Live from Silversea Spirit Auckland to Melbourne Feb 12-24

[MrsWaldo]

The street in Dunedin is a shocker

 

The day we were there last time the "lads" were skateboarding down the hill

. Now that was entertaining

 

Good choice on the climb

Taieri gorge is good for a one way, preferably after doing the rail trail on a bike but return…. yawnnnnn

 

Albatross colony i am divided on … our first time in 1990 it was spectacular but it was also pre discovery, just a gate, a mound and in the weather and stay as lng as you want

 

Last time it was nice to be in the hide but the limited time and the commercialism (only 1 albatross landed) kind of detracted along with th 30 others squawking beside us. No they weren't albatross

[RachelG]

Good lint about the squeaking, mrs.waldo. I forgot to add that we actually did get to see some albatross last evening as we were sailing out. We were up in La Terraza, and the captain announced that we would be going very close to a colony on the right side of the ship, which is where we were. And he did indeed get us up pretty close. It was almost a Captain Dag moment (the Regent people reading will know what I am talking about).

[RachelG]

February 18, 2015--Stewart island New Zealand

 

Smooth sailing all through the night brought to anchor at Stewart Island, a fairly remote island south of the South Island of New Zealand. Go further south and you eventually hit antarctica.

 

It rains a lot here, as in 265 days per year. But we were lucky as it was bright and sunny. The high temp was forecasted to be 61F, but it was warmer.

 

In the morning, we tendered to Ulva Island, which is a protected uninhabited nature reserve. There are lots of different species of birds, and we could hear their calls and songs as we walked through the rain forest pathways. The birds are for the most part not afraid of humans, as they don't view us as predators. It reminded me of the Galapagos in a way. One robin took a liking to George and decided that his boot was the perfect perch.

 

After a nice mornings hike, we had lunch on board, then took off to Stewart island itself with Victoria and Bob. We had a great hike. George and Bob got to do a bit of bush wacking. And we encountered a feral pig.

 

We came in 2nd at trivia, which is not bad.

 

A perfect evening end at Hot Rocks with David. I had really good prawns. George had steak. Fortunately they have bibs now so the cooking food doesn't splatter on your clothing. We were still at anchor in the bay, so the views all around were beyond beautiful.

[Nigella]

Rachel, thank you for your posts, and Wes, thank you for passing on the photos of this gorgeous country.

We'd never considered an NZ cruise previously, but I'm now adding one to my bucket list.

Very much enjoying reading along, thank you again.

[RachelG]

I will post more pics when I get home. My iPad just doesn't load them fast enough onboard.

[RachelG]

February 19, 2015--Dusky sound and Milford sound

 

Very smooth sailing through the night brought us to Dusky Sound. No landing here of course, but we were to have scenic sail through. Only one problem--pouring rain and heavy fog. The temperature was pleasant enough that I stood outside under the covered areas on deck for a while, and every so often the fog cleared enough to see high cliffs covered with dense vegetation punctuated with small and large waterfalls. Too foggy to really take any good photos though. The area would be spectacular in good weather, but today it was "atmospheric ", as in dusky.

 

For lunch, we decided to try the Japanese sushi place along with David. It was really very good. My only complaint would be the lack of miso soup.

 

After lunch, we arrived at Milford Sound. By now, the sky had cleared and rain had stopped. It was really the perfect afternoon. Nice temperature, not much wind, occasional sun. On both sides were sharp high cliffs, some just rock and some with vegetation. Spectacular waterfalls on both sides, seals swimming in the water and perched on rocks. Everyone, passengers and crew alike, was out on deck, all smiles and taking pictures. The only close comparison I can give is the fjords in Norway, and I think these were better.

 

After the sound, we had trivia. Yet again, we came in second.

 

Dinner in La terraza. Very nice. The pianist is performing tonight, but I guess I am getting old as I am too tired.

[RachelG]

February 20,2015-- crossing the Tasman Sea

 

Quite a bit of swell during the night. Perfect for sleeping. It was a bit cool out on deck, and windy. Too much so to walk out on deck.

 

So we had a lazy day. Went to the gym, had a bamboo massage (one of the best massages I have ever had), ate lunch, went to trivia, read a little, spent a lot of time unsuccessfully trying to get a stable internet connection.

 

For those who wanted, there was a whole selection of lectures, a cooking demonstration, dance class, bingo.

 

I am at odds with the sink in our suite. It is poorly designed though it looks nice. I find it impossible to wash my hands or brush my teeth without spraying water all over the mirror, cabinet, and usually myself. The designer of this sink should be forever forced to use one as punishment. Anyway, today, George devised a way to prevent the splashing. He put a washcloth in the sink so the water hits it first.

 

Tonight was the Venician reception and dinner, for those who have cruised Silversea previously. This was the vast majority of those onboard. We had a lovely time with Helen and George. I eat swordfish only twice per year due to the mercury content, and this was one of those times. After dinner, the performance was opera, and it was actually quite good. It was a show I had seen before, but I enjoyed it very much.

 

We gain an hour tonight!

[WesW]

Hi Rachel, we also despise those sinks and concur with your meted punishment for the designer. Pls tell George thanks for the wash cloth tip and pass our regards along to Helen and George.

[nfcu]

To me it is not really the sink that is a problem, but the faucet. I hate it. They installed this big, beautiful sink and a small, hard to use faucet that utilizes only about 10% of the sink. Terrible, terrible design.

[RachelG]

Will do, Wes!

 

The problem with the sink/faucet is that the water from the faucet hits the angled side of the sink instead of the bottom, so if you turn on the water with any force to the stream, it splashes everywhere. Same thing if you put your toothbrush or hands under the stream.

[Emtbsam]

And there is no overflow hole in the sink, so should you be so foolish as to turn on the water and walk away for a minute, you will have a nasty surprise!

[Emtbsam]

Our visit to Christchurch

 

I have seen a few blighted cities mostly due to urban decay or a flight out of the outdated city center to the outskirts. I've also seen war torn cities on TV, but never have I seen a city destroyed by

mother nature such as Christchurch. My first impression was that parking was very inexpensive since there were so many empty lots. As we toured around the city, we began to understand the enormity of what had happened and what was being done to restore and rebuild. The pair of earthquakes happened four years ago. Due to the aftershocks, little rebuilding could be done for two years. While this may have been hard for the residents, it gave the city planners time to carefully consider their options, gather ideas from the population as well as the experts and begin an organized approach to reconstructing the city almost completely destroyed by the earthquakes. The most unstable buildings were taken down quickly, but there are still many buildings including the large sports stadium that can never be occupied and will have to come down. We were told that imploding buildings is done rarely since it feels like an earthquake when it happens. We saw several hotels that still look as they did the day after the earthquake with windows broken and curtains hanging out of the windows. Half of the old theater is still standing, and you can easily see the balconies with the rows of seats that have a clear view of nothing since the stage area is gone.

 

We were told that immediately after the earthquake, the areas that received the most damage were completely cordoned off and people could not get back to their homes, businesses or hotel rooms to gather personal belongings. I wondered what happened to their pets. The economic dislocation was enormous since many people lived above their businesses. The larger businesses were able to move out of the city center and go on, but the small businesses were out of luck and their employees out of jobs.

 

There is a very touching memorial to the over 180 people who died in the earthquake made up of chairs (some belonging to the people who died) all painted white. Apparently, most of the people killed were in one building that pancaked when the earth moved up and down (rather than side to side). We were told that the architect of the building had falsified his credentials, and the engineer had never built a building that tall. The only good thing to come from that crime is that building codes have been greatly improved and there is much more oversight of what is being done. New buildings will be restricted to six stories.

 

Given the terrible events, we expected there to be a lot of sadness among the residents, but the opposite seems to be true. The people are “cup half full” types we were told. There is building going on everywhere. Old shipping containers are being used in many different ways. They are being piled up to stabilize buildings and churches that might yet be saved. A shopping mall has been constructed out of containers. Cranes are all over the city, and labor is in short supply. They estimate that over 5,000 Irish workers have been brought in to help with the rebuilding of the city, and they are still need more people from other countries to come. What a great opportunity for the academics to do socioeconomic studies of the area 20 years from now.

 

Christchurch has much to attract people to it. The Avon river runs through it. The botanical gardens are lovely. There is a most interesting museum adjacent to the gardens. On this, the eve of the fourth anniversary of the devastating earthquake, we wish the residents much success in their endeavors to rebuild and hope that their lives will be peaceful in the future.

[Winner]

My husband and I were fortunate enough to visit Christchurch many years pre-quake. It was such a beautiful, tranquil city with lovely people. Than you for your description of the rebuilding of Christchurch and the resilience of her residents. I, too, wish them all the luck and a beautiful future.

[txladycruiser]

We were in Christchurch on a Regent cruise nine days prior to the 2nd devastating earthquake. It was a beautiful city. The Christchurch Cathedral was having a festival of flowers so the main aisle was a carpet of flowers! Beautiful! There was considerable damage done to the Cathedral. It has probably been demolished at this point. At that time, there were signs around the town regarding the damage to the previous earthquake in September. So glad we were able to visit this beautiful city!!

 

 

Karen

[WesW]

Thanks Victoria & Bob for the moving post on Christchurch.

 

We will see you next Friday in Sydney.

[RachelG]

February 21, 2015--crossing the Tasman Sea enroute to Melbourne Australia

 

 

Thanks Victoria for the report on Christchurch. It is encouraging to here they are making progress on reconstruction.

 

Well, according to all accounts, this has to be the quietest crossing of the Tasman sea ever. The sea is calm, the wind is still. Hardly any motion on the ship. The captain says he has been through these waters 17 or 18 times, and this is the most calm he has experienced. George is disappointed.

 

Since the temperature was in the 70sand the wind calm, I was able to do a nice morning walk on the top deck, along with a bunch of others who had the same idea. Fortunately everyone was walking in the same direction.

 

Wonderful pizza for lunch in La Terraza, the best I have had on a ship. The crust was nice and thin, just cooked perfectly. The restaurant was relatively empty as apparently there was a special lunch for those on the full 64 day LA to LA voyage.

 

Lazy afternoon. I sat out on our balcony and read for a while, till I realized I was becoming encrusted with sea salt. In a few more hours, I would have been Lot's wife.

 

Trivia was fun. We only missed two, would have been one if I had been more certain.

 

There was a predicted performance of Fabalicious, but I didn't go as I had seen it before, and George just plain doesn't go to shows.

 

We had a lovely dinner in the main dining room. I am always trying to get George to try new things, so he decided to have the fish of the day which was flounder. He really liked it, and it looked delicious.

[drron29]

So you were literally in the calm before the storm.We have just had a major cyclone hit Queensland.George would probably have been happier to have been on the Rhapsody of the Seas-

https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/26362834/cruising-into-cyclone-marcia/

[jillyf]

We saw the Silver Spirit waiting for the pilot outside Port Phillip Heads this morning. :)

Lovely to see, but too far out for a photo.

A friend will take a photo from the lighthouse as it comes through the heads and I will try to post it later today.

 

Melbourne had "White Night" last night - Art and Cultural Festival from dusk to dawn, with approximately 500,000 people in the centre of the city.

I think Chinese New Year is still being celebrated so Chinatown should be busy.

The World Cup cricket is on at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) - South Africa V India.

A busy weekend!

 

Have a great time in Melbourne and surrounding.

[jillyf]

deleted duplicate post.

Edited February 22, 2015 by jillyf

[turtlemichael]

We are watching Silver Spirit sail up the Bay towards Port Melbourne at the moment. We are in Southbank and need the binoculars. Hot cloudy day for the arrival. We fondly remember our Med cruise on the ship some 16 months ago.

[Wellseasoned]

Thank you, Victoria, for that lovely post! We visited Christchurch in 2000 and punted on the Avon! So many lovely memories of that city! Your post gives great hope for the future.

 

Dieter

[RachelG]

February 22, 2015--Melbourne Australia

 

Drron, George is still dissapponted about missing the legendary Tasman sea action.

 

And yes, Jilly, there was a lot of activity in Melbourne today.

 

There was smooth sailing in the way to Melbourne with temperature progressively getting warmer. We had the morning at sea before our arrival at 1:00 pm.

 

I was not yet in the mood for packing. We had a leisurely morning with early trivia at 11. We won, missing only one question. Today was really a full team effort with everyone making important contributions.

 

Lunch in La Terraza with David and a nice couple and their adult son from North Carolina. George and David shared a pizza which was again pronounced one of the best ever at sea.

 

We were to dock at 1:00, and those on tour were to gather in the show lounge at either 1:00 or 1:15. By 1:15, there was a huge mob to exit the ship, and Don came on to announce that the ship had not yet been cleared and to please not congregate in the hallway. George and I went back to our room to wait a bit.

 

Everyone had to get off the ship and go through customs, even if not going ashore. It was a bit unorganized, especially since we have not had to wait in line the entire cruise prior to this. The line was slow, so we did not get through until after 2:30.

 

The plan was to go to the botanic gardens. I had discussed this with the destination girl onboard, and she and I had decided the most straightforward approach would be to take a taxi. Easier said than done. No taxis at all at the taxi stand in the port. A couple of ladies said they had been waiting for an hour.

 

Plan B which I had also researched was to take the miki tram. This would involve two changes, but not difficult. I bought the tickets, and we took off. The tram was packed, but we were able to talk to people who told us where to change and get off. But it took almost an hour to get to the gardens.

 

We walked by the shrine of remembrance for those lost in WWI and WWII. Very moving.

 

Into the botanic gardens, it was "hotter than hell" as George would say. Actually it was only about 95, which in summer in Oklahoma is not that hot. But it isn't summer in Oklahoma right now, so we are not acclimated, and there was no wind at all, which always blows in Oklahoma.

 

But we pressed on and walked around with George in his element seeing all the unusual (to us) plants and trees. After about an hour and a half, we were totally dehydrated, so we threw in the towel. Walked out to the street and hailed a taxi right away.

 

The taxi driver got us back to the ship in about 10 minutes, and for less than the cost of one miki card. So if you can find a taxi anywhere near the port, take it, especially if you are a group of more than one.

 

Wonderful dinner with Donna and Alan, and new friends Kathy and Jim. There were a lot of local travel agents onboard to tour and have dinner, but the dining room was uncrowded as many passengers were off to see the Penguins. We had considered this, but the tour did not return until after midnight, which is just to late for us when we have a long journey tomorrow.

[WesW]

Thanks Rachel (and George) for sharing your Auckland to Melbourne Spirit cruise with us.

 

Safe travels home.

 

Here are Jillyf's friends pix of the Spirit sailing into Melbourne. Nice T shirt David, thanks for sharing Melbourne pix. These photos are the Spirit after picking up the pilot to cruise through the heads and down Port Phillip Bay to Melbourne.

 

 

[WesW]

duplicate post

Edited February 22, 2015 by WesW

[Master Echo]

Victoria & Bob,

 

Very interesting report on Christchurch, we were there just before the earthquake happened and spent sometime in the church which I think is no more.

 

It sounds as if you are all having a whale of a time. Hope you are winning at Trivia - as usual!! Have you met Nan and Neal yet?

 

Who are the three Musketeers? The Captain, the HD and the CD?!!

 

with love and best wishes to you both

 

Master Echo