South Pacific eflyer January 2018 Journeys are open to all ambassadors and represent some of the many places where you can experience new cultures and grow your global circle of friends. If you are interested in any of the following Journeys, please contact the Journey Coordinator directly.
25 April - 25 May 2018 Sydney, Australia to Malang, Indonesia, Vietnam and Liuzhou, China MAP (Maryam will insert) Come and enjoy exciting Malang Friendship Force Club in Indonesia with its mild highland climate and its colonial architecture. There is a blend of Indonesian and Dutch styles with grand mansions and many temples which are a remnant of a medieval kingdom. You can enjoy a humanitarian experience with children and/or students providing books or learning equipment to encourage children to study and have fun learning. Experience life with a family in their own home. FFI Journey Number: #14013 Cost: $5,000 - $6,000 AUD Approx. (includes FFI fees & Host Fees) Contact: Andrew Nelson (FF Sydney) PH: 02-9634-4066 Lgnacn@hotmail.com In Vietnam, we ll Start in Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon) with its French colonial landmarks and the Vietnamese War history museums including the Cu Chi tunnels used by Viet Cong soldiers. This will be a tour with nights in hotels as well as a homestay experience for four nights. Visit Sapa in the Hoang Lien Son Mountains of north-western Vietnam overlooking the terraced rice fields of the Muong Hoa Valley. Visit Hoi An, a world cultural sight and learn about its culture and architecture and enjoy a boat tour on the Perfume River and an overnight cruise on Ha Long Bay. Finish in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, with its narrow streets and many little temples. In Liuzhou, we ll visit a fantastic stone museum and visit a local school and travel to Yuba and watch performances of ethnic groups. In Sanjiang county we will watch an ethical love story performance and visit the Drum Tower and Wind and Rain Shelter Bridge. We will experience a boat cruise on the Liujiang River. This Journey includes four nights of homestays where you will enjoy the culture and the cuisine whilst experiencing home life in China.
May 2018 Kempsey, Australia to Brasilia & Recife, Brazil and Tarapoto, Peru Anyone wishing to experience South America, but are unsure of going alone, will find this a safe, friendly way to do it! MAP (Maryam will insert) FFI Journey Number: #14079 Cost: $4,000 - $5,000AUD Approx. (includes FFI fees & Host Fees) The experiences should be varied and equally interesting, going from the lively atmosphere of Rio, to the majesty of the capital, Brasillia, to the beach-side atmosphere of Recife, then flying across the amazing Andes to Peru to take in the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu followed by the more rural atmosphere of Tarapoto. An amazingly varied trip to experience with a small group (12 max) of very friendly Australians in the homes of extremely vivacious Brazilians and Peruvians. Contact: Jan Stubbs (FF Kempsey) janstubbs49@gmail.com
3-20 August 2018 Gisborne, NZ to Kauai and San Diego County, USA We invite you to get away from winter and join us on the Journey to the western area of the USA. Our first hosting is with FF Kauai, which is the oldest of the Hawaiian island and lies 160 kms from the better known island of Oahu. It is often called the Garden Island and is the site of the Waimea Canyon State Park. The scenery is stunning. Kauai has been the home of over seventy films including classics like South Pacific, Jurassic Park, Elvis Presley s Blue Hawaii, and the opening scenes of MASH and Raiders of the Lost Ark. FFI Journey Number: #14122 Cost: $3,000-4,000NZD Approx. (includes FFI fees & club host fees) Contacts: Miriam Swarbrick (FF Gisborne) PH: 06-868-5273 gisborne@friendshipforce.org.nz The Hawaiian Island culture is well represented here. We may visit the Kaua I Heritage Centre of Hawaiian Culture and Art founded in 1998, which gives a great sense of appreciation and respect for the Hawaiian culture. We will learn about their language, the lei, cordage making, chanting and of course the hula. That is if we can dodge the thousands of chickens! We then have a three-day stopover in Honolulu before moving to our second hosting with FF San Diego County where the weather is always nice and the natives are very friendly. There is just so much about San Diego which is set on three islands where there are miles of sandy beaches. We might visit the world famous San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, Sea World Aquarium, the museums at Balboa Park. A visit to USS Midway Aircraft Carrier is a must! We may have the opportunity to move inland and visit the mountains and deserts including Palomar Observatory. Mexico is 30 minutes away. Perhaps we will do some shopping and wine tasting at historic Old Town and Mission de Alcala. Sound good? Please contact the coordinator for more information.
6-20 August 2018 Taupo, NZ to Adelaide and Perth, Australia There s always a good time visiting our cousins across the ditch. Here s an opportunity to visit two great clubs in Adelaide and Perth. FFI Journey Number: #14093 Cost: $2,500NZD Approx. (includes fares, FFI and Host Club fees) Contacts: Aline Fletcher (FF Taupo) PH: 07-378 6670 taupo@friendshipforce.org.nz We will start our Journey with a couple of days in a hotel in Adelaide when we will arrange a cruise on the Murray River and other exciting activities. Then we meet up with our Adelaide Hosts. The city of Adelaide is situated on coastal plains and surrounding hills and near to 32 kms of clean and safe beaches. It has a reputation for being one of the more liveable cities in the world with wide leafy streets and elegant architecture. Think of Adelaide, and think of Barossa Valley for the best wine, or Adelaide Hill with so many boutique towns and villages like Harndorf, which are so interesting to visit, or the Glenelg Tram to the beach. We then move west to FF Perth on the Swan River. There we will enjoy visiting old Perth at the Perth Mint (early gold mining), the Barrack Street Jetty precinct and the Bell Towere (where we may take part in the bit of bell ringing). No Journey is complete without a visit to beautiful Kings Park, where we can take in the views of the city and wander through lush lawns and natural bushland and do the tree-top walk. We will spend a day in the old port city of Fremantle to check out the old buildings and museums constructed by the early convicts. Plus we will visit shop at the markets and enjoy fish and chips for lunch at Fisherman s Wharf before enjoying a leisurely river cruise back to Perth city. Visit a wildlife park, meet and feed the native animals including kangaroos, koalas and emus. Take part in a farm show watch sheepdogs muster their sheep ready for shearing, and try your hand at whip cracking. But above all, enjoy the company of club members who will happily invite you into their homes sharing with us group dinner hosting, barbecues and picnics.
September 2018 Napier, NZ to Bandung, Indonesia and Yamagata, Japan If Asia is on your bucket list for 2018, then we have the Journey to fit your needs. We start with a visit to FF Bandung situated at the eastern end of Java in Indonesia. This area is a popular weekend and holiday destination for residents of Jakarta about 180 kms to the north. The cooler climate, varieties of food, cheaper fashion shops, and many entertainment outlets are included in some of the attractions. FFI Journey Number: #14150 Cost: $3,000-4,000NZD Approx. (includes fares, FFI and Host Club fees) Contacts: Ross Stevens (FF Napier) PH: 06-8448246 napier@friendshipforce.org.nz The fertile area of the highland plateau abounds in tea plantations, which was what brought about the early Dutch colonial interest. This area s European history is based round the Dutch architecture in what is referred to as the tropical Art Deco, using both the Dutch and local traditions. This area also includes mountains, lakes, volcanoes, protected forest areas, all of which offer wonderful views. There are a number of museums such as Geological Museum of Bandung, the Indonesia Postal Museum, Sri Baduga Museum, and the Asian-African Conference Museum. Next, we fly northward to our second hosting at Yamagata in Japan. This prefecture is north of Tokyo, they refer to themselves as the kingdom of the Hot Springs. There are spas in all cities, towns and villages. They are also the kingdom of Fruits. Because of the big differences in temperatures of the four season, they grow a variety of cherries, apples, and pears. They are also the kingdom of the Appetite with a wide range of fresh seafood and vegetables harvested locally. Try imoni, a popular potato stew. They are also the kingdom of Culture with many festivals and events. Make your application to join us now!
October 2018 Marlborough, NZ to Vietnam This is a Journey with a guide and four nights of home hosting with local families. All other accommodation will be in hotels. Cruise Ha Long Bay and stay overnight in the splendour of the hills. Visit beautiful Sapa, and meet the Tay and Day tribes. Climb the highest mountain in Southeast Asia (cable car and tram available, unless you are real energetic). FFI Journey Number: #14299 Cost: $6,000-$7,000 NZD Approx. (includes FFI, Host and tour fees) Contacts: Robert Cooper (FF Marlborough) PH: 021 448 523 ffmvietnam@gmail.com Attend a market, learn about the culture and history of the ancient royal city of Hue. Shop in Hanoi. Listen to Royal music in the Imperial Citadel in Hue. Take a boat tour on the Perfume River. Do this and many other exciting things as you travel through the country. Learn about the history and architecture of Hoi An, a world cultural heritage site. Visit Ben Thanh market and shop in Ho Chi Minh City. Visit the Cu Chi tunnels. The trip will commence on the 1 st October 2018 and is for 16 days. There will be an optional extra going into Cambodia and cruising on the Mekong river.
18 October 3 November 2018 Nelson, NZ to North Moreton and Blue Mountains, Australia MAP FFI Journey Number: #14222 Cost: $2,500 - $3,000NZD Approx. (includes FFI fees & club host fees) Contacts: Audrey Ki (FF Nelson) PH: 03-544-6243 audrey.kitto@gmail.com This is an opportunity to visit our cousins across the ditch at not too much cost during spring time. Our first hosting is at FF North Moreton, which is just north of Brisbane. This area has so much to offer beautiful beaches, scenic mountains, lakes, rainforest walks, boutique wineries, kangaroos on the doorstep they ve got it all. There will be a chance to walk through the rainforest near the Glasshouse Mountains Marvel and hear the calls of the whip birds. We may cruise up Pumicestone Passage or along the Brisbane River, or enjoy a barbeque at sunset as the kangaroos hop nearby. Get close to a koala at the fabulous Australia Zoo, the creation of legendary Crocodile Man, Steve Irwin. Walk with us along one of the most beautiful beaches in the world at Bribie Island. A warm sub-tropical climate offers comfortable living throughout the year. Historically, Redcliffe was the first settlements in Queensland and was once a penal colony. We then move south and spend 3 days in the amazing city of Sydney. Then it s up the mountains we go to our hosting with FF Blue Mountains. This area is now a major gateway to Western New South Wales and is a very popular weekend getaway for Sydney-siders. The city of the Blue Mountains comprises 26 townships which are dotted along the Great Western Highway and has a permanent residential population of around 74,000. The climate is somewhat more temperate than Sydney. We will be there during their spring when the temperature is very agreeable. The great outdoors is all the go, and they offer a wide range of choices such as the Three Sisters, Jenolan Caves, Katoomba Scenic Railway, Knapsack Viaduct, the Edge Cinema, the Giant Stairway, and much more. On a rainy day, we could visit the Norman Lindsay Gallery & Museum and/or the Toy and Railway Museum.
15-30 November 2018 Whangarei, NZ to Ehime & Saitama, Japan Will you join us to visit the autumn leaves in Japan? MAP FFI Journey Number: #14216 Cost: $TBD-NZD (still being calculated and will include FFI fees & club host fees) Contacts: Gwendolyn Needham (FF Whangarei) PH: 09-4377183 whangarei@friendshipforce.org.nz Our first Journey will be to FF Ehime, which is located on the island of Shikoku, in the southwest of Japan, and is famous for people making a pilgrimage to 88 designated temples. Ehime faces to the scenic Seto Inland Sea dotted with numerous small islands. It is also a mountainous region with the Shikoku Mountain Ranges including Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest in the west of Japan. Ehime is one of the major producing districts of mandarin oranges and various fish. We will be offered several sightseeing spots such as Matsuyama Castle, Dogo Hot Spring Spa (the oldest in Japan), Ishite-ji Temple (one of the 88 temples of the pilgrimage), Tobe pottery, Shimanami Sea Route, Uchiko Old Town, Omogo Gorge and so on. We will experience tea ceremony and Kimono dressing in a traditional tea house, ceramics painting, indigo dyeing, and whirlpool-watching on a ship. We have an option to organize a day trip to Hiroshima (A-bomb Museum) and Miyajima (a World Heritage Site) at an extra cost. We will then move on to FF Saitama which is located in the northern part of the greater Tokyo. They are proud of their Hina dolls, their fascinating Japanese Ogawa paper and the world famous Bonsai village. Saitama is reasonably close to Nikko, one of UNESCO s World Heritage sites, which is about 100 km north of Saitama City. FF Saitama will also offer some Japanese traditions such as kimono, tea ceremony, origami and calligraphy there s so much to do. It will be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy and learn about this unique culture.
2018 South Pacific Outbound Journeys Date Number Description February 14013 Sydney, Australia to Malang, Indonesia February 14013 Sydney, Australia to Liuzhou, China February 14013 Sydney, Australia to Vietnam March 14030 Central Coast, Australia to Osaka, Japan March 14030 Central Coast, Australia to Kumamoto, Japan April 14056 Kapiti Coast, NZ to Greater Taipei, Taiwan April 14056 Kapiti Coast, NZ to Nanjing, China April 14058 Adelaide, Australia to Isle of Wight UK April 14058 Adelaide, Australia to Bavaria Nuernberg-Erlangen, Germany April 14061 Brisbane, Australia to Tauranga Western Bay of Plenty, NZ April 14061 Brisbane, Australia to New Plymouth, NZ April 14065 Newcastle, Australia to Wanganui, NZ April 14065 Newcastle, Australia to Wellington, NZ April 14063 Southern Sydney, Australia to Nagasaki, Japan April 14063 Southern Sydney, Australia to Tottori, Japan April 14046 North Moreton, Australia to Bergen, Norway April 14046 North Moreton, Australia to Cleveland County, UK April 14284 Salisbury and Northern Districts, Australia to West Alajuela, Costa Rica May 14079 Kempsey, Australia to Brasilia, Brazil May 14079 Kempsey, Australia to Recife, Brazil May 14079 Kempsey, Australia to Tarapoto, Peru May 14066 Thames Coromandel, NZ to Big Canoe, USA May 14066 Thames Coromandel, NZ to Fort Worth, USA May 14084 Mount Barker, Australia to Taichung, Taiwan May 14084 Mount Barker, Australia to Taipei, Taiwan June 14092 Albany, Australia to Itanhaem, Brazil June 14092 Albany, Australia to Belem, Brazil June 14115 New Plymouth, NZ to Helsingborg, Sweden June 14115 New Plymouth, NZ to Varel, Germany June 14093 Taupo, NZ to Perth, Australia June 14093 Taupo, NZ to Adelaide, Australia June 14108 Sunshine Coast, Australia to Quebec, Canada June 14108 Sunshine Coast, Australia to North Bay, Canada
2018 South Pacific Outbound Journeys Date Number Description July 14121 Christchurch, NZ to Biarritz, France July 14121 Christchurch, NZ to Isle of Wight, UK July 14122 Gisborne, NZ to San Diego County, USA July 14122 Gisborne, NZ to Kauai, USA August 14138 Newcastle, Australia to Nova Lima, Brazil August 14138 Newcastle, Australia to Curitiba, Brazil August 14145 Perth, Australia to Krems, Austria August 14145 Perth, Australia to Rheinhessen, Germany August 14133 Murray Bridge, Australia to San Jose, Costa Rica August 14133 Murray Bridge, Australia to Coatepec, Mexico August 14144 Auckland-North Shore, NZ to Gold Coast, Australia August 14144 Auckland-North Shore, NZ to Mount Barker, Australia September 14154 Wellington, NZ to Bergen, Norway September 14154 Wellington, NZ to Derbyshire, UK September 14159 Blue Mountains, Australia to Metro Vancouver, Canada September 14159 Blue Mountains, Australia to Medicine Hat, Canada September 14159 Blue Mountains, Australia to Seattle-Tacoma, USA September 14162 Hamilton & Waikato, NZ to Albany, Australia September 14171 Tamworth, Australia to Nelson, NZ September 14171 Tamworth, Australia to Taupo, NZ September 14176 Mount Gambier, Australia to Marlborough, NZ September 14176 Mount Gambier, Australia to Wairarapa, NZ October 14177 Bundaberg, Australia to Baton Rouge, USA October 14177 Bundaberg, Australia to Central North Carolina, USA October 14177 Bundaberg, Australia to Central Virginia, USA October 14184 Hobart, Australia to Shelby, USA October 14184 Hobart, Australia to Florida Suncoast, USA October 14194 Gold Coast, Australia to Toulouse, France November 14216 Whangarei, NZ to Ehime, Japan November 14216 Whangarei, NZ to Saitama, Japan November 14222 Nelson, NZ to North Moreton, Australia November 14222 Nelson, NZ to Blue Mountains, Australia
eflyer Submissions are due to the following contacts by the 20 th of each month: Australian eflyer Contact: John Stapleton jstapleton@bigpond.com New Zealand eflyer Contact: Colin Ridge colinjanet123@gmail.com FFI Contact: Maryam Jordan maryam@friendshipforce.org friendship force international friendshipforce.org