Our last day as guests of the Rotary Club of East Coast Bays and what a day it was.
Firstly it was off to the North Shore City Council where Beverley Rogers met us and then introduced us to the personnel who would give us an overview of local government in New Zealand. Steve Goeldner who is a specialist in Planning gave us a great insight into the methodology of how they approach the many aspects of planning and then Marie Bradley who had also been our guide for the previous day talked about the environment and how Council approach the various arms of environment planning and control.
We then had morning tea with the Councillors and after a quick photo session we were surprised by the Deputy Mayor who presented the team with silk ties and scarfes. Tania and Brian went off to have an interesting discussion with Rob Pitney about the upcoming merger of Councils and the effect that it is having on marketing and communications planning whilst Rogen and Kelly enjoyed a briefing session with Francois Schoeman who is Council's Human Resources Group Manager.
We left the Council very impressed with their attitude towards ratepayers and their respective roles and duties.
Off to lunch then we headed to North Shore Hospital to meet Jane Hunter who is the executive Director of the Hospital Foundation. Jane is also a Rotarian. She took us on a guided tour including a short video of the hospitals funding arrangements. We managed to see every aspect of a hospital from the emergency area to the outpatients area and even the birthing area was on the agenda. Jane is an inspirational lady with an unmatched internal strength that keeps her going against the odds.
We all left with a very high opinion of the work that Jane has done in conjunction with Rotary and various other fundraising bodies.
Tomorrow sadly is the day we leave our wonderful hosts, and Coordinator Bob Baird who have made our stay with the East Coast Bays a memorable one.
From all the team our thanks for your kindness, fellowship and generosity.

Hi everyone,

Thank
you for coming to my classroom. It was fabulous to have high achieving
people, from a variety of backgrounds and nationalities, willing to
share their cultures and thoughts with the 12 year old students of Room
5.

Your visit led to several discussions about diversity, culture and understanding.

I am sorry I couldn't make your evening presentation to Rotary but my Master's degree assignment was due. A teacher with homework to do!

I hope you enjoyed your trip.

Yours,
Stephen Kendall-Jones, Teacher, Murrays Bay Intermediate School.

P.S. I tried to add this as a comment to your blogspot but didn't have an account.

Today is Wednesday 29th April and we have now passed the halfway mark of our GSE experience.
An early departure this morning to drive to Gulf harbour so we could catch the ferry to Tiritiri Matangi Island. This is an open sanctuary and provides an opportunity for visitors to see some of the rarest birds in the world plus a few additional species of lizards.
Some 280,000 trees have been planted on this sanctuary by some thousands of volunteers. Our guide was Marie who was one of the GSE outward bound team members to India. The team had a great day and returned late in the afternoon to prepare for a Rotary meeting at Birkinhead.
Birkinhead is a friendly Club with a great view of the Auckland city. Off hone by 8pm...another busy day awaits

Today was a vocational day so early start as the team went to their various destinations. I had the pleasure of going to Bayleys Commercial and Industrial Office at Takapuna where I addressed the staff for some 20 minutes. Then off to view Bayleys trade area and was surprised to find that their rates for commercial and industrial were very akin to Brendale and the fringe Brisbane area. Cap rates are higher here so that would be of interest to investors seeking quality stock with good tenants. Tanya and Jennifer went off to view the workings of a staionery business whilst Rogen had a 2 hour session with lawyer and Rotarian President Carol Caulfield. Kelly went off to school to see how a primary school operates.
Mid afternoon and we inspected the Millennium Institute where the vision is to create a world class integrated environment for the achievement of excellence in sports performance and in personal health, recreation and fitness. This facility is the New Zealand version of the Australian Institute of Sport.
Time for a haircut and a bit of shopping then back to our hosts for an early night as we have another big day ahead tomorrow.

Today we are treated to a vocational visit to Murrays Bay Intermediate School here in North Auckland in the East Coast Bays area. We are greeted by Principal Colin Dale who proudly showed us through the school. Colin is an inspirational academic and has a style of leadership that sets him apart from the mainstream. His vision in essence is to create an environment where students can excel in their chosen areas and he ensures that the education they receive is relevant to the type of career paths that students need to survive in todays work place. We were very impressed at the positive attitudes of teachers and students alike. We were all very impressed.
Later we were taken to Takapuna for lunch then off to visit the historical areas of Devenport, North Head and Mt Victoria. On the way back to our hosts we dropped in at Lake Pupuke where a large fresh water lake has recently been stocked with trout.
Then we all put on our very best attire and went to the Rotary Club of East Coast Bays where President Carol Caulfield greeted us. We undertook our presentation and its was very well received with a large number of questions at the end.
Back to our hosts for a good nights sleep as we have an early start tomorrow.

Today we pack up and head for Auckland or at least the north shore of the city. We have had a very enjoyable time here in Piahia but our time is up and we must say goodbye to our very generous hosts in Bruce and Elizabeth Killen and Keith Day. Its a long drive to Waipo but our drivers Neil and Anita handle it well and we meet our new hosts after a cup of coffee but not before we have retrived Rogens missing keys from Whangarei.
Tonight we settle in for a good sleep as tomoorow we have a busy schedule and a presentation at East Coast Bays Rotary Club.
Team is in good spirits and we are all looking forward to the balance of the trip ahead.

Today is Anzac Day. This morning we were all up at 5.00am and headed off to the Piahia RSA to join the march to the dawn service. As we were about to leave the rain arrived and hasnt stopped several hours later. The service was a moving experience for us all and one we will all remember in future times.
The RSA plyed us with rum and cokes and even put on breakfast which helped fortify against the wet and cold weather. The club looked after us exceptionally well and we will have fond memories of our visit.
The rest of the rest day saw team members sleeping and taking it easy as tomorrow we say goodbye to Piahia and head eastwards.

Day 2 of District Conference

Sunday 19th of April and we dressed up in our suites and finery and headed off to the Conference to do our presentation in front of around 300 attendees. Prior to us the International Youth Exchange group did an entertaining sone and dance act then at 9.30 we were on stage. Personally i was quite nervous however the team did their presentation very well and we finished off by saying thank you in four different languages. Feedback afterwards was that even though the Solomons and PNG are relatively near neighbours most were unaware of what's happening in that part of the world and found the information interesting and informative.

Warkworth Club had an interesting fundraising exercise where they had a dinner for some 2300 people in a tunnel. This was a new extension to a northern road system and it was so popular they sold all the tickets in less than 24 hours. The logistics of holding such a big event in a tunnel without kitchens, toilets etc proved no obstacle to the Club who undertook the exercise in conjunction with two other clubs and the even raised $100,000 for the community charity funds. A great example of thinking outside the norm. The conference concluded with a talk from Marcus Akuhata Brown who came from a background where success simply didn't exist. Yet against the odds he finished high school then went on to University and became a member of the junior version of Chogum and met Prince Charles, went to the White House and became an inspiration to many who couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when he told his story about how he emerged from a tiny little village on the East Coast which had two shops and a pub, no electricity, no TV and to make matters worse the pub burnt down!

Great finish to a well run conference.

We picked up our lunch box on the way out and headed off to the local airport to have a look at our hosts airplane, then it was back to change and refresh and head off to David Ashby's farm for a barbeque and some fellowship with the team and members of the Whangarei Sunrise Club. We left with our hosts at around 9.15pm for the 40 minute drive home and needless to say we all slept well after a busy and entertaining day.

Day 1 of District Conference

Saturday 18th April and the team heads for the Conference venue at Forum North where we start at 8.15am with a story from DK Lee about a little girl who picks up starfish from the beach and throws them back into the water so they can survive. The morning program consists of a number of interesting and noteworthy Rotary projects from restoration of vintage trains and then pulling them through the main street as a fundraising exercise to Takapuna North's project of building a multimillion dollar Yes centre for the disabled, to updates on Rotaract and Polio plus and world community service and then came the surprise in the form of Western Springs project uplift.

Project uplift consists of dispatching second hand bras to the Pacific Islands such as Fiji. To date some 50,000 bras have been sent and its all done from the home of Rotarian Rachael Moore and her team. They also fly to the islands to ensure that the items are properly fitted and judging by the various photos she presented it's a project that is well received byt the happy recipients.

The inbound GSE team form India presented their presentation which was very professional. Rotary India is quite active with some 87,000 members and they are opening new clubs on a weekly basis. Perhaps we should look at taking a leaf from their book as they obviously have the growth model down pat.

The outward bound team from 9910 to India then presented their account of their India experience and no doubt it was a memorable trip for them all.

Hugo Meares then gave an interesting talk on Generation Y and what it meant to Rotary. Gen Y have their own language which consists of sending messages without the use of vowels. Example: i think would be (pls snd 2 bnk $40 tks) or something akin to that! The world is moving forward at a faster rate and it would appear that the generation gap is widening so the message was if Rotary wanted Gen Y as members it needed to be aware of what Gen Y were all about.

The afternoon saw some of our team off on a scenic walk including climbing rocks before changing into our beach wear attire for the District Gov's beach wear party at 6.30pm. The event was held indoors and the well attended event included district awards and some lively music.

Today is a rest day and an opportunity to catch up with our laundry, emails and to catch our breath. Some of the team we up by 8.00am and braved the windy conditions outside to walk along the esplanade here for about an hour. We will try later to post our Conference experience and a number of photos which have been sitting around awaiting broadband so we can post quickly post without long delays. Tomorrow we are planning to go to the Anzac Day dawn service at 5.30 am as a team mark of respect to those who fought under the Australian and new Zealand flags.

Yesterday we headed off after breakfast to the Waitangi treaty grounds where we saw a huge maori war canoe that seats around 168..very impressive and it was in working order. Then off to the actual area where the treaty was signed. It is the only active peace treaty in the world so it was an historical occasion when this treaty was signed on the 6th Feb 1840. We went to a Maori culture show with three singers/dancers/ performers who put on an informative and entertaining show. Rogen was voted "chief"and he played his part superbly.
Next we returned to our hosts residence in Paihia for lunch. Then off to a Geo Thermal plant owned by Top Energy. Fascinating insight into how a geo thermal plant operates but we were a little worried by the illuminated sign above the door that read "get out of here quick"if this sign flashes. We also saw how radiata pine is grown and harvested and learnt about its uses.
Next stop was some bubbling hot mud baths which are good if you want to rejevenuate your body but after a quick look around there was no time to jump in and relax as we were off to a diary farm. On the way we called into a historic Anglican Church built in 1830 and still used for Sunday Services.
The diary farm consisted of 300 fresian cows which are milked twice daily. We had timed our arrival to be there for the 3 oçlock milking and we were permitted to get up close to the action to see how everything worked. Unfortunately one not so friendly cow took advantage of our presence in the confined pit area and let loose with a salvo from the rear. Just as well as tomorrow is a rest day and there is a good laundrymat in Piahia.
Takeaway for dinner, a little television and we hit the pillows after another busy day.

Yesterday we bid farewell to our wonderful hosts and headed off to Dargerville where we met Keith and Noel from the Kaikohe Rotary Club who took us to where three natural lakes were, the largest of which was well stocked with trout. Lovely area however unfortunately we couldnt cast a rod to catch ourself a trout as we were on the road again headed into the Kauri forets to view an example of one big specimen. Then off for lunch in Kaikohe but not before sighting some spectacular scenary in the harbour mouth. In the afternoon we visited an historical town of Raiwena then off to have a shower and a change of clothes before we presented our presentation at the dinner meeting of the Kaikohe Rotary Club. The Club was a warm friendly club who made us feel very welcome and comfortable. Our presentation went well and we then headed off to our new hosts place at Piahia which is on the coast with beautiful beaches. Kaikohe rotarian Keith Day hand ed us the keys to his car which was both a generous and brave gesture!
From whoa to go the day comprised 13.5 hours before we reached our host's destination so needless to say we all hit the pillow asap.

Yesterday Kelly had the pleasure of sitting in on a teacher back to school preparation even though it was a long drive to get there...three hour round trip... Jennifer had the pleasure of spending time with the Human resources folk at the local Council offices whilst Rogen even managed to see an auction for the first time where 30 houses went under the hammer.
Later we went to George and Bev's house for a lovely dinner featuring lamb shanks and George's home made brew.
We thank our hosts today for looking after us so generously and head off shortly for our 13 hour trip to our new destination.
Sincere thanks to all our hosts and the local sunrise club in particular who have gone out of their way to make our trip a successful one.

Today was a vocational day. I went to the local offices of Barfoot and Thompson real estate and had the pleasure of addressing the staff there on various aspects of the property market for some 15 minutes. Then went on an inspection of several local properties. Tanya went to a local tv station and had a very informative discussion with the folk there. Rogen went to a local lawyers office whilst Kelly and Jennifer headed off to their vocational excursions. Shortly we are off to a b-b-q then its back home to pack as we shift northwards early tomorrow morning.
Yet to post the Conference report but some photo's follow.

Conference report is sitting on a Word document which doesnt want to come across into here. So I'll sit on it until we move and try again. In the meantime here is todays report.
Monday 20th April and its tiki tour day. First up we are introduced to the deer on the local farm where Tania and I are staying after being joined by Rogen and Kelly. Unfortunately Jennifer is suffering from the cold today and is having a rest day. Then we went to Whangarei native bird recovery centre where we were lucky enough not only to see a kiwi but we patted it as well. Great thrill for everyone and yes we have the photo's to prove it.!!
From there we ventured off to a quarry craft gallery then off to a Rotary project in an old quarry where they have donated a $10,000 bridge.
Lunch was had at a lovely restaurant near the boats and we got to see some examples of the big yachts that sail around the globe. Then we were off to see some stunning waterfalls and virgin forests. Then we headed to the highest point in Whangarei where the AB Reid memorial overlooks the well spread out city of Whangerai.
Finally back to the sheep and deer farm, shortly we'll have some dinner then as its already dark as I write this its off to bed for a big vocational day for the team tomorrow.

Friday the 17th and it was goodbye to our very generous hosts and point the compass northwards towards the Rotary District 9910 conference at Whangarei.....pronounced Fon garr ree. Just cant get used to these names.!! After a quick trip up in Colin Paulings super fast V10 Audi we arrived at our destination in time to meet our new hosts. Then it was off to the Conference to hear the District Mayor Stan Semenoff open the Conference together with DG Neil Reid's introduction.
This was shortly followed by an amazing talk by an intrepid adventurer by the name of Jamie Fitzgerald. He was called in as a late replacement in a two man rowing boat that was racing from the Canary Islands to Barbados...get the map out ..its a long way. They ended up winning the race in record time and not content with that then decided to take a stroll across the ice pulling a 160kg sled to the centre of the South Pole. And just for good measure he also holds the record for eating a tin of spaghetti in record time...just 4.3 seconds.
After the Conference we braved the showers and headed to an Indian restaurant for an Indian meal.
So the Conference is well underway...more reports to follow..
I'll also now try to get up a few photo's and hopefully they will not be sideways this time!!