Blogs from Oceania - page 7776

We arrived at about 5:30am after a long flight from LA with a stop for 1.5 hours in Tahiti which we didn't know about until we got on the flight. After a very short wait for our bags (it helps when only one flight comes in at a time!), our chariot awaited and took us directly to the Aroko Bungalows. It was pretty basic but just what we needed - afterall it had a big bed, a shower, a fridge for the beers and a deck to sit out on with views over the lagoon. What more could you ask for? Well, some air conditioning perhaps but actually our ceiling fan did a pretty good job considering it stayed around 28 degrees even at night. We did very little to be honest despite all the things ... read more

Dearest woo-foos! Back to Queenstown, though my body has left the seductive deathwish capital where I lept to my demise via Canyon Swing, my heart still beats with its life force. Thus, I'll write in the present tense: This town crackles with energy. It's the 7th most popular vacation destination in the WORLD and it's not hard to see why. It's nestled at the base of the Remarkables mountains, home of Mordor for you Lord of the Rings freakies, and one of the only two mountain chains in the world that run true north and south.(The Andes sharing the honor). They look quite sinister with their jagged peaks looking like giant gray teeth chewing the sky to bits. Lake Wakatipu serves as the waterway that the town wraps itself around. Come nightful, everyone here is ... read more

This week we had to take the bus to Flinders Uni on two separate occasions: once for a Mandatory Reporting Meeting (a requirement for child welfare in the state of SA) and again for a field seminar with students from Norway. Both of these visits to Flinders were very exhausting since our cohort has had ongoing difficulties with the faculty and procedures of the Uni. Amber, Doran and I headed off to Montefiore Hill for some “ice blocking” Saturday. Yes, that’s right-ice blocking. I was introduced to the summer activity in Colorado a couple years ago. A church in the city transported us to the Montefiore Hill so we could give it a go. It was pretty fun except for the part where I almost hit a tree. Fortunately, I was able to maneuver my way ... read more

Yesterday was Shiri's last day here. Unfortunately it was also the most uneventful... Dunedin is not very interesting. We strolled in the town, saw another botanic garden with an aviary (birds zoo), we had some music in the park, nice lunch (in a restaurant for a change). This morning we kissed goodbye and she started the long journey home. Then I started the short journey to Otago Peninsula. It's a peninsula close to Dunedin with some nice things: first, the only "chateau" in NZ. Real lovely one, build about 130 years ago by a show off reach banker (financed by his wife's money aparently...) Then there are the wonderful views on the narrow piece of sea between the shore and the peninsula (what's the word for that in english?). And of course, the animals. I went ... read more

We haven’t been up to anything exciting (for ‘exciting’ read ‘out of Auckland’) recently, but we have some stories to share with you. The great rugby boot hunt New Zealand is a funny place. Rugby is the national game here. Boys, girls, men and women play it, families go and watch it, everyone is intensely proud of the All Blacks. It’s the start of the rugby season here. So when Graeme decided that he needed a new pair of rugby boots to play said game, we assumed that this would be accomplished in the space of a lunchtime. WRONG!! He came home dejected, having visited the three fine sports shops that Henderson shopping centre has to offer, and reported that not one of them had a pair of rugby boots. Football (soccer) boots galore, but none ... read more