Australia/New Zealand

 Sydney to Auckland on the Silver Muse, December 20th to January 5th.  I will begin by visiting Matt on December 13th.  Visiting Avril in Sydney on the 17th.  Visiting Athenie and Jim in Melbourne on the 23rd.  Heather and Phillip are hosting me in Auckland beginning January 5th.  Home by way of a visit with Valerie on the 15th.  It's going to be a great trip!

12/18

After a wonderful weekend with Matt and the girls and a lunch with a woman I met on my Galapagos cruise I arrived in Sydney yesterday.  The temperature was 105 with a real feel of 111.  Avril and I went out to lunch and then just stayed in the AC and caught up.  

Today the temperature is in the low 70s.  Much better.  We spent the morning at Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park.  If you are ever in Sydney, love wildlife up close and don't mind about a 45 minute drive, I highly recommend Featherdale.  

We started by feeding these sweet Red-Necked Pademelon's.  I have never even heard of these animals.

A larger baby nursing.

I have never been so close to a koala. So very soft!

More feedings.  This one and her joey was a real treat!

Fairy penguins and cormorant

Tasmanian devil 

Echidna and casawary

Dingo

Wombat, which I learned in trivia on my Pole to Pole cruise, has square shaped poop.

Sweet, active, young koala.

My new kangaroo friend.  The pigeons were everywhere we were feeding.  They even landed on the kangaroos backs.

12/20 

Yesterday Avril invited her sister and some friends for a gourmet lunch with a fabulous pavlova. 

Today we drove to the Blue Mountains.  Beautiful views!  Somewhere in those trees are some koalas.  The stones are the 3 sisters, which is part of the 7 sisters which has profound spiritual significance to the Aboriginal people.  The Australian Magpie wasn't bothered by us at all. 

I am now onboard the gorgeous Silver Muse.  I have not met my butler, Isaac from Uganda yet, but did meet my lovely suite attendant Jette from the Phillipines.  The suite attendant I had for most of Pole to Pole is also on here along with a few other of the crew I recognize.  

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...𝅘𝅥𝅰𝆔𝆕

My gorgeous cabin, 625.

Current view of Sydney.

12/22

Right after I posted the other day I met Isaac, my bulter, from Uganda. His family grows maize and they have to try to keep the gorillas away.

We had a solo passenger meet up and the are 60 solo travelers.  That night I watched the sail away with Margaret and Tim.  We went under Harbor Bridge, which I did the bridge climb when I was in Sydney about 15 years ago.  Past the Opera House.  It was a bit breezy!

Yesterday we were in Eden.  In the morning another sole, Jackie, and I took the shuttle to town for a bit.  We came across a holiday market.  Walking back we had a nice view of the ship.  The population of the immediate town is only 1,100 and surrounding area only 3,500.  The love when ships are in town.

In the afternoon I did a tour.  It began at the Eden Killer Whale Museum.  It was made as a way to honor the Orca, Old Tom.  The orcas used to heard other whales, like humpbacks, into the bay.  They seemed to have a relationship with the local aboriginal people.  The orcas would eat the tongue and leave the rest of the whale for the people.  Tom would come back year after year and really communicated with the people and came here to die.

 

Old Tom's story and his skeleton.  

I read this whole story and then I read the little card on the sign.  False news.

A lot of decorations around town are drawings or statues of the orcas.

Our second stop was Potoroo Palace.  Smaller and different that Featherdale, but anything that involves animals I love!

This cockatoo was a wild one but came eat and was very noisy.  The other is a Bettong, another animal I had never heard of.

The emus and kangaroos were wandering around.  

This is George.  The guide told us when we walked in that he likes shoelaces.  

This is Milly, the most adorable 85 pound wombat!  Milly was hit by a car when she was about two and lost most of her eyesight.  She is 7 now.

Chuffy is a White-winged Chough that was injured.  She has become very cuddly.  Likes to come up and get a pet.  

  

Today is a sea day before Melbourne.  I've done a class in how to play bridge, lost at shuffleboard.  Will play bingo and trivia later.  The forecast for Melbourne isn't great but I am very much looking forward to spening the day with Athenie and Jim that I meet on Pole to Pole.

12/24

Merry Christmas Eve!

Yesterday it was chilly in Melbourne and it rained and stopped and rained and stopped and repeat.  I was able to get off the ship and meet up with Athenie and Jim, who I met on the Pole to Pole.  We went to see the Brighton Bathing Boxes that were first built in the 1860s.   They have no electricity, no water, and you can't sleep overnight.  Even with all that they sell for over 200,000 US dollars.

Athenie is an artist and is having a show of Banksia's.  A native plant with 79 varieties.  So talented.  I also learned that Melbourne has a cat curfew.  I think it's more to protect native wildlife than the cats.

Today we are in Burnie, Tasmania.

I did a Devils and Roos tour today to the Trowunna sanctuary.  

Baby wombat and baby Tazmanian Devil

Forrester kangaroos

Yawning and feeding

  

Local bird - Gray Fantail

Wedge Tailed eagle and Kookaburra

Lizard (local) and Tawny Frog-mouthed owl

12/25

Merry Christmas!!! 🎄🎅🤶

For Christmas Eve they had caroling with the crew.

Then we had a Christmas Eve dinner.  Festive and as usual delicious.

This morning began with opening gifts from Avril and Athenie and Jim.

Met new friends Jackie, Margaret and Tim for Christmas brunch.

12/27

We have reached Fiordland in New Zealand and have been cruising the fiords.  Lots of time on deck and slow loading photos so those will come later or another day.  Lots of onboard activities keeping me busy.  I've been watching bridge games and trying to learn. 

First back to Christmas.  We had a visit from Santa and a great show!

Yesterday was another sea day in a very calm Tasmin Sea.  I went to a lecture on Fiordland, a Captain's talk, I played shuffleboard, bingo and trivia.  Watched bridge as I'm determined to learn.

The pictures of the Milford/Piopiotahi Sound, the Thompson Sound/Te Awa-o-Tū and the Doubtful/Patea Sound do not do them justice.  They were breathtaking, especially the Milford/Piopiotahi.  That had many more people and you can drive there and do a boat tour or kayak tour. 

 Milford/Piopiotahi

Thompson/Te Awa-o-Tū

Jackie, Maeve and I

Doubtful/Patea

12/28

Today we arrived in Bluff, New Zealand.  Bluff is at the very southern end of South Island.  Like Bunie, Bluff has a lot of logging and piles of wood chips at the pier.  I took a shuttle into Invercargill this morning.  I only walked around for a little bit, but a nice theatre building.

On the drive I expected to see sheep and cattle.  I did not expect to see the deer, raised for the venison.

This afternoon I did a bus tour around the area.  We started at Stirling Point a tourist point with a directional sign.  There is also a large anchor chain that has another one on Stewart Island that symbolizes their relationship and heritage to Maui, the legendary Polynesian Voyager.

We drove up Bluff Hill for views of the harbor.

Our last stop was Queens Park.  A gorgeous area with lots of different gardens and areas.  An aviary and animal area.

  

Interesting birds in the aviary. Pink is a Galah and other is a Kaka

In the animal area were some Tuataras, a rare reptile found only in Aotearoa New Zeland.  They are nocturnal so I was happy to see them.  Some are over 100 years old.

The bathrooms were pretty advanced!  Press to open, press to lock, auto everything.

The signs are in both native language and modern English.  Beautiful graffiti around the area.

12/29

Today we are at Port Chalmers and Dunedin.  I took a tour this morning to Orokonui Ecosanctuary.  It is a not-for-profit conservation project on 307 hectares.  It opened in 2007.  Many plants were removed and native ones planted.  The plants grow very quickly here.  The trees are at the port here also and are Monterey pine which are from California, but grow so well here they have been planted for export.  In 20 years a tree will be ready to be cut down.

Valley view

This is the predator resistant fence that is 8.7 km long with stainless steel mesh that is small enough to keep out baby mice and has a hood so animals can't climb and goes under the ground for burrowing animals.  

Hundreds of spiders inside the white and a Mokomoko/Otago Skink

Kakarual/South Island Robin

Korimako/Bellbird

Tui

South Island Kaka, which I saw at Queens Park yesterday in the cage, but today there were many in the wild.  Depending on the angle, their colors really show.

We were very lucky to see a Takahe.  A nationally threatened flightless bird.  They are having a lot of luck with breeding.  This one is about a year old.

  

Tomorrow we should be at Akaroa and I have a tour to Christchurch, but the conditions may not be good so it may not happen. We will know more tomorrow morning.

12/30

Today we anchored in Akaroa and I chose a tour to Christchurch for Punting on the Avon.  It was a beautiful ride even with the clouds.  The Punting was nice and then I had lunch and did some shopping.  

Our headless tender driver and The Muse from the road to Christchurch

Punting

Canada Goose and Shag

Male and female Paradise Shelduck and New Zealand Scaup

Christchurch Bridge of Remembrance

Riverside Market

12/31

Our last stop on South Island and our last stop for 2024 was at Picton.  I went to the Omaka Maori Marae.  We took part in a cultural welcoming ceremony in a building where we could not take photos.  Some of the children then put on a performance.  

We were met by Picton Flower Ladies who pinned a flower on us in greeting.

  

The countryside is covered with grape vines.

1/1/25

Happy New Year!  One of the first New Year's celebrations in the world.  18 hours ahead of Ohio, 21 hours ahead of California.  What will I do with my extra hours of 2025? 🤣

Fun celebrations last night.

Some crew from my Pole to Pole trip on the Wind is on the Muse now!  Love these friendly faces!  

New Year's brunch today.

1/2

I'm not sure if I love Napier, New Zealand so much because it's such a great place or because we had better weather or a combination of both.

I took the shuttle into town this morning. I walked to the National Aquarium of New Zealand.  I loved seeing the Little Blue Penguins.  They had kiwis, but I could not see them in the enclosure, but they had a camera where they were.  

Ray in walk through tunnel.                                                                  

 

Molted and not molted yet

Another Tuatara

Feeding in the reef

Beautiful areas while I walked around

  

Man selling puppies ☹

I walked to an art deco neighborhood.  Napier is known for it's art deco.

This afternoon my tour was on the Hawke's Bay Express.  The owner, Will, was our driver.  He gave great credit to his wife and father.  His wife let him live a dream and stop his corporate job.  His father helped him build the train.  He was one of the most informative, compassionate, funny tour guides I've had on any tour.  If in Napier I highly recommend.  

  

We went to the Customs House.  The maps show the difference in the sea and land after the 1931 earthquake.

Some did a classic car tour and rode in the rolls royce.

Tonight was perfect weather for dinner at the Grill with Jackie!  Then a gorgeous sunset.

  

Then Jette delivered this.  😭😭😭😭

1/3

Last night was wonderfully clear.  I was able to see many stars including the Southern Cross and Orion's Belt.

Today we are in Gisborne. Gisborne is known for being the first city in the world to see the sun rise.  I did not get the sun this morning, but did get first light.

1/4

Yesterday in Gisborne Jackie and I got off the ship in the morning and did a hike around the area.

Ironwork on the hill and a Cook monument where he landed.

View of the Muse and on our way down some horses.  The one with the white stipe came up for me to pet it.

Myna bird

Races on the river

We then did a winery tour.  First was Bushmer Estate.  Gill and Chris with our snacks and wine.

Then we went to Matawhero Wines

Last night was our Captain's Farewell and Crew Parade

Today we were docked at Tauranga.  I did a tour of a kiwi orchard and here is more information than you ever wanted to know about growing kiwis. We visited an orchard with gold kiwis.  There are the original green, gold and now red. Gold that are the correct larger size are exported to Asia, UK and US.  Gold found at Costco a lot.  Smaller go local to Australia and New Zealand. 

Kiwis came from China and were called Chinese Gooseberries. The name kiwi was patented in 1980.  Four kiwi orchards will fit in an area that was once for dairy cattle. Te Puke is the kiwi capital of the world.  There are 240 orchards in this area and only 1,000 families.  They hire bees for two weeks during October.  There is no nectar in the male flowers so they attract the bees with sugar water.  They must visit the female flower 17 times.  Kiwi is harvested here April, May and June and they bring in Pacific Islanders on Restricted Seasonal Employment Visas. (what a great concept...) They are picked before they are ripe since they will ripen after and have to travel so far.  The oldest vines here still producing are 90 years old.  To ripen a kiwi put it in a brown bag with apple or banana.  You can also poke tiny holes.  Before shipping they take many laser photos for marks and deformities.  They get 30 tons given to cattle.  195 million trays were exported last year.  A tray is by weight, 3 kilos, 18-46 fruit.  

They are very high in nutrients and good for gut health.  

Moral of this story...eat more kiwis!

Gold fruits and vines that aren't pollintated are staked up.  The flowers change color if they are pollinated.

There are windbreaks planted around the orchards and hail netting that is also reflective on the underside.

Female and male plants.  There are 4 female to every one male vine.

This one is deformed and will go to cattle.

Then we went to the first Mission in the area.  Called The Elms.

    

  

This is the Silver Fern tree used in the New Zealand sports teams logos.

Tomorrow I get off in Auckland.  I am lucky to be spending 10 days with Heather and Phillip that were on Pole to Pole the whole time with me.  They have planned a fabulous itinerary.  I will take lots of photos but may not post very often!  

1/6

Yesterday we sailed into Auckland.  

Heather and Phillip picked me up and we drove toward their beach house in Tutukaka.  On the way we stopped at Whangarei Quarry Gardens.  

  

Then we stopped at the boat area and shopping in Whangarei where the very interesting Hundertwasser Art Centre is. 

Then the craziest thing, we stopped at a small grocery store and I ran into David and Susie from Australia that I met on the cruise.  They were visiting a nephew.

Gorgeous views from Heather and Phillip's place and a walk on Wellington Bay beach.

Today we did a boat ride to Poor Knights Island and did a little snorkeling.  We could see their home on the way, the white one on the left. Their son Richard and his new wife, Catie came along.  The tour was called Perfect Day Out and it was a perfect day out!

Blue Maomao and jellyfish.

They took the boat into a sea cave, which they said was the largest sea cave in the world.

Lots of arches

Then we went to the Pinnacles and a Gannet colony.

Gulls and Shearwaters

Sugarloaf and gray noddies in lower left corner

1/10

Heather and Phillip have an amazing itinerary for my visit!  We have had beautiful weather so far.

Tuesday we had a beach day and visited some of the many beautiful beaches in the area.  First, Whananaki.

Kelp gull and Red-breasted Dotterel

We made a quick stop at Matapouri, but pictures from there in tomorrow's pics.  Then Pacific Bay.

Views from Pacific Rendezvous Resort at the end of their road.  Quail on the way.

That night we ate dinner at Snapper Rock.  Phillip, Catie and I shared lamb.  Obviously, we didn't enjoy it. 🤣

Wednesday morning Heather and I got up early for sunrise at Matapouri.

We then drove north to Paihia and first stop the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.  The tour took us to see a ceremonial waka, canoe, that was made for the anniversary of the treaty.

This is the spot where in 1840 the treaty was signed between the British and the Maori. They were working on the the flags that day.

  

We were able to see another cultural performance.

  

Gorgeous view from our hotel and at dinner we were approached by a gentleman selling his autobiography about his life in a gang.

Thursday we took a bus to Cape Reinga.  The northernmost point in New Zealand and on December 28th I had been at the southernmost in Bluff.  I'm getting to see a lot of beautiful New Zealand.

  

Meeting of the waters.  The Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Back on the bus we traveled to 90 mile beach.

We had a break at a cool stop where they make things from kauri wood.  Not cut from trees but from trees found buried.

This morning we came back to Auckland.  Stopped for a fancy bathroom stop designed by Hundertwasser and a stop at Ruakaka Beach for breakfast.  There were fires in the distance.

We made it to Auckland and I finally got to meet Murphy.  I'm a little in love with him! 

Phillip took me to the Auckland War Memorial Museum.  A beautiful building and lots of history inside.

We stopped at the Michael Joseph Savage Memorial

Right across from their house they have bush, which I would call woods.  Dingle Dell Reserve.  A great place to walk Murphy!

  

  

1/11

Today we went to the rugby teams experience.  The All Blacks Experience.  It is in the Sky Center, which we did not go up in, but really enjoyed the All Blacks experience.

  

  

This just shows some of the domination by New Zealand in rugby.

Male and female team haka

1/15

I am at the airport starting back to the States.  Heather and Phillip get 5 stars on Tripadvisor for their wonderful job of hosting me.  On the 12th we started at the Waitomo Caves for the Blackwater Labyrinth.  I'm glad I did it, but would likely not do it again. The tubing was good, but the walking made me nervous if I would fall. I did not, so all good.  The glow worm photos were not taken during our tour, but we did tube through with some beautiful glow worms. There were eels, but we did not encounter any.  Heather took a nice, calm boat tour to see the glow worms.  

  

For lunch we grabbed McDonald's.  I had a Kiwi burger.  A burger with an egg and a beet slice.  I liked the box.

We stayed two nights at the Pullman hotel in Rotorua.  We had a lovely sunset the first night.  In the lobby you could pick up fresh milk for your coffee.

The next day we went to the Agrodome in the morning.  Sheep, alpaca, deer, and I was in my element!  

A great show about the animals.  Some selfies with sheep and alpacas.

I could post hundreds of pictures from here!  But onto the Fancy Meow Cat Cafe!

Next stop, Hell's Gate, hot geysers.

We saw these Pied stilts hanging around with babies in the hote pools.

A stop at the green and blue lakes.

Then a walk through a redwood forest.

A busy day, a lovely dinner at Atticus Finch finishing with an It's Sinful. 😉

Yesterday we started at the National Kiwi Hatchery for a behind the scenes tour.  Learned a lot about the National Bird and got to see one and two day old Kiwi's and two they weighed who are almost ready to be released back into the wild.

Then we were off to Hobbiton, where many scenes from the movies were filmed.

On the way back to Auckland we stopped to see the migrating Godwits and other birds.  It was pretty spectacular.

Pied Stilt and babies

Oystercatcher

White-faced Heron

Bar-tailed Godwits

Wrybill and Godwit

Far away and blurry, but Spoonbills

It's been an amazing trip and I would love to come back to both Australia and New Zealand!  Off to Valerie's until the 21st.  

Next adventure on the Silver Moon in March.  Eight days, Fort Lauderdale to Bridgetown.