"Conference"

Some intern colleagues and I just got back from a week-long medical conference in Wanaka, New Zealand. It was brilliant ... and not just because the speakers were all engaging and well-informed and the topics relevant and interesting. They were. But let's be honest - the focus was really on the extra-curricular.

The organisers purposefully made it like this. Lectures were held from 7-9am and then 5.30-7.30pm every day, leaving, as you can see, a significant number of daylight hours to be filled. Conveniently, we just so happened to be situated near some spectacular ski fields. One of our lecturers, a senior Emergency consultant, was late to give his presentation one day because he'd been heli-skiing in the afternoon. Of course everybody understood. Check out the view!

One of my colleagues, after assuring me that he had been skiing before and was quite good, is yet to forgive me for taking him down a 'black' (expert) slope. In my defence the signposting was quite poor and neither of us knew for sure that it was a black slope until it was too late.

My other colleague had never even seen snow before. After hours of discussion we convinced him to try skiing instead of snowboarding ... he tried skiing for a day, then went snowboarding. He probably would have enjoyed it all a lot more had he not developed pneumonia during the week.

There was also plenty to do for those not keen on snow ...

Fudge selection at the Remarkable Sweet Shop in Queenstown

Lake Wanaka (the conference venue had a spectacular view of the lake)

Some of the lovely classic cars at the Warbirds and Wheels Museum. There were also classic war-planes but they didn't fit into my picture!

The incredibly frustrating 3D maze at Puzzling World, Wanaka. It wasn't too bad until we needed to find our way out.

I will definitely be trying to get back there next year!