Science + Hooker Valley = PhD Fun. Part 1

Recently, a friend asked me to come for a road trip.  Along the way she pointed out sites of interest and the ponds where she collects samples of water for her research (something about parasites???).

We stopped to see the fossilized scapula of a whale at this site:

Three cows guarded the entrance to see this whale scapula (ooooh! ahhhh!):

Next up, Elephant Rocks! This area is located in the Waitaki Valley and has really neat features that I hadn't seen yet, like the limestone formations that resemble elephants. *Note: that is a real, live sheep; not a rock that resembles a sheep.

We carried on to Mt. Cook after a quick look around at the Elephant Rocks and a pit stop for the best lemon slice in the entire world.  On the way back from our adventures in the Hooker Valley, we stopped to see Maori rock art.  There was a wee bit of graffiti, so I can't say for certain that this is definitely Maori-made, but let's all just smile and nod and say it is, m'kay?

Next up... pictures from Mandy's data collection ponds and our Hooker Valley hike!