Around Pureora

This week in Pureora was so good for me in so many ways. Although amazing, our rapid trek from Auckland to Dunedin (traveling nearly the full length of this long country!) was exhausting. We were constantly just a step ahead, trying to figure out the next night's lodging, the next meal, the route south -- all while trying to find a place to live for the year and balance our various work obligations. When I arrived at Pureora I had over 5000 emails in my inbox - a record for me! By the time I left, I was down to 500. (It helped that we had no internet or cell phone coverage in the field -- all my sent messages piled up in my outbox, and no new messages arrived :)). But more than that, it was amazing just to be in one spot for a while, in such a gorgeous forest, and surrounded by wonderful (and totally self-sufficient) field biologists. I didn't need to read anyone to sleep or make anyone's breakfast, and I had a room (above) TOTALLY to myself - it was blissfully simple. I missed the family tremendously, but it was good to have this time to regroup. And in addition to the (sometimes grueling) fieldwork, we managed to pack in some other fun stuff on the side.

Tui, Kat's field assistant, brought her horse with her to the field station (!). So we got to go riding around Pureora. So fun! The first time for me in years!!

Near Lake Taupo, where we drove for groceries, there were natural hot springs. An hour or so in these and I felt more relaxed than I had in months.

 

We also visited the spectacularly powerful Huka Falls.

And did a little mountain climbing. With sub-alpine vegetation at our feet, and Mt Doom in the distance! (I was later told that there were actually many mountains used as Mt Doom in Lord of the Rings.)

The full group of us - Andy, Tui, me, Anna, Stuart, Kat and Zen!