KIA ORA! - First and maybe only update from New Zealand
KIA ORA! That's hello in Maori. How is everybody back home? Just in case you are wondering where I am, I have been in New Zealand for the past seven days and have been enjoying myself thus far. Eric is my buddy for this graduation trip and no Brokeback jokes please! The flight from Changi to Auckland is my first ever plane ride. Yes, mountain tortoise 26 years old then takes plane for the first time. Haha. Caught the sunrise at 30000 feet in the sky and it was a very beautiful sight. Wow!
When I stepped out of the airport at Auckland, it was like suddenly walking into a very cold air-con environment. It was 9°C. Brrrrr! Although I had my winter jacket on hand, I decided to forgo it momentarily to embrace the environment. After getting the car, we drove North to Paihia. It was a very long ride up from Auckland, 3.5 hours long. Though long, the ride was filled with many scenic environments. It was really beautiful. Also, being away from the wheels of a car for a very long time, driving through the mountain pass was exhilarating. Although the speed limit here is 100km/h, nobody breaks it as the Police here are very stringent in enforcing the speed limit. However, most roads and turns are at this speed and making turns and bends at 80-100kmh was a new experience for me!
17 May 2006
When we reached Paihia, we were disappointed to find that we had missed the last ferry tour of the Bay of Isles. We then walked around Paihia and took in the scenes and the little town. It was a quaint little town with many eateries which were tourist traps basically. Haha. We settled for dinner at a Swiss Café where the seafood we ordered was excellent. It was fresh and well cooked. Yummmm! By the time dinner was over, it was only 6.30pm but the sky had turned dark already by 6pm. Feeling the effects of the long flight and drive, we went back to our hostel and took an early night. Damn I was basically washed out. We had the heater on full blast that night as it was about 3 to 5°C. There is no need for Air-Con here, it is a natural air-con environment.
18 May 2006
Next morning, we took a buffet breakfast at a nearby café before setting off for Waitomo Caves. It was a very cool morning when we set off. Barely had we left Paihia when we were driving through fog right up to Orewa, a town not far from Auckland. The beach at Orewa was another sight to behold! There are just so many beautiful sights in New Zealand.
When I took over the driving just as we past Auckland on our way south to Waitamo Caves, I made a terrible mistake when I forgot to disengage the hand-brake when we moved off. The rear wheels were smoking terrible before a fellow motorist alerted me of the smoke. Dumb! Haha.
The weather became chillier as we approached Waitamo Caves. It was really cold here. Alas, we just missed the last guided tour of 2 of 3 caves and missed out on visiting all the caves. We did however manage to visit the glowworm caves and it was magnificent. Beware though of the tourist trap when they say no photography allowed but end the tour with a group photo taken by them. Haha. After we visited the cave, we wanted to visit a waterfall that was about 20-40km away. However, after driving for close to 20 minutes with no sign of the waterfall turn off, we had to turn around as night has fallen, at 5.30pm no less, and we were driving on a mountain route with only our car headlight as the only illumination. The curves and turns really reminded me of Mt Akina of Initial D fame. Haha.
We settled for Fish & Chips at the Tavern in the village for dinner, which was cheaper than what was available in Paihia and the serving was much larger. We also tried the local beer. I am not much of a Beer connoisseur myself but Eric claims it is good. It was really cold that night. What more with us being in a mountainous region, the temperature must have really dived.
19 May 2006
Waking early, we set off for Rotorua. We stopped at the little town just outside the turn off into Waitamo Caves area for some pie and hot drinks for breakfast. Cheap and Yummy. Mmmm. The route which we took was a scenic route with plenty of photography opportunities.
Having made arrangements the prior day at Waitamo for the visit to the Whakarewarewa Maori Thermal village, we headed straight for the village. Finally, an area of warmth. Ahhhh! The Maori performance was interesting, I especially liked the Maori love song and the Haka, of course! We had a guided tour around the village and was explained how this Maori tribe came about and how they used the thermal energy of the region to cook their meals and to bathe in. We even tried the Hangi meal, well we took the package which included the meal. It was delicious and healthy. No oil whatsoever, all cooked with the steam from the hot thermal pools.
At the hostel that we were staying at, there was also a mini thermal pool there but we did not try it out as we were very tired. We settled for dinner at a little Irish pub in town which had a Sirloin Steak offer for $10.50 only. The police here also knocked off at 5pm and they closed the police centre too!
20 May 06
We did a tour of the Rotorua Museum in the morning before we left Rotorua. Here we learnt that Rororua is an area very deep in Maori culture and that it was also an area where plenty came to take mud baths. It supposedly soothes the aches and pains, and is very effective for people suffering from arthritis.
With Taupo being only a short 1.5 hours drive away, we detoured to the Aratiatia dam first to view the opening of the floodgates, followed by heading down to Huku falls. The sights here were really beautiful. We even saw a couple taking their wedding photos at Huku falls. Our next stop before heading into Taupo was the Craters of the Moon trail. When we stepped into the park, the sight that greeted us was akin to a scene out of Jurassic Park. There was plenty of geothermal activity in this area with many holes in the ground thus the name. 3 places without the need to pay for anything, and these areas were in no way worse off than paying attractions. Wonderful!
Having realized the night before that we were spending too much on food, we decided to cook our dinners for the rest of the trip, beginning in Taupo. Also, we were kind of sick of eating Fish & Chips or Steak for dinner everyday. Going to the nearby supermarket, we got some ham and instant noodles. Just something basic to get us through first. While cooking, a group of Caucasian gals tried cooking rice. When we saw what their disastrous result, we gave them some tips on how to cook rice. Haiz. What is this world turning into when 2 guys have got to teach gals how to cook white rice?!
21 May 2006
After we washed up, we headed straight on to Wellington. The route we took, Tongariro Crossing, took us through a plateau which ran parallel to Mt Ruapehu, a mountain range known for its skiing activities not unlike Queenstown (NOT THE SINGAPORE ONE) in the South Island. The view was wonderful but the wind was very strong and cold! I was practically shivering when we got off to take photos and my face and hands when numb! Next time I come to New Zealand, I am going to do skiing!
We then continued on our journey to the town of Feilding. This town has been winning the award of The Most Beautiful Town for some time. When we arrived there, it was really pretty nice and quaint too!
Our last stop before we headed into Wellington was to the little town of Paekakariki. We were looking for the lookout which will give us a wonderful view of the coastal line and also, on a clear day, a view of the South Island of New Zealand.
By the time we reached Wellington, it was about 3pm. The room they gave us was Room 314, reminded me of Mission Impossible and the bible verse of Job 3:14. After checking in at the hostel, we headed to the nearby Te Papa Museum. When I look at the Te Papa museum, it makes me feel that our very own National Heritage Museum is a sad case. Here, the New Zealand and Maori history and culture were all displayed and explained to visitors. Plus, it is free! Not that I enjoy everything that is free but plenty of work was placed into the exhibits and it could still be accomplished without having to place a premium on the citizens to view it. I guess it is something we have to learn.
We headed on towards Queen's Wharf after we were done with the museum and our lack of cover soon got to us. The wind was gusting and it was getting very cold. However, we still managed to cover the distance to Queen’s Wharf before heading to the supermarket to pick up some groceries for our dinner.
Tonight we had fettuccini and tomato pasta sauce for dinner, together with a serving of salad. After many days without anything other than potatoes, we needed leafy vegetables!
22 May 2006
We quickly made our breakfast and then headed out to Cape Palliser. On the way there the journey up to Upper Hutt was practically a reenactment of the passes of Mt Akina of Initial D fame. Hairpin turns, continuous left right bends, s-curves, both on the ascending trip and the descending trip! A slight mistake and it was the bottom of the valley! It was a thrilling ride!
When we arrived at Cape Palliser, there happened to be a Seal sunbathing on the shore. We were really lucky to spot this seal as it was not the mating season. I crept to within 3 meters of the Seal to take a shot with it. Did not want to get too near it lest it decided to make a rush at me! Haha. We also headed up to the lighthouse area which gave us a great view of the bay area.
Our next stop for the day was to Martinborough, the local vineyard. The town itself was a very small and quaint town. I picked up a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for only $15, which will most likely be consumed when we are in the cold region of Arthur’s Pass in the South Island. We also made a small detour to a nearby wind farm.
Getting back to Wellington, we went to explore the local shopping arcade and also to find the cable car which will be taking us to our destination for the next day. With night fall upon us, it was still only 5pm but the sky was already turning dark, we quickly headed to the local supermarket to pick up some more groceries to get us through for the next few days. Dinner tonight is pork porridge. Haha. Yummmy! The people in the hostel kitchen even commented that it smells nice. Looks like us 2 guys are not too shabby when it comes to cooking. Hahaha! Happened to notice one of the hostel staff tonight too, she was not on duty when we checked in. Not sure if she is Chinese or Korean, but she sure looks cute. I like. Heez.
23 May 2006
Damn was it cold when I woke in the morning. When I got downstairs, I realized that it had been drizzling in the morning. However, Eric later corrected me and explained that it was a wet fog. Either way, it was freezing cold. While whipping up my breakfast of fried egg-bread in the kitchen, I had forgotten about the pie I had left in the microwave oven. It got burnt and smoked poured out of the oven, creating a smoking mess in the dining area. Big stupid booboo I did. We quickly finished up our breakfast and then proceeded to move the car to a cheaper day parking area.
We carried off from where we had left off yesterday at the shopping arcade and the shops were already opened in full force at 8am! It was still foggy and drizzling so we proceeded to visit the historical buildings in the city. When we came to the parliament building, there was a group of people protesting about aged workers pay. We sure don't get such stuff back home. One of the places we visited was the old Church of Saint Paul. The church now no longer holds services and has been converted into a historical site. It was a small church but very homely. I sort of felt my hair stand when I entered into the smaller rooms and even skipped going to the toilet there. I have done too many things which go against my conscience, maybe that is why I felt scared.
Coming out of the church, the sky looks to have cleared up some and we headed for the cable car ride up to the botanical gardens. Alas, by the time we reached the cable car station, it was raining or foggy again. What was supposed to be a great lookout view of the harbor became a total washout. Ah well, there was a cable car museum there. Learnt how the system came about in Wellington and how it has changed since the late 19th century. As it was still pouring when we came out of the museum, we decided to head back down hill and to the Museum of Wellington City and Sea. It is another free museum but it was also filled with features and well maintained. Here we learnt the history of Wellington and how it was a port of call for many ships even to this day.
Feeling tired by now, we headed to the supermarket again to pick up some potatoes and lamb for our rendang curry tonight. Mmmmm. When we began cooking dinner, everybody commented on how great a smell the curry was emating. Heez. We had to modify the curry from the canned curry bought from the supermarket here. It tasted like laksa when poured out of the can. We added plenty of spices to achieve the correct flavor. Cooking took us about 1.5 hours but it was well worth it. Something to give us a flavor of home. Mmmmm.
I am very stuffed now and sitting at an internet cafe here just catching up with things back home and with my few friends. I will be leaving Wellington tomorrow and taking the Interisland ferry down to Picton before heading down to Franz Josef Galcier. Boy am I going to really freeze my butt off down there. Till I get to Christchurch or when I get back, take care everybody!
When I stepped out of the airport at Auckland, it was like suddenly walking into a very cold air-con environment. It was 9°C. Brrrrr! Although I had my winter jacket on hand, I decided to forgo it momentarily to embrace the environment. After getting the car, we drove North to Paihia. It was a very long ride up from Auckland, 3.5 hours long. Though long, the ride was filled with many scenic environments. It was really beautiful. Also, being away from the wheels of a car for a very long time, driving through the mountain pass was exhilarating. Although the speed limit here is 100km/h, nobody breaks it as the Police here are very stringent in enforcing the speed limit. However, most roads and turns are at this speed and making turns and bends at 80-100kmh was a new experience for me!
17 May 2006
When we reached Paihia, we were disappointed to find that we had missed the last ferry tour of the Bay of Isles. We then walked around Paihia and took in the scenes and the little town. It was a quaint little town with many eateries which were tourist traps basically. Haha. We settled for dinner at a Swiss Café where the seafood we ordered was excellent. It was fresh and well cooked. Yummmm! By the time dinner was over, it was only 6.30pm but the sky had turned dark already by 6pm. Feeling the effects of the long flight and drive, we went back to our hostel and took an early night. Damn I was basically washed out. We had the heater on full blast that night as it was about 3 to 5°C. There is no need for Air-Con here, it is a natural air-con environment.
18 May 2006
Next morning, we took a buffet breakfast at a nearby café before setting off for Waitomo Caves. It was a very cool morning when we set off. Barely had we left Paihia when we were driving through fog right up to Orewa, a town not far from Auckland. The beach at Orewa was another sight to behold! There are just so many beautiful sights in New Zealand.
When I took over the driving just as we past Auckland on our way south to Waitamo Caves, I made a terrible mistake when I forgot to disengage the hand-brake when we moved off. The rear wheels were smoking terrible before a fellow motorist alerted me of the smoke. Dumb! Haha.
The weather became chillier as we approached Waitamo Caves. It was really cold here. Alas, we just missed the last guided tour of 2 of 3 caves and missed out on visiting all the caves. We did however manage to visit the glowworm caves and it was magnificent. Beware though of the tourist trap when they say no photography allowed but end the tour with a group photo taken by them. Haha. After we visited the cave, we wanted to visit a waterfall that was about 20-40km away. However, after driving for close to 20 minutes with no sign of the waterfall turn off, we had to turn around as night has fallen, at 5.30pm no less, and we were driving on a mountain route with only our car headlight as the only illumination. The curves and turns really reminded me of Mt Akina of Initial D fame. Haha.
We settled for Fish & Chips at the Tavern in the village for dinner, which was cheaper than what was available in Paihia and the serving was much larger. We also tried the local beer. I am not much of a Beer connoisseur myself but Eric claims it is good. It was really cold that night. What more with us being in a mountainous region, the temperature must have really dived.
19 May 2006
Waking early, we set off for Rotorua. We stopped at the little town just outside the turn off into Waitamo Caves area for some pie and hot drinks for breakfast. Cheap and Yummy. Mmmm. The route which we took was a scenic route with plenty of photography opportunities.
Having made arrangements the prior day at Waitamo for the visit to the Whakarewarewa Maori Thermal village, we headed straight for the village. Finally, an area of warmth. Ahhhh! The Maori performance was interesting, I especially liked the Maori love song and the Haka, of course! We had a guided tour around the village and was explained how this Maori tribe came about and how they used the thermal energy of the region to cook their meals and to bathe in. We even tried the Hangi meal, well we took the package which included the meal. It was delicious and healthy. No oil whatsoever, all cooked with the steam from the hot thermal pools.
At the hostel that we were staying at, there was also a mini thermal pool there but we did not try it out as we were very tired. We settled for dinner at a little Irish pub in town which had a Sirloin Steak offer for $10.50 only. The police here also knocked off at 5pm and they closed the police centre too!
20 May 06
We did a tour of the Rotorua Museum in the morning before we left Rotorua. Here we learnt that Rororua is an area very deep in Maori culture and that it was also an area where plenty came to take mud baths. It supposedly soothes the aches and pains, and is very effective for people suffering from arthritis.
With Taupo being only a short 1.5 hours drive away, we detoured to the Aratiatia dam first to view the opening of the floodgates, followed by heading down to Huku falls. The sights here were really beautiful. We even saw a couple taking their wedding photos at Huku falls. Our next stop before heading into Taupo was the Craters of the Moon trail. When we stepped into the park, the sight that greeted us was akin to a scene out of Jurassic Park. There was plenty of geothermal activity in this area with many holes in the ground thus the name. 3 places without the need to pay for anything, and these areas were in no way worse off than paying attractions. Wonderful!
Having realized the night before that we were spending too much on food, we decided to cook our dinners for the rest of the trip, beginning in Taupo. Also, we were kind of sick of eating Fish & Chips or Steak for dinner everyday. Going to the nearby supermarket, we got some ham and instant noodles. Just something basic to get us through first. While cooking, a group of Caucasian gals tried cooking rice. When we saw what their disastrous result, we gave them some tips on how to cook rice. Haiz. What is this world turning into when 2 guys have got to teach gals how to cook white rice?!
21 May 2006
After we washed up, we headed straight on to Wellington. The route we took, Tongariro Crossing, took us through a plateau which ran parallel to Mt Ruapehu, a mountain range known for its skiing activities not unlike Queenstown (NOT THE SINGAPORE ONE) in the South Island. The view was wonderful but the wind was very strong and cold! I was practically shivering when we got off to take photos and my face and hands when numb! Next time I come to New Zealand, I am going to do skiing!
We then continued on our journey to the town of Feilding. This town has been winning the award of The Most Beautiful Town for some time. When we arrived there, it was really pretty nice and quaint too!
Our last stop before we headed into Wellington was to the little town of Paekakariki. We were looking for the lookout which will give us a wonderful view of the coastal line and also, on a clear day, a view of the South Island of New Zealand.
By the time we reached Wellington, it was about 3pm. The room they gave us was Room 314, reminded me of Mission Impossible and the bible verse of Job 3:14. After checking in at the hostel, we headed to the nearby Te Papa Museum. When I look at the Te Papa museum, it makes me feel that our very own National Heritage Museum is a sad case. Here, the New Zealand and Maori history and culture were all displayed and explained to visitors. Plus, it is free! Not that I enjoy everything that is free but plenty of work was placed into the exhibits and it could still be accomplished without having to place a premium on the citizens to view it. I guess it is something we have to learn.
We headed on towards Queen's Wharf after we were done with the museum and our lack of cover soon got to us. The wind was gusting and it was getting very cold. However, we still managed to cover the distance to Queen’s Wharf before heading to the supermarket to pick up some groceries for our dinner.
Tonight we had fettuccini and tomato pasta sauce for dinner, together with a serving of salad. After many days without anything other than potatoes, we needed leafy vegetables!
22 May 2006
We quickly made our breakfast and then headed out to Cape Palliser. On the way there the journey up to Upper Hutt was practically a reenactment of the passes of Mt Akina of Initial D fame. Hairpin turns, continuous left right bends, s-curves, both on the ascending trip and the descending trip! A slight mistake and it was the bottom of the valley! It was a thrilling ride!
When we arrived at Cape Palliser, there happened to be a Seal sunbathing on the shore. We were really lucky to spot this seal as it was not the mating season. I crept to within 3 meters of the Seal to take a shot with it. Did not want to get too near it lest it decided to make a rush at me! Haha. We also headed up to the lighthouse area which gave us a great view of the bay area.
Our next stop for the day was to Martinborough, the local vineyard. The town itself was a very small and quaint town. I picked up a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc for only $15, which will most likely be consumed when we are in the cold region of Arthur’s Pass in the South Island. We also made a small detour to a nearby wind farm.
Getting back to Wellington, we went to explore the local shopping arcade and also to find the cable car which will be taking us to our destination for the next day. With night fall upon us, it was still only 5pm but the sky was already turning dark, we quickly headed to the local supermarket to pick up some more groceries to get us through for the next few days. Dinner tonight is pork porridge. Haha. Yummmy! The people in the hostel kitchen even commented that it smells nice. Looks like us 2 guys are not too shabby when it comes to cooking. Hahaha! Happened to notice one of the hostel staff tonight too, she was not on duty when we checked in. Not sure if she is Chinese or Korean, but she sure looks cute. I like. Heez.
23 May 2006
Damn was it cold when I woke in the morning. When I got downstairs, I realized that it had been drizzling in the morning. However, Eric later corrected me and explained that it was a wet fog. Either way, it was freezing cold. While whipping up my breakfast of fried egg-bread in the kitchen, I had forgotten about the pie I had left in the microwave oven. It got burnt and smoked poured out of the oven, creating a smoking mess in the dining area. Big stupid booboo I did. We quickly finished up our breakfast and then proceeded to move the car to a cheaper day parking area.
We carried off from where we had left off yesterday at the shopping arcade and the shops were already opened in full force at 8am! It was still foggy and drizzling so we proceeded to visit the historical buildings in the city. When we came to the parliament building, there was a group of people protesting about aged workers pay. We sure don't get such stuff back home. One of the places we visited was the old Church of Saint Paul. The church now no longer holds services and has been converted into a historical site. It was a small church but very homely. I sort of felt my hair stand when I entered into the smaller rooms and even skipped going to the toilet there. I have done too many things which go against my conscience, maybe that is why I felt scared.
Coming out of the church, the sky looks to have cleared up some and we headed for the cable car ride up to the botanical gardens. Alas, by the time we reached the cable car station, it was raining or foggy again. What was supposed to be a great lookout view of the harbor became a total washout. Ah well, there was a cable car museum there. Learnt how the system came about in Wellington and how it has changed since the late 19th century. As it was still pouring when we came out of the museum, we decided to head back down hill and to the Museum of Wellington City and Sea. It is another free museum but it was also filled with features and well maintained. Here we learnt the history of Wellington and how it was a port of call for many ships even to this day.
Feeling tired by now, we headed to the supermarket again to pick up some potatoes and lamb for our rendang curry tonight. Mmmmm. When we began cooking dinner, everybody commented on how great a smell the curry was emating. Heez. We had to modify the curry from the canned curry bought from the supermarket here. It tasted like laksa when poured out of the can. We added plenty of spices to achieve the correct flavor. Cooking took us about 1.5 hours but it was well worth it. Something to give us a flavor of home. Mmmmm.
I am very stuffed now and sitting at an internet cafe here just catching up with things back home and with my few friends. I will be leaving Wellington tomorrow and taking the Interisland ferry down to Picton before heading down to Franz Josef Galcier. Boy am I going to really freeze my butt off down there. Till I get to Christchurch or when I get back, take care everybody!
posted by Prosage at 18:52
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