Catching up - part 1

As I'm writing this we are sailing the Tasman sea.  Our last stop was Dunedin, on New Zealand's South Island, and we are heading to our first port in Australia, Melbourne.  We had been told that the Tasmin Sea could be rough.  That was accurate.  On our third and final sea day, things are just getting back to normal.  The rocking and rolling has subsided.  It's safe to walk outside again.  Bob and I have managed well.  We didn't miss any meals.

I've been lazily passing the the time and haven't done any blog work except for uploading some photos to the destination tabs.  Time to catch up.

Last stop was Rotorua.  After that, we were scheduled for a half day in Napier.  The seas were too rough so the captain decided to give it a miss.  Too bad.  I was looking forward to seeing the Art Deco architecture that Napier is noted for. 
Here's some of what we missed.
Napier just happened to have had an earthquake in 1931.  Most of the city was burnt to the ground.  The citizens rebuilt what they considered to be "the newest city on the globe."  The style of the day was Art Deco.

Wellington is the next stop.  We boarded a bus for a panoramic tour, climbing to the heights of Mt. Victoria.

 

On the way we passed houses clinging to the side of the hill, most without driveways or any access by car.  Paths and lanes served as access to whole neighborhoods.  New Zealanders are very fit.

A visit to the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, a little past its peak, and back to the city center for time on our own.

The Zealand Museum, called Te Papa Tongarewa, is a free museum and deserves more time than we can devote.  I started at the gift shop and Bob started with the Gallipoli exhibit.  

We gave up after a short while in favor of a sidewalk cafe and a beer. 

The ladies' room wasn't as entertaining.

Wellington seems like a very livable city.  Repeating myself-I wish I had more time.