Glaciers

Hi guys

Today we are driving to Dijon. (If you have heard of Dijon mustard it comes from here)

Yesterday we went up Mont Blanc pronounced Mont Blonk in France.

Built a snowman at the height of Mount Cook. Walked inside a glacier - amazing.

Covered in pumice

Hi Middles

This week we went to Pompei and Vesuvius!

Did you know that Vesuvius erupted in 1944 and the war was stopped because of so much damage? We could still see the lava flow from this as no trees were growing on it. There were some holes in the crater of Vesuvius where sulphur was escaping. Sulphur is the same thing as you can smell at Hamner Springs pools (like rotten eggs).

Guess how far apart Pompei and Vesuvius are . . . I will tell you next time I write.

Pompei is much better preserved than I expected. It is massive and awesome! We saw the dog that had been covered in ash and a few people including children. There was a cool house which was called the 'Mystery Villa' which had a secret room that the owners and their servants hid in with all their treasures, it didn't save them from the poisonous gas. Thomas and Dad ran out in to the Ampitheatre and Thomas shouted "I am Sparticus" just like in the film Sparticus. They has a big wrestle but nobody died.

:-) bye

Two terible two year olds visit school.

Pogo and Mister.

Pogo and Mister came for the day. pogo came Tuesday and mister came on Thursday
me and Meila walked mister and we did three lap’s around the school 1 walking and 2
running. Water went up mister’s leg. It looked like he had a bath. Mister was so so so so
wet so I did not want to cuddle him. His face was not wet and his back is not wet either. His
tummy was as wet as a beetroot trout that has been washed under a tap. Pogo and Mister are the colour white. Pogo is very funny because he always jumped on Mr Searle. When I was the first one at school pogo jumped on my lap. Mister is a good guard dog and he barked at Jenny when she came to see us. Pogo and mister are brothers. they have the same mum. she lives down the road. That is where pogo and mister came from.
by Tiarne

The naughty boys!

Pogo and Mister.
Pogo and mister came to visit, they are both brothers. Pogo came to visit on Tuesday and mister came on Thursday. People in our class got to walk the dogs. Mister is really fast at running, but Pogo isn’t so fast .We got to play ball with Mister before school.Mister is younger than Pogo and they are both brothers. Mister has a pink nose and Pogo has a black nose. Mister is a faster than Pogo even though Mister is younger.They are both white Lowchen dogs.They both like cuddles and to sit on peoples laps. Pogo got really tired when he came. They liked scrounging peoples food which Mr Searle is trying to stop them doing!
And they were born down the road from school in a yellow bach but they are white and there mum was golden and thats where they came from.
by Meila.

Pogo and Mister
were at school last tuesday and thursday.
Lots of people wanted to walk him and I got to play fetch with him, and walked them both. They sleep under Mr Searle’s desk when we are working. We had them in at different days. They were in for the whole day.
By Leah Miles
PS this is Mister because his nose is pink.

Boys in a box

Hi Kids.
Let us know if you want us to come for another visit.
We tried sneaking into school in this box of schoolbooks, but our dad
spotted our wooly ears sticking out.

Birthday boys Bash!

Here is an action shot of Sean putting away his first of four goals against Dovedale School.
Nice accuracy under pressure Sean! Your last goal was nicely on target as well.
Happy 8th birthday today.

New Students in the Middle Room.

On Tuesday Leah and Josh brought their 8 week old baby rabbits to school. Leah's rabbit
was jet black and her name was Lily. Josh's was blue and white and her name is blue.
by Leah.

Big Buddha

Last Saturday we went up to the Big Buddha on Lantau Island, Hong Kong.

On the way to the Buddha we had to go on a cable car. We had the option of having a crystal cabin which is where the bottom of the cabin is glass and the seats fold up so you can sit on the glass, but we decided not to because it was about 1000 foot drop.

We saw some people fishing in a little reed boat. Then the cable car stopped. We were hoping that we didn't drop to our doom! Luckily they were just loading on food and supplies for the residents and cafes of Lantau Island.

When we got to the top there was a sculpture that looked like a handbag with bubble gum bubbles filled with rolled up coloured plastic bags.

Then we went up the 268 steps to the Big Buddha which was made with plaster and bronze. It was over 5m tall.

It was the biggest thing I had ever seen and was really suprised how they had hidden the welding in the pattern of the Lotus leaves. We could even go inside it.

It was built by the monks of the Po Lin Monastry.

Sunday 5th September 1st chapter

We are at Hong Kong Airport waiting for our 12 hour 55 minute flight to England. When we got there we got a limo to our hotel also known as our Grandmas house. By Thomas

Rain

to a farmer rain is as precious as gold

to an athlete it is poison

the roses are partying

while the spiderplants are diving for cover

by Elizabeth

New Friend....

Hi Middles,

I went to Oregon on the weekend and made friends with a reptile. This is Lefty - a 6 foot corn snake.

At first I was nervous and a little afraid, but he is soft and cool to touch and he's a very cuddly guy!

Lefty and I became good friends and now I want a pet snake when I get home but Mum said "NO, you cannot have a snake in NZ (thank goodness)" - she is a bit of a scaredy cat!

Only 2 weeks till I'm back - Yay!!

Ssssssseee you all ssssssoon!

Love Ella the snake wrangler.