Our incredible journey to explore New Zealand and Australia began in Auckland. Before setting sail, we indulged in a few excursions to experience some of the city's and the North Island's captivating sights. The Sky Tower offered a truly unique perspective of Auckland.
During the first few days of the trip I attempted to photograph the Milky Way from the ship in the early morning hours. I found out quickly the ship's rocking was a challenge. I managed to get a fair image and can't wait to return to shoot from one of the dark sky locations on the South Island. It was also the first time we have seen the Southern Cross. It became our guiding star throughout our trip.
We were charmed by the French seaside town of Akaroa where quaint shops led to great shopping. The highlight was the "Giants House" with beautiful gardens filled with eclectic mosaic sculptures. What a fun place!
To get a little exercise off the ship we rode bikes through the renowned vineyards of the Marlborough wine region. Along the way, we stopped to taste award-winning Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and other varietals.
Wellington was a fun city to enjoy a walk, tour the waterfront and downtown, and even ride a cable car ride among the hills.
A Seabourn luxury cruise begins with great food and service. And the food on the ship was amazing! We also repeatedly found great food in the ports and at the end of our trip in Sydney.
We made a late addition to visit Lake Tekapo a famous spot in NZ for photography. We left a rainy, dreary port but soon were over the hills into a pure blue sky. Our trip to the lake's edge was followed by a terrific home-cooked lunch at a private home. The famous NZ lamb was terrific throughout our trip!
While we didn't see as much wildlife as we had anticipated, birds kept us company throughout our journey. We were fortunate to see several Koalas in a protected habitat.
Before departing from New Zealand and crossing the Tasman Sea to Australia, our ship embarked on a journey up Milford sound. It was an awe-inspiring sight to behold the canyons, deeply carved by glaciers millions of years ago. The morning sail began with a dark and moody voyage through Dusky Sound.
We pulled into Melbourne early in the morning. The architecture of the city is spectacular both day and night. We were able to watch the Super Bowl on the ship. Although the Chiefs didn't win it was a unique experience to watch the game overseas. At nearby Philip island we walked along jagged coastlines even observing Blue Penguins in their burrow and saw several Koalas in their natural habitat.
Despite the frequent cloudy days during the cruise, we were happy to witness several breathtaking sunsets and sunrises.
We ended our cruise in Sydney, which was a great way to add one more memorable highlight to our trip. Sydney was an incredible city to visit, and we only had enough time to scratch the surface. We were fortunate to climb the Harbour Bridge at sunset - definitely a bucket list item! There's so much more to discover and enjoy on our next visit to this amazing city!
This was our longest cruise and trip yet! We were blessed to travel with wonderful friends who made our journey truly unforgettable. We had long cherished the dream of visiting New Zealand and Australia, and we can't wait to return!
Credits:
JJL Photography, Premiere Luxury Travel