Police World 1 2017

Our boat gets through The Hole in the Rock

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Friendship Week in New Zealand Linda Bailey , 9 Region, London North Our IPA Friendship Week in New Zealand started with a Gala Dinner at the Millennium Grand Hotel, Auckland to end the world Congress and start the Friendship Week. I even got a view of the police station from my room. T he next morning we left Auckland in four coaches with IPA members from 25 countries to see some of the sights of the North Island. After a wonderful visit to Hobbiton, we arrived in Rotorua,

We climbed aboard a boat and cruised around the Bay of Islands. It was a glorious day made even better when we were joined by a huge pod of Dolphins. Some even swam alongside the boat. The coaches again took us to the furthest point of North Island, Cape Reinga. The scenery is amazing and we stopped off at a Kauri Walk to look at the huge trees and coffee by a beach. The coaches all had a supply of body boards for those brave enough to climb up and slide down the huge sand dunes there. Those brave enough included our president, Michael Luke, Dianne Crockard, Peter and Amanda Connelly and Helen (from Solihull). Then off to the Cape where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. Such a fabulous week - new friends made and many happy memories of a fabulous island.

New Zealand’s smelliest town due to all the thermal activity here. We visited Wai-o-Tapu, the thermal wonderland, and then had a free afternoon which I spent in the spa. That evening we enjoyed the Mitai Maori Cultural Experience, where Stephen Crockard was chosen as our tribal chief and had to perform in the ceremony. His wife Dianne also had to take part and gave a superb rendition of Danny Boy. Our next visit was to the Agrodome and Rainbow Springs. We were driven around the farm to see sheep, cattle and alpaca. We also tasted kiwi juice, straight from the fields. Some of us were allowed to bottle feed lambs before watching a sheep sheared. At Rainbow Springs we took the gondola up the mountain, where some members went down the luge, tried the zip wire and ate giant ice creams. The day ended in the observatory restaurant for an amazing buffet dinner. After another early start and long coach journey from Rotorua to the Bay of Islands, at the far north of North Island, our tribal chief had to meet the local tribe and we watched another welcome ceremony.

Champagne Pool

Going up the gondola

POLICE WORLD Vol 62 No. 1, 2017

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