Zion - S.T.E.V.E. Chant

M.I.L.K. !!!!!!!!!!!!

Bryce - MILK!!!

A wee chat with Zion

A wee video captured of the Zion Team - on their way down to Flagstaff!

just some wee videos of the trip more will added as and when I make them.....

An overview of the trip - I will work on the 'official' Movie over the next week - if you want to send me over some of your own images to be included - then please send them to my hotmail address :- noreenmckee@hotmail.com

cheers

Another wee video - showing one of the first video montages I made whilst out in Bryce.

The Overview...

I thought I should post a few wee moviettes which sum up some of the essence of the trip - I hope you get an idea of just how 'totally awesome' our trip has been.

There has been everything from climbing mountains, swimming in the Colorado river, crossing over one of modern-day wonders of the world - and shopping in one of 'the' retail capitals of the world!!!

Be prepared for tired bodies and minds returning to you on Sunday - we have tried a lot and accomplished a lot.

We were proud to call them our students during the trip - everyone we encountered told us how well behaved they were and that they were a credit to our school.  we pass on these accolades to you the parents - they have done you proud.

Thank you for looking in while we undertook this life adventure - I hope you have enjoyed it.  Thanks to those who left their daily comments - it really did mean a lot to me and to the recipients of the messages.

So - until the next time - this is Noreen 'Wee McKee' Linforth - signing out....

God Bless xxx

Las Vegas...

Well, we finally made it!!!  This is indeed the final blog posting of the trip.  (Everyone say Aww....!).

I will invite the students to log on and give a few of their highlights and memories from the trip when they return to the green, green grass of home - so more from them later.

The evening walking the 'strip' last night appears to have be

en eventful - when many interesting sights and sounds enjoyed by all.

The morning saw yet ANOTHER buffet breakfast, with foods f

rom all over the world on offer.  Miss Flanagan even had some Cherry Cobbler after her cooked breakfast!!  but then she did have a whole day of shopping ahead of her!!

We caught the 'Deuce' bus to the Las Vegas Retail Outlet - watching the scenes of Las Vegas play out before our very eyes during the trip.  When we arrived the group were set a ne

w challenge...

YOU MUST GO INTO THIS VAST GROUP OF STORES AND BUY, BUY, BUY! - YOU HAVE TWO HOURS TO USE AS YOU WISH - READY, STEADY, GO!!!!

The shops proved to offer a great variety of comparison goods with a lot of volume shopping  experienced by all.  The retail park was located at the periphery of th

e city, with good access routes for both delivery of goods and shoppers to park (that bit was for my Year 11 and Year 8 classes - just in case they thought this trip was all play and no work!).  

There were many bags to be carried when we boarded the bus into the centre of the city again - and we alighted at the famous NEW YORK, NEW YORK casino.  

The plan was to see a few of the fabulous casino/hotels on our way to the next Mall - and this gave a few a quick chance to gamble a little ( $1 to be exact);  Alex played it well, and earned himself a whole 2

5c profit!!!!

The couragous of the group then set off for the New York Rollercoaster.  It was spectacular - and I am sure you will see many of the photos taken during the ride.

With our hearts still racing, we then headed on foot to the 'Fashion Mall',  we passed alongside the Pirates of the Caribbean show and the famous Bellagio - with the fountains dancing along to some majestic music. (now that's a way to mark each half-hour!).  During the walk around

 the casinos, we spotted one of the many 'Wedding Chapels' and Jac thought the opportunity was too good to miss - so as you can see, with Mike officiating, he went down on one knee - see Bethan for the answer she gave??!!##!

After some time in the Abercrombie & Fitch shop -

 we all had a little to show for it!

We then trotted back to the hotel for dinner - and while a few chilled - the others went one last time to check out the famous lights of Vegas.

Tomorrow brings along our last time to see the sights of what is an extraordinary city - with the kind of scale and colour which is rarely seen anywhere else in the world.

Vegas is a city which appears to go against the realm of nature and logic - a city in a desert, watered by a river which runs through the deepest canyon in the continent; with lights of such  electrifying and varying colours, that they make everyone appear to

 be in a movie.  The people are all in a cast of thousands - reading from a script that no one in Hollytwood could ever have the imagination to write.  That is Vegas - incomprehendable and amazing - all in the same breath!

Don't think that visiting Vegas is a gamble - it is an experience that will enrich and excite.  I am sure that the sights and scale of the buildings will stay with all who came along on this 'journey'.

The Team Challenge is nearly over -with just a few more points available to play for.

The standings at this moment are:-

Hoover Dam & Colorado River Raft Float...

Well this evening's blog is being

 written in rather different circumstances....

APOLOGIES - MY IMAGES ARE NOT UPLOADING AT THE MINUTE - I WILL TRY AGAIN IN THE MORNING - UNTI THEN - HAPPY READING,,,,,

I am used to typing away in a quiet room, having the quietness of the evening to help me find the right words.

Tonight - we are in Vegas - and the neon lights of the 'strip' are reflecting off the window.  We have just had dinner, having walked through an area of hundreds of slot machines.  The culture shock of the Bryce experience to the Vegas experience could not be more marked.

We started the day bright and early with breakfast in Boulder City, with a short drive to the Hoover Dam Visitor Centre.  As Robert drove the coach towards the Dam itself, we were all amazed at the grandeur and scale of the complex. We were shown a short video on the building of the 'Boulder' Dam, which was later renamed 'Hoover' in honour of it's great creator - Herbert Hoover - not the other one!

After descending many metres to the floor of the Dam, we were privy to the workings of the generators and the outstanding engineering which took place to produce of the modern day wonders of the world!

When we had looked at the sights - we then made our way to the Boulder City Hacienda Hotel - where we were to commence our river float trip.

We left Robert and our comfortable coach - and were driven through areas restricted to most, and found ourselves at the foot of the Hoover Dam wall.

When we were all safely 'loaded up', we were then on our way....

Our trusty guide - Dave  - highlighted to us the many types of different geological forms located along our route.   We saw hot springs caused by seismic acticity, non-conforming rocks, fault lines and 'tropical' grottos.

The remnants of the engineering required to create the Hoover Dam in the 1930's was still visible at times. The 'Gauge Men' who had to climb  across some treacherous areas to measure water levels and velocity - always taking their life in their hands to do so - was just one of the 'tit-bits' that Dave shared with us.

We had a few stops to allow the students to cool off - and some took this to the extreme - as you can see below!!!  the temp was about 12 C - so they were indeed brave wee souls (they have been awarded points for their teams to acknowledge their courage).

We eventually got to  our destination and we disembarqued our loyal raft.  We were met by Robert who drove us back to the hotel to pick up our luggage - as coaches are not allowed to cross over the Hoover Dam with luggage!!!

The images below do not do it justice - but I thought they might give you a small glimpse into our day.

And so the scene was set - we were now on our way to Las Vegas !!!  cue the old classic by Elvis.....

We were able to see the 'strip' from about 10 miles away - and as we drew closer - the Zion team were getting louder and louder.  The excitement was almost tangible - with everyone making mental lists of shops to be visited and spectacles to be witnessed.

We pulled up outside our final hotel - 'The Riviera' and the bell-hops took out luggage to our rooms - pretty soon we were in 'Kady's' for dinner - where the steaks ordered were as large as our dinner plates!!!!  - well you know what they say about things in the US!!

Anyway - tomorrow is a day of the artificial type of attraction - rather than the natural we have been spoilt with recently.  We will have a little time to shop tomorrow - which I know a lot of the group have been looking forward to.  Abercrombie & Fitch -here we come!!!!!!!

Some have gone for a walk to see the lights - my trusty apprentice Jade is taking the photos - so you will get the latest update tomorrow evening!!!

Until then - Goodnight x