Exotic Destinations > Travel Tales > The Intrepids Down Under

The Intrepids Down Under

By John Clark

Our group of 30 intrepids from Humber Valley United Church, Toronto, traveled to New Zealand and Australia plus some to Tasmania during November, 2005. The itinerary was coordinated by Gabriela Enriquez and Marijke Oudegeest of Exotic Destinations Inc. Warm summer-like breezes and fragrant colorful blossoms greeted us everywhere. We were impressed with the down-under people, who were extremely friendly and had a warm sense of humor. The food was outstanding, the wine was excellent and the scenery was spectacular. Our experiences on the trip were varied and numerous:

• Sailing in Auckland harbor
• The Rotorua Maori hangi feast and concert, plus glow worm caves
• The art deco city of Napier
• The bee-hive parliament buildings and museum in Wellington
• The southern alps, Christchurch and the Canterbury plains, with lupins
• Spectacular Queenstown and scenic Milford Sound
• Cairns, swimming at the Great Barrier Reef and visiting the rain forest
• Sailing in Sydney harbor, the opera house, Darling harbor
• The street car dinner in Melbourne and the Anzac war memorial
• Seeing the penguins parade

Joan and Roy Carscadden hosted a lovely reunion dinner for 25 of our travelers on Jan. 25, 2006. We all enjoyed seeing the thousands of digital pictures and reliving our trip.

Our resident poet, Carol Zachar, summed up the experience of our wonderful trip, in the following poem:

An Ode to the Land of the Kiwi

A glorious sunrise – a “sea of fire” –
Was our greeting to a distant land
A Maori toast of welcome “Kyora” to New Zealand
Harbor lights on busy coastal cities
People bustling on their appointed rounds
Taking the time to welcome us
To their very rugged land!
Driving through the countryside
We are being treated to –
Rolling hills, fertile valleys
– pastoral symphony –
– in bucolic harmony!
Crossing on the ferry from the north –
Lakes, mountains and forests await us!
Dairy and sheep farming prosper –
Blossoming grape on the vine –
Have become the scenario
As we wend our way down the line.
The Canterbury Plains – so peaceful – so serene –
On we travel through rugged wind-swept mountains
Mount Cook appears in all its splendor
Amidst the awesome Southern Alps.
Lupins abound in glorious color
In the surrounding fields and hillsides!
We are now in the High Country
The “Lindis Pass” is truly majestic
Mountains on each side of us – in front and behind –
“Truly humbling”
A lively mountain town – “Queenstown”
Up very steep hill and down!
A panoramic feast of mountain vista
A day to remember – a day in November!
From great height – waterfalls over rock
“GOD’S TEARS” –Truly a granite cathedral!
GOD is in His Holy temple!
Good friends meeting for dinner
For a final, fond farewell –
Some going to other places –
Others going home!
As Tiny Tim would say –
“God Bless us, every one”
A FOND FAREWELL TO THE LAND OF THE KIWI!