Tales from the South Pacific, July 13-29, 2011 - Page 14 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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I've never been zorbing, but I knew what you were talking about as soon as I read the word. I must have seen something on it before because it's not something that comes up in every day conversation.
I'm not finished reading yet, but I just had to comment! I can't believe they have Duck Tours in New Zealand! I've done tours in Pittsburgh and Boston. They are so much fun.
OK, back to reading now.
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Donning my Wellies to cut Peat in Scotland
Melissa
Still not finished reading! But I had to comment, It is interesting that you compared the look of NZ to SouthWest Va. I think parts of Scotland look a lot like SWVa too. And sheep are big in both places. I don't know if bunches of people from Scotland immigrated to NZ like they did to SWVa, but they could have. NZ was an English colony, yes?
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Donning my Wellies to cut Peat in Scotland
Melissa
Zorbing? I've seen the inflatable hamster ball thing before, but the water in the ball is different. Can you see out of that inner chamber thing? I don't think I would like tumbling around and not being able to see where I am going.
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Donning my Wellies to cut Peat in Scotland
Melissa
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Your signature picture enticed me to jump over to your TR. I am just up to the resort photos............simply gorgeous. I've just added one more stop on my bucket list!
The two staff members approached the farmhouse and knocked. The owner answered, but was very dismissive and told them "no", and asked them to leave. They turned to go, but the man's son walked them out, explaining that the NZ All Blacks soccer team had a game going and that if they sat and watched the game with his Dad rather than pulling him away with the game that they might get a better answer from him. The All Blacks won and the farmer said yes!
Laughing so hard at this story! It reminded me of a time when my friend was campaigning door to door for a local election. One man told her there was no way he would ever vote for someone that took him away from his beloved Giants game!
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[QUOTE=tcmary;3987944]The two staff members approached the farmhouse and knocked. The owner answered, but was very dismissive and told them "no", and asked them to leave. They turned to go, but the man's son walked them out, explaining that the NZ All Blacks soccer team had a game going and that if they sat and watched the game with his Dad rather than pulling him away with the game that they might get a better answer from him. The All Blacks won and the farmer said yes!
QUOTE]
I love this story!!
Larry, I just read through the full TR in one evening. You have had me entertained, captivated, educated and extremely JEALOUS. You are visiting some amazing locations. One thing though - I am really confused about the dates you traveled.
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I must have seen something on it before because it's not something that comes up in every day conversation. 
I've seen the inflatable hamster ball thing before, but the water in the ball is different. Can you see out of that inner chamber thing? I don't think I would like tumbling around and not being able to see where I am going.
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