Time Marches On

My time in Katherine has continued much as the weeks before have.  I'm settling into a routine and I've begun to become accustomed to this place.  The Wet Season is starting to dissipate and soon the glorious Dry Season will arrive.  There will be horizon-to-horizon sunshine all the time and cooler temperatures.  Although that is also when the tourists come there will be plenty of community activities in the coming months.  In July, for example, there will be the Katherine Regional Show Day, a sort of carnival of the local area.  In May, the races are coming to town and I think I'll go.

I've had some interesting professional development in the last few weeks.  Since many of the bush courts we go on are down single-lane roads, and one in particular is down a graded dirt track, all NAAJA employees are given 4-Wheel-Drive training.  I had been looking forward to it ever since I had been told about it.  The instructor met us at the NAAJA office and gave us a talk on the principles behind 4WD and how to properly use it.  He then took us out to an old airfield where we practised manoeuvres like braking and steering at the same time at 80km/h!  It was exhilarating to say the least.  It's important to know how to do that to avoid the large animals, like buffalo, that pose a serious danger if you hit them at speed.  We also practised techniques of how to get out if bogged down.

I then had an opportunity to put my skills to use when I travelled with my workmate John to Borroloola, a small  town 655 kilometers east of Katherine.  Borroloola is famous as having the first police station in the Northern Territory and now it hosts a bush court.  Although it is the Katherine NAAJA office that sends lawyers out to Borroloola, the assizes is run by the Darwin court.  I haven't been told why that is yet and it makes things a little complicated.

Anyway, I drove John and myself the whole distance to Borroloola.  We went down the Stuart Highway until we turned off to the Carpentaria Highway.  This second highway is paved but for the most part is only 1 lane wide, that means that if you see another car coming, you both pull over but if it's a road train, you pull right off to the side.  The drive was quite interesting as there was some wet weather and beautiful views.  In some places, the highway was slightly flooded which meant driving through water, which was quite an experience.

When John and I were about 45 minutes from Borroloola, having already driven about 6 hours, we got a call saying that the court had been cancelled because of worries of a cyclone hitting Darwin.  That meant that instead of 5 days away, John and I would be returning the next day, having taken care of some administrative matters the next morning.  The night of our arrival, there wasn't much to do so we just had dinner and sat around with some of the other people who had come in, like Corrections staff, some court staff and some police officers.  The next day, after reporting to the magistrate by telephone which clients had turned up because they hadn't heard the news and those that hadn't had their matters put off until the next assizes in May.  I did the driving back to Katherine as well, and I must say that I do enjoy long drives, particularly to exotic places.  We stopped at the famous Daly Waters Pub and had dinners.  The last time I was in Daly Waters was in 2005 and it looks quite a bit different to how I remember it give that I was now seeing it in the Wet Season and after drought-breaking rains the previous year.

Next weekend I'll be travelling to Darwin to take part in a professional course on evidence.  One of the requirements of lawyers is that every year that have to do a certain amount of professional training/development and this course counts.  I'm looking forward to the trip, just to get out of Katherine for a few days and the course will be important as there's a new evidence regime coming into effect in July.

On another note, 1 year and 1 day after I applied for it, I was notified that my graduate visa had been approved.  This visa allows me to live and work in Australia for 18 months and is a stepping stone to permanent residence, should I choose to apply.  If I do, I think I will have to do so quickly as a new scheme comes into effect in July and it adds an additional layer of complexity.  I'll have to decide how to proceed.

And finally, the cases just keep on coming.  I'm taking charge of matters now and some matters will be going to hearing, so I'll be cross-examining witnesses and the like.  Hopefully I'll do alright, particularly as someone's freedom may be at stake.  I've ordered a book on trial technique and I'll be reading it to get some tips on how to proceed.  This is going to be the next big step in my career and I hope I'm up to the challenge.

Into the Fire

The last month has been a real baptism of fire for me.  Most of you will have read my e-mail and as it is a fair summary of what has happened, I will reproduce it, for the most part, here.  I'll add a bit more towards the end.


At the and of January, I arrived in Darwin and went to the apartment I had been allocated by the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA).  It was a deluxe apartment with excellent air conditioning (a must up north), a big TV, good access to the city and everything you could possibly need.  If NAAJA had been the landlord, I would have begged to be able to rent the place.

That weekend was spent exploring Darwin and I took a trip to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), which I pronounce "magnet" but apparently nobody else does, with its wonderful display on Cyclone Tracy, a weather event that basically wiped Darwin from existence on Christmas Day 1974.  I had a walk around the city centre a few times as well.  Being the wet season, I had expected Darwin to be under constant rain, like a monsoon, but actually what usually happens is that it's cloudy most of the day and there will be periodic downpours.  But these downpours are of a fierce intensity and can seem like a mini-cyclone.

That Monday I went to the NAAJA office and was introduced to the staff.  I was told about NAAJA's mission statement, its goals, purpose and what would be expected of me.  I went with the team down to the Darwin Magistrates Court to observe the action.  It was quite the hive of activity as each lawyer came into the small room, assigned themselves to people who had court, then rushed off to court and then returned to repeat the process.  It was exciting to watch but a bit unnerving at the same time realizing that this is what I was going to be doing.

That Wednesday, I was driven to Katherine by Jonathon, the Principal Legal Officer.  I met the staff and the other lawyers and given a warm welcome.  I was also warned to be prepared for anything and everything.

So, I've been going to court and visiting Aboriginal people whom we represent that have been locked up.  It's constant but reasonably exciting work.  There aren't many moments to spare and I fell that I'm learning more every day, which is the most that could be hope for.  I don't know how long I'll be at NAAJA but the plan is 2 years.  I'll do my time in the trenches, or "at the coalface" as Australians say, and then maybe move on to something else.  My boss has assured me that I'll be surprised how much experience and knowledge I'll have after even only 12 months.  Hopefully that will be able to translate into improved career prospects as I continue.

Katherine, itself, is a small town in objective standards but fairly big by NT standards.  Katherine has a population of about 7 500 but provides most of the necessities.  There are supermarkets, restaurants, pharmacies, repair shops, a multiplex, a country club and a local club.  The main street is part of the Stuart Highway, the lifeline of the territory; a road that snakes 3 000 kilometers from Adelaide to Darwin and is the territory's primary connection to the rest of Australia.  Every so often 3 and 4 car road trains rumble past the NAAJA office, a constant reminder that you're in a rural area.  It's not really all that remote and you can make it to Darwin in about 3 hours but you are on the Outback's edge.  It's hot but sunny and I hope I'll like it here.

Well, I finally found a place in Katherine and I'm sharing a house with a nice guy called Mato Pavicevic.  It seems he knows everyone in town.  He hasn't lived here all that long but loves to socialize so he's met pretty much everyone who lives in the area.  He works primarily as a florist in the local florist shop but he is also a trained gourmet chef and even did 3 years of legal studies back when he lived in Yugoslavia, as it then was.  He has made some excellent dinners and lunches for the both of us and he must be the most pleasant landlord in the territory.

As I mentioned before, the work is constant and of high volume.  I suppose it's like a conveyor belt as we do what must be done and then repeat for the next person.  There's very little time to simply lounge about and for that, I think, I should be at least a little grateful.  I had an e-mail a few days ago from Rohan where he mentioned that he was having his first unsupervised court appearance.  Although he's been in the game for quite some time before me, I had already had numerous unsupervised court appearances.  It made me realize just how much on the fly training I was getting.

And as to what I've been doing, so far it's been pleas in mitigation, adjournments, representations and even a video link call to one of my clients in prison.  So far, I think, my in court advocacy is my forte.  I don't find myself nervous at all when talking to the magistrate but I find myself a little more unsure when talking to the clients.  I'm just worried that I'm giving them the correct information and making sure they are getting the full benefit of the law.  They don't know how much legal experience I have nor would they really care, I guess, as long as I give them the proper information.  I just don't want to short change someone as I will not suffer an injustice to be visited on someone.  In any event, I've had some very good outcomes for my clients and in one case in particular I was certain the client was going to jail as he had breached all of his suspended sentence conditions, more or less repeatedly.  He hadn't committed any new crimes, just failed to partake in the required programs set up for him an, to make matters worse, the corrections department was unwilling to supervise him in the community.  Nevertheless, by luck or by silver tongue, I managed to convince the magistrate that he should be given another chance as he was working and he was young and the magistrate agreed.  If he can keep working and stay out of trouble for another 2 months, his breaches of the suspended sentence will be ignored.  Honestly, there is hardly a reason why he should not have been put in jail but I'll chalk this into the Win column.

One of my favourite things about this job is that the court sometimes travels and we go to the more remote aboriginal communities.  My first one was a 1-day event at Barunga, a community not to far from Katherine. The procedures are all the same except that there is less formality in the court.  In Katherine, when you appear you have to wear a tie, but no jacket, while at Bush Courts (as they are called), ties are not compulsory.  Earlier this week I went to Kalkarindji, aka Kalkaringi, several hours southwest of Katherine.  This session can take 1 or 2 days depending on the list.  We had to sit on the second day but it was very short.  The night after our arrival (I travelled with Eugene, another lawyer, and Natascha, a community officer), we went to the local pub and had a great time.  I very much enjoyed Kalkarindji and I hope to go back soon.  I don't have any photos of the bush courts as many aboriginal people are sensitive about having their photos taken although I'm told that it's not a problem.  In a few weeks time I'll be off to Borrolloola, another bush court which promises to be a particularly active one.

Recently I applied,as any Australian lawyer can, for admission to the High Court of Australia.  Admission there entitles the person to practice in all Australian federal courts.  It doesn't cost anything unless you want a certificate, in which case you pay $55.00.  I filled in the application, sent in the money and last Friday received the certificate in the mail.  I know it's not much, but I can now practice law anywhere in Australia and in any court.  I've also applied to be admitted in New Zealand under the terms of the Trans-Tasman Mutual Agreement so, hopefully, I'll be an internationally recognized lawyer soon.

I suppose my greatest worry is not knowing how I'll measure up as a lawyer in time.  I don't want to be just good at my job, I want to be great or exceptional.  I want to be someone who you'd want in your corner if your back's to the wall.  I would like one day to become a judge but when you're new and starting out, you see just how much ground you have to cover in order just to be considered competent.  I'll have to see how I progress as these days, weeks and months go by.

Great Changes

The new year has brought many great changes to my life and the lives of others.  With my time in Canberra nearing an end, I am anxious and nervous about starting my new life in Katherine.  I find it hard to believe that I've been in Canberra nearly 4 years.  The time seems to have flown by so quickly and tomorrow morning my stay in Canberra ends as I get on a plane, destined for Australia's tropical north.

In the last month, there have been some extraordinary events, though.  The first was the opening celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Plast (Ukrainian Scouts).  The larger ceremony will be a world gathering in Ukraine in August but as Australians get their summer now, the Plast executive decreed that the first celebrations will be in Australia.  I was a counsellor for the scouts and they had a very interesting camp program over 9 days.  I think, though, the highlight must have been the 3-day hike through the Australian Alps.  Starting in a valley, the group I was with, the advanced group, hike some 45 kilometers across very mountainous terrain to the very top of Australia, the summit of Mt. Kosciuszko.  Named after a Polish war hero, Mt. Kosciuszko is 2 229 meters above sea level.  The scouts had been divided into beginner and intermediate groups as well and all 3 met up at the summit.  It was truly a spectacular hike.  Both nights, though, were very cold and frost formed on the inside of the fly sheet.  Even though I was bundled up, I froze.

The camp was held in Canberra's Camp Cottermouth, a Scouts campground in the ACT just west of Canberra.  There we had various activities including something called the Golden Guitar, a music competition, which the scouts ended up winning with a remake of the Gorillaz hit Feel Good Inc., involving more scout-related lyrics.  They even had a scavenger trip around Canberra.  It was nice to get so many people together in 1 location as typically troops have their own camps each year.  In December I plan to be at the Melbourne camp but I hope to make it to the big celebrations in Ukraine and possibly see some of my friends there too.

After camp, the next big even was my admission as a lawyer on January 13th.  I arrived at the Supreme Court and found my friend, Rohan, who had agreed to move my admission.  Once inside we were approached by the Deputy Registrar, the person who starts off the ceremony and happened to be a fellow Aussie rules umpire, and we went inside the court room.  I had expected it to be fairly sparse but there were quite a few people there: myself, Rohan, the Deputy Registrar, the clerk, the judge, the judge's associate, 4 corrections officers, the Admissions Board secretary and 3 other lawyers there on separate matters.  The whole ceremony lasted only about 10 minutes once the judge arrived.  I was happy to find out it was my favourite ACT judge, Justice Richard Refshauge, one of the nicest people you will ever meet.  Well, the Deputy Registrar called for admissions, Rohan moved it, the Deputy Registrar administered the affirmation and the judge ordered that my name be entered on the roll.  The judge then had a very brief speech and then I went up to sign the roll.  Normally there can be 20-40 students in this process but because of my special circumstances, I got a personal one.  I felt very proud and relieved to have finally finished the process.  Afterwards, myself, Rohan, Roland (a friend from law school), Kendra (another friend from law school) and Amy (Rohan's friend) went out for lunch and dinner to celebrate.  It really was a great day.

A week later and another milestone passed, I turned 29.  I only have 1 year of "youth" left and although I am very rapidly approaching 30, I do have 2 small consolations.  The first, the interpretation of the Mayan calendar may be right and the world will end in December, the second, if the world doesn't end, 2012 is a leap year meaning I get 1 extra day of being young.  We'll see how this year goes.

Of course the biggest news for me is that I'm starting my new job in the Northern Territory.  I'm all packed up and ready to go.  I've shipped most of my things via Greyhound's freight service.  I'll pick it up in Katherine.  Hopefully I won't be without permanent accommodation for long.  Packing up was quite the challenge and it took some 16 items to pack everything up.  Luckily NAAJA is paying for it so it's not too bad.  The great joy will be having to unpack everything again once I'm settled in.

By coincidence, my brother will be starting a new job in a remote area as well, Iqaluit on the same day.  My brother has moved to the Arctic and I to the tropics.  He'll be starting a teaching position up there and, I'm very jealous, but will be making more money than me, at least before taxes and expenses.  It seems that things are changing for many of us as the Earth turns and makes another trip around the sun.  I just hope the changes are for the better and that great things will come of them.

Meritorious Service

On December 15th, I finally completed the last step in my legal education --- I graduated with the Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from ANU.  With merit, I might add.  According to my diploma (or testamur as it's called at ANU), I finished the course of study with merit, which means better than average but one step below distinction (distinction being the highest level).  I'm pretty happy with my result and it now means I can go forth into the world and seek admission into the legal profession.  This was the last step, academically anyway.

Speaking of admission, I handed in the paperwork to the Supreme Court Registry today.  The woman at the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board sent an e-mail to the registry and I was told that a file would be created right away,  Hopefully this means that there won't be any hiccups like last time.  All things being equal, I'm only about 3 weeks away from admission.  I really can't wait.  I'll finally be a full member of the legal community and I can go up to the Northern Territory confident that I have what it takes to succeed.

Interestingly, I had lunch with some of my law school friends.  1, Roland, still has a semester to complete while the other, Rohan, is working for ACT Legal Aid and already has a practising certificate.  In order to be admitted, an already admitted lawyer must move your admission before the court.  Since Rohan is such, I asked if he would move my admission and he agreed.  So, that's another issue all sorted.

2 world leaders died in the last week or two, Kim Jong Il and Vaclav Havel.  Coincidentally, the day before he died I was just thinking of Vaclav Havel in a very roundabout way.  As Christmas is coming up I got the tune Good King Wenceslaus into my head and Wenceslaus is an English rendering of Vaclav.  From there, I just started wondering what Vaclav Havel was doing and then I read the news.  Life is full of these odd coincidences.  I wasn't really thinking of Kim Jong Il except in the context of the wonderful caricature of him in Team America: World Police.  I hope that North Korea starts to come in from the cold but I realize that is unlikely.  Still, it would be nice if North Korea can emerge from its frozen state but only time will tell.

Finally, I'd like to wish everyone a happy Hanukkah.  It started on the 20th and in the words of Adam Sandler, it goes for "8 crazy nights."

Oh, and here's a photo of my from my GDLP graduation.  It's myself and Dr. Dominique Dalla-Pozza, a professor at ANU who taught me Commonwealth Constitutional Law and now teaches that and Australian Public Law.  I'm the one on the right.

The Best Laid Plans

It seems as though my plans have been set upon a new and unplanned course, for reasons not of my choosing.  I was supposed to have been admitted tomorrow in the Supreme Court as a lawyer.  It would have made me a full member of the legal profession.  The plan was to be admitted and then sort of just wait around until my job started in the Northern Territory.  I could take pride in my accomplishment and tell everyone I was a lawyer.  As it turns out, it's not going to happen precisely as planned.

On the Monday before my admission I sent an e-mail to the Legal Practitioners Admissions Board (LPAB) asking what time my admissions ceremony would be on Friday.  The ceremonies take place one after the other but the time slot is important since you know when to show up and you're not left waiting around.  I then received an e-mail saying that they did not have my paperwork so I would be unable to be admitted.  This was an unwelcome surprise for me, particularly as I had submitted my paperwork many months ago.  I quickly phoned back and asked how could this be.  Luckily, I had copies of everything I had submitted as well as the receipt showing that I had paid the requisite fee.  I was told that they would try to find my paperwork as there didn't seem to be anything in the system against either the receipt number or the admissions number (a sort of reference number).

The next morning I received a call and was told that my paperwork was nowhere to be found.  The Secretary of the LPAB was at a complete loss to explain the situation.  Even given the months that had gone by, my paperwork should still have been on file.  We agreed that I would come in to discuss the situation and I had the added complication that I had to be admitted before I left for the Northern Territory, which was before the next scheduled admissions ceremony.

I arrived that afternoon at the LPAB, which is housed in the Supreme Court building, and I discussed my options with the Secretary.  She was quite contrite and it seems my paperwork simply vanished without a trace.  It seems that whoever took my paperwork hadn't followed proper procedure to enter the information into the computer system in addition to filing it.  The best explanation we could come up with was that it had somehow been thrown away.  A few months ago, the Supreme Court Registry, which is the body which accepts documents, moved from the Supreme Court building to the Magistrates Court building next door.  At the time I submitted my paperwork it was still in the Supreme Court building and I have a feeling my paperwork may have been misplaced during the move.  At any rate, it meant admission at the December ceremony was not possible.

Luckily, there was a solution.  The Secretary suggested that I be admitted at a special ceremony tentatively set for January 13th, which was exactly what I was thinking.  Although admissions ceremonies are held for convenience a court is entitled to admit someone whenever they want.  Given the circumstances, a special ceremony was warranted.  What it means in practical terms is that I will show up at the Supreme Court on that day and a lawyer will make a motion for me to be admitted, exactly as would've happened tomorrow except that I will be the only person there in January.  Assuming nothing else goes awry, I will be admitted as a lawyer then.

While the solution is acceptable it is a hassle as it means I must resubmit virtually all my paperwork.  This includes an affidavit from myself, copies of various documents and 3 character affidavits.  It's an unnecessary headache but a necessary evil given the circumstances.  In case you're wondering why I can't be admitted sooner it's because the Supreme Court is in recess for most of that period and copies of my paperwork also go to the Law Society who vet the application as well.  While I'm happy to have found a solution, I would rather one was not necessary.  I'll also impart something else that has kept with me over many years, a saying I have taken to heart since I was very young, nothing vanishes without a trace.

On the lighter side, in an article in the Canberra Times, it was revealed that ACTTAB (my employer) and a few other gambling providers, mostly private bookmakers, had been operating under invalid licences for the last 10 years!  The situation stems from an oversight following a change in legislation in 2002 when a new bookmakers' act came into force in the ACT.  Under transitional provisions, existing licences (like whose for ACTTAB) to provide gambling services continued but had to be renewed after 6 months but that never happened.  The people and agencies just kept going along as per normal.  The mistake was somehow discovered during day-to-day operations, not because of a specific check, and the government's lawyers advised that the current licences were technically invalid.  The ACT Legislative Assembly then stepped in and enacted legislation which legitimized those licences retrospectively, meaning now there's no problem.  I just think that it's funny how I've spent virtually my entire career with ACTTAB while the agency was operating with an invalid licence.  What a strange thing it is, or was, to be more specific.

I guess everyone has paperwork issues sometimes.

Requisite Fees

I've reached that time of the year when things seem to slow down considerably for me.  Many people call the lead up to Christmas the Silly Season because of the frenetic gift buying and organizing of family functions.  I guess as someone who doesn't have any real familial obligations in Australia, I just find myself with a lot of free time.  Most of Fenner Hall has emptied out and so there aren't many people around.  Also, as I don't have to worry about exam marks, the only thing I have to do now is wait for graduation.  I do still find ways to keep busy, though.

I still have my job at ACTTAB which gives me a few shifts every week and I'm still studying for those Canadian law exams.  I also took a job at Fenner over the Summer as a Summer Duty Warden.  This is sort of a caretaker position on evenings and weekends, which is when the front office is closed.  SDWs just keep an eye on things and make sure there are no problems.  If any issues do come up, we're trained to handle them.  It's not a very hard job and it does give you a bit of extra money.

Just yesterday there was a very intense line of storms that passed over the Canberra region.  I've never seen lightning and wind of such intensity.  There were multiple lightning flashes per minute and some peels of thunder were deafening.  I find storms so fascinating and exciting to watch.  There are few things I like more than going on the roof balcony and watching an approaching storm front as the lightning bolts light up the night sky.  Such things happen as spring draws to a close and raises the curtain on summer.

I was going over my admission to practice and I realized that assuming all goes well at my admissions ceremony on December 9th, I will very shortly be eligible to practice law in several jurisdictions and in multiple countries.  Under Australian law, once a person is admitted in one jurisdiction (a state or territory) then they are entitled to practice in any Australian state and/or territory, provided they file some minimal paperwork and pay the requisite fee.  What will happen is I will be admitted to practice (I hope) in the Australian Capital Territory.  Now, this doesn't mean that I can just go out and do lawyering things, that requires a practising certificate, but admission to practice is the necessary step to get a practising certificate.  To get a practising certificate, you have to produce a Certificate of Admission which is what you get when you're admitted and then pay the requisite fee to the Law Society.  In my case, because I will be working in the Northern Territory, I will not get a practising certificate in the ACT but my admission here will entitle me to a practising certificate there.

The journey doesn't end there either.  In order to be eligible to practice in federal jurisdictions, like the Federal Court or the High Court of Australia, you have to be admitted in the High Court.  Luckily, that's pretty easy and if you have a practising certificate from a state or territory, you just send the High Court Registry a copy and they admit you onto the roll, as it's called.  If you want an official certificate, you send them the requisite fee.  I plan to do this very soon after being admitted.

There is also a great little international agreement called the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA) between Australia and New Zealand.  It allows people who are qualified in most jobs in one country to have those qualifications recognized in the other.  For lawyers, you first register for recognition in the state or territory you have a practising certificate in, in my case, the Northern Territory by filing some paperwork and paying the requisite fee.  From there, you make an application for admission as a barrister and solicitor in the High Court of New Zealand by filing some paperwork and paying the requisite fee.  I think I'll do that sometime after admission as well.  It's not expensive and if for some reason I ever had to practice in New Zealand, I would be eligible to get a practising certificate without much issue.  I wonder how many Australian lawyers do this?

So, the total comes out to that I'd be eligible to practice law in the ACT, the Northern Territory, Australia's federal jurisdiction and New Zealand.  Not too a bad tally for a few months after admission.  Also, if I pass all my Canadian law exams, I'll have a Certificate of Qualification which means that I could apply to a Canadian law society to do their barrister and solicitor exams to be admitted there too.  I may one day be eligible to practice in no fewer than 5 jurisdictions spread over 3 countries on 2 continents in 2 hemispheres. That's quite an exciting prospect assuming I can cope with all of the requisite fees.

Continuing

This will be a very short post as I can't think of much to report.  With the exam season winding down, Fenner Hall has been emptying out slowly.  I think a lot of people are eager to leave for the summer and get home for those precious few months of freedom.  Those that are staying are in for a quiet time until February.  Summer in Fenner Hall is actually quite pleasant and it's nice and quiet.  This year, though they're moving everyone who's staying in South Tower over to North Tower as they're replacing the carpeting and taking the asbestos tiles out of the floors.  The administration is also planning more activities than in previous years so at least we'll be occupied.

Beyond that, the only other event of note was last Sunday I got together with some friends of mine and we had a venison and mead roast dinner.  As you may know, venison is deer meat and mead is an alcoholic drink made from fermenting honey.  My friends Kai and Eleanor are engaged and recently moved to an apartment.  Kai is a blacksmith who makes Dark Ages weaponry and is a bit of an enthusiast of the era.  A few months back I suggested that Kai, Eleanor and I get together for an old-fashioned dinner involving mead and venison, 2 staples of the Viking diet.

The original idea was that Kai would hunt the deer and prepare the venison himself.  Unfortunately, this year feral deer have been scarce in the mountains so I said that I would buy the venison and supply the mead if he and Eleanor would prepare it and supply the side dishes.  I got a hold of 2.6 kg of venison from a butcher who had to order it in.  I then handed it over to Kai and Eleanor and they agreed to make a roast on Sunday.  In Australia there is a tradition of having a lamb roast on Sundays, called the Sunday roast, so this was a nice little spin on a tradition.

So, last Sunday I arrived at Kai and Eleanor's and along for the dinner were Eleanor's brother, Nathan, and a mutual friend of our's Hagen.  It very much a meat, potatoes and vegetables affair and we each had about 1 glass of spiced mead, which is meant to be served hot.  I commended Eleanor and Kai on their preparation of the venison as it was quite excellent.  It's a shame venison is not readily available in supermarkets as it is quite a delicious meat.  At any rate, everyone had a good time and I'm sure the Vikings would have been proud to see their noble customs carried on today.

Big News and a Big Move

This last little while has been filled with exciting times and exciting news.  It looks like my life is going to take a very interesting change and I'll be doing something in a place I've always wanted to.  I think the coming months and years will prove formative and productive.

Firstly, I'll mention that Australia's great Melbourne Cup was run on Tuesday, November 1st.  That day I was stationed at the City Hellenic Club in what is called a temporary venue.  Essentially, I was in a little booth and took people's bets.  The day was quite busy but very enjoyable and the good people at the club provided lunch, which was a grilled BLT, fries and free drinks.  As the race approached, everyone became glued to the TV and when it finally jumped everyone cheered and waited with anticipation as to which horse would come first.  This year, it really went down to the wire and only the smallest of distances separated the winner from 2nd place.  And when I say smallest of distances, I mean less than 5 centimeters!  It is the closest Melbourne Cup finish in history and it was won by a French horse, Dunaden.  Everyone cheered and gasped when the result was announced.  The owner must have been the happiest person in the country since they got about $5 million for the win.  Although my working day was a bit long, 08:30-18:30 without any real break to speak of, it was so much fun.  I'd gladly do it every year.

The next big thing for me was that I finally finished the last component of my diploma on Monday, November 7th.  That was the day I had my last placement at Legal Aid.  On that rotation I observed a disciplinary hearing at the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the returned to the office to help with some client interviews.  At the end of the day, it sort of really hit me that I'd completed everything and my long road is almost over.  Since it was the last day of the Legal Aid placement for the group, we all went for a quick drink at a local pub, as lawyers are wont to do.  With the GDLP completed, all that's left is my admission ceremony which will be in early December.  Assuming everything goes according to plan, I'll be a lawyer on December 7th.

The biggest news, though, is that I've been offered a job as a lawyer.  The organization is the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) and I'll be working in their criminal law section in the Katherine Office.  Katherine is a town of 5 000 people in the Northern Territory but an important regional center.  I don't know exactly what I'll be doing but I expect it will be providing legal advice and going to court.  Essentially, this is legal aid for indigenous Australians.  The climate will be hot year-round but I've always wanted to work in the Northern Territory and although Darwin has always been my goal, I don't think I can pass up an opportunity like this.  The pay and conditions aren't bad either.  I get about $56 000/yr to start, which isn't much, but 5 weeks of vacation time which is great.  I'll also get to travel around to remote communities and I can't imagine something more fun at this point in my very earliest career.  I don't expect to be at NAAJA forever but I think the experience I gain will be invaluable to wherever I move on next.

I think the story of how I got the job is quite interesting as well.  I found the job posting in an online search but noticed that I had just missed the deadline, or was about to.  I fired an e-mail to the contact person and asked if I could submit a late application and I was told I could.  Having heard nothing from some of the other places I applied to, I jumped at the opportunity.  2 days after I applied I received an e-mail saying that NAAJA would like to interview me.  Somewhat surprised at the speed with which this happened (things tend to move at a more leisurely pace in the Northern Territory), I quickly responded saying I would gladly interview for the position if it could be done over the phone.  3 days after that, I had the phone interview and I thought I went well, but not necessarily stellarly.  The phone interview I think was pretty standard in my opinion and I was nervous after it was over, hoping that I'd done well.

From there, it was just a question of NAAJA contacting my references and then I received THE phone call. Brian Cassels, the director, told me that I was 1 of 2 successful applicants.  You cannot imagine how thrilled I was to hear this.  I was worried a search for a job would be protracted and difficult but I got one fairly quickly, and it was one that I was keen on doing.

So, this means that sometime in the new year I'll be moving to Katherine.  The logistics and the finer details will be worked out later but it's going to be an adventure.  I'll be a "bushie" (someone who lives in a remote area) in not time.  Actually, while Katherine may not be much visited it is not exactly remote, being on the Stuart Highway, the main road from Adelaide to Darwin.  I look forward to this job with NAAJA and I can't wait for the adventure to begin.

The has been one interesting development, though.  The day after I got the phone call from NAAJA, I received a phone call from someone at CridlandsMB, a law firm in Darwin that I had sent an expression of interest to.  They said that they would like to interview me to see if they could work something out.  I thanked the person on the phone but apologized that I had only just accepted the job offer from NAAJA the day before.  However, she went on to say that if things didn't work out with NAAJA and/or I wanted a change, I should let them know and they would see if they could work something out.  If nothing else, it means I have options although I would like to stroke my ego and say that it means that I'm in high demand.

At any rate, my life is taking a big turn.  Just as I wanted, I'll be staying in Australia, at least for the foreseeable future, assuming all goes well.  I think that this is a road I have to travel, if only to see where it leads.

2-0-0

According to postings list on my blog, this is my 200th post.  It feels like a bit of an achievement and it's hard to believe that it's been so long since I came to Australia.  I've spent such a long time here that in many ways I consider myself Australian, although the Department of Immigration and Citizenship would disagree.  Still, even if I don't end up living in Australia permanently, I think Australia will always be alike a second home; perhaps sort of like a cottage, not where you live, but where you go to relax and have a fun time.  I wouldn't mind living here permanently, don't get me wrong, but bureaucracy is mighty fortress.

There have been a few interesting events in the last few days, my brother's birthday for one.  He's now 26 and almost in his late 20s.  He tells me he enjoyed the dinner mom, dad and he had so I guess it's another enjoyable birthday for him.

Yesterday was also the yearly Fenner Hall Valete Ball, a celebration of those who are graduating and/or moving out.  Since I was finishing my diploma this year I was entitled to attend and I received, like last year, a metal cup with Fenner Hall's crest engraved on it although it is smaller than last year's.  Interestingly, I was the first person called up.  The whole affair was quite formal and everyone was dressed in their best.  There were also awards to those who had made special contributions to Fenner Hall over the year.  I think everyone enjoyed it.

The big news out of Australia, though, is, of course, the grounding of the Flying Kangaroo, QANTAS.  The lockout has caused quite a stir and I can assure everyone that there is little else talked of in Australia.  The government's called in an arbitrator for mandatory talks between the parties so we'll see what comes out of that; I suspect probably a back to work order.  If this does go further, then the parties may have to resort to another great Australian innovation --- binding wage arbitration.  Apparently, the practice of having an arbiter decide wages during a dispute and having the decision enforceable at law was pioneered in Australia.  I think it's actually a very good idea, and it has been picked up the world over, so we'll see if it's played out in this little escapade.

Of course, Halloween is coming up too --- boo!  However, Halloween is really a Canadian/American thing and while there may be Halloween parties in Australia, no one goes trick-or-treating.  It's kind of a shame, really, as all those children miss out on free candy.  It also means that Australians have to put up with Christmas decorations in their stores from early October, so I think it's lose-lose all around.  If I could, I would import trick-or-treating into Australia and I think it would be a better country for it.

The next big thing is the Melbourne Cup, running on November 1st.  With its $6.2 million purse, this is the most lucrative horse race in Australia, possibly the world.  It stops the country and 80% of the population has a bet on the race. Some bets are small, only a dollar or two, but there are serious betters with far too much money on their hands who will lay out thousands of dollars.  As it is the premier race day of the year, all ACTTAB staff are working and I'll be close to home, the Hellenic Club in the city.  I've been told to brace for a long day as I start at 08:30 but it I'll pass the time by thinking about all the money I'll make.  And when I say the race stops the nation, I'm not really exaggerating.  When the race is run, everyone stops what they're doing and the day is a public holiday in the state of Victoria.  Most people take it as good fun but if you win, especially something like a trifecta, you are looking at a major return.

To all my Australian friends, good luck in the Cup and to all my Canadian friends, happy Halloween.

The Cup and Beyond

Over the last 6 weeks, the largest international event that New Zealand has ever hosted, possibly its largest even ever, was played out on the sports fields of some of New Zealand's finest cities.  The 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) saw 20 countries divided into 4 pools all hoping to hoist the Webb Ellis Cup.  The New Zealanders were particularly hopeful as the All Blacks, New Zealand's national team, was ranked the best in the world and had the possibility of capturing the championship since the first one in 1987.  Rugby is New Zealand's national sport and the Kiwis take great pride in their abilities.

I'm proud to say that Canada made a very good showing in the RWC this year.  Many Canadians wouldn't know, but Canada is the 2nd strongest rugby team in the Americas behind Argentina.  Canada was placed into Pool A which included Japan, Tonga, France and New Zealand --- a very tough draw.  The Canadians played very well, beating Tonga, tying Japan although losing to France and New Zealand, although those teams are some of the strongest in the world.  Although Canada did not advance to the playoffs, the Canucks hold the distinction of being the only team to score first against the All Blacks at the RWC.

The playoffs were very exciting, especially in Australia.  I watched as the Wallabies narrowly defeated the reigning champs, the South Africa Springboks and then face New Zealand in the semi-finals.  Australia lost and had to contend itself with beating Wales to take the bronze medal.  New Zealand defeated its opponents with relative ease and advanced to the final as heavy favourite against the France Les Bleus.

The championship game was a titanic struggle between two great nations of the sport.  The All Blacks performed one of their hakas, the Kapo o Pango (the other one is the more famous Ka Mate) and the French walked up to stare them down.  The game was very close and neither team seemed to be kicking well.  New Zealand scored the first try but failed to convert although they managed a penalty goal giving them an 8-0 lead.  Les Bleus retaliated within minutes and scored a try on a brilliant series of plays that left the All Blacks stunned.  After the conversion the score became 8-7.  Despite both teams trying valiantly neither could get any more points on the board and in this exciting game that went to the wire, the All Blacks were able to cling to the win.  You can rest assured that all of New Zealand was celebrating that night and probably still is.

I decided that I should get into the spirit of the tournament and I decided to buy myself some official team jerseys.  To that end, I got jerseys for Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.  The last 3 I got from the official RWC website but the Canadian one was a bit trickier.  The Canadian jersey was unavailable at the online store because, apparently, they had sold out of them.  To me, this was incredible given that the exposure to rugby Canadians get is fairly minimal.  However, it is a very nice jersey with red, white and black elements and embossed maple leaves.  Perhaps it is that jersey's aesthetic quality that made it so popular.  In the end, I got the Canadian jersey shipped in from the UK and I got the last one in my size, so I felt very fortunate.

Despite the fun of the RWC, there is a serious side still to my life Down Under.  After the utter joy of having the privilege of writing the Canadian Criminal Law and Procedure exam in October, I am now studying for the Foundations of Canadian Law and the Canadian Constitutional Law exams in my continuing quest to be qualified to practice law in Canada, should the need arise, and giving myself a stress-related illness.  Those exams are in January and I'll be writing them again in Sydney.  I've given myself 10 weeks to study plus 2 weeks to review, which I think will be enough given the similarities between Canadian and Australian constitutional law and what I already know.  I'll write the Canadian Administrative Law exam in May and hopefully, that will be the end of it.  Assuming I pass everything, it means that I will be qualified to practice law, subject to other regulations and applications, in Australia, Canada and New Zealand (thanks to the handy Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement).

Earlier on there was also the annual ACTAFL Umpires' Association dinner.  This year, it was a bit more low key than usual but fun nonetheless.  There was some lawn bowling and a very good dinner afterwards.  It was good to recognize those who had made high achievements throughout the year and have some gentle, good-natured fun at everyone.

I am fairly rapidly coming to the conclusion of my graduate diploma which will mean that I shall soon be admitted as a lawyer in the ACT.  All I have to do is complete this placement at Legal Aid I'm doing at the moment.  Every Monday I go in, along with a few others, and over the course of 8 weeks we take part in different aspects of Legal Aid's work, like client interviews, domestic violence matters, civil tribunal matters and just about everything else too.  It's part of the practical component of the diploma and I am learning a great deal though it.  I had an excellent experience at the Commonwealth Department of Public Prosecutions where I spent 2 weeks in September.  I feel I've been exposed to so much of the law and I think these experiences will stand me in good stead.

My placement finishes in November meaning I'll have completed all components of my diploma.  I should be admitted to practice in early December and graduating about a week later.  It's all been leading up to this.  I'm a little excited and scared by what's to come.  It's the uncertainty of the future that I do not like but maybe, with a bit of luck, there'll be some certainty soon.

The Long Way Back

In the last couple of months, my blog has changed from its initial format.  It migrated from a being a sort of weekly update to me providing narratives of the days of the various adventures I had in the last few months.  Unfortunately that took a little more time than I thought but I am now in a position to start writing weekly updates again.

In the months that have gone by since I last provided a weekly update, much has changed in my life.  I've almost completed my GDLP and I expect to be admitted to practice in December.  That means I'll be a fully-fledged lawyer.  That in itself is frightening enough, not to mention the prospect of having to move out of Fenner Hall, find somewhere to live and find a more permanent job.  I've applied to several jobs in Darwin, one place in Alice Springs but I do have a very good chance of getting a job with a company here in Canberra.  We'll have to see where I end up but it's the uncertainty that I hate.

I've also written 1 of 4 exams to get a Certificate of Qualification from the Federation of Law Societies of Canada's National Committee for Accreditation (NCA).  Basically, once I pass those 4 exams it will mean that I have the same level of knowledge as a Canadian law school graduate.  The test I took was Canadian Criminal Law and Procedure and I wrote it at the College of Law in Sydney.  I had intended to write the Foundations of Canadian Law exam as well but due to a public holiday, they were unable to administer the exam and the NCA forbids writing exams on non-scheduled days.  I wrote that in early October so I don't expect to hear the results until about mid-December or early January.  I think I've done quite well, actually, but you never know with these things.  I've staggered the other 3 so that I'll write 2 in January and the final one in May.  With any luck, I'll have no trouble with them and if necessary, I'll be able to practice in Canada if I wanted to.

In August I took part in the International Cup for Australian rules football in Sydney.  This is a tournament where teams from several countries come together.  I officiated games of both the Canadian men's and women's teams.  The highlight, though, was officiating the curtain-raiser at ANZ Stadium, the venue for the 2000 Olympics.  This was a game between the USA and South Africa before a game of the Sydney Swans vs St. Kilda Saints.  I felt quite proud of my accomplishment and excited to be doing such an important game in front of quite a large number of people.  Afterwards, my umpire coach said he was impressed with how I handled myself.

In June and July I visited Canada on a sort of working holiday.  I worked for 4 weeks in a dad's friend's law firm as part of the practical legal training aspect of the GDLP.  I feel like I learned such a great deal during my time there.  I also had a great time visiting and catching up with people I know.  I even managed to get some soccer time with the Ukrainian team.

I guess that's about it in terms of my life in the last few months.  I expect to provide updates on a weekly basis as the year goes on.  It's been a long road getting back but I'm here now.

Another Great Journey -- One Last Day

The final morning of our trip was wonderfully sunny.  The sky was clear and blue and Akaroa took on a more inviting feel in the light.  As Isabella and I had only seen the town after dark we were pleasantly surprised by how quaint everything looked.  Although we had to leave for Christchurch fairly early, we took the time to take a stroll down the main street.  It wasn't very long, underlying the town's small population, but quite a pleasant little walk.  Having mostly packed the night before, Isabella and I made our way back to the hostel and drov towards Christchurch.

We wound our way up the mountain road that we had taken the evening before and were treated to some truly spectacular views.  Along the way, by a roadside coffeeshop, we pulled over and gazed at the valley before us.  We were up on one ridge and there was another set of mountains on the other side but between them, you could see an arm of the sea.  There were some sheep, lots of trees, but no houses.  You got the feeling that though close to civilization, the Banks Peninsula was still somewhat removed from it.  There is no denying, though, that the peninsula is one of New Zealand's most beautiful places.

After our quick stop, we continued on to Christchurch.  Akaroa is not that far away, only about 60 kilometers, but it takes some time to get there owing to the mountainous road and then you have to take some pretty busy suburban streets.  There was more traffic on them than usual because cars were still not allowed into the city center.  We drove cautiously around the Christchurch before getting to Main North Road.

Isabella would be continuing her excursions by bicycle in New Zealand and she needed to get north to Cheviot and then Kaikoura, and this was the principal route.  Bicycles are forbidden on the main highway north out of Christchurch for some 30 kilometers which necessitated Isabella taking the road.  We parked by a city park and loaded the bicycle.  Isabella was quite well prepared and in very short order was ready to proceed north.  We said our goodbyes and I watched as Isabella pedalled with all her strength towards Cheviot.

I turned the car around, filled it up and returned it to the rental agency.  Their van then drove me back to the airport where I boarded my plane and flew off.

I very much enjoyed this trip, both for the company and the fact that I saw places I never had or had not visited for quite some time.  It was good to get out of Canberra for a while and just relax, and I think everyone deserves a vacation every now and again.  I hope this is not the end of my great journeys and adventures and I look forward to many more in the future.  Who knows where my next adventure will be?

Another Great Journey -- The French Connection

This was our last full day in New Zealand and Isabella and I had to make it to Christchurch, or as near as possible.  I was flying out the next day and Isabella would be continuing her bicycle journey north form there.  She had a few weeks to reach Auckland and this would go quite some ways to helping her out.  Also, our adventures in the dark trying to get to Invercargill the night before meant we were a little apprehensive but this journey was set to be straight and along mostly major highways.

Isabella managed to get a reservation at a hostel in Akaroa, a small town on the Banks Peninsula just east of Christchurch.  It was near enough that it wouldn't take too long to get to Christchurch and this particular hostel had very good reviews.  We decided first, though to do some exploring of Dunedin.

The central part of Dunedin is a circular collection of streets called the Octagon.  Many of the oldest and most important buildings of the city are in this small area.  For relaxation there's even a little park in the middle transected by Princes and George Streets.  We first walked up to the statue of Robert Burns, the great Scottish poet.  As Dunedin was founded by Scots, in fact the whole of the southern South Island to Invercargill was colonized mostly by Scots, things Scottish have a sort of pride of place.  It was one of Robert Burns' nephews who was the first minister in the local Presbyterian church, I think.  It's a good landmark to use if you want to meet someone.  Across the road is the impressive Anglican Cathedral with it's towering spires and beside it is the Municipal Chambers building.  The Municipal Chambers is perhaps best known for its clock tower which gives it a distinctive look.

From there we took a short walk down Stuart Street to perhaps Dunedin's most famous landmark, the train station.  Built when Dunedin was the second largest city in the country and center of a gold rush, its design is in the Franco-Flemish style.  That might not mean much in itself but among British colonies that use of architecture makes it more or less unique.  It has this sort of ornate quality about it that just makes it unmistakable.  The actual foyer to wait for trains is pretty small and most of the rest of the building is offices and the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame which is a bit anticlimactic, but the building itself is thoroughly enjoyable to look at.  Our next stop was the First Presbyterian Church not too far away which doesn't receive as much credit as the Anglican Cathedral or the train station but it is an excellent example of Scottish Gothic architecture.

Getting in our car, we then drove to the north of the city and drove up Baldwin Street.  This is, supposedly, the steepest street in the world and I can categorically say that it is quite the adventure to drive up it.  You have to use the lowest possible gear and as you drive up you are in constant terror that you will stall.  Once you reach the top, the only thing you can do is turn around and head down where you're  in constant fear that the car will get away from you.  Isabella got the whole drive on video and it's quite the experience if you like a bit of adventure.

Isabella and I decided that we wanted to try some Bluff oysters raw, or as near as possible.  The price in Dunedin was quite high but Isabella said she remembered cheaper prices in another town on the drive in.  We drove to Mosgiel, a town I mentioned earlier, and it is only 15 kilometers from Dunedin.  There we found some Bluff oysters for half the price they were selling in Dunedin and decided to see if they really were worth all the hype.  We sat down on a bench and I took the first one and instantly cringed.  It was far too salty to leave them in the brine so we drained the brine and shared the oysters.  I don't think they were particularly good and Isabella agreed that they tasted far better deep-fried than raw.

From Mosgiel we drove back through Dunedin and off to the north.  Our only stop long the way was the famous Moeraki Boulders.  These are a series of boulders on a beach that have been rounded off by the erosive action of the sea.  They are quite well-known but there weren't that many people around when Isabella and I went for a walk.  They were interesting and certainly set in a scenic coast of New Zealand.

We didn't linger long and then made for Akaroa with all necessary haste.  Progress wasn't as fast as I'd hoped but I suppose we did it in about the average time.  To get to Akaroa you turn off the main highway and then cut across top the highway for the Banks Peninsula.  As we drove the lonely highway to Akaroa the highway turned from flat to mountainous as we crested and troughed the peaks of the Banks Peninsula.  By the time we finally reached Akaroa, darkness had set in.

The connection between France and Scotland runs deep and it seems that New Zealand is no exception.  The town of Akaroa, which may be the South Island's first European settlement, was founded by the French.  Even today the street names have mostly French names and the name of our hostel was Bon Accord.  Although it was dark, Akaroa was a pleasant little town and is a bit of a tourist destination precisely because of its unique French heritage.  Our hostel was also very well apportioned and I think it could've even rated as a hotel.  I keep saying that the Kiwis know how to treat visitors.

As it was dark, I was worried we wouldn't be in time for dinner but the manager of the hostel managed to get us a reservation at a very nice restaurant; it is probably Akaroa's nicest.  Isabella and I got dressed for the occasion and walked to the restaurant.  It was small, crowded, lively and magnificent.  It was clearly a very popular place as it seemed that every visitor was there.  We felt fortunate as there were some people who were turned away because the place was simply too full.  It had such a great atmosphere and the food was fantastic too.  At the end, they gave us each about a shot of a homemade liqueur produced from the feijoa plant.  This is a type of sweet fruit that is grown in some quantity on the South Island.  Even though I'm a teetotaller, I found it quite tasty and an excellent end to the evening.  With the crowd thinning out, Isabella and I took a nighttime walk along Akaroa's principal street before returning to the hostel.

We were both a bit sad at the realization that we would be parting company tomorrow but glad of the adventure.  We talked a bit and prepacked what we need to before turning in for the night.  We had seen quite a good portion of the South Island, from its towering mountains to the cold sea.  All that was left now was the next morning.

Another Great Journey -- The Catlins

The south coast from Dunedin to Invercargill is quite ruggedly spectacular and has been given the name, The Catlins.  It is sparsely populated but has some very interesting things to see.  I'm trying to think of an equivalent place in North America but I can't; perhaps something like the south California coast if it were transported to the eastern seaboard.  At any rate, Isabella and I decided to try this area next.

Our first stop was actually at the semi-rural house of some people Isabella had met earlier in her travels.  They lived in a house on the hills overlooking Dunedin and the view of the city was very good.  Isabella's friend, whose name I now forget, lives a sort of bohemian existence with her partner.  There are 2 couples, I believe, and they share this one, reasonably big house.  As I mentioned it's just outside Dunedin and it didn't take us long to get there.  Isabella and her friend chatted for quite some time and I joined in when I could and we stayed about an hour, maybe.  Afterwards, we drove back through Dunedin and to the south towards the Catlins.

To get to the Catlins you have to drive along the main highway before turning off at Balclutha.  I remember there being quite a lot of construction on the roads which made them rough and slowed down traffic.  I don't know if this was because of the earthquake a little while before or if it was simply seasonal work that had to be done.  We eventually reached the turnoff and headed down the road network known as the Southern Scenic Route.  This is not a major highway, you have to understand, but country roads.  There was still a fair bit of traffic but you could tell that the Catlins, while certainly well-visited, were probably often overlooked by travellers who merely wished to get to Invercargill or Dunedin.

Our first stop was Kaka Point where, like Sandfly Bay the day before, we took to hiding behind a blind to see hoihos.  There were a few in the grass on the hills.  It seems that hoihos go to great lengths to set their nests in the grass where the eggs will be safer from predators.

Our next stop was nearby Nugget Point with its famous lighthouse.  Here there were quite a number of people milling about and it seemed to be one of the more popular spots.  It was a bit of a walk from the parking lot to the actual lighthouse but the view from was quite lovely.  The  The coastline on either side of the lighthouse is quite rugged and has no doubt claimed many vessels in its time.  The day had been quite sunny up to this point but as we left Nugget Point, the clouds were truly coming and it was clear we would be in for some wet weather.  This is not unexpected and this part of the South Island is prone to such changes as there really is nothing between it and Antarctica so cold, wet weather is a feature of existence here.

From Nugget Point we drove to Purakaunui Falls, a smallish waterfall in the area.  The roads to the falls were paved but mostly through woods and I don't recall there being any other cars really.  We made it to the falls, parked the car and walked down.  The falls were quite nice, a series of cascades in the forest but nothing truly spectacular.

From there we drove to Niagara Falls.  This drive took us along some very hilly terrain but it did offer some great views of the area.  We had noticed the name on one of the maps we had and decided to check it out as our Canadian heritage impelled us.  Niagara Falls, in this case, is a small rapid and the person who named them after the famous North American falls did so expressly out of irony.

From Niagara Falls we drove along the coast to Curio Bay which has a famous petrified forest.  The rain was coming down hard now and reminded me of the last time I was in Invercargill.  The petrified forest sits on a sort of rocky shelf right on the ocean and you can step out onto it.  Although it was raining quite hard, I decided to take a walk on the rocks.  At various points you could see what were once trees and they had now hardened to solid rock.  It was actually quite informative and there were 2 volunteer conservation officers who explained various things.

Our last stop for the day was Slope Point, the South Island's southernmost point, and here were truly alone. There not another car on the whole road there and when Isabella and I exited, there was hardly a sound.  The walk down to the point goes through a farmer's field but I imagine there is a public right of way, at least, no one came out and told us to get off their land.  Slope Point itself is just a rocky outcrop that juts into the sea.  I went right to the edge and thought that this was the last point of land between here and the Antarctic ice, over 4 000 kilometers away.  From Slope Point though, in the distance, through the sun's rays, you could just make out Rakiura (Stewart Island) and the rugged coastline extending to Invercargill.

Isabella and I climbed back into the car for the trip back and this is where the harrowing part of our journey began.  We made it to the village of Fortrose which marks the end of the Catlins.  I had intended to skip Invercargill altogether and simply head north towards Edendale where we could meet up with Highway 1, the principal route in the south part.  I noticed we were a little low on gas but  decided to press on and fill in Edendale.  Unfortunately as we followed the signs to Edendale we were going through back country roads that while paved, had few settlements about them.  Luckily there were signs to Edendale until we hit a crossroads and the sign only pointed to Wyndham.  I decided to turn in the opposite direction, which turned out to be a mistake.  I later saw on Google Street View that I should've turned towards Wyndham and we would've reached Edendale quite quickly.

As it was , our current situation was that we were lost along country roads, low on fuel, in the dead of night, but heading towards Invercargill. We could only hope that we would reach that city before our fuel ran out.  As it turned out, after making our way long these country roads and through back streets, we reached Invercargill and found a gas station.  I apologized to Isabella as profusely as I could for our situation but promised to make up for it by taking here to the Lone Star, a steakhouse my brother and I had gone to when we were in Invercargill.  Luckily it was still open and we had a very good meal, including some wonderful deep-fried Bluff oysters.  These oysters are farmed in Bluff, only 30 kilometers to the south and are known for their taste.  I who generally am apprehensive of seafood had a taste and they appealed to me.

After this rather late dinner, I took Isabella to Invercargill's famous water tower.  It was lit up and we drove around it.  After getting a little lost in the city we managed to find our way back onto the principal highway and raced back towards Dunedin, which is only 200 and a bit kilometers away.  Isabella slept most of the way for which I cannot blame her.  We passed through some towns and villages but all over there was quite and very few other cars on the road.  With so little traffic it was easy to make it to Dunedin and when we finally reached our hostel, we crawled up and fell asleep as soon as we could.

Another Great Journey -- The Otago Peninsula

Instead of just hanging around Dunedin all day, Isabella and I decided to take in some sights around Dunedin.  Luckily, Dunedin has a very picturesque area within easy driving distance --- the Otago Peninsula.  This is a large spit of land that just out of the South Island and Dunedin is situated where the peninsula meets the mainland.  The Otago Peninsula has some remarkable things to see and we were determined to see as many as we could.

The first place we stopped was Taiaroa Head at the eastern edge of the peninsula.  This place is known for having the only mainland breeding colony of Royal Albatrosses in the world.  There is a visitors center that leads to a walk to an observation platform above the breeding colony.  Isabella and I stepped in, saw the prices and decided to step out again.  It was quite expensive for short viewing and there were no discounts for students or anything.  Isabella and I decided to drive up a side road to get some better views of the surrounding area and the panorama was exquisite.  Sunny days do not often happen in Dunedin and the sun provided excellent light for the views.  Isabella and I also had some lunch on the grass near Taiaroa Head, looking out over the Pacific Ocean.

At this point I figured that since we'd come this far, why not at least check out the colony.  I went inside and bought the necessary tickets.  I tried to get Isabella a discount as she is a conservation officer in Alberta but the staff declined.  Before the tour began Isabella and I looked around the visitors center which had many displays regarding the habits of albatrosses, the establishment of this particular colony and its subsequent protected status.  From there the tour group marched up to the observation platform.  There was only 1 albatross flying around and I didn't see any others in the thicket but an albatross is flight is quite an impressive sight to behold.  The wingspan is enormous but even the Royal Albatrosses wingspan is less than that of the Wandering Albatross, which can be up to 3 meters.  An albatross doesn't actually use and energy when it glides because it has a tendon that locks the wings in place.  They really are fascinating birds.

From the albatross colony, Isabella and I drove along the ridge of the Otago Peninsula to Larnach Castle, New Zealand's only castle.  It was built by a businessman and Member of Parliament who made his fortune in New Zealand and decided to build a home for his family in the Scottish style.  He found a beautiful spot atop the peninsula and set about having the structure built.  Mr. Larnach also made sure that the grounds were well ornamented with gardens.  However, the story of Larnach Castle is not a happy one.  Eventually, Mr. Larnach committed suicide and the children began fighting over the estate.  While Larnach Castle in its heyday had seen fantastic balls and functions, it eventually fell into decline.  The current owners bought it in the 1960s and it was in dire need of repair.  I'm sure that they got it for a steal and all I can say it has probably reaped dividends for them.

Larnach Castle, now fully restored, is a high end hotel and museum.  It's probably the most expensive hotel in the Dunedin area but people pay a fortune to stay here regardless.  It has a sort of charm about it and the views are undeniable spectacular.  The grounds contain gardens which are divided into several sections, each with different flora.  The inside of the castle, where photographs are not allowed, contains memorabilia from Larnach Castle's history and the rooms are preserved as they were.  The master bedroom had quite a nice view of the mainland on the other side.  However, my favourite place was the turret.  From there, there was an unobstructed view of the whole surrounding area.

You don't have to a be a guest of Larnach Castle to visit it, though you will have to leave by a certain time.  However, if you do want to visit the castle just as a visitor, be prepared to pay quite a substantial amount for the privilege.  It seems everything on the Otago Peninsula is expensive.

Our trip through Larnach Castle took us until the early evening so we decided to see some wildlife in Sandfly Bay.  This is a reasonable large bay on the peninsula's southwest.  It is one of the homes of the hoiho, the yellow-eyed penguin.  We drove to the parking lot and then walked the length of the beach to the blind to observe the penguins.  Along the way, Isabella and I observed many sea lions lying about in the sand.  They didn't become active until we were leaving so I guess they are mostly active at dusk and dawn.  We also saw a little hoiho walking along the sand dunes.  Once we reached the blind we were greeted by a volunteer conservation officer who explained where the hoihos like to make their nests.  He lent us a pair of binoculars and we observed some in the tall grass in the hills surrounding the bay.  These are quite sheer and I find it hard to imagine that a penguin could have climbed the distance.  It seems that they are tenacious little devils and simply hop as necessary.  After a solid viewing session, we hiked back to the car and drove towards Dunedin.

On the way back we took the high road along the peninsula's ridge.  Fog is a very common feature of the area and it was rolling in as we drove back.  It was a sort of fast moving fog that rolled and curled like smoke.  Once we were in the lower areas, though, the fog lifted and we could continue unimpeded.

Our Otago peninsula adventure was fantastic as we saw so much of what the area has to offer.  I hope to go back one day and, if I have a little more money, I'll stay at least one night at the castle.  The next adventure Isabella and I had was also very interesting, but at one point became quite harrowing.