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Official club name: The Friendship Force of Whangarei
Closest major airport: Auckland International (smaller airport, Whangarei; planes hold only 12-18 seats)
Cost of transportation between Auckland Airport and our city: by public bus: $NZ80 round trip per person, and is available only in normal working hours; a chartered bus is the best option, the price will be quoted at the time of the exchange with the cost to be divided among the ambassadors; by private car if the number of ambassadors is fewer than eight.
Maximum number of Ambassadors our club can host: 25-30
The Friendship Force of Whangarei was chartered in November 1985. We have approximately 80 members from 50-80 years of age. Members include people from all walks of life: single, married, widowed and divorced. Some are farmers, horticulturists, business people and retirees, following a wide range of interests. We have monthly meetings and like to welcome two inward exchanges and have one outward exchange a year.
Whangarei is the biggest city north of Auckland [170 km (100 miles) ]. The urban population is 46,000 and the district total population is 67,000. The city is bustling with cafes, good shops, museums, art galleries, craft shops and restaurants. The beaches are superb and safe, and the countryside is pastoral and scenic. International yachts find our harbour a refuge, anchoring here over the summer during the upper Pacific Ocean cyclones. Whangarei does not have cyclones but is sub tropical with a summer temperature between 18-27 degrees and winter temperature between 8-20 degrees, sometimes humid and sometimes wet in the winter but otherwise very mild. The best times to come are February/March/April and October/November; May - September may be a bit wet and have lower temperatures but can be very enjoyable. Most winter days will be around 14-18 degrees.
All exchanges will be met and welcomed at Auckland International Airport. Our aim is to make Ambassadors feel really part of our family. Our programme usually includes a welcome and farewell dinner, to which all club members are invited, and other dinners with non-hosting members. Sightseeing as a group, visiting the world renowned Bay Of Islands, seeing our kauri trees and wonderful beaches. We try to have free time for the Ambassadors to spend with their hosts and we always try to involve those members who are unable to host. Our main aim is to make friends and to make our guests feel welcome. We hope the Ambassadors leave with wonderful memories of a new country and new friends, and hope that one day we can all meet again.
For further information click: Contact
Date updated: 26 July 2012