One last Hurrah!

Day 18 – we are going home

A pile of smelly socks and wet towels remain unclaimed after our final clean up at The Seabreeze Holiday Park on our way out to Auckland Airport this Saturday morning.

About 4 kg of hot chips and 24 pieces of fish for lunch at Kairauo and we are off for the last leg of our journey.

Now we’ve all checked in and we’re having a coffee and a laugh about the great moments we’ve shared.

Stefan

Final pictures for your viewing pleasure

"Fush & Chups" - A New Zealand delicacy

The boys tucking in to their tucker

Finally coming home - checking in at Auckland Airport

Mitch's Space (part 3) + Photos

Day 17 (06-08-2010)

As our trip draws to close we enjoy a nice, peaceful day in the countryside with lunch at the beach and a lovely walk down to Cathedral Cove.
After ice creams courtesy of Stefan (thanks :D) we spent some time in Coromandel Town before returning to our lodge at Whenuakite for dinner, a "last-night-in-town" party and one last chance for Stefan to beat us at Doppelkopf.
All in all it's been a pretty fantastic trip, but I think we're all looking forward to returning to our families and our own beds.
See you tomorrow at the airport. We're arriving at 7:25pm on flight number EK-413 from Auckland.
Mitch (the Editor)

Start of the Cathedral Cave walk

Silhouettes in the cave

Sentinel on the shore

I asked for a single scoop...

"End-of-trip-party" ***One Hundredth Photo***

Meg's Space (part 3)

Second last day: checking in with Meg. My cabin was up before wakey wakey!! Then I had very nice cold porridge K . After breakfast we all got in our cosy buses and drove down the most windiest road in the whole entire world!! (Phil & Stefan drive on the right side of the road which is ironically the wrong side of the road) Anyway, we drove to Cathedral Cove for a nice uphill walk (hour & 10 mins in the heat.) To come across the most prettiest beach I’ve ever seen. Instead of the walk looping around, we had to do it all over again, only to get back in the hot stinky bus where Claire was sick to travel more (140ks all up) windy roads. We then went to some pointless town to spend money on pointless things. Anyway, we drove back, bus smelt bad, we slept, it was windy, took ages to get home, we had our last dinner together in New Zealand. Now to the good part J . Hehehe. We reflected on our favourite and our least favourite parts of the trips. Then confessions, the fun part. Many blah blah’s brought their phones, blah blah stole the lollypops, blah blah and blah blah went somewhere to get their blah blah’s blahed, blah did a nudie run almost everywhere we went, blah blah. Mitchell (the editor...) has Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Jesse McCartney & Backstreet Boys on his ipod, quite a few blah’s had blah to blah, and a lot of blah’s broke things including beds, mirrors, curtins & walls, no one was really surprised at any of the confessions tonight. And now we’re wrapping a successful trip up with a dance party, doppelkopf, packing our bags & sitting in a creepy room full of cows, no joke THEY’RE EVERYWHERE.

Pattsy is my favourite teacher of all time <3>

Nick smells.

Sarah is pretty.

There are 51 cows in this room alone, not including the hall or Imogen.

That was Nick Leatherland by the way, but Harrison….. Him too J

CAN’T WAIT TO SEE YOU MUM, TIN & JORDAN <3>

(editors note: class comment for the day "you made me fart..." - anonymous

Hot and Cold Fusion

I've got an idea - let's dig a spa!

Where the cold ocean meets hot thermal springs

Damn! I lost the soap...

Stefan's Space (part 6)

Day 16
We make our way from the Volcanic Belt of Rotorua to the East Coast of Coromandel Penisula – winding roads through hills and dales with ferns and gullies making ham and cheese sandwiches for lunch at the black beaches of Waihi Beach.

Stefan

PS:Evening programs:
two nights ago: “The world fastest Indian”, - Anthony Hopkins impresses even the most speed conscious teenagers
one night ago: Doppelkopf - myself, Imogen, Matthew and Mitchell engaged in a hours long battle-of-wits over the card table
tonight : dig your own spa at Hot Water Beach under the stars of the Milky Way

Beyond Rotorua

Trash? or Treasure?

Hey kids, Don't do drugs!!!

Our mud-wrestling boys hanging out with Sarah (from Berlin)

Rotorua & Beyond

The Old Bath House at Rotorua

Goldilocks?

Lunch break on the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula

Waihi beach cuddles

Waihi Beach walk

David's Space

Class 10 trip blog

Ok so the whole trip has been one amazing unforgettable moment after another getting in probably the coldest waters and hottest but when asked my favorite part I would have to say the snow. The incredible unpredictable weather, waking up and having the surprise of a hot sunny day where little layers were needed or the soft cold blizzard which kept us snowed in with the comfort of hot chocolates our own home made moose and many games of pool. Of course skiing and snowboarding were so much fun. Just being out on those slops and watching one after another stack it (including myself), snowball fights, being kids with no worries and just being able to forget about any problems.

David

Nick Harrison's Space

Class 10 Trip Blog

My favourite aspect of the trip would have to be the snow. Petulant dwarves (in great little blue uniforms) aside, both the trip to and the snow itself were great. I haven’t been to snow before but I still had a great time learning to ski (sort of) and fooling around in the snow, we even built huge snow trenches and pillboxes for snowball fights. After we went to ski lessons in the morning we filled in time by drinking Milo, getting poisoned by the fake snow and getting up early in the morning to go to the top of a ridge to get a good view. Despite being in ‘pre-school’ as Phil, who keeps accusing me of supporting the All Blacks and having a handbag (it is a Bob Marley satchel Phil, a s-a-t-c-h-e-l), calls it I still liked the experience. When we were there we had snowball fights with lifties and lived in the cafe, which is what our class does all the time. Still, I think the best thing about being the snow was finally being able to say the snow gear I bought in Australia had a legitimate use.

N.A.P. Harrison

P.S. New Zealand police are just as bad as ours.

Sebastian's Space

Blog entry 21….
Codename “chill zone”

The team arrived at the thermal pools soon after having a go at directing a ten meter fiberglass and wood canoe. If you know the class I need not explain how it went…

A Large part of the class was too tired to sit in 30-40 degree water filled with natural minerals and what not. (Personally I preferred it because it left the place empty for me to chill.) Instead they stayed in the café being bored to death while the rest of us chilled. The logic escaped me.

Anyway. I personally spent about an hour dozing in a pool specially made to look out over a paddock that had a few sheep grazing. All in all pretty good right???

Well it gets better.

The specific pool I chose had no other living things other than some tacky tropical plants and some tiny birds that seemed to hang around a lot.

That was my favourite part of the trip and was needed to relieve the intense stress of a holiday/class trip.

If you were here you would know what I mean…

Sebastian loyzaga

a.k.a. relaxed blob in the water…

Rotarua Geo-Thermal Landscape (part 2)

"God, this sulphur really STINKS!!!"

"ChampagnePool" - part of the thermal landscape. Not for drinking.

Glop. Glop. Glop. Boiling pool of mud

Soaking at Waikite Valley after visiting the thermal lanscape

Rotarua Geo-Thermal Landscape (part 1)

Waiting for the Lady Knox Geyser to erupt

Thar she blows!!!!

Part of the "Artists Palette" at WAI-O-TAPU

Stefan's Space (part 5)

Day 12 (1/8/2010 – Sunday)

Today we all drove over to Taupo for a free day. The kids took off to check out the shops or cinema while Phil & I played a round of golf & capped it off with a trip to the local geo-thermal pool. Five hours without any teenagers around… YEEHAH!!!

Stefan

Otukou Marae to Rotarua

Ice-creams to celebrate our defrost

First Class transportation

The 14 seater Waka (giant Maori canoe)

Get your oars up for Rotarua

A team effort

Jacob's Space

After an exhausting and cold experience rafting down the Tongariro River,and then almost burning of our skin off in the local hot pools, we arrived back to our designated camp at the Marae. We were completely worn out. Though that wouldn’t and didn’t stop 10 of us guys (and 2 girls) playing a very physical game of Rugby on the sacred grass outside the Marae. After an accidental fist into my face that resulted in a bleeding mouth, then after 8 great tries the game was decided by a beautiful intercept by Stefan (a late addition to the losing side) finishing the match 5 tries to 4. Good job Stefan! Lifting up the footy spirit I begged Stefan to let me go to the pub with Patrice, to watch the Eels smash the Roosters… What the rest of the night had in store was somewhat different to the ‘expected’. Stefan came up with an interesting idea which was to take all of us to the RSA, ‘The Retired Services Association’ to watch the game together. Thanks Stefan! I was irrationally excited as the rest of the night would prove. We arrived at the RSA an hour before the game began and suddenly realized that yes, we were the only people in this building under the age of 72. One man who I was talking to at half time, went on to tell me 3 times, on different occasions that he was 102. Apparently time doesn’t have the best effect on memory. At one stage during the night there was another unexpected occurrence… Nick Harrison (who has beaten me a million times at pool) was challenged by a little 9 year old boy (who was previously in the restaurant which was attached to the side of the club) to a game of pool. Nick had a large grin as he broke which was soon swiped across his face as young Troy hit 3 balls in on his first go. To Nick’s dismay and utter shock, Troy went on to win with flying numbers against Nick, who was almost 4 times Troy’s height. How embarrassing Nick! Though he was probably only half as embarrassed as I was, walking in with my Eel’s jersey and scarf, telling everyone I was 95% sure the Eel’s would massacre the Rooster’s, when in reality it was the Rooster’s who would be doing all the massacring! 42-12. Those numbers will continue to haunt me I’m sure. Anyway, after me being completely crushed to pieces after the game and everyone else being exhausted from a big day, hours of Doppel Kopf (a German card game), snooker, and pool everyone was a little surprised at Stefan’s and Phil’s decision to stay back late to watch the All Blacks do the haka and then get smashed by Australia. So we thought. It all seemed like disappointment after disappointment as we watched in horror as the All Blacks completely dominated the whole game! First my team then my country! All I could do was drown out my sorrows by comfort eating through 2 bowls of wedges and 5 bottles of Lemon and Lime Bitters… Luckily I had my good old friends to comfort and cheer me up in an otherwise disappointing night. Though I’m sure the Eel’s will come back next week on their charge to the finals. Peace out and Go the Eel’s!

Jacob (our latest addition to the class, the son of the Parramatta Eel’s CEO)

White Water Rafting

First raft in the water - all dry so far

Two rafts down - not wet yet...

Third raft at the end of the journey - Not so dry...

Raft four - very wet

Defrosting in the Takoona hot pools :)

Arriving at the Marae

A fantastic view of lake Taupo

Our Queens for the Day

The Marae at Otukou

Rubbing noses with the Elders

The Elders share some of their stories with us

Imogen's Space

Imogen’s space

On the 31^st July, day 11 of the class trip, the countdown began. Waking up at 6:15, freezing feet already, frost on the grass, and cold water to wash with, we got ready for white water rafting. I thought my feet couldn’t get colder, wearing two pairs of socks on the bus ride there, but I was wrong, an unlikely occurrence. The drive there was dismal, the sun had barely risen, leaving all the grasses and shrubs in a covering of white ice. Things didn’t look up. We got there, and it was wetsuit time. Due to my accident skiing, my knee was a tad screwed up. Putting on the wetsuit was a challenge, with two bandages on under my thermals, I gently pulled the wetsuit on. After a while, it was on, and I looked sexy if I say so myself… not really, wetsuits are not made to look good unfortunately. We all looked rather hilarious! Also added to my ensemble, was a knee strap, which Stefanie kindly leant me. After we were all rugged up, two fleece tops, waterproof top over, and wetsuit booties, we took to the road. After arriving at lake Taupo from the white water rafting headquarters, we got into teams, and had a little practice run. I was unfortunate enough to be stuck with: Joaquin, Julian, Emma, Akael, Meg, Jess, and our instructor Ben. Poor Ben... he was stuck with me up the back, squealing with pain and delight. On the first rapid, it was a very small one too, someone fell out. It was not her fault, for the guide had just recently come out of a 4 year retirement, and this day being his first back. Poor Emily fell out, onto a rock sneakily hidden out of her instructors view. We went through 65 rapids, all putting me in pain. Although I did enjoy the rafting, each time we went through a rapid, my bad knee would be knocked around, and it would hurt. It was silly of me for going! A lot us complained of the cold. I must agree, my feet had no feeling left in them! They were freeeeeeeeeeeeeezing!!!!!! Sitting in the cold 5⁰C water the whole 2 hours of rafting, you can only imagine the feeling we had left in them… NOTHING! Poor Ben and the others in my boat were subjected to… ME. I was screaming and squealing, shouting, complaining, but I was not the only one. But I must say I was the loudest J My group was nick-named the SCREAM TEAM, and Stef’s group, the YEE-HA’s! Akael rather enjoyed himself, feeling at home in the water, being the duck he is. Once the 2 hours of screaming and pain was up, we jumped into the water and carried the rafts over our head, out of the water. Then the bus ride back to headquarters, and we could finally get out of the wetsuits. Many were freezing their asses off, chattering teeth was all to be heard on the journey back. But they gave us some hot tomato soup with bread before we made our way over to the deliciously warm Takoona Hot Pools to defrost.

Imy x:)x

The last of Ruapehu in pictures

Class 10 on the morning of our departure from Whakapapa ski area (day 10)

Our rockstars coming into the limelight

Looking a little snow blown on Friday morning

Impressions from the top of mt Ruapehu

Mount Ngauruhoa (aka Mount Doom) on our way out

Claire's Space (part 2)

We arrived at the marae near lunch time (we got there sooner than I predicted) as soon as I got out of the bus I saw the great mountains behind the buildings. It is such a beautiful place, the flat plains rising into the great snow capped mountains.

I was nervous because I knew we had to perform a song to the Maori elders and exchange gifts. We started, the girls went first through the gates but we had to sit at the back. The Maori elders first said their speeches and songs, and then us. Daniel got up and was one of the speakers for our class, he said his speech and then sat down. Then Meghan said her speech and gave the gift, then sat down. All the girls got up and we did the song, it was quite good, the elders were humming along which was a great sign. We sat down and they did another song. They asked us to get up and we did the nose rub one at a time.

Claire

Stefan's space (part 4)

Day 9

We are blessed with sun for the entire day and I organize a guide for a dedicated team to venture to Crater Lake near the summit of Mt Ruapehu (2755m).

At 1pm we meet our guide, John, at the base station and get equipped with avalanche tracking devices, shovels and probers. We catch several chairlifts and t-bars to get to the highest slope in NZ. But instead of skiing down we take our jackets off , shoulder our boards or skis and start our ascent to Crater Lake.

The view is breathtaking , so is the climb. We march on. Claire shows great determination and when her shin starts hurting half way up she soldiers on, the mountain is calling.

After 1 hour and 25 minutes we reach the top of the saddle and the peak comes into sight. The walking suddenly becomes easier, we are almost there, we’ve almost made it… finally the crater lake appears. The water is steaming (30 degrees Celsius) surrounded by ice and snow and there is a subtle sulfur fragrance in the air.

A drink of water, a chocolate bar, a group photo, another look around and we turn back, this time on skis and we challenge ourselves with runs on icy patches and free terrain skiing.

At 5 pm we get back to our hut, happy, tired, inspired and ready for a shower. My compliments to those kids going the extra mile in this incredible landscape and especially to Claire, who is holding the flag high for the girls.

The long road up (part 2)

Claire on her way up

Josh & Nick at the crater lake

The Team: Joaquin (Sebastian's brother), Claire, Stefan, Josh, Jaiden, Elias

John (our guide) in front of the second highest peak