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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,
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.
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.
Our boat gets through The Hole
in the Rock
Going up the gondola
Champagne Pool
POLICE WORLD
Vol 62 No. 1, 2017
Article
14