Day 10: Good Bye New Zealand, Hello Australia and Mystery Solved!

They are on their way to Australia!

Part two of the trip officially begins today (which is Saturday for them) and they are flying to Sydney. I got a chance to talk with Katie quickly today (via wi-fi at the airport) and she said the adventure yesterday was a killer! It was hard, challenging and mostly COLD. While it didn't happen to her, some kids had frozen feet it was so cold. I hope they warmed up today so they could make their way to the plane.

They were participating in some amazing team and confidence building activities with the company, Full On. It appears they worked their way to the top of a mountain and repelled down.

Collen Estes, a leader from the Vacaville area, posted a fantastic shot of the delegates with huge, amazing smiles and all their gear (below). The girls look pretty psyched to me! There's a video from the company about People to People delegates below.


The other day, they got to go to the Christchurch Antarctic Center to learn about the animals and research happening down south.

I stole this pic (above) from KC's Instagram because I loved it! They are getting ready to go into an Antarctic Windstorm Simulator and their faces reflect the excitement and a little hesitation as they get ready to get their faces blown off!

Sheila also posted a pic (right) of Katie and her buddies at the center where my daughter is managing to hug the crap out of a fur seal while the other girls sit casually on his back.

Of course, the thing I noticed most (because I'm the mom), is most of Katie's crap is on the ground in front of her; all spread out, including her phone. My how I haven't missed THAT around the house!

The kids should have wi-fi tonight so I expect at least a few photos.

From the People to People Itinerary: [Note: so this is weird because they did this the other day! It must be a weird out of order mistake. But they did fly to Sydney.]

• Join in the fun at the Christchurch Antarctic Center, a showcase for the unique International cooperation that exists in Antarctica today.
• Meet with people that have worked in Antarctica and have an opportunity to call a base camp in Antarctica to speak with scientists there.
• Come face to face with adorable blue penguins that have been cared for and nursed since they were chicks. 

Then it's off to Australia! Known as the Harbour City, Sydney is the largest, oldest and most cosmopolitan city in Australia. Brimming with history, nature, culture, art, fashion, cuisine, design, it is set next to miles of ocean coastline and sandy surf beaches.

• G’day, mate! Welcome to Australia!
• Meet your Australian Delegation Manager upon arrival at Sydney Airport.
• Dine at a Sydney restaurant overlooking Darling Harbor, where you will have the opportunity to try kangaroo for dinner.
• Go beneath the sea at the Sydney Aquarium for a chance to discover fascinating marine life, including dugongs, turtles, and stingrays.

Sydney, Australia

Day 9: Mystery Day - Will Write More When the Mystery is Revealed!

I think they are in Christchurch today but I am not sure what they are doing.

The itinerary is annoyingly vague.

It could be they are doing some extreme sport activity or the service activity. We'll have to wait and see - the references to "physical fortitude" and "heart pounding" are intriguing.

The temperature got pretty low last night; I hope there were warm blankets on the beds because our California kids were in the negative numbers if you use Celsius. And as the day played out, it doesn't seem to be getting much warmer!

Nighttime temps got low!

In the meantime, for those of us at home or at work (for me, that's both), you can have some fun monitoring the near-steady earthquakes jiggling the Christchurch area. They have had two today but they are really small and chances are there are sneezes and laughing causing more motion that these little tremblers.

Speaking of quakes, if you have a minute, watch this video that shows how many earthquakes happened just prior to, during and then after the big quake in June 2011. It will start out slow, but if you watch, the big one will hit and then yowza - the map just comes to life. You can pause the action in the upper right.

We should hear from the kids tomorrow when they get free wi-fi at the airport as they make their way to Sydney. Can't wait to get the texts and see the pics from a very busy week. I mapped out their route in New Zealand and the covered a lot of territory in a week. There's a map below.

UPDATE: Sheila just posted a note!

Having a fantastic time;-) 

Destruction from earthquake in Christ Church was sad, but the people are such realists and SO VERY PRACTICAL. Businesses are being run out of shipping containers...they only took down the restraining fences two weeks ago.

We've have great memories of New Zealand. 

Ambassadors are off "Ab Sailing" (repelling) and I have stayed behind with Ann as there was no access for her to walk other than hiking in to rough slippery terrain and then fairly steep to repel down. [Note: Poor Ann tore her ACL two weeks before the trip but her Doc okay'd her to travel!] 

Here at Pudding Hill Lodge they have skydiving too, but not for us. Snow is on the ground...it is cold, but not so much on the ground...we are right at the base of the mountains. Off to Australia tomorrow and a bit warmer weather.

From the People to People Itinerary:

• Rise and prepare to sharpen your mental focus and challenge your physical fortitude as you participate in Full On, a day-long program specially designed for People to People delegates.
• Boost your confidence and self-awareness during Full On interactive workshops that promise to get your heart pounding. 

Christchurch from space in 2001.

Auckland to Rotorua to Wellington to Picton to Methvan to Christchurch (and everywhere in between).

Day 8: Kiwi Birds, Fur Seals, Penguins and Kids! On the way to Methven, NZ

Today they leave their homestay families. Sheila sent a note about the journey so far. I posted it midway down here.

They'll board a coach and head off down the coast where they will end up at the Pudding Hill Lodge (sounds so rough). That's in the town of Methven which is a snow extravaganza (and I'm thinking we didn't pack snow gloves. Gloves yes, but SNOW gloves?! I guess socks aren't her biggest problem now.)

I'm not sure, but there's a Kiwi Bird Sanctuary along the coast that appears to be on their way south to Methven and Christchurch (actually, it's on the other side of the island darn it!). You have to visit this site to hear how the Kiwi bird sounds. I had no idea! While on the subject of Kiwi's, I found a great little video of the poor flightless bird! You can see it below.

They also have to keep their eyes peeled for fur seals and penguins. They will be taking the coastal route and may see Penguins so I hope they get to stop! They did get to see some fur seals the other day (on their way to the homestays) and Sheila posted some photos (see below).

Apparently they go through Christchurch to get to the Lodge. There's a good map here to track their route.

I expect we'll hear from the kids tonight. The itinerary says they'll have access to the Internet. We should get some good photos! Here are a few photos from Sheila McKell:

The kids at an overlook spying on the fur seals.

The fur seals! The black dots.

From the People to People Itinerary:

It is believed that Christchurch was first settled in 1250 by Maori tribes hunting the now extinct moa, a large flightless bird that was common to New Zealand. More recently, Christchurch made headlines as residents experienced a 6.3 magnitude earthquake which heavily damaged the downtown area and some of the residential suburbs. Your travels will not pass through the quake-zone, however you will learn about the impact of this event on the local inhabitants as you explore the area.

• Say farewell to your homestay hosts and exchange addresses and contact information so you can keep in touch!
• Travel along the beautiful Kaikoura coastline to Christchurch, keeping your an eye out for seals and penguins.
• Enjoy the rare experience of viewing the New Zealand’s Kiwi national symbol, the Kiwi Bird, in its natural habitat.
• Arrive at the small rural community of Methven, located near the beautiful foothills of Mt. Hutt and the Southern Alps.

Mt Hutt in the Southern Alps of New Zealand  

For the Kiwi lovers and dreamers out there, a little video. Enjoy.

Day 7: Attending School in New Zealand is Part of the Homestay

What they are feeling - wet in Picton!

Ha! The kids have to go to school today! 

At least that's the plan on the itinerary. They are still at their homestay in Picton until tomorrow. And it's raining! According to the Weather Channel, it poured last night and might hold steady today (and tomorrow). But then things should get better in Christchurch tomorrow. 

Before they left, the delegates (and parents) attended a series of meetings and the kids had to do reports on different aspects of life, culture and politics in the two countries. They learned about life in NZ and school so it will be interesting for them to actually experience it. 

Schooling is compulsory for all children in New Zealand aged 6 to 16. Children go to primary school from 5-13 years old, then secondary school (also known as college, high school or grammar school). There are also some intermediate schools for children in their final primary school years from 11-13 years old.

There's a chance the schools might be on break. I just found the schedule and the term ended in early July - not sure if that means this week or last week! (I love the last paragraph below. Everything in NZ sounds so chill!)

School usually starts at 9am and runs to 3pm or 3:30pm. There are four school terms running from late January to mid-December with two-week breaks between them and a six-week summer break at the end of the year. 

Term 1: February to mid-April - Two week break
Term 2: Late April to early July - Two week break
Term 3: Mid July to late September - Two week break
Term 4: Mid October to mid December - Six week summer holiday 

Like the rest of New Zealand, schools are peaceful, relaxed places and discipline is good. Pupils are made to feel comfortable in their learning environment and there’s less pressure. It’s an environment where young people can stress less and learn more.

They are out of Internet range until tomorrow. They are getting closer to the Antarctic and the weather is getting colder! Shelia, their leader, posted one quick pick (see below) as they boarded the ferry yesterday and commented on the temperature drop. 

An iconic landmark, Stirling Point at the southernmost tip of the South Island has this great sign that shows how far everything is from that tiny spec on the map. The Antarctic isn't that far! 

Sheila's photo from the boarding area at the ferry yesterday.

UDPATE: We got a note from late this day from Sheila and Colleen, the two leaders. Here's what she had to say:

Dear Parents, 

We are having a GREAT time...the delegates are AMAZING! Thank you so very much for preparing them so well...they are doing such a good job of representing their country. 

We appear to have brought good weather with us;-)

Auckland was sunshine and w/o wind with little chill as was Rotorua and Wellington...nicknamed their "WINDY CITY" the weather was so beautiful they took us to see some extra sights from atop Mount Victoria...from there we got to see the Byrd Expedition Monument which points the way to towards Antarctica and the South Pole.

The ferry crossing was almost as smooth as glass and our Delegation Manager, Sarah, had booked us a large area to ourselves at the front of the boat with great views and privacy to safely store our stuff as we explored and enjoyed the voyage...again, GORGEOUS weather...everyone was amazed.

We continued on our journey to Methven, South Island, on a 2 lane coastal highway (much like California's highway 1) for approx 3 hours arriving in snow flurries...Yeah! We had a terrific school visit today and all delegates seem thrilled with their homestays. 

Sheila & Colleen

From the People to People Itinerary: 

• Today, if school is in session, you will have the opportunity to attend school with local students and experience their academic and social life.
• Remember to thank your home stay family, as this will be your last night with them.

Day 6: Avoiding Things on Wheels and Off to the South Island, Picton and the Home Stay

Turns out my daughter truly knows me. I got this first text from her yesterday at lunchtime my time. Congrats to all you parents who can do this middle-of-the-night phone calls. I got my first one last night and it kicked my butt!


Katie called around 1:10 via Viber (the iPhone app that will supposedly save us big bucks because it uses the Internet instead of telephony - we'll see - the call was clunky; like talking on those first Cisco IP phones!). We talked for about 10 minutes and then she sent some photos.

Here's what I learned:

1. Even though I am an extrovert, I am not the best conversationalist in the middle of the night, especially after already being asleep.
2. I've been worrying about the wrong things. With the plane crash at SFO, I've been all "flight safety conscious". Clearly that's not the issue because apparently Katie was nearly hit by a bus, a car, a bike and a skateboard. Yeah, time to readjust my focus.
3. There is something on earth that has bigger feet than Katie: goblins! (see photo below)
4. Speaking of feet, it appears Katie's souvenir from New Zealand will be socks. Apparently she paid an arm and a leg for a pair of "cute socks with Kiwi's on them!" and then found cheap ones like five for $8.
5. The Farmstay was a little awkward when the hosts learned the three kids they had staying with them really didn't know each other and therefore the whole darn crowd was a bunch of strangers! 
6. A hotel lobby full of People to People Ambassadors all calling home at the same time sounds like a telemarketing sweat shop!

They had to get up early this morning (5:30) to get moving and make their way via ferry to the South Island. They have their home stays tonight and tomorrow night. On they itinerary, they mention their location is Mount Hutt College, which looks fantastic on its website. I wonder if they will really get to see the campus? 

Here are a few of the photos Katie sent along. There are also a few shots from her leader. I think you can click on any of them to see them larger.

             

          On an alligator at Weta.                                     Gandalf the Grey romance.                            Her feet are small! First time! 

 

                                            From Shelia McKell:  the Maori Meeting House.                              A goblin garden.

From the People to People Itinerary:

• This morning, board the Inter-islander Ferry for your journey across Cook Strait and through the beautiful Queen Charlotte Sounds to Picton, located in the South Island.
• This afternoon meet with your home stay families and experience everyday life with a New Zealand family. 

This is the Interislander Ferry heading up the Strait.

Up by Ship Cove is where they come south from Wellington. 

The harbor at Picton. It looks stunning. 

Downtown Picton. How sweet! But they drive funny! 

Day 5: Meeting the Weta, Visiting Parliament and Enjoying Wellington, NZ

I think Peter Jackson is a national hero in New Zealand. He's certainly done a lot for the tourist industry!

Today the kids will visit the Weta Workshop Museum (which is kind of like Pixar or LucasFilms out here) and get to see behind the scenes visual treats about the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings and Narnia (UPDATE: a few pics here).

The Weta Cave

They are filming the second Hobbit movie now and if you really want to be on the cutting edge with inside information, you should "like" the Weta Facebook page for updates on how it's going.

And in case you are wondering, "Weta" is a large brown wingless insect related to the grasshoppers, with long spiny legs and wood-boring larvae, found only in New Zealand. 

There you have it. Oh and I found a little photo for you just in case you couldn't imagine how huge this thing actually is! 

Maybe the kids will bring one home for us! The weta bug.

After Weta, they head on to Parliament (which might mean they are dressed in P2P outfits today) to learn how government works in New Zealand. After that, it looks like they will tour some museums and learn about the local art scene.

UPDATE: got a very short note from Katie around midnight. All was well, they are having a blast and she'd say more when she had more wifi! Got another note from her this morning. She sent a few pics from yesterday and a little video (midway down for both)! So far so good!

From the People to People Itinerary:

While you continue your tour of Wellington:

• Visit Weta Workshop Museum, the multi Academy Award winning special effects company that helped create movies like the Lord of the Rings, King Kong, and Chronicles of Narnia.
• Learn about New Zealand’s system of government when you visit Parliament buildings and enjoy a guided tour of the facility.
• A center for the arts, Wellington has many museums and art galleries.
• Visit Te Papa National Museum, a fascinating museum devoted to Maori culture, natural history, modern art, science and technology. 

Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand

Te Papa National Museum 

Day 4: Down the Waikato River and on to Wellington

I have no idea if this is the boat...but wow!
That's Huka Falls in the background.

You have to love a town that calls itself the "Capital of Cool!"

Where is it? Why Wellington, New Zealand of course.

I did not realize Wellington is windy nearly every day of the year. That explains why I kept seeing little wind icons on my Apple weather app for every, stinking, day prior to Katie leaving. 

According to the Wiki, the entrance to the harbor can be dangerous, especially since Cook Strait to the south is notoriously rough. Close to the harbor entrance lies Barrett Reef, its rocks breaking the water's surface at low tide. It was here in 1968 that the Union Company car and passenger ferry TEV Wahine grounded during a storm, with the loss of 53 lives.

That's some wind!

Before they get to Wellington, they will be on a jet boat on the Waikato River which is the longest river in New Zealand. I don't know if I found the right company, but this is the one I could find that takes people up the river to Huka Falls. It looks pretty exciting! 

Then, in People to People code for long bus ride, they will "continue their coach journey" through Tongariro National Park (along side of it - not really sure how to read that. Probably not a bad thing; I bet they are all still sleep deprived!

Established in 1887, Tongariro was the first national park in New Zealand and the fourth in the world. It is also a dual World Heritage area, a status which recognizes the park's important Maori cultural and spiritual associations as well as its outstanding volcanic features. Make sure to look at the link to the park below for a stunning photograph.

BREAKING: We did get a cryptic note from the kids' leader, Sheila McKell early this morning. I have no idea how she had service!

UPDATE: Photos from yesterday.

Frodo Baggins' house, Katie on the bus, the guy who's filming them all the time.

  

From the People to People Itinerary:

New Zealand’s center of government and the world’s southernmost capital city, Wellington, is situated on the hillsides of Wellington Harbour and nicknamed “Windy Wellington” as the city is windy almost every day of the year.

• Take a thrilling jet boat ride as you skim along the mighty Waikato River to the magnificent Huka Falls.
• Continue your coach journey through the central plateau of the North Island and pass the rugged volcanic terrain of the Tongariro National Park to Wellington.

Wellington Harbor - I think if you click this it will expand.