From Palmy to BoCo

After Margaret deserted me in Wellington I made my way up to Palmerston North to visit Laura who is going to Massey University. She's trying to get into the vet school which I think is the only one in New Zealand. I found this kind of incredible considering the number of animals dwarfs the number of humans by far I think the ratio of sheep to people is something like 35:1?? So anyway I took the bus up to the heart-stoppingly exciting and cosmopolitan Palmerston North. Despite the fast paced life I found there we managed to scrounge up a really good time. The first night I got there I found out I had, THANK GOD, arrived just in time to witness the inaugural Mr. Vet pageant. Apparently they were beginning a tradition and aren't you lucky I was there to chronicle it's auspicious beginning? Anyway there were two strapping young men from each year in the vet school who were elected to...display their wares in a fiercely competitive flurry of swimsuits, formal wear, lab coats and "talent". Needless to say there was a lot of questionable dress and some unquestionable undress including a kilt, sparkly underwear, a briefcase full of condoms and other... equipment, tiny bathing suits, silk shirts, gold jewelry, too much body hair, and plenty of beer. We couldn't find any chairs left when we got there so we sat in the front on the floor between the front row couches and the stage. MY GOD, poor decision making on our part. For these particular displays of 'masculinity' we were both too close for comfort and in the case of the kilt, too low for comfort and I think we got a lot more than we bargained for with our dollar entry fees. *shudder*
The next night we went to see Laura's friends' horse and got to play around our in a field for a long time and then we had an awesome barbecue with maybe the biggest, juiciest (maybe still mooing?) burgers I have had in a long time. They were incredibly delicious which I think might be helped by the fact that I have yet to see a cow that didn't have plenty of room and plenty of green grass to graze on. Not a feedlot in sight. Laura also took me to the wool building (I'm not kidding, it exists) and instead of pictures there is just award-winning wool from every year since 1955 framed and hung on the wall. Incredible. Also a lot of animal skeletons and some preserved two headed calf/calves (?) and a five legged lamb. So basically Laura's grad school has a circus freak show included. She is so lucky. Anyway it was a lot of fun and anyone who tells you that Palmy is a boring place just has not done the right things. Then again, maybe they have less weird ideas of entertainment than I, or were there for longer than three days...

After an excruciatingly long bus ride I'm back in Auckland, having gone full circle and I'll be flying out tonight at 5:55 and arriving in Denver an hour and a half later. Maybe I'll spend some time on the plane figuring out the time zone thing (ha). Maybe I'll do that corny thing where I buy two newspapers from the same day. Maybe not. Anyway, It's been great I'm sure I'll think of more things to add here but for now,
CHEERS!