Expo highlight of trip

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 255, 20 September 1988, Page 5

Expo highlight of trip

Rugby and netball games, Maori cultural performances, tourist spot visits and lots of time spent travelling made up the recent Ruapehu College sports trip to Australia.

For kaea Matiu Haitana and many of the cultural group, the highlight of the trip was performing at Expo. Eighteen of the 28 tourists were part of the cultural group. Maxine George, girl's leader of the cultural group, said the greatest feeling at the performance was being a New Zealander. She said she felt really proud of her country there. Maori cultural activities featured highly on the trip, with the whole rugby team getting involved in a haka before each game. They also performed a haka on the sidelines of the girl's netball games, often drowning out the calls of the coaches and referees. 'The Australians were very impressed with our kids and their support," said Ruapehu College teacher Merrilyn George. She said their bus driver was impressed with how well the group got along. "The kids sang to the bus driver when he left us and he had tears in his eyes," she said. "He said the group was like one big family."

Three rugby games were on the agenda, with the first at Coff's Harbour. The tourists lost 15-8, and were disappointed with the standard of behaviour of their opponents, but Mrs George said otherwise their hospitality was great. They played the Gold Coast Under 19s and beat them 11-3, and the Brisbane Anglican Grammar team and drew 3-3, on the only wet day they had in Australia. A day they described as "very very wet". Netball games were played at Coffs Harbour, where the girls lost 28-26 in a "tremendous game" which was very closely fought. And against the Gold Coast Under 18s selection s i d e (equivalent to a rep team) which they lost 39-18. The tourists still talk about Expo, Mrs George describing it as "an extravaganza o f entertainment". She said however, that some found it too much, with too many people too close. They said the worst thing about the trip

was the travelling, saying the distances in Australia by bus seemed enormous. The trip from Brisbane to Sydney took 17 hours. Also a drag was being "mucked around", they said. At one place, they were booked to go to a disco only to find at the last minute that the establishment was restricted to over 18 year olds. Mrs George said being billeted at the homes of European people was a new experience for some of the Maori students. She said the students found them very hospitable. The Brisbane accommodation was an experience for both the boys and the girls, though not of the same kind. The boys found themselves billeted in luxury in million-dollar homes. While the girls were booked into a fifth rate hotel with cockroaches and a "penthouse" that was little more than a tool shed on the roof - " A real grott!" said Mrs George. But dcspite the bad things they still had fun, she said. A feature of the trip was the "wally of the day" award. The first recipient was Mrs Alison Hope, the only Australian of the group,

who was the successful target of a seagull on Bondi Beach. Another went to one of the lads who wolfwhistled out the bus window at a passer by, only to find out when the person turned around it was male. Summing up, they said the trip was exhausting because they fitted in so much, and very enjoyable.