In his book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Robert M. Pirsig said, “To travel is better than to arrive.” With this in mind, David Jennings, a professor of geography, geology and geomatics, stated that, “for geographers, that is the epitome of what we want to do. We want to find out how places here interact with places elsewhere in the world.” Surely no one can deny that a visit to the South Pacific will offer students a chance to do just that.According to organizer Dr. Robert Peplies, ETSU professor emeritus, the 12-day tour, with an optional two extra days in Fiji, is open to anyone.

Students enrolling in the “Geography of Oceania” course, however, will get an added bonus by earning three credit hours. Requirements for students enrolled in the course include a pre-trip meeting and course syllabus review, student journal, post-trip meeting, re-write of journal, formal written report and an exam.

Jennings explained that this year’s trip is an excellent opportunity for students to see the southern hemisphere.

“We tend to limit ourselves to the Northern Hemisphere; it’s hemispherical bias,” he said. “This tour is meant to provide insight into the cultural realm [of the Southern Hemisphere].”

Jennings said that this year’s trip will differ from last year’s with respect to the number of individuals participating.

“We had 10 people last year, and they had a blast. Right now we have 22 people, and we would like to have 25,” he said. “We’ve got a good group going this time, and there are a lot of things we plan to do.”

One aspect of last year’s trip that Jennings hopes to avoid this summer is his experience getting lost at Katoomba Falls in the Australian Blue Mountains.

“I missed the trail and had to hike out of the falls on foot,” he said.

Still, he added that the falls were beautiful. “The town there is like Gatlinburg 100 years ago,” he said. “It’s a quaint little community, typical of the Australian mountain communities. It’s not industrialized yet, though it is close to Sydney.”

Though he plans to do much of the same activities this year, Jennings added that he would like to incorporate a climb of the Sydney harbor bridge.

“A person can climb it in four hours,” he said. “It’s absolutely amazing.”

Prices for students under 25 years of age is approximately $2,870 per person for four-people to a room accommodations. For students and adults over 25 years, prices are expected to be $3,250 per person for double occupancy.

“We’re using the same tour company again, called E. F. Educational Tours,” Jennings said. “Our accommodations last year were four-star, and we were really pleased with that part of the trip.”

Prices include round-trip airfare from the Tri-Cities Regional Airport, all overnight accommodations, American-style breakfasts, two dinners, tour guides, in-depth field explanations, all transfer costs, inner-city transportation and entrance fees to select attractions. Though the exact date of departure is unknown, the trip is expected to depart between May 15-23.

According to Jennings, the deadline is quickly approaching. “This trip offers memories that last a lifetime. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then being there is worth a million.”

To find out more or to register for the trip, contact Jennings at 439-769 or jenningsd@etsu.edu, or Peplies at 439-7654 (office), 926-1078 (home) or pepliesr@ etsu.edu.

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