Monday, August 21, 2006

Kai = food. Koura = crayfish.


After battling for hours at the depths of the ocean, a crayfish of excellent proportions and quality was wrestled from the, Kaikoura chasm. In other words the water was too cold and this chap was purchased at a local fish and chip shop.

Why Kaikoura? Good question. Lucky co-incidence saw that I along with quiz team stalwarts; Zannah, Sara and Josh, hosting the friendly all round good guy Clemens the German intern, (who will be futher refered to as Euroman he who makes our puny currency wimper and cry). Clemens works at Zannahs firm, someone at Zannahs firm likes both Zannah and Clemens, that person has a bach in South Bay Kaikoura, we stayed there on Saturday for free (almost like a free lunch) and had an all round good time.

Whales were watched, sights were seen, kayaks were kayaked and much gin was consumed (gin really is good for you, or is it the tonic, I feel a nature paper coming on).

A big thankyou to the six-day-weekend team, it was a great no hassels weekend away. Just amazing. (Left-Right, Sara, Zannah, Josh and Clemmens).

Is that enough scenery Ben? Next scenic New Zealand Destination is Queenstown. No free lunches there.

Friday, August 11, 2006

A dynamite lunch

Another Friday, another free lunch. Another free lunch with a twist. Today I had the pleasure of free lunch (club sandwitches in triangles and berry muffins) with a Nobel prize laureate. Sir Paul Nurse (Nobel prize in physiology and medicine 2001 with an uncanny likeness to Robin Williams) is touring New Zealand as the Rutherford lecturer and spent a couple of hours with about 20 students before he giving a lecture on the control of the cell cycle. It was great to see, clearly demonstrated how the concept developed and how, with passion, the pursuit for truth through experimentation is possible and worthwhile.