A trip to Mordor

Last weekend we went down to Taupo. We had beautiful weather there - it had that autumn crispness in the air that just makes you want to drink apple cider and eat halloween candy.

While there we visited with one of Noah's collaborators (Matt) - a microbial ecologist who studies hotsprings. So, of course we got the deluxe tour of a hotspring complex near Taupo with his family and members of his lab group.

We crossed the river and took a hike around the geothermal area.

Of course - we had a temperature probe along with us to get some readings (microbial ecologists are embarrassing like that). That is not a fogged lens - there was a lot of steam in the air - life a sulfurous sauna covered in awesome microbes.

Boiling mud pits! A perfect place for a 4-year old.

Alas - we made it out alive without boiling the children.

Matt has 2 kids - and the 3 L's (Luna, Luca, and Lily) got along very well. The highlight of Luna's trip to Taupo was playing with the kids and going to the 4-acre kiddie pool in town that was heated to bath temperature (the advantage of abundant geothermal energy).

The Taupo area is incredibly beautiful - lots of stunning mountains and rivers. The color of NZ waters never ceases to amaze.

We can't believe we only have one month left here. 

Chumming the waters

Yesterday, the owner of the house we are renting took me (Noah) out fishing. It was nice to get out in the Tasman Sea and see the coastline from another angle.

Unfortunately the photos from the fishing expedition are not too impressive given that I spent a good chunk of time hanging over the side of the boat barfing my guts out. Evidently old salty Kiwis find it hilarious to see the guy from Colorado holding back the dry heaves while cutting bait fish in a 5 foot swell.

Fortunately we caught some red snapper and lemon sharks (which we did not keep). Here is Luna enjoying the snapper - it was tasty - almost worth the hours of nausea required to catch it.

Birthday!

Luna is now 4 years old! She had an awesome birthday, made even more awesome because Grandma and Grandpa McKenzie traveled all the way from Ohio to see us here in the middle of the South Pacific.

The weather wasn't the best while they were here, but we still managed to get around to visit the local beaches. When in Rome....

Luna loved having her grandparents here - she played the tour guide and introduced grandma and grandpa to all the local flora, fauna, and geologic wonders. She has already learned the first lesson of academia (when you don't know what you are talking about, just say it loudly and with confidence).

Of course, she also had to show off her sand dune surfing skillz.

Birthday morning!

Gifts included all sorts of magical unicorns and a special greenstone necklace from Grandpa.

Luna has already informed us that she is now a 'big girl' and will 'soon be a teenager because 4 is almost 14'. Dear God.

Luna shared her birthday party at the beach with Maia, her best friend here in NZ (in the red sweater). Maia and Luna have the same birthday and they share the same friends, so it worked out perfectly. The party was interrupted by a brief rainstorm, but that didn't stop the cake-fueled festivities.

Here are Maia and Luna dancing to "Love is in the Air" at school.