Day 81 31st March 2011

It is another hot (i.e. 28c) calm day with lots of animal activity around the ship. Two pods of dolphins swam past this morning on the starboard side, many dozens of individual animals in each group. The ship has been followed all day by several different types of birds – possibly frigate birds, skuas and sooty terns but not always easy to tell. You can hear the birds calling to each other as they fly alongside the ship occasional diving to catch fish. It is obviously a busy area for shipping since we have seen a continuous stream of container ships and other vessels all day.

We went to hear a briefing on the Panama Canal which we reach early tomorrow morning. It apparently costs over $300,000 toll for the Aurora to pass through the canal. It is based on a fee per full bed and a slightly lower one for empty beds. We have about 2800 beds so the unit cost is over $300. The briefing explained that the transit would take about 9 hours and involves being raised over 300 feet above sea level to then be lower back down to sea level at the end of the journey. The pilot comes aboard at 4.30am in the morning and we go under the All America Bridge which carries the Pan-American Highway at about 6am and then join the canal shortly after that. We are going to spend a lot of tomorrow watching and photographing what goes on. They are apparently widening the canal to take vessels twice as large so we should see a lot of civil engineering work.

It is probably going to be an early night if we want to get up in the morning.

Day 80 30th March 2011

It has been a very hot day as we steam south towards the Panama Canal. I walked around the deck as usual and was conscious of both the heat and humidity which was energy sapping. We have spent a lot of time on the balcony and in talks by the guest speakers. Chris went to listen to ‘Up the Nile with a Stethoscope’ by a doctor who had worked on Nile cruises. She enjoyed the talk a great deal. We both went to listen to Johnny Ball talk about gravity from Galileo to Einstein with many practical demonstrations.

Looking out from the balcony we saw more turtles swimming past and other people saw dolphins and Manta Rays. We didn’t see them but people are very studious of the ocean and therefore see more than our occasional glance. Probably due to having 3000 people locked up in a confined space (luxurious that it is) means that illnesses have a habit of going a round the whole ship. In this way there is a ship’s cough that everyone seems to have had and I am now infected. It obviously has reached many people since the ship’s shop is full of cold and cough remedies.

The semi-final of the cricket world cup featured India versus Pakistan and the large Indian community amongst the crew were passionate for their team to win. I only had to ask at breakfast to be given the latest score (i.e. 90 balls left and 140 runs to score). They were studying the Internet for the news continuously. India won and is now in the final against Sri Lanka.

We were chatting with someone from the next table in the restaurant and she created many of the questions on who wants to be a millionaire, blockbusters and several other shows. This ship is full of surprising people.

We reach the Panama Canal on 1^st April and I have saved a blank video disk so I can film as much as I can. 

Day 79 29th March 2011

The Marina

The Square

Yacht moored next to Aurora

This morning the ship docked at Huatulco. This is a small town that has been especially built as a holiday resort. It is in a beautiful bay with a very long quay so that cruise liners can anchor right alongside the town. It is a delightful place with beaches within a few minutes walk of the quay, lots of shops and restaurants. It is also incredibly hot with temperatures in the mid-30C and almost no shade. We went for a wander around the local craft market and then through several jewellery stores. They sell mainly silver here and there were wonderful objects but at high prices. 

There are a row of restaurants with men outside each to encourage you to come in and eat. We did have lunch in a small restaurant. I had fish stuffed with shell fish and squid/octopus. It was lovely. Chris had chicken fajitas. We were able to eat in the shade while watching the world go by. You needed to spend as much time out of the sun as possible because it was so hot.

The bay contained a number of yachts that it would be exciting to own as well as a couple of fast boats with marines. On land we had a guard of Mexican sailors around the ship with automatic rifles while in the town were armed police. It makes you wonder why so much force is needed here. They were very friendly and posed for photographs.

It is evening now and the ship has had an emergency with a man taken off in an ambulance. He looked as if you may have had a heart attack. His wife followed after him. The ship was delayed while this was sorted out. Several passengers have similarly been sent to hospital in different ports. It is when you find out how good your travel insurance is.

We are now sailing to the Panama Canal and are due to arrive on 1^st April. We are looking forward to this part of the journey. It is one of the many highpoints.

Day 78 28th March 2011

Aurora in Acapulco

Acapulco in the background

Cliff Divers

Yesterday’s word was zestful.

Last night as we approach Acapulco we saw several turtles, some sharks and a few flying fish. This morning in the bay we saw a group of dolphins behind the tour catamaran so an exciting 24 hours for sea life. There was apparently a whale in the bay as well but we did not see him. The ship arrived about 9am and from our balcony we could see the city which was not the most attractive although on the other side of the ship the views of the bay where outstanding and beautiful. The city looked a bit run down and the sight of troops along the quayside did not give the impression of a peaceful place. The drug wars raging in Mexico have spread to Acapulco.

To go ashore we had to navigate a very steep gangway which was only made possible by the mobility assistance team of young men. Two at the front and two at the back, they guided Chris down the gangway and later they hauled her up. Without their help in many ports we would not be able to leave the ship. We noticed that the local taxis are blue and white Volkswagen Beetles. The road outside the dock has dozens racing along every few minutes.

We went on a boat trip around the bay to see the sights and the cliff divers. In order to get on board we had to be ferried across on a small raft like vessel. The crew were very helpful and we got Chris on board with her wheelchair without any problem. The best viewing area was on deck 2 and with help Chris got a seat up there. The catamaran sailed around the bay with a guide pointing out the homes of famous people, mostly movie stars who own or use to own houses here. The bay is divided into three areas: the old where the famous once bought homes in the 1940s to 1960’s, diamond where the rich now buy homes (e.g. Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates) and the new which is a beach lined with five star hotels. On our way round we anchored to watch the cliff divers. This had been arranged for us and five young men dived off the cliffs. It looks incredibly dangerous but the men swam out to the boat to collect tips and get their photographs taken. The swim is a couple of hundred yards and the current looks fierce but they made it seemingly without effort. The dive itself needs to be timed with the waves so that they have the maximum depth of water beneath them. They dive out from the cliff and did some acrobatics as well as a swan dive. 

The temperature is over 32c and it saps you of all energy. Around the ship all you see are people asleep in the shade. The city is surrounded by hills and a large part of it along the bay is built into the cliffs and steep sided hills. In several places are long staircases to allow people to descend the cliffs. The beach curves around the bay and you can see why people began to come here in the 1940’s it must have been magnificent.

We sailed at 6.30 pm to continue our journey south along the Mexican coast.

Day 77 27th March 2011

The clocks moved again today but not due to the ship rather the start of UK summer time. We are now at GMT-6 but UK time -7 or seven hours behind UK time. We are still continuing to sail down the coast of America/Mexico about 50 miles from land. The temperature has increased and it is now about 24c with a gentle breeze blowing across the decks. The sea is calm but as usual no sign of other ships. Money is not used on the ship. You are given a cruise card that serves as identification, door key and charge card. When you buy things they are charged to your account and you sign a bill. A copy is given to you so that by this stage of the journey I have a draw full of slips of paper. When the wine waiters get use to you they don’t even ask for the card since they know your name and stateroom. It is very easy to buy things and when you are ashore using money it can seem quite odd and personally it takes me a little while to adjust back to the real world.

Each evening dinner is announced over the ship’s speakers so that everyone on board Aurora can hear it. It follows the same pattern each night with one small but crucial difference. The restaurant manager or another person will say:

“First sitting for dinner is now being served in the Alexandria and Medina restaurants. Enjoy your meal and have a …….. evening”

The dotted line is an adjective that changes each night and has been following the letters of the alphabet. The first sitting is announced at 6.30pm and everyone stops to hear the word, to laugh and discuss the chosen word with everyone around them. Last night was yaba-daba-doo, an unpredictable choice. We are now waiting to hear what adjective beginning with Z will be selected.

Tomorrow we are arriving at Acapulco and in our case to leave the ship for a catamaran trip to see the divers.

Day 76 26th March 2011

The clocks are on the march again and they went forward one hour last night to GMT-6 or six hours behind UK time. We are continuing to steam south along the coast to Mexico. The weather has continued to be calm although the temperature has remained warm rather than hot. There is a lack of other vessels today with none sighted by the end of the afternoon. I did my 13 laps of the deck with very few people sitting out since the entire promenade deck was in shadow but with a lot of people walking slowly around. It is rather like an obstacle course having to weave in and out of them. However, the cool temperatures made it ideal walking conditions.

Prior to the walk we went and listened to a new speaker talking about the dam buster raid. Chris thought he gave too many details but I just thought he knew his subject. He is doing a series of RAF subjects and speaks well with good presentation techniques. After the talk we needed to recharge the powered chair’s battery for an hour and then we tried to watch a film called, ’Beyond a Reasonable Doubt’ except it was. We left after 40 minutes. It is difficult to give any positives since it was slow, lacked a believable plot and the acting seemed more suitable to a comedy than a thriller.

It’s a quiet day with a formal dinner tonight and another opportunity to have our photographs taken with the captain. No sure if we will attend the captain’s party since they are normally a bun fight as there are free drinks.

Day 75 25th March 2011

When we reach the open sea last night after leaving San Francisco it was quite rough and the ship was moving with some force side to side. However, by this morning the sea was calm and very smooth. During the day the temperature has risen and we were able to sit on our balcony for the first time in several days. There is still a lot of cloud and the ocean is very dark almost black in colour. We are meeting the occasional freighter since we are sailing parallel with the coast of California but no signs of animal life in the sea. I won one dollar from an Australian passenger by betting him that India would beat Australia in the Cricket World Cup. One of the waiters also won with the same bet.

This morning we attended a talk on the wines of California by an American expert from the Rutherford Ranch winery. They provide two main brands Rutherford Ranch and Round Hills. We had a chance to taste five of their wines this afternoon: Chardonnay, Chardonnay/Viognier blend, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Zinfandel. They were all perfectly good wines but the best was the Cabernet Sauvignon which was also the most expensive while I also liked the zinfandel which was the cheapest. The difference in price was $20 to $8, respectively. There was a good deal of interest in the wines.

After tasting the wines we later attend a talk by Johnnie Ball about mathematics. You may remember him from the television where he tried to make maths interesting for children. He was doing much the same on board the ship. He covered a lot of ground showing interesting solutions to making multiplication easier. He is speaking again in a few days time about science.

The weather in Acapulco is apparently a lot hotter than here with temperatures reaching 31C so that after the cold and wet of San Francisco everyone is looking forward to arriving there.

Day 74 24th March 2011

Golden Gate Bridge in the rain

Alcatraz

We got up very early this morning so that we could be awake when the ship went under the Golden Gate Village. It was at about 5.50am. The visibility was good although a little rain was falling. The bridge was illuminated by its lights so that its outline could be seen. The water below was quite turbulent showing the powerful currents. There was little traffic at that early hour.  After seeing the bridge we returned to bed for an hour.

We had booked a trip to travel around the highlights of San Francisco. Unfortunately, it was raining hard by the time the coach was ready to start the tour. The journey involved going across the Golden Gate Bridge to a view point on the far bank. This was fun but the rain was now coming horizontally with a 40 mph wind that shook the coach as we made the crossing. A few hardy souls got out at the view point to take a photo. The trip moved through the city showing us the Golden Gate Park with its beautiful trees, the fine Victorian homes built in the 19^th century, and the large houses of the original rich families that are now schools or hotels and finally the modern shopping centre. It was a beautiful city and you could see why people wanted to live here even in a deluge of rain.

The rain changed from a deluge to simply a downpour during the afternoon so we walked the short distance from pier 35 where the ship had docked to pier 39, Fisherman’s Wharf. We dashed from shop to shop to avoid the rain but managed to have lunch, do some shopping and see the sea lions that congregate on the floating pontoons at the end of the Wharf. There was also a good view of Alcatraz Island. By the time we returned to the ship we were very wet. I did manage to sample the local beer, Long Tire Amber Ale which was very smooth.

The ship sailed at 6pm tonight on its way to Mexico, Acapulco. We went under the brdige again and this time we had a clear view.

Day 73 23rd March 2011

It is another rough and cold day with the sea as agitated as any we have experienced on the whole trip. One thing that does happened to everyone on a long trip such as this one is that your sea legs improve so that you can move around more easily even when there is a lot of motion. I walked around the deck this morning even though there was a high swell running. There were few people on deck because it was only 10c so probably too cold for sitting but at least a dozen people walking.

We have started to change the clocks at 12am rather than during the night and have been steady loosing hours for the past three days so we are now at GMT-7 or 7 hours behind UK time. We will be taking our pilot on board at 5am in the morning and passing under the Golden Gate Bridge at 6am. Our intention is to get up and see the event but the flesh may be weaker than our intent. There is also the opportunity to see the reverse trip when we sail out tomorrow night.

The forecast for tomorrow in San Francisco is not wonderful with temperatures of 8c with some rain but that will not deter us from going on the trip and enjoying the visit.

Day 72 22nd March 2011

It is a cold and overcast day with the temperature around 14c but feeling very cold due to the strong wind which is blowing from the north. The ship is about 900 miles west of Los Angeles and it feels as if it should be a lot warmer than it is. It is so windy I did not get my daily walk around the deck. One lap convinced me that it was impossible to battle the strong wind and the moving deck. I had to retreat inside and do more ordinary tasks such as the washing and checking the bill. At the end of each leg of the voyage (this leg finishes in San Francisco) we get an invoice for our expenditure over the leg which if you don’t stop them is claimed from your credit card or what other means of payment you have set up. We got our initial account this morning. It is rather like demands for back taxes they are always on time. You do need to check them to ensure no mistakes have been made. Unfortunately it seems quite accurate.

Chris has gone to see Mama Mia for the (I have lost count) time in the cinema and I am writing the blog. I also intend to work on my OU course on Creative Writing which I have been plugging away at since we left. I have an assignment due on 14^th April, the day we arrive back in Southampton so need to get it completed in the next three weeks.

As always when it is cold or rough no one is outside so the ship feels very crowded. All the main rooms are full of people reading, sewing or just nattering to each other. The conversation varies but main themes are previous cruises, how hard the waiters and stewards work and complaints about small matters. We changed Captain’s in Auckland and people have noticed that she is less visible than the previous one. He would often make short announcements about the weather or some small change but the new Captain speaks less. She is also seen less around the ship. Personally I use to see the old Captain everyday simply walking through the ship saying, “Good Morning” to everyone he encountered. This is a very minor matter but is important to many passengers who I am sure want to identify with the person in charge.

We have one more day at sea before we reach California.  I hope the weather improves.

Day 71 21ST March 2011

Runner up of the crew competition

Winner of Passenger Competition

At 12am today the ships clocks moved forward one hour so we are now GMT-9 or 9 hours behind the UK. It is a bright clear day with brilliant royal blue seas around us and a clear blue sky above. We can probably see 20 miles from the balcony and the view nearly always shows an empty ocean with not another ship in sight. We were able to eat in the Pennant Grill last night with our friends Gordon and Janet. It is a spectacular restaurant in good weather since it is outside at the rear of the ship so that you can see the stars. The food was excellent and it was a lovely evening.

Some weeks ago a challenge was issued to passengers and crew to construct a ship from rubbish found on the Aurora such empty water bottles, cardboard, string etc. I had largely forgot about it but today was the final for the competition when the boats where judged by the Chief Engineer, Captain, Deputy Captain and Purser. The ships had to float, carry passengers in the form of six cans of coke and survive a storm of two men jumping into the water alongside them. There were seven passenger and five crew entries. They were amazing in that they were models of vessels not simply bits of rubbish stuck together. The winning passenger team had constructed a catamaran while the winning crew ship was a model of the Aurora. It was a great event.

We will be continuing to sail towards California for the next three days. We are due to arrive in San Francisco on 24^th March.

Day 67 to 70 17th to 20th March 2011

A few issues at this end have stopped me from blogging but everything is fine now so recommencing with this catch up blog covering the last few days.

Currently we are sailing from Honolulu to San Francisco and are due to arrive on 24^th March. The weather is a touch windy with the passage being rougher of the last few days than since we left Southampton. Although today it has settled down a good deal. Tonight we planned to eat in the Pennant Grill which is an open air restaurant on the rear of the ship but this is obviously a poor choice if the weather is bad. We will need to wait and see.  Happiness is also that they are showing a recording of the Sunderland versus Liverpool match at 4.30 today assuming satellite links are working.

Yesterday we were in Honolulu and took the shuttle bus into the main shopping area where we had lunch in Bubba Gumb’s Scrimp restaurant. This was typically American with blindingly fast service, lots of noise and local people eating colossal meals. After lunch we walked down to Waikiki beach which was about 15 minutes away and saw Diamond Head, the extinct volcano. The beach was miles of white sands with lots of families having a day out. Inland from the beach are a row of 5 star hotels. It was a pleasant day for walking with some cloud keeping the intense heat at bay. We got an extra few hours in Honolulu since the ship needed to refuel.

We now have several days at sea on the last leg of crossing the pacific. After San Francisco we travel south to Mexico and through the Panama Canal before the final crossing of the Atlantic. It feels like we will soon be home and the trip has raced by.

Day 66 16th March 2011

The ship arrived at Christmas Island about 8am this morning and anchored a mile or so from the entrance to the lagoon. We all had to go and get tickets for the tenders to be taken ashore and mine is 720 which in the normal process of tendering would mean a wait of probably an hour. Today they are having problems because it is low water and the harbour is shallow so they are only taking 20 people at a time on the boats plus each trip is taking about 30 minutes or even more. From our balcony we hear the sailors’ shouts and several boats have touched the bottom so they are being very cautious. It is now 11am and the operation has been underway for 2 hours and they have taken about 150 people ashore. At this rate I will be on a boat in about 7 hours or so. The hope is that the process speeds up as the tide turns and the water gets deeper. The captain has just made that announcement.

We can see the island and there are long stretches of clear white sandy beaches with lots of palm trees but very few building. We are opposite the settlement which is called London and marks one side of the entrance to the lagoon. The others side is called Paris. London may have a population of a few dozen people from my observations. I can see a church and a long low building with a roof covered in solar cells plus two large aerials. A few cars and trucks can be seen. There are three fishing vessels moored with us at the entrance, a few small powered boats and surprisingly two kayaks. The sea is very blue and you can clearly see the surf hitting the reefs. The entrance is not very wide. The sea changes colour obviously indicating the different deeps of water. The water in the lagoon is very green. It is the image of a stereotype desert island.

Finally at 3.30pm I got on a tender, the last one and managed to spend one hour ashore before returning on the last boat back. While I was away the staff contacted Chris and asked her if I was back so making her worried that I had been left behind. The island is very under-developed but the sand is white and the water is azure. It constantly changes colour as the sunlight hits it. The town of London where we disembarked is a few sheds; on one was the sign, Fair Price to indicate the local store. I only had time to post a postcard, walk along the beach and take a few photographs before the crew were calling us back to the boat. It looked a truly remote spot for those seeking to get away from it all. The local people were friendly but obviously very poor. The post office was a table with a briefcase and a folder of stamps. The post mistress stamped your cards in front of you before placing them in her bag.

Next stop Honolulu and we have been told that we have to see the USA immigration staff at 7.15am once we dock so an early start to the day. We are going on a trip to amongst other places Sunset Beach.

Day 65 15th March 2011

Happy first birthday, Harry

It has been a day of blue skies and sea. The only negative has been a strong wind on the starboard side of the ship that has caused a lot of spray on the open decks. On the balcony it has been ok since you can shelter from the breeze.  It has been a quiet day with the ship sailing at 22 knots towards Christmas Island. Probably, the most significant feature of today is that we will re-cross the Equator at about 11pm tonight and enter the northern hemisphere again.

Last night we went to the deck party out on the back of deck 8 around one of the pools. It was very good with some good music and the chance to watch many surprising people dance the night away. The sky was very clear and you could see lots of stars but it is quite a challenge to distinguish what you are seeing. I used an application on my iPad that displays the night sky in any part of the world to reproduce the sky over the ship and with that identified some of the constellations.

Chris went to see another film today, “The Men who stare at goats”, she was not sure if she liked it or not. I did not attend preferring to walk around the deck. We have spoken to a number of people about Christmas Island and some are unsure if they will get off the ship to go ashore. We will see what happens tomorrow.

Day 64 14th March 2011

We are sailing towards Christmas Island at the moment. This is one of least developed nations on the planet. It is over 1000 miles from Honolulu and is probably best known for being the site of the British nuclear bomb tests. It is a very poor island with 5000 inhabitants making a small living from exporting coconut related products. We attend a port talk about it this morning and this island as virtually no infrastructure for visitors. It can only be accessed by the ships tenders and there is some risk of going a ground so the tenders will carry fewer passengers than normal. It is likely to take a long time for people to be taken to the land and then returned. The island is largely sand so wheelchairs will probably be very difficult to move. In light of all these negatives we decided that Chris should stay on board Aurora and I will go ashore on my own.

Today is quite windy with a lot of spray coming on deck. However, it is quite warm with temperatures around 28c but with a high humidity. The ship is moving around a good deal due to the wind. Chris has gone to see the film Inception this afternoon while I am busy doing Open University marking. Last night we had dinner at Café Bordeaux serenaded by the Jeff Fowler band who mainly played jazz. It was a lovely meal and a pleasant evening. We went to see a magician after dinner who I thought was good and Chris didn’t so a split vote.

We have learnt that on 3^rd July 2012, all seven P and O liners are going to sail into and out of Southampton together to celebrate P and O’s longevity (over 100 years). We have been looking at the possible cruises we could go on to take part in the event but nothing leaps from the page as yet.

Day 63 13th March 2011

We arrived this morning in Samoa. This is an independent country and only a short distance to American Samoa where the people and customs are identical. However, the people of these islands are very proud of being independent. They had a general election last week and are just waiting for the result. Their parliament sits for 5 years and elects a head of state who also serves for 5 years. The country looked quite poor although the people were polite and friendly. They helped Chris in several places. The predominant colour is green with fruit trees growing almost everywhere you could see. The ocean is deep blue and the island has reefs covering most of the shore so that you can see the surf from most locations.

We decided to go a trip to see around the island in the afternoon. In the morning we visited the local market that had been set up for the ship’s visit.  It was similar to many other island markets but prices were lower. They sold the usual mix of clothing (e.g. sarongs and tropical shirts), carvings (e.g. bowls and ships) and jewellery (e.g. pearls). People were courteous so that you could shop without being pressured. As with almost everywhere in the pacific that we have been they welcomed you paying in American dollars.

The trip was very good. We rarely feel they are not. It took us to see the local vegetable, fruit and handicraft market. This was only partially open due to it being a Sunday. People here are expected to eat, drink and go to church today. Some villages fine you for not attending church. The market indicated that this is a poor country but again with relaxed kindly people. After the markets we went to see a church seminary built over a hundred years ago. It was a lovely building overlooking a wonderful green area. The final stop was the author Robert Louis Stevenson’s house. He lived here for the last five years of his life. The house has been preserved and it was an interesting visit. The final treat was a selection of local fruit to taste. This was an enjoyable day.

Our next stop is again another very remote place, Christmas Island.    

Day 62 12th March 2011 (again)

The clocks went forward one hour last night and we have repeated 12^th March so that today we are now GMT-10 or 10 hours behind UK time. Yesterday we were GMT+13 so the change is quite significant and hard to understand. These time changes make predicting sunrise and sunset a challenge but hopefully from now on the changes will be only one hour at a time.

We are still at sea cruising towards Apia, in Western Samoa. The ship covered 460 miles yesterday and we will arrive in port tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, the people are very religious so that most things are closed on a Sunday so we are not sure what will be open or what we will be able to do.

Last night we listened to the first of five concerts from a group of operatic singers – a tenor, baritone, soprano and alto. It was very interesting not least since they sang in several languages Italian, Spanish, French and English. The next event is on 15^th March when they will be performing songs connected to India.

Chris has spent the day listening to two guest speakers who were talking about criminal matters. The first discussed the Brinks Matt Robbery and the second Serial Killers. I went with her to the second but preferred walking a round the deck to a presentation about gold robbers. The weather is bright and sunny and the sea is calm. When the sea is calm and the sun shines then everyone goes outside and the ship becomes very quiet. On deck many people are simply asleep and the most active people read. On the top deck some people take part in quoits, shuffle board or other activities.

Day 61 12th March 2011

We went to bed with the news that the earthquake in Japan had sent a tidal wave across the Pacific and that the ship would encounter the wave during the night. It was not clear how large the wave would be when it reached us. We were half way between New Zealand and Western Samoa. When it did reach the ship at 5.30am, this morning it was a bit of an anticlimax given that the ship had no probably riding it. One or two people had objectives fall from shelves in their cabins but personally we slept through the event. It was little more than the normal turbulence you encounter.

The ocean has been remarkably calm after the tidal wave. It is probably the most tranquil we have seen the water since we left Southampton. There are few waves and almost no swell. There have been a number of rain showers and visibility is limited although strangely it is far worse on the port side of the ship compared to the starboard.

This is a sea day so the ship is very quiet except for the launderette which is packed as always. I find it hard to understand the desire to spend time in there or that people find so much to wash. It is an unpleasant place with people always watching your every move so that they don’t miss their turn. If you try to iron there are always people asking you when you will be finished? Personally I prefer to use the ships laundry. It does not cost much and you avoid this unpleasant environment.

We went to the port talk on Honolulu this morning and are left undecided if we should just wander around on our own or go on a trip to Pearl Harbour. We are pondering at the moment. We also have to get through American immigration which is often time consuming.

Tomorrow is again 12^th March so that we can catch up with the clock. This international date line stuff is far from clear.

Day 60 11th March 2011

Last night we had the opportunity to eat kangaroo and I decided to try it. It was very tender and tasted similar to lamb. Chris and most of the rest of the people on our table declined and had steak. I don’t know why kangaroo appeared on the menu so many days after leaving Australia perhaps someone forgot they had it. Today the food theme continues in that we were invited to attend the Portunus Gold members’ lunch. This is to say thank you for travelling with P and O. It was very good with champagne and lots of wine. We also met the new woman captain who seemed very pleasant.

We are again in mid-ocean with no sign of other ships although there have been a number of birds flying just above the waves. We are probably not that far from land. The ship is moving a lot today even though the sea state is supposed to be slight. This normally means that the waves are hitting us at an angle so that the ship moves more than normal. When I was walking around the deck this afternoon I was being knocked around a good deal. It often feels like your feet are in midair when the ship falls away or pushing up through you when it is rising. Sometimes the deck rises in front of you so you begin climbing a hill and a moment later falls away to accelerate you down the slope.

This evening the ships theatre group, the Headliners are performing in one of the smaller venues, Carmen’s. It is just the singers tonight who have chosen to sing their favourite songs. After that we are going to an Indian themed night for dinner. So, the food goes on today. We decide to miss breakfast to keep an appetite for lunch and dinner.

Tomorrow we start the process of the two 12^th Marches to get back the day we lost in February. This means that we have two Saturdays. It is quite confusing and I am not sure where we will be in respect of time. At the moment we are GMT +13 or 13 hours ahead of UK time.   

Day 59 10th March 2011

View from Sky Tower

This is our last day in New Zealand. We are in Auckland which is the largest city in the country and a quarter of the entire population live here. The ship has docked in the cruise terminal in the heart of the city. When we looked out of the cabin we saw that apartments where less than 20 feet away from us with a view directly into them. The one opposite had scores of empty bottles on the veranda so we assumed they had had a party.

It has been another warm and sunny day. The temperature was about 20c which considering this is the start of autumn here is good. Apparently it rarely drops below 14c even in winter. The harbour is a mass of yachts and other boats with marinas everywhere. The city is surrounded by dormant volcanoes with several now flooded by the sea to form lagoons.

We went on a trip to go up the Sky Tower here which has a 360 degree viewing platform from where you can bungy jump if you are mad. People were jumping off as we looked out over the city. The view is breath taking and you can go even higher which we did to a second viewing area. For those who wanted a view from outside you can walk around a narrow metal walkway with a harness on. There is no barrier. Again, this is for the insane.

After the sky tower we went to local aquarium to see penguins, sharks and sting rays. It was very good with walkways that take you under the tanks to walk with the fish. It was enjoyable if a little crowded since the local nursery school had come on a visit. There were many small children charging about.

We changed Captain’s today and the new one is the first woman captain in P and O. She will take the ship from here to Southampton. Her name is Sarah Breton.

We will now be sailing towards Apia in Western Samoa on our journey across the Pacific to San Francisco.

Day 58 9th March 2011

Geysers

19 breeds of Sheep

It has been a fabulous day in Tauranga. It was sunny, warm and bright. You can clearly see why people want to move to New Zealand. It is very beautiful with magnificent sea fronts, mountains and valleys. We have been on a day long tour to Rotorua with lots of stops along the way. We left a few minutes after the ship was docked and got back a few minutes before it was due to leave. We did three main activities:

1. We went to the agrodome and saw demonstrations of sheep shearing, different breeds of sheep, sheep dog work and milking cows. It sounds weird but it was done with humour and the dogs were simply amazing and so where the sheep.

2. We saw some Maori singing and dancing. This was excellent with a large group of performers in a theatre within the Holiday Inn where we stopped for lunch. I managed to try some more local beer. This time Tui Gold. It was very good and so was the lunch.

3. Finally we went to see the boiling mud pools and geysers of Rotorua. Around the town the familiar sight is steam coming from the many different pools. The high spot of this stop was actually getting to see a couple of Kiwis. These are remarkable birds and rather larger than you imagine. There were also demonstrations of Maori woodcarving and weaving.

The ship left at 6pm and the sail away passed many wonderful beaches and exciting scenery.

The ship has collected over £4000 for the earthquake appeal with one day left to make contributions. It is for the Red Cross.

Tomorrow is our final stop in New Zealand and we shall be in Auckland in the morning.

Day 57 8th March 2011

Art Deco Napier

Another day and another port, today we are in Napier which was largely destroyed in an earthquake 1931 and then rebuilt in an art deco style. Most of the city centre buildings are art deco and this is Napier’s call to fame. It felt like being on the set of the set of a Hercule Poirot episode.  It is a quiet place with a marine parade and gardens. It reminds me of Southport and could be a retirement community. We noticed that you could park in most places and for a working day there were few people about the place. I managed to try the local beer and drank Nap’s Classic (draft) and Speight’s Distinction (bottle). The Speight’s got my vote. The pub was being done up and was another art deco building although inside was a little run down but the beer was good.

This was another dock in a container port with piles of timber so we were given a shuttle bus from the ship to the town centre a few minutes away. They did have a wheelchair accessible bus in that a ramp could be dropped down. It was a warm pleasant day so we could wander around the city. There was a nice park with a duck and duckling nesting in a fountain. I wonder why they choose there to nest. A jazz band played while we prepared to leave so a friendly departure with us sitting on our balcony having a drink.

We are continuing to sail north towards Tauranga. We will arrive tomorrow.

Day 56 7th March 2011

Maori Show

Storm Coast

Export Wood Pile

We travelled overnight to our next destination of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand. It is on the north island so we also left behind the south and Christchurch which would have been our next call except for the earthquake. Yesterday, the Cruise Director, Leon announced that the ship was organising a collection for the victims of the earthquake. Last night when we returned to our cabin we discovered that we had tour tickets for Wellington. We had been on a waiting list but had given up hope of getting on the trip. The tour was called “The Storm Coast”.

Last night’s show was a Maori Cultural group who performed many traditional songs and dances. They were very good and even the surprise that one of them played a guitar to provide the music did not diminish their impact. They even managed to persuade a few volunteers to join them on stage to participate in the dances. The best of these groups always explain what you are seeing and hearing and this group provided an explanation of each dance with some humour. They are staying on aboard until Auckland so we will have the opportunity to see them again.

We arrived in Wellington at 9pm this morning and it took a little while to satisfy the immigration formalities so we were a little late getting off the Aurora. The coaches for the trip were waiting on the quayside. You are not allowed to take any fruit or other foodstuffs off the ship for fear of importing organisms into New Zealand ecology. This does seem rather like locking the stable door after the horse as bolted since you hear an endless story of settlers who imported rabbits, stoats, possums, gorse and many others plants and animals. The hills around Wellington are covered in gorse which was imported from Scotland to hedge in the sheep. It liked the conditions so much that it ran wild and can be seen every where.

The trip was along the coast out of Wellington. The route was largely a single track gravel road between the gorse covered steep hills (almost cliffs) and the rocks of the coast. It was wonderful scenery with the waves crashing in. There have been literally hundreds of vessels sunk along this coast. The only reason a track exists here is that they mined the hillsides for gravel for the building of  Wellington. At the end of the track is a sheep station called Pencarrow. This is on top of the cliffs and reached up a very steep track. I was amazed the coaches could climb up the slope. It was a cold day with wind and rain so the roaring fire in the station with tea and cakes was well received. The cliffs and steep hills have many wild goats and the sheep from the station also migrate to these areas where the dogs cannot easily reach them.

Alongside the ship is an enormous area covered with tree trunks which are waiting to be exported to China to be turned into planks and wood pulp for paper making. We were told this was a billion dollar industry. We met several huge lorries bringing more tree trucks to the docks as we went on the tour.

Wellington looks a busy city with a population of 600,000 people. Many of the best houses are built on the hillsides and can only be reached by cable cars. There are apparently 400 personal cable cars serving homes in this area. However, given that this city sits on a four fault lines and has regular earthquakes it seems mad to build on stilts on the sides of very steep hills. They will surely collapse in a quake.

We left Wellington at 6pm and now sail north towards Napier, our next port tomorrow morning.

Day 55 6th March

We arrived at our first stop in Port Chalmers which is a small container harbour for Dunedin. Dunedin is the capital city of the southern region, Otega. We took the ship’s shuttle bus the 30 minute ride into the city. The bus was adapted for wheelchair users in that it tilted and had a ramp and space on the bus for a wheelchair. The drivers also helped you get on. On our travels we have come across drivers who simply ignore you so a nice change.

We had been told that New Zealand looks and feels like England in the 1950’s and in a way it does although the shops look like 2011 ones. The people were very friendly and helpful and look very much like the folks you see walking around Nottingham. We had a wander around the shops the prices of any item that had been imported were high with paperback books being around £15 each. However, local products were probably slightly cheaper than at home. Two lattes and cake cost about £8 compared to about £10 at home.

It was a short stop today and we had to be back on board by 2.30pm so there was little time to explore but it looked a prosperous place with a clear Scottish influence. Scots were the original settlers. Although, there was the compulsory Irish pub, “The Bog” selling Guinness and also a Starbucks. The world is certainly becoming a smaller place with world wide brands.

Port Chalmers is a river harbour and another cruise ship was berthed alongside us from the Holland America line. It was an older and smaller vessel. As we left this afternoon the ship followed the river to the sea and you could see that the countryside was hilly and perhaps not surprisingly was full of sheep. Our next stop is Wellington, tomorrow morning.

Day 54 5th March 2011

Milford Sound

Thompson Sound

Milford Sound

We were up early this morning as the ship sailed into Milford Sound. This is a fjord rather like those we saw in Norway a few years ago. The main difference is that these are heavily wooded and are classed as temperature rainforest which normally brings a picture of heat and humidity. However, it was cold enough to need a coat this morning and if anything it grew colder as the day progressed. This is the countryside that they filmed for Lord of the Rings. It is spectacular with steep mountains, glacial valleys and waterfalls. One of the waterfalls was 50 stories high. As you enter the fjord the first thing you notice is that the water changes colour as it changes from salt to fresh water. This is several hundred yards out into the sea showing the volume of fresh water coming out. The ship brought a specialist commentator on board and he told us that the fresh water can reach to depths of eight metres.

The trip down Milford sound took over two hours with the ship turning round at the head of the fjord so that everyone on both sides of the vessel could see everything. This also shows how wide these fjords are that a cruise liner can turn completely around in them. There were a few buildings at the head of the fjord, a few boats taking sightseers around and one or two kayaks to show the presence of people.

Once we left Milford Sound we moved south towards Thompson Sound which we reached after 3 hours sailing. This is another place that was first seen by Captain Cooke on one of his missions of exploration. The sea conditions were quite rough in that the motion was both up-and-down and side-to-side. It was not comfortable and best place to be was lying down. Thompson Sound was less rugged than Milford with gentler slopes but this only means that instead of sheer cliffs, it was only steep enough to exhaust mountain goats. The commentator explained that people had introduced the stoat in an effort to control the number of rabbits which had also been introduced by the settlers. However, the stoats also liked the native birds and so were rapidly destroying them. In an effort to control the stoats they had started a trapping programme on one of the large islands in the fjord to eradicate them in order to reintroduce the native animals.

We sailed through Thompson Sound into Doubtful Sound and then back to the open sea which was just as rough as when we had left it. On the way we passed a seal colony but not a single animal was visible. They were probably out at sea fishing. We did see several albatrosses. These are very large birds and are of two types, the Royals and the Wanderers. The ship continued south from Doubtful Sound for an hour to reach Break Sea Sound which has a passage to Dusky Sound. The passage (Echeron) is narrow and we were only a few hundred yards from the sides which for a ship of this size is nothing. The weather has got more cloudy and some rain fell but apparently this is more normal than the sunshine here in fjord land. A pod of bottlenose dolphins swam past the ship and played in the wake. This area is one of most remote places in New Zealand. There is no access except by the sea to here and again Captain Cooke spent several weeks in the region.  It was a fur seal hunting region but this was stopped in 1946 to prevent the seals being exterminated and they are now protected.

We left the fjords at about 5pm and headed south around the bottom of New Zealand on our way to Dunedin.

Day 53 4th March 2011

We lost an hour during the night so are currently at GMT+12 or 12 hours in front of the UK. This led to us waking up rather late this morning but that was also caused by the rough weather. So that the ship is rocking and rolling a good deal. In other words we were rocked to sleep last night. The poor weather has continued throughout today with a lot of surf and large waves. The ship handles the motion quite well but you can still feel it. During by 13 laps of the deck I did a good deal of zigging and zagging so that I assume I walked a lot further than my normal 4 miles. There were very few people outside just the hardy minority reading or embroidering under a blanket. When the weather sends everyone indoors the place can feel very crowded.

We have been to two talks today. The first was by Richard Carrick on Australia. He was the High Commissioner to Australia and he gave a very good presentation on the first 110 years of the country’s life with many cricket analogies. The second was by Peter Hobday who was a journalist on the Today programme. He was very amusing and interesting in a talk about spin doctors and spinning. This evening is the Captain’s welcome party for passengers joining the ship in Australia. A few hundred got off and a few hundred got on so there are some new faces around the Aurora. We often don’t go to these events since they can get very crowded but tonight we have decide to grace it with an appearance.

Tomorrow the ship is going to sail into Milford Sound, a fjord on the South Island of New Zealand. A local specialist commentator is coming on board to explain what we are viewing as we cruise up the inlet. The aim is to visit some others if time permits so that we get an introduction to the wilderness areas of the South Island. This is one of the most unspoilt areas in the world. We are hoping to see some wildlife during the trip including seals and whales.

The next five days after Milford Sound are hectic with five stops and for New Zealand immigration we have to carry our passports ashore. This is the only place that we had to do this since leaving Southampton.

Day 52 3rd March 2011

Last night we left Sidney at midnight to avoid the traffic in the harbour. The sight of Sidney harbour in daylight is amazing with the bridge, opera house, many ferries and the high rise city combining to produce a wonderland. At night it is equally astonishing but very different. It is far quieter with only a few people on the quays to wave goodbye but with the lights of the city providing a backdrop to sail past. We moved very slowly since the ship is large even for this harbour and there were still many small boats sailing around.

Earlier we had watched Tribal Warrior, an aboriginal dance and song group who not only entertained us but also explained the meaning of the dances and songs. They demonstrated the use of the didgeridoo and how they are made. Apparently they are only used by a small number of aboriginal tribes in the centre and north of the country. They were very good and enjoyable.

The timetable for the voyage has now been changed so that we are visiting Tauranga instead of Christchurch. The remaining ports have also been rescheduled. We will be cruising Milford Sound on 5^th Match followed by visits to:

• Dunedin on Sunday 6^th March
• Wellington on Monday 7^th March
• Napier on Tuesday 8^th March
• Tauranga on Wednesday 9^th March
• Auckland on Thursday 10^th March

We have been sorting out trips to go on and have decided to go to Rotorua to see the boiling mud and the geysers, to a farm to see sheep dogs etc and finally to an aquarium.

This morning we listen to the port talk about Tauranga and then to a guest speaker, Sir Roger Carrick, a former diplomat about Admiral Philip, the first governor of Australia. It was very good – well presented and informative. I could detect the civil service presentation skills training in his delivery plus wit and humour. He is providing a series of presentations.

The captain has warned us to expect rough weather later today and tomorrow so we are battening down the hatches.

  

Day 51 2nd March 2011

View from the restaurant

In the Rain Forest

Last night we dined at “The East”, a Chinese restaurant on the Opera quay with one of the great views in the World. We had the Sidney Harbour Bridge and the Aurora as our backdrop for the meal. As night fell the view grew even better as the bridge and ship were illuminated with hundreds of lights. We had never seen the ship at night and it is spectacular. While it was daylight we could see the tiny dots that represent people climbing up the bridge and even in the dark the flashes of their cameras created a special atmosphere. The food was wonderful. We had seafood to start with king prawns, walnuts and egg; and Mongolian lamb as the main courses.

Today, our good luck with the weather departed us and we had rain showers and low cloud. This was a pain since we went to the Blue Mountains and only saw the clouds. We did get a couple of cable car rides and a walk in the rain forest in one of the canyons. Lunch was provided in a revolving restaurant with great views if the cloud had not got in the way. On the way to the mountains we stopped at a nature reserve and saw more Australian animals. We finally saw a wombat that was not asleep. They are surprising large creatures quite chunky with an engaging face. I was also impressed by the small marsupials that all look like miniature kangaroos but are the size of rabbits or rodents. The kangaroos and wallabies were very friendly since they are used to being fed so come right up to you. One wallaby was feeding her baby that was now too big to get back into her pouch.  

The trip today involved two hours of driving each way so we saw a lot of Sidney including the Olympic stadium and Pete’s Place School. It is a very busy city with many toll roads. These often use electronic tags rather than toll booths. The place names show the close links with Great Britain with signs to Liverpool and Newcastle. The price of petrol is lower than in Britain but even a short run on a toll road today cost £8 so perhaps there is a balance. We noticed the price of simple items like magazines were double the UK price while we were told taxes were lower.