Yesterday my mother, or Grammy as she is affectionately known, posed a question that was so closely linked to last week's post on parent-teacher conferences that I just had to share it. She called me on the telephone and said, "4-11 June next year, is your Daughter free?" "Why?" I replied. "Because I am going to Norfolk Island for Bounty Day and I want to take her with me."
OK, so what do you say? Yes of course.
Not only will this be a fabulous time for grandmother and granddaughter to spend together, but she will also learn a lot in the process, much much more than from the textbook...
Captain Cook discovered Norfolk Island on 10 October 1774 on his second voyage around the world on the HMS Resolution. He described the island as "paradise" and named it Norfolk Isle, in honour of that Noble family. Part of Cook's diary tells: "we found the island uninhabited and near a kin to New Zealand, the flax plant, many other plants and trees common to that country was found here but the chief produce of the isle is spruce pines which grow here in vast abundance and vast size, different sort to those in New Calendonia and also to those in New Zealand and for Masts, Yards &ca superior to both". In 1856, 8 June, the descendants of the Bounty Mutineers moved from Pitcairn Island to Norfolk Island and this date is now known as Bounty Day.
With all this history, and all the colour, and all the festivities, how can I say possibly no?
It looks like I'll be having another conversation with Daughter's teacher like I had last week, only a little sooner than expected. Wish I were going...
Happy Travels
the entrepreneurial mother™
They will have to come to Norfolk Island a week earlier! Bounty Day is celebrated each year on 8 June, the anniversary of the arrival of the Pitcairn settlers on 8 June 1856. For more information on Norfolk Island, visit
http://www.norfolkisland.com.au/
Posted by: Peter Maywald | Tuesday, September 08, 2009 at 05:56 PM
Good morning - I am writing this from Norfolk Island. Bounty Day will be celebrated here on Tuesday 8th June 2010. Your mother and daughter will miss this if they are here from 11-14 June. Hope they can make it in time. Check out Norfolk Air, Air New Zealand and Qantas websites for travel detail.
Posted by: K.E.G. | Tuesday, September 08, 2009 at 06:26 PM
Quite right! I have since questioned said dates with Grammy and she has advised me that the proposed travel dates are 4-11 June 2010, and not the previously stated 11-14 June. I have updated the post accordingly. Thank you for pointing this out and coming to our rescue! Rest assured that they will be there on time, assuming all goes to plan. Cheers.
Posted by: the entrepreneurial mother | Tuesday, September 08, 2009 at 11:12 PM