Sunny September
Imagine lying on a sun lounger, in a pink bikini sipping on a Pina Colada…. on the top deck of the Dawn Princess, a cruise liner. An experience that no Kiwi was having back home in New Zealand in September, sixteen days and seventeen nights of summer sunshine.
Chloe Harvey, a student at Manukau Institute of Technology studying a Bachelor of Applied Communication, had a lifetime opportunity to experience several different cultures last September. Chloe’s partner Scott Bennett, planned the cruise to celebrate their five year anniversary.
The excited couple boarded the liner in Sydney, then cruised to New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji. “We were allowed to disembark and visit the different islands; that was a real treat!” Chloe said.
Suva, the capital and largest city in Fiji, was one of the cities the couple fancied the most. “It was a real culture shock for me,” says Chloe, “it made me appreciate what I had back home, as many of the people were living in corrugated shacks.”
Whilst on holiday, the dedicated MIT student decided then and there, that she was going to enrol in Intercultural Communication, a paper offered by MIT. “I’m definitely going to take it next semester,” says Chloe, “I’m now keen on learning and understanding about other cultures other than my own.”
Chloe was concerned whether she would get sea sick, and took pills to help with nausea and wore wrist bands which were supposed to help relieve motion sickness. “The wrist bands helped,” says Chloe.
Chloe says entertainment was not an issue. Days were very eventful with themed parties on the deck every night. “The liner had this fabulous vibe!” said Chloe, referring to the liner as the “love boat.”
As it was a long cruise, and many older couples were on board relaxing, swimming or dining. There were also various restaurants, from Italian to buffet and they were all open 24/7, “just in case you needed a midnight snack,” Chloe says.
Luckily, for Chloe and Scott, there was a gym on board, which Chloe said, “I had to go, Scott’s a fanatic when it comes to exercising and I had to work off the extra calories!” There was a laundromat on board where you paid about a dollar to wash your dirty laundry. “I think Mum appreciated that fact,” said Chloe, “I didn’t come home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes!”
Chloe Harvey, a student at Manukau Institute of Technology studying a Bachelor of Applied Communication, had a lifetime opportunity to experience several different cultures last September. Chloe’s partner Scott Bennett, planned the cruise to celebrate their five year anniversary.
The excited couple boarded the liner in Sydney, then cruised to New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji. “We were allowed to disembark and visit the different islands; that was a real treat!” Chloe said.
Suva, the capital and largest city in Fiji, was one of the cities the couple fancied the most. “It was a real culture shock for me,” says Chloe, “it made me appreciate what I had back home, as many of the people were living in corrugated shacks.”
Whilst on holiday, the dedicated MIT student decided then and there, that she was going to enrol in Intercultural Communication, a paper offered by MIT. “I’m definitely going to take it next semester,” says Chloe, “I’m now keen on learning and understanding about other cultures other than my own.”
Chloe was concerned whether she would get sea sick, and took pills to help with nausea and wore wrist bands which were supposed to help relieve motion sickness. “The wrist bands helped,” says Chloe.
Chloe says entertainment was not an issue. Days were very eventful with themed parties on the deck every night. “The liner had this fabulous vibe!” said Chloe, referring to the liner as the “love boat.”
As it was a long cruise, and many older couples were on board relaxing, swimming or dining. There were also various restaurants, from Italian to buffet and they were all open 24/7, “just in case you needed a midnight snack,” Chloe says.
Luckily, for Chloe and Scott, there was a gym on board, which Chloe said, “I had to go, Scott’s a fanatic when it comes to exercising and I had to work off the extra calories!” There was a laundromat on board where you paid about a dollar to wash your dirty laundry. “I think Mum appreciated that fact,” said Chloe, “I didn’t come home with a suitcase full of dirty clothes!”
