The-Fields
Tirau, Te Waihou, and Huka Falls
Drove south for the day with no real plan, just a few stops we had been meaning to get to for ages. The kind of day where you actually follow through and it turns out to be worth the early start.
Tirau
Tirau is a small town on State Highway 1 that you would drive straight through without registering, except someone has put giant corrugated iron animals on the main road. There is a ram with enormous curved horns staring at you from the footpath and a sheep next to it, both made of corrugated iron and much larger than any photo suggests.
Viaduct Harbour and Making Ramen Together
Took the afternoon off from the lab and went for a walk around Viaduct Harbour with my girlfriend. We have been talking about doing this for a while and it was one of those days where the weather was too good to stay inside.
The walk
Viaduct is one of those spots that feels different depending on the time of day. In the afternoon with the sun on the water it is genuinely beautiful. We walked along the harbour edge, past the superyachts that always seem to be there, and down towards the waterfront. It is not a long walk by any stretch but it was nice to just slow down and not be staring at a screen for a bit.
Wellington for Work
Got sent to Wellington for work. One hour on a Jetstar flight, two days, back home by the second evening. Short enough that you pack light but long enough to actually get a feel for the place.
The flight down was straightforward. Window seat, clear skies, and that view just before landing where you can see the whole city laid out below you with the harbour cutting through it. Wellington from the air looks compact. That turns out to be accurate.