Auckland 2019

Kia Ora Aotearoa, hello New Zealand! 

We came via Dubai all across the oceans from Australia into Auckland on a Sunday at Lunch time. And while the inner body clock was ticking that back home it was midnight and actually we had been travelling for more than 24 hours ("ultra long distance" the haul from Dubai to Auckland is called, and there are only very few scheduled flights worldwide that service that kind of distance, yippiee, lucky me), our day had just started.

We arrived right in New Zealand High Summer, the air was warm and smelled like flowers, and stepping out of the European Winter it was like paradise. Our first stop was Mount Eden, where we could get a first glimpse of the city. Even though it was Sunday we hardly met any people, but we were assured that "everybody was out and about". Our first impression how lucky the Southern hemisphere is: Lots of space and hardly any people.  What a difference to cold, old, crowded Europe!

Auckland is full of lush parks and recreation areas. In the Auckland Domain, one of the parks, they were preparing for Chinese New Year 2019. The whole place was full of flowers and exotic plants, crickets were chirping and birds were singing. Heaven after the bumpy ride on the A380! In a lovely little café we had some breadrolls for lunch and enjoyed our first food in Kiwiland.

Then we went up the Sky Tower, the highest tower in the southern hemisphere. For me quite a challenge, since I am not too fond of things having something to do with height. But I was told that from here you enjoy the best view right over Auckland. I just went up for a quick photo and back down (with my eyes closed, the lift had bloody glass walls!!) and then had a fun time in the souvenir shop waiting for the others.

Good morning from the other side of the world!

The next morning found the body clock even more confused, even after a near coma sleep of 10 hours the body still knew that back home it was 12 hours earlier. But hey, so what, we set off for another day of fun and surprises. In a quick row we visited a winery, a sheep farm - where we saw an amazing presentation of sheep dogs - and more of the beautiful city of Auckland.

The next day, already right in perfect holiday mood, we finally went down to Waitemata Harbour to board the CELEBRITY SOLSTICE, to start our cruise around New Zealand and Australia, not yet knowing that the best days of our lives where just about to begin!

Since Stefan had upgraded us to Concierge Class we had priority embarkation and were on board in literally minutes, skipping the crowds and exploring first our balcony cabin and then get first glimpses of the rest of ship. Then we settled down at the top deck stern bar to watch the departure from the harbour.

And as to speak with Captain Zisis Taramas, the quirky, amiable Commander of the huge vessel that would be our home for the next 2,5 weeks ("yep, that´s a biggie" some Kiwi in Wellington told us): at 7.00 p.m. "beautiful Celebrity Solstice" was "ready to sail to her next port of call: Tauranga, New Zealand!"