Our day did not start early today, which was a relief. We were able to have a leisurely breakfast and spend time up at the Lido, enjoying the views. We were docked next to a lumber mill.
We met the other participants on the gangway and got on buses for our afternoon excursion, which took us to the train station, where we boarded the Passchendaele Marlborough Flyer, a steam train that was built in 1915. It was named for the 1917 Battle of Passchendaele. It is now known as the moving World War I memorial.
It was a half hour ride to the town of Blenheim, the gateway to the Marlborough wine country, and we enjoyed a complimentary glass of wine as we travelled through the countryside.
Our final destination was THE WINE STATION, a tasting room where we paired our choice of wines with a very generous and delicious charcuterie platter. The servers weren’t quite ready for us so we waited a bit and chatted with the other participants.
The process was ingenious and high tech: there are no more ladies meandering among the crowds with bottles, offering tastes. Instead, we were each given a credit card loaded with $30, with tasting stations, delineated by vintage. We could choose the wine with the amount: there were three amounts, from two ounces to four ounces to six ounces. Depending on the cost of the wine, a two-ounce tasting varied between $2 and $4. Conveniently, bottles were placed beneath each tap – with price tags, of course.
It was fun to make a selection at the tasting station, then return to the table for food. It was all free-flowing, once we got the hang of it. I limited my tasting to Sauvignon blancs, my favorite vintage, and my sister tasted the reds. We each made a selection of one bottle which we will take back to Honolulu for Thanksgiving. It was all very scientific and serious – really!
We spent about an hour here, then boarded the train back to the ship.
Since we’re on the topic of alcohol, my favorite drink here on board ship is called Strawberry Dream, with many ingredients, including, of course, strawberries and Prosecco. I must find out how to make it.
We enjoyed a very funny Australian comedian tonight, two sets of the Lincoln Center group and a game called What Everybody Thinks, where we’re supposed to guess the most common answer to a question. I won! I didn’t win a prize, just the joy of knowing that I can predict the pulse of the populace. It’s a heady feeling.
Time for bed. Our tour of Wellington doesn’t begin until just after noon. Another sleep-in day!