After making sure Cooper and Rosie had settled in with our house sitter Joy, which took all of 5 minutes ! it was time to travel.

Tasmania looked stunning from air, but it’s always good to see new places. We will reach Antartica via Sydney, Auckland and Dunedin (all by air), then the Ross Ice Shelf by boat. No travel to South America required, one of the reasons we chose Ponant.

Qantas looked after us well, but Sydney was hot during the terminal transfer, and we got into our Auckland hotel just before midnight feeling pretty shattered. H was sore all over, stubbing her toe the night before hadn’t helped either. A nights sleep and lie in did though, but we were slow off the mark first thing.

What better way to start off the holiday by buying some local possum, merino and silk wool for the holidays knitting project ! Then onto the hop on, hop off bus to see some local sights.

Forgoing the generic, expensive shopping strip we settled on the Museum, and in particular the Māori Court with fantastic wood carving. This varied in size from intricately carved Tiki’s to canoe’s and meeting halls.

It was also a short walk to some very traditionally planted glasshouses, with ferns imaginatively planted in a ravine.

The bus took us around a loop with expansive views across the water and cityscape.

We decided to head “home”, easy to see with it being beside the sky tower and rapid rope descenders…..something for tomorrow perhaps….or will the flight to Dunedin be just as exciting !