Now for something completely different

[onlyslightlymad]

14 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

So when it doesn't go 😉if your country will let you out you could come to my country😎 and we'll make you welcome. Of course you would have to start the cruise in Boston or New York (Probably Boston) 

New Zealanders are allowed out of the country.  We don't have that restriction.  It's getting back in that's a problem.

[Blackduck59]

2 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

New Zealanders are allowed out of the country.  We don't have that restriction.  It's getting back in that's a problem.

 

It is more than a year away 😉 I'm thinking even our feeble vaccination program will be complete by then. Of course there is that other country to the south that we have to start in.

[MicCanberra]

I like to say that

Princess = wood and brass

X = Chrome and glass

I enjoy both ship experiences and they are very similar in many ways.

Overall, I prefer X.

[Blackduck59]

At this point in time it is HAL in the lead for our East Coast Canada trip. Newer ship and better itinerary from a Canadian point of view. We would like to do the trip with Celebrity but their itinerary is round trip and for this we like the one way aspect.

[GUT2407]

Very much agree with Mic’s description, Timber and brass v Chrome and Glass, I was happy to cruise with either. Here in Australia Celebrity probably had a slightly younger demographic. For me it comes down to time, itinerary and price. Though all being equal I will go for a smaller ship if I can.

[Blackduck59]

So how was everyone's day, eh?

I took the day off from work. I had Indian food on a restaurant patio yeah fresh food served to me at a table no take out or drive through🙂. Then to finish a good day I picked up Lynn at her work and we drove out to Spitfire Grill, they have a tent set up in their parking lot I'm not sure why a tent in the parking lot is okay but the dining room is not 🤔. Anyway we had a great meal, can't wait for them to re-open for breakfast. They are putting an outdoor patio on the airport side of the restaurant, right next to an airplane taxi way. It will be great in the summer, and will give them more seating while the dining room is closed.

[MMDown Under]

35 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

So how was everyone's day, eh?

I took the day off from work. I had Indian food on a restaurant patio yeah fresh food served to me at a table no take out or drive through🙂. Then to finish a good day I picked up Lynn at her work and we drove out to Spitfire Grill, they have a tent set up in their parking lot I'm not sure why a tent in the parking lot is okay but the dining room is not 🤔. Anyway we had a great meal, can't wait for them to re-open for breakfast. They are putting an outdoor patio on the airport side of the restaurant, right next to an airplane taxi way. It will be great in the summer, and will give them more seating while the dining room is closed.

I assume the tent would be more drafty than the inside dining room.  I only eat outside because there is less risk.  Glad you and Lynn had a great meal at Spitfire Grill.  Will be nice to watch the airplanes from the new outdoor patio.  

[OzKiwiJJ]

Sound lovely, Lyle. 

 

Restaurants are pretty well operating as normal here. Outside seating is popular, of course, but as the weather gets cooler more people will be opting for inside seating although most restaurants have screen that roll down to block the wind, and outdoor heaters. Some also supply rugs.

[Blackduck59]

2 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

I assume the tent would be more drafty than the inside dining room.  I only eat outside because there is less risk.  Glad you and Lynn had a great meal at Spitfire Grill.  Will be nice to watch the airplanes from the new outdoor patio.  

 The restaurant has a full wall of windows facing the airport and it was cool to watch the Airplanes (when there were airplanes). I wonder if they will keep the tent too until they can open the dining room. Today was one small step toward feeling some optimism.

[GUT2407]

Sounds great, restaurants are pretty much business as usual (maybe slightly lower capacity), but then again most things are, just did a big shop and only one mask noticed in the whole centre, no longer counting you know and out of stores. Even the borders are pretty much open internally. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'm starting to see a pattern of mask wearing in supermarkets around us.

When a locally transmitted case is announced about 90% of people are wearing masks.

After a week of no more cases about 50% are wearing masks.

After a few more days it's down to 25%, then tapers off to just a few.

Edited May 15, 2021 by OzKiwiJJ

[MMDown Under]

27 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 The restaurant has a full wall of windows facing the airport and it was cool to watch the Airplanes (when there were airplanes). I wonder if they will keep the tent too until they can open the dining room. Today was one small step toward feeling some optimism.

The majority of cafes here have inside and outside eating areas.  Where there is a choice, people choose outside.  We are lucky to live in a tropical climate.  In winter At night, they put heaters outside. 

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, GUT2407 said:

Sounds great, restaurants are pretty much business as usual (maybe slightly lower capacity), but then again most things are, just did a big shop and only one mask noticed in the whole centre, no longer counting you know and out of stores. Even the borders are pretty much open internally. 

Eating out tonight at Selina's in Belmont, mainly Italian. Been there quite a few times, very good, a little bit more up market type of Italian.

[lyndarra]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

The majority of cafes here have inside and outside eating areas.  Where there is a choice, people choose outside.  We are lucky to live in a tropical climate.  In winter At night, they put heaters outside. 

I was at the Gold Coast last weekend and was chilly at night. Went to a wedding at Coolibah Downs Private Estate. Stayed at the Gold Coast Mercure Resort.

[GUT2407]

33 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

Eating out tonight at Selina's in Belmont, mainly Italian. Been there quite a few times, very good, a little bit more up market type of Italian.

My daughter went there a lot when they lived in Belmont. 

[CeeCee59]

I was reading something on one of the travel websites that Mobile Phones from Canada will not work in New Zealand.  Can anyone confirm if this is true?

https://www.aucklandnz.com/visit/discover/plan-your-trip

[Aus Traveller]

19 minutes ago, CeeCee59 said:

I was reading something on one of the travel websites that Mobile Phones from Canada will not work in New Zealand.  Can anyone confirm if this is true?

https://www.aucklandnz.com/visit/discover/plan-your-trip

Here is some information:

Every New Zealand network uses GSM technology. This is the newest cellphone network technology as opposed to the older CMDA one. The CMDA technology is still widely used by many companies like Verizon in the USA, Bell in Canada or China Telecom in China. However, all those companies start transitioning toward GSM technology in 2017.

To make sure that your phone will work in New Zealand, it will need to support GSM technology.

 

Check with your mobile phone company what system they are using - CMDA or GSM.

[SinbadThePorter]

14 minutes ago, CeeCee59 said:

I was reading something on one of the travel websites that Mobile Phones from Canada will not work in New Zealand.  Can anyone confirm if this is true?

https://www.aucklandnz.com/visit/discover/plan-your-trip

 

It depends on your phone. You will need a phone that is not locked to your service provider and supports GSM and/or LTE. I think some North American phones might still be CDMA only, but I'm not sure. CDMA won't work in NZ. CDMA and GSM are old technology that is being phased out in favour of LTE.

 

If your phone suits, buy a SIM in NZ and pop it into the phone.

[onlyslightlymad]

21 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

So how was everyone's day, eh?

I took the day off from work. I had Indian food on a restaurant patio yeah fresh food served to me at a table no take out or drive through🙂. Then to finish a good day I picked up Lynn at her work and we drove out to Spitfire Grill, they have a tent set up in their parking lot I'm not sure why a tent in the parking lot is okay but the dining room is not 🤔. Anyway we had a great meal, can't wait for them to re-open for breakfast. They are putting an outdoor patio on the airport side of the restaurant, right next to an airplane taxi way. It will be great in the summer, and will give them more seating while the dining room is closed.

I had lunch at my daughter's restaurant.  Delicious, even if I do say so myself.  Then a quiet afternoon studying for an exam.  Not quite so much fun.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I had lunch at my daughter's restaurant.  Delicious, even if I do say so myself.  Then a quiet afternoon studying for an exam.  Not quite so much fun.

Where is your daughter's restaurant?

[mr walker]

We went on a cruise yesterday!!!! It was one of Tracey's birthday present. It was on the Nepean Belle paddlewheeler on the Nepean River, just 10mins drive for us 🙂

Fullhouse of 100 passengers, with allocated seating - had to scan in & have temp taken. Used to be a buffet, but now they place a platter on your table. It was a great afternoon.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Sounds great, we might give it a go. They have a Yulefest in July menu which sounds nice.

[OzKiwiJJ]

It's a shame there isn't something like Proud Mary on the Nepean/Hawkesbury River. I reckon they could do similar five and two night cruises there easily, at least on the Hawkesbury part.

[onlyslightlymad]

7 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Where is your daughter's restaurant?

Here in Tauranga 🙂

[OzKiwiJJ]

52 minutes ago, onlyslightlymad said:

Here in Tauranga 🙂

It's years since I had a good wander around Tauranga. I probably wouldn't recognize it these days. The few times we've stopped there on a cruise we've either caught up with friends there or just pottered around the Mount.