First Time in Australia and NZ looking for an advice

[lyndarra]

I would take a sunhat, and a warm hat, scarf and gloves - the lower part of NZ could still be very chilly in November, especially as Milford Sound etc is scenic cruising so you'll have some wind to factor in. A decent rain jacket is also a good idea, and a warm layer. I'll be taking all of that on my NZ Christmas cruise - which will probably guarantee it will be pleasantly warm :D

We cruised foirdland Nov last year. Although it was a partly cloudy partly sunny day it was still very cool/chilly on deck. It was long pants, jacket and beany for me. You're more likely to get rain so if you want to go out on deck cover up with rain gear or be prepared to get wet. Frankly I think the best time to see it is when its rainy but not foggy. Beautiful waterfalls off the cliffs and, if the wind is up, you may see waterfalls going upwards not down.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We cruised foirdland Nov last year. Although it was a partly cloudy partly sunny day it was still very cool/chilly on deck. It was long pants, jacket and beany for me. You're more likely to get rain so if you want to go out on deck cover up with rain gear or be prepared to get wet. Frankly I think the best time to see it is when its rainy but not foggy. Beautiful waterfalls off the cliffs and, if the wind is up, you may see waterfalls going upwards not down.

 

Agreed! I've been to Milford Sound a couple of times but not on a cruise ship. Both times during or just after serious rain and the waterfalls were spectacular.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just after rain is best.....not only do the waterfalls put on a great show , but the water is clear , as the debris that falls in from the forests is washed away.:)

[josephml1]

Hi Joseph

 

I am an Aucklander now but have live in many areas and travelled extensively in our beautiful country.

 

I know your time will be limited but a few places I would recommend would be:

 

Auckland - your ship will berth in the downtown area. There are lots of nice restaurants in the viaduct area which is turning right as you head towards the city. It's a nice walk past the many luxury yachts that you will see moored in the little harbour. Keep walking over the bridge there are more restaurants down there.

Also a visit to the Sky Tower is must if you want to see views of the city and harbour. There is a a very good restaurant Orbit near the top which circles slowly as you dine.

Depending on how many days you spend here I would put Waiheke Is on the list. You can take a ferry from just near where the ship berths and do wine tour or a bus trip around the island.

 

Bay of Islands is a long day trip from Auckland which is best done on a good day. Take a ferry over to Russell from Paihia, the oldest established settlement in NZ and first seat of government or visit The Treaty House at Waitangi.

 

Tauranga, good day trips to Rotorua, the geyser capital, Whakarewarewa boiling mud pools and geysers. Buried Village is interesting. Taupo an hour away, see Huka Falls, Lake Taupo, also a few adventure activities e.g. bungy jumping, not for the faint hearted! If wanting to stay around the area, head to Mt Maunganui an up market beach front with cafes etc.

 

Wellington, anywhere along the waterfront is good but take a cable car from Kelburn to the top for nice views of the city and harbour.

 

Akaroa is nice quaint french village where you can spend a day. If you go into Christchurch make sure you take the tram trip around the city to see the remnants of the devastating earthquake.

 

Dunedin is interesting for it's buildings, including the railway station. Also Larnach Castle is a popular tour.

 

Milford Sound is to be enjoyed for it's beauty alone. We visited there in May and took a day trip out into the sound.

 

Great advice, i am taking notes.

 

thank you very much for sharing!!!

[patport]

We did SAmerica and was wonderful Would not recommend Carnival crew didn't have a clue about retired travelers wanting more information about the trip. Not enough to do on ship on sea days.

 

 

Thank you all for the weather advice. Being in Florida I don't handle being cold very well any more. Good day

Edited August 6, 2015 by patport

[cojuqui]

Hello everyone. I truly apreciate the help and advice.

 

I read many threads, cruisecritic, tripadvisor, frommers etc. I made some notes..

 

Now I am looking for an inside tip for 2 or 3 most do... dont miss in this places..

 

Maybe your favorite restaurant or a bar or a place please feel free to post it... all the help is truly apreciated.

 

-Auckland

-Bay of Islands

-Tauranga

-Wellington

-Akaroa Harbour

-Dunedin

-Milford Sound

-Hobart

-Sydney

-Melbourne.

 

:):):)

 

We were first timers like you back in December 2013. I read and read and researched and tried to find DIY things to do most places. I will admit we are not timid travelers by some standards. I have a link to my review in my signature but here are the things we did.

 

 

Auckland - Took the city bus and hiked up Mt. Eden then the free Queen street bus to hop on and off and look at the shops. Neat place called Moustache Milk and Cookie Bar

-Tauranga - I took the city bus to Rotorua and went to Skyline Gondola/Luge and then walked down the road to OGO to do the Zorb. My husband took a private tour to Hobbiton Movie set

-Akaroa Harbour - My Mom did a ship excursion Tranz Alpine Railway , my husband and Hiked around Akaroa then did a Sea Kayaking Safari – Pohatu Tours

-Dunedin - Bus from Chalmers Bay to Octagon , bus to see Baldwin Street,

Dunedin Railway Station, Cadbury Chocolate Factory tour then Mom to Oveston House tour while I went to Speights Brewery Tour then meet Mom

Dunedin Chinese Gardens, bus back to Port Chalmers

-Milford Sound - Cruise thru all day

-Hobart - Rented a car , drove to Richmond Bridge, Bonorong Wildlife Park, then to Mount Wellington

-Melbourne. - Rented a Car –drove Great Ocean Road then visit Block Arcade downtown

-Sydney - this is where we docked and the cruise ended for us.

Mom did the Skytower Pass and Sydney Opera House tour

Husband and I – Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb, then walked to the Opera House to meet Mom. Walked thru Royal Botanic Gardens, water taxi to Watsons Island and around Sydney Harbor, ended the day at Sydney Observatory Night Visit

 

Hope this helps and gives you some ideas

 

Connie

 

 

PAST CRUISES:

 

Discovery Sun 2003 Freeport Bahamas Day Cruise

Celebrity Solstice 6/26/09 Eastern Mediterranean

Carnival Conquest 08/10/10 Eastern Caribbean

Carnival Victory 06/10/12 Southern Caribbean http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1659913

Carnival Miracle 07/30/13 Alaska http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showt...8#post39476968

Diamond Princess 12/23/13 New Zealand/Australia http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2112413

Carnival Pride 11/23/14 Exotic Western Caribbean http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2135404

[Adidas4fun]

Hello everyone. I truly apreciate the help and advice.

 

I read many threads, cruisecritic, tripadvisor, frommers etc. I made some notes..

 

Now I am looking for an inside tip for 2 or 3 most do... dont miss in this places..

 

Maybe your favorite restaurant or a bar or a place please feel free to post it... all the help is truly apreciated.

 

-Auckland

-Bay of Islands

-Tauranga

-Wellington

-Akaroa Harbour

-Dunedin

-Milford Sound

-Hobart

-Sydney

-Melbourne.

 

:):):)

 

Okay, so adventurous thirty somethings.

 

Auckland: As already suggested the Sky Tower Bungee Jump, if you re going up the sky tower you dont need to go up Mt Eden. Lunch - Fish restaurant in the Hilton or Botswana Butchery in the old Ferry Building. Or take the Ferry out to Waiheke and have lunch over there along with some wine tasting.

 

Bay of Islands, too long since I've been there to be useful.

 

Tauranga - as posted by another I too would recommend Rotorua for the luge & Zorb. The luge/gondola has a restaurant up there with okay food.

 

Wellington - if you are fans of Lord of the Rings Peter Jacksons studios are there and the tour is good. The national museum of NZ (Te Papa) is there. Lunch at Logan Browns is excellent. Lower cost is a tapas bar Avida that is excellent.

 

Akaroa Harbour - dolphin watching?

 

Dunedin. The Taieri Gorge Railway is beautiful. Also the overland one nighter many ships tours do is excellent. Food - etrusco.

 

Milford Sound - only ever flown in once briefly, had coffee and flew out again.

 

Hobart - I really enjoyed Port Arthur.

 

Sydney - excellent recommendations already. Food wise I really enjoy the many restaurants at Darling Harbour.

 

Melbourne - Many many wonderful food places.

[josephml1]

Great advice.

 

thank you very much for sharing you experience

[josephml1]

I its very useful.

 

thank you very much!!!

[Maz5067]

This is a delightful harbour and shore visit is via tender. This area was settled by the French and the buildings reflect this. If your lucky the locals will tell their history.It was a whaling station. The scenery is pretty, the locals friendly. This became a cruise port after Christchurch was devistated by earthquakes. There are many tours available from the jetty. Restaurants? French.

[TLCOhio]

This is a delightful harbour and shore visit is via tender. This area was settled by the French and the buildings reflect this. If your lucky the locals will tell their history.It was a whaling station. The scenery is pretty, the locals friendly. This became a cruise port after Christchurch was devistated by earthquakes. There are many tours available from the jetty. Restaurants? French.

 

Adidas4fun: Hobart - I really enjoyed Port Arthur.

 

Adidas4fun: Wellington - The national museum of NZ (Te Papa) is there. Lunch at Logan Browns is excellent.

 

Yes' date=' lots of added excellent ideas and suggestions have been made. Below are some more items of "evidence" as to why some of these work well. More on my full live/blog with many more pictures and added details, options, potentials for these many great ports.

 

On Akaroa, it is a nice, small village with interesting history. BUT, our experience was that there was much more to see in the area, including the great fun and sights we experience by doing the Tranz-Alpine rail trip to the National Park, plus doing the JetBoat. See below as "proof", etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio[/font']

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 119,497 views for this posting.

 

 

From Port Arthur, the historic Tasmanian penal colony seen during our stop in Hobart, here is just one of the many views for some of the sights there. This gives an overview for a portion of this prison site. This location was nearby to the water area as the prisoners would arrive from England for this “visit”. It took six to nine months to make the journey from England to this distant part of the world.:

 

 

 

First is one of my visuals that gives a little sampling for the spectacular Waimakariri River gorge seen from the Tranz Alpine Rail trip. Great "drama" in this aspect of the trip, especially with the blue waters that we would later travel "up-close-and-personal" via a JetBoat trip.:

 

 

 

This second picture gives an idea for the view from the outdoor viewing platform near the front of this train. It had a covered roof but open sides to create an ideal location to take photos from the train. No photo glare from trying to shoot through a window. I spent most the time through the mountains in this location.:

 

 

 

We started out our day in Wellington by hooking up with an excellent cab driver for a mini-tour and introduction to this city. This included first going up to Mount Victoria for a great overview of the city and seeing many sights around town. Here is an overview for this city from this great location on a wonderful weather day. We could also the residential structures that climb up the hills all around this great, scenic harbor. And, we had a view of the Wellington airport where the top movie/computer operations for Peter Jackson and James Cameron are working their magic for future film releases. Wellington is now the center for this type of film production in the world. There was also a closer view of the Te Papa museum shown below from this vantage point.:

 

 

 

Among the highlights in Dunedin was their rail station with its many special design touches. As our guide, John, explained, Dunedin was very rich at the time from its gold and other resources. Why did they make it so fancy? Because they could!! You can see some of the fancy tile work, a stained-glass window, etc., there. They do not build things like this these days. In this below picture, you can see our skilled guide John with some of the folks from our Central Ohio travel group outside in front of this landmark building.:

 

 

 

This picture gives a sampling for Akaroa, its scenic harbor and nearby areas. BUT, it takes time to get out of here, including to navigate the twisting, slow roads. And, getting back, too!! Notice the "truth-in-advertising" sign about the many "S-curves" ahead. Lots of visual interest and NZ natural charm in this region.:

 

[josephml1]

very nice photos thanks for sharing.

[GUT2407]

G'day Terry

 

 

From Port Arthur, the historic Tasmanian penal colony seen during our stop in Hobart, here is just one of the many views for some of the sights there. This gives an overview for a portion of this prison site. This location was nearby to the water area as the prisoners would arrive from England for this “visit”. It took six to nine months to make the journey from England to this distant part of the world.

 

But a 6 - 9 month cruise after all.

[TLCOhio]

very nice photos. thanks for sharing.

 

GUT2407: G'day Terry. But a 6 - 9 month cruise after all.

 

Appreciate the nice comment from Joseph' date=' plus the key comment by GUT2407 of it being a six-to-nine-months cruise from England to Australia. Most important would be these two key factors. It was a [b']FREE CRUISE, plus there was no pool on the top deck[/b]. That would mean no worry and/or hassles trying to get a prime lounge chair location. Just joking a little!

 

From Wikipedia, titled "Convicts in Australia", here are a few edited-down items that I find historically of interest to me and maybe others. Between 1788 and 1868, approximately 162,000 convicts were transported to the various Australian penal colonies by the British government. The British government began transporting criminals to overseas colonies in the 16th century. When transportation to the American colonies declined with American independence in the 1770's, alternatives was needed to avoid overcrowding of British prisons. In 1770, James Cook charted and claimed possession of the east coast of Australia for Britain. Due to the continent's isolation, it was considered ideal for a penal colony and in 1787 the convict ships set sail. Penal transportation to Australia peaked in the 1830's and dropped off significantly in the following decade.

 

Many of the convicts were transported for petty crimes; others were political prisoners. More serious crimes, such as rape and murder, were not transportable offences. After their prison terms were served most stayed in Australia and joined the other settlers, with some rising to prominence in Australia. Approximately 20% of modern Australians are descended from transported convicts. Once deemed the "convict stain", it is now considered by many Australians to be a cause for celebration to have a convict in one's lineage. According to Robert Hughes in "The Fatal Shore", the population of England and Wales, which had remained steady at six million from 1700 to 1740, began rising considerably after 1740. By the time of the American Revolution, London was overcrowded, filled with the unemployed and flooded with cheap gin. Poverty, social injustice, child labor, harsh and dirty living conditions and long working hours were prevalent. Dickens' novels perhaps best illustrate these bad conditions.

 

The Industrial Revolution also led to an increase in petty crime due to the economic displacement of much of the population, building pressure on the government to find an alternative to confinement in overcrowded gaols. Eight of every ten prisoners were in jail for theft. Since lawmakers still wanted punishments to deter potential criminals, they increasingly applied transportation as a more humane alternative to execution.

 

On August 18, 1786, the decision was made to send a colonization party of convicts, military, and civilian personnel to Botany Bay under the command of Admiral Arthur Phillip who was to be the Governor of the new colony. There were 775 convicts on board six transport ships. Eleven ships in total were sent as the "First Fleet". The fleet departed Portsmouth on May 13, 1787, and arrived at Botany Bay, January 20, 1788. That was eight months for this first, long trip.

 

Fascinating history!! Below are a couple more pictures from our educational visit to Port Arthur/Tasmania.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 120,038 views for this posting.

 

 

From Port Arthur, the historic Tasmanian penal colony seen during our stop in Hobart, here are several added views of the sights there. First is a view from some of the old building remains towards to the nearby water area and the location where the prisoners would arrive from England for this “visit”. Second is an interior view as some members of our Central Ohio group tour and learn more about daily operations here.:

 

 

 

 

 

Port Arthur was the location for the “worst of the worst” with these prison camps down under. Here are some more architecture examples from this site with many of its buildings made of native sandstone and the classic designs. :

 

 

 

[smile8685]

Connie, you said you rented a car in Melbourne. Was that easy to do? How far did you drive on Great Ocean Road? We are in Melbourne from 8am to 6pm. Would love to see the coast and wondered if we would have time to drive.

[josephml1]

Great history!!

 

very Interesting!!!:)

 

thanks for sharing.

[josephml1]

In wellington and AKAROA,

any most?

 

thanks everyone.:)

[GUT2407]

Great history!!

 

very Interesting!!!:)

 

thanks for sharing.

 

In my opinion Port Arthur is one of those not to miss spots, if at all possible (and a cruise that actually anchors there is great, sailing in or out shows some spectacular scenery

[TLCOhio]

In wellington and AKAROA, any most? thanks everyone.

 

Here are some Wellington ideas, potentials, etc. Depending on your interests and desires, you can do much here DIY. As a "change of pace" from so much nature and countryside "stars" in New Zealand, their capital is a ideal place for city exploring. Many more pictures and details on my full live/blog.

 

Wellington is the southern most capital city in world. As understand, the big ships dock at Aotea Quay, between the Interislander Ferry Terminal and the train station. The walk to the city center takes a little over 20 minutes. Small ships dock at Queens Wharf, right in the heart of town. Aotea Quay cruise terminal is an industrial area. It's a five-minute walk to the train station, which has cafes, newsstands and small shops. Large industrial area are nearby along with the new Westpac soccer stadium. Nothing too close and/or charming is in this location. We were highly flexible for our day there. That can allow a little "catch up and relax" time. We grabbed a cab at the dock for a little "mini-tour", hit their famed museum here, did lunch, etc.

 

Here are some of the key summary points from some top cruise line for Wellington:

 

Crystal: Hugging the hillsides around Port Nicholson, a horseshoe-shaped bay that is one of the world's finest, Wellington reminds many visitors of San Francisco. In cultural offerings as well as landscape - Wellington boasts the National Art Gallery and the Dominion Museum, as well as the Government Building, one of the world's largest wooden structures.

 

Seabourn: Visually stunning, Wellington is nestled between a magnificent harbor and a natural amphitheatre of forest-clad hills. Its compact size, combined with cultural sophistication, makes it New Zealand's most inspiring urban destination. Wellington's cultural crowning jewel is Te Papa, a donation-only museum that celebrates Australasian natural history, science and culture. Exhibits include Maori artifacts, an extensive Pacific Cultures collection and interactive science exhibits. The city's art scene is flourishing, with numerous galleries and craft markets displaying the work of the country's top artists and craftspeople.

 

Oceania: Stroll past Victorian Gothic buildings, visit the exquisite botanic gardens, take the cable car up the mountain for a fantastic view, or head for the city beach. Journey around the spectacular harbor with its amazing views and visit a sheep or cattle station. See some of the sites where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. Dining: Savor a variety of continental dishes in addition to succulent lamb and seafood. Shopping: Shop for arts and crafts, jewelry, fine woolens and leather

 

Regent: Stroll past Victorian Gothic buildings, visit the exquisite Botanic Gardens, take the cable car up the mountain for a fantastic view, or head for the city beach. Journey around the spectacular harbor with its amazing views and visit a sheep or cattle station. See some of the sites where the Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed. Shopping: Shop for arts and crafts, jewelry, fine woolens, and leather goods. Shop for arts and crafts, jewelry, fine woolens, and leather goods. Enjoy a variety of continental dishes in addition to succulent lamb and seafood.

 

Princess: New Zealand's capital offers stunning views of forested peninsulas, dramatic cliff-side homes and fine Victorian buildings. Settled in 1840 by the London-based New Zealand Company, "wonderful, windy Wellington" is frequently buffeted by bracing winds funnelling through Cook Strait. The sophisticated metropolis boasts museums, winding streets and even a cable car. No wonder many travelers compare it to San Francisco. Despite its steep hills, the city can be easily explored on foot. Kelburn Cable Car, stairways and footpaths climb the slopes from the city center.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 186,284 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

We started out our day in Wellington by hooking up with an excellent cab driver for a mini-tour and introduction to this city. This included first going up to Mount Victoria for a great overview of the city and seeing many sights around town. Here is an overview for this city from this great location on a wonderful weather day. We could also the residential structures that climb up the hills all around this great, scenic harbor. And, we had a view of the Wellington airport where the top movie/computer operations for Peter Jackson and James Cameron are working their magic for future film releases. Wellington is now the center for this type of film production in the world. There was also a closer view of the Te Papa museum shown below from this vantage point.:

 

 

 

This is the main government center for New Zealand, including on the left with its round, Beehive building. The Beehive was built in stages between 1969 and 1979. It is extensively decorated with New Zealand art. The top floor is occupied by the Cabinet room, with the Prime Minister's offices on the ninth floor. The Parliament is located next door in the middle building shown.:

 

 

 

This is the inside of Old St. Paul's church in Wellington. See, we did go to church on our trip! It is the former cathedral in the Diocese of Wellington for the Anglican Church. As an example of 19th-century Gothic Revival architecture, they adapted to colonial conditions and materials. It is at 34 Mulgrave Street, close to the New Zealand Parliament. Its construction was completed in June 1866. In 1964, the Diocese of Wellington moved to the new St Paul's Cathedral nearby. After a significant battle to prevent its demolition, Old St. Paul's was purchased by the New Zealand Government in 1967 and restored. Although not a parish church, it remains consecrated and is a popular for weddings, funerals and other services. It is constructed from native NZ timbers. The interior has been likened to the upturned hull of an Elizabethan galleon. As this picture shows, it has exposed curving trusses and roof sacking. The flags displayed in the nave include the Royal Navy, NZ Merchant Navy and US Marine Corps. Many of our Marines were stationed in Wellington during World War II. My wife is in yellow walking down the center aisle as she absorb the building details. This was a very important and "moving" site to experience.:

 

 

 

Starting with its contemporary design, this Te Papa Museum is not a boring and/or average facility. And, the admission is FREE!! Such a deal! Well worth it, too. The second picture below reflect some of its native Maori collection and emphasis.:

 

 

 

 

 

Below is a view for a small portion of the Wellington downtown reflecting the architecture and art variety, style, interest, beauty, etc. Nice mix and options here for shopping, dining, sampling. Their waterfront is nicely developed with many options there for things to do and see.:

 

[josephml1]

excelente review and ver nice pictures.

 

thanks for sharing and thanks for the advice.:)

[josephml1]

how about the food any most in sydney and melburne?

[GUT2407]

how about the food any most in sydney and melburne?

 

To honest I am not sure what you mean but there are plenty of great restaurants in both Sydney and Melbourne

[LuckiePuris]

You dont get off the ship in Milford Sound, Fiordland.

 

Fiordland (Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds) is scenic cruising, which means you just cruise thought these sounds, they are NOT to be missed :D

 

Here are some of my photos from the area: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1266249

 

I'd definitely recommend taking waterproof jackets or plastic raincoats / ponchos for this day of sailing.

 

On our cruise it was a little misty, no one was prepared with waterproof clothing so we pretty much had the top deck all to ourselves.

 

It would be a shame to miss such an experience because you're inside viewing from windows. Balconies are good however keep in mind that you can't seem what's happening on the other side. The ship will normally turn around in Milford Sound, however the other two sounds are sail through so you will see just the one side from your balcony.

[TLCOhio]

we are going to celebrate our honeymoon in Australia- NZ, I am 35 years old my wife 31, like the extreme sports, sightseeing, love to eat as a local and looking forwards to experience Australia and NZ.

 

Noticed your mention earlier about the interest for "extreme sports". Doing the walk to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge has been mentioned and I wanted to added my strong encouragement to do this "adventure"!!! I am in my mid-60's in age. Things worked well!! It was awesome to see and learn, "up close and personal", for how this amazing bridge was designed and built. Even at night with a few sprinkles, it worked out in a very nice manner. They run a first-rate operation with safety as the top priority.

 

Queenstown?: Has the question been raised for seeing the key location on the New Zealand South Island. This scenic town is considered the "Crazy Capital of the World". Bungee jumping was invented here, plus many other "extreme sports" are potential here.

 

Also below is some more to consider for Bay of Island. We had a great weather day there and had a chartered sailing boat for our group. Do the picture below prove the potentials at this scenic location?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 123,417 views for this posting.

 

 

Here is a view of me on the Sydney Harbour Bridge with a little night and light rain action. You can see the Opera House, Celebrity Solstice and Sydney skyline in the background. When doing this BridgeWalk tour, you really get a great "up-close and personal" appreciation for what it took in building this amazing bridge. Even for a "middle-age" guy like me, the climb up and down was not that hard or challenging. And the reward with the views was totally excellent!!:

 

 

 

From our group's Bay of Islands water fun in New Zealand, we got to do real sailing, including going out into the nearby Pacific Ocean! See the proof and success below. It was both a perfect weather day and such fun sampling this great region of northern NZ. One of the options for those in our Central Ohio group on this custom, private sailing was to help to do as much (or as little as desired) in helping make this sail experience happen. In the first picture, Captain Murray is guiding the ship from this great vantage point on the back of the Zindabar. Second is a view from a small island where we landed and climb to the top of key vantage point. Was this exciting and scenic?:

 

 

 

 

 

At Bay of Islands during our private sailing adventure, we went ashore and walked past this scenic cove with a mother and daughter enjoying this great setting. Then, we had to climb up the Motuarohia Trail to the TOP!! How tall was this challenge? Officially, it is 450 meters or 1476 feet. BUT, by the time we got back on the boat, with bragging skills learned in Australia, that "mountain" we conquered had grown greatly up to 2414' in height. Inflation? Sure! Just makes the stories better to those who stayed on the sailing craft.:

 

 

 

They said we might get lucky and be able to see some dolphins. Did we? Seeing is believing!! They knew these waters and how to draw these dolphins closer to our boat. We loved the results (and good luck), especially seeing multiple dolphins jumping and flipping. Plus, these cute creatures coming so close to our sailing craft. Great fun!! Our Captain Sharon was a sailor for New Zealand at both the 1996 Atlanta Olympics (where she sailed off of Savannah) and the 2004 Athens Olympics.:

 

[josephml1]

great pics and excellent advice

 

thanks for sharing.

Edited October 30, 2015 by josephml1