Sunday, June 19, 2011

Signing off

We've completed our trip and it's back to the real world (for me at least), while some of our group are still pursuing overseas adventures.

Thankyou for your interest in our travels and we'll leave you with a picture of us doing what we did most of during our time in Florida. Vocational and Cultural exchange with our new Floridian friends.

Monday, June 6, 2011

The City of Pure Water - City of Zephyrhills

6th June - Vocational Visit

This afternoon was spent with David Henderson (Director of Utilities -City of Zephyrhills & Chairman of the East Pasco Water Coalition). David gave a comprehensive overview of the Florida water wars, from the 1920's to today. We also discussed water quality reporting requirements (customer confidence reports), water treatment targets and water resource security measures adopted by the state.


Cattle Ranch, Bill and Paula Barthle, Pascoe County




Rotary presentation





Saturday, June 4, 2011

Kennedy Space Centre, Cape Canavral




Entering the Kennedy Space Centre
Man on the moon... nearlly. Spaceman at the entrance.


A replica of the moon car
A previous astronaut


The world countries (represented by flags) that have and are involved with reseaching space, the moon, mars and the glaxity.

Will in front of the NASA launching pad.

6950 District Conference, TradeWinds, St Petersburg, Florida

 GSE Floridian and Australia teams of 2011.

GSE team with astraunaout Nicole Stott

Let the celebrations begin at the Rotary 6950 District Conference

 The 3 Ann(e)'s Ann McDowell, Ann Kennedy, Anne Pett





Thursday, June 2, 2011

Pinellas Park Rotary Club and bowling

After touring the All Childrens Hospital Jerry and Kevin Krauss took us to their lunch time meeting rotary club where we were greeted by Club President Hope Peterson.

The gentleman Joe Minarik introduced the GSE team to the rotary club.


The GSE team with Joe Minarik and club president Hope



The GSE team with Kevin, Kenny (uncle) and Jerry Krauss.



Ballers up...


Anne McDowell sending the ball down

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Marine Reseach Centre and University of South Florida

1st June Vocational Visit
Today was spent speaking to water quality researchers at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the University of South Florida

Many aspects of water quality monitoring, techniques, instrumentation and reporting were covered. The impacts and concerns around "red tide" were also discussed.
It was interesting to find out that the issues that Victoria faces with major blue green algae bloom are very simliar to these "red tide" events Florida.

Pinellas Clearwater Feather Sound, June 1st - the newest club of South Pinellas

Wednesday evening the Clearwater Feather Sound Rotary club who have only formed on January 13th 2011 invited the GSE team. This young club is lead by Kurt ??

 The rotary flag of Clearwater Feather Sound Rotary Club, St Petersburg, Florida


Below the club enjoying the finale of our presentation with an Australian gambling game of 'Two Up'. Two up is where two Australian penny's are flip on a 'kip' a wooden paddle. Bets are placed to the 'spinner' (the person holding the paddle) prior to each flip. The coins will either land either 2 heads, or 2 tails or one head one tail.
Two Up - Marshall on the left of the photo in the suit, has been to Australia playing basketball through out Victoria, NSW and Queensland a few years ago now. He would really enjoy taking his wife to Australia and sharing the Australian cultural experience with her. Marshall could not speak high enough of Australia.


Jimmy and his son Jim Jnr joined our team at the baseball game.
It was Jim's rotary friend Scott who won the two up game and now we think it might be an annual game played at the Pinellas Feather Sound Rotary Club.

It was really spacial in how all the South Pinellas rotary clubs received an extended invitation to join in sharing a cultural baseball game with the unknown GSE team. It was over whelming the support that was shown to the club.


President Kurt exchanging a Rotary banners with Feather Sound. These banners where the inaugural banners this club has received as the Australian GSE team of 2011 was the first team to visit this club.



Robyn Lardner legging it out of the back seat of her host's, Donna Blazevic, 2010 silver, two seater mustang car.