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TUESDAY, February 21, 2006
Sailing towards Wellington, New Zealand

It's one of those little frustrations in travel...

We were supposed to be ashore today, exploring the lovely countryside around Napier, in New Zealand's North Island; instead we're cruising under beautiful blue skies. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Auckland, New Zealand

Last Saturday (New Zealand time) our circle of tired but excited travelers arrived in Auckland under warm blue skies. Since the flights from North America typically arrive between 5:30 and 7:00 am, we organized a leisurely morning beginning with a delicious breakfast outdoors, by the sea, in an old stone house built by early missionaries. (Not that many years ago, New Zealand's cuisine, though filling, was generally uninteresting. Today countless restaurants offer superb fare, most of them featuring the country's wonderful lamb, fruits and vegetables and superb bounty from the sea.)

After breakfast we took a leisurely drive through Auckland to view the tidy neighborhoods and seascapes. Before long it was time to board our lovely ship, Holland America's Statendam. (Holland America's comfy new pillow-top mattresses really felt good.)

Mount Maunganui, Tauranga, New Zealand

When we sailed into the port of Tauranga the next morning, most of us headed out on excursions to one of New Zealand's most popular places, Rotorua. Famous for its thermal geysers and bubbling mud pots, it's also a place to see New Zealand's iconic symbol, the kiwi bird, and the culture of the Maoris, the country's first people.

White Island, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand

Yesterday we spent a relaxing day at sea circling some of New Zealand's offshore islands. As we circled White Island, an occasionally active volcano, we could see four or five plumes of steam rise into the air.

That brings us to our frustration this morning. Scheduled to dock early in Napier, a charming town known for its art deco architecture, the captain advised us to expect high swells as we entered the harbor. We did not heal over as expected but as local crews attempted to secure a line to the pier, it snapped as a swell swept through the harbor. After a couple of attempts to position ourselves a little bit better, the captain gave up and headed out of the harbor.

It's a pity. We had arranged for two local ladies (one of them a pleasant Maori woman) to bring us to Clifton Station, a historic farm and mansion. The owner had invited us to stop by for tea and freshly baked scones. Then we had planned a sumptuous barbecue lunch with local wines at a private beach house. It sounded fun but it was not to be. We'll see what we can do to replace this event.

Tomorrow we visit New Zealand's capital, Wellington, our final stop in this country's North Island. We'll tell you about that visit in a few days. Meanwhile we're all doing well and wish you were here!

Best regards,

Paul Niskanen