21.9.2008 Sunday - South-West Wall, Gold Coast Seaway

Went diving with the colleagues. There were fishes.

19.9.2008 Friday - University of Queensland, St Lucia

I believe many of my readers are familiar enough with genomics to know their ATCG's (or maybe even the U's). So I thought you might want to say hi to my plasmid, sequenced today!

8.9.2008 Monday - Akaroa, New Zealand

Banks peninsula has a highly volcanic past and is pretty as an Irish postcard. The remote village of Akaroa at its fjordous heart is very much like Key West, but in French style.

7.9.2008 Sunday - Canterbury, New Zealand

I never followed the sign, so I cannot tell whether this township has a nightclub (or maybe a truckers' pub) named after it.

6.9.2008 Saturday - Mt Hutt, New Zealand

Keas are famous for their inquisitive and highly intelligent behaviour. This was the first time I saw them in action, and I fell in love instantaneously. Many locals hate them bitterly, and I can understand that, too - living years with birds that can and will disassemble the radio antenna of your car quicker than you can say "A Cinq Cents, please" would easily take its toll.

The snow situation wasn't half bad, either.

4.9.2008 Thursday - Canterbury, New Zealand

The snow reports from NZ promised three metres of powder. What can you do, except grab a campervan and head for the Southern Alps?

1.9.2008 Monday - University of Queensland, Brisbane

A group of PhD students, including me, each gave a three minute (!) talk on their thesis, targeting a range of audiences including researchers as well as laymen. This was the most fun I had had on stage since Alter Ego theatre performances back in the fourteenth century! Even if all I got out of it was this Jorge Cham T-shirt...