Author: jpetesd

We’re hopping again today. Our escapade kicked off with a return to Booderee National Park where we turned into kangaroo whisperers yesterday.

I felt like I shortchanged the wallaby yesterday, barely giving them a nod. So, in the spirit of fairness, I’ll give them the attention they deserve.

The differences between a wallaby and a kangaroo (based on my observations): (1) wallabies are a chic dark brown as opposed to the roo’s casual grey; (2) they’re fun-sized, about a third of a roo; (3) they’re introverts (each I saw was alone); and (4) they prefer the isolation of dense brush.

Next on our agenda was a pit stop at a golf course on Sanctuary Point. 400 kangaroos roam the course…allegedly. We spotted a few from the side of the course, but they were across two fairways and not close enough to get a good pic. A local golfer enlightened us that while it’s a big no-no to whack a kangaroo, swearing at them is perfectly acceptable. It’s important to know local wildlife etiquette!

Our next destination was Pebbly Beach, nestled in the Murramarang Nation Park. Pebbly is renowned for its resident kangaroo population, which is often seen grazing near the shoreline or resting on the sand.  Imagine the scene: 30 kangaroos lounging on the sand, chillin’ like a villain. Utterly amazing.

After that, it was time to navigate our way back to Sydney. I forgot to mention that this was my first time driving on the wrong side of the car in the wrong lane. The most complicated part of that is that the blinker and windshield wipers are on the opposite side of the steering wheel. I’ll just say our windshield was wiped clean, and some Aussies were pissed at me for not using my blinker.

There will be less hopping and more walking tomorrow.

Gotta get my rest. G’night, mates.

Welly, Welly, Welly…welcome to Wellington, the final frontier of the New Zealand portion of our adventure.

Wellington is the capital city and political center of New Zealand. The city is nestled at the southern tip of the North Island and overlooks the Cook Strait which separates the North and South Islands.

Welly is surrounded by hills and a rugged coastline, providing stunning natural landscapes. Its location causes Wellington to be famously windy, earning it the nickname “Windy Wellington.”

Kris and I decided to tackle Welly head-on with a good ol’ walkabout. Our journey took us on a whirlwind tour (pun intended) from the waterfront to the hilltops. The Wellington cable car offers a scenic ride from near the waterfront to one of the highest points in the city. Most people ride the cable car up and back down. Some people will ride the car up and walk down. Not us. We walked up and cruised down in style!

Wellington is populated by 225,000 Kiwis living their best lives. Welly may be a relatively small city, but it packs a punch of charm. We thoroughly enjoyed walking this intimate city with its vibrant energy and bustling waterfront.

Next we sail across the Tasman Sea. This stretch of water is known for its large waves. Shortly after setting sail, the ship started swaying to the rhythm of thirteen-foot waves. Dinner became a high-stakes game of “Don’t Drop the Plate” as dishes waltzed their way to the floor. China casualties: plenty.

During this watery chaos, a man approached me at dinner. “Are you Pete?” he asked, making me a bit nervous. I asked him how he knew who I was. He had just finished reading the copy of It’s Just Walking I had donated to the ship’s library as suggested by Kris’ cousin, Mary. He recognized Kris and me from the picture on the author page at the back of the book. I knew it couldn’t be from the cover of the book! He thoroughly enjoyed the book. At least that’s what he told me!

And so, as we embark on our three-day voyage across the Tasman Sea, we brace ourselves for the waltz of the waves.  We should have strong sea legs by the end of this trek. Enjoy land while we rock the Tasman Sea!

Welcome to gorgeous Gisborne, the “Chardonnay Capital of New Zealand.”

Gizzy is also the “first city of the sun” because it is the first city in the world to see the sunrise each day. The entire explanation for this gets too complicated for me. I’ll give you the Just Pete summary: It’s a combination of Gisborne’s easternmost position within New Zealand, its time zone, and the Earth’s rotation. For more detail…Google it.

Captain James Cook was the original globetrotter. He really got around…as in around the world. He visited virtually everywhere we’ve been on this adventure. Minus the luxury cruise perks of the Nautica.

The area around Gisborne was one of the first places Captain Cook visited in New Zealand. In 1769, he landed at Kaiti Beach. The area is called Poverty Bay because Captain Cook and crew didn’t get the provisions they expected. This was the result of a little misunderstanding that led to a Maori chief’s untimely demise. Awkward.

Kris and I decided to walk today after our kayak adventure of the prior day. We hiked up to Kaiti Hill, the highest point near the city. That provided breathtaking views of Gisborne and Poverty Bay, with a side of “I climbed that!” bragging rights. Worth every step.

Forestry is an important industry in the region. When harvesting a pine forest from the hillside, they only bring down the trunks of the trees. All the limbs and branches are left lying on the hillside. When big rains occur, this debris is washed down toward the city, clogging rivers and causing major flooding. This mess eventually winds up on scenic Wainui Beach and in the ocean. Not a big fan of this style of lumbering.

After our mountain climbing, Kris did what she does best – shop – while I took a stroll along the beach.

Gisborne was an absolute treat, from Katie Hill to Wainui Beach.

Now we must sail on to the next adventure. Catch ya later, mates!

After a short jaunt from Aukland, we were docked in the port city of Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty.

We had a grand plan to venture to Lake Rotoiti, renowned for its crystal-clear water, hot springs, and a glow worm cave that sounded as if it was plucked out of a fairy tale. Or, a fantasy of someone really into worms that glow.

Our bus ride to Lake Rotoiti took us past a large expanse of agriculture. Pop quiz: What do you think these vines are?

If you’re waving your hand in the air, thinking, “Grapes! New Zealand = Wine Country,” you’ve made a great guess. Unfortunately, you are incorrect. These are kiwifruit vines. The lower-level vines are the lady kiwis and the taller vines are the gents. Some birds and bees stuff happens and you end up with kiwifruit.

Arriving at the lake, we were introduced to our vessels for the day: two-person kayaks. For the uninitiated, tandem kayaking is known as one of the leading causes of divorce in the world.

With Kris paddling up front, and me in the back pretending to be the captain of our plastic vessel, we navigated past what seemed like ferns on steroids, aiming for the hot springs.

The hour long paddle was an epic struggle. The first half was into a strong headwind. Then we made a left hand turn so that the waves could wash over the kayak. By the time we got to the hot springs we were tired, wet, and cold. Yeah, that was great fun!

The good news is that Manupirua Hot Springs had a cool little bar – a beacon of hope where we refueled before soaking our weary bones in the geothermal bliss. Refreshed, we then set off to see the glow worm caves. They had been hyped up in our minds for three months.

Glow worms aren’t actually worms, but the larvae of small flying insects. They spin silk threads from which they hang and emit light to attract prey. Small flying insects are drawn to the light, become entwined in the silk threads, and make for a tasty snack. New Zealand is famous for its glow worm caves, where thousands of these creatures can create stunning displays of light. In our cave we saw two! It was like expecting a Bruce Springsteen concert and getting a sidewalk performer. And yes, we still had to paddle an hour back to our starting point!

Despite the adventures and misadventures, back on shore, we found camaraderie with some of our fellow cruise mates and paddlers. We shared stories of survival and splendor on the high seas of Lake Rotoiti. Turns out, nearly three hours of paddling makes for a pretty good workout and great bonding.

As we bid adieu to Tauranga, it’s on to the next port, armed with tales of glow worms, kayak escapades, and the eternal question of why anyone thought tandem kayaks were a good idea.

Catch you at the next port, mates.

Ahoy there once again, mates! After roughly 2 1/2 days and 1,500 miles of sailing WNW from Bora Bora, we finally made landfall in Samoa.

On the way, we crossed the International Date Line. That means we went to bed on Monday night and woke up on Wednesday morning. Yeah, you read that right. Talk about some time travel!

We are actually in the Independent State of Samoa. In the 19^th century, Germany and the US established control over different parts of Samoa. The western islands were German Samoa, and the eastern islands were American Samoa.

New Zealand took control of German Samoa following World War I. In 1962, Western Samoa gained independence from New Zealand, becoming the first Pacific Island country to gain independence.

The Nautica was greeted upon arrival by a group of locals who performed native dances on the pier while the ship docked. Who needs a welcome mat when you’ve got a group of islanders moving and grooving right on the pier?

Samoa is a relatively large Pacific Island. It is a little more than 1,000 square miles (slightly smaller than Rhode Island).

We took a short bus ride around a part of the island, culminating in a Samoan lunch. We watched in awe as a dude casually scaled a coconut tree like it was his morning stroll. Then, a father a his young son put on a display of Samoan war dance that would make even the most battle-hardened pirate take notice.

Tattoos are serious business in Polynesian culture. They’re not a fashion statement – they’ve got deep tribal meanings and are always a single color.

After six hours in port, it was time to set sail for our next destination. It might take some time to get there, but mark my words; it’s gonna be worth every second of the wait.

Until next time…