March 29. Choosing a starboard stateroom hasn’t achieved anything yet because again we travelled overnight so we haven’t seen much coastline. We awoke in the port of Mount Maunganui, a suburb of Tauranga. And soon after breakfast departed on a 4-hour coach excursion. When booking an excursion you can’t be sure what you going to get. This one was one of the best we have done.

The tour was all about Māori culture. The guide was a young Māori woman who started as soon as we drove away, teaching us a few Māori words and phrases and a song that was to be part of the official welcome to a cultural house. We were greeted and had to respond during a welcome ceremony, which was a tradition rather than just part of the tour. Photography was not allowed during the ceremony (but several people did take photos) but was allowed away from the meeting place and during a traditional dance display.

Two adults and an 11 year old boy led us through the formalities, with the boy doing a really good job. The dance display by a group of senior students was very well done and very enjoyable.

We had a late lunch back on board, then suddenly we were having drinks in Eden bar, which in turn became 8.00 pm dinner.

March 30. It’s amazing how much and how quickly the ocean can change. During the night the wind and waves rose immensely. We could see it but by 2.00 am the ship was really rocking. We still managed to sleep but it was very uncomfortable. Our cabin is on deck 11 and our windows were covered with sea spray, I estimate that we are 25 m above water level so it must have been very rough. Luckily the city of Napier is in a sheltered harbour so it was quite calm when we moored at 10.00 am.

This was only a brief stop, just long enough for a 4-hour coach excursion involving a drive around Napier and the hinterland. Napier is famous as a World Heritage listed city because of its predominant art deco architecture. An earthquake in 1931 destroyed much of the city and, with labour being readily available during the Great Depression, it was largely rebuilt within 2 years, using materials and architecture of that time. The building are all heritage protected, even to the extent of colour and out buildings. Touring the city and suburbs is very interesting.

The tour took us through vineyards, orchards and pine plantations from which a large volume of produce is exported then back to the port in time for a 3.00 pm lunch.

As we sailed out of Napier for our 18-hour leg to Christchurch we heard that early this morning the wind speed had climbed to 70 kph – no wonder we felt it. We had cocktail hour in Eden, dinner in Cypress and after dinner drinks in Cafe Il Bacci (?) then back to our room. Another good day!