Wellington

We are now into all Port Days until we return to Auckland and disembark.

Our arrival time in Wellington was 8am.   We had a unbelievably smooth crossing of Cook Strait, which can me rather rough like Bass Strait.    When we woke at 6am it was a mill pond!

Today’s plan was to met up with my niece Harriette and get her car so we can travel up to Southwards Museum - a private Classic Car Museum, which we haven’t been to for many years.

Waking at 6am meant we had plenty of time to shower etc and go to the MDR for breakfast.   We were a little early but all the Staff were ready and waiting for passengers, so we went in.    In fact we were the first in and we had about 10 waiters at our beck and call!!!   Even Jimmy and Raymond were there!   Jimmy complained me missed us at dinner, and my reply “Yes we felt the vibes downstairs”.

It wasn’t long before Pam and Merv joined us, so we didn’t feel we were the only early risers.   Merv said when he went up to the Buffet for an early tea first thing, there was not a soul around which was very unusual, as there are normally walkers and gym junkies around.

We had a leisurely breakfast and called Harriette to arrange to meet at Te Papa, as that was where a Shuttle bus and the way it was conveyed we could not walk off the wharf.    We discovered later you could.  The tricky thing seems to be that the ship does not always understand or want to convey the rules at each different port.     When we asked at Excursions the staff member did not understand the question and then advised we should ask the port staff - in other words “Not my department” reply.   All ‘care’ no responsibility - a little poor really.   

This morning the ship had set up two gangways.   One looked steep so we used the second, and once ashore we found the other were actually steps - not exactly accessible for me.  There was quite a queue to disembark, but I snuck in front!!!

We thought the Shuttle Bus was stopping at Te Papa but in fact the ship had incorrect information on the daily and it stopped at the I-site and

Brandon Street

, fortunately it wasn’t too far to walk.   Mind you we did try the hard way to get to Te Papa, but being a Public Holiday there was not too much traffic.   Harriette and her friend Katherine were waiting at Te Papa for us, and as that did not open until 10am, there was not trouble parking etc.

We were heading out of town by 9am.   We had a very quick 40 minute drive to Southwards Museum which is just north of Paraparaumu.   On arrival there was only one other family there so we virtually had the place to ourselves.   Pete went made taking photos (I think over 100 in the end) as it has been at least 15 years since we have been there, maybe more.    They now have a basement area open as well which is also packed with cars and fire engines.

The following a selection of the 135 photos Pete took!

Our favourtie - an Alfa Romeo (of course)

The sign in front of the disabled car parks!   Love it!

By now the place was getting busier and then one of the cruise buses turned up - time to got up for a coffee in the café.    Who should we see, but Stuart, Annemarie and the girls.   Stuart was in a quandary as he had ordered a milk shake for the girls, and found he did not have enough NZ cash and they did not accept credit card, so we quickly pulled out our wallet and saved the day for them.   In fact as we were on our way out, we slipped them some cash to keep them going the rest of the day, or as back up just in case.

Outside the sun was now out in full force so it was off with the cardigan and vests.   The weather forecast was for partly cloudy and a high of 17 degrees.   The wind was a little keen, as it can be in Wellington.

The drive back into Wellington was just as quick - the holiday traffic was so quiet.   We arranged to met Harriette outside the Museum again, but of course by now (12 noon) parking was at a premium and people everywhere.    We were a bit cheeky and parked in the drop off area out front of Ta Papa and mucked around unloading the chair etc while we waited!   Not that we had to wait long.  Colin and Patty arrived on the scene first (you just can’t get away from some people!) quickly followed by Harriette and Katherine. 

Our excursion up north went very well, leaving us time to have a look around Te Papa, although it was extremely busy as it was a public holiday.

We walked around with Colin and Patty for about an hour.  We had hardly been inside a couple of minutes when a fellow passenger taped Pete on the shoulder and said “You are from the ship aren’t you?  Can you tell us where the Shuttle goes from?”   Classic!   But then everywhere you looked were passengers or crew.

We left Colin and Patty as we had promised to get some information of other Ccer’s for Rotorua and Auckland, so we wanted to go into the I-site.   The place was buzzing with people including Rosemary and Robert.   We had found a couple of good books and flyers, and said we would meet them at Sunset bar for Sailaway.

The Shuttle buses were leaving the I-site very regularly so we didn’t have to wait long for an accessible bus.   While we were waiting a lady called Mary, who we chatted with on deck as we entered Milford Sounds came along.   Mary is a lovely sprightly 88 year old American with a wonderful sense of humour.    We often would see her pushing one of the ships wheelchairs, which she used to steady herself and carry her bags etc, as I think she may have Parkinson’s.    Anyway today we saw her sitting in the chair being pushed, with her arm in a sling.   You guessed it, Mary had taken a tumble and broken her right arm, so now her son-in-law was in charge!!!   Amazingly her sense of humour is still very much in tack.

It was 2.30pm by the time we boarded and we were rather hungry.   After dumping the excess bags back in the cabin, we went to the Buffet for Self designed pasta.   Yummy, all the things we like cooked in garlic infused oil with Bolognese sauce and Parmesan cheese.    The Buffet was doing a roaring trade.

Pete expressed a desire for a real coffee so we went to Cova - there I ordered a Latte and Pete a Heineken!   (Now that is a weird coffee)  The afternoon Pastries were not out as it was too early so I settled for a cookie.   Time to drag the Netbook out and blog.   While sitting there the weather started to change and the cloud roll in and by 4.30 it was the horrible fine rain being blown sideways in the strong winds - Yuk.     

By 5pm the clouds had come down really low and meeting at the Sunset Bar for Sailaway was not a starter.  We had planned to met Rosemary and Robert to go over their Rotorua plans - they we sitting outside in the cold so we suggested we sit in the rear of the Buffet inside in the dry and warmth.   Pete wrote details on their maps and books, and that had them all sorted.   We spent an enjoyable hour with them there.

We had no definite plans for the evening apart from going to the Show at 7pm - Danny Elliot an instrumentalist, whom Patty said was not to be missed as they had seem him before on another ship.    After changing Pete suggested we go to the Martini Bar for a change.   It was reasonably quiet.  Amy and Larry were sitting on their own so we asked if we could join them for a drink.    We ordered drink and they asked us about our plans for dinner after the Show, and suggested we met for dinner afterwards.

The Show was sensational.  Danny is incredibly talents, playing all sorts of wind instruments from a sax, to bagpipes to penny whistles - not one whistle but two at once.   Then he moved onto the piano and the ‘piece de résistance’ was Piano Man by Billy Joel, piano and harmonica!!   Brilliant.

We slipped out a little early as we wanted to try and get a table for four with Jimmy, but when we got to the restaurant his section was closed as he was waiting on the Captains Table.   And it transpired that tonight was the ‘reward’ dinner for the crew of the month with the Captain and invited guests.   The Cruise Director read out all the names etc.

We had a very pleasant dinner with Amy and Larry as we hadn’t really had a chance to get to know them earlier in the cruise as ours paths had not often crossed.  Amy and Larry are from Toronto so it was interesting to exchange views on all sorts of things.  On the Roll Call you don’t really get to know people, except for a few snippets of information.

After dinner we decided to call it a night.   Sailing was a gentle little rock and roll, and over night it become nice and calm.