Tour Managers Tales

Hello everyone, sorry I have not been updating in the last couple of months I am going to try and get some back date postings done, but in the meantime I am just getting ready to head of to Scandinavia and the Baltic Capitals, this is a cruise departing from Dover on the 27th June, sailing on the beautiful Holland America ship the Eurodam. Looking forward to this cruise, I really like Holland America and believe them to be one of the best and luxurious lines on the seas, certainly beats the usual NCL, which I have just done to Alaska, it was a great trip had a really good group with me. Thanks for still reading ....... normal service should be resumed shortly .... Richard

Hello everyone, it has been a few weeks since my last update, not been too busy, had a few days in Paris to celebrate my birthday last week (24th March), had a great time the weather was very good and of course the food and wine were fantastic. This month is going to be quiet ... didn't get an invite to "The Wedding" ... must have got lost in the post ....yeah right !! At the beginning of May I am heading to Lisbon and the Algarve for 10 days, for a short break before I am back to work, schedule at the moment seems to be not so hectic this year, not so many long haul flights, see how that all pans out. I wish you all a Happy Easter, and don't be eating too many chocolate eggs ..... enjoy all the events leading up to and the Wedding.... see you all in May.

Friday 4 th March – Paihia, Bay of Islands Paihia  is the main tourist town in the Bay of Islands in the far north of the North Island. It is located close to the historic towns of Russell, and Kerikeri. Although the name Paihia appears to be in the Māori language its origin and meaning are unknown. Missionary Henry Williams settled in Paihia in 1823 and built the first church in New Zealand there the same year. William Williams joined his brother in Pahia in 1826. Bishop William Grant Broughton (the first and only Bishop of Australia) visited the Paihia mission in 1838 and performed several firsts in New Zealand including the first Confirmation and Christenings. In December 1832 the first mention of cricket being played in New Zealand was recorded by Henry Williams. In 1835 a game of cricket was witnessed here by Charles Darwin. In 1835 William Colenso set up the fi...

Handy Hints to Auckland Restaurants Angus Steak House 8 Fort Lane Select your own Steak, Venison or Lamb $34 inc Salad bar, side dishes extra. Tony's 27 Wellesley Street Steak, Pasta, Lamb and Chicken (Use the attached voucher for drink or discount) Little Italy Victoria Street Italian Food Lord Nelson Victoria Street Steak, Pasta, Lamb and Chicken Sightseeing Devenport Take the short ferry ride (12mins) to Devenport, on arrival join a 1 hour tour, Historic architecture and landmarks as well as galleries and cafés, restaurants and speciality shops make this a relaxed outing for every visitor to Auckland. Auckland Museum Our People, Our Land, our Stories, from the great pacific navigators – the Polynesians and New Zealand's indigenous people, the Maori – through the pioneers who settled New Zealand in the 19c. Skytower Open from 08.30 -23.00 Excellent panoramic views over the city Maritime Museum Cnr Quay and Hudson Street Eve those with little interest i...

Wednesday 2 nd March – Auckland Parnell , a suburb of Auckland, dates from the European settlement of Auckland in 1841. To its west lies the Auckland Domain, to the south Newmarket, and to the north the commercial area of St Georges Bay with mainly office-space. Parnell was named after Samuel Duncan Parnell, who is credited with the establishment of the Eight hour day in New Zealand. The Borough of Parnell, established in 1877, was amalgamated into the Auckland City Council area in 1913or in 1915. The Parnell Road Board administered the area before the Borough was established. While Parnell has so far never had a dedicated train station, it is planned to construct a new station near the Mainline Steam Depot at the west of the Parnell shops area, north of the Parnell Tunnel, which has been located under the suburbs since 1873. The Anglican Cathedral, which stands at the top of the hill, has become an iconic feature of Parnell....

Tuesday 1 st March – Auckland Happy St David’s Day The  Auckland metropolitan area, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with a population of over 1.4 million residents, 31 percent of the country's population. Demographic trends indicate that it will continue to grow faster than the rest of the country. Increasingly cosmopolitan, Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world, and has seen many people of Asian ethnicity move there in the last two decades. In Māori Auckland's name is Tāmaki-makau-rau. The 2010 Mercer Quality of Living Survey ranked Auckland 4th equal place in the world on its list, while The Economist's World's Most Liveable Cities index of 2010 ranked Auckland in 10th place. In 2008, Auckland was classified as an Alpha-City in the World Cities Study Group’s inventory by Loughborough Univer...

Sunday 27 th February – Rotorua Rotorua  (from Māori: Te Rotorua-nui-a-Kahumatamomoe, "The second great lake of Kahumatamomoe") is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns. Rotorua city has an estimated permanent population of 55,900, with the Rotorua district having a total estimated population of 68,600. Rotorua is a major destination for both domestic and international tourists; the tourism industry is by far the largest industry in the district. The city is known for its geothermal activity, and features geysers – notably the Pohutu Geyser at Whakarewarewa – and hot mud pools. This thermal activity is sourced to the Rotorua caldera, on which the city lies. The name Rotorua...