Welcome to New Zealand!

Hello From Down Under!
We arrived in New Zealand to a warm welcome by our Wellington Hosts as well ad a Maori High School group who greeted us with the traditional Maori welcome. We have already had some wonderful experiences including visits to the Botanic Gardens via the Wellington Trolley, a visit to the Karori wildlife preserve (some of us via "gut buster" run to the top), walks along the harbor, a yacht ride in Wellington harbor, a welcome by Wellingon's Mayor, dinner at Parliament, and visits to Te Papa Museum and Waiwhetu Marae.

With three Rotary Club presentations under our belts thus far, we are starting to get the hang of things and relaxed speeches are coming easier. We have met "Team Kiwi" and are excited for them as they are readying themselves to travel to our neck of the woods and we look forward to sharing with them the same sort of hospitality and enthusiasm they have shown with us. Local bug repellant, Kiwi music CDs and cell phone loaners were absolutely over the top welcomes from our Kiwi counterparts.

Tomorrow, we are off to Mana Island off the West coast of the North Island where the entire Island is a protected preserve. It is quite a privledge to be going there as special arrangements have to be made for a visit and it is actually closed to the public for our visit tomorrow. Althjough unlikely as they are nocturnal creatures, I hope we get to see some Kiwis - the birds, I mean!