Last week, I promised I would post about my journeys to foreign countries. Let’s start with the other side of the world since I just returned home four days ago from visiting New Zealand and Australia. The trip was both a vacation and a wanted obligation; a cruise around New Zealand which ended in Sydney, and a visit to our Australian sister-in-law who suffered several strokes that left her paralyzed on the left side.

We flew to Auckland via Dallas, TX –3 hours–and Honolulu–8 hours where we spent a night to stretch our backs, and then from Honolulu to Auckland–almost 10 hours. Should I mention that by the time we finally landed, every bone hurt and every muscle was cramped? But we made it safe and sound.

Here is a view of Auckland Harbor from the Princess ship, with the Sky Tower, the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, and next to it the hotel where we stayed.

As you can see from this picture, summer in New Zealand is not as warm as we expected. Actually we were greeted with cloudy sky, rain and 60 degrees F. Needless to say I was very cold and bought myself a heavy jacket lined with possum wool to wear over my summer clothes.

We were supposed to board the ship at noon but an email notified us that boarding was delayed to 6pm because of an epidemic of intestinal flu on the previous cruise. The ship had to be thoroughly sanitized before we could come in.

To better visit Auckland and its surroundings we took a tour on a double-decker bus and explored the botanical gardens.

We had lunch at the rotating restaurant on the fortieth floor of the Sky Tower and watched daring youngsters bungee-jump from the fiftieth floor. We also had a magnificent view of Auckland and the bay.

In the evening we strolled through downtown Auckland and had dinner at this fun restaurant.

Notice the chandelier made of beer bottles.

Stay tune for the visit of Port Chalmers, the Fjords and Tasmania.

If you like to travel and love to read, come and enjoy my international romances. Around the world through stories that simmer with emotion and sizzle with passion.