Dermotsgirl Posted March 31, 2021 #851 Share Posted March 31, 2021 We found Wellington to be a very nice place and very easy to DIY. We got the shuttle into the centre, went up on the cable car and walked down through the Botanic Gardens and then walked along the waterfront area. (it was strange seeing the roses out in March) (there's always logs piled up in New Zealand ports) 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gettingwarmer Posted April 1, 2021 Author #852 Share Posted April 1, 2021 We have arrived at Lyttlelton for Christchurch, tomorrow we dock at Dunedin. We visited Christchurch before the earthquake in 2011. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 1, 2021 #853 Share Posted April 1, 2021 We visited NZ in 2013 and anchored just off Akaroa as Littleton was closed due to damage sustained in the 2011 earthquake. Akaroa was a lovely small seaside town, 70 miles from Christchurch. We tendered into the town and then did an independent tour which took us through the town and then to the Banks Peninsular.... 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 1, 2021 #854 Share Posted April 1, 2021 We then travelled to Christchurch and we were shocked at the amount of damage caused by the earthquake. It must have been an awful experience as the city, 2 years after the event, was still undergoing major repairs. The day we visited was the day that the trams started running again.... Our last visit of the tour was to the Willowbank Wildlife Reserve... We picked up some passengers from the Antarctica Experience on our way back to the port. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aulanis Posted April 1, 2021 #855 Share Posted April 1, 2021 (edited) Ok perhaps as Izzy was actually anchored in Akaroa to go to Christchurch perhaps I can have a small lie and say we were going to Christchurch but didnt have time so stayed in Akaroa. As said it is a very nice town with interesting buildings well kept gardens and very clean. It also has this: We got there 30 mins early and they let us in 10 mins early so as only us there we dashed around once getting most of the pictures then went around again to see all the bits we had missed. Could have gladly stayed longer but it it started to rain. It is only small but so much crammed in. Definitely a highlight of the whole cruise. Edited April 1, 2021 by Aulanis 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gettingwarmer Posted April 1, 2021 Author #856 Share Posted April 1, 2021 1 hour ago, Aulanis said: perhaps I can have a small lie and say we were going to Christchurch but didnt have time so stayed in Akaroa. Seems perfectly reasonable as Akaroa was often a replacement port after the earthquake, a lovely set of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermotsgirl Posted April 1, 2021 #857 Share Posted April 1, 2021 We also called at Akaroa for Christchurch. We decided to stay in Akoroa for the day, as it was quite a long drive to Christchurch. We had a very nice day 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adawn47 Posted April 1, 2021 #858 Share Posted April 1, 2021 2 hours ago, Aulanis said: Ok perhaps as Izzy was actually anchored in Akaroa to go to Christchurch perhaps I can have a small lie and say we were going to Christchurch but didnt have time so stayed in Akaroa. As said it is a very nice town with interesting buildings well kept gardens and very clean. It also has this: We got there 30 mins early and they let us in 10 mins early so as only us there we dashed around once getting most of the pictures then went around again to see all the bits we had missed. Could have gladly stayed longer but it it started to rain. It is only small but so much crammed in. Definitely a highlight of the whole cruise. Frank and I were fascinated with your photos, we went through them twice. Very Gaudiesque. Avril 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grapau27 Posted April 1, 2021 #859 Share Posted April 1, 2021 3 hours ago, Aulanis said: Ok perhaps as Izzy was actually anchored in Akaroa to go to Christchurch perhaps I can have a small lie and say we were going to Christchurch but didnt have time so stayed in Akaroa. As said it is a very nice town with interesting buildings well kept gardens and very clean. It also has this: We got there 30 mins early and they let us in 10 mins early so as only us there we dashed around once getting most of the pictures then went around again to see all the bits we had missed. Could have gladly stayed longer but it it started to rain. It is only small but so much crammed in. Definitely a highlight of the whole cruise. Fantastic array of photos. Thanks for posting. Graham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gettingwarmer Posted April 2, 2021 Author #860 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) Dunedin today. At sea in Fiordland, New Zealand tomorrow. Edited April 2, 2021 by Gettingwarmer 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 2, 2021 #861 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Stunning photos of Akaroa. If we ever go to that part of the world again, I think we would probably stay around the Akaroa area as the countryside was beautiful and I would like to visit the gardens. We also visited Dunedin on the 2013 cruise and, because we like to get out into the countryside, I booked an independent tour which took us on the Taieri Gorge train and then on a bus tour of Dunedin city. The ship docked in Port Chalmers where the ship's version of our tour started with the train waiting on the quayside. We were taken to the station in Dunedin and got the train from there. Port Chalmers.... 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 2, 2021 #862 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Gosh Gettingwarmer, I thought my Taieri Gorge pictures had posted themselves when I saw yours😁The scenery was stunning!! Here are mine.... 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 2, 2021 #863 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Dunedin City was very pleasant and had a definite Scottish feel.... 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aulanis Posted April 2, 2021 #864 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Dunedin - we would have liked to go on the Taieri Gorge rail trip but along with many others we chose not to pay the extortionate price Princess charged for it. There were 2 Princess ships in Port Chalmers the day we were there and months (maybe longer) before Princess bought out all the trains and tickets were $200 pp!!! You could not buy tickets direct or from Viator. We did have a good day in Dunedin and back in Port Chalmers. Did see some birds nesting on the sail away but no Albatross. Thought we had stumbled across the steepest street but while steep, seems not. My pic was taken 1 minute after the remembrance garden yet I cant find it on Googlemaps = another distraction!! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adawn47 Posted April 2, 2021 #865 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) Many years ago, 35 or so, my sister and BIL toured New Zealand from North Island to the South, and I'm starting to see why they were so enamoured with the country. She said it was what pre-war Britain must have looked like. Looking at the photos so far, I can see what she meant. Avril Edited April 2, 2021 by Adawn47 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aulanis Posted April 2, 2021 #866 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) The bus ride back and Port Chalmers. Edited April 2, 2021 by Aulanis 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted April 2, 2021 #867 Share Posted April 2, 2021 (edited) We did a land tour of New Zealand in 2005 before I had a digital camera. Our hotel in Christchurch was very close to the Cathedral and I believe it was badly damaged in the subsequent earthquake. We also visited Dunedin, the Railway Station is a beautiful building. The picture of the very steep street that holds the world record for steepest inhabited street reminded me that was disputed recently by Harlech in Wales but I believe they were proved wrong. Thanks to you all for the great photos. Edited April 2, 2021 by Bloodaxe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dermotsgirl Posted April 2, 2021 #868 Share Posted April 2, 2021 Here's our Dunedin photos 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gettingwarmer Posted April 3, 2021 Author #869 Share Posted April 3, 2021 At sea in Fiordland today. Tomorrow we arrive at Sydney. It was a very dull misty day when we viited the fiords and made for a very eerie sail. At the end of Milford Soun,d after we had disaembarked the people leaving fo the overland trip, the ship just turned on its axis and sailed out. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 3, 2021 #870 Share Posted April 3, 2021 We visited Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds which were all spectacular in their own ways but we thought Milford Sound was the most picturesque. We were up at 05.00 so we could see the sail-in and the Captain told us that we were extremely lucky with the weather as there had been heavy rain when the ship had been there 2 weeks before.... Milford Sound - I never worked out how to set the time stamp on my camera!... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzywiz Posted April 3, 2021 #871 Share Posted April 3, 2021 We didn't think the scenery in Doubtful and Dusky was as dramatic... Doubtful Sound... Dusky Sound... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gettingwarmer Posted April 3, 2021 Author #872 Share Posted April 3, 2021 You definitely had better weather than us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aulanis Posted April 3, 2021 #873 Share Posted April 3, 2021 (edited) Wow what a difference a bit of sun makes, still you cant have waterfalls without rain so there we are. Pics much the same as Gettingwarmer. A few extra as we had rainbows and something? in the water. Not sure where we were I think we missed some altogether as the Captain didnt want to risk it. I also notice that a picture to one side, grey and mist and another from the same spot seconds later of the other side has some colour and fairly clear. On that basis you could see some people just viewing from one side having a grey miserable view and those looking out the other side not too bad. Edited April 3, 2021 by Aulanis 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adawn47 Posted April 3, 2021 #874 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Can I ask if the Dunedin train station is still a working station or is it now a look into the past for tourists, like stately homes? I'm guessing it's not used now, as it is so beautiful and pristine. Avril Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aulanis Posted April 3, 2021 #875 Share Posted April 3, 2021 I dont know how people are viewing the pictures? I am working on a small laptop using Windows. If I just have it as normal the pics are fairly small and the right hand side of the screen is blank as it is the space below where the "gallery" pictures and announcements are. If anyone else has the same try pressing the ctrl key and the +/= key and the Gallery moves to the bottom of the screen and our pictures are twice the size. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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