Come fly with me

I've worn the same under armor leggings for three days straight.

I'm doing laundry, for the last time before GA, as I type this.

I couldn't bring myself to get out of said under armor leggings.

Oops.

This morning around 7:30, after de-icing my windshield with many starbucks cards, Malcom and I (I gave him a ride) headed to the Field Days. Some other folks from the lodge intended to follow us since we were going the back way but they got lost in pursuit... easy to do in the mass chaos that is Fieldays traffic.

The cue (line) was still a bit of an ordeal, but nothing compared to anything I'd deal with in Atlanta. The parking lot filled (grass lot of course) very quickly as the day went on. From the entry gate, Malcom and I parted ways (he wanted to look at farming equipment) and I went to the International Business Centre.

They treated me like royalty there. After telling the "greeter" where I was from, he had me put a pin on the map, the first of the day! Complimentary tea, coffee, fruit, bread (I didn't buy lunch..), nametags, networking, cushions, and HEAT. It was lovely.

I chatted a bit with one of the ladies in charge about her water concerns and talked to some others from the University of Waikato about their research. One girl is headed for Shanghai! 

Not wasting a second more, I headed to the expo floor where DairyNZ, Hill Laboratories, AgResearch, Open County Dairy and others were located. I got some wonderful interviews and more inquisitive looks when I asked them to sign consent forms just to talk to me. However, the lad I talked to at Waikato Regional Council was about my age and knew what I was talking about before I even had to explain that I wasn't trying to steal anyone's identity. Refreshing.

I ventured a bit outside the premiere feature where the main interview booths were and sought out Fonterra. Very different than the other stands... a bit like a military compound. Security guards and only samples (I didn't complain) were given out. My hopes of talking to a worker were dashed. In lieu of this I ended up chatting it up with an alpaca. And a lady from Canada.

I was in awe of just how many booths were devoted to milking systems, at least a hundred of them. I got really distracted...

The Department of Conservation also had a well-decorated tent, with stuffed critters and the mysterious GIANT WETA. This cricket relative is what Peter Jackson's studio is named after. Why? No idea. However, these things are awesome. And terrifying. It's at least 3 inches long- just the torso.

Weaving in and out of tents all morning, I found another one of those "yaks". It's not technically a yak I suppose, but rather a Scottish Highland cow, used for meat production. According to woman who was lovingly brushing the beast, he makes quite good meat.

Watching my time, I walked up to the sheepdog arena where there were a few more trials going on. The dogs had the small herds going over bridges, into boxes, and round in circles.

Getting sucked into the whole Fieldays thoroughfare, I plopped down in the stands to watch a cutting demo. The horses were pretty, but nothing like what we'd see at the UGA rodeo. It was a bit like a taste of home though. They had cowboy hats and everything! This particular one is about 6 years old, and "well-seasoned". At least, he was compared to the two year old that demo-ed before him.

Not but a few steps behind there was a miniature horse demo as well. The cute little fluffballs ran around their course, jumping and walking on tarps. ADORABLE.

Hoofball was next, a gargantuan form of soccer for horses. It looked pretty anticlimactic from where I was watching, but I'm sure it was more fun on the field.

I met up with Malcom right around lunchtime, just at the right moment to see part of the opening ceremony's parade with bagpipes. Loud bagpipes.

We wandered around a bit, at a very slow pace as this is what Malcom is accustomed to. We went to Kiwi's Best... foodie heaven. So. Many. Samples. Free kiwis left and right, and licorice out the wazoo. Magical.

En route we spotted some mounted EMTs. Not mounted police, EMTs. I suppose it makes sense, for minor first aid needs.

Ironically near the food place, there was a giant colon. It was in support of colon cancer research but it was still a giant colon. People walked in it. I have no comment. I got some funny looks for getting this picture.

Parting ways again, I set off to explore the rest of the grounds (even from 8-5 I didn't see everything). I found a new fuzzy warm jacket and some gumboots that are hot pink. Move over, target rainboots, these will conquer. Anyone will be able to spot me across campus. Across town. In pitch black. I think they glow. They are that bright.

And then.. there were alpacas.

A lot of alpacas.

I stopped by chance at the Fellowship of Christian Farmers where I chatted at a man from Illinois. I also got to talk to another guy my age from Auburn, who found the southern accent quite home-like. He's been in NZ since February. There were a few other kiwis there from the local church organization as well. The girl my age about flipped her lid when I said y'all without thinking. She was so excited to hear someone use it in conversation. One woman, Susan, who I talked to for quite some time told me about her home farm in Ohio and how her son spent quite a while here learning to surf and sail. He did a good bit of WWOOF-ing... that's my plan next time. :) She even gave me a mom-hug before I left because, I quote, everyone needs a mom hug. It's adorable.

Oh, and I found a friesian! Not the cow, the horse. He was standing right next to the very boring tractor pull, where avid tractor fans pulled a hefty load to see how far they can get it. Pretty dull... not going to lie. The lovely horse was much more fun.

 Rounding it all out, I stopped back in to the premiere feature pavillion for a few more photos and a couple stops at the booths.

Traffic getting out of the area was quite hard, and Malcom and I went to where he had his last hedge-cutting job as we needed to pick up the payment so he could get some groceries and pay me a bit for the petrol (no one here uses the word "gas").

On our way there, we saw a pretty nasty car crash, where the sedan had driven off the road to avoid a tractor and ended up crashing through the hedges and into a fence. The car was actually sitting on top of the fence rather than through it. 

From there we headed to the store and back to the Lodge. Finally, some laundry.

During my dinner/evening tea(s) I met a really nice older fellow, originally from Washington State, then Virginia. I traded business cards with him after telling him about the Floyd Friday night jams. His name is Bob Jones- and I told him if he's ever in the Virginia area he needs to contact me! Youtube it.. "bob jones + bluegrass" He just sang for Malcom and I. Continues to sing, actually. He and Malcom are watching video after video of old music to the tune of Frank Sinatra and the like. It's "quite good" as Malcom always describes things.

He told me about a lovely fiddle song, Georgiana Moon. I'll be youtubing that in the states...


Malcom taught me some more terms today: "Float" is a horse trailer, and when something goes  wrong, kiwis say "she'll be alright". To use his terms, "If your car ends up in a ditch... she'll be alright".

Another American-Indian-Japanese-kiwi (American accent...) I met lives in the bush and just invested in a patent. Apparently he sells his self-made tool to India, Brazil, Argentina, Chile.. the list continues. He was... colorful. 

I talked to a few of the ladies staying at the lodge, also here for the Fieldays, who told me about their morning bathroom experience. Apparently the woman was in there, brushing her teeth, when a naked man ran out of the shower. Looking at her with a bit of a sympathetic stare, and when the apologies were about to exit my mouth she said "It was quite nice for an old lady" with a mischevious grin.

I love these kiwis.