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.