June 17, 2011
We started to head home in the U.S. at around 4 in the morning in Sydney to get on the flight home. We started Cairns to Sydney where we apart with our tour guide. Then we left Sydney to LA and that took 15 hours. Then from LA to Chicago, I was asleep most of the flight between LA to Chicago, and the entire time we spent flying was 25 hours that is a long time. After I got home it was 4 to 5 in the afternoon, and the rest of the day I just relaxed from my long flight.
June 7, 2011
We started off by loading on the bus to the airport to go to New Zealand, it was a long flight. We first stopped in LA to transfer to an international flight and that flight took about 13 hours, it was long. Most of the time I was either watching a movie, some TV, or reading my book, I didn’t get much sleep on the plane because it was uncomfortable. That is what the flight to Auckland, New Zealand.
June 14, 2011
The day started by flying to Cairns, when we arrived we went to the hotel. When we got to the hotel we got changed to got to a pool near a beach, we couldn’t go in the beach for one reason because the water was at low tide and there was 50 feet of sand between the water. We all had fun at the pool and later we went back to the hotel to get change and walk around the area. When we got back to the hotel for the night to get ready to go to the Great Barrier Reef in the morning.
June 16, 2011
During the Australia and New Zealand trip there was a lot of things I like and here are the top ten. Number 10; The Duck Tour, the Duck tour was fun because we learned how duck-boats were built and what they were used for, also the boat is also a car. Number 9; The Opal Museum, the Opal museum showed us how opal was created in the Earth, what types of opal are there, and they showed us a collection of opal. Number 8; The Hangi Dinner, it was a cultural dinner and it showed us many of the culture of the Maori people. Number 7; The Ogo,ogo is very similar to zorbing and the place had a stationary ride and it was a blast. Number 6; Luging, a luge is a non-motor go-cart and you go down a hill, it was pretty cool. Number 5; Meeting the New Zealand students, meeting the students and learning about how their school and grading system work is pretty neat. Number 4; Whaka, Whaka has some history of the Maori and we learned the properties of the geothermal mud and springs that are still used today. Number 3; The Sydney Aquarium, because we couldn’t go whale watching then some students and I went to the aquarium and saw all kinds of fish, some fish we saw were at the Great Barrier Reef. Number 2; The Sydney Wildlife World, there they had all kinds of animals including Kangaroos and Kolas. Finally number 1; The Great Barrier Reef, I saw so many types of fish and all kinds of coral, I even saw some squid, it was amazing. And those are my top 10 things I liked on the Australia and New Zealand trip.
We all took a train ride that could a few hours to get to, then we went and got some lunch. Then we took a bus to get us to this gondola that took us to the top of a mountain. After that a guide started talking about all the trees and animal that lived in the rain forest, and when we were all done we went to an Aboriginal park. At the park we saw a creation video about what the Aboriginal people believed and they showed us the tools they would of had and I got to throw a spear. After we got back to the hotel to spilt up into small group to go around the town, my group went an ate at a place talk Kani’s Restaurant, that is the same place where I had my kangaroo streak, and I had coral trout fillet and it was good. Then we started looking a round before we headed back to the hotel to get ready to go back to the U.S.
June 15, 2011
First everyone got on the boat and headed to the reef, on the way there the waves got really rocky. When we got to our destination we got ready to go snorkeling. When I got in the water it was like seeing a whole other world As soon as I looked into the water it was teeming with life, there was all kinds of fish, cora,, and plant life. I saw fishes of different colors, shape, and sizes, I even saw this huge fish near the scuba diver. I saw so many fish and coral, although at the bottom of the water it was covered with dead coral but the corals had amazing colors. After a good swim I went in for some food, I was freezing and the food was good. After I was done eating I went back into the water but due to the shrinking water levels I was unable to swim as much as before. While in the water I got to see some squid. Then we all got back on the boat and went back to shore, the reef was a lot of fun, I saw all kinds of fish I never knew about before and it was just so much fun that if I could do it again I would.
We left for the Great Barrier Reef, when we got on the boat it first headed to an island to drop some people off. After that we started heading to the reef, the waves were very rocky. When we got to the reef it was a lot of fun, there was all kinds of fish and marine life, we even got to hold a starfish. After a few hour we got back on the boat and back to the hotel to regroup, everyone got in their own little groups and travel the area. There I had kangaroo steak, it was good. Then we headed back to the hotel for lights out.
June 13, 2011
I believe that if I were to travel alone I would do quite well, I am good at organizing (packing), I am smart with my money, and I think I would do well if I know what I am doing. There are several things I would need to plan for ahead, pack every thing I would need, and not buy too much. First, I need to plan so I have to know where I am going, get my tickets, and book hotels, then I would need to know how much the trip would cost. Next, I would need to figure out what I would need to bring and how am I going to bring it all, I would make a list in order for me not to forget anything, then I need to know how to fit everything I would need into my bag. Finally, when I am at my destination I need to make sure I leave some money for food, and everything I buy I need to bring back so I should not buy a lot of things. If I follow all these steps then I would have a very successful trip to other countries, other states, or even other cites, and if I don’t do everything I need to do then it is going to be one long trip.
Because of the rain I was unable to go whale watching so instead we went to a mall. We then left to go get something to eat at the market place we were in the other day. Then everyone but six people, including me, went climbing the Sydney Bridge. The rest of us went to the Sydney Aquarium, we saw sharks, fish, and we even went on a glass bottom boat. Then we went to the Sydney Harbor to see the light show it was cool. We then got back to the hotel to get ready for the flight to Cairns the next morning.
June 12, 2011
I have faced many challenges on this trip if it maybe trying new things, living in the moment, or being a little more social. The first challenge is trying new things, even though I have tried some new things I feel as if I could have done better. Another challenge I face is I need to live in the moment and have fun, I feel that I have been taking to many pictures and I feel that I am not getting into some of the activities. Finally, another challenge I face is that I don’t really talk to people that much. Even though there are some challenges there are also some improvements like learning more about a culture and starting to try new things. Something that was positive was learning more about the countries’ culture and society. Also, another thing that I learned was the properties of the geothermal springs and the mud pools. Finally, I have started to try new things like kiwi, but I haven’t tried somethings like veggie mite. All trips have their ups and downs, their comforts and challenges, and in order to enjoy traveling you need to enjoy the little things in life and push though the challenges, that is what a true traveler does.
We went to a cliff, then we went to the opera house to find some food, but we were only able to find food on the other side of the harbor. After everyone had ate we went on a cruise ship tour of the harbor. When we got off we went to the Sydney Wildlife World where we saw kangaroos, koalas, crocodiles and all kinds of animals, it was fun. We also ate at the Wildlife World and the food was good. Then after we ate we headed back to the hotel for the night.
June 11, 2011
Sydney is an amazing city, but it is very similar to Chicago, they both have harbors and they both have famous landmarks. Both cities, and maybe most cities, have a harbor and the cities use the harbors to import/export supplies. Also, both cities have landmarks like Sydney has the Sydney Bridge, the Sydney opera house, and the Sydney Tower while Chicago has the Willis Tower, originally the Sear Tower, both cities have very famous landmarks. While both cities have some similarities they also have differences. Some of the differences Sydney and Chicago have is that Sydney has a Market and different kinds of transportation. Sydney has a market instead of a mall, where they sell food and gifts that are made in Australia. Also, Sydney has different kinds of transportations, while some of the transportations of Sydney and Chicago are similar like taxis, cars, and subways they also have different kinds as well for instance Sydney has monorails, trains on one metal beam that it uses to propel its self forward, and Sydney uses boats like cruises and motorboats to take people from one side of a body of water to another. While Sydney and Chicago have some differences and similarities all cities are special in their own way, if it may be a famous skyscraper or a type of food all cities have something that makes them different.
We got on to a plane to Australia and when we got off we start walking though Sydney. We went to the Sydney tower and you could see a lot of Sydney’s famous buildings. After that we went to the opal museum to learn how opal is created and what kinds of opal are there. After we finished we did some sight seeing at the Sydney Harbor. We then check out the market and saw so much stuff. While we were there it started to rain and the guide, a few kids, and I went on the subway, while everyone else walked though the rain, back to the hotel.
June 10, 2011
After we all had got up and had breakfast we went on a hike thought the Redwoods forest in the pouring rain. I was wet and cold but it was worth seeing the beautiful forest. After we got back to the hotel we were all wet and cold and everyone was trying to warm themselves up. After we all got our stuff together and got on the bus we started heading to Auckland to see our pen pals. It was a lot of fun to meet the New Zealand students and learn what their school is like. I also learn that when they get old enough they need to go though three stages to get their driver’s licenses. My pen pal and I talked about our grading system and we talked about the tests we take. After we all ate everyone was taught the hanki. Then we got a personal tour though their school, their school is pretty big. I had a lot of fun seeing the school and getting to know my pen pal some more.
After we got ready we went on a hike though the Redwoods, in the pouring rain. We had to take two buses because the group was so big. Then we got back to the hotel to warm up and get our things together to go to Auckland. We took a bus to Auckland to see our pen pals, we ate, we talk, and we even learned the hanki. We got a tour of their school and were sent back to the hotel to get ready for Australia the next day.
June 9, 2011
We learn a lot about the Maori culture, like their history, their beliefs, and their way of life. While in Whakarewarewa we learn that the Maori people had used and still use the geothermal springs to cook their foods, bathe, and it is use as a type of herbal medicine. Also, the Maori people use the geothermal mud pools for healing process, for instance the mud is use to treat arthrodesis, not cure it, and other medical condition, also, it is good for the skin. We also learned about how the Maori people made their buildings to the human body, like the windows are the eyes, the door is the mouth, the support beam is the heart, etc. Also, we learned about the previous guides and how they became famous. A lot has happen in Whakarewarewa and we learned a lot about the Maori culture. After Whakarewarewa, we went back to the hotel to get ready for the Maori dinner. The hotel was doing a Maori culture dinner, there was all kinds of foods like chicken, pork, lamb, rice, noodles, and some desserts. After we ate there was a bunch of music and dancing. They also told stories and it was a lot of fun. We learned so much about their culture and their traditions and had a lot of fun learning about the Maori people.
After breakfast and everyone was ready we went on a duck tour, a duck is a bout with wheels. We learned what they were used for, how they were built, and how many are left. We went to two lakes and learned about those lakes. After the duck tour we went to Whakarearewa, there we learned a ll about the Maori culture and about the geothermal springs. After that we went to the Agrodome, there they showed us all the types of sheep they have. Later, we went ogoing, which is like zorbing, there is this big ball with a smaller ball that you go into and you roll down a hill it was a lot of fun. Then the group and I went back the hotel to have a traditional Maori dinner. There was all kinds of food, then Steven Fletcher was our chief for the night, there was music and dancing and it was fun. And when it was over we went to our rooms to go to bed.
June 8, 2011
My first impression of New Zealand was that there is a lot of fun things to do and that this is going to be a interesting trip. The flight to New Zealand was long but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Then we landed in Auckland and took a bus tour to Rotorua. We did some sightseeing around the area. Then we took a gondola ride to the top of a mountain where the group and I went luging, luge is like a go-cart only difference is there is no motor and you use the slope of the hill to move. After that we went to Mountain Jade, which is a jewel store that sells jade stones, where we learn the process of turning a jade stone into an amazing jewel design. After that we went to the hotel to drop our stuff off. Because of the geothermal springs, sulfur is release into the air making the area smell like rotten eggs. Finally, we went to get some dinner, then to a grocery store to get anything we might need while we are there and then back to the hotel. In the little time I have been in New Zealand I have notice many cultural differences like New Zealand uses geothermal as one of its power source. Also, New Zealander drive on the left side of the road instead of the right. Lastly, the native inhabitants’ tradition and culture is still practiced today.
There are differences and similarities between many countries like, for example, New Zealand and America. America and New Zealand have a few differences and similarities when it comes to their cooking and preparation techniques. First, New Zealanders traditional cook by using under ground ovens or geothermal areas, like hot springs, while Americans use grilles or fires to cook their food. Another different, New Zealanders cooked some foods on special occasions, like the hangi, Americans cook anything at any time, like hamburgers, hotdogs, and turkey. Even though the two countries do have some different cooking techniques they also have similarities like both countries have restaurants that cook and prepare the food. Many countries have differences and similarities that are effect by their culture and culture diffusion that created the many types of cooking techniques.
While traveling to a new country I am excited about trying new foods and seeing what make our food and their so different.
