...since we arrived in Auckland? As you can tell from the pictures, we have already enjoyed so many kind people and interesting places. From blue waters to green hiking-- a.k.a 'tramping'- trails, our first week comes to an end with each of us anxious for more!
Tuesday March 22, 2011
At 7AM, we gave our second presentation to the Downtown Rotary at the Northern Club on Princes St. A nice visit at Fisher & Paykel manufacturing plant gave us a chance to see Michael in his engineering element. We had lunch with the New Market Rotary at the Ellerslie Racecourse Convention Centre, the third largest club in the district, with 110-115 members and distributing $200K to local charities annually. Thank you to Colin and Louise and Harry and Rosemary for taking us to an elegant evening at the Sky Tower restaurant.
Wednesday March 23, 2011
Graeme once again dropped some of us off at rendevous point, this time at the stunning Cornwall Park. Peter, Robin and Ann greeted us with a traditional "Kia Ora," the Maori words for "Hello" and "Goodbye". We walked around the park, then to One Tree Hill to see the obelisk and the spot that was once occupied by the great one tree. Mount Eden, another volcanic cone- 58 total in and around Auckland- is closer to the harbour adjacent to a deep crater. A "trig point" was at the summit, a surveyor's tool to measure distances between summit points. We also mused over an old Direction Table.....let's all remember the surveyors, "For their work continueth great beyond their knowing." Auckland Museum had many interesting Maori artifacts, but of great interest were the Goldie paintings and the expressions that made us all wonder. A quick lunch and sailing beneath the Auckland Harbour Bridge (and the line of bungee jumpers), then a tour of the Maritime Museum. We also learned about Peter Blakey's adventures that led to the 1995 America's Cup win and his untimely death.
What a day- but within our busy pursuits, time to reflect on how prevalent Rotary is in the world. While sailing today, we met one of the volunteer crewman who mentioned hosting an exchange student from San Angelo, Texas (Jennifer's hometown), and we quickly made the association-- was she a Rotary exchange student? And from there, an instant friendship was made!
Tuesday March 22, 2011
At 7AM, we gave our second presentation to the Downtown Rotary at the Northern Club on Princes St. A nice visit at Fisher & Paykel manufacturing plant gave us a chance to see Michael in his engineering element. We had lunch with the New Market Rotary at the Ellerslie Racecourse Convention Centre, the third largest club in the district, with 110-115 members and distributing $200K to local charities annually. Thank you to Colin and Louise and Harry and Rosemary for taking us to an elegant evening at the Sky Tower restaurant.
Wednesday March 23, 2011
Graeme once again dropped some of us off at rendevous point, this time at the stunning Cornwall Park. Peter, Robin and Ann greeted us with a traditional "Kia Ora," the Maori words for "Hello" and "Goodbye". We walked around the park, then to One Tree Hill to see the obelisk and the spot that was once occupied by the great one tree. Mount Eden, another volcanic cone- 58 total in and around Auckland- is closer to the harbour adjacent to a deep crater. A "trig point" was at the summit, a surveyor's tool to measure distances between summit points. We also mused over an old Direction Table.....let's all remember the surveyors, "For their work continueth great beyond their knowing." Auckland Museum had many interesting Maori artifacts, but of great interest were the Goldie paintings and the expressions that made us all wonder. A quick lunch and sailing beneath the Auckland Harbour Bridge (and the line of bungee jumpers), then a tour of the Maritime Museum. We also learned about Peter Blakey's adventures that led to the 1995 America's Cup win and his untimely death.
What a day- but within our busy pursuits, time to reflect on how prevalent Rotary is in the world. While sailing today, we met one of the volunteer crewman who mentioned hosting an exchange student from San Angelo, Texas (Jennifer's hometown), and we quickly made the association-- was she a Rotary exchange student? And from there, an instant friendship was made!
