Our last day in Hawaii didn’t mean we slowed the pace today. We did have a little bit of a sleep in before the day was off and racing and we were on our way to Wet ‘n’ Wild Hawaii – Oahu’s top 10 most visited family attractions on the island. The park features more than 25 attractions nestled on 29 acres of lush tropical landscaping and our troop of intrepid adventurers tried as many as they could (until they decided it was time for a rest).

We started with the obligatory team ride on the Volcano Express, which involved us racing down the watery track against each other – didn’t that bring out the competitive spirt! From there some raced back up to do it again and others raced to be the first to try one of the other attractions such as the Shaka, Tornado, Wave Pool, Waianae Coaster and Big Kahuna. The weather was verging on windy and a bit warmish, so after a couple of hours of water play the adventurers had lunch and decided to chill for the rest of the afternoon. That’s when the adults of the tour came to life and relived their childhood as they catapulted down the steep, steep rides – chiropractic appointments may now be required.

When the park closed at 3.30pm, we were changed and ready, looking resplendent in our worst Hawaiian shirts all set for Germaine’s Hawaiian Luau. We had a little bit of time up our sleeve so we detoured to the Ross Department Store – this shop is a treasure hunt where you can find unbelievable bargains on brand name items, you just have to scour, and scour we did. In 45 minutes we found some bargains that we had to have, waited in line for 15 minutes to purchase and then ran to the bus. We seem to run to a lot of places?

As soon as we arrived at Germaine’s Luau we were treated to true Hawaiian charm. We enjoyed a fantastic buffet meal and watched an authentic show complete with cultural dancing and singing. Speaking of dancing, special mention to the girls who hopped up on stage and learnt the hula, and Jaidyn and Toby who were the only two of our lads to hit the stage and learn the moves. Who knew they all had such great co-ordination?

We then headed back to the motel where there were a few tears as Bucks did his farewell speeches for those students who have completed their time at Tenison Woods College. We’ve become quite the little family unit while we’ve been away, and we’re going to miss each and every one of you. Remember Aunty Tan loves you all (well, most of the time, except when you do that slow walk or spread out and congest the whole area so no one else can get through 😊)

The Flag!

As we come to the end of the tour, it gives us a chance to sit back and reflect on our flag winners over the tour.  We’ve had many worthy recipients, all special (very special) in their own ways. Tonight, however was an important night and we had to vote, it was time to decide the most memorable flag moment as well as the official overall flag winner for 2019.

For the most memorable flag we narrowed the contenders down to five. Drum roll please. 1. Michelle de Wit and the 911 phone call. 2. Matt Black getting kicked off Guardians of the Galaxy ride. 3. Joel Dent, our high kicking Romeo. 4. Emma standing in her own toilet water. 5. Allan Withers getting misplaced on Day 1 at the LAX airport. It was a close vote, but congratulations to Michelle de Wit, whose brush with the law (however accidental it may be) still gives us many a good belly laugh, even now three weeks after the initial event. Congratulations Michelle, truly well deserved.

For the crowning of the 2019 Overall Flag Winner, the voting became more secretive.  Everyone had the chance to vote on who they thought deserved the honour of being the Grand Poohbah of the flag, all anonymous of course. There was excitement at the awards ceremony, and a fair bit of nerves from some of the more obvious contenders. In the end, there were three run-away vote getters, so starting from third place congratulations to our bronze winner on 5 votes, Michelle de Wit. Coming in second on 7 points was Toby de Wit, and the run-away winners on 12 points are Toby and Michelle de Wit – or as we like to call them the ‘Daily de Wit Double’. Well done, I know your family are incredibly proud (wait a minute, is that the word they used?). For those of you playing at home, you’ll notice that the de Wit’s scored the top three positions – possibly a first for flag history. Anyway, congratulations, you’re both very deserving winners.

And that brings us to the end of the 2019 USA Tour Blog, I hope you’ve enjoyed updates on our daily activities. It’s been busy, but we’ve loved it. We’ll see you all soon.

While most enjoyed a leisurely sleep in this morning, there were a dedicated six who made the pact to hike up Diamond Head. Congratulations to Ellen, Kate and Kayleigh (and the accompanying three adults, you can work out which ones) who braved the 7.30am start, and the 762 foot elevation. In amongst the laughter and puffs and pants (that might have just been from the adults) we made it to the top to take in the breathtaking views overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Honolulu. The trail even took us to the edge of a 300,000 year old crater. To celebrate us making it to the top and back we treated ourselves to a range of pineapple beverages and Kate splurged on a pineapple acai, which she enjoyed just as much as the birds she was sharing it with.

After making our way back to the motel, we then headed off with a group keen to try paddle boarding – you know you’re in Hawaii when you’re paddle boarding on Waikiki Beach. There were many laughs as the kids’ (and adults) coordination was tested, but they quickly got the hang of it and were paddle boarding like pros. The dismount however did prove to be a bit of a hurdle, but definitely entertaining for those of us sitting on the beach.

After a quick change we caught the shuttle bus to Hawaii’s largest shopping centre located in Honolulu, Ala Moana, just minutes from Waikiki. It was our last chance for some shopping it to see what else we could squeeze into our bulging bags. After a few last minute purchases it was back to the motel for a quick change ready for tea. There’s not a lot of downtime for us, even on our rest days, we will certainly sleep on the plane home 😊

Exhausted from all the water play and shopping, we treated the group to a team dinner at California Pizza Kitchen. It’s great to sit down as a group and eat some substantial food as the students are getting a little tired of the choices available to them. One thing is guaranteed, the students will have a greater appreciation for the quality of Australian food and produce when we return as many have discussed how much they miss home cooked meals. After a last look at the sights along Waikiki’s Kalakaua Avenue, we headed back for a good sleep so that we’d be full of life ready for Wet ‘n’ Wild tomorrow – there’s guaranteed to be a few interesting stories to come from that little outing.

The Flag!

We actually have a new winner today – impressive to get through 20 days without receiving a flag. But your luck’s run out, Mason Galwey, congratulations on your flag success. Mason received the call up after a little shopping faux pas. To give you the background, Mason has purchased around 20 pairs of shoes (would you believe, not the record, Matt Black owns that title with 23 foot covers), so needless to say, he was running out of room in his bag. To remedy the issue he decided to purchase another suitcase, so in he boldly walks into the first shop he sees that has a suitcase. He sees one he likes, but being the good shopper he is, he knew he needed to test it out. He spun it around a few times, moved it back and forth, knocked it on the sides, tested the zipper and spun it around a bit more. The sales lady was giving him a strange look but undeterred he asked about colours and even if there was a warranty. All was going swimmingly, until Mason decided to look at the price. He could purchase his lovely bag that he’d already road-tested for the princely sum of $1050. With the blood draining out of his face, Mason carefully folded back the extendable handle and extremely gingerly lifted it and painstakingly placed it back on the shelf. After thanking the sales lady for her time he edged out the door and down to a shop that sold $40 suitcases – strangely enough, he liked that one much better.

Aloha!

This may come as a surprise but a 5.15am start doesn’t bring out the best in us. To their credit however, our band of travellers met the early deadline (not exactly gleefully) and with limited conversation and a couple of grunts we boarded the bus to head to the Los Angeles International Airport to commence the final leg of our tour to Hawaii. After a one hour drive (which was really viewed as one hour of additional sleep time) we arrived at the airport and checked in. The enthusiasm started to creep in as the realisation dawned that we were actually heading to Hawaii – some of the lads even braved the shorts in preparation.

We boarded the plane ready for the five hour flight (which many were hoping would be a five hour nap) but were a little, let’s say disappointed, about the one hour delay sitting on the tarmac before we finally took off. At one stage it was the air conditioning that caused us to wait, then it was the loading of the luggage, but all we knew is that we’d rather have been sitting at the beach than sitting on the tarmac. Anyway, after six hours we landed in Hawaii – it was overcast and warm and the weather seemed to really warm up the kids (that and the six hour nap they’d just had on the plane).

After a quick lunch we checked into our motel and then it was a lightning quick change into bathers and shorts and an excited walk down to Waikiki Beach. It didn’t take much encouragement for our sun-starved Aussies to hit the water, and we created our own tidal wave as all 27 students converged into the ocean. For the next two hours there was swimming and relaxing before we headed back to the motel for a quick change out of the bathing attire and into our eating tea outfits (thankfully as we’re in Hawaii the fashion standards didn’t require much of an outfit change). We were then off to Waikiki’s main thoroughfare of Kalakaua Avenue where we set about eating, shopping and enjoying the buskers along the street. A great, relaxed atmosphere that the kids loved.

From there after a big day it was back to the motel for a good night’s sleep, with plans about what we’re going to do tomorrow already filling their heads. Will it be a climb up Diamond Head, stand up paddle boarding, a trip to the North Shore, shopping (there’s always shopping), or maybe just a relaxing day at the beach. The decisions are endless, but first…..sleep!

Fun Facts:

• Hawaii’s Big Island, which is the common term used for the state of Hawaii, is growing by more than 42 acres each year because of the Kilauea Volcano;
• This volcano has been erupting for around 30 years now
• It is considered rude to refuse to wear a lei flower if someone offers it
• The Hawaiian macademia nut does not actually come from Hawaii
• Hawaii is one of four states in the US that has banned the use of billboards for advertising
• Hawaii has its own timezone.

The Flag!

By decree of ‘The Godfather’ (aka Bucks) no flag has been issued today. Instead, due to the severity of Matt Black’s ádrenalin-searching efforts at Universal Studios yesterday he has the honour of being a two-day recipient. What an honour, a real sense of achievement, hopefully this is similar to the thrill you were after.

After limited sleep and a wee bit of tiredness carried over from our day of adventures and excitement at Disneyland and California Adventure Park, our group of intrepid travellers awoke full of pep and were ready to do back it up and do it all again today at Universal Studios – the home of some of the largest grossing movies in the history of film making that includes Jurassic World and Harry Potter. Excitement levels were high but many did enjoy the chance to catch a bit of shut eye on the 90 minute drive across town, you know just to get themselves ready for another day on the go.

One thing I have noted both yesterday and today, is that we seem to have had a shift in our student movements. The boys who usually brought up the rear of the group with their slow relaxed gait now seem to have moved to the front, and I’ve even seen running on occasions. (Definitely not the same speed when it comes to laundry time). Sweating and shining is back, especially if it means they’re going to get to the front of the line.

On arrival at Universal Studios, we stopped for the obligatory group photo shoot and then it was straight into the park and over to Harry Potter World. Now this was impressive, the set itself is enormous and you felt like you were in the middle of Hogwarts. It was absolutely amazing! This was our first team ride of the day and it was fantastic. After we had waved our magic wands it was down the biggest set of escalators you have ever seen to ‘The Mummy’ for the traditional team ride. Again, this was a fast paced roller coaster and just as before, it was the usual crowd either gritting their teeth and bearing the feeling of being nauseous or at the other end of the scale they were screaming with excitement. Either way there were plenty of laughs. Other highlights of the park included Transformers 3D, Simpsons virtual roller coaster, the studio back lot tour (which included the “Fast and Furious” 3D ride and the Jurassic Park adventure.

We had several goes on these rides and the students were really in the zone as they had the adrenalin pumping but this was all about to change as Bucks called an urgent team meeting near the entrance of The Walking Dead. Strange location we thought but on arrival we learnt there was method to his madness. Once we all arrived Bucks enforced the special ride rule – this is the once per trip ride the tour leader chooses for every single person to drop what they’re doing and all attend. This year it was the Walking Dead, for those not familiar with the walking dead it is a post-apocalyptic walk through world where you have to fight for survival as walkers (zombies) appear randomly in iconic landscapes. Not for the faint hearted – and there were definitely more than a few in the group begging not to do it. No luck.

I would like to say we were all brave about the impending battle for survival, but that may be a slight stretch of the truth, while some reveled in the chance to do battle the dead, there were others who shall remain nameless, that expressed ‘self-doubt’ in the line with some of the students doing a better job of scaring themselves than the actual ride itself. Sometimes fear doesn’t bring out the best in us and I have to admit while going through the life or death situation there may have been a moment where I pushed poor James Holmes in front of the zombie to protect myself. Not my finest moment.

Once we’d recovered from our fight for survival there were more than a few Titans who treated themselves to enormous doughnuts (it was the size of their head) from ‘Lards Lads Donuts’ in ‘Krustyland’, home of The Simpsons. Mmmm donuts.

Special mention must be given to Malok who on winning a large stuffed toy in Krustyland (and realising there was no way he was getting it home on the plane without buying it a seat), he gave it to a young girl who had been gazing at it longingly. Nice work Malok.  

After a day full of fun, we left Universal Studios at 6.00pm and headed back on the bus. From there it was a night of manouvering items in the suitcase in preparation for our very early flight tomorrow. Hawaii here we come.

Universal Studios Fun Facts:

• In the early days of Universal Studios, tours cost 25 cents.
• At one time the main attraction was the “Glamour Tram” which took visitors around on the Studio Tour. This cost only $ 2.50 to ride and gave you a view of the studios and a chance to spot some stars.
• Even though the park opened in 1964 it wasn’t until 1991 that a stand-alone ride was introduced which was the E.T. Adventure which no longer exists as of today.

The Flag!

A lot of our tour participants seem to be adrenalin junkies and absolutely loving the thrills of the rides we’re encountering at Disneyland, California Adventure Park and Universal Studios. None more so, than Matt Black, which leads us to today’s nomination. Welcome! Young Matt, decided the extreme drops and rapid acceleration on the Guardians of the Galaxy ride just wasn’t enough for him and wanted to experience the ride in it’s pure, natural form, with his seatbelt loosened so that he felt the full brunt of the stops. Luckily, he still had the harness restraint over his shoulders to hold him in place but after a couple of jumps and jolts, the ride stopped mid way. What could it be? A fault in the ride maybe, a chance to correct a slight glitch, or maybe an opportunity to remove a rider who had loosened their seat belt? That’s right, two security guards came in, mid-ride, and removed Matt, escorting him out, with a stern warning about the dangers and not to hop on the ride again for the day. Back to the bumper cars for you Matt.

“Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.”  Walt Disney

The day was finally here – it’s what we’d been waiting for. We were headed for Disneyland, the happiest place on earth and it truly is the happiest place on earth – even at that early hour of the morning (even our grumpy risers were moderately chirpy). We met downstairs of the lobby at 7.30am and made our way to the park. It was the quickest we have moved as a group as the excitement was clearly noticeable. After a quick team meeting, it was straight down Main Street and over to Space Mountain for what has become tradition to start each day at theme parks, our team ride. Space Mountain is a fast paced roller coaster……. in the dark! There was a lot of screaming and laughing on this little beauty – you should have seen the ride photographs, they really tell the story (a very, very funny story).

Once we all recovered and shared a laugh over the finish line photographs it was off to explore the park. It was huge, enormous, gigantic – and we loved it. We had til 1.00pm to enjoy all of the attractions and rides of Disneyland so it was go, go, go. There was lots of running around and then lots of standing around as we patiently (?) waited in line. Rides that were particular favourites included Star Wars, Splash Mountain, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean. Splash Mountain was particularly popular but whoever was unlucky enough to sit in the front two seats immediately regretted going on the ride as they were came off the ride absolutely drenched (hands up who was in the front….).

At 1.00pm we gathered in the square and then headed over to California Adventure Park – now that got the kids going. This was ride city (adrenalin pumping rides). To get things going we started off on the Incredicoaster – that was a real heart starter. I’m not sure if upside down was necessary but man, did it give us some laughs (and naturally, more screams). After laughing at some more ride photographs we then dispersed to divide and conquer. Some braved the hour (or two) queue at Cars, but a favourite of all seemed to be Guardians of the Galaxy and its stomach dropping ride (I think I left my stomach somewhere around the 160 foot mark!).

We headed back to Disneyland (footnote: the two parks are directly across from each other) to watch the 6.00pm parade. While some of the crew weren’t terribly excited about the thought of watching a parade, the boys definitely got interested once the princesses started waving at them. They were also very animated when Santa came out, waving and calling out and terribly excited when he noticed them, a special hats off to Oscar who managed to catch Santa’s kiss that he blew to the boys (hold onto that, it will sell well on eBay).

We still hadn’t had enough, so after the parade, our group split with some staying in Disneyland and others venturing back to California Adventure to cram in as many rides as possible. We all came back together at 9.00pm to get ready for the Disneyland fireworks, but unfortunately the weather was not in our favour and they were cancelled. That failed to dampen the enthusiasm of our Disneyland faithful as our poppets decreed that just meant more time for more rides. Finally, after 15 hours at the happiest place on earth, our weary travellers called it quits (that’s because it shut) – I’m sure they will remember their time in Disneyland for years to come.

Here’s an interesting fact. Our band of intrepid travellers were that enamoured with all the rides and activities, they didn’t actually spend much time shopping. A rare feat indeed!

Now it’s time for a quick sleep, before we do it all again at Universal Studios tomorrow. Bring it on!

Disneyland Fun Facts

• The plants in Tomorrowland are all edible
• Disneyland originally opened with only 18 attractions – and 14 of them are still around
• The Matterhorn has a basketball court – rumour has it a half court basketball structure sits at the top of the mountain where employees go to shoot during breaks
• Disneyland was built in just one year
• Over 2.8 million churros are sold there every year
• A flight restriction has been placed over the park – no aircrafts are allowed to fly within a three mile radius

California Adventure Park Fun Facts

• California Adventure was built in Disneyland’s old parking lot
• Guardians of the Galaxy is 183 feet tall and the tallest ride at the Disneyland Resort
• California Screamin’ reaches a top speed of 55 mils per hour – it is also the eighth longest roller coaster in the world.
• Radiator Springs Racers is the most expensive ride built by a theme park – it is estimated to have cost $200 million.

The Flag!

Before we get onto the newly crowned flag recipient, special mention must go to Oscar, who is the first person to actually have the flag confiscated. He must have looked very menacing walking into Disneyland with the Aussie flag. Sadly. it ended up in the bin (even after he tried to hide it in a backpack). Our little flag was placed in the bin by the happiest security guards on earth (at the happiest place on earth), but it’s not all doom and gloom, luckily we are prepared and have a spare. Ha, ha Disneyland.

Very lucky indeed for our newly crowned recipient, Stuart – imagine being the winner of the flag, without a flag, that just wouldn’t be right! Stuart is the winner of the flag after showing his support for gender equality. Not one for discriminating the fairer sex (can we call them that any more??), Stuart’s gender-based revolution happened at the NCAA Basketball game we watched yesterday. It seems, Stuart was a little over-awed with all the goings on at the College game, so much so, that he may have not been paying close enough attention to the signs for the toilets. Keen to use the restroom before heading to his seat, he darted into the toilet walkway, only to be altered with a loud “Stuart, that’s the ladies” as he made his way through the doorway – that bellow, might have also raised the attention of all the ladies standing in line who may have ushered him off in the correct direction. (Personally, as the blog writer I would have preferred them to let him proceed all the way in before the notification. Now that would have made for some good story-retelling. Next time, next time).

And we’re back! I hope you missed us.

It’s been an eventful three days with lots of fun, laughs and a bit of basketball. In addition to making some great friends with our new homestay buddies at Antelope High School and Center High School, our troop of intrepid travellers have also represented Tenison Woods College exceptionally well on the court. Our girls battled hard in the Claude Brock Tournament and came away with two narrow losses and capped it off with a 30 point win. The girls received some exceptional generosity during their time at Center with Gabby and Emma’s homestay shouting the team out to a buffet lunch and we even received some cookies made for the girls by ex-patriot, Tracey. The boys came across some tough competition in the Titan Holiday Classic but managed to hold their own. After a big loss in the opening game, they rallied with a come from behind win and then a slim loss in the consolation final. As much as all the crew enjoyed the basketball experience, there was also much jubilation that they could pack away their basketball uniforms and now concentrate on the serious stuff of sightseeing – it’s time to be a tourist!

That jubilation might not have been obvious when we met all our little poppets at the bus at 6.30am this morning ready to head to the airport to fly out to Los Angeles. Quiet, very quiet. After a brief wait and an expensive Sacramento Airport breakfast later we boarded the plane, and pretty much everyone took the opportunity for a nap. Slightly refreshed after our brief shut eye we hopped on the bus and headed straight down to the Santa Monica pier. We had a quick chance to catch all the sights of Santa Monica and enjoy a little bit of sun (we haven’t seen that for a while) before we walked down Santa Monica Boulevard, had a look at some shops and enjoyed a quick meal. Most took the opportunity to try America’s favourite Johnny Rockets Burger Bar (all in the name really isn’t it). The portion sizes are huge and the food is delicious. With full bellies, we were then off to watch a NCAA Men’s Basketball match featuring USC versus Long Beach State. We had a little mini tour on the way to the game with our bus driver pointing out areas of interest. With tired little eyes we watched the game – things livened up a bit when four of the lads donned Trojan hats to show their support. With the game won by USC, we hopped back onto our ‘home away from home’ and headed to the motel. We checked in, ate, and then it was an early night decree by Bucks in preparation for our huge day tomorrow – Disneyland and California Adventure Park. That’s right people, we’re going to be “kickin’ it with the mouse”. The kids are excited, it’s sure to be a restless night in anticipation.

Things you’ve missed since the last blog:

• Day 13 Flag winner: Jaidyn Lawrence….it was only a matter of time til this young gent earnt his chance at the crown. It seems while touring Alcatraz Island, Jaidyn was heard to ponder loudly “is this island man made?” Nothing gets past this young intellect. There was also some slip sliding down a wet path that may or may not have been graceful.
• Sharon and myself getting abandoned at Center High School. Picture all us girls (young and old) getting divided into pairs and everyone getting picked by billets, but us. Awkward. It was like being back in High School all over again. All I can say is those billets don’t know what they were missing. Big mistake….huge. (we were eventually taken in by our new Antelope friends, they appreciated us).
• Storing the girls’ luggage in the Center High School storeroom. When it comes time to collect them and go home with their homestays (except for me and Sharon) the new doors that had only been in place for three weeks and had yet to have a lock installed had somehow been shut and thus, could not be opened. There was panic from the girls – there was fresh shopping bags in there. As the girls squealed with panic, the Center High School door openers pushed, pulled and eventually jimmied the new doors open. Luggage 1 – doors 0.
• Emma dropping her water bottle in the toilet and washing it off and then proceeding to continue to drink out of it. When we protested that was a touch gross, (and unhygienic) she exclaimed that the nozzle hadn’t touched the water it had only nestled against the rim. Euuuuugh.
• Sharon and myself driving a car to and from Center High School (thank you to our beloved Antelope homestay). I think you can picture it, but let’s just say there was screaming, a couple of profanities and lots of laughs. Our Varsity girls offered their prayers and best wishes. They even expressed mild concern.
• Not 20 minutes after a sad farewell (complete with hugs) with Michelle when she left us with the Antelope troop, Gabby said to Sharon that Michelle had recommended she didn’t play today, to which Sharon was heard to exclaim “Michelle, who’s Michelle.” Gold, absolute gold. (Michelle is yet to forgive Sharon for this little indiscretion. Add to that that we forgot to get her a coffee and you can imagine the pain we are currently going through).

The Flag!

With a mother who has been a dual winner of the flag, it was only a matter of time til this young soldier came away with the title. Welcome to the flag family, Oscar Adams. Oscar is renowned as being a big softie when it comes to animals, so it comes as no surprise that the big fella took an instant liking to the pets at his homestay’s house in Antelope. In particular, he built up quite the friendship with ‘Rimcon’ the Staffy Terrior Cross. Rimcon received lots of pats and attention and even some little treats, maybe a few too many treats. Actually, may I rephrase that to waaaaay too many treats. It seems Oscar enjoyed feeding Rimcon chocolate and Rimcon enjoyed eating the chocolate, but all the fun and games stopped when Oscar fed him that much that he vomited on the bed. Let it be known that his homestays never found out the real reason behind Rimcon’s vomiting outbreak – let’s hope Oscar hasn’t killed him with kindness.

“People who break the rules go to prison; people who break the rules in prison go to Alcatraz.”

Last night we enjoyed a glimpse of the life we all think we deserve, and it was nice, real nice. After the games against Piedmont we were invited back to one of the residences for a pizza party. There was talk from the Piedmont locals that it was a nice house so all 33 of us headed there for a quick bite to eat before heading off with our respective homestays. You should have seen this mansion. As we arrived there were a lot of open mouths and oohs and aaghs, it was definitely an OMG moment – we weren’t quite sure if our blue tracksuits cut the mustard but regardless, we stuck our heads up and chests out, gathered our best ‘G’day Mate’and headed in. It was even grander inside. There was talk of adoption (and that wasn’t just me) and we all shared a few “what if’’ moments.  We enjoyed the generosity of our gracious hosts and took in the views of the Bay before it was time for us all to depart – except for Joel and Darcy (you should have seen their faces when they found out this was their homestay…priceless).

It was time to play tourists today. After bidding farewell to our Piedmont homestays (and eventually prising Joel and Darcy away from their home away from home), we headed into San Francisco. Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t in our favour today and we were greeted with light rain and heavy fog. Our first stop was a quick walk around Pier 39 before we hopped onto a roofless double decker bus to take in as much of the culture the city of San Francisco has to offer. Luckily we had our big jackets as it was wet and windy up the top but it just added to the adventure – so did those low hanging tree branches…. With the wind in our hair (literally), we took in the sights of Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, CBD, Lombard Street and Ghirardelli Square to name a few. It truly is a spectacular city.

After out tour there was a quick moment to grab some lunch back at Pier 39 before heading to Alcatraz for a tour of the infamous prison that housed famous criminals such as Al Capone & the ‘Birdman’ Stroud. We headed to Pier 33 to board the ferry and see one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world. The island is breathtaking and there is a real presence when you first step onto the dock. The students enjoyed a self-guided audio tour of the prison system while also trying to take in the views of the spectacular bay area (unfortunately the fog was proving a slight barrier). While we tried our best to leave a few behind as permanent residents of Alcatraz, the prison guards insisted no prison in the world could house this group.

And if you think it’s been a busy day so far, wait…there’s more. At 5.00pm we were back on our beloved bus and headed to Chase Center to watch the Golden State Warriors take on the New York Knicks. Now this is something the Titans have been waiting for, and for the first time, the boys were actually at the head of the pack – I had to put my fast pants on to keep up. It was all eyes forward as we took our seats and gazed at the goings on. We may have been high, but that just meant we could see it all. The atmosphere was fantastic and after a slow start, the Warriors kicked in in the last quarter to force the game into overtime before going down by two points. It was a late night but the kids were still very excited as we made our way to the motel. Tired and weary but full of memories from a great day (albeit a bit damp).

The Flag!

We have an inaugural recipient for the flag, a lad that’s flirted with nominations but has finally had the call up. Please come forward Darcy Porter. (applause). Darcy was absolutely awe struck last night at our luxury pizza party abode. After finally lifting his jaw off the floor and having a little peak around when we walked in the front door (the large, large opulent door), he composed himself and headed into the kitchen area (still opulent). After doing some delving he’d come back with “did you know the man who owns this house has his name on cranes”, then off he’d toddle, only to come back a couple of minutes later with “did you know the man who owns this house built the 49ers stadium”. Then off he’d go again on more reconnaissance. Darcy and his accomplice, Joel, then headed downstairs where the rest of the kids were and let’s bear in mind, they were both carrying their pizza at this time. Darcy was so in awe and looking around as he walked down the stairs that as he gazed, with open mouth at the grand opulence he may have inadvertently been dragging his pizza along the wall. When he realised what he’d been doing, he panicked and then dropped the pizza onto the floor. Fearing he may be escorted from the house, he quickly picked up the pizza, and there’s talk that he may have tried to lick the stain off the carpet (this is not verified and I am honestly hoping this is not true….). He didn’t worry about removing the pizza sauce stain from the wall, as in his words “the house was so big, I didn’t think they’d ever see it”.

Tomorrow the girls and boys part ways as we head to our homestays with Antelope High School and Center High School and play in the respective tournaments. The blog will take a short hacienda during these days with a recap of how we fared when we meet back up on Sunday 15 December – unless we get a few flag nominations, then I might come out of hiatus 😊.

We had panic in the motel last night, absolute terror – in fact you could almost see the whites our intrepid travellers’ eyes. It seems the realisation had finally struck that the mountain of shopping purchases actually may not fit in all of our luggage, and we were flying out to Oakland the following morning (yikes). There were souvenir water bottles getting purged, shoe boxes thrown out, shopping bags abandoned, vacuum sealed bags coming into play and the pleading of those with a bit of room to take pity on their shopping mad friends. After a few hours of manouvering and rejuggling, the bulging (and I mean bulging bags) were packed with zippers stretched to capacity.

The next thing that really put fear into our poppets was the word that we needed to meet in the lobby at 5.30am the next morning, now that caused a lot of panic. A lot! I’d like you to imagine what it’s like to have 27 bleary eyed teenagers in one spot at that hour of the morning. They all made the deadline on time but it wasn’t pretty. There definitely wasn’t a lot of conversation – in fact, none. After a quiet trip to the airport, a quiet check in and quiet waiting at the gate, we flew quietly to Oakland (where we all slept on the plane). After we landed at Oakland we were slightly more rejuvenated and loaded everything onto the bus ready to head to St Mary’s College, unfortunately once everything and everyone was loaded we found out that we were on the wrong bus – the other Aussie basketball tour (from Sydney) had taken our bus. The students were very happy to unload everything and load it back onto the correct bus (we went quiet again after that 😊).

St Mary’s College of California is a private College that was founded in 1863. It has a total undergraduate enrolment of approximately 2700. The St Mary’s Gaels men’s basketball team represents the College in the West Coast Conference of the NCAA. The current head coach is Randy Bennett, who is the school’s all-time wins leader. St Mary’s is also the educational/basketball home of our very own Matthew Dellavedova and Patty Mills. We were taken on a tour of the school grounds and basketball facilities, with a few left dreaming of their College debut, before we headed back onto the bus to our next games at Piedmont High School.

Piedmont is a small and exceptionally wealthy semi-suburban city located in Alameda County, California. Piedmont is completely surrounded by the city of Oakland. Its residential population was 10,667.

Fun Facts:

• The name Piedmont comes after the region of Piedmont in Italy and literally means foothill.
• Regular town events include the July 4th Parade, Movies in the Park, Harvest Festival, Haunted House, Thanksgiving Turkey Trot, and Christmas Tree Lighting. 

Junior Varsity Boys:

The boys were off to a solid start with some strong defensive pressure from Darcy getting us some early turnovers. AJ lodged the first score on the board but Piedmont’s accurate shooting started to hurt us dearly with four 3 pointers putting us behind early. Joel Dent drove into the key and added another 2 points and Joel Duncan was applying the pressure to Piedmont’s offence. A three pointer from Joel Duncan and a steal and score by Joel Dent made our score look more respectable but Piedmont was still hurting us on the scoreboard. A pinpoint pass from Mason to help AJ get to the basket was a help but Piedmont were still raining down threes, scoring seven 3 pointers in the first quarter. At the first break we were 15 points down (25-10). Piedmont started the second quarter with another 3 pointer but was matched with scoring by Conall at our end and a 3 pointer from Joel Dent. Darcy (aka Daryll) was relentless in attacking the basket and Conall continued to add to the Titans score. Stuart scored from the foul line and at half time we were 17 points down (40-23). We started the third quarter with some strong defence but unfortunately our shots weren’t dropping until a Joel Duncan 3 pointer remedied the issue. AJ was pulling in the rebounds and Mason was driving strongly to the basket but unfortunately despite the boys best efforts the score was 57-31 at three quarter time. At the start of the fourth, Max was fighting hard under the basket for rebounds and Darcy was continuing to attack the basket. Jake was applying strong pressure in defence and James was working the ball well up the court. Darcy and Joel Duncan battled hard til the end with a final score of 71-33.

Varsity Girls:

The girls got onto the scoreboard quickly thanks to a Sarah two pointer followed by another two from Emily but Piedmont was matching our scoring efforts. Kayleigh’s pressure on the ball was proving a problem for Piedmont and creating turnovers. Sarah was providing some great passing options and a two pointer from Kayleigh saw the scores tied half way through the quarter. The team was applying great pressure but Piedmont pushed out the lead late in the quarter to go into the break 5 points up (18-13). Ellen and Emmason were fighting hard in defence and creating headaches for Piedmont but scoring was proving difficult for us. Sarah broke the drought by driving in and scoring to reduce the margin to two points. Emilia and Ella’s height was proving an advantage for rebounds and after Gabby drove in and scored 2 points, scores were level. A free throw conversion and 3 pointer from Gabby put us 4 points up, but scores from Piedmont brought it to a one point game at half time (24-25). Piedmont came out of the blocks strongly in the third quarter for be 7 points up after 2 minutes of play. The girls were working hard in defence but Piedmont’s accuracy had kicked in and they were pulling away. Two Ellen 3 pointers and another three points from the foul line helped to reduce the margin to 13 points (49-36) at the break. With the crowd getting vocal, Piedmont added to their score but the Titans girls rallied with some great defence and a score from Sarah. Ellen had found range and lodged another 3 pointer and Ella added another 2 points under the basket. Kate had a near miss with a 3 pointer which had the crowd on their feet in anticipation. The girls kept fighting til the end but final scores were 64-43.

Varsity Boys:

Our boys got off to a nervous start and were 9-0 two minutes into the quarter. A time out by Coach Buckley saw us return to the court and get 2 points on the board from Matt. The team settled with some tight defence from Oli creating the turnover and sending the ball down for Oscar to capitalise. Malok added another two points but it was proving too easy for Piedmont to get the ball down the court and score. A block and steal by Matt saw the ball head back our way with Oscar scoring both from the free throw line. We traded shots and at the end of the first quarter we were 10 points down (25-15). Some tight defence by Toby and Matt Withers created a turnover and a subsequent 3 pointer from Matt Black. Jaidyn added two points to our score, and Matt added another four to his tally. Malok was proving strong pulling in the rebounds at both ends.  In a great fight back the Titans were five points down at half time (31-26). At the start of the third, Oli and Toby applied the pressure with Toby converting from a steal and then adding another two points. Half way through the quarter the difference was six points but too many passing errors gave Piedmont a run to put them up by 15 points (52-37). Scores by Toby, Oli and Oscar kept the scoreboard ticking over but unfortunately, we couldn’t slow Piedmont’s scoring rate. A Matt Withers 3 pointer was much-needed as was Conall’s left handed lay up. An Oli/Oscar combination added another 2 points but in the end Piedmont ran out winners 72-53.

The Flag!

It’s usual for there to be one incident that gets you nominated for a flag, it’s unusual to have three separate reasons for a nomination in one day but then again nothing surprises us with Emma Gould. Emma has already earnt one flag title (remember the toilet shower, let’s not dwell on that one…) but yesterday may not have been some of her finest moments. I’ll keep these accounts short and succinct (some of us need to get to bed, remember the early morning). 1. While staying in our fancy hotel, Emma was excited to use the fancy lifts, so excited that she eagerly ran to get in the lifts with her Titans crew. Only problem was as she ran there and stuck here arm in to stop the door from closing and bellowing “waaaaaiiiit” she realised the blue tracksuits she had seen were actually blue suits, that’s right it wasn’t us. The elevator crowd was a little taken aback but thankfully took it in good spirits and even let her in the lift. 2. Last night an urgent message was sent out by Emma to the group chat saying it was an emergency and she needed a bandaid straight away as she had blood gushing everywhere. Michelle was onto it and bolted from her room and up the two levels to check out the ensuing emergency. Michelle was relieved, if not a little amused, to find out the injury was actually Emma stubbing her toe (luckily Michelle didn’t call 911, we all know she can do it). 3. Knowing what American security is like, we’re regimental in reminding our young travellers about the rules and regulations, the dos and the don’ts. Imagine our surprise then, when Emma is pulled up at security with knife in her bag, not a plastic knife, a metal butter knife. Security as you can imagine were non-plussed but apparently she needed it for her Nutella, sure that’s what they all say….

“Shopping is cheaper than therapy.”

There was excitement in the air this morning, you could almost taste it – yes sir, shopping day had arrived. The bus trip to the Adidas Staff Outlet was full of shopping plans, shopping dreams, shopping discussions and even some warm up shopping exercises from Michelle (you never can be too careful). We got to the outlet 30 minutes before the shop opened (just to be safe) so there was more time for the excitement to build. By the time they called us in there was a few frothing at the mouth and then we were let loose. Matt Black sprinted like no man has sprinted before – straight out of the gates. Sharon wasn’t far behind, and almost took out a small child as her competitive spirit kicked in. With 50% off all stock, it was also a great opportunity for us to test our maths skills – it’s not all shopping fun and games you know, this is an educational experience. After 90 minutes (and many, many pairs of shoes later) we departed, a little weary but still with a spring in our step. Why, the spring? Well, we were off to our next shopping encounter, Woodburn Premium Outlet. This is an outlet mall in Woodburn, Oregon, with over 350,000 square feet of premium retail space – it’s a shopping mecca. Ciaran’s budget discussions from last night still ringing in our ears, it was a case of pace, pace, pace…well, for some. Matt Black has again led the shopping charge – and may have even purchased a large suitcase to house his plethora of new purchases. We’re now known as the Tommy Hilfiger Titans – that store must love us (and we love it). From there, a little weary from our day’s shopping extravaganza it was time to pile back on the bus, attempt to find room to fit all the parcels and bags and get back to basketball. We had an hour to recoup on our way to Vancouver, Washington for the boy’s to play Columbia River High School who have over 1200 students. After a day’s shopping, the girls were very happy to have a night off and support the boys.

We had our first birthday celebration for the trip with Darcy celebrating his sweet 16. While we may not have given him any fanfare for his Australian birthday, he certainly received a barrage of birthday well wishes for his American birthday. We even had a cake for all to enjoy – everyone is now hoping for more birthday’s (and more cake).

Junior Varsity Boys

The shopping extravaganza may have taken its toll on our Junior Varsity team. Columbia River came out of the blocks firing while we were still thinking about sales and 50% off discounts. Despite valiant defensive efforts from Joel Duncan, Darcy, James and Stuart, Columbia was scoring with rapid succession. Joel Dent was finding the basket scoring all our 5 points for the quarter. At the end of the first quarter we were down by 14 points (19-5). We came back from our thoughts of the sales at the start of the second and scored the first six points thanks to Conall and Joel Dent. Conall provided some much needed height and was pulling in the rebounds and added another 2 points to bring us within 6 points two minutes into the quarter. Joel Duncan kept the scoreboard ticking over and Mason added an intercept and assist to his tally to get Conall to the boards. After a great second quarter we pulled the deficit back to 9 points (32-23). Birthday Boy Darcy, got us on the board to start the third quarter but Columbia River were converting as well. Mason and Stuart added a couple of points and the boys were applying pressure in defence but Columbia held the lead going into the third quarter by 11 points (50-39). Jake and Max applied the defensive pressure in the final quarter and Joel Dent kept our score moving along with a three pointer. Two points from Jake helped our scoreline but at the end of the game the first quarter had cost us dearly and we went down by 17 points (65-48).

Varsity Boys

Resplendent in their newly purchased Nike shoes, shooting sleeves and leggings our Varsity team took to the court, and with some great team passing Malok to the basket for the score.  An Oli drive to the basket and foul conversion added another 3 points to the total with Matt Black and Jaidyn adding to the tally as well. Down the other end Columbia were still scoring well. Oscar was working hard under the basket and half way through the quarter the boys led by 3. A back and forth scoring exchange saw the lead see-saw in the remaining minutes with our Titans down by 1 point at quarter time (17-16). In the second quarter some tight defensive pressure by Toby and AJ helped create a turnover and consequent score for the Titans. Columbia went on a scoring rampage while our scoring quelled and we were 8 points down mid way through the half. A much-needed time out was called to try and bring life back to the team. Oli teamed with Oscar to get another 2 points on the board and then an Oscar swat to deny the opposition a score had the crowd on their feet. A Malok dunk as a result of some great Titans defence brought the house down. An Oli steal and basket brought the deficit back to 5. However, some last minute scoring by Columbia pushed their lead out to 9 (35-26) at half time.  Malok got us on the board in the third with a 3 pointer but Columbia kept up the scoring pressure. AJ, Matt Withers, Conall and Toby came on to help apply the defensive pressure but unfortunately we couldn’t stem their scoring. A much needed Toby 3 pointer came near the end of the quarter but was matched by Columbia. Matt Black scored 2 points in the dying seconds and at the three quarter time break we were 16 points down (55-29). Matt Withers added a three pointer with scores from Matt Black, AJ and Oscar helping our tally but it was to no avail with Columbia leading by 23 points with 3 minutes to go. A Malok three pointer and quickfire 4 points from Oli, followed by 2 points from Oscar brought back the deficit to finish down by 18 points (74-56).

The Flag
We have a two-time winner – and none of us are surprised. Ella has come back to the flag fray, and it feels so natural for her to have it. As some background to her nomination, our accommodation here in Portland has been our best yet. We are all loving the taste of luxury, but none more so than our young Ella. She loves the beds, the bathroom and especially the breakfast, she really loves the breakfast. So much so, that when she found out that our flight the following morning required a departure that would require us missing the hotel breakfast, she was livid and decided to express her disappointment to Bucks as they were heading up the lift. She was strong, she was firm and she told him in no uncertain terms her thoughts. As she arrived at her floor she gave Bucks a final glare and stepped out, only to realise she didn’t remember her room number, so with tail between her legs she then had to turn around and ask with an angelic smile what her room number was. Not one to bear a grudge Bucks gave her a room number (however if might not have been the right number) so without a care in the world (apart from the fact she was missing tomorrow’s buffet breakfast) she proceeded to room 529. She tried the door with no luck, shrugged and then moved to the next door and proceeded down the corridor for the next 5 doors with no luck. It was then she realised the stream of sniggering Titans lining the corridors watching her attempt to get into a room, any room – and the ensuing laugher. With another glare at a laughing Bucks she tossed her hair and finally found her right door – 535. Karma, it’s a wonderful thing. Welcome back to the flag zone.

Special mention to yesterday’s flag winner, Malok, it seems he loved being a flag recipient so much that he wants to keep the mantle, or the flag that is. As we discussed only two days ago, the flag must remain in the recipient’s possession for the full 24 hours. Not our Malok, who left it sitting in the motel, not realising until we were at Adidas….that’s a big oops. Welcome to bus duties Malok.

“Accept compliments and give praise” – Anthony’s fortune cookie

Can you believe it, when we left Winlock today we forgot to stop and look at the World’s Largest Egg! How, why? There were tears, tantrums and disdain (well maybe that was just me). I only hope it wasn’t everything it was cracked up to be. Sorry, bad yolk.

After we bid a fond farewell to our homestays, we got back on our home away from home – the bus! It was a scenic extravaganza today, and we took the opportunity to get in touch with nature and explore Coldwater Lake at Mount St Helens and see it in all its natural glory. Unfortunately though, seeing its surrounding scenery and even Mount St Helens proved a little tougher than anticipated with the fog settling in across the whole mountain. It did make for some impressive back drops though.

Coldwater Lake was created during the 1980 eruption of Mount St Helens, which blocked its natural outlet, Coldwater Creek with volcanic debris. As we walked the boardwalk surrounding the lake, there was a chance for some stone skimming, photo taking and even for one of our fall-prone students (yes Emily that’s you) to somehow end up ankle deep in the water while trying to find the perfect photo spot. After a quick change of clothes for Emily and millions of photos later, we hopped back on the bus and headed to Portland.

Portland, Oregon’s largest city, sits on the Columbia and Willamette rivers, in the shadow of snow-capped Mount Hood. It’s known for its parks, bridges and bicycle paths, as well as for its eco-friendliness and its microbreweries and coffeehouses.

There wasn’t much viewing of the scenery on the way to Portland, most viewed the inside of their eyelids on the journey. After a two hour trip we arrived in Portland and checked into our accommodation which received rave reviews from us all. Luxury, we were made for it.

Tonight, we got to watch one of America’s favourite sports, ice hockey. We made the 10 minute walk to Moda Center (very inconspicuous when a group of 33 navy clad Aussies walk the streets) to watch the Portland Winterhawks take on the Prince George Cougars. The fanfare was impressive, and the Aussies in blue were cheering from the stands, but they certainly cheered louder when there was a bit of biffo or shoving into the glass. Such gentle folk we are. Some of the students had the chance to ride on the Zamboni (ice resurfacer) at half time, and even made the big screen. Bucks used his magic and got the entire crew down rink side to watch the last minutes of the game and then high five the team as they left the rink. Malok even scored a hockey stick from the captain of the team – looking forward to getting that one back on the plane.

Fun Facts:

• Portland was named on a coin toss (if the coin had landed on the other side we’d be in Boston)
• Portland holds an annual World Naked Bike Ride
• Portland boasts the world’s smallest park – Mile End Park is 2.5 feet in diameter
• The city has more microbreweries than anywhere else in the world.
• One of the city’s slogans is ‘Keep Portland Weird”
• Portland is home to the largest independently owned bookstore in the world

The Flag!

During our time OS (that’s overseas for everyone back in the land of Oz), we’ve noticed quite a similar offering in American fast food favourites – burgers, chips, burgers, pizza, burgers, hotdogs. Not an exhausting repertoire. With our refined Australian palate we’re battling through (the boys are finding it very easy), but for one of our intrepid travellers, the flavours just don’t seem to be pushing his tastebuds. Welcome to the flag, Malok Makoi. It seems Malok decided to test his tastebuds the other day and venture away from his usual fare of hamburgers – he pushed the limits and ordered wedges. Whoa, slow down their Jamie Oliver. Unfortunately though for Malok, the wedges just didn’t cut the mustard, there was no pizzazz, no oomph and half way through the meal he exclaimed “these wedges all taste the same”. What was he expecting, an explosion of the taste senses mid way through the meal, a sudden injection of chicken salt or a sprinkle of paprika? Whatever his expectation, the disappointment of “that’s not a wedge, that’s a wedge” has turned him back to his diet of hamburgers. It’s tough for the true connoisseurs.