Chocolate, trains and movies

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Hey!

Sorry about the long time no blog again... although I haven't received any complaints. I thought that was quite odd actually. 😊

So what have been up to other past two and a half weeks or so? Well... let's start from the beginning...

A fortnight ago today I was in Dunedin on the South Island. The university was kind enough to fly any willing PhD students down for a postgraduate symposium. Unfortunately our flight from Christchurch was delayed by an hour due to "engineering problems" but our pilot assured us as we were taking off that these had been sorted. So we arrived an hour and a quarter late for the symposium! There was a short "debate" between some of the university's lecturers about the necessity to be a specialist in your field while also having a broad understanding of other related fields. They all agreed on the topic, so I fail to see how it was a debate. It was amusing though. Academics are funny people. So we got driven to lunch by the water (although we were driven to the wrong side of town to start with). Lunch was yummy and hailed the start of a weekend of bad eating... who can resist free chocolate slice? Not me! (this is how I gained weight last year - free food does have calories Erin!!) Afterwards we were taken back to the uni for the poster presentation. Most of them were science and medicine, so completely over my head. But it was really interesting to see the other research going on down south. The day finished around 2pm, so I toddled off to the Otago Museum and spent some time there. It was small, but the exhibits were quite good and I got a free ticket to "discovery world" that had the temporary exhibit and some kids interactive things, but I didn't use it till Sunday. I then went to the University book store... it was very cool. I could've stayed there for hours. There had so many cool books!!! I resisted the temptation buy an introduction to linguistics for Boz and a Spanish version of Harry Potter for me (I thought then I might actually read it!). So then it was to my hostel. It wasn't too bad and they were renovating, so it'll probably be better next year! All the other Wellington students had returned on the same day, but I asked to stay longer so I could spend more than 7 hours on the South Island!!! I wandered through town and had dinner at a Japanese restaurant... it was fantastic... I love Japanese food!!! Then I saw "Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont" - it was pretty good. 😊 It made me cry though, but so do most movies. Then I went home... not before I took a funky photo outside the cinema. I like it anyway! Back to the hostel... it was cold and I didn't know anyone, so I started reading "Persuasion" (thanks mum!).
I woke up super early on Saturday and started the day with a bad hot chocolate and a yummy apple turnover. Nothing was open, so I wandered around taking photos and sitting in the warm sun admiring flowers. I even wandered up to look at the first church in Dunedin. At 9am I went on a Cadbury factory tour... chocolatey! It almost put me off chocolate! Quote of the week went to the guide who, when someone commented about chocolate making you fat, said "chocolate has nothing to do with obesity". I suppose it's our own choice to eat it... We got loads of free chocolate... so I gave mine to Boz and my housemate.. and kept a few myself! I also bought myself a chocolate smelling teddy bear... YUMMO! I just want to eat him all up! Then I wandered some more... lots of wandering... grabbed a quick bite to eat and went on the Taieri Gorge Railway. It was pretty cool and I was sitting across from some nice Brits who were chatty and quite funny. I also had a scone with jam and cream. Yum! The trip was really beautiful. It is a retrun trip to Pukerangi (which seems to be a sign and a little shed and that's about it). Afterwards I went back to my hostel and then back out to the movies. I saw "Water" which was really very good. I really recommend to everyone... unless you don't like reading subtitles. Then don't. But it was great! 😊 I went back to the Japanese restaurant... and ordered the same thing... but I liked it so much! I know, I know... so boring! But deliciously so! Back to my hostel and my book...
Sunday, again, I was up early, and I had to wait for cafes to open so I could get breakfast. It wasn't a very good breakfast either. You win some, you lose some I guess. Then I wrote postcards to my family on the steps outside the Town Hall sitting amongst the very pretty tulips. I really do like tulips. I entered the Art Gallery almost as it opened. On the top level there was a Buddhist monk making a sand mandala. I'm not exactly sure what it was and why he was doing it, but it looked cool. There was some modern art stuff which I don't really get - each to their own I guess. My favourite exhibition was of all different kinds of artwork centred around war and peace. Very cool. I really liked some painting by one NZ artist whose name I have forgotten, but they were cool nonetheless. I made my way back to the museum and went to "Discovery World". So many cool things.. like air hockey... but I was alone. I did get to see a ferrari though. I thought that was cool. Again, I sat outside and read and waited for my airport shuttle...and waited... and waited... it didn't come so I rang the place I thought I'd booked and they said they didn't have my name down but they would pick me up anyway. When I got home I checked and it was them. That made me mad. But I got over it. Came home and that was it. My big weekend in Dunedin.
Too much information? I know. But it's a Friday afternoon and I'm killing time before my bus comes. 😊 I could write more, but I won't! Not till next week! 😊

Wellington weather is currently bad,

Sarah

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Photos

Dunedin
This is the view we had during our lunch on Friday

Cinema
Funky?

Dunedin railway station
Part of it anyway

First church in Dunedin
More tulips off to the left too!

Cadbury factory
Yummy.. purple makes me want chocolate...

Arthur's Knob
This is me at Arthur's knob...

Train
I was on that train...

Mandala
in progress apparently

Comments

[mum]

too cool
Was saying something is cool a 50's or 60's thing. hope the weather wasn't too cool

[Erin]

Whatever
I don't care what you say! If it's free or on a toothpick it doesn't count! And make sure you leave some stuff to do for when I come over. :)