Happy 2013 to everyone - I'm going to put all those rumours to rest by announcing that I am in fact still alive! I have just been immensely busy, and have therefore been unable to post on my blog. It is coming to the end of the first year of my PhD (can't believe I've been here almost 12 months already), and I have to persuade certain members of the University to let me stay for a second year. I have to put together a report on what I have been up to over the past 12 months and do a couple of presentations, but nothing too bad. I have also had my mum visiting over Christmas and New Year, so spent all my free time with her. We had lots of fun and travelled to many places though, so there are plenty of tales for the blog. It's quite good actually, because even if I haven't been anywhere or done anything exciting recently, I can post a few pictures about what mum and I got up to. Saves me from looking boring :D
I'll start with our trip to the Auckland Domain Wintergarden and Museum. The Domain is a large park in the centre of Auckland, close to the hospital. It has large grassy areas for sports, lots of trails for walking and a garden and museum. The garden has three main areas, 2 greenhouses (one normal and one tropical), and a fernery. Both of the greenhouses are huge, with a large variety of plants and flowers. The first had many species of plant that can be seen in gardens both in NZ and the UK, and the range of colours and smells was phenomenal.
After spending some time in the first greenhouse we walked across the courtyard to the second greenhouse. The courtyard had a well-kept pond, complete with goldfish. There were even a couple of ducks in there at one point. We spent ages trying to get a photo where there was nobody else on it, but in the end this was the best we could do.
After spending some time in the first greenhouse we moved on to the tropical greenhouse. In addition to the colourful flowers and tropical fruit trees there was also a small pond complete with lily pads. I never knew it, but lilypads have huge thorns on their underside and on their stem to protect them from predators under the water. It was very cool to see.
After the greenhouse experience, we had a brief walk around the fernery. It was very nice, but not quite the same sights and smells as before.
Following the Wintergarden, we took the short walk up to the museum. The museum has three floors, with the first focusing primarily on culture and history, the second on nature and geography, and the third on wars and weapons.
The first floor was brilliant, we entered a traditional Maori meeting house called a Wharenui. The carvings were incredible, and had all been done by hand. We also got some good pictures of some hand carved statues.
On the second floor we spent a while looking at all the creepy crawlies that are in NZ, and took some photographs of the Kiwi. There was also a brilliant simulation of what would happen if the volcano that is Rangitoto Island erupted. You walked into a small room which had been set up like a living room with a couple of sofas, coffee table and TV etc. On TV was the local news which was reporting on the Rangitoto volcanic activity; there were interviews with geologists, seismologists and prominent government officials. They also showed video clips of steam rising from Rangitoto and small eruptions on the island. As the news report continued, the floor of the 'living room' began to gently shake and you could hear a faint rumbling. All of a sudden the news report cut to live images from Rangitoto, and you could see the volcano beginning to erupt. The floor began to shake more violently, the rumbling got much louder, and all of a sudden the news cut out and the power went off. At the very end the noise was deafening and there was no way you could stand up on the floor, and there was a small video clip of the ash coming towards you and engulfing the TV. Scary stuff - as it could actually happen one day!
After the museum, we went and had some ice cream. It was served in what can only be described as a goldfish bowl! It was a great day, and I loved the museum. I'll definitely be going back to have a look around the top floor and to experience the volcano eruption all over again!
More stories of my Christmas 2012 holiday experiences to follow.....
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