Category: New Zealand


And Just Like That, Here’s 2025

Filed under: art, Chile, cruising, Europe, Italy, lima, Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Patagonia, Peru, South America, Travel, travels, United Kingdom — Leave a comment
December 10, 2024

Same time last year, I was only too happy to welcome the new year. It was a very challenging 2023 then and by God’s grace, we breezed through 2024 with many pleasant surprises and happy developments. And just like that, here we are on the last few weeks of 2024, looking forward to a very Merry Christmas and an even happier 2024.

Nightcap at Fairmont Hotel

The first quarter of 2024 was nearly uneventful until my visit to our OZ branch in Sydney. The visit was actually a prelude to an even longer trip crossing 3 time zones. Sydney was our takeoff point for our South American adventure. I waited to join my travel buddies on a flight to Santiago, Chile on April 2. The “barkada trip” covering Chile and Peru spanned over 2 weeks but I left earlier than the rest to join my 2 “apos” in the beautiful city of Venezia for the biennale exhibition. But that’s getting ahead of my story. Patagonia on Chile’s side is magnificent — the kind of adventure you should have planned for when you were younger. Seriously. But visiting it now still stirs that adventurous juice within you. The vista was so dreamy it casts a magical spell. We’ve had some mishaps and coming into Peru, experienced altitude sickness of sorts. Yet, we all cherish the memories and weeks after the trip, found it a chore to move on. We’ve traveled to many beautiful spots together but this South American journey is one for the books. Santiago, Patagonia, Machu Picchu, Cuzco, Lake Titicaca and all the places in between comprise one magical holiday, compelling us to rethink our future travel plans.

Torres Del Paine. Patagonia. Chile.
Cusco. Peru

It was agonizing to leave this happy group to take that last seat on a flight from Lima, Peru to Madrid, Spain for a connecting flight to Venice, Italy. By the time I landed in Venice, I felt brain-fogged and nearly deaf after all those flight hours and anxieties over missing my connecting flight. My 2 elves were waiting for me by then as I managed to join them on the exhibit opening day. Without change of clothes, we didn’t miss a beat and went straight to the gallery where my grandma pride took over as I stared at apo’s lone entry hanging on a wall at Palazzo Mora. Grateful. Proud. Beyond Happy. We celebrated the day I arrived with a sumptuous Italian dinner before I hit the sack and snored the night away. Just one night. The following morning, we took the train for Florence where we spent 6 nights and then to Rome for 3 more nights before flying home. It was an Italian holiday that went better than planned.

Venezia

London

Some friends ask me where I get the energy. By September, we got ready for yet another art exhibition in London. Before the London exhibit, we took side trips to Liverpool and Edinburgh in Scotland. A most rewarding trip in 3 cities in the United Kingdom. Apo and her mom enjoyed these detours and prepped us good for the exhibit of Filipino artists in D Contemporary in the Mayfair area of London. Took all of nearly 3 weeks for this UK journey. Stayed home less than 2 weeks before flying back to Sydney — a second visit this year, and this time as a prelude to a New Zealand cruise aboard the Celebrity Edge. Not my first cruise but my first trip to further Down Under! Twelve nights on this big boat, half of which spent at sea. Our big group of 29 made it across those unpredictable waters and found the NZ spots under the tourist radar quite interesting, if not charming.

Celebrity Edge Cruiseship Behind me.

Marina in Auckland, New Zealand

I am home now. Happy to have bonded with my OZ family before and after my NZ cruise. Happy to be back to attend a reunion with college friends and of course, to spend Christmas and New Year with my family. No trips outside the country nor out-of-town. We are staying home to spend time with balikbayan kin and friends. The Yuletide calendar is full, marking a couple of birthdays and a wedding anniversary as well. We have made some Yuletide traditions simpler over the years. Simpler, but more “present”. Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. May 2025 bring us peace, prosperity, harmony and many treasured moments with our loved ones ❤️

My OZ family
Christmas Party
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Cruising in New Zealand 2024

Filed under: Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Travel, travels — 1 Comment
November 23, 2024

This wraps up my pre-sailing jitters and excitement and the 12 nights enjoyed cruising on Celebrity Edge. Not my first cruise but my first on Celebrity Cruises. Just learned it’s been acquired by Royal Caribbean and that’s good. I’ve sailed with Royal Caribbean before with my family and that’s one of my memorable trips to this day. I must say they sure know their business and I couldn’t complain, really.

The Celebrity Edge. Docked in Auckland.

Ready To Sail

Bay of Islands

Auckland

Tauranga

Christchurch

Dunedin

Dusky, Doubtful & Milford Sounds of New Zealand

Aboard Celebrity Edge

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Aboard Celebrity Edge

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November 18, 2024

With so many sea days aboard Celebrity Edge, we needed to line up activities to keep us off the buffet counters and fancy restaurants. Not so easy. The food beckons and we’re not exactly keen on pool activities with the wind blowing out at sea. The theatre offerings provided entertainment and there’s the games and shopping to distract us. The cabin’s verandah provided scenic distractions too but again, the wind and chill factors often kept us off it.

A Shrimp Tower

Panoramic Views off the verandah

What to do? The dining scene is overwhelming. There were 4 complimentary fancy restos — the Normandie, Cyprus, Tuscan and Cosmopolitan and the more casual Eden, Mast Grill, Spa Cafe and Oceanview Buffet Resto. We likewise tried the Le Grand Bistro for the special Le Petit Chef dinner but I skipped the Raw on 5 sushi place. There were more, but I was quite happy with the ones I’ve tried. As for entertainment, there were concerts every night and some educational /informative talks but I like best the talks by Captain Matt and that of the Cruise Director especially that part where they talked about their lockdown experience for 8 months! Oh yes, the pandemic truly wreaked havoc to the cruise industry. Imagine these good men and women as “prisoners” in their own boat. They used the Celebrity app to communicate with each other, locked in their cabins and seeing each other only on screens. Awful. But they endured, through games and costume/themed “parties” just to amuse each other. There were more talks — ranging from trivia on jellyfish or “jellies”, to global finance, artificial intelligence and destination experiences. It is easy to fill up one’s personal calendar by signing up for all these events. And if one is coming aboard alone, there are solo travellers meet-ups!

Early this year, the Celebrity was made a subsidiary of the Royal Caribbean Group. I’ve cruised with Royal Caribbean before and find the same brand of service in my first experience with the Celebrity Cruises. So if you’re curious if I’m cruising with this group again, the answer is yes. Perhaps with my family next time. Cruising is a fine bonding adventure for families and good friends. An opportunity to spend 24/7 for at least a week, without mundane duties like fixing meals and housekeeping. Not unlike doing staycations with your loved ones and attending concerts every night. Not unlikely to find it a chore to be “on dates” at short intervals and dining fancy every single night, so it’s best to craft a plan. There is variety in the entertainment department and if one needs solitude, you can always stay in your room or stay in one of the deck chairs reading a book. So there. ⛴️

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The Sounds of Tranquility

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On a single sea day, our cruise ship passed the Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound and Milford Sound. The first was allegedly teeming with wildlife and I had my fingers and toes crossed we’d have the luck to spot an albatross or a pod of dolphins. Or even fur seals. Not so lucky in that department but the 3 fiords are all so beautiful especially the last. We cruised passing snow-capped and rocky mountains and verdant rainforests alongside smaller boats out with tourists waving from their decks. The whole “sound visits” started at 8am till 4pm but we were slightly delayed leaving Milford Sound as one of the passengers on our ship had a medical emergency. I appreciate that the Celebrity crew was most efficient in handling the emergency and that Captain Matt Karandreas even went on the P. A. system to update us that all’s well. 

Milford Sound

Of the 3, Milford Sound is the crown jewel. We felt welcomed by a panoramic view of majestic waterfalls and rocky peaks. Because the ship actually cruised in and turned around to exit out, we saw both sides of the sound from our cabin’s verandah. We decided against going up the viewing points from the poolside deck or the solarium to avoid the cold breeze and splashes from the sea waves and even from the swimming pools! Crossing the Tasman Sea into and out of New Zealand can be an ordeal but we were in luck cruising from Sydney towards New Zealand.  This time around, the return trip met higher, wilder swells and fiercer winds. Our Captain Matt Karandreas (from the beautiful country of Greece) gave a talk on how the ship navigates the waters and more interestingly, about himself. What a charming man especially as he articulated what really happens while cruising and the decisions only the Captain can make. His self-confidence, competence and seeming decisiveness reassured us that The Edge has “the edge” in this maritime industry. It is my first cruise with Celebrity Cruises so that is comforting.

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Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand

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November 14, 2024

Our boat docked early morning in Port Chalmers, less than a half hour drive from Dunedin in New Zealand’s South Island. Just like Lyttelton (near Christchurch), a log yard welcomed us. If you like the smell of wood, you’d find aplenty here. Dunedin near the Otago Peninsula is not only the second largest city in the South Island but also one of the oldest in the entire New Zealand. It also is home to the country’s only castle ( Larnach Castle ) and a haven for wildlife like penguins, albatross, sea lions and seals. You will also find Royal Albatross Center here – the only mainland breeding colony of Northern Royal Albatross in the world. The albatross is the world’s largest sea bird, able to fly from Otago Peninsula to Chile. Around this time in November is their breeding season. These sea birds only visit land to breed and care for their chicks but otherwise, they live in remote islands spending 80% of their lives at sea. And hear this, albatross mate for life. Some men can learn loyalty lessons from these great birds. 🙄

We struck good luck with our driver Gerald Brook who regaled us with Dunedin’s and Otago’s Scottish history and heritage. The Scots settled in this eastern corner of the South Island and founded Dunedin, then known as the “Edinburgh of the South” and the settlers came to be known as the Otago Highlanders. The train station building is an elegant structure in this hilly landscape which has developed also as a university city. Thus, student accommodations and dormitories have become big business here along with timber and marine life.

World’s Steepest Road

Gerald drove us around the university campus, stopped by the world’s steepest road, the railway station, Signal Hill, St. Paul’s Church, the CBD. It was enough time however brief it was to spend here and appreciate this remote but interesting part of the country. Time was managed very well as we found enough time to do the few spots in the city. Gerald’s commentary gave context to what we visited and his kind demeanour was truly appreciated.

Railway Station

Dunedin does not exactly draw in the tourists but as cruise ships dock here in Port Chalmers, that may soon change. The offshore excursions offer enough to know more about wildlife and the timber industry. The landscape and scenic lookouts are not too distant from each other to make day tours very manageable such that we weren’t stressed out to rush back to our cruise ship. We even found time to shop and look for a cafe to people-watch . We were amused to see school children with their teachers crossing the street in a line, and not so young men and women sitting outdoors with their beers. Our conjecture is that these people have early, very early happy hours since it was only after lunch. Overall, we were pleasantly surprised with Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula and more so when some cruisers spotted dolphins in the deep waters as our cruise ship sailed out. Let’s hope more dolphins show up as our boat cruises the Dusky Sound, Doubtful Sound and the more popular Milford Sound. A Sound Day tomorrow!

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We’re In Christchurch!

Filed under: Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Travel, travels — 3 Comments

This is just a brief visit to this city in the South Island of Kiwiland. Could have been perfect if we had the chance to go punting but not this time. Our boat sails out before sunset so we only had time to check out the botanical gardens, the art gallery area, the under-renovation Christchurch Cathedral, the Cardboard Cathedral, the Avon River and Riverside Market. To round it off, we also took the tram to go around the city before joining our cruise ship again.

We could have spent more time in the botanical gardens. An hour there is simply not enough. One of the toddlers wanted to stay longer, understandably so since all that space meant running around, picking flowers and just watching those flat-bottomed boats glide by the river. Wish we could name the centuries-old trees, but we can only admire how lush and beautiful they are.

The Cardboard Cathedral a.k.a. the Transitional Cathedral, is the transitional place of worship of the Anglican Diocese of the city, replacing the now under-restoration Christchurch Cathedral, which was significantly damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. Lunch was in the Riverside Market which was teeming with cruisers like us, out to check local delicacies. Seafood was better. Oysters ever delightful, hitting that spot with every slurp off the shell.

No punting meant taking the tram around the city where we passed major attractions including the art murals on the sides of the buildings and art installations in public parks and gardens. Wish there was more time, and a steadily stable internet connection. That’s to say I’d edit this as we go along . Ciao!

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Triking Around Tauranga, NZ

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November 13, 2024

We anchored at one of the largest and island-dotted natural harbours in New Zealand. Tauranga welcomed us with cloudy skies and what looked like a truly busy port. After all, it is close to the world’s Kiwi fruit capital, Te Puke. Am not a big fan of kiwi, but the ones I tried on the boat are very sweet and tasty such that it adorned my plate every single day. We are visiting Tauranga just a day before the Remembrance and Veterans Day and our boat will honor it with a moment of silence. Reminds me of those earlier visits to Gallipoli in Turkey and Omaha Bay in Normandy. Lest we forget! I have only deep respect for  these men and women and likewise to those, who to this day, compel us to remember. We should remember. 

We did the hiking trail and enjoyed sweating out all those accumulated calories we consumed by non-stop eating on the boat. I stayed away from meat as much as I could but the desserts are another story. Like ordering 2 starters, skipping the main entrees but failing to resist the ice cream or sorbet, eclairs, or panna cottas. Frankly, the hike hardly dented nor offset all that food intake but we certainly enjoyed the scenery and the workout. And then we got bolder with a trike ride around town, breezing through the coastal roads with our “daredevil pilot” Michael who called us ladies Dorothy 1,2 and 3. Now, there’s a private joke behind that and we’d rather keep it private. 🤫 For a 30 minute trike run, we paid NZ$195 including tax and boy, did we ladies have fun! Wanted to do this as early as our first offshore excursion to Pahia in the Bay of Islands but I guess, the adventure had to happen here in Tauranga instead. 

“Daredevil Michael” took us to the oldest tree in all of New Zealand, the kiwi factory offices, the campus, the posh waterfront houses (selling for NZ$13.5 Million!) and the streets lined with interesting cafes and restaurants. He also pointed out the many trees abundantly grown there which they they simply call Kiwi Christmas trees but he’s not sure why. His guess is that it’s called that because they grow bright red flowers around the end of the year, adding to the festive season. From time to time, he’d rev up the engine and let us girls feel the breeze like we’re racing, much to our screaming delight. At our age, it’s something we ticked off our list to do. Well, don’t judge us. We simply wanted to feel somehow reckless while having fun. All around town, we waved to people who looked like they came off the same cruise ship. Many waved back. The cruisers are in town but will soon sail out! 

Hey, I’m writing this in a rush just to chronicle our doings here. Forgive the typo and other errors. Will edit, polish when wifi connection is more stable. Likely after the cruise. See ya!

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Hello, Auckland!

Filed under: Musings & Ramblings, New Zealand, Travel, travels — 2 Comments

Met our first pair of Kiwi friends who took our photos with our boat behind us. They were even so kind to direct us where to spot the major attractions but unfortunately we met them when we were about to join our group on our way to this caldera with a short hiking trail for a view of the entire city.  Our CBD adventure was very limited as we had only an hour to roam around before we visited a marina outside downtown. Came back for lunch but it being a Sunday, most restos and shops were closed. Next, our hired bus took us to Mission Bay and the Memorial to Michael Joseph Savage, New Zealand’s first Labor Prime Minister, at Bastion Point. Ice cream breaks here and there, some rain showers and naps on the bus in between stops. Not much doing. But that’s ok . We’re on vacation and need not stress over our itineraries. 

The toddlers had fun running around the parks and grassy knolls. The adults watched while their ice cream dripped around the cones. The seagulls were aplenty and looked like they’ve had their food quota for the day. The Sunday family day included walking their fur babies, unleashed in the grassy lawns. Met quite a few handsome dogs along the way and asked permission to pet them with Toffee (our  Yorkie) in mind. Amazing how we strike friendly conversations because of these loved up pets. And the cruisers? For some reason it’s easy to spot them when we’re off the cruise ship. I’m still trying to figure out how and why. Maybe it’s how we try to do as much as we can in the limited time we have in the area, forever anxious to get back on the boat when it sails out. It doesn’t matter if the boat is docked for 8 hours or 12 hours. In those few days, the boat has become our home and you spot the cruisers rushing home for their late lunch, snacks or early dinners. Or perhaps to catch a movie or concert scheduled that day. This is ze life for 12 nights on Celebrity Edge cruising the North and South Islands. Not much chance to see and explore around New Zealand, but the cruise promises a good intro to kiwi life and attractions for a second visit on land. 

Marina

Auckland CBD

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The Bay of Islands, New Zealand

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It’s our first glimpse of New Zealand as the boat dropped anchor ⚓️ on the 4th day at the Bay of Islands. ⛴️ There isn’t much to see unless you join the shore excursions to view some waterfalls and some historic towns in this northeastern coast of the North Island. We used tender service to reach the island in 20  minutes, then a 5 minute shuttle bus to visit Paihia. There were shops and restos around, along with the Williams House with a neat garden around the historic structure owned by 5 generations of this founding European family including a man who translated the Treaty of Waitangi to Māori language. Book shelves lined the walls, along with framed portraits of the illustrious and respected Williamses. But most everyone who visited the Bay of Islands particularly enjoyed the WiFi connection within the grounds! Well, after 3 days at sea, you can’t blame us. Unwilling to pay extra for connectivity, we spent a good half hour just checking messages and surfing the Net on our mobile phones. The others checked out the island’s Chinese restaurants and oyster bars. Was tempted to try the 3-seater trike that takes tourists around the island but decided against it and went shopping instead. Perhaps another day for the trike adventure.

Williams Residence

By the time we rode the tender back to our big boat🚢, we had our late lunch at the Oceanview Cafe , this time without the crowd. Many of the passengers were still in the island so the early returnees enjoyed the facilities on the boat almost exclusively. Even the big pool and solarium pool were nearly devoid of swimmers. There were numerous activities to join but we proceeded to the theatre instead for a stand up comedy show which surprisingly, we enjoyed. Then off to the bar for acoustic music and another sunset view seated on colorful swing chairs. We learned of another band of Colombians with a Filipina singer named TJ that we wanted to listen to. We headed there and witnessed a couple of pairs who displayed their dancing prowess to TJ’s tango and salsa repertoire. 🕺💃

People watching is both an interesting activity and a discovery of sorts. The cruise director lined up many events — from Veterans Day (there were many seniors and I’m curious about the average age of passengers on this vessel) to comedy shows to bingos to dance and Zumba sessions to games to musicals to art auctions to workshops to self-care and spa treatment. They even gave each passenger a free bracelet where different charms can be bought each day. And a locket necklace with free charms each day. The passengers lined up at certain hours each day for the free necklace charms on sea days. There is always something to do. And to eat. The fine dining restaurants, the grill and pizza place, the bars, the ice cream corners, the sushi place. Le Petit Chef is also here. How does one get bored here? One of my friends signed up for nearly every single event but I chose to relax on sea days and looked forward to our excursions wherever the boat docked. Let’s see what happens in the next few days! 

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Ready To Sail

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November 9, 2024

This is my 6th cruise, but my first to sail with toddlers as young as 2 years old. Likewise my longest cruise (12 nights with 5  sea days) with as many friends and their families comprising a group of 29 pax. You may think of all the complications of traveling as a big group and with toddlers, but we got it down pat. This is my travel group and we’ve grown to include all of 6 children and grandchildren. Somehow, we’ve worked out a system and it helps that Celebrity Edge is very efficient with check-ins and luggage drop-offs. We had our bags almost as soon as we reached our cabins and our dinner reservations booked even before we boarded our boat. As we got ready to sail, we have nearly filled up our personal calendars in the Celebrity app with activities ranging from Zumba and Tai-Chi sessions, and entertainment programs. Anything to keep us off the casino and the shops! And yeah, the buffet restaurants too. Seriously. 

Celebrity Edge

We avoided the spa and the specialty dining outlets like the plague. No way we’re spending extra for such. We’re good with the gourmet dinners that came with the cruise package as we savored the Mediterranean, French, Italian and Cosmopolitan meals. Missed my own family as I know they would have enjoyed the pulpo, escargots, prime ribs, French onion soup, gravlax, guanciale pasta and salmon tartare. And the desserts? You better resolve to stick to the sorbet and low-fat yogurt lest you get off the boat rolling with extra pounds. So it’s important to join those fitness sessions. 

Roof deck . Sunset at 7pm.
The veranda in our cabin

Internet is spotty but there’s a choice to pay $30-50 a day for the connection. No way I’m paying extra for that. So bear with me as I can only make connection once we’ve docked at some port. Rushing to write this too just to keep my family updated , and err just so I don’t forget . The day we boarded the ship was Day 1 , had 2 whole sea days and it is only Day 4 out of the 12. Thus far, the waters are calm , the food is good, the company superb, but the entertainment has room for improvement. I’m not so much into games and the evening programs are mostly acoustic guitar renditions of different artists.

Watch this page as I update whenever I get wifi connection! Ciao for now.

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