18th February 2019

Steaming south overnight brought us to Tauranga, the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region. We docked as usual at breakfast time in the tourist suburb of Mount Maunganui. It was another cloudless day, with a gentle, refreshing breeze to keep us cool, at least at first!

I had visited before with Jamie on a previous road trip and was eager to return, as it had left a lasting impression as a stunning destination with a beautiful beach. According to the literature, it is regarded as New Zealand’s finest stretch of sand. With no excursions booked, I was keen to show Sue the views from the top of Mauao, an extinct volcano visible from the ship. I knew she would be just as impressed as we had been.

After fuelling up with the necessary breakfast calories for the climb, we set off along the boardwalk, which separates the sheltered beach from the plush residential housing lining the southwest side of the resort. At the base of Mauao, I gave Sue the choice between the steeper, more direct route that Jamie and I had taken previously, or the gentler path we had used for our descent. Thankfully, she opted for the latter.

Early morning is the best time to tackle this deceptive giant, as much of the path remains unshaded. Considerately, the town council has positioned benches at regular intervals for weary climbers to rest and take in the views, which we gratefully made use of when needed. Along the way, we were joined by a fellow cruiser who had unfortunately misjudged the time required to complete the climb. Thinking an hour would be enough to reach the summit and return in time for one of the ship’s tours, he reluctantly turned back after making it only a third of the way up. As on my previous visit, this proved to be a popular activity among Kiwis, with many families tackling the ascent, most at a much brisker pace than us.

The final quarter of the climb was fully exposed to the sun, and fatigue began to set in. We were relieved when we reached the summit and felt the welcome cooling breeze, though, unfortunately, all the benches and suitable rocks were already occupied by equally exhausted climbers. We lingered for a while, admiring the views and read a touching tribute to a woman who had recently lost her battle with cancer. The temporary memorial was adorned with beautifully painted pebbles and taped to the summit monolith.

For our descent, we opted for the faster route. From memory, I knew that by the time we reached the bottom, we would be utterly fed up with steps, and that proved to be the case. The exertions of the past two days’ port visits had left us both with aching feet and sore knees, and this steep route did nothing to ease our self-inflicted discomfort.

Passing the RV site where Jamie and I had previously camped, we found a bar and gave our weary bodies a well-earned rest, accompanied by appropriately numbing and refreshing beverages. When I went to settle the bill, I realised, rather embarrassingly, that I had left my wallet in the safe aboard the Columbus. Oops!

I confessed my mistake to the waiter and offered to return to the ship to fetch the cash. He simply shrugged and assured me there was no hurry. With no immediate pressure to head back, we took a leisurely stroll along the boardwalk of Main Beach, New Zealand’s number one, after all, watching the surfers and others enjoying the waves.

Kiwis, I’ve noticed, rarely sunbathe. They are far too busy making the most of the outdoor activities their climate allows. In fact, you can easily distinguish the locals from the foreign visitors by their attire: those in hats, t-shirts, and long shorts are almost certainly Kiwis.

A small island, connected to the beach by a thin ribbon of sand, caught our interest, and we took some time wandering through the cool shade of its trees before reaching the rocky outcrop at its far end. We were not alone; this peaceful retreat was becoming increasingly popular as the heat of the day intensified.

Returning to the beach, we crossed the road with the intention of climbing the much smaller Mount Drury, located in the heart of Maunganui. However, our plans were briefly interrupted by an unexpected spectacle on its seaward slope. A seemingly endless crowd of children and adults, all clad in shorts and bright orange shirts, were engaged in a lively ritual of music, movement, and intense activity.

Curious, we asked a couple who had just completed their challenge what was going on. They explained that this was X Racing, a team-based event where families and groups must complete a series of physical and mental challenges. We had arrived just in time to witness the grand finale, a high-energy sequence of frenetic dance moves, followed by a sprint to the finish line.

Why don’t we have this in the UK? It looked like such brilliant family fun!

After reaching the summit of Mount Drury, we made our way through the shopping area en route to the ship for a not-so-light lunch.

Later, we returned to the bar to settle my outstanding bill from that morning before heading back into town. By now, the heat had intensified, and Sue decided she needed a new hat to better protect her head and neck. We wandered in and out of various shops until she finally found one that suited her. Fittingly, it was made in Nepal, with a portion of the proceeds going towards the country’s rebuilding efforts. The shop staff couldn’t help but notice my ‘Yay, Yak, Yak, Yak’ T-shirt, a souvenir from Kathmandu.

We planned to go to the beach for a swim, but we were waylaid by some highly recommended New Zealand ice cream. The praise we’d heard from fellow passengers was well deserved; it was excellent. After indulging in our frozen treats, the idea of cooling off in the sea no longer seemed quite so essential, so instead, we returned to the ship for a cold beer.

At 5:30 pm, Columbus departed from the port. A strong offshore breeze swept across the top deck, making it surprisingly chilly. Two tugs were required to pull the ship away from its berth before it could engage its engines and navigate the narrow channel out to sea. Sue and I watched the proceedings until the wind drove us inside to the warmth of the observation lounge, where we continued watching until there was nothing left to see but the vast, open ocean.

I loved Mount Maunganui when I first visited, and my feelings haven’t changed. Those Kiwis fortunate enough to live here, as well as in Devonport and Russell, should count themselves lucky. If Sue and I had discovered this place earlier, they might have been our neighbours!

We now have one more sea day for our battered legs to recover before the adventure continues.