More holiday - but closer to home

Well, 315 days to go and the 2010 cruise is only a couple of days away from
the UK. Every day, we have been checking the blogs from the current cruisers and four of them seem to manage to update daily - most impressive!
Having different viewpoints has been invaluable and helps with deciding what
we'll be putting in this blog next year as well as what we intend doing at
each port. No doubt by then, there will be several 2011 bloggers and each

will be deciding what they think is important either for their friends or

the 2012 travellers. As my interest in history is just about zero, others
will no doubt be keen to put the history in their blogs, so easier for me to

just put in their links.

ON BOARD

From all accounts, the time on the ship for the first half of the current cruise has been most enjoyable, with several looking forward to a day or two at sea as a time to relax and recover. Whilst most see a cruise as a holiday (which of course, it is) it doesn't mean that it isn't tiring, so
conserving energy on port days will be a key consideration for us.

Days at sea learning a new dance each day will be one of our more enjoyable forms of exercise and will be part of our fitness regime. So far, they have been learning a real mix of Ballroom, Latin, Rock and Roll - plus Australia's own contribution to dance - New Vogue. Paula has been learning NV here in NZ but I opted out when the class was moving just a bit too fast for a total beginner with two left feet. Teachers (particularly dance teachers) need to understand that when you are old and tall, it takes a long time for messages to reach the feet... Even longer to learn the routines.

On the current cruise, it sounds as though there is a bit of traditional (Dixieland) jazz being played, so hopefully, we'll get to enjoy that too.  Several of the current bloggers have posted pics of the most amazing cakes but as my tastes are generally more savoury, maybe my mission will be to post a normal menu a day! Correction, my menu... NZ followers and family

will be well aware that thoughts of food are usually uppermost in my tiny mind, so the blog may as well reflect that. May need a panoramic camera - not just for the food either, as no doubt the waistline may go through a period of adjustment.

LAND IN NZ

Not even as far as the airport this time... A winter weekend away at Mount Maunganui was bright, but rather cold!  Mt Maunganui next to Tauranga could well be a future stop off for the round the world cruises, as it is a growth area and Tauranga docks are as busy as Auckland's. Several NZ travellers head straight to the wonderful thermal area of Rotorua - Tauranga is closer than Auckland.

Somewhat surprising that the Princess round the world cruises only have a short day in Auckland. Probably as the majority of passengers are Australian anyway and many will have been before. Auckland's advantage over many overseas ports is that you can stagger straight out of the terminal into downtown Auckland.

Currently the dock area is earmarked as 'Party Central' for the October 2011 Rugby World Cup, but as usual, Auckland is being short sighted with its plans. What a great place for a decent cruise terminal that doubles as Party Central for large events, rather than the two shapeless old fashioned sheds that are on the site now.

Checked out flight costs to Sydney for May 24th 2011. Looks like now is a good time to purchase flights - and to lower the final bill for the next financial year.

AND IN THE UK...

With my (Ray's) first grandchild due in just over a week, Manu is ready, with Stewart by her side, and we say a big thank you to the developers of Skype that we will see the new arrival not long after it comes home. Exciting times ahead.

Isn't technology just wonderful.