Jamie Sample, biology teacher at Kosciusko High School, served as group leader for a 12-day tour to Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, with EF (Education First) Tours.
Those touring from Kosciusko were Adrian Cotton, Leobardo Cruz, Jonathan Cruz, Garrett Dickerson, Connie England, Melissa Gowan, Shana Gowan, Tyshika Hawthorne, Audrey Claire Henderson, Jerren Jackson, Jenny Jones, Sara Bailey Jones, Abigail Myers, Jane Myers, Destiny Roby, Katie Tigner, Crystal Wiley and Makayla Wiley. Angela and Lea Dudte from Biloxi and Sam Sample from Ebenezer also traveled with the group.
The group arrived in Auckland, New Zealand, on day 3 of the trip because they crossed the International Date Line and lost a day. The tour director for the group was Anja Soll.
New Zealand is known as the Land of the Long White Cloud. The frigid air was quite a shock to the group coming from the 100-degree weather of Mississippi. The group traveled to Rotorua, home to the Maori people, which has a distinct sulfur odor in the air. Rotorua is located in a geothermal area, and steam rises from the lakes and escapes from vents in the ground.
The next day, the travelers made a stop at Agroventures where the students enjoyed seeing native farm animals and enjoyed rides like The Sweeb, Swoob and the Freefall.
While in New Zealand, the group toured a jade factory. New Zealand is known for this gemstone. The factory had a two-ton boulder of jade displayed in its showroom. The guide told the travelers that if any of them could lift the rock, they could take it home with them.
Next, the explorers went on a fascinating tour through the geothermal wonders of the Whakarewarewa village with a Maori guide. The group saw bubbling pools of mud, crystal clear springs of hot mineral water, geysers and richly-colored craters. The travelers learned about Maori legends and tribal customs and saw where they cooked their meals by thermal heat in a large underground pit. They also observed the Maori outdoor communal bath that is fed by hot mineral water springs.
Later the trekkers rode the Skyline Gondola for an aerial excursion up Mt. Ngongotaha for lunch and a picturesque view of the lake and township of Rotorua. Many of the travelers enjoyed a luge ride all the way down the mountain. Later, a duck, an amphibious vehicle built during WWII, picked them up for a tour of Rotorua. The sightseers toured Rotorua and then went out on two lakes.
That evening, some of the group enjoyed being pampered in the hot springs mineral water at the Polynesian Spa in Rotorua, listed as one of the top 10 spas in the world.
One afternoon, although it was very cold, many of the students enjoyed the OGO where they rolled downhill inside a huge clear ball, either individually or in pairs. The students wore swimwear and a bucket of warm water was added to the ball to keep them warm.
One evening the vacationers were treated to a Hangi dinner by the Maori people at their village. The Maori performed native songs and dances and served food that was prepared in geothermal underground pits. Some of the girls learned dances of the Maori women, while the males learned how to do the “Haka,” which is the Maori war dance where they bulge out their eyes, stick out their tongues, scream and slap their bodies in an attempt to intimidate their enemies.
The next day the troop traveled to Auckland, New Zealand, built atop seven extinct volcanoes. Travelers stopped by the Agrodome to watch an entertaining sheep-shearing demonstration and see the 17 breeds of New Zealand sheep.
A highlight of the trip was the tour of the Hobbiton Film Set, where “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” were filmed. It was amazing to see the beautiful little hobbit houses and the little gardens surrounding them.
Next, the voyagers flew to Sydney, Australia. They visited an opal factory and learned that an opal is a fossil and is the national gemstone.
That afternoon, the adventurers traveled to the observation deck of the amazing Sydney Tower. At 1,063 feet, it is the tallest building south of the equator. From the deck the sightseers received a panoramic view of the entire city. At the tower the travelers were treated to a 3D virtual ride that showed the awe-inspiring scenery of Australia.
On day two the tourists took a guided tour of Sydney. They learned about its early days as a land for exiled convicts. They rode through the historic Rocks area, where the first fleet of European settlers landed in 1788. Built on a sandstone foundation, from which the area gets its name, today the Rocks serves as a cultural and historical meeting place for Sydney locals and visitors alike.
After the tour, the group made a stop at Bondi Beach. The adventurers hiked to The Gap, which is an ocean cliff that overlooks the point where Captain Arthur Phillip’s fleet first entered Port Jackson to establish the settlement that became Australia. Next the voyagers boarded a boat for a cruise around beautiful Sydney Harbour. The cruise ended at Sydney Wildlife World in Darling Harbour. They also toured the Sydney Aquarium.
The travelers were treated to a tour of the Sydney Opera, getting to see the sets and the workings back stage. The roofline of the Opera House is designed to suggest the sails of a ship. That evening half the group treated themselves to a performance at the famous Sydney Opera House, while the other half watched the premier of “Finding Dory.”
The highlight of the trip to Sydney was the whale watching tour. About eight whales swam alongside the boat for about two hours. When the boat turned around to head back to the harbor, one whale flipped over on his back and slapped his tail in the water over and over until we were out of sight.
Our trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park was truly amazing. Students spent a half day there getting up close and personal with Australian animals, such as kangaroos, wallabies and koalas. The travelers got a comprehensive lesson in the Learning Burrow, an outdoor amphitheater designed to complement most high school curricula. The education officer gave live lessons with four of the endemic Australian animals, informing students about their habitats, behaviors and nutritional needs.
Last the group flew to Fiji. They visited a local village and toured the school. The Fijian students and teachers had huge smiles and were very friendly.
The Fijians showed how they made their pottery and crafts and showed their customs, including songs and dances. The travelers enjoyed dancing with the Fijians and kneading the pottery mud with their feet. Next, the travelers were divided into groups of approximately six and were taken to individual Fijian houses and treated to lunch of their native cuisine. The group was surprised to see how poor these people were with no furniture in their homes and grass mats on the floors. Nevertheless, hospitality was experienced, and visiting the village was really one of the most memorable experiences on the entire trip.
On the last day in Fiji, the vacationers spent a beachcomber day on relaxing Tivua Island. They were ferried to the island and welcomed by a group of Fijians with many shouts of “Bula” (pronounced, “Boo’lah”), the Fijian greeting. There were many exciting activities on the island such as snorkeling, scuba diving and even glass-bottomed boats for viewing the sea life around the coral reefs. The Fijians treated them to grilled fish and entertained them with a game of volley ball and massages. It was hard to believe that just a little over 200 years ago, the Fijian people were cannibals even feasting on European explorer James Cook.
