Bit of a Blog : Solstice : Auckland – Fremantle – Sydney : February 14th 2016

[Texed]

My day so far.....

Woke at 4am.

Got up 530am as body clock refused to cooperate.

 

I didn't know they made a 4:00 AM. :cool:

[queenslander]

I didn't know they made a 4:00 AM. :cool:

 

 

Yes they do - I did it this morning!

 

Joyce

[NorbertsNiece]

The letter was under my door when I got back from Waitakere. Apparently Solstice is leaving port an hour earlier so I will be picked up an hour earlier from the hotel at 1055.

 

The email was sent yesterday and was in my junk mail folder. I only checked there when I got back from dinner and heard of others getting it. They have staggered boarding times dependant on deck. Being on deck 3 my check in time is 4pm.

 

I'll be checking in along with my luggage when I'm picked up. Zenith, Elite plus and Suite Guests can board at will. This should be interesting as I'm only Elite.

[NorbertsNiece]

.......

Depart from your accommodation to commence your half day Auckland West Coast Afternoon Tour. Be amazed by Auckland's famous West Coast with its subtropical rainforest including magnificent Kauri trees, soaring cliffs, roaring surf and stunning black sand beaches. Walk along the deserted shore, with the sound of the sea in your ears, the wind in your hair and the salt spray on your face.

 

Tour highlights: Drive through Titirangi (Maori for Fringe of Heaven) - the artists’ enclave on the Manukau Harbour, The Arataki Visitor Centre at the gateway to Auckland's famous West Coast, spectacular ocean vistas in the famous Waitakere Ranges, unique indigenous flora and fauna, soaring cliffs, roaring surf and spectacular, volcanic black sand beaches; visit famous West Coast black sand beaches, ancient native rainforest including our New Zealand Christmas Trees (Pohutukawa Trees) and the amazing Kauri Trees. Tour concludes with a drop-off at your accommodation.

 

.......

According to the voucher the tour is operated by 'Time Unlimited Tours'; there will be 12 of us. And thanks for reminding me that I need to take the voucher out with me today!!

 

The above tour was amazing. Will be heading over to Tripadvisor imminently to rate it 5 *

 

Ceillhe (pronounced Kayleigh), the owner, and Neil, who is an expert on ANZAC, trees and so much more, gave us an amazing afternoon in 2 vans. Cannot recommend highly enough. I found their website here. Will share the pics with you in due course.

[chermilo]

I'm enjoying reading about your adventures!

 

Keep writing and I'll keep reading!

[Scozzy mcginty]

Enjoy your cruise on solstice we did South Pacific last year onboard and had a fabulous time, we are boarding in freo on the 3rd March for the top end leg can't wait. We're in our mid to late 40s expats hailing from Bonny Scotland, and we're now hooked on cruising this will be our 3rd in 2 yrs

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm enjoying reading about your adventures!

 

Keep writing and I'll keep reading!

 

Well if that's not an incentive I don't know what is!! Do they do trivia on Celebrity Mark? :p ;)

[NorbertsNiece]

Breakfast is included in my package (any tips on how to take good menu pics would be appreciated.... have never acquired this skill.....) The restaurant rates highly in Tripadvisor I believe..... It doesn't disappoint.

 

 

 

 

 

In the interests of research you understand...... on a bed of Gluten Free toast.

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Outside the hotel Chinese New Year is in evidence.

 

 

The mighty Civic Theatre on the corner on Queen Street, a fine survivor from cinema's Golden Age.

 

 

Albert Park, a Victorian garden bordering Auckland University's campus. In 1845 this was the site of a military barracks and an original fortification wall still exists on the campus.

 

 

 

 

The Art Deco University Clock Tower is closed so I'm not able to go up.

 

[NorbertsNiece]

On the park's east side is a row of early merchants' houses, now housing commercial tenants and offices.

 

 

 

The Auckland Art Gallery

 

 

Auckland Town Hall

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Aotea Square

 

 

Myers Park

 

 

 

 

 

Defeated by a flight of stairs..... apparently there is the neighbourhood of second-hand boutiques of St Kevin's Arcade at the top.

 

[NorbertsNiece]

Khartoum Place, with tiling celebrating New Zealand women as the first in the world to win the vote.

 

 

 

 

Queen Street, the shopping centre of town; if you look closely you can see my reflection wearing my Tilley!

 

 

Queen's Wharf

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

The ANZAC memorial

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

Can still see the Sky Tower.

 

 

Chuckle.. to save you squinting it reads : People delivering junk mail here will be flogged

 

 

The majority of the buildings are wood built..... there are exceptions

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

Water treatment

 

 

A different vessel taking me back to Auckland..... more of a ferry style.....

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

To be perfectly honest my pictures do not give this incredible place justice at all. The expanse of rainforest and the sheer beauty and peacefulness of the range is extraordinary.

 

 

 

The visitor centre

 

 

 

 

We watch a short film

 

[chermilo]

Well if that's not an incentive I don't know what is!! Do they do trivia on Celebrity Mark? :p ;)

 

I'm not sure. I've never been on Celebrity so I'm very interested to see what you think about it. I'm like you and always get an inside room which is all that I need.

[Embrace]

Wow, NorbertsNeice!. Fabulous photos of your time in my home city! You have captured brilliant photos and, dear I say, some images that I have never seen or perhaps just didn't notice....... and I've lived in Auckland all my life!:o - guess there is truth in the saying....."it pays to be a tourist in your own home town/city" lol.

 

Glad you have experienced our nice weather too! February is our hottest month and the weather is much more settled.

 

I hope you enjoy Solstice and your back to back trips. We did Solstice from Freemantle to Sydney last year and LOVED it. :)

[phxbne]

Looking forward to following your adventure! This is one is on hubby's bucket list.

Loving your blog so far!

[hppytrvlr]

Well if that's not an incentive I don't know what is!! Do they do trivia on Celebrity Mark? :p ;)

 

Definitely lots of trivia on Celebrity which we really enjoy! Love your blog Linda, I'm checking in every day. We did this cruise on Celebrity Century in 2012 with our own three week road trip in New Zealand before the cruise. Really love New Zealand. Looking forward to meeting you on the second leg of your trip on March 3rd. We leave on Feb. 15 to start our road trip from Melbourne to Adelaide and then flying to Perth. Bags are packed and we're anxious to get going, just not looking forward to the long flight. Thanks again for taking the time to blog, enjoy your cruise. Sandra

[NorbertsNiece]

The leaves of the kawakawa bush are used to make tea and is said to help digestive problems...... they use leaves that appear to have been enjoyed by insects as that means they are ripe.

 

 

 

Sir Edmund Hillary, the renowned mountaineer, loved the area and the trail is arduous and under normal conditions can take 4 days to walk. We walked 5 minutes to a lookout.

 

 

 

 

Edited February 14, 2016 by NorbertsNiece

[NorbertsNiece]

 

 

 

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

The preservation of the forest is a primary focus..... were we to walk further we would need to spray our shoes to kill any potential dangerous substance.

 

 

 

For this detour we do have to have our shoes sprayed.

 

 

 

Quite probably the tallest tree I have ever seen and definitely the oldest at an estimated 1000 years..... seriously.

 

 

[NorbertsNiece]

You can read more about the kauri here

 

I couldn't see this at the time I took the picture but there there are blooms up there.....

 

 

We drive to Muriwai / Maukatia bay renowned for its black sand and its gannets..... the smell near where they roost is quite overpowering!