My plan for today was to walk to Victory Park and maybe later to Mount Eden, but when I went outside it was pouring!
Instead, I decided to walk to the Auckland Museum. At least, I would be inside!
The Auckland Museum is in the Auckland Domain, one of the public parks. The park is really nice, great for running or taking a stroll, but getting there from The Railway Campus is a nuisance. One has to cross the big motorway and walk along it for a while.
The museum had some interesting collections. The biggest exhibit focused on the life and culture of Maori, of course. Besides many older artefacts on display, the museum had also organized a traditional Maori dance performance. This cost extra, though, and I didn't go see it since I had seen these performances before at the All Blacks game and the Evolution Conference.
Interestingly enough, photography was allowed in most exhibit halls. See some pictures on the right.
I had also gotten a ticket to one of the current special exhibits called "Egypt: Beyond the Tomb."
The exhibit was really well done. The visitors could follow the path of a young woman called Keku, who lived 2700 years ago, make her journey from embalming and mummyfication through the underworld, and hopefully to paradise.
The Egyptians were obsessed with the afterlife; growing up, their whole life seemed only to prepare them for this path. The highlight of the exhibit was of course Keku's mummy, well-preserved in two separate coffins.
Finally, there was one impressive exhibit devoted to volcanoes. The museum itself is built on top of a volcano, and of course 48 volcanoes lie underneath the whole Auckland region.
The exhibit told us a little bit of the history of Auckland's volcanoes, some recent eruptions (mostly in other countries, though), and presented a scenario of what would happen if a new volcano would erupt tomorrow, in present-day Auckland.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Friday, June 29, 2007
Moving
Today, I got to move into my new, cheaper room! It's a little bit like a three-bedroom apartment, and I will share bathroom and kitchenette with two other girls. The room is of course smaller than my old one, but it's definitely big enough for me (I don't have much stuff anyways).
The whole process of moving my stuff from one room to the other, moving food and kitchen utensils between the two self-cook kitchen areas, filling out the paperwork, waiting for the receptionist to do the room inspection, etc, took about three hours... it was rather exhausting ;)
The other two girls haven't arrived yet. I think they might move in tomorrow.
After I moved all my stuff, I went for a walk downtown. I explored another farmer's market, grabbed lunch at a little cafe, and did some window-shopping.
Overall, though, the weather was lousy and the city smelly.
I hope it will be a little better tomorrow!
Frustrating Moment of the Day:
When I got something out of the fridge at 9:30 at night, I realized that the fridge had never turned on, when I stocked it this morning (I had turned the little knob all the way to "very cold," though).
Why is my fridge not working??
My frozen veggies, meat, ICE CREAM, etc had had a whole day to slowly thaw!
Of course, this late at night, the reception was closed...
I decided to cook all my veggies and the left over meat (only one chicken drumstick, thank god).
Fortunately, on my way to the kitchen I ran into one of the RAs. When I asked him what could be wrong with my fridge, he suggested it probably wasn't broken and I just needed to turn on the power.
Well, how do you do that??
He kindly came with me and demonstrated:
You need to take a stool, climb up on the 6 ft tall fridge, insert a one-foot spoon in a 3 square-inch hole in the top of the cupboard (the fridge is in a cupboard that you can lock) and tip over a switch.
No, I am not kidding you.
The fridge turned on, but I still wanted to cook some of the veggies and the chicken. So if you walked by the Railway Campus kitchen at 11pm, you probably saw me grilling up some food.
For the next three days, I won't have to come up with dinner ideas, because there will be cooked vegetables in the fridge.
The whole process of moving my stuff from one room to the other, moving food and kitchen utensils between the two self-cook kitchen areas, filling out the paperwork, waiting for the receptionist to do the room inspection, etc, took about three hours... it was rather exhausting ;)
The other two girls haven't arrived yet. I think they might move in tomorrow.
After I moved all my stuff, I went for a walk downtown. I explored another farmer's market, grabbed lunch at a little cafe, and did some window-shopping.
Overall, though, the weather was lousy and the city smelly.
I hope it will be a little better tomorrow!
Frustrating Moment of the Day:
When I got something out of the fridge at 9:30 at night, I realized that the fridge had never turned on, when I stocked it this morning (I had turned the little knob all the way to "very cold," though).
Why is my fridge not working??
My frozen veggies, meat, ICE CREAM, etc had had a whole day to slowly thaw!
Of course, this late at night, the reception was closed...
I decided to cook all my veggies and the left over meat (only one chicken drumstick, thank god).
Fortunately, on my way to the kitchen I ran into one of the RAs. When I asked him what could be wrong with my fridge, he suggested it probably wasn't broken and I just needed to turn on the power.
Well, how do you do that??
He kindly came with me and demonstrated:
You need to take a stool, climb up on the 6 ft tall fridge, insert a one-foot spoon in a 3 square-inch hole in the top of the cupboard (the fridge is in a cupboard that you can lock) and tip over a switch.
No, I am not kidding you.
The fridge turned on, but I still wanted to cook some of the veggies and the chicken. So if you walked by the Railway Campus kitchen at 11pm, you probably saw me grilling up some food.
For the next three days, I won't have to come up with dinner ideas, because there will be cooked vegetables in the fridge.
Transformers
This morning, I met up with a few people from the lab to watch the movie Transformers. Today was opening day, so we decided to see the earliest show at 10am, to dodge the crowds.
The movies in NZ cost differently, depending on how new they are. Since this movie just came out, it was going to be more expensive. However, Vicky bought "movie money" (basically a bunch of tickets in bulk, maybe ten or so?) and got a discount.
I didn't really know anything about the story, other than there are fighting robots that "transform" into something else.
I don't think I would buy the movie on DVD, but overall it had a lot of funny parts, and pretty cool computer graphics. It was a little bit long, though (2 hours, 24 minutes).
I did make it back in time for the meeting with my mentors.
The meeting went pretty well; I feel we should have had it a few weeks ago, though.
Later that day, Dee helped me set up BLAST on my computer.
BLAST is a tool that allows scientists to compare protein or DNA sequences against a library of sequences of another genome for similarities. This can be useful, for example, when you have a sequence of DNA of unknown function. By "blasting" this sequence against the genomes of other species, you might discover sequences in these genomes that are already known and are very similar to your query sequence. Oftentimes, similar sequences perform similar functions, and then you are one step closer to identifying the uses of your initial query sequence.
The movies in NZ cost differently, depending on how new they are. Since this movie just came out, it was going to be more expensive. However, Vicky bought "movie money" (basically a bunch of tickets in bulk, maybe ten or so?) and got a discount.
I didn't really know anything about the story, other than there are fighting robots that "transform" into something else.
I don't think I would buy the movie on DVD, but overall it had a lot of funny parts, and pretty cool computer graphics. It was a little bit long, though (2 hours, 24 minutes).
I did make it back in time for the meeting with my mentors.
The meeting went pretty well; I feel we should have had it a few weeks ago, though.
Later that day, Dee helped me set up BLAST on my computer.
BLAST is a tool that allows scientists to compare protein or DNA sequences against a library of sequences of another genome for similarities. This can be useful, for example, when you have a sequence of DNA of unknown function. By "blasting" this sequence against the genomes of other species, you might discover sequences in these genomes that are already known and are very similar to your query sequence. Oftentimes, similar sequences perform similar functions, and then you are one step closer to identifying the uses of your initial query sequence.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Where Did my Summer Go?
I took a trip to downtown Auckland during lunch break today to run some errands. While I was walking through Albert Park, I spotted these trees.
This is when I realized that it is Fall, almost Winter here, and I missed out on a Summer! We also had 40 degrees Fahrenheit this morning... I guess I should have noticed this sooner :)
I was prepared for the cold lab today - lots of layers and hot tea ;)
We have a new student in the lab. Her name is Melanie, and she is also studying Bioinformatics.
This is when I realized that it is Fall, almost Winter here, and I missed out on a Summer! We also had 40 degrees Fahrenheit this morning... I guess I should have noticed this sooner :)
I was prepared for the cold lab today - lots of layers and hot tea ;)
We have a new student in the lab. Her name is Melanie, and she is also studying Bioinformatics.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Life in the Lab
We got free food at the lab today. A company trying to sell special pipettes for lab work brought cookies, fruit, crackers, and cheese, and a lot of posters explaining these excellent pipettes.
Most people, though, mainly concentrated on the free food :)
Our room in the building was freezing today!
It used to be a room full of computer servers, so it has a solid AC that's turned up all the way for some reason. Apparently, there is also no way to turn it off, either. There are no servers left in this room, by the way...
Tomorrow, I'll get my winter jacket in there :)
Marcel went to a job interview yesterday. He was interviewing with a company that buys cows from farmers across New Zealand, butchers them, and then exports the meat overseas. Their biggest client is Burger Kind in Japan.
Part of the interview was a visit in the factory. Poor Marcel smelled like dead meat for the rest of the day ;) If he gets/takes the job, he will be working as a systems administrator, by the way, so he won't have to do any meat cutting!
Most people, though, mainly concentrated on the free food :)
Our room in the building was freezing today!
It used to be a room full of computer servers, so it has a solid AC that's turned up all the way for some reason. Apparently, there is also no way to turn it off, either. There are no servers left in this room, by the way...
Tomorrow, I'll get my winter jacket in there :)
Marcel went to a job interview yesterday. He was interviewing with a company that buys cows from farmers across New Zealand, butchers them, and then exports the meat overseas. Their biggest client is Burger Kind in Japan.
Part of the interview was a visit in the factory. Poor Marcel smelled like dead meat for the rest of the day ;) If he gets/takes the job, he will be working as a systems administrator, by the way, so he won't have to do any meat cutting!
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Sleepy Day at the Lab
There wasn't much going on at the lab today.
When we got bored with work, Thomas tried to start up the Tanks server.
Tanks is a silly computer game, where everyone steers a little tank across a field, trying to shot as many other tanks as possible. There are unlimited "lives," and the only high score you can get is the "kill count."
It's a multiplayer game, so the whole lab can play at the same time.
Unfortunately, Marcel was out today, and he is the only one who has administrator access to start up the game server... so no game today.
Instead, we made plans to go to the movies on Friday.
The Transformers movie is coming out. Apparently it's based on some kind of cartoon or comic series? I have no idea - I'm always clueless when it comes to pop-culture trivia like that.
Friday is opening day. The plan is to go in the morning, at 10am, hoping it will be a little less busy.
I also had a meeting with one of my mentors today. I had to wait for him for a while, so I started talking to some of the students working in his lab. Of course they have lots of German speakers - seriously, I haven't seen/heard so many German speakers since I went to Germany a few years ago!
The student I talked to also went to the Evolution Conference, so we happily reminisced a little bit :)
When we got bored with work, Thomas tried to start up the Tanks server.
Tanks is a silly computer game, where everyone steers a little tank across a field, trying to shot as many other tanks as possible. There are unlimited "lives," and the only high score you can get is the "kill count."
It's a multiplayer game, so the whole lab can play at the same time.
Unfortunately, Marcel was out today, and he is the only one who has administrator access to start up the game server... so no game today.
Instead, we made plans to go to the movies on Friday.
The Transformers movie is coming out. Apparently it's based on some kind of cartoon or comic series? I have no idea - I'm always clueless when it comes to pop-culture trivia like that.
Friday is opening day. The plan is to go in the morning, at 10am, hoping it will be a little less busy.
I also had a meeting with one of my mentors today. I had to wait for him for a while, so I started talking to some of the students working in his lab. Of course they have lots of German speakers - seriously, I haven't seen/heard so many German speakers since I went to Germany a few years ago!
The student I talked to also went to the Evolution Conference, so we happily reminisced a little bit :)
Monday, June 25, 2007
Lots of Chocolate Cake
I finally got around to uploading newer pictures. Look to the right and scroll down :D
When I came to the lab this morning, Vicky told me that it was Thomas' birthday yesterday. I don't know him that well, so not getting him a card was fine.
Vicky and her friend got him a present and a chocolate cake. Thomas himself also brought in leftover birthday cake - more chocolate!
The cakes were both really good, but the frosting was a little sweet.
I also got some work done today. I needed to organize my scripts a little bit (otherwise I get confused about what each of them does, in what order I called them, etc).
I also got a password today, for my University of Auckland username. It only took me how long... about four weeks? Bureaucracies work slowly...
On my way home, I found a cute little Japanese supermarket. It was immaculately clean and there was no single item labeled in English - man, was I lost! I picked up some random candy, just for fun, and some Daifuku (you can't go wrong there... most of the time!).
The candy turned out to be a rip-off! There was a little plush animal in the carton, and two hard candies... sad.
I also stopped by the regular supermarket, and picked up some smoked salmon! I thought I should treat myself to some good fish :)
When I came to the lab this morning, Vicky told me that it was Thomas' birthday yesterday. I don't know him that well, so not getting him a card was fine.
Vicky and her friend got him a present and a chocolate cake. Thomas himself also brought in leftover birthday cake - more chocolate!
The cakes were both really good, but the frosting was a little sweet.
I also got some work done today. I needed to organize my scripts a little bit (otherwise I get confused about what each of them does, in what order I called them, etc).
I also got a password today, for my University of Auckland username. It only took me how long... about four weeks? Bureaucracies work slowly...
On my way home, I found a cute little Japanese supermarket. It was immaculately clean and there was no single item labeled in English - man, was I lost! I picked up some random candy, just for fun, and some Daifuku (you can't go wrong there... most of the time!).
The candy turned out to be a rip-off! There was a little plush animal in the carton, and two hard candies... sad.
I also stopped by the regular supermarket, and picked up some smoked salmon! I thought I should treat myself to some good fish :)
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Lina climbs a volcano...
Today, I was off on my own to explore Rangitoto Island, the youngest vulcano around Auckland. It last errupted about 600 years ago.
When I got to the ferry terminal, I realized that the next ferry would leave in an hour and a half, so I decided to stop by Devonport again, and then take the ferry to Rangitoto from there.
In Devonport, I stumbled upon a Farmer's Market. Every Sunday, they sell bread, cheeses, chocolate, vegetables and fruits, honey, fish, and much more.
I bought yummy sourdough bread and chocolate covered strawberries, and then I looked around Devonport some more. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants, and many little stores, that I didn't get to look at yesterday.
I went back to the wharf and took the ferry to Rangitoto Island.
From the Sky Tower, Rangitoto looked like a symmetrical, grey island. Up close, however, one can see that it is mostly covered in dense Pohutakawa forest. Pohutakawa trees show bright crimson flowers during the summer months (December, etc), that's why they are often called "Christmas trees."
The summit of the vulcano is roughly 250 meters above sea level. One can climb it in about an hour. There are also some other walks that take a little longer, but I decided on the summit walk, because the last ferry was going to leave at 4 pm. If I wouldn't be back by then, I would have to camp out on the island for the night!
The walk up to the summit was pretty easy, and there were lots of lookouts on the way up, where one can see panoramic views of the surrounding harbor and some other islands. Most of the pathways were made up of volcanic rocks.
At the top, all the visitors (not many, during this time of the year) had a great view of the Auckland skyline and the harbor. Also, I could see Devonport and its two volcanoes.
The Maori call New Zealand "Aotearoa," which means "The land of the long white cloud." From the top of Rangitoto, I could definitely see a big cloud hanging over the mainland and the skyline of Auckland. Maybe this is what the ancient Maori saw when they first sailed towards the North Island?
I took a walk around the crater of the vulcano, which is by now completely covered in forest. It still looks impressive, though.
At the summit, I met a Brazilian tourist, and we decided to explore the Lava Caves together.
The Lava Caves are big enough that one can walk through them, but they were also really dark. We didn't have flashlights, so we didn't walk all the way through the caves.
We caught the second-to-last ferry back towards Auckland (so no need to camp out on the island!).
When I got to the ferry terminal, I realized that the next ferry would leave in an hour and a half, so I decided to stop by Devonport again, and then take the ferry to Rangitoto from there.
In Devonport, I stumbled upon a Farmer's Market. Every Sunday, they sell bread, cheeses, chocolate, vegetables and fruits, honey, fish, and much more.
I bought yummy sourdough bread and chocolate covered strawberries, and then I looked around Devonport some more. There are a lot of cafes and restaurants, and many little stores, that I didn't get to look at yesterday.
I went back to the wharf and took the ferry to Rangitoto Island.
From the Sky Tower, Rangitoto looked like a symmetrical, grey island. Up close, however, one can see that it is mostly covered in dense Pohutakawa forest. Pohutakawa trees show bright crimson flowers during the summer months (December, etc), that's why they are often called "Christmas trees."
The summit of the vulcano is roughly 250 meters above sea level. One can climb it in about an hour. There are also some other walks that take a little longer, but I decided on the summit walk, because the last ferry was going to leave at 4 pm. If I wouldn't be back by then, I would have to camp out on the island for the night!
The walk up to the summit was pretty easy, and there were lots of lookouts on the way up, where one can see panoramic views of the surrounding harbor and some other islands. Most of the pathways were made up of volcanic rocks.
At the top, all the visitors (not many, during this time of the year) had a great view of the Auckland skyline and the harbor. Also, I could see Devonport and its two volcanoes.
The Maori call New Zealand "Aotearoa," which means "The land of the long white cloud." From the top of Rangitoto, I could definitely see a big cloud hanging over the mainland and the skyline of Auckland. Maybe this is what the ancient Maori saw when they first sailed towards the North Island?
I took a walk around the crater of the vulcano, which is by now completely covered in forest. It still looks impressive, though.
At the summit, I met a Brazilian tourist, and we decided to explore the Lava Caves together.
The Lava Caves are big enough that one can walk through them, but they were also really dark. We didn't have flashlights, so we didn't walk all the way through the caves.
We caught the second-to-last ferry back towards Auckland (so no need to camp out on the island!).
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Show me the Penguins!
I had made plans today to go to Kelly Tarlton's with Mohsen, another student from the lab.
Kelly Tarlton's is a zoo full of arctic animals; mostly sting rays, sharks, other fish, and penguins.
Kelly Tarlton's is about 15 minutes away from central Auckland, but there is a free shuttle bus that runs every hour.
We didn't make it on the 10am bus, because it was full, when we got there! So we walked around the city a little bit, before catching the 11am shuttle.
Once at Kelly Tarlton's, we first looked at a replica hut of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, one of the earliest South Pole explorers. Scott and his crew did make it to the South Pole in 1912, a little after Roald Amundsen, but died with his four crew members on the journey back to base.
During the expedition, Scott wanted to make accurate records of geographical and zoological observations, so he carried a lot of instruments and photography equipment with him. The hut even has a dark room to develop the pictures!
After Scott's hut, visitors come up to a giant pool full of sting rays. The sting rays are clearly one of the main attractions at Kelly Tarlton's, and they were really impressive. Apparently, the biggest sting ray they have weighs 200 kg and has a wingspan of 2 meters!
One woman was brave enough to touch a sting ray, when it poked its wing out of the water. She reported that it felt slimy.
Later, however, when an animal caretaker fed the sting rays and answered questions from the audience, she explained that the skin of sting rays is covered in acidic mucus that burns skin... I wonder if the "brave" woman ever felt "the burn".
After looking at the sting rays, Mohsen and I decided to take a ride with the "Snowcat" mobile. The snowcat is a small, red car that takes visitors through the penguin land. You can't leave the car, but we did get close to the penguins. They have both King and Gentoo penguins.
After visiting the penguins, we looked at the sharks. The sharks, as well as some sting rays, a turtle, and a whole lot of other small fish are contained in two big aquariums. Visitors can walk through them in a giqan glass tube. This gives the impression that you are really up close to the fish, as they swim past you above your head!
Finally, there was a large gift shop with mostly plush animals. I didn't get a plush animal, but I did get a post card of the King penguins.
But there are only so many fish you can see in one day... So we took the shuttle back to Auckland centre and decided to take the ferry to Devonport.
Devonport is a little harborside village on the North Shore peninsula that extends into Waitemata Harbour. It is popular with tourists for its many restaurants and shops. Also, there are two mountains, Mount Victoria (Takarunga) and the North Head (Maungauika). Mount Victoria is the highest vulcano on Auckland's North Shore, and there used to be a Maori "pa," or fort, on top of it. The North Head is also of volcanic origins. European settlers used it for military defense of the region. One can still see canons and guns on the mountain, or explore the old military tunnels.
Today, we only walked up the North Head. The view from the top is amazing; one can see Auckland and the harbor. Of course, by that time my camera was dead... so you just have to believe me when I say the view was great.
Kelly Tarlton's is a zoo full of arctic animals; mostly sting rays, sharks, other fish, and penguins.
Kelly Tarlton's is about 15 minutes away from central Auckland, but there is a free shuttle bus that runs every hour.
We didn't make it on the 10am bus, because it was full, when we got there! So we walked around the city a little bit, before catching the 11am shuttle.
Once at Kelly Tarlton's, we first looked at a replica hut of Captain Robert Falcon Scott, one of the earliest South Pole explorers. Scott and his crew did make it to the South Pole in 1912, a little after Roald Amundsen, but died with his four crew members on the journey back to base.
During the expedition, Scott wanted to make accurate records of geographical and zoological observations, so he carried a lot of instruments and photography equipment with him. The hut even has a dark room to develop the pictures!
After Scott's hut, visitors come up to a giant pool full of sting rays. The sting rays are clearly one of the main attractions at Kelly Tarlton's, and they were really impressive. Apparently, the biggest sting ray they have weighs 200 kg and has a wingspan of 2 meters!
 Sting Ray (Wikipedia) |
One woman was brave enough to touch a sting ray, when it poked its wing out of the water. She reported that it felt slimy.
Later, however, when an animal caretaker fed the sting rays and answered questions from the audience, she explained that the skin of sting rays is covered in acidic mucus that burns skin... I wonder if the "brave" woman ever felt "the burn".
After looking at the sting rays, Mohsen and I decided to take a ride with the "Snowcat" mobile. The snowcat is a small, red car that takes visitors through the penguin land. You can't leave the car, but we did get close to the penguins. They have both King and Gentoo penguins.
After visiting the penguins, we looked at the sharks. The sharks, as well as some sting rays, a turtle, and a whole lot of other small fish are contained in two big aquariums. Visitors can walk through them in a giqan glass tube. This gives the impression that you are really up close to the fish, as they swim past you above your head!
Finally, there was a large gift shop with mostly plush animals. I didn't get a plush animal, but I did get a post card of the King penguins.
But there are only so many fish you can see in one day... So we took the shuttle back to Auckland centre and decided to take the ferry to Devonport.
Devonport is a little harborside village on the North Shore peninsula that extends into Waitemata Harbour. It is popular with tourists for its many restaurants and shops. Also, there are two mountains, Mount Victoria (Takarunga) and the North Head (Maungauika). Mount Victoria is the highest vulcano on Auckland's North Shore, and there used to be a Maori "pa," or fort, on top of it. The North Head is also of volcanic origins. European settlers used it for military defense of the region. One can still see canons and guns on the mountain, or explore the old military tunnels.
Today, we only walked up the North Head. The view from the top is amazing; one can see Auckland and the harbor. Of course, by that time my camera was dead... so you just have to believe me when I say the view was great.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Maori Culture
 This is a Koru, an unfurling fern that symbolizes new life (Wikipedia). |
Also, my swipe card finally works. This means, I can get a cup of tea without asking other people for their swipe card, and I can come and go however I please.
Maori Lesson of the day:
Auckland was originally called "Tamaki makau rau," which means "maiden with 100 lovers" in Maori. "It was a place desired by all, fought over for the riches and beauty of its terrain," says my trusty guide book.
Also, I learned some Maori phrases today:
Kia ora = Welcome or Hi
Kei te pehea koe? = How are you?
Kei te pai ahau = I'm good
Me koe? = And you?
Hei kona = See you later
The pronounciation is similar to German - lucky me!
Today, about 15% of the 4.5 million Kiwis consider themselves Maori, but only a fourth of them speak the language. To improve this last ratio, New Zealand's schools teach "reo Maori," or the Maori language.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Maori Dance
I slept in really late today and decided to take a day off.
Later, I went to get some food (I had left nothing in my fridge, because I didn't want anything to spoil). I also stopped by the mall and took a stroll around.
I found the video I took of the Maori dance at the opening ceremony of the conference.
This is only a short clip (I didn't want to max out my memory card).
Also, there are many more better videos on YouTube ;)
The All Blacks, the New Zealand Rugby team, performs a Haka dance before every game (maybe they are trying to scare their opponents?)
Later, I went to get some food (I had left nothing in my fridge, because I didn't want anything to spoil). I also stopped by the mall and took a stroll around.
I found the video I took of the Maori dance at the opening ceremony of the conference.
This is only a short clip (I didn't want to max out my memory card).
Also, there are many more better videos on YouTube ;)
The All Blacks, the New Zealand Rugby team, performs a Haka dance before every game (maybe they are trying to scare their opponents?)
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Heading back to Auckland
This morning, I woke up and my cell phone was dead >_<
I forgot to bring the adapter (I had my charger, but obviously, that's useless without the piece that changes the American plug to a New Zealand one...)
I realized, though, that my camera also has a built-in clock - perfect!
I got to pack up the rest of my stuff in the dark. Then I left one of my German books at the hostel book exchange. Maybe someone else will enjoy it. I checked out (that took like two seconds - these hostel people are really efficient!) and made my way to my favorite bakery.
After breakfast, I took all my bags to the convention centre. I left my trolley and bagpack with the coat check people.
This morning's talks were really interesting! One of the girls from my lab talked about her FIV project. FIV stands for Feline Deficiency Virus (yes, cats can get aids, too).
I met up with Keysa and Chris during the coffee break; then I went to listen to more talks. This session had a lot of talks about "Molecular Anthropology." I had no clue what that even is, but I got to listen to a few interesting talks.
One girl, for example, explained how she analyzes the feathers in old Maori cloaks. She tries to find out where the feathers came from and tries to learn more about the travels of the Maori.
Another woman, my friend's mentor, explained how she analyzes ancient chicken, rat, and pig DNA to track the movements of the Lapita people through Oceania.
I did catch one talk that was a little more "computer science" oriented. The guy was talking about theories in phylogenetic diversity and he talked about some of the computational challenges he came upon. He looked at a lot of graph problems (different phylogenetic trees), including some NP-hard problems.
I skipped the last two talks in the second session and got an early lunch (no lines :P). My plane was scheduled to leave at 2:15, and I still needed to find the bus stop and get to the airport.
Finding the bus stop wasn't too hard, I just hadn't realized that it was so far away :P I got on the bus and it took us about 30 minutes to get to the Airport.
Again, the airport staff was really relaxed. I checked in and had an hour of free time to kill. Good thing they have all these candy and souvenir shops just for that purpose! There was also a book store (but books are really expensive here - little paperbacks cost 30 NZD!).
This time, I had booked a non-stop flight to Auckland. Everything went really easy, until we approached Auckland.
Of course it was raining in Auckland, and the last 20 minutes or so of the flight were pretty bumpy!
I grabbed my luggage and headed for the bus stop. It took me 1.5 hrs to get home because the bus driver drove through downtown Auckland (don't do it, I can't recommend it!).
I forgot to bring the adapter (I had my charger, but obviously, that's useless without the piece that changes the American plug to a New Zealand one...)
I realized, though, that my camera also has a built-in clock - perfect!
I got to pack up the rest of my stuff in the dark. Then I left one of my German books at the hostel book exchange. Maybe someone else will enjoy it. I checked out (that took like two seconds - these hostel people are really efficient!) and made my way to my favorite bakery.
After breakfast, I took all my bags to the convention centre. I left my trolley and bagpack with the coat check people.
This morning's talks were really interesting! One of the girls from my lab talked about her FIV project. FIV stands for Feline Deficiency Virus (yes, cats can get aids, too).
I met up with Keysa and Chris during the coffee break; then I went to listen to more talks. This session had a lot of talks about "Molecular Anthropology." I had no clue what that even is, but I got to listen to a few interesting talks.
One girl, for example, explained how she analyzes the feathers in old Maori cloaks. She tries to find out where the feathers came from and tries to learn more about the travels of the Maori.
Another woman, my friend's mentor, explained how she analyzes ancient chicken, rat, and pig DNA to track the movements of the Lapita people through Oceania.
I did catch one talk that was a little more "computer science" oriented. The guy was talking about theories in phylogenetic diversity and he talked about some of the computational challenges he came upon. He looked at a lot of graph problems (different phylogenetic trees), including some NP-hard problems.
I skipped the last two talks in the second session and got an early lunch (no lines :P). My plane was scheduled to leave at 2:15, and I still needed to find the bus stop and get to the airport.
Finding the bus stop wasn't too hard, I just hadn't realized that it was so far away :P I got on the bus and it took us about 30 minutes to get to the Airport.
Again, the airport staff was really relaxed. I checked in and had an hour of free time to kill. Good thing they have all these candy and souvenir shops just for that purpose! There was also a book store (but books are really expensive here - little paperbacks cost 30 NZD!).
This time, I had booked a non-stop flight to Auckland. Everything went really easy, until we approached Auckland.
Of course it was raining in Auckland, and the last 20 minutes or so of the flight were pretty bumpy!
I grabbed my luggage and headed for the bus stop. It took me 1.5 hrs to get home because the bus driver drove through downtown Auckland (don't do it, I can't recommend it!).
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
More Indian food
Today, I got breakfast at the Danish bakery!
I got some kind of sticky apricot, raisin, custard bun, and tea, and it wasn't even expensive (5.50 NZD, that's less than the "continental breakfast")
Today, there were a few interesting sounding talks scheduled, and I stayed at the convention center all day.
For dinner, I met up with some friends from the conference. We went to an Indian place called "Two Fat Indians".
We didn't see any fat Indians, but the food was good :)
Afterwards, we went to "Dux de Lux," a restaurant with two bars attached. They brew their own Kiwi beer, but they also have a selection of New Zealand wine.
Of course, we ran into nice Evolution people here, too ;)
When I got back, I packed up my stuff, because my flight back to Auckland is scheduled for tomorrow!
I got some kind of sticky apricot, raisin, custard bun, and tea, and it wasn't even expensive (5.50 NZD, that's less than the "continental breakfast")
Today, there were a few interesting sounding talks scheduled, and I stayed at the convention center all day.
For dinner, I met up with some friends from the conference. We went to an Indian place called "Two Fat Indians".
We didn't see any fat Indians, but the food was good :)
Afterwards, we went to "Dux de Lux," a restaurant with two bars attached. They brew their own Kiwi beer, but they also have a selection of New Zealand wine.
Of course, we ran into nice Evolution people here, too ;)
When I got back, I packed up my stuff, because my flight back to Auckland is scheduled for tomorrow!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Exploring Christchurch
Yummy breakfast at "base," then I went for a walk around sleepy little Christchurch :)
First, I walked to the Botanical Garden. It was early in the morning, so no one was around, except for the ducks!
Close to the garden is the Arts Centre, a collection of craft stores and cafes, all housed in the old buildings of the University of Canterbury (back then, Canterbury College). That's where Lord Rutherford went to college, the guy that figured out how to split the atom!
All the buildings are built in the neo-gothic style - very pretty!
I also walked past Christ's College, a prestigious all-boys high school. The buildings look very old and impressive, and there are daily tours across the campus for tourists.
Behind Christ's College lies Hagley Park, a large public park with a few golf courses.
After this little excursion, I went to the convention centre, ready to listen to some smart biologists ;)
During lunch break, I walked to the tram station to Cathedral Square.
The trams began operating in Christchurch around 1900. By the mid 50s, the tram stopped official operation, but there is still one tram going around the central city in a loop as a tourist attraction. For 12 NZD, one can ride the tram any time (get on, get off, as many times as you want) for two days (I think).
The conductor also told the passengers a little bit about the historic sites we rode by, and pointed out cafes or shopping opportunities.
The whole loop around the city only took about 30 minutes, so when I got off, I walked around on my own some more.
I also found a cute little Danish bakery - the cakes look delicious!
On my way back I ran into Keysa, a girl I had met at the hostel. We got some cookies at the conference and then went for a walk.
Keysa hadn't seen the Arts Centre or the Botanical Garden yet, so I took her on a quick tour.
We took the time to look at "Rutherford's Den," a little museum located in Rutherford's old Math/English lecture hall. We also saw the "den," where the young Rutherford had conducted his first Physics experiments, and learned a little bit about his time at the university.
After we shopped for some souvenirs, we went back to "base."
Later that night, we walked back to the convention centre for the "Carvery Meal" - free food and socializing :)
A crazy musician with a large afro sang and played the guitar. He was pretty good, but they turned up the volume too much - you couldn't comfortably talk anymore without shouting :((
On our way back, we stopped by a pub called "Bard on the Avon," which apparently is very popular with the local Kiwis. The place was packed, but it was warm :)
(The "Avon" is a river that winds its way through Christchurch - really quite beautiful, take a look at the pictures!)
This day turned into a "sight seeing day" instead of a "lecture day." But I am quite glad I went today, because the sun was out!
Sunday, June 17, 2007
First day at the conference
Today was the first day of official talks.
Starting at 8:30 in the morning, most talks were 12 minutes long, allowing three minutes for questions. (Of course, most presenters talked for more than 12 minutes, so there was little time for questions... was that on purpose ;) ??)
Also, we got two coffee breaks, one from 10 till 10:30, and one from 3 till 3:30. Lunch was served between 12 and 1:30.
I have to say, the catering was very well organized and the food was delicious!
In the morning, we had scones and "mousetraps" (baked toast with cheese, vegetables, or pepperoni). For lunch, they served us Indian chicken and curry, rice, and a salad; for the second coffee break, we got little pieces of cake and biscotti.
The talks I went to were also pretty interesting! Most of them were biology talks about very specific subjects, and I couldn't quite follow all of them. I did take a whole lot of notes, and I have a list of terms I want to look up ;)
After the last talk (5 pm) I went for a little walk around Cathedral Square, which is the center of Christchurch. (Conveniently, my hostel is located right on the square!)
The cathedral on the square is a popular tourist attraction and the pride of all of Christchurch. Even though it was dark outside already, I heard some music inside, so I went to take a peek through the half-open door.
A few choir boys were walking towards the altar in the church - the congregation had just sat down for Sunday evening mass!
I quietly sat in the back and listened to parts of the sermon and some songs (all old hymns).
I only stayed for a little bit, because I had dinner plans with some of the girls from my hostel room. We went to a Thai place (there are so many Asian restaurants around here!) crowded with Evolution people.
The single waiter clearly hadn't expected so many customers on a Sunday night, and he could barely run fast enough to serve everyone ;) (at some point, he called for "reinforcements").
At 8:30, we went back to the conference center for the poster session. A few people I knew had prepared posters instead of talks. Now, they stood next to them, and answered questions about their projects.
Starting at 8:30 in the morning, most talks were 12 minutes long, allowing three minutes for questions. (Of course, most presenters talked for more than 12 minutes, so there was little time for questions... was that on purpose ;) ??)
Also, we got two coffee breaks, one from 10 till 10:30, and one from 3 till 3:30. Lunch was served between 12 and 1:30.
I have to say, the catering was very well organized and the food was delicious!
In the morning, we had scones and "mousetraps" (baked toast with cheese, vegetables, or pepperoni). For lunch, they served us Indian chicken and curry, rice, and a salad; for the second coffee break, we got little pieces of cake and biscotti.
The talks I went to were also pretty interesting! Most of them were biology talks about very specific subjects, and I couldn't quite follow all of them. I did take a whole lot of notes, and I have a list of terms I want to look up ;)
After the last talk (5 pm) I went for a little walk around Cathedral Square, which is the center of Christchurch. (Conveniently, my hostel is located right on the square!)
The cathedral on the square is a popular tourist attraction and the pride of all of Christchurch. Even though it was dark outside already, I heard some music inside, so I went to take a peek through the half-open door.
A few choir boys were walking towards the altar in the church - the congregation had just sat down for Sunday evening mass!
I quietly sat in the back and listened to parts of the sermon and some songs (all old hymns).
I only stayed for a little bit, because I had dinner plans with some of the girls from my hostel room. We went to a Thai place (there are so many Asian restaurants around here!) crowded with Evolution people.
The single waiter clearly hadn't expected so many customers on a Sunday night, and he could barely run fast enough to serve everyone ;) (at some point, he called for "reinforcements").
At 8:30, we went back to the conference center for the poster session. A few people I knew had prepared posters instead of talks. Now, they stood next to them, and answered questions about their projects.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Akaroa in the rain
Wow, last night was so cold!
I know, I should be all tough after surviving New Hampshire winters, but I was still freezing when wearing three layers to bed *haha*
There was hot water, though, so I took a nice hot shower in the morning, dressed in the dark (because everyone was sleeping at 7am). I needed to get up early, because I had scheduled a tour to Akaroa!
The "Saints & Sinners" bar magically transforms into a breakfast place in the morning. They offer an "all-you-can-eat continental breakfast" for 7 NZD (about 5.30 USD).
The breakfast turned out to be toast with jam or butter, three kinds of cereal, and peach slices and fruit salad out of a can. But 7 NZD for all-you-can-eat is not bad, especially after I saw the prices at some cafes (20 NZD breakfast, anyone?).
I walked to the Convention Centre (just 5 minutes from the backpackers place - cool!) and met up with my tour group.
Akaroa (Wikipedia)
I had booked a tour to Akaroa, a little harbor village south of Christchurch. Originally, Akaroa was founded by the French, but the British were quicker in declaring sovereignty over the area. Today, there is still a lot of French influence in the town (some restaurants and streets still have French names).
"Akaroa" is Maori for "long harbor."
The drive to Akaroa took us about 1.5 hours, through lots of mountains and empty land. There were a lot of sheep and cows, but few towns. (By the way, these were the first sheep and cows I had seen in NZ so far, because Auckland is so big and I had never made it out of the city that far!)
On the way, we stopped at a little cheese factory.
We got to taste the cheese in the little shop, where they also sold chocolate and wine.
I almost did buy a piece, because the cheese tasted so good, but I didn't really have a place to put it in the hostel.
After some more windy roads across the mountains (some people looked a little green in the face) we made it to Akaroa.
Part of the tour was a harbor cruise, but as soon as we stepped on the ship, it started raining :( By now, it had also gotten pretty cold, so we all hurried inside the ship.
The captain of the ship doubled as a tour guide, as he steered us through the harbor (if I remember correctly, it's almost 2 km long - that's why it's called the "long harbor") and out into the pacific. He had some interesting stories to tell, some historic facts and folk lore about the area, and facts about the animals.
Unfortunately, we did not see a Hectors Dolphin (rare, small dolphins you can only see along the coast of New Zealand) or penguins. We did see a lot of birds, some seals chilling out on the rocks, a Paua farm (the shells of these mollusks are blue and shiny, and are often used for crafts and jewellery), and a salmon farm.
After two hours in the cold, though, we were all eager to get back to shore and get a warm lunch.
I sat at a table with three other people, all biologists attending the Evolution conference. We had about 1.5 hours to eat and explore the village a little bit.
After lunch, when I was dry and warm again, I took a walk outside. I found the usual touristy souvenir shops, and looked at the waterfront and the historic light house.
Back in Christchurch, I checked in for the conference. Everyone got a messenger bag full of goodies (the program, a name tag, advertisements for products every biologist absolutely needs, etc).
I went back to "base" and changed into dry clothes for the opening ceremony. All the girls in my room, I found out, also attended the conference, so we walked back together.
The opening ceremony mainly consisted of appetizers, free beer and wine, and speeches. A Maori dance group performed traditional songs and the "haka", which is a traditional dance.
Some of my friends from the lab left early to go to a pub with a TV, because the All Blacks were playing against Canada. Of course they won (64-13). I stopped by the pub on my way back and watched the end of the game (I still don't understand the rules, but I have to admit, I am not too interested in them, either ;-) ).
I know, I should be all tough after surviving New Hampshire winters, but I was still freezing when wearing three layers to bed *haha*
There was hot water, though, so I took a nice hot shower in the morning, dressed in the dark (because everyone was sleeping at 7am). I needed to get up early, because I had scheduled a tour to Akaroa!
The "Saints & Sinners" bar magically transforms into a breakfast place in the morning. They offer an "all-you-can-eat continental breakfast" for 7 NZD (about 5.30 USD).
The breakfast turned out to be toast with jam or butter, three kinds of cereal, and peach slices and fruit salad out of a can. But 7 NZD for all-you-can-eat is not bad, especially after I saw the prices at some cafes (20 NZD breakfast, anyone?).
I walked to the Convention Centre (just 5 minutes from the backpackers place - cool!) and met up with my tour group.
Akaroa (Wikipedia)
I had booked a tour to Akaroa, a little harbor village south of Christchurch. Originally, Akaroa was founded by the French, but the British were quicker in declaring sovereignty over the area. Today, there is still a lot of French influence in the town (some restaurants and streets still have French names).
"Akaroa" is Maori for "long harbor."
The drive to Akaroa took us about 1.5 hours, through lots of mountains and empty land. There were a lot of sheep and cows, but few towns. (By the way, these were the first sheep and cows I had seen in NZ so far, because Auckland is so big and I had never made it out of the city that far!)
On the way, we stopped at a little cheese factory.
We got to taste the cheese in the little shop, where they also sold chocolate and wine.
I almost did buy a piece, because the cheese tasted so good, but I didn't really have a place to put it in the hostel.
After some more windy roads across the mountains (some people looked a little green in the face) we made it to Akaroa.
Part of the tour was a harbor cruise, but as soon as we stepped on the ship, it started raining :( By now, it had also gotten pretty cold, so we all hurried inside the ship.
The captain of the ship doubled as a tour guide, as he steered us through the harbor (if I remember correctly, it's almost 2 km long - that's why it's called the "long harbor") and out into the pacific. He had some interesting stories to tell, some historic facts and folk lore about the area, and facts about the animals.
Unfortunately, we did not see a Hectors Dolphin (rare, small dolphins you can only see along the coast of New Zealand) or penguins. We did see a lot of birds, some seals chilling out on the rocks, a Paua farm (the shells of these mollusks are blue and shiny, and are often used for crafts and jewellery), and a salmon farm.
After two hours in the cold, though, we were all eager to get back to shore and get a warm lunch.
I sat at a table with three other people, all biologists attending the Evolution conference. We had about 1.5 hours to eat and explore the village a little bit.
After lunch, when I was dry and warm again, I took a walk outside. I found the usual touristy souvenir shops, and looked at the waterfront and the historic light house.
Back in Christchurch, I checked in for the conference. Everyone got a messenger bag full of goodies (the program, a name tag, advertisements for products every biologist absolutely needs, etc).
I went back to "base" and changed into dry clothes for the opening ceremony. All the girls in my room, I found out, also attended the conference, so we walked back together.
The opening ceremony mainly consisted of appetizers, free beer and wine, and speeches. A Maori dance group performed traditional songs and the "haka", which is a traditional dance.
Some of my friends from the lab left early to go to a pub with a TV, because the All Blacks were playing against Canada. Of course they won (64-13). I stopped by the pub on my way back and watched the end of the game (I still don't understand the rules, but I have to admit, I am not too interested in them, either ;-) ).
Friday, June 15, 2007
Sky Tower, good food, and finding my way to Christchurch
I went to the lab this morning to check email and stuff. When I was done, I decided on a whim to finally go up the Sky Tower!
The day was beautiful out (and that was really the reason I had waited so long - either, the weather was bad or it was too dark because I got out of the lab late).
Lucky me, I remembered that I had bought an international student ID card... I actually got a discount for the Sky Tower :D (I had completely forgotten about it, until yesterday, when I found the card in a pile of papers >_<)
The view from the top of the tower was amazing! There are two viewing platforms (and a few restaurants that have windows, too) that offer a 360 degrees view of Auckland. I could see the university, and recognize the building that the lab is in, I saw Albert Park and the Auckland Domain, the harbour, The Railway campus...!
I also watched someone jump off the tower - on purpose, of course!
One of the popular attractions in Auckland is the "Sky Jump," where you can bungee jump off the tower. I think, the jump is only about 200 meters (the whole tower is 328 meters) and Marcel made fun of it the other day, because it is a "controlled jump." (Basically, they secure you with three ropes and can control your speed)
Either way, I don't think I'll jump anytime soon!
The main viewing platform has glass windows built into the floor! The glass is only 38 mm think, but apparently as strong as concrete...
I was almost afraid to step onto it, because you can really see through all the way to the ground. It was also interesting to watch other people on the glass. Some brave teenagers eagerly jumped up and down on it, while some other people tip-toed over it!
After the Sky Tower, I stopped by a little shop that sells Kebabs. I had wanted to try one for a while now, so today I just went for it!
Interestingly enough, the lamb kebab was cheaper than the chicken one (then again, they have a lot of sheep here!).
I tried the lamb kebab, and it was actually really good. However, it wasn't Doener style, where all the meat comes in a big piece of bread. Rather, the meat and the lettuce were wrapped in a thin pita bread.
After the lunch break, I went to The Warehouse to stock up on muesli bars. They taste good, and they are way cheaper there than at the regular supermarket.
I also "pre-registered" for the Harry Potter book. Now, on July 21st, at 11:01 AM, I can go to the store and pick up my personal copy :)
I hurried home, because I wanted to catch the bus to the airport early (you never know what will happen on the way!).
According to the brochure about the bus service, a bright, yellow sign advertises the bus stop... When I got to the bus stop (as indicated on the map in the brochure) I saw nothing, however, denoting any kind of bus stop!
I asked a few people, who all directed me further and further up the street.
Luckily, the whole bus is painted in a bright blue color, and as soon as I saw it coming around the corner, I waved at it ;-) I'm still not sure if I actually stood at the right stop, but it stopped and I got to go on (that's what counts)!
It took us about 30 minutes to get to the airport. Then I unloaded my suitcase and looked for the Air New Zealand counter.
Checking in wasn't a problem at all (I'm turning into an expert frequent flier...!)
At the security gate, no one wanted to inspect the inside of my shoes! New Zealand security staff isn't as suspicious as American security staff, they are much more relaxed.
The flight to Wellington only took about an hour. It was just enough time to have some tea and read a few chapters in my book.
I had a seat at the window, and since it was still light out, I could see quite a bit of New Zealand landscape underneath me.
Once we left Auckland, the countryside quickly showed a colorful patchwork pattern (lots of farms!).
Apparently, some of these farms are so isolated, they don't even have telephone connections!
As it got darker and cloudier, I couldn't see much more, except for the occasional glittering "island" in the darkness, indicating a bigger city. One of those "islands" turned into Wellington, where I had a short, 30 minute stop, before getting onto the plane for Christchurch.
Unfortunately, we were a little late getting into Christchurch - just 15 minutes, but that was three minutes too much, and I missed the bus into the city. I started reading up on attractions in Christchurch in the free visitors' guide while I waited for the next bus (it came in an hour - not too bad).
When the bus came, I asked the bus driver how to get to "base backpackers," where I had booked a bed. New Zealanders are all so friendly - the bus driver called out to me personally when/where to get off (right around the street from the backpackers place).
The backpackers place was nice, and not too dirty. I never stayed at one before, but I did hear stories about how dirty and filthy they can be.
I had booked a bed in a six-person room, with five other girls. Linens and a towle were included, a shared bathroom was down the hall from the room, and a swipe card allows access to everything.
Also, there are two kitchens, a few computers to go online, a bar on the first floor called "Saints & Sinners," and a TV room (huge screen, but they played King Kong when I walked by... boring).
Of course, the room did not have central heat (what else is new - we are in New Zealand after all) but there was a little electric heater.
However, as I was the last person to check in for the day (at around 10 pm) I got the "last" bed, which was the middle top bunk that had the heater attached to the wall above the pillow!
I got a really warm head, when the girl next to me turned the heat up, but luckily a timer shuts off the heat automatically after half an hour :)
The day was beautiful out (and that was really the reason I had waited so long - either, the weather was bad or it was too dark because I got out of the lab late).
Lucky me, I remembered that I had bought an international student ID card... I actually got a discount for the Sky Tower :D (I had completely forgotten about it, until yesterday, when I found the card in a pile of papers >_<)
The view from the top of the tower was amazing! There are two viewing platforms (and a few restaurants that have windows, too) that offer a 360 degrees view of Auckland. I could see the university, and recognize the building that the lab is in, I saw Albert Park and the Auckland Domain, the harbour, The Railway campus...!
I also watched someone jump off the tower - on purpose, of course!
One of the popular attractions in Auckland is the "Sky Jump," where you can bungee jump off the tower. I think, the jump is only about 200 meters (the whole tower is 328 meters) and Marcel made fun of it the other day, because it is a "controlled jump." (Basically, they secure you with three ropes and can control your speed)
Either way, I don't think I'll jump anytime soon!
The main viewing platform has glass windows built into the floor! The glass is only 38 mm think, but apparently as strong as concrete...
I was almost afraid to step onto it, because you can really see through all the way to the ground. It was also interesting to watch other people on the glass. Some brave teenagers eagerly jumped up and down on it, while some other people tip-toed over it!
After the Sky Tower, I stopped by a little shop that sells Kebabs. I had wanted to try one for a while now, so today I just went for it!
Interestingly enough, the lamb kebab was cheaper than the chicken one (then again, they have a lot of sheep here!).
I tried the lamb kebab, and it was actually really good. However, it wasn't Doener style, where all the meat comes in a big piece of bread. Rather, the meat and the lettuce were wrapped in a thin pita bread.
After the lunch break, I went to The Warehouse to stock up on muesli bars. They taste good, and they are way cheaper there than at the regular supermarket.
I also "pre-registered" for the Harry Potter book. Now, on July 21st, at 11:01 AM, I can go to the store and pick up my personal copy :)
I hurried home, because I wanted to catch the bus to the airport early (you never know what will happen on the way!).
According to the brochure about the bus service, a bright, yellow sign advertises the bus stop... When I got to the bus stop (as indicated on the map in the brochure) I saw nothing, however, denoting any kind of bus stop!
I asked a few people, who all directed me further and further up the street.
Luckily, the whole bus is painted in a bright blue color, and as soon as I saw it coming around the corner, I waved at it ;-) I'm still not sure if I actually stood at the right stop, but it stopped and I got to go on (that's what counts)!
It took us about 30 minutes to get to the airport. Then I unloaded my suitcase and looked for the Air New Zealand counter.
Checking in wasn't a problem at all (I'm turning into an expert frequent flier...!)
At the security gate, no one wanted to inspect the inside of my shoes! New Zealand security staff isn't as suspicious as American security staff, they are much more relaxed.
The flight to Wellington only took about an hour. It was just enough time to have some tea and read a few chapters in my book.
I had a seat at the window, and since it was still light out, I could see quite a bit of New Zealand landscape underneath me.
Once we left Auckland, the countryside quickly showed a colorful patchwork pattern (lots of farms!).
Apparently, some of these farms are so isolated, they don't even have telephone connections!
As it got darker and cloudier, I couldn't see much more, except for the occasional glittering "island" in the darkness, indicating a bigger city. One of those "islands" turned into Wellington, where I had a short, 30 minute stop, before getting onto the plane for Christchurch.
Unfortunately, we were a little late getting into Christchurch - just 15 minutes, but that was three minutes too much, and I missed the bus into the city. I started reading up on attractions in Christchurch in the free visitors' guide while I waited for the next bus (it came in an hour - not too bad).
When the bus came, I asked the bus driver how to get to "base backpackers," where I had booked a bed. New Zealanders are all so friendly - the bus driver called out to me personally when/where to get off (right around the street from the backpackers place).
The backpackers place was nice, and not too dirty. I never stayed at one before, but I did hear stories about how dirty and filthy they can be.
I had booked a bed in a six-person room, with five other girls. Linens and a towle were included, a shared bathroom was down the hall from the room, and a swipe card allows access to everything.
Also, there are two kitchens, a few computers to go online, a bar on the first floor called "Saints & Sinners," and a TV room (huge screen, but they played King Kong when I walked by... boring).
Of course, the room did not have central heat (what else is new - we are in New Zealand after all) but there was a little electric heater.
However, as I was the last person to check in for the day (at around 10 pm) I got the "last" bed, which was the middle top bunk that had the heater attached to the wall above the pillow!
I got a really warm head, when the girl next to me turned the heat up, but luckily a timer shuts off the heat automatically after half an hour :)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
At the Library
I looked at the Auckland City Library today. The building looks very new and modern. They must have just built or renovated it!
The reading areas are very open and full of comfy chairs, and they organized the books very effectively - you want to grab one and start reading it right then and there!
They have a large fiction section, a large children's section, many DVDs, and a whole collection of books about NZ history and Maori culture.
I also found several shelves full of "New Zealand fiction" (books written by Kiwis), as well as Chinese and Korean literature!
I found one German book, stuck in-between the Chinese books. It was a copy of "Asterix: Obelix GmbH & Co. KG" *haha*
I also asked about a library pass. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get a free one because I'm only here for a little while. They wanted me to pay 70 NZD (40 NZD are refundable when I cancel my membership). I don't think I will sign up. Instead, I'll try to order books through the university library for free... ;-)
Speaking of books: the Harry Potter book is due soon! I asked at The Warehouse how much it will be, but they couldn't tell me yet. The cashier remembered that it was about 27 NZD last time, which is about 20 USD. If I make it to the store early, I should be able to get a copy.
I realized that my flight to Christchurch is tomorrow!
I will only take my small trolley as luggage, and a backback as a carry-on.
I am actually not quite sure what the rules are for taking stuff on flights in NZ, but let's be on the safe side (so no water bottles :D )
The reading areas are very open and full of comfy chairs, and they organized the books very effectively - you want to grab one and start reading it right then and there!
They have a large fiction section, a large children's section, many DVDs, and a whole collection of books about NZ history and Maori culture.
I also found several shelves full of "New Zealand fiction" (books written by Kiwis), as well as Chinese and Korean literature!
I found one German book, stuck in-between the Chinese books. It was a copy of "Asterix: Obelix GmbH & Co. KG" *haha*
I also asked about a library pass. Unfortunately, I won't be able to get a free one because I'm only here for a little while. They wanted me to pay 70 NZD (40 NZD are refundable when I cancel my membership). I don't think I will sign up. Instead, I'll try to order books through the university library for free... ;-)
Speaking of books: the Harry Potter book is due soon! I asked at The Warehouse how much it will be, but they couldn't tell me yet. The cashier remembered that it was about 27 NZD last time, which is about 20 USD. If I make it to the store early, I should be able to get a copy.
I realized that my flight to Christchurch is tomorrow!
I will only take my small trolley as luggage, and a backback as a carry-on.
I am actually not quite sure what the rules are for taking stuff on flights in NZ, but let's be on the safe side (so no water bottles :D )
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Playing Tourist Guide
I didn't get much work done today, because the lab was so noisy again >_<
Mohsen, the new student from Sweden (he is originally from Iran, and he doesn't speak Swedish at all!) came in today. Now, he needs to go through the same amount of annoying paperwork I needed to go through, to get an ID card, an account in the University's computer system, and eventually a swipe card (by the way, my swipe card is supposed to work tomorrow!). He seemed exhausted :)
Mohsen also lost all of his luggage (no one knows where the airline sent it) so I took pity on him and showed him to three key destinations in Auckland: the Sky Tower (where the tourist information center is located - very important to know!), The Warehouse (perfect for impoverished students that need the odd little toothbrush, dish washing detergent, chocolate, silverware, etc at cheap prices!) and Foodtown (knowing where the food is - survival tactics).
When showing Mohsen around, I realized how much I learned about Auckland in the two weeks that I've been here! I could point out landmarks in the downtown area, explain the bus system, tell him about the volcanic history of the area, point him towards cheap and not so cheap shopping areas, explain the "flatting" system (if you want to rent a bedroom in an apartment or house with several people), etc.
Pretty cool - if I stay here much longer, I might earn the privilege to call myself a "kiwi at heart." (I could never be a "true kiwi" because I'm still too afraid to cross the streets in the middle of raging traffic of downtown Auckland, as the New Zealanders are prone to do!)
Then, I went home to cook dinner. Actually, I really enjoy these cooking adventures - I hope I have as much time next semester to continue them (yeah, keep dreaming, Lina!).
Last night, I noticed a puddle of water around the toilet in my bathroom. I wonder if it's leaking (please, no!!) or if the floor is a little uneven and it dribbles over from the shower? So I left the housekeeping staff (comes in every Wednesday) a note, asking if they could figure it out.
I got a lovely response (in Chinese-inspired "Chinglish") advising me to leave a message at the reception downstairs. I hope the maintenance guy can come and take a look at it tomorrow!
Random Note to Self of the Day:
New Zealanders prefer to call peppers "capsicums" and raisins "sultanas."
Mohsen, the new student from Sweden (he is originally from Iran, and he doesn't speak Swedish at all!) came in today. Now, he needs to go through the same amount of annoying paperwork I needed to go through, to get an ID card, an account in the University's computer system, and eventually a swipe card (by the way, my swipe card is supposed to work tomorrow!). He seemed exhausted :)
Mohsen also lost all of his luggage (no one knows where the airline sent it) so I took pity on him and showed him to three key destinations in Auckland: the Sky Tower (where the tourist information center is located - very important to know!), The Warehouse (perfect for impoverished students that need the odd little toothbrush, dish washing detergent, chocolate, silverware, etc at cheap prices!) and Foodtown (knowing where the food is - survival tactics).
When showing Mohsen around, I realized how much I learned about Auckland in the two weeks that I've been here! I could point out landmarks in the downtown area, explain the bus system, tell him about the volcanic history of the area, point him towards cheap and not so cheap shopping areas, explain the "flatting" system (if you want to rent a bedroom in an apartment or house with several people), etc.
Pretty cool - if I stay here much longer, I might earn the privilege to call myself a "kiwi at heart." (I could never be a "true kiwi" because I'm still too afraid to cross the streets in the middle of raging traffic of downtown Auckland, as the New Zealanders are prone to do!)
Then, I went home to cook dinner. Actually, I really enjoy these cooking adventures - I hope I have as much time next semester to continue them (yeah, keep dreaming, Lina!).
Last night, I noticed a puddle of water around the toilet in my bathroom. I wonder if it's leaking (please, no!!) or if the floor is a little uneven and it dribbles over from the shower? So I left the housekeeping staff (comes in every Wednesday) a note, asking if they could figure it out.
I got a lovely response (in Chinese-inspired "Chinglish") advising me to leave a message at the reception downstairs. I hope the maintenance guy can come and take a look at it tomorrow!
Random Note to Self of the Day:
New Zealanders prefer to call peppers "capsicums" and raisins "sultanas."
 |
| More of Auckland |
Monday, June 11, 2007
Lazy Tuesday
Prof. Allen Rodrigo, my second mentor, came back today from his one-year sabbatical. Everyone got really excited, and he had a lot of people to talk to. He also advises most of the students in the Bioinformatics program; I bet they were glad to have him back. This weekend, he will go to the Evolution Conference with us.
We also got a new student in the lab, a guy from Sweden.
In the following weeks, I believe we will three more "visitors," which might create a problem because we are running out of desks. Let's see where we can put them.
I finally figured out how to turn on the heater in my room. Now, I don't have to freeze at night!
In New Zealand, houses don't have central heating. Instead, people have wood stoves or electrical space heaters. I have a space heater (at least I don't have to drag around fire wood :D ) but there are a total of three switches to control it. To make matters worse, the electricians that wired the switches messed up (so the lady at the reception tells me) so that the heater is turned on when one of the three switches is in the off position. Talk about confusing!
Another oddity: yesterday, I learned about the (missing) environmental regulations. Today, Marcel told me about the - missing - apartment regulations.
I guess the New Zealanders never thought of making up official rules about apartments. That's why there are so many crappy ones on the market (I have seen my fair share by now, too). They don't even have rules dictating a certain size for apartments. So if your broom closet has a kitchen and toilet, you could technically rent it out as an apartment.
Recently, they began to draft some legislation, causing lots of contractors to quickly build a lot of small apartments that they can sell before the law is passed.
By the way, I took a picture of my desk and the lab today:
This is my desk :) (it's actually a little small... or I am too messy, because papers start to fall off!)
These are other people's desks. And yes, every now and then, someone bounces the big blue ball around ;)
We also got a new student in the lab, a guy from Sweden.
In the following weeks, I believe we will three more "visitors," which might create a problem because we are running out of desks. Let's see where we can put them.
I finally figured out how to turn on the heater in my room. Now, I don't have to freeze at night!
In New Zealand, houses don't have central heating. Instead, people have wood stoves or electrical space heaters. I have a space heater (at least I don't have to drag around fire wood :D ) but there are a total of three switches to control it. To make matters worse, the electricians that wired the switches messed up (so the lady at the reception tells me) so that the heater is turned on when one of the three switches is in the off position. Talk about confusing!
Another oddity: yesterday, I learned about the (missing) environmental regulations. Today, Marcel told me about the - missing - apartment regulations.
I guess the New Zealanders never thought of making up official rules about apartments. That's why there are so many crappy ones on the market (I have seen my fair share by now, too). They don't even have rules dictating a certain size for apartments. So if your broom closet has a kitchen and toilet, you could technically rent it out as an apartment.
Recently, they began to draft some legislation, causing lots of contractors to quickly build a lot of small apartments that they can sell before the law is passed.
By the way, I took a picture of my desk and the lab today:
This is my desk :) (it's actually a little small... or I am too messy, because papers start to fall off!)
These are other people's desks. And yes, every now and then, someone bounces the big blue ball around ;)
Sunday, June 10, 2007
New Zealand's Environmental Policies
The lab was busy today, as the masters' students had to finish up last exams and the Phds worked furiously to polish their presentations for the upcoming Evolution conference. I got a good chunk of work done, too :)
I also got registered in the computer system of the university. Now I have a student ID and a library card *haha*. I also filled out the paperwork for the swipe card that will give me access to the lab 24/7. For now, I always have to find someone to let me into the lab rooms. I think they need the security because there are some labs that use hazardous chemicals in the building as well.
Otherwise, nothing much happened. When cooking dinner, I heard random German phrases floating around me. As it turned out, there were four German students cooking next to me! I talked to two of them. They seemed really nice, but they are leaving in two weeks.
After I smelled "the city" yesterday, when coming from the clean mountains, I decided to investigate a little bit. For some reason, New Zealand is portrayed as a very environmentally-conscious nation that is very concerned about nature. When I asked some people at the lab, however, they told me that New Zealand has no regulations for things like car exhaust disposing of chemical waste.
The many cars that drive into Auckland everyday (it's cheaper to take the car than the bus for many students at the lab) create a cloud of smog that hangs over the city. The farmers, on the other hand, just bury their "left-over" DDT and other insecticides.
Finally, New Zealanders are so terrified of any pests trying to overrun their country, that they spray any kinds of imported plants and food. My friend Mel is particularly unhappy about these rules because she likes to eat organic foods. Of course, all imported organic food is sprayed as well...
I also got registered in the computer system of the university. Now I have a student ID and a library card *haha*. I also filled out the paperwork for the swipe card that will give me access to the lab 24/7. For now, I always have to find someone to let me into the lab rooms. I think they need the security because there are some labs that use hazardous chemicals in the building as well.
Otherwise, nothing much happened. When cooking dinner, I heard random German phrases floating around me. As it turned out, there were four German students cooking next to me! I talked to two of them. They seemed really nice, but they are leaving in two weeks.
After I smelled "the city" yesterday, when coming from the clean mountains, I decided to investigate a little bit. For some reason, New Zealand is portrayed as a very environmentally-conscious nation that is very concerned about nature. When I asked some people at the lab, however, they told me that New Zealand has no regulations for things like car exhaust disposing of chemical waste.
The many cars that drive into Auckland everyday (it's cheaper to take the car than the bus for many students at the lab) create a cloud of smog that hangs over the city. The farmers, on the other hand, just bury their "left-over" DDT and other insecticides.
Finally, New Zealanders are so terrified of any pests trying to overrun their country, that they spray any kinds of imported plants and food. My friend Mel is particularly unhappy about these rules because she likes to eat organic foods. Of course, all imported organic food is sprayed as well...
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Waitakere Ranges Regional Park... and a lot of rain!
After a beautiful Saturday, I woke up to pounding rain today. Another "wintry" day in Auckland :D
Mel and her husband Martin had wanted to show me the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park today. We decided to go anyways, hoping for better weather up in the park.
The park is only a 30 minute drive away from Auckland. It's popular for its native rainforest and extensive coastline. There are many trails that provide access to beaches (swimming and surfing), rocks to climb, streams, waterfalls, and farms.
Also, the movie "The Piano" was filmed here, as well as episodes of "Xena" and "Hercules."
Up in the park it was still drizzling rain, so we decided to drive to Piha Beach, still hoping that the weather would improve.
Most of the roads for cars through the park are paved, but they are really curvy. Even in the rain the landscape looked beautiful. The plants are mostly green, tall palm trees, and of course all sorts of ferns.
Piha beach is popular with surfers, and we actually saw some brave souls in the water, trying to conquer the waves. In the summer, one can swim in the water, too, but only where the lifeguards are, because the currents are really strong.
We stopped at a little convenience store that also sold coffee and pastries on our way back. The pastries weren't spectacular, but a warm drink felt good!
When we drove back towards the city, coming from the clean mountains, we could smell the difference - the city stinks :P
Mel dropped me off in front of the little Asian supermarket, and I got cheap groceries :)
I didn't do much else today, because the weather is so yucky outside.
The park was so beautiful, though. We'll definitely come back on a sunny day!
Pictures are here:
Mel and her husband Martin had wanted to show me the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park today. We decided to go anyways, hoping for better weather up in the park.
The park is only a 30 minute drive away from Auckland. It's popular for its native rainforest and extensive coastline. There are many trails that provide access to beaches (swimming and surfing), rocks to climb, streams, waterfalls, and farms.
Also, the movie "The Piano" was filmed here, as well as episodes of "Xena" and "Hercules."
Up in the park it was still drizzling rain, so we decided to drive to Piha Beach, still hoping that the weather would improve.
Most of the roads for cars through the park are paved, but they are really curvy. Even in the rain the landscape looked beautiful. The plants are mostly green, tall palm trees, and of course all sorts of ferns.
Piha beach is popular with surfers, and we actually saw some brave souls in the water, trying to conquer the waves. In the summer, one can swim in the water, too, but only where the lifeguards are, because the currents are really strong.
We stopped at a little convenience store that also sold coffee and pastries on our way back. The pastries weren't spectacular, but a warm drink felt good!
When we drove back towards the city, coming from the clean mountains, we could smell the difference - the city stinks :P
Mel dropped me off in front of the little Asian supermarket, and I got cheap groceries :)
I didn't do much else today, because the weather is so yucky outside.
The park was so beautiful, though. We'll definitely come back on a sunny day!
Pictures are here:
 |
| Waitakere Ranges Regional Park |
Friday, June 8, 2007
Shopping
Today, I looked at another bedroom in an apartment.
It's actually really close to the other apartment I looked at. Same bus stop, and everything.
The girl I had talked to on the phone showed me around. The apartment is pretty big, but you can tell that they (there is a guy living there too, but I didn't get to meet him) haven't been living there long, or they don't want to invest in furniture :P (they are both students at Auckland University).
The empty bedroom is a good size, too, but it is unfurnished. I would have to get some kind of bed, at least, and probably a space heater.
The only thing that bothered me a little was that the place overall looked a little "sticky."
Bonus points, though: the girl has two cats, one older orange cat, and a 9-week old little baby kitty (he is soooo cute!).
I guess I'll make a decision by tomorrow.
After that, I went to "St. Lukes," which is one of the big malls around Auckland. It's only a five minute walk away from the apartment, so I could walk there.
Malls in New Zealand seem to look like every other American mall. They have a big food court, a lot of smaller stores, and some large stores on the outside.
I did a lot of window shopping (many stores where really expensive!!) but I also found a pair of pants, a hooded sweatshirt, and a shirt.
There was a "Farmers" store, which is a big department store, similar to Sears or JCPenneys.
They also have KMart! But this store was much more organized than the ones we have in New Hampshire. Also, the products seem to be of better quality.
Finally, I stopped at Foodtown, which is connected to the mall, to stock up on milk and stuff.
Conveniently, there is a bus that runs between St. Lukes and Auckland center. However, there seem to be a lot of busses leaving St. Lukes to go to other places...
Of course I ended up on the wrong one, and all of a sudden, I found myself pushed off the bus ("this is the last stop," the bus driver told me in a very stern voice) on a random street somewhere NOT in Auckland center.
I walked down the street a bit and found a big swimming pool ("the Olympic pool" - is that where olympic swimmers train?) that seems to be open to the public. Note to self: I need to go back there!
After some more walking, I saw a bus stop sign for the Link Bus!
The Link Bus goes in a circle around and through Auckland. For 1.60 NZD, one can get on, and get off at any stop (most other busses charge differently, depending on the distance traveled).
I figured out that I had ended up in Newmarket (New Zealand, not New Hampshire :P ), which is not too far from Auckland center. Luckily, the Link Bus comes every 10 minutes. Even better: it stops across the street from The Railway Campus!
It's actually really close to the other apartment I looked at. Same bus stop, and everything.
The girl I had talked to on the phone showed me around. The apartment is pretty big, but you can tell that they (there is a guy living there too, but I didn't get to meet him) haven't been living there long, or they don't want to invest in furniture :P (they are both students at Auckland University).
The empty bedroom is a good size, too, but it is unfurnished. I would have to get some kind of bed, at least, and probably a space heater.
The only thing that bothered me a little was that the place overall looked a little "sticky."
Bonus points, though: the girl has two cats, one older orange cat, and a 9-week old little baby kitty (he is soooo cute!).
I guess I'll make a decision by tomorrow.
After that, I went to "St. Lukes," which is one of the big malls around Auckland. It's only a five minute walk away from the apartment, so I could walk there.
Malls in New Zealand seem to look like every other American mall. They have a big food court, a lot of smaller stores, and some large stores on the outside.
I did a lot of window shopping (many stores where really expensive!!) but I also found a pair of pants, a hooded sweatshirt, and a shirt.
There was a "Farmers" store, which is a big department store, similar to Sears or JCPenneys.
They also have KMart! But this store was much more organized than the ones we have in New Hampshire. Also, the products seem to be of better quality.
Finally, I stopped at Foodtown, which is connected to the mall, to stock up on milk and stuff.
Conveniently, there is a bus that runs between St. Lukes and Auckland center. However, there seem to be a lot of busses leaving St. Lukes to go to other places...
Of course I ended up on the wrong one, and all of a sudden, I found myself pushed off the bus ("this is the last stop," the bus driver told me in a very stern voice) on a random street somewhere NOT in Auckland center.
I walked down the street a bit and found a big swimming pool ("the Olympic pool" - is that where olympic swimmers train?) that seems to be open to the public. Note to self: I need to go back there!
After some more walking, I saw a bus stop sign for the Link Bus!
The Link Bus goes in a circle around and through Auckland. For 1.60 NZD, one can get on, and get off at any stop (most other busses charge differently, depending on the distance traveled).
I figured out that I had ended up in Newmarket (New Zealand, not New Hampshire :P ), which is not too far from Auckland center. Luckily, the Link Bus comes every 10 minutes. Even better: it stops across the street from The Railway Campus!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Say "no" to gum
I ran out of gum, so I went to the "Munchie Mart" to get some. The Munchie Mart is a little convenience store located in the student center, and it sells any sort of candy imaginable, as well as things like ramen instant soups, premade, microwavable sandwiches and hotdogs (those look a little weird...), drinks, ice cream, school supplies, even laundry detergent. However, it doesn't sell gum.
Later, I asked Jess and Dee about the missing gum, and they explained that a few years back, in an effort to reduce the amount of discarded pieces of gum sticking to desks and chairs or the street, the school administration had prohibited the sale of gum on campus.
Nice try; now we have to go farther to get our gum :)
(I did not see excessive "gum droppings" on the street, yet, so maybe it works?!)
Later that day, some of my colleagues wanted to practice their talks for the upcoming Evolution conference and get feedback about things to improve.
All the talks are actually quite short, about 12 minutes, because there will be so many people talking at the conference.
Still, we did a long, four hour practice session full of talks. Lunch was provided, however, and it consisted of yummy little sandwiches, fruit, and cake!
Later, I asked Jess and Dee about the missing gum, and they explained that a few years back, in an effort to reduce the amount of discarded pieces of gum sticking to desks and chairs or the street, the school administration had prohibited the sale of gum on campus.
Nice try; now we have to go farther to get our gum :)
(I did not see excessive "gum droppings" on the street, yet, so maybe it works?!)
Later that day, some of my colleagues wanted to practice their talks for the upcoming Evolution conference and get feedback about things to improve.
All the talks are actually quite short, about 12 minutes, because there will be so many people talking at the conference.
Still, we did a long, four hour practice session full of talks. Lunch was provided, however, and it consisted of yummy little sandwiches, fruit, and cake!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Today, I met up with one of my mentors. It was a productive meeting, and I have somewhat of an idea how to proceed with my research :)
Other than that, nothing much happened.
I'm still looking for another place to stay, but I think the fact that I will only need it for eight or nine weeks makes things a little bit more difficult.
Apparently, winter almost has us in its grip.
Auckland winter impresses by sending sporadic showers of rain all throughout the day. Most people don't even take an umbrella; a rain jacket will do. Overall though, it's kinda yucky :|
A guy in the lab burned a CD with New Zealand music for me. It's a mix of different genres, and it doesn't sound too bad :)
I hope the weekend will be nice, because I want to go on another trip or so and see something.
By now, several people suggested visitng Devonport.
According to the website it is a "harming historic seaside village on the northern shores of Auckland City." A ferry runs every half hour between Auckland's harbour and Devonport, and it takes only 10 minutes to get there!
Other than that, nothing much happened.
I'm still looking for another place to stay, but I think the fact that I will only need it for eight or nine weeks makes things a little bit more difficult.
Apparently, winter almost has us in its grip.
Auckland winter impresses by sending sporadic showers of rain all throughout the day. Most people don't even take an umbrella; a rain jacket will do. Overall though, it's kinda yucky :|
A guy in the lab burned a CD with New Zealand music for me. It's a mix of different genres, and it doesn't sound too bad :)
I hope the weekend will be nice, because I want to go on another trip or so and see something.
By now, several people suggested visitng Devonport.
According to the website it is a "harming historic seaside village on the northern shores of Auckland City." A ferry runs every half hour between Auckland's harbour and Devonport, and it takes only 10 minutes to get there!
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Life is Noisy in the Lab
I showed up at the lab at 8 this morning, and guess what, no one was there! Since I still need someone to let me into the lab (non-existent key card issue... I wonder how long they need to process the paperwork) I decided to sit in the kitchen area and wait.
The kitchen area is actually quite nice, with several couches and chairs, and of course coffee, tea, and hot chocolate! To pass the time, I read up on some scientific articles. It was really quiet, and I was very productive. After an hour or so, Vicky showed up and let me in the lab :)
Compared to the kitchen area, the lab was rather noisy. I couldn't concentrate at all, because everyone was talking.
In the afternoon, we took a little break to listen to Mel's presentation. She is a first-year Phd, and along with other first-years, she needed to give a little presentation about her work, her progress, and future plans of her research. It sounded really interesting, something about tracing the pathway of people through Oceania using genetic data from rats that traveled with them. She did a good job!
Afterwards, there was food and wine at a little reception (in my favorite kitchen area).
After that, I couldn't concentrate at all anymore (I think I was the only one in the place attempting to do work, anyways) so I left :)
At 8:30 they are showing Borat in the TV lounge. Should I stop by or not?
... later...
A few people showed up for the movie, but no one had the DVD. There was nothing on TV (reportedly, New Zealand TV entertainment is awful, anyways).
I met a friendly Japanese girl, though. She is enrolled in a language school and studies English.
The kitchen area is actually quite nice, with several couches and chairs, and of course coffee, tea, and hot chocolate! To pass the time, I read up on some scientific articles. It was really quiet, and I was very productive. After an hour or so, Vicky showed up and let me in the lab :)
Compared to the kitchen area, the lab was rather noisy. I couldn't concentrate at all, because everyone was talking.
In the afternoon, we took a little break to listen to Mel's presentation. She is a first-year Phd, and along with other first-years, she needed to give a little presentation about her work, her progress, and future plans of her research. It sounded really interesting, something about tracing the pathway of people through Oceania using genetic data from rats that traveled with them. She did a good job!
Afterwards, there was food and wine at a little reception (in my favorite kitchen area).
After that, I couldn't concentrate at all anymore (I think I was the only one in the place attempting to do work, anyways) so I left :)
At 8:30 they are showing Borat in the TV lounge. Should I stop by or not?
... later...
A few people showed up for the movie, but no one had the DVD. There was nothing on TV (reportedly, New Zealand TV entertainment is awful, anyways).
I met a friendly Japanese girl, though. She is enrolled in a language school and studies English.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Nothing exciting today :)
Today, I went to the lab early. I got some tea with Jess, Alana, and Dee, and then I got off to work.
I did take a break to visit the "Post Shop" to mail off some cards. I also strolled through the University Bookstore; Auckland students use the same Japanese text book I used!
After work, I stopped by Foodtown to get some bread and baking goods. So for desert, I made some "blackforest muffins" (chocolate muffins with black cherries - yummy!).
At Foodtown, they also sell large green reusable plastic bags. I got one, because they looked like real heavy-duty bags. It's a great bag, it works for groceries and doubles as a laundry bag!
I also tried out the laundry machines. That was easy, because the machines are exactly the same that the dorms at UNH have :)
I did take a break to visit the "Post Shop" to mail off some cards. I also strolled through the University Bookstore; Auckland students use the same Japanese text book I used!
After work, I stopped by Foodtown to get some bread and baking goods. So for desert, I made some "blackforest muffins" (chocolate muffins with black cherries - yummy!).
At Foodtown, they also sell large green reusable plastic bags. I got one, because they looked like real heavy-duty bags. It's a great bag, it works for groceries and doubles as a laundry bag!
I also tried out the laundry machines. That was easy, because the machines are exactly the same that the dorms at UNH have :)
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Walking around Auckland some more
Today is a public holiday, the Queen's Birthday! No, of course it's not really her birthday, but we need to celebrate it sometimes, so why not today?
I stopped by the lab for a bit to check my email.
Then, I headed towards the Sky Tower, where the Auckland Tourism Information Centre is located. It seems as if all my trips start out from there, because the people are really helpful, especially with information about the public transportation system.
I needed information about how to get to Kingsland, an area just outside Auckland center, where I wanted to look at an apartment. I did get on the right bus, but I wasn't sure where to get off, so I had to do quite a bit of walking around and asking people for directions (I asked two people, and both sent me in the wrong direction!!) but I did find it eventually.
The apartment was on the second floor of a little computer store. There were two rooms that I could rent, one small one for 100 NZD a week, and a bigger one for 120 NZD. I even would have been able to get internet there relatively cheaply, but the dirty stove and the fact that I would have had to share the bathroom with the 45 year old male owner settled the argument for me :D
So for now, I'm still living at The Railway Campus.
After I made my way back to Auckland center, I wanted to check out the "Coast to Coast Walkway." This 16 km long trail runs from downtown Auckland (the Waitemata Harbour in the North) through Onehunga Lagoon (the Manukau Harbour in the South) or the other way around. The travel guide estimated that it takes about 4-6 hours.
I didn't get very far, to be honest, because the trail is poorly marked, so I kept losing my way. Also, there are a few beautiful parks along the way, so I got sidetracked.
I think, I'll try walking it the weekend after next, when I get back from Christchurch.
Later that night, I decided to try the kitchen area for real. I had looked at it last week already, but I hadn't really cooked anything in it.
So I packed up a my little plastic box (part of the "crockery set") with food and kitchen ware and headed towards the kitchen.
Unlike last time I saw it (at 10 am in the morning) it was packed full! I had a hard time finding a free sink and stove.
I made some vegetable soup (my specialty) which tasted rather horrible, because the tomato base had "sugar syrup" added to it and I didn't see it on time... So I fished out the veggies and threw the soup away. Next time, I'll definitely read the list of ingredients very carefully!
While I was cooking, I watched some of the other students prepare their meals. A few of them just cooked pasta and threw some kind of tomato sauce over it, but some started unwrapping heavy kitchen gear.
One girl busily scraped the inside of a wok, while another one cooked little bits of meat in the oven (reminded me of chicken kebab, and it looked really yummy!). Finally, a group of Koreans violently chopped chicken thighs with one of those big, rectangular knives.
The smells were amazing (nothing burned!).
I stopped by the lab for a bit to check my email.
Then, I headed towards the Sky Tower, where the Auckland Tourism Information Centre is located. It seems as if all my trips start out from there, because the people are really helpful, especially with information about the public transportation system.
I needed information about how to get to Kingsland, an area just outside Auckland center, where I wanted to look at an apartment. I did get on the right bus, but I wasn't sure where to get off, so I had to do quite a bit of walking around and asking people for directions (I asked two people, and both sent me in the wrong direction!!) but I did find it eventually.
The apartment was on the second floor of a little computer store. There were two rooms that I could rent, one small one for 100 NZD a week, and a bigger one for 120 NZD. I even would have been able to get internet there relatively cheaply, but the dirty stove and the fact that I would have had to share the bathroom with the 45 year old male owner settled the argument for me :D
So for now, I'm still living at The Railway Campus.
After I made my way back to Auckland center, I wanted to check out the "Coast to Coast Walkway." This 16 km long trail runs from downtown Auckland (the Waitemata Harbour in the North) through Onehunga Lagoon (the Manukau Harbour in the South) or the other way around. The travel guide estimated that it takes about 4-6 hours.
I didn't get very far, to be honest, because the trail is poorly marked, so I kept losing my way. Also, there are a few beautiful parks along the way, so I got sidetracked.
I think, I'll try walking it the weekend after next, when I get back from Christchurch.
Later that night, I decided to try the kitchen area for real. I had looked at it last week already, but I hadn't really cooked anything in it.
So I packed up a my little plastic box (part of the "crockery set") with food and kitchen ware and headed towards the kitchen.
Unlike last time I saw it (at 10 am in the morning) it was packed full! I had a hard time finding a free sink and stove.
I made some vegetable soup (my specialty) which tasted rather horrible, because the tomato base had "sugar syrup" added to it and I didn't see it on time... So I fished out the veggies and threw the soup away. Next time, I'll definitely read the list of ingredients very carefully!
While I was cooking, I watched some of the other students prepare their meals. A few of them just cooked pasta and threw some kind of tomato sauce over it, but some started unwrapping heavy kitchen gear.
One girl busily scraped the inside of a wok, while another one cooked little bits of meat in the oven (reminded me of chicken kebab, and it looked really yummy!). Finally, a group of Koreans violently chopped chicken thighs with one of those big, rectangular knives.
The smells were amazing (nothing burned!).
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Kiwis and the like at the zoo
Today, I wanted to go to the Zoo. But first, I stopped by The Warehouse to get a pedometer *haha*. Jess has one, and it sounded kinda fun. Mine is really cute! It has two buttons, and I can check how many steps I walked, how many miles and kilometers that is, and how many calories I burned. Well, I don't know how accurate these last values are, but the steps thing is good for starters.
I got a greek salad "for take away" for lunch.
Then I went to the Skytower, because there is an i-Site information center. Too bad, but their internet didn't work (otherwise I would've checked email, etc) but they did give me information about the bus that goes to the zoo. I was a little nervous, but I managed to get on the right bus, pay the right amount of money ($3.20 for "two stages") and even got off at the right stop!
Two Korean girls also got off at the same stop. They were really nice and we decided to walk through the zoo together.
There were lots of cool animals, starting with the giraffes and an ostrich that had ostrich eggs. We also saw sealions, penguins, a tiger feeding, wallabies, meerkats, and of course the kiwi birds.
The kiwi birds are kept in the dark, because they are actually nocturnal birds. But as soon as my eyes adjusted to the dark room, I could see them roam about in their little cage. They are absolutely adorable! No pictures, though, because the flash would scare the birds :(
I got a greek salad "for take away" for lunch.
Then I went to the Skytower, because there is an i-Site information center. Too bad, but their internet didn't work (otherwise I would've checked email, etc) but they did give me information about the bus that goes to the zoo. I was a little nervous, but I managed to get on the right bus, pay the right amount of money ($3.20 for "two stages") and even got off at the right stop!
Two Korean girls also got off at the same stop. They were really nice and we decided to walk through the zoo together.
There were lots of cool animals, starting with the giraffes and an ostrich that had ostrich eggs. We also saw sealions, penguins, a tiger feeding, wallabies, meerkats, and of course the kiwi birds.
The kiwi birds are kept in the dark, because they are actually nocturnal birds. But as soon as my eyes adjusted to the dark room, I could see them roam about in their little cage. They are absolutely adorable! No pictures, though, because the flash would scare the birds :(
Friday, June 1, 2007
All Blacks vs France
Today, I got up semi-early to take care of a long list of errands.
First, I went to the lab, to use the internet.
I wanted to do some googling to figure out how I can get my phone to work. I think, it really was "locked" so that I can only use it with T-Mobile.
Thanks to Google, I found some webpages that contained "unlocking codes." I don't quite remember what I did, but something worked, and my phone actually accepted the Vodafone SIM card - woohoo!
The first thing I did was call my Dad. I got really bad service near the lab, but at least it worked and he could hear me!
After that, I called Mom. She was so excited to hear me - good thing I called :D
Then, I decided to do some walking around downtown Auckland. I walked towards Queen St and just looked into random stores. I found a strange little market, where they sell clothes, mostly, and jewlery. Then I got some lunch at Subways (hey, it was cheap!).
I walked down Queen St towards the water front and stopped by The Warehouse for some detergent and some yummy-smelling body lotion. On my way back towards The Railway Campus, I picked up some groceries at the Chinese food place. I got apples, oranges, green peppers and cellery, and everything for about 7 USD!
When I walked towards The Railway Campus, I ran into Jess and her roommate Luke. They wanted to pick me up so we could get dinner before the Rugby game tonight.
Luke didn't go in the end, because he wanted to meet up with his Mom, but Jess, Melanie, and me got in the car and drove to Mount Eden. There, we met up with Margie and Allen, friends of Jess's, and got Chinese food for dinner. After that, we went to the All Blacks vs France game.
The rugby game was actually kind of fun!
I still don't really understand the rules, and for some reason, there was no commentator, so that didn't help, either! The most important thing though, was that the All Blacks beat the French. In fact, everyone going in knew that the All Blacks would win. That's why some complained it was a boring game. Most of the crowd was in a good mood, though. Beer in plastic bottles was served liberally (the plastic bottles seem to be a safety measure of some sort, because as soon as the crowd got bored, people started throwing them...).
First, I went to the lab, to use the internet.
I wanted to do some googling to figure out how I can get my phone to work. I think, it really was "locked" so that I can only use it with T-Mobile.
Thanks to Google, I found some webpages that contained "unlocking codes." I don't quite remember what I did, but something worked, and my phone actually accepted the Vodafone SIM card - woohoo!
The first thing I did was call my Dad. I got really bad service near the lab, but at least it worked and he could hear me!
After that, I called Mom. She was so excited to hear me - good thing I called :D
Then, I decided to do some walking around downtown Auckland. I walked towards Queen St and just looked into random stores. I found a strange little market, where they sell clothes, mostly, and jewlery. Then I got some lunch at Subways (hey, it was cheap!).
I walked down Queen St towards the water front and stopped by The Warehouse for some detergent and some yummy-smelling body lotion. On my way back towards The Railway Campus, I picked up some groceries at the Chinese food place. I got apples, oranges, green peppers and cellery, and everything for about 7 USD!
When I walked towards The Railway Campus, I ran into Jess and her roommate Luke. They wanted to pick me up so we could get dinner before the Rugby game tonight.
Luke didn't go in the end, because he wanted to meet up with his Mom, but Jess, Melanie, and me got in the car and drove to Mount Eden. There, we met up with Margie and Allen, friends of Jess's, and got Chinese food for dinner. After that, we went to the All Blacks vs France game.
The rugby game was actually kind of fun!
I still don't really understand the rules, and for some reason, there was no commentator, so that didn't help, either! The most important thing though, was that the All Blacks beat the French. In fact, everyone going in knew that the All Blacks would win. That's why some complained it was a boring game. Most of the crowd was in a good mood, though. Beer in plastic bottles was served liberally (the plastic bottles seem to be a safety measure of some sort, because as soon as the crowd got bored, people started throwing them...).
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