Life of a systematist, nomad, and double Ph.D (or a look into the mind of someone who is questionably sane).

05 December 2011

Boats, up close and personal

3:57- We were just about to land in Auckland
7:15-  We were settled into the hotel and trying to watch cricket, quite possibly the worlds strangest sport.
16:13-  After a chocolate croissant, we walked down the harbor, had some gillato, and headed to the maritime museum
20:28- Working our way through the maritime museum.  The museum was pretty amazing, lots of cool boat stuff, a section on boat racing, and we got to explore a steam operated floating crane.  I even got to start the engine, which was super quiet.  The engine room on the boat was much larger than I'm use to, guess that's expected on a 160ft boat.  I also got to design a racing sail boat, 2 of which sank and the other 2 had a chance at winning.  They also had a boat simulator, but the boat responded much faster than I was use to, so steering was a bit of an adventure...

Lunch- What's that?
Dinner- I had a lamb rice plate.  I was going to have a burger, but a group had apparently come through and bought all the beef.  The lamb was amazing so I'm glad that I couldn't have a burger.  We got our food to go from a place called burger kebabs, and ate down on the harbor.

Random Fact-None of the sailors on Captain Cook's ships died of scurvy because he made them eat sauerkraut and lime juice along with regular exercise above deck. 

I woke up a few minutes before 9, then we met up with Is, Andy, and the parents shortly after 9.  We went to a pastry shop and I got a chocolate croissant.  Then we went back to the hotel to figure out where the conference center was.  In the process the 3 of us decided to make the executive decision to go to the harbor, check out the ferry, and visit the maritime museum.  There was a cruise ship in port, and a few barges being unloaded in the harbor.  While the parents were figuring out the ferry Is and I decided we needed gillato, a decision shared by some of the others.  Then it was to the maritime museum.  Just my parents and I actually went to the museum.  It was really well done.  It started with the early Polynesian settlers, and highlighted various important boats and types of boats in New Zealand, including many examples of sail boats and canoes.  Many of the pre European boats were so narrow it's amazing anyone could sit in them.  I think my favorite part was exploring the steam driven floating crane.  The ship was in good shape, and I got to climb all over it.  There was also a cargo sailboat (used to haul produce than explosives) that was inside the museum I got to play inside too.  They also had some really nice nautical themed paintings, and carved figureheads.  We left there shortly before 1700 local and I picked up my registration packet.  We went back to the hotel, got some beer, then met up with the rest of the armada. Andy's parents decided to stay behind, and the rest of us went on a foraging expedition.  Everything was super expensive, so we got some meat and rice to go and ate at the harbor.  Then we headed back to the hotel, stopping at the grocery store.  Is wrote his final, then Andy went to bed, and Is, his mom, and I stayed up talking until about midnight.  Then I went back to my room and watched some basketball (New Zealand Breakers vs. Melbourne).  Game is still ongoing, in double overtime.

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