Two Men headed south for the start of a Vantastic Adventure

Since we last reported in, we have had many adventures and misadventures. Things are progressing well and I'll be back with more from the South Ilsand after I sort through some pictures, all I'll say for now is that I wish it stayed lighter a little earlier than 5:30, but who can complain when were in such a gorgeous place. So without to much of a sneak peak of what's ahead in our VANtastic lives, here is the latest (that I have ready) on us (in slide show form, beacuse that is just more fun)

Slide 1: Our advisor Christine, CC Geology Department Chair, and master of the “Flying Fox” (one of the best playground toys in the world, who doesn’t love a 40 meter zip line)

Slide 2: Rob “The Man” - My (me being Zion, Z, or Zed) main advisor for this project, a seismic hazard/neotectonic researcher for GNS Science (the New Zealand geologic survey), and also a master of the Flying Fox (and apparently a serious man on the dance floor too, or at least we hear)

These two serious PhD folks, Christine and Rob, showed us two geologically immature boys around the active tectonic system in the southeastern part of the North Island. I was able to get a good handle on where my research project is going from Rob, and Christine was able to give me additional help in formulating the objectives of my thesis on mapping the trace of, and determining offset and earthquake periodicity along, the Ruitanawha Fault

Slide 3: While we contemplated paleoseismicity along outcrops of the fault Eric practiced his ever increasing musical skills, shovel air guitar, rocking out with some seriously offset terraces -
….oh and did I mention that we bought matching neon orange waterproof overalls with reflective tape included, we were a laugh for all the farmers we had to talk to get access to there land. They would look at Rob and Christine first, and then turn to look at me and Eric and laugh, it was a good ice breaker….too bad all of us except Rob (the Native Kiwi) couldn’t understand anyone said…I had to asked a farmer his name to write down, after three time of him telling me, then him spelling it, I finally realized his name was Tim Hope...tough one

Slide 4: The Pacific Ocean off of Napier, it’s a little weird to think about going one week and looking east out across the Atlantic Ocean, than a week later going and looking east across the Pacific Ocean. Makes you appreciate how big, or small, or world really is…

Slide 5: Eric looking very good with the sexy face in front of the Tasman Sea (the west side of the North Island) during a nice storm, there seam to be a lot of those here this tiem of year…

Slide 6: a pretty picture I want to through in there, a waterfall downstream of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, it was a nice night going to hot springs and sleeping nearby an active volcanic field, sadly we didn’t see any lava, only a waterfall, rain, and Christine as she caught up to me in the slide at the hot springs resort and took me out

Slide 7: On our way, Eric and I round the corner out of Wellington Bay and head across the Cook Straight under the view of the Southern Alps

Slide 8: Eric and his “camel tail” on the bow of the budget ferry (notice the large ding in the starboard bow) as we enter into the protected harbors of the South Island…later in the day we took the budget “bus” down to Christchurch…I don’t have a picture, but imagine a largish van, with a little trailer behind it, filled with Germans.

Slide 9: a final picture, the view from Picton Harbor as we step ashore onto the South Island and start another leg of our adventure, we picked up the camper van, and I am sure we will have some vantastic good times ahead as we find ourselves sharing a bed in our honetmoon van of “marrital bliss”...more to coem shortly once I get the pictures downloaded...thanks for reading