Other blog post title suggestions from ChatGPT:
– New Zealand: The Cruise We Planned vs. The Cruise We Got
– Sailing Past Our Vacation
– When the Captain Says “Due to Weather…”
– The Cruise Itinerary That Became a Suggestion
– Our New Zealand Cruise: Now with 70% More Sea
– Collecting Seasickness Instead of Souvenirs
– We Came for Fjords, Stayed for Dramamine
– Cancelled Ports and Character Building
– Wave Goodbye to the Itinerary
My father and I had for some years discussed the idea of visiting Australia together. In researching the logistics of doing so, we formulated a solution whereby we’d take a cruise to visit some of the main attractions in Australia, while also touring some of New Zealand while we were at it, since it’s “nearby”.
Though we originally had been focused on Australia, the natural destinations we were to visit during the cruise around New Zealand, such as sounds and fjords, were quite appealing, and so we were excited to experience these natural wonders. Additionally, we planned for excursions to meet Maori people and learn about their history and culture. Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. A cyclone came from the north which forced us to skip two destinations on the North Island, and then once we were at the South Island we had to skip four planned destinations due to another storm predicted to impact the southern parts of the South Island! I had no idea that New Zealand was so stormy. The cruise ship quickly motored back north, going between the North and South Islands, across the Tasman Sea to reach Australia. But it took four long days on rough seas and high winds to make the transition. 4-meter (14-foot) waves made the journey nauseating, and it wasn’t possible to go outside because the winds were so strong. Those days were challenging, haha. Even sleeping was tricky because periodically the ship would crash down from a big wave, causing a shuddering which felt like someone was getting into bed with you. We were deeply grateful to finally reach land!
To visit New Zealand, one must complete a multi-phase application process and pay a couple of fees. It was the most expensive and involved process for entering a country I’ve ever encountered. There is the NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) and the International Visitor Conservation and Tourism Levy (IVL). The total cost to visit is about $71 USD. Not very welcoming, frankly. And they make a BIG deal about the trouble and fines associated with bringing in undeclared foodstuffs or other prohibited items. It’s daunting.
But once past customs and immigration controls, we found New Zealand to be quite pleasant. Auckland was okay, but Wellington and Christchurch are both very attractive and engaging, particularly Christchurch. The capital city of Wellington was a consolation prize for not being able to visit the planned destinations on the North Island. It’s easy to envision living in Christchurch until one visits Quake City, the earthquake museum with videos and accounts of various seismic activity, in particular the terrible 2011 quake. The stories and photos brought back a bit of feelings of PTSD from Hurricane Helene. They’re still recovering to this day, with many buildings under repair, including the main cathedral.
When back in Prague at a recent social event, where I met a dozen strangers, one gent was from New Zealand, and he told me that the correct pronunciation of Auckland sounds more like “Oakland”. Funny I didn’t hear that while there in Auckland.
Despite missing out on so much, I’m grateful to have been able to visit three memorable New Zealand cities, meet plenty of very friendly Kiwis, hike up over the Lyttleton harbor, and most of all, to share the majority of these experiences with my father! 😁
Before closing, I should note that the international date line runs a bit east of New Zealand, where crossing the date line eastbound decreases the date by one day, or crossing the date line westbound increases the date by one day. You can fly from Auckland to California, and arrive in California before you left Auckland, haha! Time travel.
Also, the Maori name for New Zealand is Aotearoa, and in finishing this post I say “Thanks!”, or “Ngā mihi’!”
Today’s fun fact:
New Zealand has a hill with a name that may be the longest place name in any language in the world! It’s at least the longest place name in English, at 85 characters:
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
Today’s video:
Many Kiwis leave New Zealand, at least temporarily, to live and work in Australia, where there are more opportunities. It’s not “Everyone”, but a decent percentage anyway.
Today’s Stoic quote:
I forgot a Stoic quote in the previous post. So here’s a gift for the present moment:
“Give yourself a gift: the present moment.” ~ Marcus Aurelius
Major Meander 