New Zealand 2009

Hi my name is Vicky Walker. I was selected to represent Staffordshire on an international trip to New Zealand with girl guiding Midlands. There were 12 girls in total (one from every county in the midlands) all of us had to raise £2400. For me this was the first time I had ever been on plane. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end with two 12 hour flights!!!! We spent 19 days in New Zealand and 4 days traveling there and back.

Whilst in New Zealand we spent the 1st few days in Auckland exploring the city and shopping before all the other guides arrived for the tour around the north island which was arranged by girl guiding New Zealand. On the two week tour there were 4 groups of Canadians from different areas, us and two guides with two leaders from the Philippines in total 70 people.

During our 2 days in Rotura we went to a member of Girl Guiding New Zealand’s home for dinner. We stayed with a ranger leader who had emigrated from the UK and I was quite surprised to find out her husband was born in leek!!! (20 mins from where I live). It just goes to prove it is a small world after all.
Activities on the tour included visiting the highest building in the Southern hemisphere: the sky tower with viewing decks at 222 km off the ground.

Taking a boat trip to the famous hole in the rock in the bay of islands and seeing wild dolphins swim at the side of the boat!!!

The new activities which I tried were horse riding, flying, the luge and I was proud of myself for being able to stand on the glass floor in the sky tower and look down as I was petrified of heights.
It was a brilliant trip and I would like to thank everyone who made it possible to experience the wonderful country that is New Zealand