first weeks in new zealand

i don't have my old passport with me so i cannot be sure, but judging from photos i think this is my fifteenth trip to new zealand. at this point i get off the plane and switch to nz mode...looking the correct way when crossing the street, walking on the left side of the sidewalk, using kiwi speak, etc. 
my first couple of weeks have been consumed by work. alas, i guess that is why i am here. but through travels for work, i've managed to see some friends and some sites, new and old. 
i'm living in hamilton in a sweet little house on the edge of town. i bike to and from work every day and am loving the long, warm days of the southern hemisphere summer.

 my house for the next month

last week i traveled to christchurch to give a talk at the university. while there i got to catch up with good friends and watch some acts at the international buskers festival. i extended the tour and flew to dunedin to give a talk at the university of otago, catch up with a friend, and meet new people. 

 one of the high-flying acts at the international buskers festival in christchurch

i've also been able to spend time with my good friends jen and grant in auckland and my favorite kiwi babe, sofia.

 a lovely day at a local winery

miss sofia

more adventures to come...

ringing in the new year in baja sur, mexico

since we had already obliterated our carbon footprints for the year (and for our lives, most likely), pete and i decided to finish the year off with a trip to baja sur, mexico, with friends from our marine lab days in santa cruz. we were greeted at the cabo airport by christian and lindsay who took us to the beautiful family property where we would spend most of our time. the days were arduous - playing games, reading, swimming, whale watching, snorkeling, walking on the beach... :) the beach was our front yard and the desert was our backyard - what a way to spend a week! here are a few photos from our adventure. 

 our "neighborhood"

 nate and pete ensconced in a game of backgammon

 a lovely woodpecker popping out to say hello!

 our backyard...

 beach crab art

 our best sunset

interesting geology 

 a chilly sunset - pete, melissa, nate, jess,
hilary, elika, christian, and lindsay

thirty six hours after we returned from paradise, i got in a car bound for santa barbara for a four day workshop. i returned late thursday and am getting on a plane tomorrow bound for new zealand for six weeks. i'm happy pete and i had seven days of quality time in mexico...