Well well well.....Wellington!

hey.

Finished final exams and decided to go on a two day adventure down in Wellington, which has been described as a cross between San Francisco and Europe. Hearing all of these stories about how windy and cold it is, I brought lots of layers. A friend and I flew in during the evening, after our flight was delayed. Booked a hostel, got some food, and went exploring around the harbor area.

The next day we journied to the Wellington Zoo. I got to stand way too close to a giraffe's gaping jaws, see some baboons run around, feed a chimp an apple (from a safe distance of course, because I enjoy having fingers), and watch Tahi, the famous one legged Kiwi bird eat ox heart. All of the animals were very cool, and also looked very cold.

After the zoo, we went to the museum. It was very large, but had most of the stuff spread out. While I am a fan of culture and history and blah blah blah....I really wanted to go to the museum to gaze upon the COLOSSAL SQUID! It was down right huge. Other great exhibits included a giant Moa getting attacked by a Haast eagle (YES!), a replica of a blue whale's heart that children could climb in, a bright green glowing human skeleton, and a giant light up map of New Zealand that you could walk on.

Walking and standing all day made me hungery for dinner. Ended up going to an Indian food place on the famed Cuba street and then to an Italian eatery that claimed to have the best hot chocolate (pretty much). Went back to the hostel and walked in on a movie playing in the TV lounge, so I have now seen half of "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." I am content with just seeing half.

The next day started with an early morning "fire alarm goes off, grab your shoes, coat, and wallet and abandon the building with 300 other people" bang at 6:15. Rode the cable car in central Wellington. Then headed to Miramar to see WETA Cave, a "mini-museum" (which lived up to it's discription) and gift shop connected to WETA workshop, the effects studio that Peter Jackson cofounded. I can't say that I'm particularly into statues of elven figures or Dr. Who, but this was something my friend wanted to see, and I had already gotten my choice with the zoo.

The flight back to Auckland was delayed, but we managed to fight our way back through rush hour traffic to arrive back at the International House in time for dinner. It was a good mini trip, and I would like to go back to Wellington again to explore more.

And so begins the study break...

It has some how reached that time of the school term when classes cease to allow students to cram as much stuff into our little noggins a possible before we have to spew our knowledge forth onto sheets of blank paper in a two hour time limit. Being on the semester system for the first time in my collegiate career has lessened the intensity of academics compared to the constant onslaught on the quarter system. There is a month long examination period here in NZ, and it just so happens that my exams have all fallen in the last possible week. So, what does that mean? It means that I have been enjoying the "break" part of my "study break."

Obviously one does not study abroad to sit in a lecture theater watching power point slides all day. So, I have been actively supplementing my university education with some "cultural immersion" within NZ with some of my extra time.

I took in another (colder!) rugby game.

I participated in my dorm's game of assasin and had to wear my clothes inside out and paint my face like a clown for some of the daily immunities.

I decided that I could definately not just spend my time studying and have been making a very low (and I mean like $10) budget New Zealand zombie movie with some of my kiwi friends (and that is a picture of my first attempt at a fake zombie bite wound).

A couple of friends and I even decided to embark on a random road trip--heading South to the Coromandel Peninsula for some fun beach exploring and cold and damp camping. I even ventured to a near by town to carve my own necklace out of bone.

And while these events have not directly contributed to my university learning as much as reading about enamel hypoplasia might, they have still taught me important lessons. Waking up with wet feet in a sleeping bag = not fun. Walking to classes, sitting in class, and attending discussions with your TA/ tutors in clown make-up = ample fun. Beaches = fun no matter what the season is. When you get a hotdog in NZ, you will get a corn dog unless you specifically ask for an "American hotdog." Found that out at the rugby match.

Anyway, I guess with the time slowly dwindling away, I best get on the studying bandwagon, with copious amounts of study breaks/ zombie scene filming in between!

Finally---My successful journey to Boogie Wonderland: the light up floor disco.

After having my hopes of dancing to disco tracks on top of a light up disco floor dashed by Boogie Wonderland being closed for a private function,  a second adventure was necessary.  This time, I would go the right way--- I hiked around Auckland and amassed an impressive collection of disco paraphernalia, including  a bright pink afro wig from Russia, a package of mini disco balls, a purple and black checkered tie, pink disco glasses, and glow sticks. It was time to boogie.

I managed to recruit other people to join my disco quest. We all dressed up to fully participate in the 1970's experience. It was a bit ironic when we arrived to the disco club playing the hits of 1985. But, it was a disco club with LIGHT UP FLOORS, ie the best invention ever (yes, I think even better than spaceships and meatballs).

On the way there, we passed the Auckland Town Hall, which had a bunch of different patterns projected onto it as part of some celebration.  We also had to stop at mutliple sites along Queen street to flaunt our disco poses.  Drivers honked at our sexy disconess, and they were probably mad that they were not about to experience  discotastic light up floor dancing.  Along the way, we found a very nice office chair on the side of the road....and struck disco poses.

We entered the club to the sounds of fun, and were immediately treated to EPIC disco balls, blinking lights, and of course, THE LIGHT UP DISCO FLOOR! YES!

While we happened to be the youngest ones there, we also happened to be the best dressed. In fact, I think we were the only group of people to fully dress up in disco garb---although there was this one older guy who made an honest attempt with a scarf tied around his head.

We danced and danced, and then danced some more. There was a cool mini light up stage that we took turns on too.

I think I'll let the photos do the rest of the story telling. DISCOTASTIC EPIC FUN.