AUKLAND was he first city that we docked at after three days out in the ocean. It was a fantastic day and so exciting to be up on deck 15 watching the city as the ship went into dock. The photos below are shots of Auckland as we were pulling in.
ABOVE - THERE WAS ANOTHER CRUISE SHIP IN TOWN THAT HAD GOT THERE EARLIER THAN US. THE WORM LIKE BUILDING IS THE NEW FERRY TERMINAL. I LOVED IT.
ABOVE - THE OLD FERRY TERMINAL.
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ABOVE - MY GORGEOUS MUM.
BELOW - MUM SNAPPED ME.
BELOW - MUM SNAPPED ME.
ABOVE - IT'S STRANGE AS THERE ARE APARTMENTS RIGHT WHERE THE SHIPS DOCK. YOU CAN ACTUALLY LOOK STRAIGHT INTO THEM!
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ABOVE & LEFT - MY COUSIN AND HER HUSBAND AND KIDS, AND SONS GIRLFRIEND NOW LIVE IN NZ. THEY IMMIGRATED FROM SOUTH AFRICA. I HADN'T SEEN MY COUSIN FOR DECADES, SO WE DECIDED TO MEET. IT WAS FANTASTIC TO SEE THEM AND MEET THE NEW MEMBERS OF THIS WONDERFUL FAMILY!
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ABOVE & BELOW - EVEN THOUGH WE ONLY HAD 5 HOURS IN AUCKLAND, AND HAD TIME WITH MY COUSINS, AS WELL AS PLANNED TO SPEND TIME WITH FAMILY FRIENDS WE GREW UP WITH IN SOUTH AFRICA, I WAS DETERMINED TO AT LEAST SEE SOMETHING. THAT SOMETHING WAS THE SKY TOWER, AS I THOUGHT IT'D GIVE ME A GREAT VIEW OF WHAT THE CITY LOOKED LIKE.
MY CARER CAME WITH ME, AND WE LANDED UP WALKING THROUGH THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT WITHOUT REALISING! THE ROADS & PAVEMENTS ARE NOT WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY AT ALL SO WE LANDED UP TAKING SIDE STREETS TO GET TO THE TOWER. I KNEW WHERE WE WERE GOING, THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AS WELL AS ROAD WORKS.
THE DOWNSTAIRS AREA OF THE SKY TOWER WHERE WE BOUGHT OUR TICKETS WAS STUNNING. BELOW BOTTOM RIGHT IS A PHOTO OF THIS AMAZING STEEL WOK AND BEAMS. THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE, I JUST DIDN'T PUT THEM ON THE PAGE SO AS NOT TO BORE EVERYONE.
MY CARER CAME WITH ME, AND WE LANDED UP WALKING THROUGH THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT WITHOUT REALISING! THE ROADS & PAVEMENTS ARE NOT WHEELCHAIR FRIENDLY AT ALL SO WE LANDED UP TAKING SIDE STREETS TO GET TO THE TOWER. I KNEW WHERE WE WERE GOING, THERE WAS JUST A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION GOING ON AS WELL AS ROAD WORKS.
THE DOWNSTAIRS AREA OF THE SKY TOWER WHERE WE BOUGHT OUR TICKETS WAS STUNNING. BELOW BOTTOM RIGHT IS A PHOTO OF THIS AMAZING STEEL WOK AND BEAMS. THERE WAS SO MUCH MORE, I JUST DIDN'T PUT THEM ON THE PAGE SO AS NOT TO BORE EVERYONE.
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BELOW - ME TAKING SELFIES AT THE TOP OF THE TOWER. I HAVE NO FEAR OF HEIGHTS AND LOVED IT. IN FACT THERE WERE PEOPLE GETTING READY TO JUMP OFF THE TOP OF THE TOWER OUTSIDE WHEN WERE BUYING OUR TICKETS. I WAS SO JEALOUS AS THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING I'D LOVE TO HAVE DONE. I HAVE NO FEAR!
BELOW YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTO OF OUR CRUISE SHIP IN THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND PHOTO. THE BOTTOM RIGHT SHOT SHOWS BOTH CRUISE SHIPS. THE WATER FRONT AREA OF THE CITY IS FABULOUS AND SO WELL DONE. IT'S FULL OF FUNCKY CAFES, RESTAURANTS AND BARS. IT WORKS IN SO WELL WITH THE WATER AND THE BUILDINGS, SUCH A PRETTY WATER FRONT. I WAS SAD I DIDN'T HAVE MORE TIME TO CRUISE AROUND. THE CITY IS SURROUNDED BY SO MUCH WATER.
BELOW YOU CAN SEE THE PHOTO OF OUR CRUISE SHIP IN THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND PHOTO. THE BOTTOM RIGHT SHOT SHOWS BOTH CRUISE SHIPS. THE WATER FRONT AREA OF THE CITY IS FABULOUS AND SO WELL DONE. IT'S FULL OF FUNCKY CAFES, RESTAURANTS AND BARS. IT WORKS IN SO WELL WITH THE WATER AND THE BUILDINGS, SUCH A PRETTY WATER FRONT. I WAS SAD I DIDN'T HAVE MORE TIME TO CRUISE AROUND. THE CITY IS SURROUNDED BY SO MUCH WATER.
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ABOVE - A FERRY PULLING IN.
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ABOVE - THE GOLDEN PRINCESS SHIP, OUR SHIP.
ABOVE - OUT CABINS WERE JUST ABOE THE ORANGE BOATS ON THE SIDE OF THE SHIP. THE VIEW WE GOT FROM OUR CABIN WAS THE TOP OF THE ORANGE BOAT. THESE ARE THE BOATS THEY ALSO USED TO FERRY PASSENGERS TO AND FROM THE SHIP FOR TWO PORTS LATER ON WHERE THE SHIP IS UNABLE TO PULL RIGHT INTO THE PORT.
ABOVE - ME IN FRONT OF THE SHIP.
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ABOVE - I LOVE THIS BUILDING FOR THE COLOURS AND THE SHIMMER THAT REFLECTS OFF IT FROM THE SUN. IT'S THE NEW MUSEUM.
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ABOVE - A CHURCH WE STUMBLED UPON ON OUR WAY TO THE SKY TOWER.
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ABOVE - ANOTHER WACKY SHOT OF THE ROAD. I LOVE THESE STRANGE PHOTOS TAKEN WITH MY IPHONE.
ABOVE - JUST A PANORAMIC SHOT OF THE SHIP AND SOME OF THE WATER FRONT.
ABOVE - A BEAUTIFUL FRIEND OF OURS ON THE LEFT. I TOOK THIS PHOTO AS I LOVED ALL THE OVER PASSES THAT WERE ALL LINED UP IN THE DISTANCE.
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ABOVE - I THOUGHT THAT THIS WOULD BE A FUNNY PHOTO. I CAME ACROSS A DIS`ABLED PARKING SPOT, AS WELL AS THE SIGN, SO TOOK A PHOTO. YOU CAN SEE HOW BAD THE PAVEMENTS ARE AND NHOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NIN THE WHEELCHAIR.
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ABOVE & BELOW - BEAUTIFUL FRIENDS OF OURS WHO LIVE IN AUCKLAND THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN FOR MANY YEARS. IT WAS BRILLIANT TO CATCH UP WITH THEM ALTHOUGH WE JUST DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME WITH THEM.
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ABOVE - I LOVE THIS SHOT. I WAS AT THE BACK OF THE SHIP WHEN WE WERE LEAVING AS I WANTED TO SEE THE CITY. THESE PEOPLE WERE JAMMED IN DOING THE SAME THING.
ABOVE - THE TUG BOAT TO GUIDE US OUT OF THE PORT.
ABOVE - THE BACK OF THE OTHER SHIP AND THE CITY.
