Monday, September 29, 2014

Sheep












It's spring time here in New Zealand, which means the sheep are giving birth to lambs!
I feel as if the lambs are now outnumbering the sheep! 

Taieri Gorge




Today I took a train ride through the Taieri Gorge. This railway line took a long time to build because it was tough to finish during the depression in the 1880s. I saw scenery that would otherwise be inaccessible. This railway helped trade in Otago become much easier when construction was finally complete. The dog statue is named Susan and is dedicated to the Collie Sheep Dogs that have worked on this land for the last 150 years. 




Dunedin Railway Station






This magnificent train station is constructed from Otago Stone (a dark, volcanic stone from Kokonga) and a lime stone from the Oamaru district. The area in front of the station is called the Anzac Square after the Australian and New Zealand troops who served in WWI. Built from 1903-1906, this station was the busiest railway station in NZ. Designed by architect George Troup, the building earned him the nickname "Gingerbread George." It is the most celebrated building in Dunedin and the most photographed in all of New Zealand.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Fish n' chips


According to my Kiwi host Betty, the most Kiwi thing you can do is eat fish and chips from newspapers on the beach so she took us to do that this weekend. We ate on the boardwalk and watched the waves.

Katiki Point










Katiki Point has many lovely views and seals. And llamas!

Moeraki Boulders








We had a lovely time at the beach this weekend playing with the Moeraki Boulders. These boulders form the same way pearls do when they form around a particle in an oyster. Fossil shells, bone fragments and scrap pieces of wood are the particles in which these boulders formed. They are made out of calcite. The boulders lose their shells when they experience the weathering effect of the ocean. The larger boulders took around four million years to form. 

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Glowworms




Last night, a few friends and I ventured around some caves in Dunedin in search of glowworms. We were very successful and were rewarded by getting to see these tiny creatures radiate their luminescent light. Obviously, my pictures of the glowworms didn't turn out, but I captured a couple of the fun evening. After we saw hundreds of glowworms, we ate some delicious hot chips with chicken salt. Surprisingly very tasty. The glowworm, aka the Arachnocampa luminosa, is unique to New Zealand and the caves, which have historical and geological significance, attract visitors from all over the world.

Friday, September 19, 2014

Omar Cooked Dinner!




Omar has many fine qualities, but cooking is not one of them. However, he proved our flat wrong when he made some delicious nachos! Flat 2/669 has never been so proud. Shout-out to you, Omar. 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Study time



The blog has been quiet lately because it's nearing the end of the semester with finals quickly approaching.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

My 21st!








My flatties surprised me with an amazing 21st birthday, including lots of balloons, a lovely gift, dancing and a visit to Velvet Burger!