4th February 2023

Beset by intermittent natural disasters: earthquakes; volcanic activity; floods; cyclones: comeback after setback is in this part of the world’s DNA.

With energetic Christchurch a fresh experience, rebuilt after deadly earthquake, we arrived in quaint Napier. Destroyed by a 1931 earthquake, it rebounded as a 1930s style Art Deco world Capital: tidy, clean, lovely to explore shops and coastline tracks on earthquake gifted reclaimed land. Driving to Hastings: plentiful kiwi fruit, apples, cherry orchards and even a sign: “Biltong and Droewors”!

Berthing at Tauranga, we travelled to Rotorua, an epicentre for volcanologists, viewed astounding geothermal geysers, smelt their pungent sulphur and watched Haka dancing Maori!

In Auckland, Ray’s cousin Sharynne walked us up Queen Street, then by ferry to picturesque Devonport. After an excellent city walking tour, Viv, an old Port Elizabeth family friend, with husband Brian met us outside the magnificent Auckland Art Gallery, with roof architecture representing sails of ships. They drove us to Mount Eden for a magnificent city panorama, then Wynyard Quarter Waterfront drinks, before walking us back to our ship. The following day Waitakere rainforest’s lush beauty and a “powerful waves” swim on its crushed volcanic rock black sand beach

In pristine Bay of Islands, we kayaked calm waters to Haruru Falls, before sailing for Vanuatu and learning of havoc wreaking, visit precluding, floods that had just hit Auckland. In March 2020, before completing our scheduled itinerary, COVID had forced us to evacuate Vanuatu! This time soon after leaving the world’s most natural disaster prone Country, an underwater volcano erupted, hurtling skyborne ash and warnings to avoid the area!

Yesterday we spent in Rabaung, Papua New Guinea, devastated by violent volcanic eruption in 1994. Today we learnt of a cyclone that destroyed the village in Madagascar, (also on current itinerary), our Presenter had lived in.

The abundant resilience of people in disaster struck places we visited, and their restoration resourcefulness, is inspirational.

Acutely aware now that natural disasters can occur at any time, we are immensely grateful that the smooth journey thus far has enabled our experience of distinctive cultures in remote spectacularly beautiful places.