Random Things

It has been brought to my attention (more than a few times) that my enthusiastic followers are suffering from my infrequent blogging.  Well far be it for me to deprive the masses!  However, seeing that I'm in my last few weeks of this semester with the threat of finals growing closer, I don't have any new kiwi adventures to share that doesn't involve the words "physics" or "laboratory".  This is said in the old english way of course, "laBORatory"...still cracks me up.
So, I started digging in our vast collection of photos and found a few that make me smile.  Some are old, some are new, some just didn't make the cut to get in the blog for some reason or another.  But, now it's their time to shine.  Hope you enjoy this random moment brought to you by yours truly...

This was a crazy car I saw walking around one day when we first got here.

Being right on the coast, we of course see our fair share of seagulls.  This one is less than thrilled at the big man taking his photo.

Is this the cutest railroad sign ever?

I don't feel like this one needs any commentary.  You all know why this is funny!

Me outside the Chinese Gardens here in Dunedin.  Taken back in Feb shortly after we arrived.

There is a Cadbury factory here in Dunedin as well.  They give tours daily with many opportunities to indulge.  Needless to say, I haven't come within 10 feet the doors yet!  Mark took this picture. I have no self control, and I hear they give you a bag of chocolate at the end.  TORTURE!

Mark assures me that the cow is being milked as part of this display in chocolate making.  But why does he need to face that way!?

Last but not least.... me and my buddy back in Chicago (we have a mutual appreciation for Kermit if you were wondering).  This was at my little birthday bash at The Little Red Hen in Glencoe (my favorite place ever!).  Miss you tons Zafo (don't feed the animals!)!!!

Hope this brightened your weekend.  If not, sorry...blame Chemistry... it's fried my brain!  Lots of love.

  

Queenstown, Part 2

Queenstown, New Zealand

There's something about fall that I love.  In a place like Queenstown there's so much to see with such a diversity of people.  This is a wonderful thing for people watchers...which I TOTALLY am guilty of being.  I could sit forever and watch people come and go.  For at least this weekend, Queenstown provided a never ending supply of things to sit and enjoy.

We rode the Skyline Gondola to the top of a mountain overlooking Queenstown.  I vibrated with the excitement of a kid while views of the city and the vast landscape surrounding came into view.  Did I mention how grateful I am that my husband invested in a good camera? 

Views from the top were more spectacular than we could have hoped for.  Again, it's hard to convey the vastness of this place.  Photos just don't capture how insane it is to be looking out over such a place.

Since both of us are really just big kids (ok maybe more me than Mark), we SO rode the luge down the mountain multiple times.  I didn't tip over (it was close a few times), we didn't crash into anyone, and we didn't get kicked out!!  So much fun!  Here's is the lift for the luge:

Amoung the MANY things to do in Queenstown is Frisbee golf.  I'm a big fan... even if I'm more into seeing how far I can throw a Frisbee between my legs than I am of the whole par concept.  I'm mean seriously... who ACTUALLY gets a hole in one in Frisbee golf?  I vote for style points any day!

The disc golf goes through the gardens of Queenstown.  So, what do you suppose she's pondering?

Mark tells me this is a quintessential "Carrie" shot.  I dont' really know what that means, but I'm watching the ducks having a rather aggressive conversation over something apparently very important... somebody was getting a lecture!

We miss all of you!

Queenstown: Part 1

With the bulk of first semester behind me, I gladly piled my books in a corner and started packing my bags.  We decided to get out of town for my mid semester break and head to Queenstown.  Queenstown is a HUGE tourist spot, and thus one of the main places known by foreigners.  Being a couple of those foreigners, we thought... when in Rome...
So, here we go:

We jumped on a bus and settled in for almost 5 hours of the most spectacular scenery I've ever seen out a bus window.  Silly me brought a NON school book to read that never even got touched.  It's hard to describe the vastness of it all.  The way the emerald rivers snake around the base of the mountains creating the most perfect undisturbed mirror images of the world above.  It really is just humbling.  There's no way to capture this with a camera through the smudged windows of the bus, but here's at least one that came out...

Once we all fell out of the bus in Queenstown, Mark and I gathered our bags and headed to our backpackers accommodations.  What a cool experience this was!  You never know what you're getting yourself into with these places, but this was fantastic.  We met such awesome people from all over.  Stayed up late laughing and sharing life stories every night.  Five star hotels are nice... but isolating.  Here, you share meals and adventures of the day.

The first thing Mark and I did in Queenstown was tramp up a hill.  Not feeling quite up to the 7 hour "hard" trail, we chose the 3 hour "moderate" trail for our first real tramping experience.  And holy cow... the views were insane.  First off, it's fall here so there are these occasional bursts of color on the trails that are just stunning...

This wasn't really on the trail, but the path leading up to the trail.  It was a perfect fall day!!

On this particular trail, they have artwork that has been commissioned and strategically placed periodically.  This gate marked the beginning of the trail.

This would be me getting a closer look at the number of pine cones on the tree above.  No joke...there were too many to count!  I've never seen so many in one tree, let alone ALL the trees up there.  AND pine cone bombs would attack the unsuspecting passerby causing them to holler like a little girl!



Every so often on the way up the hill, there would be this break in the trees and then wow...

Mark taking it all in....

This wire basket was one of the art installations.  My favorite part was the chocolate Cadbury egg someone had left in the middle...

In addition to the installations by local artists, hikers have left their own mark on this trail.  Right at this one bend were tons of stones in piles all over.  It was actually a really cool thing to see.  Gathering his own stones, Mark joined in the quiet display.



The summit at the top of our hill was worth the hike.  It offered a 360 view of Queenstown and all the surrounding area.

It was an amazing morning on top of Queenstown hill.  I'll return and do a part 2 blog about the rest of our trip.  Until then...



Saturday in the sun

FINALLY... a day off from my academic obligations where the sun is shining!  I was a beautiful day in Dunedin, with many interesting things to be apart of.  Deciding against participating in the campus wide keg party that started at 10am (and I'm so NOT kidding), we headed away from the craziness to the Octagon.  Today locals celebrated the anniversary of finding gold in Dunedin.  I assume this is a big deal, because many were decked out in their finest  1861 duds.  It was actually pretty cool...

No festival is complete without the clergy!

Horse and buggy ride anyone?  I didn't get a pic of the riders, but my favorite was a kid dressed up like superman.  I totally get it...superman was critical in the discovery of gold here in NZ!

So, these festivals are fun and all...but I'd still rather be doing this...  

I never could resist a good play ground.  Mark assures me that this is intended for 8 year-olds that don't have to worry about their behinds dragging on the ground.  Surely not!

The best part about this weekend was Alana.  She's a friend from home (HP not Bama), who's backpacking her way around the South Island for a few months before she starts college.  Such a cool girl doing such a wonderfully brave thing.

Not so Poetic Justice

I survived another week of school!!  I know that sounds like, "ok, no big deal"...but for real...BIG DEAL!  It was another week filled with lectures and marathon library sessions.  But, this week (unlike the previous one), I actually made some progress.  As a reward I promised myself (and my poor husband) that I wouldn't touch my books until Sunday.  We were going to go out have have fun!  So yea... the weather was a drizzly disappointment.  And then OF COURSE on Sunday it was fantastic!  Bright, sunny, and warm.  This would be the torturous view from my desk at the library...

And this kid is SO doing what I want to be doing!!!

Shortly after I was off to a study session where the average age of the people (not including myself) was 18!  It was interesting to say the least.  We maybe got more chatting done about non-Physics related things.  You know...like the differences between Uni and secondary school (I forget what they call it).  One kid looked at me organizing my folder and was like...,"Do you have one of those for each class?".  I thought it was a trick question!  How OLD are these kids again?!?  It was hysterical!  I lugged my stuff home shaking my head , laughing the whole way.  Which leads me to my last comment before I have to leave to go to the infamous Physics lecture.  Some of you know I have a small issue with fitness as a means for stress relief.  This is why I workout...

Please note the metric system.  That would be 10.4 kg...almost 23 pounds.  Those are my books.  EW!  My bag is a deadly weapon.  If I could lift it far enough to swing it...I could do some real damage!  Ok now I'm going to be late to Physics. 

I Survived!

This is what I said to Mark when I walked in the door Friday evening after my last class.  And I just barely survived!  After my first week of attending New Zealand's finest higher education, I can say with all honesty...WOW!  These people are for real...and impressive.  The only photo I have from this week is this: 

This would be me laying in the grass looking at the sky thinking about the net velocity of a car rolling down a 15 degree hill with a 5000N frictional force while throwing a cricket ball at my head.  Yea...that tree didn't know the answer either, but at least it was pretty to look at (which is more than I can say for myself after 3 late nights of Physics).  Whose idea was it to go back to school again?  They are fired from all future decision making!  Have a great weekend...I'll post photos of the library, which is where I'll be this weekend.