Picton, speaking notes, preparation, etc

by Ron Largent | Feb 15, 2018 | Akaroa and Christchurch, Australia, Australia and the Rain, Dunedin, Melbourne, Napier, New Zealand, Rain Forest in Cairns Australia, Sydney Australia, Sydney Opera House, Tasmania, The Rocks in Sydney, Travel, Uncategorized, Wellington

Picton was a very sleepy pretty pretty little port town. A huge lumber port which we saw from the ship as it was adjacent to the dock. We decided on a quiet day so rode the shuttle the 10 minutes to downtown then walked around for a couple of hours. Cute shops with lots of souvenirs. A beautiful harbor this is a very beautiful and desirable area.

A number of excursions are available but we chose for a slower day. Got back at 2 then were to pick up Laura at 4 pm. Carrie and boys went to air display in Blenheim.

I also see right along port Mainstream transport and then Mainfreight Freight  and then Toll  so I need to check and see what these represent as they look like three main transportation centers. I may want to also talk about train travel as in Wellington I am looking at trains coming and going..It could be that train travel is more common on the North Island than this and due to the train with the big mountain range on the south Island.Should also get some details on imports and exports as the boards are very very busy and again in Wellington I see a large lumber court area right down along the water ..I need to get some details on rugby and the stadiums and the number of greens and the attendance for example and Wellington there is Westpac stadium how many does it seat how many games a year and those kind of details for the rugby fans.   May also do it for cricket

Speaking Prep…….

Good morning this morning we will be talking about Wellington and is healing which is the capital of the country of New Zealand it is located at the southern end of the North Island and as we have mentioned New Zealand is made up of two large islands one called the North Island and one called the South Island; Wellington is the largest city in the southern part of the North Island. As shown on the photo for the past 4 days we have been visiting cities in the South Island the largest being Christchurch which was the victim of the 2011 earthquake and now we will concentrate for the next 4 days on the North Island which has the capital city of Wellington and of course the largest city in the country Auckland or “Oakland” depending on who you are talking to.. Wellington is a large city of a Million people and is the seat of the government and is a huge economic center with three large Port areas….  one of which we are. In and as you approach Wellington this is what you will see in the dark area and please noticed that the homes on the hill side facing to the eastern see are very dramatic very large and very expensive as you can imagine having the seaside and the Bay view. Wellington has a rich cultural background founded in1830…..This format might work very well.

Now let’s talk a bit about the history of Wellington it was founded in 1830 primarily by the British with saw this has an excellent Trading Post for timber cattle shape and related products.It grew rapidly over the years due to the critical location of the huge Bay and port facilities to a city that now has a million people in the immediate area.Upon arrival at the port you will be able to take a shuttle who to the center of Wellington which is about a 10 minute ride.Or can put them there will be a shuttle that will take you from the shipped directly into the small town village port city of Picton which will be opposite the old steam train that offers a 1 hour trip into the countryside to Blenheim or you can take the shuttle into the village where there are many shops.

As a point of interest when I am talking about a small town like Picton I  may want to talk about the district such as Marlboro so that they can get the audience can get a better feeling for the local economy why people live here what they do what makes the community vibrant etc..I think I should emphasize that I use a lot of photos with the points over concept so that not only will they see the photo and hear me speak the points but will also see the points over the slide or the photo. And make the point that the slides are fast moving to give a impressions that there is a lot to see and do in the port

In talking with Jan last night he mentioned some things that I could do in  contacting HAL.They will be asking what I do how I do it and why I do it he made the point they will approve the content no politics no religion etc.I think I should write a 50 word summary that concentrate on maybe the top 5 things to do in the community. Or something to the fact that I talked briefly about the history the culture the social or economic factor and then conclude with what to do or what you can do while in Wellington.Maybe make it into for parts of 10 minutes each such as introduction to Wellington and cover the history Then go into and the culture in society that we know today such as the lumber industry in Pitman and the impact that it has on the community and the local economy.Then go into what you can see and do in Christchurch and the time factors. For example In Picton the steam train ride to Blenheim leaves from the railway station which is opposite the information drop off point and please had 12 noon and returns by 5 p.m. For those that do not want to do an excursion the little town of Picton has many shops and cafes and you can take a leisurely stroll around town as well as a walk around the pretty Bay..I need to make the point that I have been in every city that is on the Mediterranean the northern Europe And  the Australian cruise ship cities and countries over the past 5 years..I might want to approach the lecture this this is where you will be arriving or tomorrow we will be arriving in Wellington in the early morning and this is the port that we will be talking in and show pictures photos.I need to make the point that these are informative lectures and that there will be a red notebook available with more detail on Wellington and consider also a notepad or  Note sheets that can be used during the lecture for their own note taking.I should make the point that these are informational lectures to supplement material that they can get from the excursions desk or on excursion tours offered by the ship that this is supplement take information to help them understand more about the ports that they are visiting. For the HAL application they will need to see what I will speak on and experience. No politics prejudice etc.    How I do it timing etc photos etc.