By MARK DOMEIER
Staff Writer
If you encounter someone from the NRHEG area who greets you with “Kia Ora (pronounced key-or-ah),” they were likely part of a group that recently took a trip to New Zealand and Australia. In New Zealand, “Kia Ora” is used as a greeting, wishing good health, or saying thank you.
NRHEG teacher Theresa Buendorf led a group of 46 people from our area, including a few from the USC school district, on a 12-day trip through EF Tours, which specializes in educational trips to foreign countries. Excitement had been building for the past year and a half from the time all those people had signed on for the adventure of a lifetime.
The group left in the wee hours of the morning of June 11, heading to MSP Airport to depart at 6 a.m. After landing in Los Angeles, they had a long layover, so EF Tours arranged a bus trip and tour of the Hollywood Walk of Fame to see the stars embedded in the sidewalk, as well as a visit to Mann’s Chinese Theater, famous for its showings of movies when they are first released, most notably the original “Star Wars.” Though it was quite foggy that day, the travelers from Minnesota were able to see the famous Hollywood sign up on the hill.
Once the Qantas Airlines flight left LA at 9:15 p.m., many passengers were exhausted and slept for much of the 14+ hour flight. They had to land in Brisbane, Australia, to catch a connecting flight to Auckland, New Zealand, where they met their tour guide, Shane. Shane was a veteran of EF Tours and stayed with the group the entire trip, until they boarded a plane bound back for the United States.
New Zealand - The Minnesotans stayed in the town of Rotorua for two nights. There was a distinguishable scent in the air from the sulfur thermal pits in the area. The smell was heightened by the persistent rain and clouds the first full day there, though it was the only day of the trip with rain. The group got to do a walk through a local redwood tree area and visit a jade carving shop. They walked around the sulfur thermal area in the Waka village and learned much of the native culture. That day also featured a gondola ride up to the local mountains.
During a trip to the Agrodome, everyone watched a sheep and dog show, which was quite entertaining. Recent NRHEG grads got to be part of the show. Kia Buendorf engaged in an auction for one of the sheep and “won” with a “bid” of $5,000, much to her mother’s chagrin. Payton Bunn helped feed a lamb a bottle of milk, and McKenzie Mueller milked a cow. The crew ended the day at a traditional Maori feast as they engaged in even more culture of the native people to the area.
After leaving Rotorua, a bus was taken to Hobbiton, where the famous “Lord of the Rings” movies were filmed. It was a perfect day to walk about and visit the 44 Hobbit holes that had been created, along with the brilliant landscaping. The tour finished with a stop at the Green Dragon Inn, made famous in J.R.R. Tolkien’s books upon which the movies were based. Driving back to Auckland, everyone climbed Mount Eden and took a bus tour of the city with Craig, who was their driver the entire time in New Zealand and was quite entertaining.
Sydney - Another plane was boarded to head to Sydney, Australia, where everyone spent three evenings. There was much exploring of the area near the hotel, with lots of places to eat and to see the rush of the big city.
The first full day involved a bus tour of Sydney, with many places for great pictures, including Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair, Bondi Park, and the Gap Park. A ferry was taken to Circular Quay before a visit to the National Opal Museum, Sydney Tower, St. Mary’s Cathedral, and the Hyde Park Barracks Museum.
The second day there had people counting a lot of steps, as most of the day was spent on foot. A visit to the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a big part of that, as it took over 200 steps to get to the top and see the architectural wonder at the Pylon Lookout Museum. A brief stop at Luna Park was made with a couple of amusement park rides before another ferry ride to get to some jet boat trips in the harbour. The highlight of the day was the Sydney Opera House, with a behind-the-scenes tour of the iconic structure.
Cairns - The final stop on the trip was to Cairns (pronounced Cans), with three more nights spent there. Being in the Southern Hemisphere, Australia was in its winter season, though most of the trip thus far had seen temps in the upper 50s and low 60s. Cairns is closer to the Equator, and the temperatures were in the high 70s and low 80s.
The EF group got a boat ride out to the Great Barrier Reef and got to snorkel if they wished, seeing and exploring part of the reef. Many of the travelers also signed up to go on an extended tour with a marine biologist; they sighted puffer fish, eels, and turtles. Some also took advantage of glass-bottom boat tours for another look at the pristine water and marine life.
The final day of touring saw everyone take a gondola ride on the Rainforest Skyrail. They explored the rainforest and eventually got to the Kuranda Village. Some went to the Koala Gardens, with a few of the tour group getting a chance to actually hold a koala. The last stop was the Rainforest Station to watch some traditional aboriginal shows and learn skills like spear throwing, playing the didgeridoo, and throwing a boomerang, the last of which everyone got a chance to try.
Exhausted but happy, everyone arrived back in Minnesota early on June 23, having traveled across more time zones than they could keep track of and getting ready to readjust to Minnesota's time and weather. Much was learned, a lot of fun was had, and all involved found it truly life-changing.
So if you hear “Kia Ora,” you are invited to respond in kind. But you also might have to watch out if you’re in a wide-open area - many travelers purchased authentic boomerangs and are eager to get some practice in!