The field!

First field visit this week. I'm freshly back with a load of sandfly bites and heaps of enthusiasm. There is nothing quite like being out wading around streams, sussing out project ideas.

We drove up north from Wellington on hwy 1, the main highway on the north island, which becomes the Desert Road. The mountains in the photo are Ruapehu and Ngauruhoe (left to right). If the latter looks familiar, it's because it was Mt. Doom in Lord of the Rings. Both are active volcanoes.

After being in the country for a couple days Wellington seems really busy! It's alright, though - I've got plenty of work to do now so I can go hide out in the lab...