MMDown Under

I forgot to mention that cyclones need warm weather to form, so NZ tends to get the effects of the following low, rather than the cyclone.

The official cyclone season is from November to April. The cyclones started later than normal this year. It is hard to predict when the cyclones will form and where they will track to in advance. Sounds like a great cruise. Bon Voyage for smooth seas.

I hope the passengers enjoy their visit to KI. That is a good map of KI, David, which shows you how big KI is.

Is that for one person or a family? I remember having a mixed grill at a Cunnamulla pub once, which was enormous.

You can get an Airport bus from the airport to the port. Google Skybus and research accommodation near bus stops.

February is in our cyclone season, so missing ports if not unusual. Our ship missed Akaroa on a December cruise, because of forecast weather conditions.

We enjoy the atmosphere of the Central Markets, where we eat at the Italian Restaurant, which is very popular.

Good idea. After walking around the township and beaches of Mt Maunganui, we caught the local bus to Tauranga, where we enjoyed our best shop of our NZ visit.

Agree it is never a good idea to try to cram too much in to a day trip from a cruise ship. A day on a sheep station sounds like a good use of your day in Akaroa. I have read good reviews. I was disappointed that we couldn't disembark in Akaroa, due to forecast weather conditions.

I'll never feel important, because I've never got a top card for anything. I buy according to the best deal for what travel I require at the time.

Yes. Does it help to be British to buy it?

Maybe our Aussie pies mightn't be so original after all. I remember my grandmother used to buy an English pie in a tin.

I had a Scottish buffet breakfast with haggis and black pudding each day. Was better than I remembered.

Thanks David. I knew a family who had to stay overnight on the mainland before transferring to an island, due to the weather, but I didn't know the name of the cyclone.

No I missed the pleasure of eating at Greggs when I was in Glasgow. Is that a pie? I did eat well though at a different country's restaurant each day.