Day 8 - Closing Time

It has been fun for the past 10 or 8 day depending on how you look at it.  Visiting Australia and New Zealand has been amazing.  Singing in the Sydney Opera House is ranked high on my list of amazing things.  Seeing amazing sunsets only reiterate that this earth is so beautiful.  If there was one word to describe New Zealand it would be green.  I have met many wonderful people and learned about different cultures, industries and ecology. 

To those I have met along the way in New Zealand and Australia I say thank you for opening your wonderful country for us to visit.
"E noho rā" ("Goodbye")

To my travel companions it has been fun.  I have gotten to know some of you better.  We have gotten lost together, discovered new countries together, bought many souvenirs, shared my many silly moments, endulged my many questions, drank champagne on the plane, and looked after me and each other. 

God be with you till we meet again

Song 1 - I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when i'll be back again. (We might sing this on the bus)

Song 2 - Closing time

Closing time - time for you to go out, go out into the world.
Closing time - turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time - one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time - you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from.
Closing time - this room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters
come.
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits - I hope you have found
a
friend.
Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning'send.

Yeah, I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from...

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning'send...

................Don't worry I am sure there will be more stories on the way home.

Day 7 - Rotorua, New Zealand

Started off this morning sheering sheep until I had a run in with one sheep.

After the run in baby lambs were hungry so I took care of them.

Ok, enough of lambs, dogs, sheep.  I am bored so we will move on to Geysers



Day 6 - Leaving Auckland and heading to Rotorua, New Zealand

Day 6 - Leaving Auckland and heading to Rotorua, New Zealand

The wheels on the bus go round and round.  Ok, we didn't actually sing but anyway we drove from Auckland to Rotorua and on the way we stopped to see Devonport which is below and passed through Hobbiton, Lord of the rings territory and finally Rotorua where we spent the night.  Learned a lot today about New Zealand.  Visited the Kelly Tarltons's Antarctic Encounter, had lunch at Mission Bay and some people had ice cream from the swiss ice cream shop.  Important fact about New Zealand there are many volcano.  Other important fact about Rotorua is you smell a lot of Sulfur, can anyone say Dante' Peak?  Yes there is steam from the lake.  More pictures to come as soon.

View of Devonport

 

Lake Rotorua, New Zealand



On to New Zealand!

We left Sydney yesterday (at a ridiculously early hour!) and headed for Auckland, NZ. With the two-hour time difference, we landed around 11:30 a.m., so we had a good tour of the city before going to our hotel. Once settled there, many of us took the ferry across the harbor to Derrington and enjoyed seeing the views from there and checking out the shops. Great dinner in our hotel, with a view of the harbor from the top-floor restaurant. Today we've traveled on to Rotorua, where we've seen everything from farmlands to mountains to hot springs bubbling out of the ground. Many pictures to share when we get home!

Good Bye Syndey. Welcome to Auckland, New Zealand

Day 4 - July 17th.  Wonderful concert in the Syndey Opera House followed by a beautiful Sunset.  Wish you all were here to see both.  Alicia did a wonderful job with her solo. 

Day 5 - July 18th.  Another beautiful day with a beautiful sunrise in Syndey followed by a beautiful sunset in Auckland, New Zealand.

Sunset over the Auckland Harbour Bay Bridge, New Zealand

The Bird's Eye View at the Sydney Opera House

These shots are from the organ gallery.

Today was concert day....and what a day it was! Dress rehearsal in the morning, a break for lunch, and the concert itself at 3:00. While the rehearsal was intense, it was very worthwhile, and the concert went extremely well. Alicia sang beautifully, and the chorus did a great job. Eric pulled it all together and the concert was very well received.

Mark Pacoe opened the concert with an organ prelude, and a girls' group from Minnesota, Partners in Praise, delighted us all with four selections before we presented John Rutter's Mass of the Children. After the concert we had dinner at a local restaurant where many of us tried kangaroo for the first time - a bit gamey, but very enjoyable. Tomorrow we head on to New Zealand for a few days of sightseeing - the time is going much too quickly!