Week 7 at Uni

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Monday - Friday, April 19 - 23, 2010

On Monday evening I got my Nexus Cluedo Assassins packet under my door. Everyone in the building got a player card with their name on it, and a target card with the name of their victim. To kill someone, you need to find them alone and tag them, then you inherit their target card and try to kill that next person. The goal is to kill as many people as you can before you get killed. The game started Tuesday morning and ended Friday evening. The whole week, people were getting killed like crazy left and right. Everyone has been extremely paranoid, trying to stick together in groups and running as quickly as possible through the stairwell so as not to be caught alone.

Rules of Nexus Cluedo

On Thursday, the city lost power from 3:20 until 4:30 pm. The news said it was cut from Lambton Quay to Miramar, including Island Bay, Hataitai, Newtown, Mt Victoria, and parts of Lower Hutt. In other words, a huge area! Something I found online said it was caused by an object falling onto live equipment at an electricity substation.

Google map of power outage

Power outage in city

And for the last of the Nexus news, the fire alarm went off just after noon (from someone cooking) on Friday, and apparently there was one around the same time on Thursday. At least they stopped it and told the fire department not to come. I guess this makes up for the two weeks everyone was gone over break and missing out on the alarms?


Saturday, April 24, 2010

Heather and Raizel came over, and we headed to Te Papa. We ran into a lot of AustraLearn people there, everyone went because the Pompii exhibit was ending Sunday but we heard so many mixed reviews we decided not to spend the money on it. Walked around the museum for awhile then headed our separate ways. A bunch of people later said they saw Jermaine and Brett from Flight of the Conchords by the waterfront near Te Papa.

A Cannon from James Cook's ship, found in the Great Barrier Reef 200 years later

Kiwi Birds of NZ

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Woke up at 4:45 am and left at 5 with a small group going to the Wellington cenotaph (war memorial) for the Anzac day dawn service. Anzac stands for Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, and is similar to our memorial day. There were masses of people headed in that direction. The service started at 5:30 with a band marching to the cenotaph, a gunshot, and a bunch of important people marching down the street. The rest of the event was a lot like a church service: a lot of speeches, hymns and prayers, and singing the national anthem at the end. It ended at 6:30, when it was just barely starting to get light outside. The cenotaph was open to walk into after the service, and it was also finally light enough out to take photos.

Line into the cenotaph after the service

After the Anzac day dawn service

A taste of home: Celestial Seasonings tea in the grocery store!

Fall Break - part 2 / 2

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Monday, April 12, 2010

Picked up early by Buckley Transport, heading from Queenstown to the Divide, which is back halfway down the Milford Road. It started raining as soon as we got to the Divide. An hour up the track Heather turned around because she didn’t bring her inhaler. Nicole and I kept going, and turned off the track for a 1 hour side trip to the Key Summit Alpine Nature Walk. It was very windy and rainy so we didn’t see a whole lot. We got to Howden Hut completely soaked and took a break.

Sheep blocking the road on the way to the Divide

Alpine Walk

Fog everywhere

After only 2 hours of walking

The sign said 3 hours to McKenzie Hut from there. It took us 4, and we arrived after dark. The rain was constant and fairly heavy, and we walked through several waterfalls flooding the trail. At Earland Falls, there was so much water you couldn’t even tell the trail was supposed to go past the falls, all we could see was the detour path that involved a little bit of rock climbing. At one point I was admiring the scenery and didn't notice I had been standing ankle-deep in a river. We were completely soaked (and had been for quite awhile) when we got to McKenzie Hut, and the ranger said Fjordland hadn’t yet gotten nearly as much rain as was forecasted.

Standing in a waterfall, which has taken over the trail

Stunning scenery when the fog occasionally cleared a bit

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Of course it rained all night and the morning forecast was lots more rain, and snow if we continued on the track. The ranger said the conditions were okay to leave the hut, but only if we weren’t traveling alone. We hardly had any dry clothes left, so we cancelled our tickets for the Routeburn Falls Hut and headed back to the Divide. On the way back there was twice as much water as before. At one part the path was flooded pretty deep and fast moving right in front of a bridge over a waterfall, and back at Earland Falls the flood detour had turned into a waterfall itself we had to climb up. We got back to Howden Hut after 3 hours, and it took an hour from there to the Divide.

Leaving McKenzie Hut

On the 3:15 shuttle there were exactly enough spots for everyone, and I had exactly $160 in cash (it was $154 for the two of us). Just like the rain started when we got to the Divide, the rain stopped when we went back down the Milford Road. At Te Anau they said we would normally transfer onto a bus at 5 pm, but it was running late since the Milford Track had flooded. The 8 of us heading to Queenstown went to The Moose restaurant to eat and share photos while we waited. We got to the hostel in Queenstown around 8 or 9 pm. The insides of both my cameras were fogged for a bit and they had been pretty wet the whole trip, but they survived.

Example of a very small waterfall over the trail, we passed through hundreds

Overall it was actually a really fun, but really wet trip. And I would do it again if I had the chance. What I really learned is that there is no such thing as water resistant, water proof, or quick dry in Fjordland. Even after putting everything in the hostel dryers, it still took a few days for it to all dry. But even after drying, everything in my pack still smelled bad until I got to wash it all back at Nexus.


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

We went exploring and shopping around town, then walked to the gondola and went down the luge at the top twice. Heather scheduled her bungy jump and we went out to do more exploring later.

Queenstown

Jade Pendants (these are everywhere in NZ)

Top of the gondola over Queenstown

Overlooking Queenstown

Nicole, Heather, and I

Luge

Us on the Luge

Thursday, April 15, 2010

At 4 am the fire alarm went off. I guess it was bound to happen sometime over break since we would be missing out on our weekly Nexus alarms. The person at the desk the next morning said someone had pulled the alarm and he was arrested.

4 am Fire Alarm

Picked up the new car and drove out to Arrowtown. It was a newer car but we got an old car price for it since the company needed someone to get it to Christchurch. We had cheese scones and tea at a café in Arrowtown, then went out to the Kawarau Bridge Bungy. Its 43 meters high (141 ft), and the first bungy jump in the world. Heather was the second person to jump of the day, and she loved it.

Kawarau bridge

Heather Jumping (the pro photo she bought)

Heather has conquered the K bridge bungy

I saw a bookmark in the gift shop of a place called Skippers Canyon, so we put it in the GPS and went up to the beginning of the road and took photos. Had lunch in the hostel, then went to the Kiwi Birdlife Park. They had a presentation about the native animals (and had 3 very cute rats trained to run across the stage as examples of introduced predators). In the Kea enclosure we ran into two girls who just had their travel gnome stolen by the bird. The Keas tend to steal anything they can get from the tourists. Went to the Kiwi Bird feeding then back to town. Had dinner at Fergburger, the (very) popular backpackers restaurant of Queenstown.

Kiwi Birdlife Park

Kiwi and egg

Kea and stolen gnome

Fergburger

Friday, April 16, 2010

We went out to Glenorchy so Nicole could do the Ride of the Rings. Heather and I waited around in Glenorchy. Took lots of photos and ate at a café there.

One lane bridge, these are all over the South Island

Me taking photos of horses

Dart Stables horses in Glenorchy

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Headed out early to the opening day of the Arrowtown Autumn Festival. Looked at all the vintage cars (there were around 75), and checked out all the craft booths. Did a little gold panning and shopping, then walked around the river to admire the fall colors. We stayed for half of the parade before we had to leave for Christchurch. The drive took 5 hours, had dinner at a Chinese restaurant and spent the night at Base Backpackers.

Arrowtown Autumn Festival

Old cars

Old As!

Gold panning

Walk by the river

Cars at the parade

Parade

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Got up early and turned in the car, then went to the airport and flew back to Wellington. Spent the rest of the day putting photos on the computer. Grand total: 3,190 photos! Thats an average of 245 a day.
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Fall Break - part 1 / 2

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Monday, April 5, 2010

Got up early and finished packing, caught the bus to the airport. The flight was only 20 minutes not counting take off and landing, and of course Air New Zealand fit in drink, snack, and a mint in that short time. Landed in Christchruch and walked to the International Antarctic Center. There was a cold room to mimic the Antarctic conditions and storms, little blue penguins, and a Hägglund ride that was driven to its limits on the obstacle course. For the behind the scenes penguin tour we got a bit closer to them in the enclosure, looked at the ozone and water cleaning machines, and met CC the penguin. Had lunch then picked up the car and drove to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve. They had a lot of birds and a livestock area, as well as a large kiwi house. We checked into Coachman Backpackers and had dinner at Mum’s Asian restaurant with Sam and Lauren, who were traveling with a similar schedule but in a different car.

Antarctic Center freezing room

Antarctic Center Hägglund

CC the Little Blue Penguin

Getting ready to drive on the left side of the road

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

We moved the car to a parking garage for the day, and had breakfast at a New York sandwich deli. Hassel Free tours picked us up at the backpackers for the trip out to Mt. Sunday, the location for Edoras in Lord of the Rings. We stopped in Staveley for a tea and coffee break, then drove through some rivers and a cow herd to get to Mt. Sunday. At the top everyone played with the replica weapons and took lots of photos. Stopped at a small building in the valley to have sandwiches and chocolate cake for lunch. Our driver was none other than Hammond Peek, the head location sound recorder for LOTR as well as several other Peter Jackson films. On the way back to Christchurch he told the story of going to the Academy Awards four times, and winning Oscars for Return of the King and King Kong. He was a great guide and had a lot of stories to tell about filming, we really lucked out since he doesn’t do the tours very often. When we got back to Christchurch we drove to the gondola and met the other group at the top.

In front of Mt. Sunday

Playing with weapons at the top

And flags

Hiking down

Us with our awesome guide, Hammond

Top of the Christchurch Gondola

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

There was a craft sale in Cathedral Square we stopped at on the way to the Arts Centre, where we were headed to look for a replacement necklace Heather had bought there a few years ago and lost. Drove on highway 1 to Timaru and had Mac’s Fish and Chips there for lunch. Arrived in Oamaru at 4 pm, just in time for our Little Blue penguin colony tour. Walked around the grounds and peeked in a few boxes to see penguins that stayed home for the day. Went to a lookout down the road and saw a few little blue and a yellow-eye. Checked into the YHA, then back to the penguin place at 6 pm. After it gets dark the penguins return from the sea. The area is lit with orange lights, so we can see them but they can’t see us. The final count was 49 penguins returning that night.

Me, Heather, and Nicole with the car, Sunny

Penguin nest boxes

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Followed a brown point of interest sign to the Whitestone Cheese factory for scones and cheesecake for breakfast. Drove to the Moeraki Boulders and took photos for awhile.

Moeraki Boulders

Turned off the highway to follow another point of interest sign out to a beach, then to Matanka Historic point. There was a short walk then a large field with a few very well cared for and set up historic buildings that were open to walk into. The place was deserted and a really cool stop off the beaten track.

Beach we found off the road

Matanka Historic Point

Got to Dunedin and had lunch at Poppa’s Pizza. Walked around the Botanical Gardens as the sun was setting. Fed the ducks, went to the rose area, and found a wild hedgehog. Took some long exposure photos of the stars after sunset. When we got back to the car it was 7:15 and the gates were locked, there was a sign at one end of the parking lot that said gates are locked at 7:30, and the other end said 7. Since it was a one-way parking lot we had only passed by the 7:30 sign, but we called a security guard who came to let us out. Checked into Central Backpackers and had budget noodles for dinner.

Dunedin Pizza

Dunedin Botanical Gardens

Friday, April 9, 2010

Went to the Cadbury chocolate factory tour. Watched the chocolate being made and got lots of free samples. Heading out on the Otago Peninsula we stopped at the Glenfalloch Woodland Garden, then up a very scenic road to walk around the Larnach Castle grounds.

At the Cadbury chocolate factory

Larnach Castle

Drove down to the Univeristy of Otago’s Marine Studies Centre and Aquarium then to the Royal Albatross Centre for lunch. Went on a tour for Yellow-eye Penguins, one of the rarest penguins in the world with only 4,000 birds left. We watched the sunset at Pilots beach, and waited around for a few little blue penguins to come in.

Yellow Eye Penguin

Sunset at Pilots Beach

Waiting for penguins

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Left at 7 am as the sun was rising and fog was starting to lift. Followed another point of interest sign off the road to the Sinclair Wetlands for some photos.

Sinclair Wetlands

Stopped at Te Anau and spent some time at the internet café and walking around town. We headed down the Milford road and arrived in Milford Sound just in time for our boat trip. We had pumpkin cauliflower soup on the way out to the overnight area. When they anchored down we had the choice of kayaking or a speedboat tour before sunset, I went on the speedboat tour so I could take my camera with me. We returned to the boat and everyone played board and card games while I ran around the deck taking sunset photos. I joined them for dinner and desert, then when I was out taking more photos after dark I heard something splashing around the boat. We grabbed our flashlights and saw a seal was swimming around catching fish. We followed him around for awhile, then went back inside and the three of us played Texas Hold ‘em the rest of the night with one of the employees.

On the boat in Milford

Kayaking

The overnight boat

Our 3 bed area on the boat

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The boat started moving at sunrise, heading out to the Tasman Sea. Got some breakfast and went outside to enjoy the tour of the waterfalls and cliffs. Went right under a 50 story waterfall and next to a huge overhanging cliff.

Sunrise in Milford Sound

We were dropped off at Milford Deep, an underwater observatory. At one time national marine reserves were anything below low tide, and national forest was anything above high tide. So the Milford Deep was build anchored in the area in between. The law was changed after this to prevent anything else being built in national marine reserves or forrests. Saw lots of fish swimming around in the 30 minutes we had down there. On the way back we were followed by several dolphins.

Milford Deep

In the Milford Deep

Fish and black corral (which is apparently white)

We returned to the car to find the battery dead since the lights had been left on. The jumping equipment at the café and booking desk didn’t work, so we found someone with jumping cables and a large SUV. It ran for a good 20 minutes until the car started. We drove straight out to Te Anau to fill up on petrol (gas), then out to Queenstown. Checked in at Nomads and returned the car. Went to subway for dinner and shopping for the rest of the tramping (backpacking) equipment.

Jumping the car

Coming up in part 2: Routeburn Track, Queenstown, Glenorchy, and Arrowtown!