A long-ish update

Well, it has been a while since I last posted, and I haven't really gone into detail, so here is a catchup.

ANZAMEMS Conference
I really enjoyed this - well run, fascinating papers, friendly people. The powhiri (Maori welcoming ceremony) was fascinating, and I think rather unusual given the inclusion of Latin verse to represent the 'visiting' culture. The food was excellent, as was the free wine at the two receptions, and providing free internet (and good-looking computer help-staff) was a nice touch. There were only one or two papers that were duds, and a lot had me both inspired and envious.

Waiheke
I've probably gloated over this section of the trip enough now, and should shut up, but no. Someone said to me that he could recognise Kiwi girls around the world by the shapes of their calves, and after the busy day of tramping around the island I can see why - 184 steps up from Onetangi Beach to the hostel. The 'Sculpture on the Gulf' exhibition was amazing, seeing the island and the artworks at the same time. I've posted some pictures at Flickr (though only a selection due to the vagaries of computers). We also saw some exhibitions in town, trying to avoid the rain. The next day I headed out to the wineries: Saratoga Estate, which was very hospitable despite still cleaning up from the post-Wine-Festival-party two days before; Te Motu, with a French man running the tastings ('This one is more like animal' must remain one of my all time favourite wine descriptions); and Onetangi Road, where a helicopter was departing as I left, having flown someone over as part of a fiftieth birthday present. I even managed to do a little sun-baking, coming up a little red the next day.

AVSA
While most people stayed in college dorms, I was over in a hostel, so I felt a little out of it. But the papers were interesting - my favourite being on the supernatural archaeological object - and I did enjoy it overall.

TranzScenic
I boarded the train at dawn, and stepped off after sunset - a long day and a lot of distance covered. The first part of the trip was through the back suburbs of Auckland, with final glimpses of the two harbours. Then on into what appeared to be Hobbiton-country, an impression reinforced by one building signed as 'Buckland Hall'. On into the Waikoto region, farming country interspersed with swampy sections where the insect noises rose over the rumble-clatter-clack of the train. By Hamilton we had caught up with the weather, and the rain was bucketing down. Then the uphill climb began, through an amazingly textured landscape, jungle-like bush, harshly dry and windswept hillsides, gorges and water running over grey rocks. Occasionally the train passed beehives, looking like stacks of archive boxres that had made a break for freedom, and evolved into a range of colours. All sorts of odd impression - a giant statue of the Virgin Mary on top of a hill, a sheep truck named Shaun, Two graves topped with grand Victorian angels on an isolated hill in the middle of nowhere. I saw all sorts of animals: sheep, cows, deer, goats, horses, pigs, rabbits, ducks - most of the meat-eating options in fact - but also meat-eaters in the form of two hawks. The final part of the journey ran beside the Tasman Ocean as the sun set, the water silver-grey and roughly forbidding.

Wellington
And here I am now, having seen Te Papa (the museum) which was a good experience, though not as fantastic as I had built it up in my head. The interactive part were fun - I'm glad there weren't too many children around to compete with. My main impression of the city so far is the large amount of public art. I think I quite like it here.