Classes Have Begun

On Sunday before papers (that's what courses are called here) began, I went to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. The museum is situated on the top of the extinct volcano that is Auckland Domain. It had tons of exciting historical relics and artifacts, a natural history museum and the war museum on the top floor. There was also a very cool simulation of what would happen if a volcano erupted in the Auckland Harbor. I'm not a huge history fan but it was cool to see the museum. Here are a few photos from the museum that I thought were kind of cool. They also have a stuffed moa which is an extinct bird that used to live in New Zealand and was the biggest bird in the world.  

A Moa

The photo and the next are from outside the museum

The museum was good fun but I think the domain around it is just as exciting and even more gorgeous. There are all of these spectacular trails throughout the denser wooded parts of the park. I didn't realize that there was so much to be found in this park. Here's a cool photo that I took while exploring one of the trails. http://photosynth.net/view.aspx?cid=dc7adad0-01f8-4df0-920e-0542abe6758c it's a 360 degree photo so can't be embedded.  It also has a green house, a duck pond somewhere, and the usual park elements like playgrounds and ball fields and such. Also the view from the top really isn't something to complain about the hike in order to see. At night the Sky Tower is lit up in blue and is gorgeous so I'll have to make it to the top with my camera at some point soon.

After going to the museum my friend Evan, who is a Kiwi and thus has a car (win!), took us on a brief, impromptu tour on the way to the grocery store. We stopped at the top of Mount Eden, the tallest volcano in Auckland and the view from the top is AMAZING! I will definitely go back with my camera. The top of it also still even has a crater and is very cool.

Monday was the first day of Uni. Before classes, I signed up for to clubs. AURAC or Auckland University Rock and Alpine Club, and AUCC or Auckland University Canoe Club which is now more of a white water kayaking and white water rafting club so I am excited to learn how to white water kayak! AURAC also gives us a membership card that gets us discounts at climbing gyms and outdoor stores. Along with signing up for the club I registered for the orientation trip the third weekend of Uni. After signing up, I started off with my software construction course, followed by a long break and some exploration of Auckland Domain which I have already described. After some exploration and walking back on a new trail I went to my flat and had lunch and enjoyed the afternoon before returning to Uni for my last two classes of the day. The first was Introduction to Music and the second was Microeconomics. It was all easy introductions but the walk to campus may get a bit tiring. It's about 1.7km to campus, a little over a mile each way, and the return walk is through the domain and up the volcano.

Tuesday morning was my last class, Human Computer Interaction, which is basically where we learn how to make good interfaces and everything that goes along and behind the scenes with that. The class is taught around web interfaces and websites so I'm glad to have some experience with it already since it's a senior level course.

The left yellow was is about 30 degrees at the steep part

After class my friend Lucy, from Australia, and I ventured to another suburb, Panmure, to spend the afternoon climbing. The hour long trip, bus ride and walking included, was certainly worth it. The gym seemed to be almost entirely lead climbing focused. So basically, it's tall walls and you clip the rope into carabiners on the wall as you climb. These wall were also at all different angles, from positive to long 15 foot long 30 degree overhanging walls. It was tons of fun and I'm glad to know it's not too difficult to get there. And there's a chance Lucy may be getting a car and we could drive there. Plus the club usually goes and getting a ride with a club member is an option as well. Anyways, point is I am happy I was able to get some solid climbing in and find such a great gym.