Hi all

We are now on our way home from the wonderful PMC Workshop in Queenstown. Some members flew directly home, although delays in flights were experienced due to rough weather around the south island, arriving home a few days later.

For those of our PMC group who were doing the post Workshop cruise and had planned to embark on the Diamond Princess at Dunedin on the east coast of the South Island, we had to fly to and then board the ship in Wellington on the North Island. Here the ship sat for two days while the rough seas along the south eastern coast were expected to subside. However this was not to be and the ship was not able to sail around any of the South Island.

Our cruise then became a cruise around the North Island of New Zealand and we commenced the first port of call at Picton.

Here we did some wonderful tours with a bus driver for ourselves of local chocolate factories, wineries and breweries. Tasting the best that New Zealand had to offer.

New Zealand is an island located in the Ring Of Fire and has had many Volcanoes and still has a few live ones.

This has produced many features that added to the advantages of its wine producing areas. One of the more interesting features is that volcanic rocks are moved from the soil and placed around the roots of the vines. This enables the vines around the well known Marlborough Region to be kept warm during the colder months and allow the grapes to ripen more quickly in a slower summer period.

Our next stop was the Bay of Plenty and Waikato region. This day we were taken to a lunch on Lake Waikato with many dishes of local seafood with the volcanic sulphur flowing across the lake.This was a full day that took us around to many spots to show us about New Zealand’s natural heritage. We saw the reason for the Silver Fern which is the national symbol of New Zealand and how this was used by the Maoris as a tracking device to show the way back home at night with its silver under leaf to act as reflective markers. New Zealand’s many ancient trees with life spans of 500+ years, were a wonder to see, if you could see the top!- and of course we saw the National animal for New Zealand the Kiwi Bird, which is now in very small numbers having been hunted by many introduced species by man such as dog, cats and the Aussie possums.

Many may like the idea of mud pools for improved facial and body appearance, but the mud
pools of New Zealand’s Rotorua and Waiotapu are not for any beauty treatments.  These mud pools have average temperates of 200+ degrees and can cook an egg quickly. These pools have many different minerals and these minerals determine the colours of the lakes around the mud pools. These are very colourful but also very very hot. More delights were install for us on the last day at sea in the Bay of Islands.

Our members decided to travel out to the Hole in the Rock. These are a formation at the edge
of the Bay of Islands that has been formed like a blow hole but in the side of the seaside rock wall. As we made our journey out on the boat we were met with a number of pods of dolphins that apparently love to swim on the waves made by the boat and then jump out of the water and slap their tails on the water around the boat.

On our journey out to the Hole in the Rock, a few of our members practiced the art of photo bombing, as was perfected at our International Workshop. Trying to look innocent, but their faces and fingers are known to others.

As we reached the Hole in the Rock, our Captain told us he would try to take the boat through the Hole. Most of the passengers, thought he was kidding, but to our amazement this was not so, and he made it through the Hole, with a few close encounters with the side of the rocks. But we made it through without any damage.

Our return journey to our Diamond Princess ship was calm and relaxed as we thought about all the wonderful sights and experiences we had been through on our Post PMC Workshop cruise. Having enjoyed our time on the Pre-Tour, the PMC Workshop and now the final Post Tour Cruise, it was time to think about home and the following 2 days crossing the Tasman Sea.

Back on ship, we were getting ready in our best clothes and all looking so very smart for the formal Captain’s dinner. This was a grand occasion with many courses to our meal. Thank goodness for the small portion serves that we were all very grateful for.As we enjoyed our last night on board the cruse ship we had thoughts of home and reaching the final port of the trip – Sydney.

We came in to Sydney Heads around 4:30 am and sailed up the Harbour with all the night lights twinkling brightly. Sydney Harbour bridge was just magnificent – best Harbour in the world many would argue.

Many regards to all
Wendy