Port Days

Just a little FYI - pictures will probably have to wait for even longer. Right now I am stuck using a ship computer in the computer center because our laptop decided not to function. I am hoping I can get it fixed once we get back home but that will probably take a full day. Maybe we should have bought one of those computers that was such a good deal around Christmas!

Yesterday was our first port of call. We tendered in Bay of Islands! It took us quite a while to actually get to shore because there was quite a line for tender tickets. Once we made it we only had around 1/2 hour to do a little shopping before our Dolphin Cruise. We saw several dolphins which was really cool and then drove through "Hole in the Rock" I will try to write more about that when I put up pictures.

Today was probably our most fun day so far!! We started off by getting off the ship a little after 8am and walking to the Auckland Skytower. From there we hopped on a Shark bus to Kelly Tarleton's Underwater world. We were able to see penguins flying through water and laying on ice! Then we walked down the shoreline to Mission Bay which is quite the neat little town. We ate lunch at a place I think was called Oporo which is similar to Chick-fil-a. Then we found some yummy ice cream and sat in the park and ate that then ran around chasing Grace. She had a very good time on the playground! We asked a mom's group where we could find a supermarket and were able to stop there on the way back to the ship. We are not able to take snacks from the ship into port with us but anything baby foods that are packaged are allowed. We were able to replinish our supply of snacks and buy some water since we are also not allowed to fill up our water bottles on the ship and take them off with us. It was just nice to be in a grocery store that was pretty much like America. Grace was also lucky and got a new toy. They had a Little People train that was pretty cheap compared to what it would normally cost so we talked her Daddy into getting it. Then we came back to the ship for dinner. Grace, as always, had all the waitstaff entertained. She has been dancing to music and entertaining the entertainers!! We ended the night with a bedtime story for Grace! And afterwards Grace told "Sparkles" (the lady who read the story) "bye-bye" This was the most clear she has EVER said that and I think the first time she actually didn''t just say bye.

We have 5 more port days to go!!!!