Back from the wild

We're back from the wilds of the Routeburn track, freshly showered and all stinky clothes washed! The Routeburn track is a three-day hike in fiordland. We had pouring rain for the first day and showers all the second day, so our packs (as well as ourselves!) were completely sodden. It was a beautiful walk, even in the rain, because when it rains on the west coast, BOY does it rain, and thousands of waterfalls, creeks and raging rivers come down the mountains. Makes it very pretty, even if you do get wet feet! The third day was sunny though, and we had some great views. Here's a few photos.

For perspective, that speck on the edge of the next ridge was another tramper

Lake MacKenzie

Hollyford valley

To celebrate nearly being off on some holidays (finally!) I thought I'd spring clean the site and put a new title photo on. It was taken on the Hump Ridge track a few years back and seemed appropriate since I'll be off doing some more tramping for the first week of our trip. We're doing the Routeburn which is a three day tramp down in fiordland, in the south-west corner off the country. Then its off on a road-trip of the north island. So hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have lots of new photos.

I finished my introduction last Friday (it took just 6 days!) and got a compliment on my writing from my supervisor, so there were cocktails on Friday night! Had a margarita and a very tasty pisco sour. I haven't had a pisco sour since we were in Pisco (Peru), and it was just as nice as I remember it. I'd left two weeks for the introduction, so I now have all this week to tidy the thesis up and get some of the stuff done I didn't think I'd be able to. I love when a plan comes together!

Paradigm free thesis!

That's right, my friends, I've managed to write most of my thesis, and critically, half the introduction and I've managed to avoid the word paradigm completely! It's been touch and go at times, and its still early introduction days, but I'm very proud of myself! I don't know why I find it such an offensive word in the literature (and even more so when used in talks) but I do. I really do. It's an awful word. Should be banned. I have to admit to having to use ridiculously pompous language, but as long as the p word isn't in there, I'm happy.

In other news, my supervisors are now officially scientific rock-stars! They won two research prizes this week, including one very prestigious international one! Most readers will think I'm very sad, but as a chemist I get quite star-struck by top organic chemists (handing a microphone to Amos B Smith the third at a conference this year will count as a highlight in my life!) and I'm increasingly aware of what an honour it is to work with my supervisors, even if I am in a different field to their specialty.

And in related news, I'm still writing, but it's getting there now. Not crazy yet and it's almost looking like I might get away without any serious mental scars. We submitted my first first-author paper to a peer-reviewed journal last week, which is very exciting. Fingers crossed. It takes a while to go through the peer review process, but I'm really hoping it'll be accepted by next January so that I can be gainfully employed on my return to the mothership.

No other news. Hope ya'll are well.