We just finished with our five sea days and arrived in New Zealand this morning! WAIT - four sea days! We lost a whole day, literally, because we crossed the International Date Line. One day it was Thursday, January 23 and when we woke up the next day, it was Saturday, January 25th! Here’s what the Viking Daily said about this. I find it fascinating!
“Crossing the Line - If you have ever wanted to travel through time, crossing the Pacific Ocean gives you the chance. That is because the International Date Line(IDL) marks the boundary on the globe between consecutive calendar dates. This wholly imaginary line extends from the North Pole to the South at approximately 180 degrees longitude. You could say that its sole purpose is to help everyone in the world keep their calendars aligned.
If it is Wednesday east of the IDL, then it is Thursday to the west of it. Put another way, westward travelers crossing the IDL jump ahead 24 hours, losing a day; on an eastbound voyage, travelers fall behind, gaining a day. It is the inevitable result of dividing the globe into time zones.”
“Does anybody really know what time it is; Does anybody really care about time?”……… We both earned certificates for crossing over - WOW!
We enjoy our sea days and there is plenty to do to keep us busy. This time around, besides Mark’s regular bridge routine and our typical lecture routine, we enjoyed watching the NFL Playoff games in the atrium at the pool deck, worked on this blog in the Explorers Lounge with the stunning sea views, indulged in “Pie Day” and was always enamored with the fabulous sunsets on the Pacific. There’s always something!
This morning our time at sea ended and we arrived on dry land! Our boat anchored in the bay and we tendered into the Bay of Islands (Waitangi), New Zealand.“Gateway to the 150-some islands that comprise the Bay of Islands, Waitangi holds a central role in the history of New Zealand. In 1840, the Treaty of Waitangi was signed here by British officers and Māori chiefs. The Treaty House in which the document was signed and a Māori meeting house stand side by side to commemorate this historic event. Today, the city offers a fascinating blend of Māori and colonial culture in a picturesque setting amid azure waters and emerald islands, with opportunities for hiking, kayaking and fishing in abundance.
Our excursion this morning was the “Bay of Islands Panorama” tour. After arriving from the tender onto the dock, we took a scenic drive in a motor coach around the island. The landscape was lush and green and very hilly. Lots of deciduous trees and a few palm trees. The fields were dotted with sheep, horses and cattle. One woman in our tour group said the countryside felt very much like her home in California.
We passed by a resort section with lots of small hotels and rental properties. This was near a downtown area that had lots of restaurants and shopping. We didn’t make a stop there and after the formal tour we elected not to walk there and tour the downtown area on our own, but it appeared to be a nice place for tourists to hang out in. Because we were traveling in a coach, I was unable to take any pictures along the way.
The coach did make a few stops on our 2 1/2 hour tour. We stopped by a pretty park along the Kerikeri River that had a charming little restaurant and a stone historical home. Apparently, these two structures are some of the oldest on the island. This was a quick stop and I would have enjoyed being able to linger longer.
We also stopped at another park and visited Rainbow Falls. It’s beautiful and lives up to its name!
Finally our last stop was at a small town named Town Basin, whose claim to fame was a quirky public restroom and art gallery featuring works by Friedensreich Hundertwasser who was an Austrian architect who settled in the town. Here are photos of the museum and the restroom:
My friend Kathy and me.
The little town.
Stained glass bottle window in one of the bathrooms!
After the tour, we went back to the ship and enjoyed a late lunch with some friends, followed by a nap!
The ship left Waitangi around 5:30 pm. We will cruise all night and will be in Auckland, New Zealand in the morning!
The coach did make a few stops on our 2 1/2 hour tour. We stopped by a pretty park along the Kerikeri River that had a charming little restaurant and a stone historical home. Apparently, these two structures are some of the oldest on the island. This was a quick stop and I would have enjoyed being able to linger longer.
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