By Charné du Plooy and Rebecca Fisher
It was another beautiful, sunny day in California (haha, you’re in the cold) and we were off to an early breakfast at 7:30am. When breakfast was finished, we loaded the buses to go on an hour long bus ride to a luxuriously hot field for field show practice. After marching around in the sun for a while and a well needed water break, we were off to our next destination, Santa Monica Pier. We were blown away by the sight of the ocean and the massive beach next to it. The next 2 and a half hours were spent searching for lunch and sightseeing around the pier. We both went off with our friends and took plenty of pictures to remember this one-of-a-kind experience. To wrap up the day, we hopped back on the buses and headed back to the hotel where we could relax and hang out with friends until the band meeting and curfew. Overall, it has been an incredible day, and one that we will never forget.
Thursday, 28 December 2017
Wednesday, 27 December 2017
Day 1
By Mackenzie Parent, Emma Walton
Day one in California was a great start to the tour!Breakfast started at 8am in the crystal ballroom and ate breakfast together. For breakfast we had eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, and fruit. Then we loaded the buses and were on our way after a short delay. Once we got to the stadium we had a brief field show practice in the heat. After we finished practice we set off to Hollywood! Due to heavy traffic, we were late by an hour and a half. However, once we got off the bus, we found out free time had been extended by an hour to accommodate for the delay. We ate fish and chips, pizza and burgers at Pigs n’ Whistles. Then we went window shopping at souvenir shops and were excited to find many patches to add to our band jackets. We were able to walk around and look at all the stars on the walk, and catch some views of the infamous Hollywood sign. Once our free time came to an end, we headed back to the hotel for dinner and free time. We headed to Target to pick up snacks for the week before heading back to our rooms. All in all, today was a great day filled with fun and new experiences. We are excited to see what the rest of the tour had to hold.
Day one in California was a great start to the tour!Breakfast started at 8am in the crystal ballroom and ate breakfast together. For breakfast we had eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, and fruit. Then we loaded the buses and were on our way after a short delay. Once we got to the stadium we had a brief field show practice in the heat. After we finished practice we set off to Hollywood! Due to heavy traffic, we were late by an hour and a half. However, once we got off the bus, we found out free time had been extended by an hour to accommodate for the delay. We ate fish and chips, pizza and burgers at Pigs n’ Whistles. Then we went window shopping at souvenir shops and were excited to find many patches to add to our band jackets. We were able to walk around and look at all the stars on the walk, and catch some views of the infamous Hollywood sign. Once our free time came to an end, we headed back to the hotel for dinner and free time. We headed to Target to pick up snacks for the week before heading back to our rooms. All in all, today was a great day filled with fun and new experiences. We are excited to see what the rest of the tour had to hold.
Tournament of Roses - Travel Day
By Amy Longley & Sarah DiMatteo
With months of preparation, excitement, and hard work has led up to this exciting journey. The excitement definitely peaked yesterday as band members gathered at the music center. Upon saying goodbye to our parents we were honoured to have former band director Don Allan, who brought the band to the Rose Parade twice before, to speak with us about his experiences and wisdom. We loaded onto 6 school buses, and were finally off to the airport. The airline was kind enough to give us a private section to check our luggage and receive our boarding passes, after a quick and easy check in we were able to go get food and continue to build even more excitement. For flight 1, we discovered that our flight was delayed due to the cargo hold were frozen and therefore unable to load our luggage. This caused us about an hour delay which was only a minor setback. While on the flight, there was a buzz about an NHL hockey player and famous social media celebrity on our flight, this was the first of many (hopefully) celebrity sightings during our trip. By the time we landed and collected our luggage, we were even more eager to get to our hotel. At this time, we were told that flight 2, which was previously on time, was delayed at LAX because there was no gate for them. After a long day of travel, we were all ready to go to bed and prepare for the amazing tour we have ahead.
With months of preparation, excitement, and hard work has led up to this exciting journey. The excitement definitely peaked yesterday as band members gathered at the music center. Upon saying goodbye to our parents we were honoured to have former band director Don Allan, who brought the band to the Rose Parade twice before, to speak with us about his experiences and wisdom. We loaded onto 6 school buses, and were finally off to the airport. The airline was kind enough to give us a private section to check our luggage and receive our boarding passes, after a quick and easy check in we were able to go get food and continue to build even more excitement. For flight 1, we discovered that our flight was delayed due to the cargo hold were frozen and therefore unable to load our luggage. This caused us about an hour delay which was only a minor setback. While on the flight, there was a buzz about an NHL hockey player and famous social media celebrity on our flight, this was the first of many (hopefully) celebrity sightings during our trip. By the time we landed and collected our luggage, we were even more eager to get to our hotel. At this time, we were told that flight 2, which was previously on time, was delayed at LAX because there was no gate for them. After a long day of travel, we were all ready to go to bed and prepare for the amazing tour we have ahead.
Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Day 9 - Fun and Sun!
By Lauryn Harrison and Dawson Braine
Coming to you live from Waikiki it's your favourite celebrity band couple, Lauryn and Dawson! We couldn't have asked for a better way to end off our tour, with such an amazing last full day! We started the day off by walking to cheeseburger Hawaii, a local restaurant which accommodated all 150 of us with scrumptious bacon, French toast, eggs, taters and fruit. By 11:00 all three busses had departed for the day. We first stopped at Pali lookout point where we were blown away! Quite literally - since it was sooooooooo windy. All in all, the scenery around us was breathtaking.
Next, we were en route to our next destination: Kualoa secret island. Not a secret anymore!
Even looking out from the bus windows, we could sense what a majestic setting we were about to enter. We hopped on the boats for a serene ride over to the secluded “secret” island.
The fun began almost immediately, after a few simple guidelines for safety were set, of course!
The group dispersed to explore the diverse opportunities that the island encompassed. Band members enjoyed volleyball, badminton, swimming, ping pong, beach games, and more while the chaps relaxed for a change and caught up on some sleep. Which was much needed due to the crazy chap parties that don't stop until 4am. Lunch was served by the great staff, and everyone enjoyed pulled pork, chicken, fruit and vegetables and of course dessert. Fuelled with some energy, we were ready to try the kayaks and SUPs (stand up paddle boards is what's up). Another highlight following lunch was the yoga practice led by sensei Chris Kalil. His beginners beach yoga was enjoyed by many. We found our inner chi and a sense of community.
At 3 o’ clock, the moment had been waiting for had arrived. The BTTB mannequin challenge began. Filmed by Mrs. Linda Yamamoto, this feature presentation will be coming soon to a smugmug browser near you. Considering our practise of standing still for long periods of time, it went tremendously well. We were left with the whole afternoon to continue exploring all the island had to offer. Soon enough, as the sun was beginning to set, it was time for dinner. Again, we were treated with a delicious buffet meal featuring pineapple, chicken and ribs, rice, beans and salad. The end of dinner was the beginning of the ultimate photo shoot. Each section was posed with the tiki trophy awarded to us on Monday night. Mrs. Carroll and Mrs. Yamamoto really pulled through, as always! Scenic views and pastel colours decorated the sky. The evening became even more beautiful as the night arrived. On top of this, everyone had a chance to enjoy a s’more. We couldn't have asked for a “s’more” perfect end to a perfect day. Aloha and Mahalo!
Coming to you live from Waikiki it's your favourite celebrity band couple, Lauryn and Dawson! We couldn't have asked for a better way to end off our tour, with such an amazing last full day! We started the day off by walking to cheeseburger Hawaii, a local restaurant which accommodated all 150 of us with scrumptious bacon, French toast, eggs, taters and fruit. By 11:00 all three busses had departed for the day. We first stopped at Pali lookout point where we were blown away! Quite literally - since it was sooooooooo windy. All in all, the scenery around us was breathtaking.
Next, we were en route to our next destination: Kualoa secret island. Not a secret anymore!
Even looking out from the bus windows, we could sense what a majestic setting we were about to enter. We hopped on the boats for a serene ride over to the secluded “secret” island.
The fun began almost immediately, after a few simple guidelines for safety were set, of course!
The group dispersed to explore the diverse opportunities that the island encompassed. Band members enjoyed volleyball, badminton, swimming, ping pong, beach games, and more while the chaps relaxed for a change and caught up on some sleep. Which was much needed due to the crazy chap parties that don't stop until 4am. Lunch was served by the great staff, and everyone enjoyed pulled pork, chicken, fruit and vegetables and of course dessert. Fuelled with some energy, we were ready to try the kayaks and SUPs (stand up paddle boards is what's up). Another highlight following lunch was the yoga practice led by sensei Chris Kalil. His beginners beach yoga was enjoyed by many. We found our inner chi and a sense of community.
At 3 o’ clock, the moment had been waiting for had arrived. The BTTB mannequin challenge began. Filmed by Mrs. Linda Yamamoto, this feature presentation will be coming soon to a smugmug browser near you. Considering our practise of standing still for long periods of time, it went tremendously well. We were left with the whole afternoon to continue exploring all the island had to offer. Soon enough, as the sun was beginning to set, it was time for dinner. Again, we were treated with a delicious buffet meal featuring pineapple, chicken and ribs, rice, beans and salad. The end of dinner was the beginning of the ultimate photo shoot. Each section was posed with the tiki trophy awarded to us on Monday night. Mrs. Carroll and Mrs. Yamamoto really pulled through, as always! Scenic views and pastel colours decorated the sky. The evening became even more beautiful as the night arrived. On top of this, everyone had a chance to enjoy a s’more. We couldn't have asked for a “s’more” perfect end to a perfect day. Aloha and Mahalo!
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
Day 8 - Dole Plantation/ Polynesian Culture Centre / Luau
By Chris Kalil and Zach Kernick,
We first started off the day by going to the Dole plantation. The ground was muddy from the night before, making it even more challenging to navigate the worlds largest maze. However we still made it through with our heads held high and proud. The pineapple ice cream was amazing, topped off with actual freshly picked pineapple. It was a taste I never imagined.
Next, we got back on the busses and started to drive towards the Polynesian Cultural centre. As we made our way down the highway the drivers pointed out the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. They were incredible to look at as the giant waves crashed ashore. Then we got to the Polynesian Centre and discovered the multiple wonderful cultures of the Polynesian islands.
After before getting. Traduced to the different cultures at the displays, we headed out to the dinner area for our evening luau. There we sat and ate traditional Hawaiian cuisine. We even ate taro bread, which pretty much was purple bread. It tasted pretty good though. As we ate we enjoyed the sight of beautiful performers dancing on stage, even inviting us to dance on stage as well. I think that was a moment we will never forget from this tour.
When we finished dinner we went to a theatre and watched the play “Ha a breath of life”. It's a story about the life of children growing up on the different Polynesian islands, after we enjoyed the dancers and our Polynesian guide Boyd’s fire spinning, we were presented with a tiki as a trophy for performing in the Waikiki holiday parade to represent all that we have done in Hawaii.
By the time we got home and finished the meeting it was pretty late and we all went straight to bed. Tired but very happy after a wonderful day of sightseeing and participation.
We first started off the day by going to the Dole plantation. The ground was muddy from the night before, making it even more challenging to navigate the worlds largest maze. However we still made it through with our heads held high and proud. The pineapple ice cream was amazing, topped off with actual freshly picked pineapple. It was a taste I never imagined.
Next, we got back on the busses and started to drive towards the Polynesian Cultural centre. As we made our way down the highway the drivers pointed out the beautiful beaches of Hawaii. They were incredible to look at as the giant waves crashed ashore. Then we got to the Polynesian Centre and discovered the multiple wonderful cultures of the Polynesian islands.
After before getting. Traduced to the different cultures at the displays, we headed out to the dinner area for our evening luau. There we sat and ate traditional Hawaiian cuisine. We even ate taro bread, which pretty much was purple bread. It tasted pretty good though. As we ate we enjoyed the sight of beautiful performers dancing on stage, even inviting us to dance on stage as well. I think that was a moment we will never forget from this tour.
When we finished dinner we went to a theatre and watched the play “Ha a breath of life”. It's a story about the life of children growing up on the different Polynesian islands, after we enjoyed the dancers and our Polynesian guide Boyd’s fire spinning, we were presented with a tiki as a trophy for performing in the Waikiki holiday parade to represent all that we have done in Hawaii.
By the time we got home and finished the meeting it was pretty late and we all went straight to bed. Tired but very happy after a wonderful day of sightseeing and participation.
Monday, 28 November 2016
Day 7- Pearl Harbor
By: Lauren Zanini,
The Pearl Harbor performances and memorial were both insightful yet emotional. As the band had an early morning and a long day ahead of them, we all changed into uniform, had breakfast and loaded the buses. Arriving at Pearl Harbor, we got off the buses and prepared for our first performance at the USS Missouri Battleship. Bobbi, a Park Ranger at Pearl Harbor was ecstatic about our arrival and performances, as she had been looking forward to it since the last time we were here. Her memories of the performance five years ago were surpassed by the performances of today. Following the 30 minute stand-still, Bobbi presented us with a flag that has been flown on the USS Missouri as well as a certificate and memorial pins. Next, we took a mass band photograph in front of the ship with our Pearl Harbor survivor Bernie Comito. Our second, and last performance of the day was another tribute performance, at the USS Arizona Visitor’s Centre. Afterwards, lunch was provided, and we were given free time to explore the museum and visit gift shops. Many of us spent our time purchasing souvenir patches and pins, as well as looking through the displays. Following free time, the band was split into two groups to watch an extremely eye-opening film regarding the Pearl Harbor attack. As the memorial film came to an end, we boarded a shuttle boat and made our way to the USS Arizona Memorial. Here, the band was able to look around, and take photos of the sunken ships and the Wall of Valor. The Drum Majors, alongside Bernie Comito were given a wreath to lay in front of the wall, in memory and recognition of all of the fallen soldiers. This was a very moving and emotional experience for all band members, as the realities of the attack were put into perspective. After both groups went through the memorial, we loaded the buses and returned to the hotel. We all attended the last band meeting of the night and were dismissed for dinner and free time. We are all excited for the busy day ahead of us tomorrow!
The Pearl Harbor performances and memorial were both insightful yet emotional. As the band had an early morning and a long day ahead of them, we all changed into uniform, had breakfast and loaded the buses. Arriving at Pearl Harbor, we got off the buses and prepared for our first performance at the USS Missouri Battleship. Bobbi, a Park Ranger at Pearl Harbor was ecstatic about our arrival and performances, as she had been looking forward to it since the last time we were here. Her memories of the performance five years ago were surpassed by the performances of today. Following the 30 minute stand-still, Bobbi presented us with a flag that has been flown on the USS Missouri as well as a certificate and memorial pins. Next, we took a mass band photograph in front of the ship with our Pearl Harbor survivor Bernie Comito. Our second, and last performance of the day was another tribute performance, at the USS Arizona Visitor’s Centre. Afterwards, lunch was provided, and we were given free time to explore the museum and visit gift shops. Many of us spent our time purchasing souvenir patches and pins, as well as looking through the displays. Following free time, the band was split into two groups to watch an extremely eye-opening film regarding the Pearl Harbor attack. As the memorial film came to an end, we boarded a shuttle boat and made our way to the USS Arizona Memorial. Here, the band was able to look around, and take photos of the sunken ships and the Wall of Valor. The Drum Majors, alongside Bernie Comito were given a wreath to lay in front of the wall, in memory and recognition of all of the fallen soldiers. This was a very moving and emotional experience for all band members, as the realities of the attack were put into perspective. After both groups went through the memorial, we loaded the buses and returned to the hotel. We all attended the last band meeting of the night and were dismissed for dinner and free time. We are all excited for the busy day ahead of us tomorrow!
Saturday, 26 November 2016
Day 6 - Kaneohe & Punchbowl Cemetery
By Bailey Fenton and Priya Vanoosterhout
The band woke up bright and early this morning for a full breakfast before setting off to Kaneohe Bay. This was the naval air station that Bernie Comito, our Pearl Harbour survivor, was at on the morning of December 7th 1941. We headed over to the base while listening to some of the local history from our bus drivers before entering what is now the Marine Corps Base Hawaii and being shown around by some of the active marines stationed at the base. This was then followed by everyone gathering around and listening to Mr. Comito talk about his experience of the devastating attack and of what happened in his perspective. After this, we left for the Punchbowl Cemetery where we heard of the many men and women who laid down their lives to protect Hawaii and the United States of America. Both of these experiences were particularly eye opening as they gave us a chance to see the impact of the attack on Hawaiian life first hand rather than to simply hear about it in school. This was especially moving as we will be performing at Pearl Harbour tomorrow morning.
Afterwards, everyone had a few hours of free time which was spent eating food and enjoying the nice weather. Right before dinnertime, the band met up again to head over to Queen Kapiolani Park where we had a traditional Hawaiian picnic and the opportunity to make friends from other bands. It was an interesting experience as we could compare the differences between the bands while making new international friends.
Today was a very busy yet meaningful day, full of learning about the significance of the performances we will be partaking in tomorrow, as well as paying our respects at the Arizona memorial to all of those who lost their lives on December 7th 1941.
The band woke up bright and early this morning for a full breakfast before setting off to Kaneohe Bay. This was the naval air station that Bernie Comito, our Pearl Harbour survivor, was at on the morning of December 7th 1941. We headed over to the base while listening to some of the local history from our bus drivers before entering what is now the Marine Corps Base Hawaii and being shown around by some of the active marines stationed at the base. This was then followed by everyone gathering around and listening to Mr. Comito talk about his experience of the devastating attack and of what happened in his perspective. After this, we left for the Punchbowl Cemetery where we heard of the many men and women who laid down their lives to protect Hawaii and the United States of America. Both of these experiences were particularly eye opening as they gave us a chance to see the impact of the attack on Hawaiian life first hand rather than to simply hear about it in school. This was especially moving as we will be performing at Pearl Harbour tomorrow morning.
Afterwards, everyone had a few hours of free time which was spent eating food and enjoying the nice weather. Right before dinnertime, the band met up again to head over to Queen Kapiolani Park where we had a traditional Hawaiian picnic and the opportunity to make friends from other bands. It was an interesting experience as we could compare the differences between the bands while making new international friends.
Today was a very busy yet meaningful day, full of learning about the significance of the performances we will be partaking in tomorrow, as well as paying our respects at the Arizona memorial to all of those who lost their lives on December 7th 1941.
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