Napier

We're actually just sailed from Wellington - I wrote this yesterday

 

Today we were in Napier. I didn't see much of our sail-in as Louise and I were at trivia.  Today we also came second - 16/20 and thought surely we would win today.  The team with the 'tit man' on it (see earlier blog post) had a perfect score.  I mean, can you believe that???  I marked their question paper and added a note that no one has previously had a perfect score and they needed to see the teacher after school.   John of course was on deck to see the pilot embark.  Only docked at midday and as Napier is a working port, we weren't allowed on the dock so were bussed into town.  Napier was wiped out by an earthquake in the 1930s and rebuilt in ArtDeco style and plays up to this with lots of vintage cars (available for hire) and locals dressed in period costume.  We all separated in town and were worried when Carol wasn't back on board at near the deadline. Thought she'd found a rich Kiwi and ran off but, no, she made it in time.  Because we didn't win our lanyards yesterday and Louise wants one for her cruise card (she keeps wiping it out because she keeps it in her pocket with her mobile phone and the purser's desk is sick of reactivating it) she bought one in town today but it says Lebanon with a Lebanese flag on it...different!!!  She says it's actually a new designer brand Le Banon but they've made a printing mistake. Can't fit in everything I want to do tonight - there is the classical group's concert, dinner and a 1980s music trivia quiz,and another show...something will be missed out and it won't be dinner.  John will activate his Internet time tomorrow so may be able to upload some (fascinating, I'm sure) photos.    Being in port every day is tiring...looking forward to some time at sea.  Did I mention that Napier had a 5.8 Earthquake about 7.00 this morning.

 

Had planned on this trip to include a quote of the day.  One of our fellow passengers on the world cruise did this where he included whinges and whines he'd overheard.  Haven't heard anyone complain about the cruise but have certainly overheard lots of chat about  - medical complaints, "my specialist said", "the doctor said it's the worst case he's ever seen".  Two men sitting behind us in the coffee shop the other day spent at least 30 minutes talking about their bulging disks and pinched nerves.  Two ladies at our table at lunch were discussing their indigestion problems at length.  I suppose it's the age group.  We once saw a passenger wearing a T Shirt that said "No, I don't want to hear how many cruises you've been on" so I thought I'd get one that said that and "And I don't want to hear about your medical complaints".

 

Wellington tomorrow...I promise I won't whinge anymore.