Year 12 Geography Trip

“For our external topic in Geography we will be learning about the South Island High Country”. The High Country, I thought to myself as I slumped back into my chair, “could this topic be any more boring.” 
Fast forward to three weeks later and there I was, standing on New Zealand’s longest glacier (23km) looking over the treasure that is the South Island High Country. The land was breath taking, from the mountains that towered above Mt. Cook Village where we stayed, to the snow that melted, taking the minerals from the rocks in the land and creating a dreamy blue lake. This is what it is to be a geography student.  
This year as part of the school curriculum for Year 12 Geography, students took a field trip to Aoraki Mt. Cook to study the South Island High Country.  For the 14 students who were lucky enough to go, this wasn’t just another school subject trip, this was a life changing experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. We were extremely grateful to see all the parts of the South Island High Country. We walked around the Hooker Glacier track taking in the sights below the mountains, before being face to face with the Hooker Glacier and Aoraki Mt. Cook itself.  Shortly after that we were piled onto boats heading out onto the Tasman Lake where there we were met by giant icebergs that had fallen off the Tasman Glacier itself before they floated down the Tasman Lake. 
It was such a fine clear September day that it was perfect weather for boating; however it was also perfectly clear weather for stargazing. The sky was littered with stars and constellations that you can only see in certain parts of the world. The scene was breath taking as we took looking at the night sky to a whole new level. Mr Terry was still amazed at the sights of planets Saturn and Jupiter.  At 9am the next morning we were all packed into a ski-plane heading up past Mt. Cook to the neve of the mighty Tasman Glacier. There I stood, feet sinking into snow, as I stood on New Zealand’s largest glacier blown away by the view.  
This was a truly amazing experience and I would recommend this for the younger year groups coming up. On behalf of the Geography class of 2019, I would like to say a massive thanks to Mr Terry and Mrs Perkins for making this trip possible for us as well as organising this trip.  A big thanks to the school, also, for giving us the opportunity to take part in this memorable trip. 
By Brianna Shaw, Year 12 Geography
 
 

For our external topic in Geography we will be learning about the South Island High Country”. The High Country, I thought to myself as I slumped back into my chair, “could this topic be any more boring.” 
Fast forward to three weeks later and there I was, standing on New Zealand’s longest glacier (23km) looking over the treasure that is the South Island High Country. The land was breath taking, from the mountains that towered above Mt. Cook Village where we stayed, to the snow that melted, taking the minerals from the rocks in the land and creating a dreamy blue lake. This is what it is to be a geography student.  
This year as part of the school curriculum for Year 12 Geography, students took a field trip to Aoraki Mt. Cook to study the South Island High Country.  For the 14 students who were lucky enough to go, this wasn’t just another school subject trip, this was a life changing experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. We were extremely grateful to see all the parts of the South Island High Country. We walked around the Hooker Glacier track taking in the sights below the mountains, before being face to face with the Hooker Glacier and Aoraki Mt. Cook itself.  Shortly after that we were piled onto boats heading out onto the Tasman Lake where there we were met by giant icebergs that had fallen off the Tasman Glacier itself before they floated down the Tasman Lake. 
It was such a fine clear September day that it was perfect weather for boating; however it was also perfectly clear weather for stargazing. The sky was littered with stars and constellations that you can only see in certain parts of the world. The scene was breath taking as we took looking at the night sky to a whole new level. Mr Terry was still amazed at the sights of planets Saturn and Jupiter.  At 9am the next morning we were all packed into a ski-plane heading up past Mt. Cook to the neve of the mighty Tasman Glacier. There I stood, feet sinking into snow, as I stood on New Zealand’s largest glacier blown away by the view.  
This was a truly amazing experience and I would recommend this for the younger year groups coming up. On behalf of the Geography class of 2019, I would like to say a massive thanks to Mr Terry and Mrs Perkins for making this trip possible for us as well as organising this trip.  A big thanks to the school, also, for giving us the opportunity to take part in this memorable trip. 
By Brianna Shaw, Year 12 Geography