Tauranga

It's been a hectic time on board with numerous commitments and work related issues, so much so that the blog has had to take a backseat!

A simple combination of no time, heavy workload and an internal ship audit has led to a general apathy to anything surplus to work and sleep. Thankfully, the majority of that is behind me and I've now rediscovered the enthusiasm to get the blog back up to speed!!

So, Tauranga.... In all honesty this was a blink and you miss it kind of port, predominantly due to that workload I mention. Thankfully I had the presence of mind to force myself to stretch my legs ashore, if nothing else, just to feel some sun on my face and get a change of scene.

It's actually a very lovely place. It's the gateway to Rotorua which is an area of New Zealand known for it's geothermal features and activity. I visited this area in 2021 and it is a beautiful area, a definite must visit if you ever find yourself in the area.

This visit was going to be limited to the local town and to be fair, it was very pleasant. We docked away from the main city, only a short walk into the local one Street town which was packed with bars and restaurants. I won't lie, this ground my gears as if have loved to have stopped for a beer in the warm Saturday afternoon sunshine but unfortunately in this occasion it wasn't to be. The locals were out on mass, the bars were full and the atmosphere was relaxed and very very inviting.

Window shopping busy bars is not a familiar pastime of mine so I pulled down the blinkers and set about hunting down some local merchandise. That took the form of the obligatory tea towel and t-shirt.

En route back to the ship I did however spot something close to my heart, a wine shop! New Zealand wine is always amazing. I had the pleasure of touring several wineries when I was here last so it was an absolute must to pop my head in. An amazing selection of wines were on display! What's even better is that the pound is currently enjoying a good rate against the NZ dollar. Around 44 pence to 1 NZD. So a 20 NZD bottle comes in just shy of £9!!! Back at home, New Zealand wine is rarely cheap, let alone a bottle from a small batch winery, which you're never going to see at home anyway as it isn't likely to be exported in the first place.

As such, I headed out with a slightly lighter wallet and a promising bottle of vino to enjoy once things calm down on board

And that was that, Tauranga done. A whistle stop tour to be honest but about as much as I could manage under the circumstances. 

That was New Zealand done. I'd have definitely liked to have done more but the cards weren't landing in my favour. All my memories of New Zealand remain unchanged, a beautiful country full of lovely people.

Next stop after a few more sea days and some time to catch up on rest and work will be Sydney, Australia!