Finale

I have returned to the Tejas. It's really friggin' hot and all anyone can talk about is how much we need rain. Ah, home...

As promised, a few final pictures of New Zealand.


So Oamaru actually did have some things to take pictures of apart from trying to covertly photograph penguins at night, which I was unsuccessful at. This is the strange little Victorian market that is quasi-restored and full of oddities.


If only I'd brought a couple of friends with me...


What market is complete without really old bicycles and a scary army poster?


See the little black and white blobs? Those are penguins! Rare yellow-eyed penguins that only live in New Zealand. I saw three of them. They were very loud even down on their secluded beach. There were also fur seals getting in a fight. And THEN we went to see the blue penguins that are only a foot tall and cross the road from the beach in little herds called rafts. They were super-cute! I love penguins!


Then it was time for the Red Carpet party. We stoked the fire, as Fall had made a sudden and unexpected entrance on the scene--


--hung a rimaculous number of balloons--


--we even put up a wall of fame!--


--and everyone dressed to the nines. Paul, Dan, Nic, and Nicky. My flatmates. T'was an excellent do, with most everyone putting in a costume effort. Kevin gets props for wearing lycra-spandex all night. And you can all thank me later for not posting that picture.


Spent the next few days picking up my odds and ends. Went for a bit of a shop downtown with Dan and he randomly ran into someone he knew. I just had to take a picture, as this is what invariably happens when you go to the city center with Daniel. Why does he know everyone?


My last night a few people came out for drinks at the Twisted Hop, appropriately the place where most of us had met. Steve and Leela on either side of me.


And there was Pork Pie, and more importantly gluten-free beer. And it was good.


So I say farewell New Zealand. I'll miss you and your pretty money and funny accents. But mostly I'll miss the gluten-free beer.