Day 77: 20231209 Saturday, December 9, 2023 Left Behind in Picton

Day 77: 20231209 Saturday, December 9, 2023 Left Behind in Picton

We were relieved to see that Princess had found a decent hotel to put us up in for the night, but so many questions remained about how we would be reunited with the ship that it made for a fitful night of sleep, even more so than the hard lumpy pillows. 

The hotel breakfast was a full English breakfast but even at breakfast, there was nobody to let us know what our disposition would be. Several passengers got on the phones with Princess and even as check out time approached we still didn’t know if we were getting to Tauranga, our next port of call. Early report suggested we would be flown to Tauranga and put up in another hotel, but it was also possible we’d be stuck here in Blenheim another night and flown out tomorrow. That would mean missing out on the excursion we were most looking forward to doing with Price and Ciara, the Māori Village and Geothermal park in Rotorua. 

A port Agent and his wife came to the hotel to put a face on the operations and they did a yeoman’s job of absorbing the frustrations  of our group and communicating our concerns and displeasure with Princess Corporate and the ship’s hotel manager.  

Plan A was to have us all return to our hotel rooms for another night and then be flown to Auckland tomorrow and put up in another hotel there so we would be reunited with the ship on December 11th or in 2 more days. There are a lot of people in the group who did not get their prescription medications off the ship so getting back on the ship tomorrow rather than the day after is of paramount importance. 

Rob and Carolyn Burns, of ID Travel, arranged for us to have lunch at a local restaurant on Princess’s tab. It was a pleasant 5 minute walk across the town square and to the riverfront where the Raupō restaurant is located. It is a very nice modern space with rustic touches and a full bar. People’s dispositions improved considerably after being fed and watered. 

We got an update on the plan from Princess after lunch. We will be spending another night in Blenheim and fly to Auckland tomorrow. However, we will miss the Tauranga port of call because our flights will get us into Auckland in the afternoon and we would not be able to arrive in Tauranga in time to participate in any excursions. 

Our booked Tauranga excursions will be refunded and we will just spend the night in Auckland and reembark the ship when the gangways open after the ship’s arrival. Our baggage will come off the ship in Tauranga and be sent overland to Auckland so we can have fresh underwear, socks and medications when we arrive in Auckland at the hotel. Of course, that means we’ll be spending more time unpacking and repacking rather than enjoying tours or shipboard activities. 

In the plus side, ID Travel was able to pull together a local Blenheim tour for us. We were supposed to stop at a chocolate factory on our way back. They booked a tour bus and drove us around Blenheim showing us the sights. 

The surrounding foothills are called the withering hills because as soon as the summer starts, the hills turn from green to brown. They look reminiscent of the foothills of Northern California’s wine country. 

The valley floor has many springs which make it ideal for agriculture. There are vast vineyards and groves of trees stretching out in multiple directions from the city. 

The soils and microclimates of the many valleys and foothills are suitable for several different wine grapes. The region is best known for its Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Gewurtztraminer varietals. 

Our first stop was called The Vines Village, which was an interesting cluster of eclectic buildings housing a cheese shop, wine tasting room, Gin tasting room, cafe, playgrounds and informational kiosks around a duck filled pond. There were displays regarding the geology, and history of the valley. There was also a bee garden and hives. The wine, cheese and gin tasting were for a fee for a flight but we managed to get a free taste of a representative Sauvignon Blanc which had a very fruity and floral bouquet and crisp simple finish. 

Next, we drove to the Makana Confections factory which was very much like our own See’s chocolates. There is a glass wall separating the sales area from the work area where they make the chocolates and other confections including various brittles, caramels and truffles. They handed out samples of a macadamia nut toffee brittle and a double dark chocolate truffle. The brittle seemed to be the most popular item. The parking lot had plenty of room for tourist filled coaches to circle through. 

We then drove to a large city park where the locals were having a pre-Christmas holiday celebration. There was a stage full of young school kids belting out Christmas songs dressed in Santa hats. They have a huge rose garden with over 800 rose plants in hundreds of varieties. There is also a clear spring fed creek that meanders through the park and lots of walking paths and gardens. Next to it is a city golf course and large croquet club. 

When we got back to the hotel, we got out flight information for the morning. We should be able to have a leisurely breakfast before heading off to the local airport. 

We had dinner at the hotel restaurant and we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. It was better than the ship’s.  Maybe the chef could do a better job because he didn’t have to prepare thousands of meals for every seating. Everything from the appetizers to the desserts was terrific. Janet and I split an Eton Mess, which is another classic English/Aussie/Kiwi dessert. It combines a fruit compote, hard merengue, fresh fruits and cream. 

After dinner Price, Ciara and Ben walked off some of that dinner and drinks by walking back to the city park as the sun set. It is remarkable how quiet the city is.