‘When was the last time you did something for the first TIME’. Live learn evolve.
Another day at sea and then we arrived at Rangiroa. This is a small island still in French Polynesia and unfortunately on the Sunday we arrived most things were closed. So we walked from the beach into the town which is very small. We commented on the sea which was a deep azure blue washing up on the coral beaches. Not a lot there.
‘When in doubt, TRAVEL’. Anonymous.
The next stop was Papeete, Tahiti which was fiery and humid. We had high expectations of this visit but unfortunately they were not met. On our tour we visited the house of James Norman Hall who was an adventurer soldier, a highly decorated pursuit pilot, famous author, essayist, poet and beloved father. He authored at least 16 novels and co-authored 12 novels. Several movies have been based on the island including Mutiny on the Bounty three times, The Hurricane twice and others. There are 118 islands in French Polynesia, 70 are inhabited of whom six were noted as the Society Islands founded by Capt. Cook. Overall there was not a lot to see although the vistas were spectacular. Unfortunately Papeete itself is very touristy and cheap and tawdry similar to Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Grand Cayman.
‘The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page’. St. Agustine.
Morea, our next stop, was a beautiful island and we decided to take a catamaran tour. Overall it was a lovely day. We were late getting to the tender as our watches were running slow. The excuse could be the number of time changes we made on our voyage because going west we encountered multiple losses of 30 minutes to an hour with the time changes. Thankfully the catamaran waited for us at a distant pier. The wind was high and the hulls pushed through the increasing swell and white horses. After about half an hour of thrusting through the oncoming wind we headed starboard to a beautiful bay giving us a respite from the conditions. Our tour guide proceeded to tell us the legend behind the formation of the nearby islands. A God stood on Tahiti and hurled a spear through Moorea’s Mountain leaving a hole near the summit which is seen today and took the displaced rock further on to make another island. We then turned and sailed with the wind. The sensation brought back very fond memories of my time in Bermuda with a slap of the waves against the hulls, the sun, the incidental spray, at one the feeling of freedom reminiscent of Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. The soporific undulations reviving basic human reactions in infancy to a mother’s nursing. Oh, how I miss those halcyon days with friends, laughter and problems disappearing albeit only briefly forgotten. These sensations were topped by a sharp refreshing snorkel. Lesley found some Maori statues called teki in the water as well as fluorescent fish and I saw a manta ray.” That was great, I really loved seeing all these fishes in the warm water. Again just like Bermuda.” She said. A refreshing rum punch sealed the tour.
‘Explore, dream, discover’. Mark Twain.
Bora Bora is in fact pronounced Pora Pora as there is no B in the Tahitian language. It is a nice group of islands with beautiful views but expensive. On our bus tour there were few places of interest and we were disappointed to see the poor houses with corrugated tin roofs as a result of the recurrent hurricanes which frequent the South Pacific. The sea approach is by a single channel but the port became important following the bombing of Pearl Harbour in World War 2. We were invited to refresh at the Bloody Mary restaurant which has been visited by many celebrities but were shocked at the prices so they did little business with our tour group.
The next day at sea meant an interesting talk of the geology of the South Pacific and the drawing class sketched Michelangelo’s David.
Raratonga, one of the Cook Islands, was difficult to approach with no anchorage and a heavy swell . No walking aids apart from canes were allowed on the tenders which was unfortunate for the disabled so only those who could walk could enjoy the island. It was originally an English colony and got its independence in 1968. Cars drive on the left. Our bus tour showed us some lovely sights but few places of interest. Another sea day followed.
‘I need vitamin SEA’. Anonymous
Next stop was Alofi Niue. Again a small island with a sea swell making the landing difficult. Religion is important so as it was Sunday we were told not to swim near the church. As expected there was very little to see but we took a picture of government house and a law firm suggesting that if all fails my son and stepson could take their profession there. If truth be told overall our visits to Polynesia did not meet our expectations. We had followed the advertisements for the luxurious lifestyle of the islands but as I had discussed with a previous tourist the South Pacific is a very large place and the travel is not rewarded by actuality. Perhaps there was a certain sameness about the islands in a similar vein to the Caribbean islands.
Unfortunately I overdid the gym and hurt my back resulting in agony requiring heavy analgesia. We both slept well that night and crossed the international dateline which meant Monday, January 29 did not happen. All of a sudden we are in Tuesday and January 30. That is a loss of a day going East to West, going West to East gains a day which would mean two Mondays. Confusing? I stopped being gluttonous only having one course at breakfast and lunch and managed to lose 4 pounds. The captain who regaled us on a daily basis about the meteorological and navigational details warned us we are about to be hit by a gale and to stow everything tight. As it so happened there was some rain and increased swell but not nearly as bad as advertised and we hoped it would stay that way. Unfortunately the next day the rain became heavier and the swells increased. We were told we were caught between two systems between Australia and Rarotonga. The next day the swells became less and without rain. The sun came out and Lesley modelled jewellery at a fashion show on board.
Two more days at sea brought us to Auckland, New Zealand. I had mixed emotions revisiting the city where I sat the inevitable exam and became a fellow of the Australasian College of Surgeons. It was 35 years since I had last been there and obviously there’s a lot of new development. Both Australia and New Zealand have very strict laws about importing food so none was allowed from the ship. We docked in Queen Street which is in the heart of the city and really it could be anywhere. There’s a lot of construction and high-rises all over. The population of New Zealand has now reached 4.2 million, when I was there it was only 3 million. Auckland itself has 1.4 million. It has been built on 147 volcanoes but no very large ones. There is a huge farmland area in the middle of the town called Cornwall Park, a great lung for the city. We took a private tour through their congested streets almost like driving in London England. There are lots of small areas and villages within the city and the horizon is dominated by the Sky Tower. House prices in the city range up to NZ$1 million or more but they are more reasonable elsewhere. I recall New Zealand used to be a haven for vintage cars or just plain old cars but now apparently Japan offloads its cars when they reach the age of eight years and sends them to New Zealand with the result now there are lovely rust free automobiles on the roads. New Zealand is now a multicultural society including Polynesians, Americans, Canadians and British. It is interesting that Chinese immigrants cannot buy a house , they have to build a house. I remember the paranoia about the potential Chinese overwhelming immigration to New Zealand. Our tour guide was very proud that New Zealand won the America’s Cup in Bermuda last year. Now Dubai wants to host next Cup at the cost of many billions. Now at least half of the crew must be from the country they are representing. Also only single hulls are allowed.
‘To travel is to awaken’. Lily Tsay.
Tauranga
This is a huge port servicing most of New Zealand. We took a bus tour to the other side of Rotorua to see the world-renowned steaming thermal pools. I had previously visited Rotorua with nearby thermal pools so cannot understand why we had to travel to the other side of Rotorua. I am very cynical about the tours and wondered what deal had been made. Eventually after some considerable time the bus pulled up on the wrong side of a lake and we had to pay $36 to get in the boat across the lake to the geysers. The hillside display was reasonable but not fantastic. Lesley went right to the top of the hill to take a panoramic picture. We had a quick sandwich, then bus began its return stopping at Wai-o-tapu a much closer thermal pool. For another $30 we could see this one but opted not to although it is said to be much prettier. Further on we stopped to take pictures of bubbling mud. There was not much to see in Rotorua town itself. We returned to the ship in time to miss the emergency drill but Lesley managed her trivia.
‘The JOURNEY is the DESTINATION’. Dan Eldon.
A visit to Te Puke , the kiwifruit capital of the world it is claimed, informed us of the different types, green and gold. We also learned that growing avocados is facilitated by grafting the rootstock similar to grape cultivation.
‘WANDERLUST. A strong desire for our impulse to wander or TRAVEL and explore the world’. Anonymous
The next port was Napier, North Island which is a lovely seaside town with a delightful esplanade. It’s main business is tourism. The grape industry was just beginning at my first visit but this has burgeoned enormously. A large export is pinewood. Overall it was a lovely day with lovely people.
‘TRAVEL is FATAL to prejudice bigotry and narrowmindedness’. Mark Twain.
Another day at sea before Dunedin. We were delayed in docking because another cruise ship, twice our size, had docked first and the wind made the manoeuvre tricky. Again there was a high gangway with glass sides but the more I was exposed to heights the marginally easier it became. A bus took us to the centre of the town from the dock in about 20 minutes. I had had high expectations of the city because of its close relation to our birthplace Edinburgh. Overall I was disappointed and felt from the architecture we could be almost anywhere apart from the municipal building, the Cathedral and the statue of Robert Burns. There was very little to remind us of our home town. The railway station was pleasing to the eye, but the showers on and off made us feel cold. The bright spot was lunch at the Best Café which served up the nicest fish and chips I can remember. Having nearly put the rest of my life in this land I have mixed thoughts about returning. The land is beautiful, picturesque , green and almost idyllic if it were not for the people. Outwardly friendly but there lies an undercurrent of an inferiority complex to the rest of the world. Geographically isolated it is an impossible distance from anywhere. Thirty five years has seen a large step forward to join the planet with high-tech and better cars. Given the bad treatment I was shown here on my previous visit and the intellectual barrenness I doubt it could have been a long-term solution to my career. I remember I was greeted by my new colleague in Palmerston North having travelled from the UK with four children aged five downwards with the words “go home there is nothing here for you”. He then tried to get me fired but was unsuccessful. In fact he was a dangerous surgeon and I had to bail him out on several occasions to avoid him leaving a patient to die. I reported this to the powers that be in the hospital and was told if I tore up the letter I had written I would be made head of department whatever that meant. I refused to do this. Having said that I’m not sure of my choice of returning to Edinburgh was wise.
‘We WANDER for distraction, but we TRAVEL for fulfilment’. Hilarie Belloc.
Our next sojourn was to the Fjord National Park on the West Coast of South Island. The iconic fjord is the Milford Sound. There are several sounds nearby but this one is the most spectacular. The sides are unbelievably steep sheer out of the water with snowcapped ridges. An incredible sight. The mountains rise more than 3000 feet perpendicularly. It was named after Milford Haven in the UK. Nearby there are several islands which have been rendered pest free to encourage near extinct birds such as the Takahe bird to flourish.
‘Once a year, GO SOMEPLACE you’ve never been before’. Dalai Lama.
Welcome to Sydney! The crossing of the Tasman Sea was fairly calm and the only thing of note was a previous New Zealand Prime Minister nicknamed Piggy Muldon who is quoted as saying ‘every time a New Zealander crosses the Tasman Sea the average IQ of both countries goes up’. The harbour is one of the most beautiful in the world according to Capt. Jonathan Mercer. We approached at dawn with an overcast sky and most of the guests accumulated on the veranda deck. Amazingly rude a lot of these passengers were who commandeered a superior photographic position and refused to let others to take their photographs. Disembarkation was a trial for me with my acrophobia. The exit was from deck three necessitating walking through the glass enclosed walkway down 2 stories then on to an escalator. Queues and lines were inevitable with passports presented by ourselves and then reclaimed by the Holland America personnel. Our tour bus took us to the Sydney Opera House. There is a picturesque tourist type walkway providing excellent views of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge which some of our recently acquired ‘friends’ set off to climb to the top. Crazy. The tour to the opera was compromised because it was the opening night of Carmen and the main theatre was used for a rehearsal and therefore out of bounds for us. What a disappointment to be shown backstage with no opportunity to sample the acoustics of the operatic auditorium. The building’s architect was Jorn Utzon whose original concept apparently came to grief on several points, including finance, being rejected by the panel of judges deciding the format in the 1950s. However he was forgiven and eventually finished off the job. The featured lines of the roofs are well recognized across the globe and set in the Sydney Harbour backdrop to complete a magical and majestic command of the area. The tour of the opera house was extremely disappointing, particularly as we were overrun by myriads of Chinese. The bus then drove through the hinterland of the city of 4.2 million population bringing back reminiscences of villages and suburbs of London England. The city seemed stretch interminably up to 50 km we were informed. Some of the suburbs seem to be very expensive, nice but not awe-inspiring. Eventually we arrived at the world-renowned Bondi beach. Despite having seen pictures I was still gob smacked at the extent of the beach and the volume of exposed flesh of the younger generation. There seemed to be no inhibitions in sun tanning; I wonder if they have ever heard of melanoma? On the land side of the beach are several cafés. Passing by brought back memories of the cacophony of a gannet colony on a sea-based rock. The gaggle was an overwhelming babble, incomprehensible although the players seem to understand each other perfectly well. A delayed but rapidly ingested cheeseburger and a beer drunk in the wrong unlicensed Café sufficed to assuage the pangs of hunger and hypoglycemia stimulated grumpiness. Altogether Sydney came over as okay but the traffic was unbelievable and not a place I would like to return to. As typical of a teaming metropolis downtown is marked by high-rise offices and residences with some genuine classic architecture of the beginnings of the colony. It was noticeable that the street names reflected those of the founding fathers of the city from England. In April 1770 James Cook landed at Botany Bay. Sydney was first founded on 26 January 1788 when 11 ships with 1400 people convicts, soldiers and others landed at the Rocks where they first erected their tents. It has now become an upmarket suburb. We overnighted at Sydney Harbour and the next day ventured back into the city. Great waves of humanity spilled out onto the streets. My wife left me to go shopping so I had the opportunity to study the onslaught. Pretty young and unattached teenage girls daring to bare as much flesh as was decent, young moms pushing their babies in prams and walkers, different tones of skin, many language snippets and all wanting to be seen rather than actually shop. And like any other large city with the pleasant anonymity of not caring about best behaviour. In another pedestrian precinct street performers pedalled their trade – guitar players, conjurers and immobile statues. Men are from Mars and there is no shopping there. By the time we got back to the ship it was too late to do any other tours so we looked forward to cast off heading to our port in Tasmania. The Sydney tour was bad. We didn’t get to see the main auditorium of the opera house with acoustics and we have liked to see. The tour in the town was on the bus and the buildings only noticed enpassant. My suggestion is if the opera is not fully open to tailor the tour to see more architecture. It never ceases to amaze me how these extremely high-rise offices can be built immediately adjacent to water. Obviously it works but the engineering and geology and architecture are amazing.
‘Travel while you are YOUNG and able. Don’t worry about the MONEY, just make it work. EXPERIENCE is far more valuable than money will ever be’. Anonymous
Each city we had visited seemed similar except some landmarks. Is this the Western influence to normalize everything to be the same?
‘Take every CHANCE you get in life, because some things only happen ONCE’. Karen Gibbs.
We were going through the Bass Strait when typically the weather started acting up. At first the seas were only slightly choppy when we arrived in Hobart , Tasmania ,under clouds but entered a beautiful harbour. It is very protected and ideal for this purpose. Thankfully the gangway was only from deck one so it was not too anxiety provoking. We decided to do a hop on hop off bus which in theory was a good idea. The city was very pleasant with an excellent pedestrian precinct but otherwise not noteworthy. The next bus was never coming around so we walked back to the ship.
The weather started closing in and a storm force 5 to 6 was planned for Hobart so Capt. decided to give Port Arthur a miss and went to the east of Tasmania in the lee. The seas were a bit rough so the ship was slowed down and headed into the wind in a northwesterly direction towards Kangaroo Island. The storm built up with lots of rain and from deck nine the panoramic view was obscured. Overnight I lost my pencil sharpener overboard into the depths of the Bass Strait! What a disaster, I could not continue my blog with blunt pencils. The Valentine ball was cancelled! I thought it would be nice for Lesley to have a dozen red roses which I ordered. The seas were getting heavier and with one bad lurch the red roses were careered across the cabin as was the glass vase. The seas became so bad it was dangerous to continue at 16 knots so we slowed to 3 knots and in fact hove to ie. stopped. The boat was still very unstable but we were promised that things would settle next day. I thought our ship Amsterdam was fairly large to easily outride the storm but compared with some other cruisers it was referred to as the blue canoe. However there was no real panic on board and everybody was cleared from the outside decks. The next day the sea had settled a bit and we were informed by the captain the swell had been 26 feet with gale force winds. Apparently this area is very prone to bad weather. We went back up to 16 ½ knots steering to the West despite the increased swell and rain. It was overheard in the restaurant when the captain’s wife was asked at her evening meal ‘are you expecting your husband to join you for dinner?’ ‘Hell no, he’s on the bridge’. Clocks back again and I was so confused I did it twice. At last calm seas again and the speed increased to make up the time to get to Kangaroo Island.
‘I haven’t been everywhere but it’s on my LIST’. Susan Sontag.