An excellent week

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Our time with host family # 2 has now passed. We are awaiting our rooms at the Intercontinental Hotel after an excellent lunch, at which Dr Peter Salk (son of Jonas Salk) spoke on polio, population, potential and peace.

Our week in the Northland has been fantastic - in spite of the impression Luke may have imparted. We want to tell our story more with photos than words.

Briefly though, our first day was spent with Nicole and Jay: touring Parkville and more Kansas City highlights. This tour took us to Graden Elementary School, where we visited a grade 3 class (8 year olds), we had fun as they asked about NZ and tried to find it on the map, most were looking in Europe. Next stop the English Landing a nice park and walk way beside the Missouri River. At Parkville County chambers we met the mayor and toured the council buildings (including time spent in jail - see photo). We visited the Park University grounds, where there is a large underground cave area from rock excavation, now utilised as offices - awesome. We had lunch at Blue Bird Bistro - great cuisine, lots of vegetarian options which catered to Melanie, although Jay wasn't happy as there were no big meat meals. We then went to the Scout, an indian horseman overlooking the city, great views. We then went to a fansinating museum - Steamboat Arabia, the story of an excavation of a boat from the Missouri river, however it was actually in the middle of a cornfield as the river had changed course. Lots of amazing treasures found and all in excellent condition. The evening was spent at Nicole's inner-city loft-style apartment.

On Tuesday we, with driver Bob and Bonnie, descended upon the Platte County Parks Department for a tour of new park and community centre developments with Noel and John. We were welcomed with a specially made cake at Platte City Rotary for lunch. Our second presentation went well, long-time member Joe informed us our presentation was the best he'd heard in 58 years of attending Rotary meetings. This gives us good heart that we are on the right track.
Our tour hosts for the afternoon were from the Weston Club. A fascinating, and very hot, drive included a look around the Red Barn Farm - a farm set up to cater to tourist showing what farming used to be like in the old days (thanks for the hats!), a tobacco farm and the historic town of Weston - lots of antique shops. An excellent dinner at Avalon that evening.

We toured the Platte County Jail and courthouse on Wednesday with Chris, Deena and Nelson. The jail is an unassuming building in the heart of the town holds an unexpected 110 prisoners. It was a very tightly run ship and fascinating tour. Lunch was with the KCI club at the R3 Vocational Centre - prepared and served by students. This included a tour of the 3 schools on campus and walk on a very impressive artificial football turf. Free time in the afternoon was spent shopping on the Plaza. Home cooked BBQ dinner at Nelson and Kathy's place was a great way to unwind.

An early start on Thursday had us at the Corner Cafe (where we were promised good biscuits and gravy could be found, if at ever they were to exist - but none of us game to try them...). An impromptue presentation saw us accompanying last year's outgoing GSE team to Thailand as the South Platte Club's program. We were then dispersed for vocational days - verdict: thumbs up from all the team. An afternoon of more shopping followed at Zona Rosa. Thoughts of attending a movie were shelved as shopping continued into the afternoon. Needless to say extra cases will be required for the return journey. Dinner at a comedy club concluded an excellent week.

Our thanks to zone coordinator Bonnie for pulling the week together and to our fabulous host families.

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Photos

At Graden School
Luke draws our flag for the children

Cave woman
Survives on huge coffee flask

Red Barn Farm
Little piggies

R3 school tour
We travelled by school bus