As usual, Uni stress kicks in for everybody even during the Easter break. I haven't been updating my blog not just because I am dreadfully busy but .. am lazy. Things in NZ are so far so good. I have got a good accommodation, got my broadband only recently and I cook most of the time now cause I finally got my own kitchen. It is sometimes TOO comfortable at my place so much so that you don't feel like doing anything else but stay in deep slumber. That's bad for studies, I know. And Goddammit myself for blogging when I have got an assignment due tomorrow and am only half way through. I figured the mind would automatically switch to an alternative thing after a fair amount of stress is applied to it. Take an example of a study table which on it, a laptop and a pile of undone assignment. After looking at the pile, you would think "Come on lets go on Facebook, only 5 minutes". And then there goes the mouse movement to the url column and www.facebook.com. (Hey what the .. ? Why is the web page on Facebook? Well, the mind has been TOO accustomed to technology. The heartbeat, our breathings, counter reaction, all of this are being controlled by the Medula Oblongata, so it may happen! Auto facebooking?) In a minute, you'll be on that page but you won't just be there for 5 minutes; it will drag on and on to say, 10 minutes? That is a wasted 5 minutes. When your mind gets TOO comfortable, before any stress can be applied, ONLY the thought of stress could already work your mind through hell. Sigh* No matter.
Since I got back here, I haven't really had a free weekend. I have field work to do for my courses. When there's none, so far only two (free weekends) of them, I did charity and went on a retreat to a monastery to learn the "art of meditation". Meditation is NOT an easy skill.
And then come Easter break, two weeks holidays for mostly everyone but not me because I had my longest field work so far. Seven days to Port Waikato to do some geology, observed the landscape there, hacked some rocks, collected some fossils, did some large scale mapping. Did all that while carrying a backpack equipped with lunchbox, water bottle, a geology hammer, field books everyday for seven days. By the end of each day, the bag would be so much heavier piled with rock samples despite all the food been eaten and water being gulped down. It was like a military camp. We had to hike up hills up and down steep valleys without a proper pathway, we walked for many miles, certain times across electric fences. A few of them got shocked. Failure to maneuver MAY cost your live. The experience attained from this journey was one to be remembered of. OK today is the end of my Easter break and the start of semester 1 Part 2. Happy Easter everyone. Here are some pictures of Port Waikato region.

(My boots in black sand aka magnetites)



(Waterfall lake)


(All muddy)


(Stream crossing, was lucky my boots were waterproof)


(Watch your footing!)


(Jurassic bedding)


(As we move on)

(Lunch break)


(A fault across)


(The fault earlier, runs right through the hills)


(Eroded beds due to wave actions)


(Harmony of Geology .. of Earth, Sea and Sky)


(Careful walk)


(Vertical beauty)


(My seniors, only people who are free on that day)


(And when we think that we have come to the end of the path .. the jouney goes on further)


(Bunk beds we stayed in)

Some of the settings look a fair bit like that from the movie Jurassic Park don't they.