Kia ora!
Pack your gummies, jandals, togs, and sunnies for a choice OE!
The 2013 MARL Alumni trip to New Zealand spends 10 days in New Zealand,
with an optional extension to Australia!
The trip departs Minneapolis and arrives in Los Angeles, where we'll enjoy
a city tour aboard a private charter bus - no sitting around in the airport all
day for us! After the tour is done, we'll board our direct flight to Auckland,
New Zealand.
Haere mai (Welcome)
Auckland is located in the northern part of the North Island. We will
start our adventure with a city tour, including a trip to an extinct volcano.
We'll also enjoy a harbor cruise to nearby Waiheke Island, where we will visit a
leading vineyard for wine tasting and a tour. We make our way south, traveling
through the "milk bowl of New Zealand" and visit a dairy farm with 800 cows.
Next, we get to visit an organic orchard producing one of New Zealand's
signature products: kiwifruit! We continue to Rotorua, a hotbed of geothermal
activity and home to Maori culture. Here, we will participate in a traditional
Maori supper and concert. We'll enjoy interactive presentations at the
Agrodome, highlighting the sheep and wool industry. At Rainbow Springs, we'll
have the chance to see the rare Kiwi bird. We'll visit a livestock farm for a
traditional "kiwi" barbecue. Before departing for the South Island, we will
spend time at a 1200-head deer farm (did you know New Zealand is the largest
producer and exporter of farm-raised venison in the world?)
We fly to Christchurch on the South Island, where we'll see beautiful
gardens and landscaping in the "Garden City". We will stop at a livestock
ranch, and then try to spot marine animals during a harbor cruise. We'll visit
with staff and professors at Lincoln University - only one of two agricultural
universities in the country! We'll also tour the University's dairy farm. As
we continue south, we will pass through beautiful scenery and hopefully get a
view of the mountain ranges. We will learn about raising salmon, and visit
vineyards, orchards, and livestock ranches. We will have a city tour of
Queenstown and Arrowtown, a historic gold-mining town. Maybe some daredevils
will take the plunge when we visit the birthplace of bungy-jumping! Before
leaving New Zealand, we will relax with one last wine-tasting and farewell
dinner.
When we leave New Zealand, we'll fly from Queenstown to Auckland, then
directly to San Francisco, and then to Minneapolis. People opting for the
Australia extension will fly from Queenstown to Sydney. The Australia portion
will stay in the Sydney area, and participants will spend time in the Blue
Mountains, visit a cattle ranch, and enjoy a Sydney Harbour cruise.
Not convinced yet? This will be a little more relaxed than the typical
MARL trip. We've kept in mind that we'll have a mix of couples and individuals,
so we've tried to include a variety of activities - a little something for
everyone. We've planned free time for exploring, shopping, relaxing on the
beach, or other on-your-own activities.
If you still aren't sure, check out YouTube - just type in "New Zealand"
and you'll get plenty of results! Or look at these websites:
And if you're still wondering what the heck the first few sentances mean,
learn New Zealand slange here:
COSTS
New Zealand: $5,100 / person
With Australia extension: $7,300 / person (subject to
change until airfare is booked and number of people is known)
Keep in mind: $250 deposit per person is due September
1.
I am intentionally not listing the dates - please contact Kristie Swenson
for more information: KristieSwenson@gmail.com
