Rene & Nancy and Steve & Jane
- Singapore to New Zealand
Updated
to Dec 14, 2024, NZ time.
We fly home tomorrow, so this is the final update. It’s been a great trip but look forward to home. We have been away 36 days and saw a lot of interesting places. As always it makes us feel very lucky to live where we do.
Thank you all that viewed and commented on the pictures, and a special thanks to Steve & Jane, who are great travelling companions.
Next big trip is a year and two months from now, Buenos Aires to Lima.
For the brave souls who wish to view all the pictures click: https://photos.app.goo.gl/JGQ5EobhgEf4gV7a9
Short write ups and links to less pictures (highlights) are below. Let us know if you have any questions.
Hamilton, New Zealand (Dec 14) New Zealand BLACKCAPS VS
ENGLAND
Today we went to a professional cricket test match, UK vs New Zealand. Steve was in his glory as he is an avid player and fan. It was a learning experience for us and lots of fun, especially as it was Fan dress up day, so there were lots of interesting characters cheering on the teams. We didn’t see the end of the match - is there an end to cricket matches??!!
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ghES1vc8mRo3LLzs5
The whole area has lots of volcanic geothermal activity, including the sulphur smell and steam. We did a tour of the Living Maori Village which is built right on top of geothermal vents. They use the steam for cooking by placing food in a pot in a box on top of the earth, they leave it all day and its like a slow cooker. They will also put food in a bag and lower it into the steaming water, they did a sample of corn for us. The temperature of the water and/or mud gets to 100 Celsius, you can see it boiling and feel the heat, plus see geysers going off. Quite something!
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dV2CqqBDS7FNqAub8
We had an adventurous drive over the Coramandel Peninsula, via a very winding, steep road. Got to Hot Water Beach and, although the rip tides prevented swimming, had a nice walk along the gorgeous sandy beach and could dig a pit and savour the hot water (see the picture for explanation of where the hot water comes from). Even the small stream flowing into the sea was nice and warm. We got to Rotorua that we will explore tomorrow. It has more thermal activity. The swimming pool you see us in is very warm and heated by geothermal.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7qNAT69avJwCHa4W8
We had a nice coastal drive to our next stop, Thames, including a coffee stop with a very cute resident dog. Thames is a small town, very peaceful and quiet. Our motel was close to a rocky beach with parts roped off for Oyster Catcher’s breeding area and a Freedom Camping spot right across from us, lots of RV’s.
The next day
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/ovM8UBQh2y2gRDiD8
We got booted of the ship and in a hotel on Dec 8th. On the 9th we took in a two-part bus tour. The first part was a tour of Auckland city sites. We went through Avondale home of the Avondale spider used in the movie ‘Arachnophobia’ (1990). Apparently as big as dinner plates but harmless. Some people keep a couple in the house to take care of some pests like cockroaches. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any.
The second part of the trip was more of a nature trip to see flora and fauna. We went to Auckland Centennial Memorial Park that used to be grasslands that had been cleared of trees for farming in the 19 hundreds. The natural growth had returned very well. The New Zealanders take protecting their native plants and animals very seriously having introduced many invasive species. We had to disinfect our shoes before entering a park. They are aiming for 2050 to eradicate them all. Tough Job.
We also stopped a Piha beach where there is black sand, this sand is the eroded remains of volcanic rock mainly from the Taupo volcanic zone and swept out to the Tasman Sea by the Waikato river. The sand is a titanomagnetite with a high iron content. Put a magnet in the sand and it will come out black with material that could be made into steel. However, the beaches are protected.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NKZ1f7g42Y1hVWVCA
Kissing the Fish, crossing the Equator, initiation (Rene didn’t do it, surprise!), dinning and activities etc.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/isiMQwZ3K8VjUqqa8
Our last day on board the Regatta. Today Steven and Rene went golfing at the Royal Aukland Grange and Golf Club. Nice club but was very tough. We played with a couple of local players John and Bernard who where great hosts and shared several beers after the round.
Jane & Nancy did a bit of shopping. The ship is moored very close to town.
Tomorrow, we do leave the ship and start hoteling it for 6 days.
Golf Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dkHGDes9dzY4CqUE6
The Bay of Islands is a really nice area. with the largest natural harbour in the world. We went to the Puketi Kauri Forest, Okaihau, and saw amazing Kauri trees, apparently the 2nd largest tree in the world, after the Redwoods. The trees shed their branches as the grow and thus where very useful in ship-building for masts. Then we went to Waitangi Kawiti glow worm caves at Kawakawa to see incredible glow worms.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YWC9bKta21TW4rU59
Sydney, Australia (Dec 2 - 3)
Sydney has the largest natural harbour in the world. Very beautiful city and area. The first day we took a boat tour of the harbour followed by a tour of the city and Bondi beach. Weather was much less humid than it has been. The second day we did a tour of the Sydney Opera House, an amazing building.
Pictures, Day 1: https://photos.app.goo.gl/AV4WDw71syFaWcZX9
Pictures, Day 2: https://photos.app.goo.gl/W1hk3X4jCMTJBHuu9
The Mayalls booked an excursion to Townsville & Billabong Sanctuary. The Chave’s tried to book it but it was booked up. We decided to just go into town. Very nice town clean safe. We stopped at the museum and walked along the shore. Then decided to hire an Uber and take the 20-minute trip to the Billabong Sanctuary. Great to see all the animals & birds. We gave it lots of time to get back to the ship but started getting worried when Uber could not provide us with a ride back. A very nice local lady who had brought her 5-year-old to the park asked us if we where Canadian and seeing we were having some trouble getting an Uber, she gave us a ride back into town!
Some duplication of pictures as we went to the park at different times.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xg7DDVXYjGgRgTKW7
Amazing snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef today, 1 hr catamaran trip to a very large platform over the reef. We entered the water from the platform, nice & easy. Beautiful colourful coral and fish. They also had short glass-bottom boat trips from the platform. The black suits we wore were lightweight fabric, protection against jelly fish, although we didn’t see any.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4b2gRbdyxgZX691i7
In Alotau Nancy and Rene went on a Tawali Snorkel & Skull Cave tour while Steve and Jane stayed aboard and relax. This part of PNG is much lusher and jungle-like. The Skulls cave contains skulls from victims of cannibalism over 100 years ago. Nancy says the snorkeling was good with a variety of fish and other sea creatures. There was a resort where the snorkeling took place, and we had lunch there.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/EYG8HLC8G6ugJ2WTA
Port Moresby is not a clean or safe city. We took a bus tour & each of the buses had a security guard on board, not so much as self security but more for making sure that nothing got stolen. We had a tour of the National Parliament House, an impressive building, the National Museum & Arts Gallery, then the Bomana War Cemetery, mostly Australians from the Second World War, beautifully laid out gardens & gravestones. Our last stop was the Port Moresby Nature Park, lots of local plants, animals & birds (and bats!). Another very hot & humid day.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/eNf5DoJfbMy3wFaR8
Really nice city. Steve & Jane toured the Darwin Military and Aviation Museums, the kids however, went on a Jumping Crocodile Boat Tour. The landscape is very flat, the city has been rebuilt several times due to the war and cyclones.
Military & Aviation Museums & Darwin Tour Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/LQbNcfmwam1DUa996
Jumping Crocodile Tour Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YWb9HjrEviJiiHGx8
Clean air but still hot & humid. Great tour to coffee place, with Kopi Luwak, coffee bean pooped by Civet (cats), we didn�t try it! Terraced rice patties plus locals harvesting rice by hand. Nearly every house & business has a Hindu temple, had a tour of a larger one. Beautiful Indonesian dancers. A day at the beach, the water was super warm.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/V6BKZg4ccfQ7i1Tn8
Traffic & air pollution were brutal! Saw 100 yr old wooden boats, still in use & some museums. Not too impressive!
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/tQBfJy5WYqxBMC6L8
A beautiful city, with amazing architecture, very clean and we felt safe. Temperature & humidity were high 80-90s. Singapore Botanic Gardens, Chinatown, Little Italy, Marina Sands Hotel (couldn’t go to the top because of a thunder & lightning storm) and Gardens by the Bay. Used the metro and did lots of walking!! Great, inexpensive food but booze was super expensive, double what we are used to. Went to Raffles Hotel but didn’t go in for a pricey Singapore Sling.
Ended with a visit to the amazing waterfall & mall at Jewel Changi Airport.
Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/hwZnP7QEo2jtrL4x5
Botanical Garden Orchids: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yanbmPBpEYQrmfew7