What a full and wonderful day we’ve had! It started by getting Thanksgiving greetings from home and ended half a world away with a Maori folkloric show in the Princess Theater. And, in between, we had several high points, too much walking, a history lesson and a revolving meal.
First, though, I must amend last night’s post for the benefit of Cheryl, an Australian reader who has kept us well supplied with ideas for things to do in these ports. The best part is that, after years of reading this blog, Cheryl knows us as well as we know ourselves, and has suggested perfect ways for us to spend our days. However, we keep running into trouble with the details. The Hot Springs Hotel in Savusavu was under renovation, the Casino supermarket in Noumea was closed the Sunday we were there and we had a misty day on Mystery Island. It’s kind of become a joke between us.
Yesterday, Cheryl suggested a swim in the hot salt water pool at the base of Mt. Maunganui after we hiked around the mountain (notice she said around, not up, but, when one is married to G, it’s always up). So we schlepped swimwear and towels in a backpack up that darn mountain. Well, I schlepped them to the mountain but happily relinquished my backpack to G when the going got tough toward the top. I stayed motivated, though, because I knew good things awaited us at the bottom. Well, after we walked (slipped) back down, we walked a little out of our way to where the pool was...and discovered it was closed for renovation from 11/8 to 11/24. If I hadn’t been so tired, it would have been laughable.
This morning we were up at a respectable hour only because we had skipped all entertainment last night and went to bed early. After a quick breakfast in the Horizon Court Buffet (I’m still on the apple wedges, peanut butter and pumpkin seeds kick), we walked off the ship wearing just shorts and Ts. It was a beautiful day, mostly sunny and warm and just a tad humid. In Auckland, the Golden Princess docks right next to the ferry terminal and near the city center, just in front of the Maritime Museum. It couldn’t be easier.
This was my third visit to Auckland. On my first visit, I took the America’s Cup sailing excursion offered through Princess. Auckland is known as the City of Sails, so that seemed appropriate. The second visit, G and I did what is known as the Coast to Coast Walk, a 16km (10 mile) hike across the city (hence, we walked across New Zealand!) from the Tasman Sea to the Pacific Ocean. It’s not just the length that makes it tough; the route passes five volcanic sites, including Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill), the largest and most complex volcanic cone fortress in the Southern Hemisphere. The summit is 183 meters high and the C2C Walk passes right over it. Oh boy. Fortunately, we were much younger then.
There was no question that the C2C was not on the agenda today. Once again, we thought that a boat/ferry ride was a fine way to start the day, and so we walked over to the visitor information center (called i-Sites in New Zealand) in the ferry terminal next door to check out our options. We kept hearing from other passengers on the Golden Princess about the historic bayside village of Devenport, located on the North Shore just across the harbor from Auckland, and purchased a package that included round trip ferry tickets for the 12-minute ride (the price of these if purchased alone would be $12.50 NZD) plus an hour long small bus tour around Devenport, including being DRIVEN (yay) to the top of two volcanic cones. The price of the package was $40 NZD ($28 USD) per person. The tour and rides to the top of the volcanos were definitely worth the extra $27.50 NZD per person.
The Auckland skyline
We arrived in Devenport by 9:45am, and spent the next 90 minutes walking around the waterfront, taking in all the Victorian architecture and beautiful trees and flowers. One tree in particular drew our attention; it had green leaves and large clusters of white buds that open into red pom-pom shaped flowers. The tree is a New Zealand Pōhutukawa, also called a New Zealand Christmas tree.
By 11:25am we were ready to sit down for awhile, and boarded the Devenport Explorer for an hour tour around the village. Our driver had lived in Devenport his entire life and was an encyclopedia of the history and geology of the village, as well as the exorbitant prices of the beautiful Victorian homes we’d been admiring ($2.5M NZD doesn’t go far here).
What traveler doesn’t love old travel posters?
Those crazy-expensive Victorian homes
Our first stop was North Head, a volcanic cone that had been used by the military as a coastal defense installation since the late 1800s when the Russians started making aggressive moves in the South Pacific. In addition to providing panoramic views of Auckland and the Waitematā Harbour, we were able to explore the old bunkers and tunnels left behind. Spooky, but interesting.
Click here for for information on North Head and its military significance
View of our next stop, Mt. Victoria, from North Head
Kind of spooky, but I was game
Still going
This is where it lost me. Definitely contraindicated with claustrophobia!Another stop was Mt. Victoria, the highest volcano on Auckland’s North Shore, 87m high. It was a pure pleasure to drive up both of these volcanos. We saw a few people walking up the road, but seriously, walking up a paved road to the top of a 260-foot high volcano is a whole different sport than what we tackled yesterday. Mt. Victoria offered views of the Waitematā Harbour but also the opposite direction to the inner Hauraki Gulf. Over the years, the peak and upper slopes of Mt. Victoria housed a signal station, artillery emplacements including a disappearing gun and concrete military bunkers.
WW2 US Army hospital 
This is what an uphill climb should look like. ;-)
Disappearing gun at Fort Victoria
Click here for information on Mount Victoria
Relief map of Auckland Harbour
One of many float planes taking Grand Cayman and landing in Auckland Harbour Our tour returned us back to the ferry terminal about 12:30pm, and we had a decision to make then. There were several sidewalk cafes along the waterfront in Devenport where we could have had lunch, but we really wanted to take the ferry back to Auckland and walk to the Sky Tower, the tallest structure in the Southern Hemisphere. We had tried this morning to make a reservation online for lunch at its revolving restaurant but there were none available. We thought we’d try again in person and, at a minimum, pay to simply go up to the observation deck. It wasn’t too far from the cruise ship, and, along the way, we stopped at another underground grocery store (we’re getting used to them) where we saw half the crew stocking up, and purchased some potato chips for G and a water bottle for me.
From a pass through a grocery store...streaky bacon.
The Sky Tower may have been only a few blocks back and a few blocks over from the cruise ship, but bloody hell darn it, those few blocks over on Victoria Street were uphill. Again. It had been a long time since breakfast, and I think we were both fading a little, but, hallelujah, once we arrived at the Sky Tower, we were able to get a table immediately for a late lunch in Orbit 360° Dining. Dining in the restaurant makes perfect financial sense; a ticket to go up to the Observation Deck is $29 NZD per person. However, if one spends $30 NZD on lunch in Orbit 360° Dining (one deck higher), there is no charge to go to the Observation Deck or another lookout even higher. Sold!
Looking up up up
Auckland Town Hall
Auckland Harbour, the Golden Princess and Devenport in the near distance
The Auckland Harbour BridgeWe were seated at a table for two right next to the window and chose to order the $55 NZD two course lunch (I had a scallop starter and a salmon entree; G had a filet mignon entree and a dark chocolate dessert). The restaurant made on complete revolution each hour and we went around about twice, offering us perfect views of the Golden Princess, the Tasman Sea, the path of the Coast to Coast Walk we did 11 years ago and Devenport, including North Head and Mt. Victoria. And, a plus...unlike so many of those ‘revolving’ restaurants, the food was fantastic (it definitely made the cruise ship food we’ve been enjoying taste like family fare).
Starter
Salmon
G’s dessertAlso available at the Sky Tower (for a crazy amount of money, like $200-$300 NZD per person): a tethered walk around the outside of the tower on an open 4-foot ledge (no railings) and also the ability to jump off the top, anchored by a wire. It was kind of disconcerting to look up from the bottom and see a person spread eagle rushing toward the ground.
Harnessed upIt was nearly 4:30pm when we left the Sky Tower, and, while walking DOWN the hill that is Victoria Street we stopped to watch another extreme activity, a three-person chair attached by rubber bands to a crane-type support on each side. The people would be belted in, the rubber bands would be stretched, the chair released, and - BOING - the chair rocketed up and then ricocheted down and up several times. New Zealand was the origin of many extreme activities like bungee jumping and jet boating, so these sorts of adventures are very popular here.
But could it stretch me out after too many nights on a too-soft Princess Luxury Bed?We returned to the ship at 5pm after an 8-hour and 15000 step day, and let the headwaiters in the Bernini Dining Room know that we wouldn’t be using our table tonight. Instead we got cleaned up and went to the 6:30pm performance in the Princess Theater by the Haka Folkloric Group. We remembered this from 11 years ago, and, once again, it was excellent. I insisted on sitting in the front row, ostensibly to get good photos of the dancers doing the Haka battle ‘dance’, bulging their eyes and sticking out their tongues, but G was instantly suspicious when the bare chested male dancers wearing just black bikinis covered with fur loin cloths appeared in front of us (right in front of us!). Oh yeah, I forgot about that part. ;-)
Demonstrating the hongi, the traditional Maori greeting
Maori poi ballsClick here for information on poi balls in Maori culture
Playing Maori games meant to prepare them for battle
Click here for information on the Maori Haka, the traditional war dance. 
We weren’t especially hungry after that huge lunch, but G grabbed a piece of pizza and dessert from the Buffet and I had broccoli and a wonderful lentil salad and it was still warm enough outside to eat on the Terrace Deck. We sat there until sail away at 8pm, but once the Golden Princess started making its way out of Waitematā Harbour and the sun set, it cooled off quickly and we retreated to the comfort of our cabin. G was asleep in 30 seconds and I will be, too, as soon as I publish this post.
There is just one port remaining on this cruise. It’s been a bit of an endurance test, but we have our pushed ourselves to see and do as much as we can, despite the fact that we’ll be returning to most of these ports in just a month. We simply can’t count on again having the same glorious weather that we’ve enjoyed nearly every day, and that has been our incentive to keep moving. But the day after tomorrow...I’m sleeping until noon!