local restaurant, the Pear Tree,was delicious. I had the best rack of lamb that I have ever had.

NZ looks a lot like other places we have visited...a bit of Switzerland, a bit of New England, The art deco of South Beach and the rolling hills of Scotland. It is decidedly more British than American. What makes it ever so special are the warm, cheerful and friendly people who chat you up and make you feel at home. It is so much more than historic places (it makes the US seem young). It's a place where folks embrace the outdoors, be it cricket, rugby, a "flutter" at the raceway, extreme sports, boating, swimming or gardening. Each city seems to have a botanical garden and folks have the most beautiful gardens. There are rose gardens with the largest roses that I have ever seen. Everything seems to grow so well here because of the temperate climate in the north island.

Compared to Australia, there are no dangerous animals here and absolutely no snakes. The evil animal is the possum, who destroys their beloved environment.

I learned why food is not allowed in to NZ. Their environment is so pure that they religiously protect it. The kiwi crop is a major export and the bees are used to fertilize the kiwi crops and their bees are without disease. Therefore, no food can be brought in that could introduce any foreign bacteria. Speaking of kiwis, there are not just the green kiwis with the hairy skins we know, but much sweeter gold kiwis which are hairless. I had the gold kiwis this am for breakfast and they were wonderful. Next year, I am told that they will introduce red kiwis, which will be different from the other two varieties.

There are all sorts of fruit trees...apples, plums, citrus, avocado and berries of all types. It's certainly a country built on its outdoors.

Our hosts told us that NZ has been ahead of its time in several ways...the first country allowing gay unions, the right to give women the vote and allowing the car on the right (which would be left to us) to have the right of way.

We are having fun looking at all the great bird life. We have been introduced to the sweet little fantail bird and have been watching the lovely tui bird. I'll try to post some pics of the flora and fauna from the area.

Well, off to dinner tonight in a winery and then a 3 hour night forest walk to see if we can find the elusive kiwi.

We miss you all and look forward to seeing many of you next month.