Traveling for work can be tough on one’s workout routine, especially if that routine requires a lot of gear. This has meant that my frequent Wellington trips have kept me in the pool, because cold and/or stormy water make me want a wetsuit and a group of swimmers I know and trust. And traveling with a wet wetsuit in your carry-on bag is tricky.

But now that the weather is warming up I’ve been able to take a few open water swims at Wellington’s Oriental Bay. By 7 AM there are a couple dozen ‘serious’ swimmers in the water, and a surprisingly large number of people who just go in and splash around for a few minutes. I’ve been able to buddy up with other swimmers and —apart from one day where I turned back early after coming onto a veritable cloud of jellyfish creatures that might or might not have been the stinging kind— had some lovely morning moments.

I’m always a sucker for an op shop (aka thrift store). In Tirau, which proudly calls itself the Corrugated Capital of the World, the SPCA op shop lives inside this giant ram. Couldn’t resist. Bought a nice yellow long-sleeve t-shirt.

Alternate title: Conventioneer mugs for camera.

That’s me at the Te Puia geyser, which was part of the big social evening at last week’s Digital Health Week celebration in Rotorua.

The geyser is probably more interesting than we learned from 10 minutes of staring at it before being herded back onto the little golf cart train.

On the way back from hot water beach, we stopped off for lunch at the pub in Maramarua, which is really just a wide spot in the road.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen one of these men’s room vending machines, but I thought this one seemed particularly thoughtful… cologne, a toothpaste and toothbrush combo, and of course a condom. Six bucks invested and you’re ready to make an impressive entrance at the Met Gala or wherever life takes you… hello ladies!

Yesterday we took a bus trip to Arrowtown, which was a gold rush town in the 1860s and still has most of its original buildings. Super cute…

There’s a little museum, which we didn’t go in, and as many cafes and shops as can be crammed into the available space. Whilst we were sipping a beer we got to watch a good juggler practice in the park… nice.

It led me to think about hobbies and passions… I’m very susceptible to their siren song. But only up to a point. I can juggle, for example, but I’ve never had the focus to truly be “a juggler”.

This guy above, who was on the return bus with us, seemed to have gone all in on photography, although when I took this picture it looked like he was trying to find a YouTube video to help him use his camera.

But this guy below, taking a break from his construction job, maybe hasn’t found his passion yet… he needs a gold rush to come along!

Some pretty 19th century gravestones, mixed in with more current ones.

Lee didn’t know she was posing…

The verse on this next one reads a lot like a Burma-Shave ad…

Milford Sound, where you can take a 2-hr boat trip out to see the rocks and waterfalls, is (choose all that apply)

• A 6-hour drive from Queenstown across countryside where not a lot has happened, ever, despite the driver’s heroic attempts at commentary
• One of the wettest places in NZ with up to 30 feet of rain per year (Well, the driver said, you got to experience it the way it really is)
• Breathtakingly beautiful, what with the steep mountains, glacial cataracts, etc, and probably even more so when not obscured by clouds
• The most visited attraction in the country
• Officially checked off our to-see list

We flew into Queenstown yesterday afternoon for some sightseeing and to spend a little more time with Mitchel and Caroline. It’s a short 2 hour flight from Auckland, which ended with some turbulence and a spectacular approach along the valley.

A ski town in winter, Queenstown makes its summer tourist reputation on adrenaline sports… which we won’t be participating in. But for our first evening we got beautiful weather to stroll around town: Key West meets Park City meets Montreux.

The buskers were out in force. First we saw the mesmerizing but unphotogenic Kosmic Zone, with a beat-boxer, a synthesizer-er, and a didgeridoo-er. They had a good audience but the trancelike music might or might not have opened people’s wallets.

Then Sven From Sweden, whose patter and crowd skills were super funny, even if his tricks were probably more showy than difficult. He also had a big audience and really seemed to rake it in at the end.

And then there was jazz guy seated by himself next to the toilets. Maybe he just enjoys playing outside… he certainly wasn’t making a living.

Fergburger has been recommended over and over, but the 100+ people outside queuing up made us even happier that we’d run into Taco Medic first.

That is a kereru or wood pigeon enjoying a snack of puriri berries. The kereru looks like a regular city pigeon more or less, but is about three times the size. They’re somewhat endangered because they make a nice meal…

I spent much of last week at a conference in Hamilton, about 2hrs southeast of Auckland. I gave my talk on the first day, and other people were responsible for the exhibit booth, both of which lowered my stress level for the rest of the trip.

Hamilton is the capital of the Waikato region, and has a pretty poor reputation… agriculture, rednecks (called “bogans” here), etc. If NZ were big enough to have flyover states, Hamilton would be a place you scoff at from your business class seat.

But like many such places, there are plenty of good parts. The Waikato River is nice, well-stocked with rowers and paddlers, and bordered by a miles-long bike trail.

The downtown strip is mostly unattractive but they do love them some Christmas, so that’s all right.

And…and… and… it turns out Richard O’Brien thought up the Rocky Horror Picture Show while working as a barber here. Any town with a life size Riff-Raff statue cannot be all bad. And a Riff-Raff webcam.

I took a lovely little jog around Lake Rotoroa, and my knees didn’t hurt any more at the end than at the beginning, which is an improvement over the last few weeks.

We got a nice welcoming song and dance routine from the local Iwi. I blow hot and cold about the hat-tip to Māori culture that is sort of obligatory here, no matter how white the assembled audience. This time, I found it moving and inspiring. And on the subject of inspiring, if you ever want to be reminded why healthcare technology might be a career worth pursuing, check out Terry Lee, whose life is made more bearable by all the gadgets and gizmos and high-tech stuff.

The big conference social event was at Hobbiton. I initially had mixed feelings: my third visit in under three years. But this was the first time I’d been there without rain, and we had the whole place to ourselves, an amazing buffet dinner, and so on. As we stood around the fire pit watching the jugglers and listening to the band, all doubts were erased.

It was my third time at this conference, and a pleasure to catch up with some old friends (and tell stories about others not in attendance) and some New Zealand friends who are starting to feel like old friends. I can’t say I miss the level of travel I used to do, but it was fun to be back in conference mode for a few days.