Day 42 Napier, New Zealand

I had a surprise for Bill today I had booked a tour in a classic car.  Napier was hit with a terrible earthquake in 1931 and what was not destroyed by the quake succumbed to the fire that followed.  But they built it back up it took two years to built 160 buildings and it was done in the art deco style of the 30s.  And has been preserved.  This weekend they had over 500 classic cars from the 30s and 40s here an event they hold every year now that would have been amazing to see but they do not allow cruise ships to dock during that because of the traffic no were for the buses to go.

Anyway we were picked up in a beige 1937 Dodge and driven into town.  We then did a walking tour of the town to see all the great art deco buildings.  Even going into some of these that are now government offices.  We were then taken to a hotel for a tea.  It was lovely.  After our tea we then got into cars we were in a green 1037 Packard and were driven all around the suburbs and taken to the National Tobacco Company that was unbelievable building.  In it’s day it employed 1000 people.   We were allowed to walk around the building and then we went back to the center.  These tours are done by the Art Deco Trust and we were taken to their shop.  We then had the option of staying in town and taking the shuttle back or coming back in the classic car.  I have been walking so much that my heel is hurting and as we had seen just about everything we decided to come back to the ship.  We came back in a blue Packard.  We were given information about a great car museum outside of Wellington (our port tomorrow) so we stopped at the consignor’s desk and he printed out information and directions.  We do not have a tour because we have been there before.  Neil Leifer a sport’s photographer just did a documentary on the super bowl photographers that ran on ESPN he is on the ship this segment and is showing it and having a Q&A today at 4:30 so Bill has just gone down to see that.  We have a vocalist tonight who has won “The Voice” and Tom Jones said she is fabulous so we will go to the show.  I was able to get my laundry done.

Tomorrow, Wellington, then Christchurch then Dunedin . Will be exhausted with ports everyday.  Having a ball and as my friend Ilene’s says we just pinch ourselves everyday that we are able to do this!  We are blessed! Another great day in paradise.

The 1937 Dodge we started our tour in

One of the main streets

Bill and I in our 1937 Dodge

One of the buildings

Our tea each couple got this platter!

Two of the guides and drivers.  The fellow owns the red packard

The 1937 Packard we ended our tour in.  It rode beautifully and was so quiet!