Happy Independence Day from all of us! Just wanted to let you know that the hotel internet hasn't allowed me to publish yesterday's blog. It's ready to go, complete with pictures, which are the hold-up, I think. Anyway, I'll post it as soon as I can. Reminder: no internet for the next couple of days. If I can send text through my phone, I will.
We had a full day of varied activities. We started out by meeting with Council member Trevor Maxwell. He is responsible for cultural exchange and tourism. He shared that all of the tribes in New Zealand stem from seven original tribes. Tourism has become a major component of Rotorua's economy. I was very proud of our students. They asked good questions and had good discussions with the councilman. Then we went to the Blue Bath for a swim. The water was fed by the springs and was nice and warm. We pretty much had the pool to ourselves. We also had lunch at the Blue Bath dining room. It was a variety tea sandwiches that were very tasty. On our way to the Waimangu Volcanic Valley we stopped at Waiotapu geothermal pool which had bubbling mud. It was so funny to watch the mud spurting up all over the pool. We hiked through the Waimangu Valley and saw Frying Pan Lake, Echo Crater and Inferno Crater Lake. It is such beautiful country. We learned a Maori song to sing dur...
Our last day adventure in New Zealand was spent on the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings set. The farm where the filming was done is absolutely beautiful. It looks so peaceful with the sheep grazing all around it. Basically, the lodgings were empty shells, with nothing in the interiors. But, the details in the exteriors were amazing. Even though I'm not a fan of the movies, it was a pretty neat experience. The site is a 1250 acre sheep and beef farm with 39 Hobbit Holes. At the end of the tour we were treated to a mug of ginger beer. Our last night of lodging is in Hamilton, and it will be a very short night. We have to stay in Hamilton, about 2 hours from Auckland, because all the hotels are booked up for tonight's game. I know many of the students want to see at least the beginning haki of the All Blacks game. How much of the game they actually see will be determined, as we are leaving the hotel at 4:00 a.m to get to the airport. As you can see, I'm up-to-date in pictures ...
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