tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74046663631825283702024-03-05T18:13:24.621-08:00It's All About Me and my StudentsThis blog began in 2009 as I journeyed through Spain with 16 Memorial HS on the NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC STUDENT EXPEDITIONS summer school photo program. The blogging has been a huge success.
2010 TANZANIA, AFRICA
2011- NEW ZEALAND/FIJI,
2012 - ECUADOR,
2014 - ICELANDCathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-80636320229416345762014-06-22T16:48:00.001-07:002014-06-22T16:48:21.319-07:00Icelandic Horseback Riding Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AU1GROvwOvyJl9IKbGno75ZznbYxfHFPk9R4e1QmApFRmB0chjD95nRHDIXU_JXjR-CopGtu49XhCXv9vimUPI-Xs1rB4eXfs5rKgktpqYYF-RakBssYKeWUkxvlOUt4RnXENVjZF4g/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6AU1GROvwOvyJl9IKbGno75ZznbYxfHFPk9R4e1QmApFRmB0chjD95nRHDIXU_JXjR-CopGtu49XhCXv9vimUPI-Xs1rB4eXfs5rKgktpqYYF-RakBssYKeWUkxvlOUt4RnXENVjZF4g/s1600/IMG_0315.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Had a great weather day. We have had only two really nice sunny days on this trip and this morning was beautiful, crispy cold. The horses were really well trained and rode much smoother than Texas horses. There were several students who had never rode before and they were excited to accomplish this. After lunch back at the hostel, we all went to town to have exploration and shopping time. I cannot believe how fast these two weeks have flown by. This group has been wonderful. They are helpful, kind, curious, and focused on learning photography. I love watching their photography interest grow.Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-58141247500138017532014-06-22T02:04:00.001-07:002014-06-22T02:04:59.987-07:00Whale watching<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVwEms_WXAS8Jps7Wfgp5NaM7Jv6UgXiaMpfrlQW0CIINBS2Kojn5beJz9J2Y8rZyzyXKn2o9dlJpagfx6QovbGX596s3B3Tfsu1nzGb_DuiEl361vsVLeH8bOIqBQgNgZS3UrCiWY6A/s640/blogger-image-2063859909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVwEms_WXAS8Jps7Wfgp5NaM7Jv6UgXiaMpfrlQW0CIINBS2Kojn5beJz9J2Y8rZyzyXKn2o9dlJpagfx6QovbGX596s3B3Tfsu1nzGb_DuiEl361vsVLeH8bOIqBQgNgZS3UrCiWY6A/s640/blogger-image-2063859909.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-88194026168861181842014-06-19T11:16:00.001-07:002014-06-19T11:16:02.653-07:00Viking Village HikeAfter a four hour hike everyone was starving and ready for lunch. We finished the days adventure by going to a movie set that Mel Gibson was supposed to star in. The movie never got shot. The Viking village set provided lots of exploration excitement. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSrPmkRF29L3V_Hk2wxxNN2E2GaNZozF3agVca4w9QKook9KFioUlKgm8JDgmwA4-iIjmWoSxtf4t_GGrkLT-ruyelCPQs21DRIX5eb9j2cEOSgoyv1dNs5lc_Fo7qG-wVIcUA2rQSOM/s640/blogger-image--741428696.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSrPmkRF29L3V_Hk2wxxNN2E2GaNZozF3agVca4w9QKook9KFioUlKgm8JDgmwA4-iIjmWoSxtf4t_GGrkLT-ruyelCPQs21DRIX5eb9j2cEOSgoyv1dNs5lc_Fo7qG-wVIcUA2rQSOM/s640/blogger-image--741428696.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-64411659214571192952014-06-19T01:05:00.001-07:002014-06-19T01:05:16.991-07:00TEAM PUFFIN WINS PHOTO SCAVENGER HUNT<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Sporting their first place trophy glasses, Team Puffin unites for the awards photo. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw3Gl3hcdQd0FxPsG7SE9Zceyo7cIeUOSoDlCeHxK4f16XydSLot0C9rY_z8dqgFxQdf1ro5wwkairphrgeH4td6pdfEbciHUWFwjhfHDnfKIcSfTDHKxTqeVXvG9pdbRU0TOscg7m1E/s640/blogger-image-218426863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCw3Gl3hcdQd0FxPsG7SE9Zceyo7cIeUOSoDlCeHxK4f16XydSLot0C9rY_z8dqgFxQdf1ro5wwkairphrgeH4td6pdfEbciHUWFwjhfHDnfKIcSfTDHKxTqeVXvG9pdbRU0TOscg7m1E/s640/blogger-image-218426863.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-4835088817389798262014-06-18T07:27:00.001-07:002014-06-18T07:27:00.731-07:00Lunch at HofnStopped for hotdogs ( a national food treasure ) and other sandwiches by the harbor. It is a beautiful day here. Students are out having a photo scavenger hunt. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cD0Ih9E69ZwNf_bjustZRZ9ds9B6Uw93l3Uka3UCFIinF6xtQVf2j1-qkKiKJVKAGj_WuqpcaDMxTAJYZv2vUnscZTe3PlBfa7kBMoXnZH8UxHP1JBVAWgAaMkcvtEg_ntyL3IryxhY/s640/blogger-image-1114627568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2cD0Ih9E69ZwNf_bjustZRZ9ds9B6Uw93l3Uka3UCFIinF6xtQVf2j1-qkKiKJVKAGj_WuqpcaDMxTAJYZv2vUnscZTe3PlBfa7kBMoXnZH8UxHP1JBVAWgAaMkcvtEg_ntyL3IryxhY/s640/blogger-image-1114627568.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-68319703605431116762014-06-17T10:47:00.001-07:002014-06-17T10:47:58.300-07:00Camping at the glacier national park<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">We camped in a beautiful field at the base of the glacier field. The students met in small groups to have a photo lesson before we left to do the Zodiak boat tour of the glacier lagoon. We are traveling in a nice big bus and pulling our food trailor. We have a good cook, Tota that prepares our meals and the students are in groups for helping. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlZF9NYE4iK9WNaSyF9HIeNx9mGJ48Pke_eOSgykFeOwEInz1hBhTkKWY5gkPO7HXGVHYNZYufwR_ZEgVhZCNmLvx_P5pIDZiSHr9smfMvQB5mYH1zGWo1PYh7BaJuWqonY-sq9n4JvE/s640/blogger-image--128258300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlZF9NYE4iK9WNaSyF9HIeNx9mGJ48Pke_eOSgykFeOwEInz1hBhTkKWY5gkPO7HXGVHYNZYufwR_ZEgVhZCNmLvx_P5pIDZiSHr9smfMvQB5mYH1zGWo1PYh7BaJuWqonY-sq9n4JvE/s640/blogger-image--128258300.jpg"></a></div><br>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-72320782408357158612014-06-14T14:07:00.003-07:002014-06-14T14:07:41.278-07:00The whole group at the waterfalls<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG73Pw_H-0WIgkgOIDBCG10DBeczcE97USsKtcHLM5mG4BYIOq-_z3v3c4vqTmKXL3F9UHPxefoeK0NoK1whkmbOetoQBoeKanhDONfvZtZnkAFBc1Mn7fVIgPnlJw0GwAAmIxluYVGHU/s1600/untitled_0673.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG73Pw_H-0WIgkgOIDBCG10DBeczcE97USsKtcHLM5mG4BYIOq-_z3v3c4vqTmKXL3F9UHPxefoeK0NoK1whkmbOetoQBoeKanhDONfvZtZnkAFBc1Mn7fVIgPnlJw0GwAAmIxluYVGHU/s1600/untitled_0673.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
Had a busy day traveling. Saw lots of great and beautiful sites and country. Made it to this lovely cabin in the woods, with internet. So here is your group shot.Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-62684304400139625062014-06-13T16:32:00.001-07:002014-06-13T16:32:01.515-07:00Three Blind MiceReady for bed. It is almost midnight. Time to put sleep mask on go to bed. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuV7bqgibqZf2l7igzu2rIYFaJWvKUwk43V-7XeL8bbf1fLtTf41PGqSfOGtyiGIsynLT3xSiGyxTi-NuPW4N8Qpaz2YLMIMRI39n2Dito25YeYUxeCjQrpJ9ckGG3RO0-4GK0nzxWc4/s640/blogger-image-978232181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQuV7bqgibqZf2l7igzu2rIYFaJWvKUwk43V-7XeL8bbf1fLtTf41PGqSfOGtyiGIsynLT3xSiGyxTi-NuPW4N8Qpaz2YLMIMRI39n2Dito25YeYUxeCjQrpJ9ckGG3RO0-4GK0nzxWc4/s640/blogger-image-978232181.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-6932390822150814842014-06-13T15:49:00.001-07:002014-06-13T15:49:12.312-07:00Bike tour of ReykjavikHad a great bike tour of the city with a very entertaining guide. After the bike tour we went to a suburb to the VIKING FESTIVAL. Got some interesting photos of the Vikings. Our day started with Nat Geo photo expert Gianluca arriving to join us. He is a wonderful addition to our group. We leave in the morning to go camping for several days. I doubt if we will be in wifi for awhile. <br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwyKWS58i3l6ochHjR7KuCu8OTrnUx0SKhTL3gs1UaO3HD5Q7NTHA99sXVpa-XW508m5V0bfM8qY0gd7mehAGM8iFTtauRhI6m95qlsK8REhrSXZ0LC6WXkV6v1zsAewIUidn15rGuAA/s640/blogger-image-642285848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAwyKWS58i3l6ochHjR7KuCu8OTrnUx0SKhTL3gs1UaO3HD5Q7NTHA99sXVpa-XW508m5V0bfM8qY0gd7mehAGM8iFTtauRhI6m95qlsK8REhrSXZ0LC6WXkV6v1zsAewIUidn15rGuAA/s640/blogger-image-642285848.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-38358294345877393342014-06-12T14:56:00.001-07:002014-06-12T14:56:54.563-07:00Poopsicle or Popsicle ?<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oY8Cj87rFwotQvjlqxnheGnInvfT7oI2xNgiLHBESfH0DOx0BplpDaXXiTSXlbHSKDNx33Au2ejmCi7Qpbflhy8KFe-QOOD4znyneV9tQs82mGuPAK-P84zRj1u5DT_esSfRRZy-OGQ/s640/blogger-image-1891612589.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oY8Cj87rFwotQvjlqxnheGnInvfT7oI2xNgiLHBESfH0DOx0BplpDaXXiTSXlbHSKDNx33Au2ejmCi7Qpbflhy8KFe-QOOD4znyneV9tQs82mGuPAK-P84zRj1u5DT_esSfRRZy-OGQ/s640/blogger-image-1891612589.jpg"></a></div>Everyday ends with a pow wow where everyone tells their lows and highs. Then the students give SHOUT OUTS to group members who did something extra. Today's shout outs to Molly for being extra nice and friendly to everyone and Brianna for helping the old man who dropped everything. <div><br></div><div><br></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-67334291993078370092014-06-11T13:39:00.001-07:002014-06-11T13:39:08.256-07:00ReykjavikOur travel to Iceland was made easy by having such a great group of students to work with. The big excitement was our NAT Geo leader, Erika, was messed up with her flight in the NYC area and did not know if she would make our flight to Iceland. It was close but she made it, her bags continued to fly between Boston and NYC. Rumor has it that her bags are found and headed to Iceland tomorrow. <div><br></div><div>Our flight was interesting and uneventful to Reykjavik. Customs was EASY. We arrived at 7am local time and 2 am Houston time. Peter was waiting for us to take us to a great breakfast and then to a geothermal spa called Blue Lagoon. It was awesome. Go look it up on Internet. </div><div><br></div><div>We got into our hostel and then picked up cameras and walked about one hour towards town, taking photos all along. Had lunch, walked around small downtown and returned to our hostel for orientation meeting where we get to know each other better and set up the group rules. </div><div><br></div><div>A pretty day today. Not sure how sleep will be since it never gets dark, dark. </div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-75280823762945439112014-06-11T13:22:00.001-07:002014-06-11T13:22:31.933-07:00Orientation meeting<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWkGBNWFgh6ndXb9UbjgOUy4sq6recQofHPuS6l4NPAFcZxkqCkFoflXnaLOXg4fpoSDhfHcplouXM1RWGBnUuv6Q865Olngstc9r10e0d9w2E8wZLgv_GZ8BuL0CTc9Fwgol_2siqeo/s640/blogger-image--817916588.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbWkGBNWFgh6ndXb9UbjgOUy4sq6recQofHPuS6l4NPAFcZxkqCkFoflXnaLOXg4fpoSDhfHcplouXM1RWGBnUuv6Q865Olngstc9r10e0d9w2E8wZLgv_GZ8BuL0CTc9Fwgol_2siqeo/s640/blogger-image--817916588.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-77110093745477394022014-06-10T11:02:00.001-07:002014-06-10T11:02:55.505-07:00Waiting at gate. About to board.<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHthUGbETFmiSvYepvjlXqL9e9QRx6KhDRzmWGZfA_aFxFC5C0CxLxYsWQuYTbZS4iTrntJxkXkT3H8jx5L18fKaTkLSCvZrpPYS7RUr_eFaZHrtCqwcvQawE3TRTm9L0YjjTai6SpNl0/s640/blogger-image--1883315751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHthUGbETFmiSvYepvjlXqL9e9QRx6KhDRzmWGZfA_aFxFC5C0CxLxYsWQuYTbZS4iTrntJxkXkT3H8jx5L18fKaTkLSCvZrpPYS7RUr_eFaZHrtCqwcvQawE3TRTm9L0YjjTai6SpNl0/s640/blogger-image--1883315751.jpg"></a></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-15900674955198520892014-06-05T09:47:00.000-07:002014-06-05T09:47:03.587-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscyUqai59zp9IyzXwRhxNEt9jF2rBC-EiDIMTYQJhDfOX8QUkLmfKKid8wSrpikp6uaHQmTMPEJNpO5ZHthURbFh4CzWqn-h6b6GU6yKYiCHXltnGh-R7dKtlJC1SAY4HqCxLy1Bgjfg/s1600/IcelandAquila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhscyUqai59zp9IyzXwRhxNEt9jF2rBC-EiDIMTYQJhDfOX8QUkLmfKKid8wSrpikp6uaHQmTMPEJNpO5ZHthURbFh4CzWqn-h6b6GU6yKYiCHXltnGh-R7dKtlJC1SAY4HqCxLy1Bgjfg/s1600/IcelandAquila.jpg" height="174" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
ICELAND - HERE WE COME<br />
Leaving Tuesday, June 10 @ 10 am<br />
Houston to Boston - Boston to ReykjavikCathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-2739565389917411612012-06-24T07:12:00.000-07:002012-06-24T07:12:04.887-07:00QUITO - COCA - AMAZON<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Saturday morning started off with breakfast at seven so we could get on bus and get to airport for a 10 o'clock flight to Coca. We arrived at the check in counter about 8:35 and quickly realized that our flight was now at 9 a.m. Who knows why the flight time changed. We hustled through "security" and boarded the plane. Our flight was about 25 minutes. To travel from Quito to Coca by car would take nine hours. The Coca airport was very small and we quickly found our Amazon guide Libbio. We loaded up in an open air bus and rode to the dock where our 16 passenger motorized canoe awaited. We watched for about 30 minutes while the crew loaded everything up on this long skinny boat. Two 40 hp engines were attached to the back of the canoe. As we waited at the dock Libbio took our European shoe size so that rubber boots could be supplied….hmmmm…..what are these for?</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I wonder how many people realize that the Amazon river can be very shallow? I certainly did not…but 30 minutes into our five hour Amazon river canoe ride we were stuck. Yes, our boat got caught in very shallow water and we were beached. The crew jumped in the water and began to push us backwards looking for deeper water. It took 5 - 10 minutes to dislodge us. Finally free we continued on. Every so often we would really slow down so the crew could look for the current to decide what route to follow. Our destination was 96 kilometers from Coca but there are no roads that lead here…only the river. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About 30 minutes from our Amazon Dolphin Lodge the boat pulls over to a small dock in the middle of nowhere. I young lady and two children come out and we pay a $10 per person fee to travel. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The lodge that we stayed at for four nights is the farthest east on the Amazon. No tourist cabanas are past us. Our accommodations are typical for this area. We stay in thatched roof, bamboo walled, generator supplied cabanas (lights from 6-9 p.m.). We do have mosquito nets to sleep under. This is a big improvement from Mindo where we had NO protection from insects. In fact one day in Mindo I woke up and drowsily walked into bathroom to brush my hair…Holy cow! I had about 50-75 tiny red bites across my forehead. They did not itch but I looked like I had the measles. Anyway, here we have other bugs but our repellent seems to be working and we are getting a break from all of the Mindo area biting. We do share out accommodations with lots of insects….I have seen the largest spider in my adult life living here amongst us. In fact once student, Callie, was taking a shower and down came this 4-5 inch spider. They do not harm us other than giving us a heart attack when we first see it.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our days are filled with walking in our rubber boots through the massive jungle or riding in our canoes looking for toucans, monkeys and caymans. We have seen lots of interesting wild life but we have not been really close up for great photos. On our first jungle hike Libbio talked about the indigenous people of this area and how they survive. He showed us plants used for medicine, palms leaves that he wove and could be used for roof, mattresses, camouflage from the jaguars, etc. Very interesting hike and stories from Libbio.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But overall, my favorite experience was fishing for piranas. Libbio and the crew made each of us a fishing line attached to a piece of wood about six inches long. How re we going to land a fish using this, I thought. We loaded up on three canoes. the big wooden canoe had an 8 hp engine attached to it ( I chose this boat ). The two lighter canoes were attached by rope to the big one and all three boats glided slowly across the laguna and over to the river. soon we were fishing, using beef for bait. I tossed my line overbaord and got a hit quickly and pulled in the first piranha of the day. It was about 8-9 inches but had grande teeth. Everyone in my boat caught piranhas (other boats were not so successful). Sam and Dennis, the boat captain, caught several big piranhas. We had fresh fried piranhas for lunch. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-79513059441456557652012-06-22T06:37:00.001-07:002012-06-22T06:37:38.993-07:00From the Jungle to the BeachWe all have long blog post to put on our blogs but we do not have wifi so we have to use a dialup computer in the lobby for internet. We are safely to the Galapagos Islands. We had an interesting and educational time in the Jungle. I will let you read details later when we get to post from our own computers. We arrived here yesterday, took a long hike and ended up snorkeling in the lagoon...with lots of fish, sea lions....Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-42403692133383195952012-06-13T06:38:00.002-07:002012-06-13T06:38:49.294-07:00Hummingbirds, hiking, helping<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Days three and four, in Mindo, finds the group split into two. One group will hike to the Las Tangaras, a biological birding missnetting activity and the other will hike to the waterfalls. Then we switch the next day.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The stay in Mindo is full of environmental and biological activities. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We are starting day four in the Mindo village. We are surrounded by hills and in the mornings very low lying clouds blanket the green canopy of trees and plants. By mid morning the clouds give way to blue skies….but only for a few hours. The afternoons and evenings bring dark clouds and rain. The group activities continue….my rain coat gets used every day. We spend part of every day having a session or two or three with Massimo. Then we go out and practice newly taught photo skills on local subjects. We travel by "taxi" (a white small pickup truck with special rails attached so that 8-14 people could stand and hold on). Michael thought road surfing was fun and that he would like to do that everyday. I say road surfing because the roads are dirt and full of pot holes. We bumped and jiggled along slowly… there was not a chance to fall because we were tightly compressed against eac</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> other.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On day two we spent hours trying to take portraits of hummingbirds. Very difficult but so cool when we finally got a good photo.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The afternoon was spent taking photos of the town and highlighted by a surprize,special chocolate making class. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the evenings we bug hunt. Yes, we turn over leaves and look behind rocks to find the nocturnal insects and frogs waiting to be uncovered by us.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-42356563048343074482012-06-11T05:52:00.000-07:002012-06-11T05:52:10.322-07:00Mindo, Massimo, MariposasThe day started with a photo workshop with Massimo. After lunch we headed out for the Mariposas Reserve to take pictures and practice the photo lessons from the morning. Lots of beautiful butterflies flew around but few enjoyed posing for their portraits. However, the students managed to get some nice photos. Then the next part of the day was the much anticipated white water tube ride. We split into two groups, put on some wet and cold life jackets and boarded the tube raft. The water was mucho frio. Heading down the river was exhilerating. Having the ice cold water hit your body was breath taking. After getting completely drenched the body aclimated and the water did not seem as cold until the next dip and surge of water. The ride gave everyone a big adreneline boost. Even those in the group who were a little nervous about the excursion had a fun time and felt good about conquering a fear. We have seen this lesson several times like when Sarah Jane and Callie held giant beetles in the palm of their hands.<br />
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The internet is very spotty here. When the students have free time in the evening is when they want to use it and it has not been working. I get up earlier than the group and have some quiet time and have been able to connect. Speaking of getting up early....Massimo and Sam said they were going birding at sunrise this morning. Last night when the students were invited to join them many said yes. How many do you think got up today and went sunrise birding?Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-88128242602585015202012-06-10T05:16:00.005-07:002012-06-10T05:16:38.547-07:00Visit to the equator and new destination Mindo<br />
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Madeline flew in late Friday and I was happy to see her join the group. Luis cooked us eggs for breakfast and then we loaded up the bus and took off for Mindo. Quito is so spread out that it felt like we were driving for an hour before we ever got out of the city. First stop, the equator monument. Callie asked how wide was the actual equator line…this sparked interesting comments but in the end we did not know. However, a nice 3-4 inch wide yellow line was painted at the monument site and we spent lots of time sitting, standing, and laying on the two hemispheres. We loaded back on the bus and drove through hills and valleys and saw the scenery change to the lush green cloud forest of Mindo. Mindo is a small tourist destination village. The big draw is birding. It is said that more birds have been spotted in the Mindo area than any other place in the world. You will need to verify this information yourself…this is just what I have been told. Anyway, we drove through the small town area… the paved road ended and the dirt road to our Bambu Hotel began. Up the muddy road was our destination. Jorge, the bus driver, decided to back the bus up the very narrow, muddy road. About 100 yards up the road the incline was too much for the bus to handle and Jorge announced that he could not go any further. We needed to get our bags and walk the last 50 yards up the road to the hotel. All I could think of was how much fun I was going to have dragging my extra heavy rolling suitcase up the muddy road. Others had the same problem but they are about 1/3 my age and 5/3's stronger…but we all made it. Our accommodation is remotely situated. We are in wood cabins. The windows are unscreened with wooden doors. The lighting in the room is dim. I have to use my flashlight to look for things. It feels like we are in the country. I can hear insects talking like they did when I was a kid camping out on the Brazos river on a warm summer night. The grounds are very green and the plants are overly healthy looking. Lots of flowering plants add color. It feels like we are on an adventure, not a vacation even though there is a nice pool and hot tub. We spent the afternoon and evening walking to town, eating and having a big photo lesson with Massimo. Massimo Bassamo is our Nat Geo photo expert. I worked with him two years ago when we took this program to Tanzania. He traveled 27 hours from Italy to come and work with us. He is a great guy. </div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-62404359911211507142012-06-07T20:57:00.002-07:002012-06-08T16:37:32.565-07:00Day One in Quito<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We are staying in a family run hostel some where in Quito. This city in enormous. We got up and had freshly cooked eggs for breakfast maid by the hostel owner. Our leaders Taylor and Sam made us order in Spanish. The students are way better at that than I am. Next we had a 2-3 hour orientation session and photo lesson. Then off to lunch. English is not spoken very much here so our lunch and dinners have been interesting. Let's just say I had corn nuts, pork skins and molassas soaked fruit for dinner. Earlier in the day we took a tram up to 12,000 feet for a panoramic view of the city. Quito is located at 9,000 elevation so what is 3,000 more feet when you cannot breath anyway. The views were grand and the students took lots of great photos. There was a horse corral up in the mountains which also made for some interesting shots. For our night time activity we went on a historical tour of the city with El Diablo as our tour guide. It was well done and very educational. Now we are in our rooms trying to figure out who is showering when and how soon can we get in bed and get some rest. The day way typical Nat Geo exhausting. </span><br />
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<br />Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-78707695614162498692012-06-04T13:26:00.002-07:002012-06-04T13:30:09.341-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9M1dH_1IBrC1CeV6yR3O6osYY0utJE_Fa0MjzcbgsbWs24DpenxVCukNsv31d1bqNpQOPSqydOXOjXdPXtqyhcLDPLZ0Nh75ws4RvloJ2KBeKLUx50h_jpH2Q2v468rYP_a9RjJWxcYk/s1600/j2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9M1dH_1IBrC1CeV6yR3O6osYY0utJE_Fa0MjzcbgsbWs24DpenxVCukNsv31d1bqNpQOPSqydOXOjXdPXtqyhcLDPLZ0Nh75ws4RvloJ2KBeKLUx50h_jpH2Q2v468rYP_a9RjJWxcYk/s1600/j2.jpg" /></a>So the summer blogging will begin again. I look forward to this adventure with a new group of great students. We are not sure how often we will have access to upload to our blog. Our leaders, Sam and Taylor flew to Quito today and will meet us at the airport. Both leaders have led this trip to Ecuador before. I hear the weather is cool and rainy today but better weather coming. </div>
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<br />Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-12589934864632949952011-06-27T13:08:00.000-07:002011-07-04T15:48:05.715-07:00What a beautiful final morning in Fiji<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7Nl2qU-SRjsdt1YR6gLcd0Ew9bKwz0mAJmDPAb32ddA8jV5NoyUu8GPiZJBy7AcAtH8Srq8Z91U3mU9qSJFhvJV-V_FTTlcY2auJIm8I4ITT1set55Ikd3S91WrVC8Jf5qGIRT3B3RI/s1600/fiji.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7Nl2qU-SRjsdt1YR6gLcd0Ew9bKwz0mAJmDPAb32ddA8jV5NoyUu8GPiZJBy7AcAtH8Srq8Z91U3mU9qSJFhvJV-V_FTTlcY2auJIm8I4ITT1set55Ikd3S91WrVC8Jf5qGIRT3B3RI/s400/fiji.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622999285395288594" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">After having overcast skies yesterday, we awoke to a sunny day. I am sure all the kids will be excited when they get up. Kevin, Lauren, Van, Bri and Gemina have booked a morning fishing trip. I can't wait to hear those stories.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">We had our final nightly meeting on the beach under an amazing blanket of stars. In fact, several saw a shooting star. Sarah was particularly touched by the shooting star and was breathless for a few moments after seeing it. We talked about what we we miss from the trip and everyone was in agreement that they will miss the group of people that has become their family for the last three weeks. Makenna said how odd it will be to wake up alone in her room and not have three other faces to look at it. The bonding of friendships has been a huge bonus for all of us. The students were wonderful travelers. They have shown great maturity as they have had to deal with many obstacles on this trip, especially the last few days of travel. They have been patient and supportive. All their parents should be proud of how well they handled this trip. We got along great and their were no cliques formed....every was everyone's friend.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">And their photography....WOW....you will be amazed. Ulla, the NG photographer, was very impressed with their work. After one student's critique she was telling me how good she thought they were. I told her they were a beginner and had just learned how to use their camera. Her eyes got big and she said, "a beginner? Their photos were unbelievably good."</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I said, Yes, a beginner....she was overly impressed. She told me that in the 5 days of time that she was with them that she really saw ALL students work improve. She loved watching the advanced kids try new techniques and move to the next level of photography. She said our group was one of the best, talented groups she has worked with....I believe her.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I am off to the open air restaurant to have my breakfast and then hope to get a little color on this white body.</span></span></div><div><br /></div>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-79887123555254046252011-06-23T14:20:00.001-07:002011-06-23T14:21:25.178-07:00The last few days of NZ<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKobSugm_XQNu7ZlpuIcrm-iGAn21EsoWI2ZDQFc8Hcp-NcYu0WfvyEOT7KXc2FzhoF6P0_5KVC67qwAvGdWjDbvTlMCoIEW3c016wmc2H62_UemHhRNW6bwO-KUCYzQTyJ0CMDo7AY4A/s1600/cc+airport+.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKobSugm_XQNu7ZlpuIcrm-iGAn21EsoWI2ZDQFc8Hcp-NcYu0WfvyEOT7KXc2FzhoF6P0_5KVC67qwAvGdWjDbvTlMCoIEW3c016wmc2H62_UemHhRNW6bwO-KUCYzQTyJ0CMDo7AY4A/s400/cc+airport+.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621528363083378930" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Wednesday - Friday, June 22 - 24</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Hanmer Springs - Christchurch, New Zealand</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><b></b><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">We are currently sitting in the Christchurch airport with 30 minutes of internet access. We have been up since 5:15 am. Our flight to Fiji has been cancelled on Jet Star Airlines because of the volcanic ash coming from Chili. We are trying to get rebooked for tomorrow on Air New Zealand; they and Emirates are the only airlines flying out of this airport. This ash problem has been an issue for us before because Ulla could not get to us from Australia. It took her several days of rebooking for her to finally get a flight. Hopefully, we will not spend out last few days of the trip at the airport. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">The stay in Hanmer Springs was very nice. We met up with Dave, our local contact who provided some interesting activities for us. We went horseback riding along the mountains, and then spent the afternoon in a huge outdoor sulphur pool, complete with water rides.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Next stop Christchurch. I had been looking forward to coming to New Zealand and spending time here. Once the September earthquakes hit and the main city centre was damage, I was sad. Yesterday, as we drove around the residential areas and walked around Christchurch city centre, the sadness became more real. What once was a very busy, bustling downtown area looks like an abandoned movie set. There was a restaurant that you could look inside the windows and see the RESERVED sign on the table and the dead flowers in the fallen vase. The pepper shaker had dropped to the floor and the pepper had spilled. It was all surreal. Time was frozen. All the group was deeply moved by our observances. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Our last stop of the day was to experience the Maori culture tradition. We participated in the program by electing Kevin our chief. The girls did the poi dance and the guys did the haka. We all had lots of chuckles.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Now to Fiji…we were so excited to get to the warm sunny beaches but that has been delayed. Keep your fingers crossed that the rebooking goes well.</p>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-10435419898221614882011-06-21T04:53:00.001-07:002011-06-22T03:40:40.545-07:00Coast to Coast<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqlFLCcGuKYYU_f0BM4aekFE5umCyznBspVA9hLUcg2k1QmwVREWaQLdhLOH9vEbwgprTJS6R3T6Phf7p7YqxaxH9CYTDIOjnKb8DbHhPrNPLCFCkZCskYcPIlHFjZTNyhecmTzNSHls/s1600/night+shot1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiqlFLCcGuKYYU_f0BM4aekFE5umCyznBspVA9hLUcg2k1QmwVREWaQLdhLOH9vEbwgprTJS6R3T6Phf7p7YqxaxH9CYTDIOjnKb8DbHhPrNPLCFCkZCskYcPIlHFjZTNyhecmTzNSHls/s400/night+shot1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620992208835673698" /></a><br /><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Monday - Tuesday, June 20 - 21</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Hokitika - Hanmer, New Zealand</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><b></b><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Hokitika is a small mining village on the western coast. From our lodge, we walked to the roaring beach and were impressed with the stormy waves. This was just a preview to the next day when we drove to Pancake Rocks and saw and heard the powerful sea. This day was a photographers dream as we had great lighting and a different scene around every corner. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">In the evening we grabbed our tripods and hiked to the glow worm dell. The stars were out and it was a beautiful clear night. The glow worms and stars looked very similar. It was interesting setting up the glow worm shots because we all had to use the self timer and long exposures and every one had to turn off their "torch" at the same time and keep it off so as to not disturb the others pictures. You can imagine what that was like with 14 kids in total darkness. The shoot was successful and we had lots of fun.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Ulla Lohmann, our National Geographic photographer, joined us in Hokitika. She is a fireball of energy and the kids really enjoy working with her. She is an exploration/expedition adventure photographer and has a most impressive bio. She is extremely down to earth and very fascinating to talk with. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Today was a very long bus ride from the west coast to the east coast….five hours….but we stretched it to an all day event because we stopped at several beautiful places. The most powerfully scenic was a place called Castle Hill. It is an area full of boulders. Scenes from the Narnia movie were filmed here. In fact, the landscape of NZ has been in many movies and now I know why.</p>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7404666363182528370.post-23940694234907855712011-06-17T15:24:00.000-07:002011-06-17T15:26:16.156-07:00The Past Week in NZ<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">I have been a little delinquent in blogging so here goes....</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Tuesday - Wednesday, June 14- 15</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Waneka, New Zealand</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Queenstown was a big hit as we wandered the city center streets for a few hours in the morning, took a gondola ride in the afternoon and souvenir shopped. Queenstown is a beautiful ski resort city located next to a large lake and nestled at the base of the Remarkable Mountains. This was the most populated area that we have been in. There are only four million people in all of New Zealand and only one million are on the bigger south island. We loaded up the bus and headed for our next stop. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">We drove an hour and half to the small village of Waneka. The kids were excited as we arrived because there was a rugby practice going on next to our lodge. They all grabbed their cameras and rushed down to the field to try their luck at low light action photography.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">The lodge had a great community space but the rooms were quite small. There was <b><i>one</i> </b>heater in the entire lodge located in the living room; three toilets and two showers. This was our most interesting accommodation yet. Sleeping bags were used here to ensure a warm, comfy rest. The kids were good sports as they crammed into their tiny rooms. We went out to eat for Indian food, which many students had never experienced. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Wednesday we ventured off to Puzzling World, an amusement venue dedicated to optical illusions. Everyone had a great time as they played in the different illusion areas. The afternoon was a hike to a scenic overview. Carson was injured as they played a game before the hike ever started and she and Gemina had to come back. Carson had to go to the doctor and was diagnosed with a mild concussion. It is sad and the group feels the gap when someone is not up to par.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Thursday - Saturday, June 16 - 18</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica"><b>Franz Josef, New Zealand</b></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">We arrived here after a long day on the bus. We had stopped for lunch at the half way point. There was one convenience store with a small eating area. I had two fried eggs on toast….you learn to eat the oddest things when you visit another country. We had several scenic overview stops which broke up the long ride. The favorite stop was on the Tazmania Sea. We lingered on the beach for an hour. We were greeted by annoying sandflies, which are like mosquitos. They bit the heck out of my hands, (the only area not really covered on my body). The bites are little red splots and itch like crazy. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Our lodge accommodation is nice here. We have the big community room which is perfect for holding our group meetings. Every night ends with a pow wow meeting. This is a time when the entire group forms a circle and we talk about the day. Each meeting a different student ask a question and we go around the circle to answer. For example Brianna's question at the last pow wow was, "What is the most inspirational or meaningful sight that you have scene on this trip?" The answers were very touching. Makenna's favorite place was at the top of the gondola in Queenstown where we ate lunch. She chose this place because many years ago her parents had eaten there on the honeymoon. I have really enjoyed the pow wows and what each one has to share.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">So we really shifted gears on Friday and got up very early to go to town to get geared up for our glacier hike. We were outfitted with special hiking boots, crampons, over pants, a raincoat, mittens and hats. This took about an hour. It reminded me of going snow skiing and all the hoopla that goes into getting ski equipment. Once we were outfitted we got on the bus and drove a short distance through the rain forest to the rock base of the glacier. There are only three glaciers in the world that are located next to a rain forest and two of them are in this area. The other is in Argentina. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Once at base we were joined with several other people. We split into three groups: those who wanted to go at a fast pace, slow pace and in between. I immediately migrated to the slow pace along with Brittany, Kelsey, Lindsey and Makenna. We had two other couples and a chubby Indian family of four in our group. The momma Indian lady was really slow and it made me look like an alpine hiker. However, after about an hour on the trail the Indian family announced they could not go any further and wanted to go back. Our guide Rob, told us to sit on the rocks for 5 - 10 minutes as he escorted them down. He was back quickly and we continued our hike up the Terminal Face. This was a steep rocky incline and all I could watch were my feet shuffling up the mountain. We finally reached the ice of the glacier. We put our crampons on and had instructions on walking on ice. The glacier hike was beautiful. The guides had carved out a path and we walked safely among the crevasses. We stopped and had our lunch on the glacier, took some group photos and then started our way back. All in all we were gone from about 9:30 - 2. We were exhausted.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">Back at the lodge we found out that we were going to the spa hot pools. Everyone was excited as we all had aching spots on our bodies. We lounge in this gorgeous spa pool for a couple of hours. It was Gemina's 25th birthday and she was happy to spend it in the spa. We dried off and headed out to dinner. We are in another small town and the restaurant choices are very slim so we went back to the same restaurant as last night. The prices of food are extremely high. A burger cost about $21 NZ dollars which is about $17 US. The good news is the portions are big and many times the kids share entrees. </p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">After dinner we all met in the community room. The kids wanted to listen to some of their music and dance around. They seemed to really enjoy that.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica; min-height: 22.0px"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 18.0px Helvetica">So my blog is up to date. I have been so busy that I really have not had much time to write. But today ee are having a slow, easy morning and everyone is enjoying some free time.</p>Cathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11332107102875116298noreply@blogger.com3