St Patty's, Otago Peninsula, and Tunnel Beach

Sorry it has been a while since I've updated! Homework started piling on, but I've got (most) of it under control. ;) Right now I'm enjoying an afternoon off after turning in an archaeozoology project that was more difficult than it should have been. I'm watching the afternoon news and it is in Maori, which is unbelievably cool.

Now, for lots of pictures, which is probably why you are reading this in the first place. :D

St Patrick's Day featured my green cake, a bottle of Baileys, and a gorgeous hike up the Pineapple Track. There's Dunedin and the sea! No pineapple trees though. It was a perfect day after nearly a week of rain.









Last weekend was my first little "road trip" with Gary, my car. Krystle, Ashley, and I drove to the tip of the Otago Peninsula. Get ready for lots of pictures!

Here are Krystle and myself in front of Larnach Castle, New Zealand's only castle. It was so cute! If you can describe a castle as cute. Unfortunately, you weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but take my word for it that the intricate carvings of birds and flowers all over every ceiling in the place were beautiful, as was the stained glass, tile floors, etc.



















Here's a shot from the top turret of the castle down towards the tip of the peninsula. So. Pretty.

And here's a shot from the back gardens.


Sunshine! More from the gardens...

I think the thing to the left is a garden shed. I'm not sure what the little statue dude is. He was hanging out in the dungeon.














We made it to the tip of the Otago Peninsula!


This week's hike was to Tunnel Beach, about twenty minutes from campus. After walking through a sheep farm and a trip down a carved set of steps through a cliff, there is a beautiful beach with gorgeous cliffs. This particular photo states the obvious.
















See the outcrop that looks like a flying eagle?

Me and Krystle on the top of the outcrop.

Ok, this entry is huge! Time for it to end...

new wheels...and paws!

May I introduce to you....Gary. He is my used car! A 1988 (woah, we are twins) Mitsubishi Galant. He looks like a Gary, doesn't he? Anyway, now I have wheels! Watch out, New Zealand! American on the left side of the road. Hehe, it will be fine. I'm taking him in for an oil change on Monday so he will be all set for future road trips and trips to the barn. I'm working on finding a riding barn, and I have two places to call and check on 1) if they offer English hunt seat or similar lessons and 2) price and times. That will get done sometime this weekend.

Today is another Saturday in Dunedin. Went to the farmer's market, bought yummy produce, and I'm headed to the museum for this afternoon.

Now, for the other introduction. My parents got a dog!! Here's Teddy. :)
Isn't he cute? I saw him on Skype. I can't wait to meet him once I get home! He is a 6 year old golden retriever that his previous owner wasn't able to keep because she was moving into a no-pets apartment. My cat Ava apparently wasn't too thrilled, but at least Teddy is used to having cats around. It took Ava a while to like Lady, so I'm sure in time she and Teddy will be good buddies. Awww.


It has been a busy week! Tuesday, Krystle and I had our first OUSA hike on Ross Creek. I wasn't going to go because I was still feeling pretty sick and it was pouring outside, but I went anyway. And I was so glad I did! It stopped raining just as we were getting into the van to go to the trailhead. It was a really beautiful hike up to the reservioir. There we are! I look...pretty sick, actually, but I was so glad I went. There are a bunch of side trails for hiking and running as well, but we didn't have time to do all of those.

Wednesday night was my first Thai cooking class. Oh man, so much tasty food! I'm so happy I signed up for that class. Now I don't have to always go to Thai Orchid at home to get some tasty Thai food. We made spicy soup, sweet and sour spare ribs, stir fried rice, and beef curry. Next week is spring rolls, and other yummy things. Mmm.

Welcome to the House of Pain!

aka Carisbrook Stadium, the home of the Otago Highlanders. This is a Highlander. Real tough guys can get away with wearing kilts.

Now, as an American at my first rugby game last night, I was naturally curious about the Kiwi obsession with rugby. I've been told it is like American football, except they just don't stop. And they don't. The audience doesn't stop cheering (or drinking, but the game is sponsored by the local brewery). The players don't stop moving. Ever. A medic could be working on a guy's knee in the middle of the field, and the other players just try not to run into/over them.

Cheap student tickets mean you get to experience the real crowd. No box seats with fancy cocktails here! Painted students, drunk dudes, and an enthusiastic crowd in general with standing room only. And we won! 6-0, which is apparently an unusual score.

Here is a shot of what I'll call a faceoff, though I know that's from hockey (Otago is in blue and yellow, Canterbury is in red and silver). I still need to learn my rugby terms. Anyway, the referee (guy in black) drops the ball, or something like that, and the huddles of players from each team try to grab the ball. And I don't mean "huddles" like American football. These guys charge at each other like two opposing herds of bulls. Intense! Eventually one team will get the ball, and off they go. But you cannot throw the ball forward, only sideways. It can be kicked forward though, and run forward. If it is "fumbled", someone scoops it up and takes off with it. Rugby hardly ever stops! I think there were some penalties, and stops for those, but I'm not sure what they were for. When the ball is thrown/kicked in from the sides, each team picks a player to hoist into the air to try to catch it. I guess the closest comparison I have is cheerleaders hoisting one cheerleader in the air, but that seems like such a terrible analogy. ;)

Not too much going on at the moment, but that's what Sunday afternoons are for. I've got a sinus infection. Should have seen that coming! I'm making a beeline for the student health centre first thing tomorrow morning. My head and lungs feel like they are filled with hot cement, but I'm trying not to let it slow me down. Like rugby. ;)

Hello all!

I meant to update sooner, but I was having computer issues again. Now it is fixed, and hopefully all resolved. I have had enough trips down to student IT to last quite a while!

Time to post some pics of the beautiful, sunny University of Otago. This is the Clocktower, about in the middle of campus.☺

Last Friday was the international student train trip to Taieri Gorge. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous! And in the middle of absolutely beautiful nowhere, they had a barbecue set up. Yum. And then another beautiful trip to the railway station.

Classes started yesterday. My archaeozoology class will be intense, with a 3 hour lab each week. This week, we just learned how to properly draw and label bones and shells in preparation for future labs and our big projects. My computer class on web development and design is a bit more involved and complicated than I thought it would be. We are starting with writing basic html by hand. Sociology was what I expected though. :)

Things are starting to pick up and get busy! This Saturday will be my first rugby game. The Otago Highlanders vs. Canterbury Crusaders. Face paint and all!