Sea legs

In Tasmania today after 3 days at sea.

The first day was to dusky sound doubtful sound and Milford sound. I think this picture says it all......

Totally unbelievable scenery- waterfalls, snow on the mountains and the wind whistling up the passage lol- freezing cold but beautiful.

Then we had another formal night, which ended up in some dancing and too much frivolity for some.

Next day there were two sick boys- so I partied on my own. The waves picked up so da was confined to his cabin in case he did a hip!!

Chris and I ferried food and drink to him all day- and then it got very rough..... Stuff was flying around in the restaurant- so rammy went to bed and I hit the champers- no point in going down with the ship sober....

It was a 70s.night, and about a hundred drunken non vomiters and I braved the waves. It was hilarious watching them dancing to one side of the shop and back to the other!

Today we arrived in Hobart which is cold but really nice so far. Two more days of eating and drinking!!!

Icebergs

Just had to throw a couple more photos in. Just when u think you have seen everything- the pipes and drums of Dunedin come out to play for the passengers getting on the ship!!!! Awesome!!!

And in other news- people from Iceland or Greenland or some other inhabitable place decided to play volley ball in the UNHEATED pool- wtff. No amount of welding rods can help these folks.

Final score- polar bears one, freezing ar$e&0les nil ;)

Monkeys and welding rods

Dunedin. Cold as bro. The brass monkeys would be a worried lot- carrying welding rods to replace their frozen bits. Seriously- the wind is coming off the Antarctic or something. Yesterday turned out just as bad. Started out lovely in akaroa

The ship was moored so we had to get those little lifeboats to the pier. Then we took a bus trip to Christchurch and a sheep farm. Christchurch was just awful- very sad place. It's been 2 years since the earthquake and there's very little left of the cbd. It's not even a hopeful place because it's like a bomb site and they are atill demolishing buildings, not building them. Not what I expected at all.

Then we had coffee in the botanical gardens, just as the wind picked up and the weather changed!!

The sheepdog place was lovely but the rain came on. Mitch should look out- we saw what real working dogs do- and it doesn't involve chasing flies!!!!

By the time we got back to the shi it was pouring with rain and freezing- there wasn't much to see leaving akaroa!!

Today we went on the tieri gorge railway. Da was in his element- once he sussed out the camera!!!

The views of the gorge were amazing.

Then we came back to Dunedin - the railway station was amazing- but I appear to have pushed a button on the camera on the iPhone!!!! All the colours are psycho.....

However mr Ramm the fixing man sorted it so colours now back to normal and having a brandy in Port Chalmers. Well on the ship in Port chalmers.

 Off to Milford sound and Dusky sound tomorrow- then 2 days across the sea to tassy!!!

Couldn't be much colder!!!!!!

Ta ta  for now xx

Whakatane

Who knew that wh is pronounced f in New Zealand.....

Anyhoo- we nearly were in fakatane whakatane- it's south of Tauranga where we were on Sunday. Then we had a day at sea with shocking Internet coverageness so hence lots of posts today. 

Tauranga was lovely- very neat and clean and tidy- we went to rotarua where there are hot springs and it smells of sulphur. Good if you need to fart- no one need ever know!!!!!

We had tea at the blue baths and then went on a mauri tour thing- the walking was too much for da so he and I sat and listened to the mauri Hakka scaring the shit out of the tourists!!! They have such a great culture and are such lovely people- big, but lovely. Seriously I wouldn't want to be feeding some of them big boys!!!!

Here is the very colonial blue baths and the museum- will get Chris to pts his photos of the springs- he was temporarily part of a large Maori family!!!

Da was a bit tired after all the activity- and he will kill me for this photo!!!!

Then we had a day at sea when we just relaxed and ate and drank. Last night was formal night when syds Harland and Woolf tie got an airing!!! Again, Chris has the photos and will post later.

Today we are in windy Wellington which is not at all windy!!!

We went to a brilliant museum which had so much interactive stuff, and a stuffed rabbit. Chris is the one on the right!!!!

We went up in the cable car

And visited the museum. All in all it was a lovely day. 

Our shadow ship- voyager of the seas has been in the same ports as us for the past few days and we followed them here yesterday- just left for Sydney amidst much honking of both horns and waving of passengers!!! She is huge!!

Now the sun is over the yardarm, and it's time for a few bubbles daaaaaling!!!

More photos soon- wonder what the poor's doing??????

xxxxx

Fackatannneeeee it's cold.

First day and night on the celebrity Solstice.

Glad to say that the lifeboats passed muster, and all the rivets are solid. 

Eventually we left Auckland and began eating and drinking- again!!

There was a string quartet with three people- which was nice!!!

Da is loving it! 

Today it was 13 degrees in the bay of islands. Da stayed on board- I think we have exhausted him already- and Chris and I manned the lifeboats- well they were using them as tenders. We got a photo anyway in case we need to use them properly!!

Bay of islands is very pretty, we wandered around the markets, and since it's now warmed up- we are having a cold beverage- as usual!!! 

Off back to the ship for lunch cos we are too tight to buy our own!!!!

More drivel soon xx

And they're off!!!!

What an eventful couple of days- coolum was brilliant

The technology baffled some-

And then Brisbane was stormy

And then business class was something else!!

That Moët and champions is great stuff!!!!

And now we are nearly in Auckland!!!

More later when we sober up!!!!