QUEEN & COUNTRY

The beauty, traditions and culture of New Zealand combine perfectly with the majesty and comfort of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth.

IT’S THE FUTILITY OF IT ALL , the red mist of madness that tugs at the heart strings and gives you a lump in the throat.

We’re halfway through the ANZAC commemoration at the Te Papa Museum in Wellington, and the sacrifice and sheer lunacy of war hits home.

Young Kiwi soldiers, joined on the front line by their Aussie comrades, going headto-head with the Turks during the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign.

The hand-written letters that were sent to loved ones at home – many arriving after the author had died on the battleground –reinforce the notion that these soldiers were indeed heroes.

They fought valiantly, in abysmal conditions, often surviving on little more than bully beef, hard biscuits and water.

Acclaimed New Zealand film director Peter Jackson – of Lord of the Rings fame – put together the Anzac commemoration at Te Papa and what a showstopper it has become.

It tells the story of the Gallipoli campaign through the eyes and words of eight everyday Kiwi soldiers.

Real-life imagery of men in the theatre of war, punctuated by the solemn stories of their fate, capture graphically the Anzac spirit.

The giant sculptures took 24,000 hours to create.

It is truly worth seeing, a reminder to us all of the folly of war.

It was one of a number of museum stops myself, my wife Venesa and our son, Shanye, 11, made in New Zealand during our recent 14-day Cunard cruise on the Queen Elizabeth.

Before I take you on a guided tour of the best of the Land of the Long White Cloud, it’s important to understand the all-encompassing, all-embracing beauty of a wonderful cruise.

Now, the Queen Elizabeth is one of those iconic cruise liners that you have to see to believe, to be on board to understand the sheer luxury and opulence.

We were fortunate to secure a Queen’s Grill penthouse suite, which is the epitome of space, convenience and service.

It also entitles you to your own restaurant where the gastronomic delights are six-star.

Our butler, Abraham, was always ready and willing to oblige, especially when our little bloke wanted a pepperoni pizza at 11pm.

Dining on the Queen Elizabeth is next level, with breakfast, lunch and dinner five- course affairs; best you take your gym gear to work off those calories.

The on-board entertainment is spectacular, with cabaret shows every night, and on four evenings, it was dress up time, as men and women put on their best clobber to look a million dollars.

Our cruise encapsulated Christmas and New Year’s, so it was extra special to enjoy the festive season in such beautiful and welcoming surrounds.

One tip – make sure you pamper yourself in the spa and hydrotherapy pool.

It is great for those aches and pains that come with plenty of walking on shore excursions.

Our son loved the kids club.

It had everything he was hoping for, and more.

Our suite was expansive and we spent many hours on the deck – despite the cooler weather – taking in sunsets and sunrises.

The Commodore Club was a favourite of ours, a quiet area where you could grab a coffee and read a book, with the light tinkle of piano in the background.

You get a real sense of the history of Cunard with old photos of stars that have sailed on the liner – legends like Spencer Tracey, Abbott and Costello and Douglas Fairbanks Junior. Gee they were well dressed.

Our first shore excursion was at Dunedin, tucked away in the southern end of the South Island.

It included a train ride through the Gorge, and we saw spectacular mountains and hills, including the odd goat, and plenty of sheep.

Did you know there are 28 million sheep in New Zealand, seven for every human?

Next stop was Christchurch and what a magnificent city is has become, rebounding from the horrors of the 2011 earthquake, which killed nearly 150 people. >>

We trekked out to the International Antarctic Centre, which sits adjacent to the airport.

It’s a must do in Christchurch.

Make sure you go into the Storm Dome, where Antarctic-like temperatures and a reallife blizzard unfold before your eyes.

It got down to minus 19 Celsius, with a wind chill factor that would freeze the testicles off a brass monkey.

We saw huskies, and even went on a vehicle that is used to traverse the rugged terrain of the South Pole – not for the faint-hearted.

We finished the day with a gondola-ride to the top of Christchurch.

Despite the heavy clouds, it was an absolutely awesome experience.

Next stop Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, and home to its Federal Parliament.

The view from the top of the highest peak in Wellington is extraordinary, a kaleidoscope of colours and imagery.

The Wellington bayside is picture perfect, and on this beautiful summer day, avid swimmers were doing laps within the foreshore area.

Wellington is often voted as New Zealand’s most liveable city, and if you can put up with the wind, and the omnipresent threat of earthquake, that’s a pretty accurate assessment.

Tauranga is where many of the Kiwis go for their summer holidays.

It’s got some flash real estate and some even flashier pubs and cafes.

We took a coach ride from Tauranga to Rotorua, and came upon one of the most adventurous of the Kiwi cities.

Heaps to do for the kids, and the big highlight a look at a good old-fashioned geyser spring.

Wow, the power of nature.

This is heady stuff, especially the odour and smell.

Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city, a thriving metropolis that is undergoing major transformation off the back of its natural port and harbour front.

We went to the Sky City hotel and casino, where AJ Hackett runs a 195m freefall from the top, which was busy on the day we were there.

On Shanye’s insistence, we also went through the All Blacks interactive display.

It was something I wasn’t all that keen on, considering they generally towel Australia up on the paddock.

But it was awesome, identifying the culture, spirit and tradition of the All Blacks franchise to Kiwis, and why it is so successful.

We went to the Auckland museum and caught a traditional haka from Maori.

One thing about New Zealand is the proud and integrated way the Maori culture is blended into Kiwi society.

There are two languages on everything –English and Maori.

The integration is something Australia could take heed.

No visit to Auckland is ever complete without a trip to Waiheke Island, a paradise that rivals anywhere in the world.

Sky rocketing property prices have put it out of the reach of many Kiwis, but it has some of the best vineyards, cafes and pubs in the country.

It’s also one of those places that you could easily have a week there to forget about the stresses of everyday life.

After seeing in the New Year in Auckland, we had another three nights at sea before disembarking in Melbourne.

Cunard do it so well.

We met a number of terrific couples, including retired lawyers Bill and Sandy from Alabama, who were delightful.

Cunard has a new liner, the Queen Anne, coming on line soon, and if it’s anything like the mother ships of Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, it will be something to behold.

Covid-19 precautions are now part and parcel of any cruise, and we had a number of tests, before, and during the journey.

We loved it. Can’t wait for the next.

#The writer paid in full for this holiday.