Year 9 English
By Nathan Gardner and Sam Glover | Posted: Monday June 17, 2024
To conclude 9G’s unit on Travel Writing, the boys had to write a piece about a place they knew well. The tone of the piece needed to be upbeat, and the writing needed to utilise adjectives, fronted prepositions, dialogue, colloquial language and factual information.
Nathan Gardner’s Travel Writing piece - Niue
Long sandy beaches separate the dense jungle from the deep blue sea; a contrast like no other. Upon exiting my plane I'm immediately hit with a humid environment and the constant chatter of birds singing in harmony like an orchestra. A skinny local shows me and my family to a couple of old pickup trucks on the way. I admire his traditional tattoos that shine in the hot sun. Niue history is very rich and widespread starting in the beginning with settlers from Samoa in 900 AD, and later in 1774, the first known sighting from a European by the name of James Cook. His experience with the locals gave Niue its original name of Savage Island, but this is certainly not the case for my current experience with their hospitality and kindness.
A jungle trip was the perfect way to start our journey on the island, my uncle suggested. On the way, we are met with lush plants and breathtaking wildlife such as Geckos, striped Cockatoos and Coconut Crabs that had claws the size of trucks. To get down to the beach we had to scale a ladder, which I swear I saw jolt, almost scared of itself.
“Oh mate, it looks a little steep. I think I’ll pass,” shuddering under my breath.
“Come on man, get a grip. It's only a ladder.”
Niue holds the world record for the longest ladder from sea level and up, while staying in one structure.
On the beach, I feel my toes digging deep into the warm sand, bringing me great pleasure. On the count of three, my family and I jump into clear blue water. Underneath you can see for miles, as Niue holds the world record for the clearest sea water and one of the warmest too. From afar a striped black and white sea snake is visible dancing in the water with the tide. Sliding on my mask to catch a better look, only for it to be snatched off my face again; my older cousin had jeopardised my once in a lifetime experience for a joke.
Despite Niue’s lack of business or money making attributes, the hotel that I stayed in was the peak of luxury - mostly being made up of quartz and facilities that put the Ritz to shame. There is a shared lifetime memory in the making, as my cousins and I drink LLB’s inside a pool overlooking the ocean.
“Lockey give me my LLB before I forcefully pry it out of your hands.”
“Not a chance, lil bro,” he says, smirking to himself.
To end the day, we make our way to the hotel's restaurant for a pitstop. Here we are pampered with tropical island food and about the biggest pig I have ever seen, as well as entertainment - an exciting traditional fire dance that gave true depth to the kai.
Sam Glover’s Travel Writing piece - Gisborne
“Yo bro chuck me the sunscreen!” I say to my tour guide .
He replies, “Yeah I've got you, mate!”
This is Gisborne, known to be the first place in the world to see the sun. It is also known as one of the hottest places in New Zealand. I went to visit Gisborne which is located on the North Island of New Zealand. When I arrived, I needed to stretch my legs out a bit. I decided to walk along a walking track and the first thing that I noticed was the beautiful warm weather. Around me, I admire the waka gliding across the water, with the hearty kids putting in the mahi to get their waka over the line.
I am fortunate to have my Grandad as my guide during my visit here. He is a local that has lived here for 70 years of his life. Our first visit of the trip was to Kaiti Hill. This is a popular spot for tourists to visit due to its wicked views. As we made our way up the hill, I couldn't help but ask, "Are we there yet?" But when I finally reached the top, I saw the breathtaking views of Gisborne and its beautiful beaches. I knew the long walk had been worth it all. Down the hill on our way back, we spoke to some locals who chatted to us, sharing that the hill has an ancestral background for the Ngāti Oneone hapū, which added to my appreciation of the area.
I told my Grandad I had caught an appetite and he was like, “No worries, bro.”
I asked if we could get some Maccas and he responded with, “Nah bro, you don't wanna go there. It's chocka there mate.” I was confused by that but we went anyway. As soon as I saw the massive queue, I got what he meant. I just laughed and said, "Yeah, nah, not keen on waiting in that line, aye." He just laughed like it was something he had heard before and then took me to my last destination, which was choice as.
Our visit to the museum was a highlight of the trip. I had the opportunity to yarn with a local expert and learn about Gisborne's early history. It fascinated me to discover that Gisborne was the first place in New Zealand to be discovered. I then decided to go for a potter around the museum seeing what other historical pieces I could see. I then saw a see-through diagram of Captain Cook in his room on the boat. Alongside that, I read an article saying that Gisborne was the first area in New Zealand visited by Captain James Cook. It received its first permanent European settlers in 1852 and was surveyed in 1870, and given the name Gisborne, for its then colonial secretary, Sir William Gisborne. It was given the status of a borough in 1877, and it was constituted a city in 1955.
After a long day of exploring with my Grandad, he said we had one more place to visit and that was the beach. We went and sunk our bodies into the sand, and lay back looking at the glassy sea water with the beautiful sunset in the background.
