I don’t think I could have chosen a better trip for my first time abroad. The last few weeks
have been amazing. This country has so much to offer; cultural experiences, high-tech
research institutions, and some of the most beautiful nature I’ve ever seen. Hands down,
this is the experience of a lifetime. We are now in Wellington, the last stop for North Island
folks, where we will say goodbye and the other half of us will head down to Queenstown.
While the trip doesn’t end here for me, I’m looking back wondering where the time went
and realizing just how much we’ve done. Here are my highlights: Cathedral Cove.
Definitely my favorite beach and absolutely beautiful. Perfect weather, a beautiful hike on
the way down, and an overall great day. Manuka honey. Still my favorite lecture. It was
fascinating to learn about its antibacterial qualities and to see the photos of how much
healing it could do. White Island. It’s an active volcano! Just saying, I don’t know many
people who can say they’ve walked around on one of those. We learned about how it’s
monitored and the guide took us around and told us about the steam vents, the mud pots,
and the milky, metallic-tasting streams. Whakarewarewa, the Maori village. The night on
the Marae was very interesting. We received a formal greeting from the tribe and were able
to enjoy some of their music. Our boys learned the Haka and the girls learned all about the
poi. They had wonderful stories and histories, especially about the meanings of their carvings, and I loved being in their village and just seeing how they live. Bungy jumping. Definitely something I want to do again. The scenery was amazing and the rush was incredible. Now, bring on the South Island!

Lisa Snider