fluish

arggg...down with flu again. damn this is lousy, never expected to fall ill due to reacclimitatisation to singapore's weather. meeting malcolm & eric later to watch the movie da vinci code at the newly reopened cathay cinema. i hope no nostrosity has occured to the building. hahaha. i wonder when they will reopen capitol. that is a great cinema.

it's over

i hope. haha. today i went back to submit my final obligation to ntu, my fyp hard-boud cover report. i hope i need only to make one last official trip back and that day will be on 27 July for my convocation. please let me graduate. please please please. of course i do hope that i need to go back for personal reasons too. hahaha.

recharged and hot!

i feel recharged after my trip to new zealand but damn, singapore is so damn bloody hot. think i got used to the 10°C temperature over there already. haha. when i got into the mrt train at the airport, i was perspiring heavily even with my bags and jacket off! phew! feeling kind of tired now, long flight, covered 5 movies! hahaha.

KIA ORA! - Second and last update from New Zealand

KIA ORA from AOTEAROA! Welcome to New Zealand. Hahaha. We have finally arrived at the South Island and are about to continue on our whirlwind tour of New Zealand. Brrr! It sure is bloody cold down south! The InterIsland ferry was interesting but it was damn expensive! $220 just to get us both and the car across! One interesting aspect during the ferry was that as we approached the South Island harbor of Picton, the dolphins swam out and welcomed the ferry! Hahaha. It was a sight to behold and they even accompanied the ferry till it was close to port where it then swam off to the outer bays.

24 May 06

After we arrived at Picton, our marathon drive of 7.5 hours non-stop began! Arriving with only half a tank of petrol from Wellington was a mistake we made. We were only half way through our journey when we were pushing empty. The fuel station that we first came to was selling petrol at 10 cents more per liter. Thinking that we would see a cheaper station along the way later, we decided to go with only 15 liters of fuel only. Horror was about to await us as the rout from here on was not only mountainous but there was no petrol station for the next 120km! We were on fuel conservation mode and praying that we will see a petrol station soon. Along the way we saw stopped at the Puanakaiki Pancake Rocks & Blowhole Park to see the natural beauty there. The rocks were shaped by years of erosion of the waves and by the wind and turned into very interesting formations.


After the park, we were still praying for the petrol station as the fuel needle was about to touch E with the low fuel warning light on and the sky was turning dark! Thankfully, just as the needle touched E, a petrol station appeared. Although the fuel was pricier than that of North Island by 10 cents per liter, we decided not to risk it anymore and topped up the tank full! By the time we arrived at our hostel at Franz Josef, it was already dark but it was still only 6.30pm! The temperature though was very cold! It was 10°C! We quickly settled in and proceeded to cook our dinner of fettuccini in creamy chicken gravy. Yummm!

25 May 06

Waking early, we checked out of the hostel and proceeded over to the Franz Josef Glacier. It was a real beauty! The trek in from the car park was long but it was well worth the effort to see the glacier up close. Pity that we were not able to join the guided tour, which included a hike up the glacier, as we were pressed for time. Haiz. We tried the water from the glacier and it was cold and exceedingly refreshing!


Our next stop was further South to another glacier, the Fox Glacier. The trek into the Fox Glacier was even longer but we got to get even closer to the glacier itself! It was of course done at our own risk as the rope markings were placed a distance away from the base of the glacier but with a sign that said that inexperienced trekkers should not proceed further. Hmmm..Us both have trekked mountains and various jungles previously, this should be ok. Hahaha. I even went as close as to the mouth of the Ice Cave at the base of the Glacier. I would have gone in but for the lack of proper equipment. Being so close to the Glacier, you could feel the cold wind channeling out of the Ice Cave. Not being able to resist it, I again took a swig of the water from the glacier and it was equally cold and refreshing! Yummm! Hahaha.



Bidding farewell to the glacier, we then proceeded to Arthur's Pass, our pit stop for the day. We had to reach Arthur’s Pass before night fall as it was smack right in the middle of the Southern Alps and we did not want to be driving on mountain passes without sufficient lighting. While driving through the Trans-Alpine highway, we saw evidence of landslide that have occurred on the mountains. We sure do not want to be caught in any.

By the time we arrived at our hostel in Arthur's Pass, the weather there was 6°C! COLD! This was the only hostel that we were staying at without an attached bathroom and toilet. The bathroom and toilets were communal but were within the same building. The most surprising thing to happen to us at Arthur's Pass was that the staff on duty was actually a former Singaporean! Imagine meeting a fellow Singaporean (ok, ex-Singaporean) in such an ulu place! While we were placing our food out to prepare to cook our dinner, it was to our horror when we realized that our packet of rice was missing. Damn! We must have left it at one of the previous hostel! Arggg. Thankfully we had some instant noodles with us and we substituted our curry mutton and rice with curry mutton and noodles. We talked to Traver, the ex-Singaporean hostel staff, and talked about the differences in lifestyles between New Zealand and Singapore and how things have changed back home.

26 May 06

When we woke in the morning, the temperature had fallen to 4°C! Brrr! For the first time in my life, while I was taking my early morning dump, I had frosty breath! Hahahaha! Traver introduced to us a nearby waterfall to visit while we were having our breakfast. It was only a short distance from the hostel and was only a 40 minutes return trek to the waterfall known as the Devil’s Punchbowl. Although we had done quite a sufficient among of trekking in New Zealand thus far, the gradient of the trekking route to the waterfall was really steep. Both Eric and I were panting at certain points during the trek. However, when we laid eyes on the waterfall, it was well worth the effort!

Getting back into the car, we headed straight on to Christchurch, our final pit stop in New Zealand. While driving along the Trans-Alpine highway, we saw various strange formations of rocks on some hills. Nothing like the Stonehenge but strange still. Again we had taken a gamble with our fuel and were lucky to reach a petrol station just as the extreme low fuel warning bell came on! Phew!

Seeing that we were early, we decided to head over to the Banks Peninsula to see the dolphins. However, we must have taken a wrong turn after passing the town or Akaroa and decided to head back to visit the town of Akaroa. This was a French settlement with the street names all in French. According to history, the British had landed on New Zealand 10 hours prior to the French and had laid claim to New Zealand then. I wonder what New Zealand would have been like if the French were 11 hours earlier?

Returning to town, we settled into our hostel and then went about looking for dinner. Deciding that since this was our last pit stop, we might as well eat out for dinner but still kept preparing our own breakfast. We walked around town looking for a place to eat but the prices were all very pricey. In the end we settled on a place serving buffet. Ah well, it was the place that served the most food at the lowest amount of money possible! What more could we ask for? While we were having dinner, 2 Korean gals came in and were sitting at the table just behind us. One of them looked cute but as always, I only see. Haha! Shortly after we began having our first round of food, a whole entourage of Japanese tourists came and filled up the restaurant! We both laughed and said that we just had to wait till they were done before beginning our second round. Dinner was filling but the seafood was lacking. Ah well, that is the way with seafood at such buffets.

27 May 06

Our mission for today was to head over to Kaikoura Peninsula to view the seal colony. The weather in Christchurch was cool when we began but as we drove north on the state highway, we started encountering a heavy and thick fog. Thankfully by the time we arrived at the mountain passes before Kaikoura, the fog had cleared. Although, it has to be noted that while driving down the mountain passes, Eric was so engrossed in discussing the intricacies of the Initial D anime, that he momentarily lost control of the vehicle and it started skidding. Luckily there were no cars coming up or going down at that period and he soon regain control. It was a very harrowing experience. Phew!

When we arrived at Kaikoura Peninsula, we were lucky that there were some seals at the seal colony. Ok, there were only 2 seals but it was still 1 better than the single seal at Cape Palliser. However, the seals here were fiercer and more territorial. When we attempted to approach to take photos, they growled and bared their tusks! Yikes!

Our next stop was to the Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum. For airplanes buffs such as us 2, it was a place that allowed us to view the restored World War 2 planes. Again, it was a much better museum than the one at Paya Lebar but we had to pay admission charges. At least here they honored our student status we only paid the student tariff, which was NZD$4 cheaper! The exhibits here were all well maintained with detailed documentation of the evolution of the RNZAF from its inception till its disarmament in 2001.

Today also happened to be the finals of the Super 14 Rugby League and was between the Hurricanes from Wellington and the Crusaders of Canterbury. It could be termed as the battle between the North & South Island teams. We tried to get our hands on the tickets to the match as it was held in Christchurch but they were sold out within 20 minutes of going on sale the previous week while we were still in the North Island! We then chose the next best alternative and set ourselves up for dinner and some beer at one of the local sports bar. As there were no seats left within the pub, we took up the seats at the outdoor smoking area. Even with a nearby heater, my body was feeling exceedingly cold on the side exposed to the cool 12°C temperature and it was not helped that the entire Christchurch area was covered in a wet fog, making it a very chilly night. The fog also greatly hampered the match as the players had difficulty in seeing the ball and viewers had difficulty seeing anything on the television! The atmosphere was pretty similar to the atmosphere back home at the local watering holes when a big match such as Liverpool vs Manchester United is on but the supporters here were much more passionate about their support. I was quietly supporting the Hurricanes as my favorite New Zealand rugby player, Tana Umaga, happened to be playing for them. However, seeing that we were in Christchurch, which was the home town of the Crusaders and the supporters at the pub were mostly Crusaders supporters, it was prudent to keep my emotions in check when the Hurricanes went on forays into the Crusaders territory and scored. Alas, the Crusaders ultimately won the match 19 to 12, thanks to a try scored in the second half.

28 May 06

Our last day in New Zealand today. Tomorrow we will be flying back home to hot and humid Singapore! The temperature in the morning was 11°C. First stop today was to the extinct volcano off Christchurch. The Gondola ride was similar to our Cable Car ride to Sentosa, ok it is the same cabin, but this ride gives a much better view. Unfortunately, the entire bay area was fogged in and we could not get a good view of the Bank's Peninsula when we reached the top. We tried taking the crater rim walk too but after 20 minutes into the walk, we turned around as we had other attractions we wanted to see back in the city and the walk was taking too long. By the time we reached back to the Gondola station, the fog had lifted some and we finally were able to see the Peninsula. YES!


Back in town we headed to take the local Tram ride. This trams were restored trams last used during the 1950's! The tram ride took us through the cutrual precint of the area and we saw many hitorical landmarks along the way. The tram driver, better known as the motorman, was really a funny bloke. When we past a road sign indicating that the temperature was 13°C, he said it was a bloody joke that it felt more like 5°C! He also claimed the fog to be the secret weapon which helped the Crusaders win the Super 14 final last night! Hahaha!



After taking a round trip, we alighted at the Cathedral Centre and it was beautiful. We went into the cathedral to visit but were not allowed to take photos as we decided not to buy the tourist package of NZD$5 each, cheapskates we are! Haha! There was a tomb of the First Bishop of Canterburry within the curch and I felt my hair stand when I looked at the Marble staue lying above the Marble casket. I must have really done too many bad things to fear even in the house of god!

We next visited the Caterburry Art Museum and the works there were beautiful. I am no arty-farty type but I still enjoyed viewing the different art works within the museum. Our final touristy stop was at the Canerburry Museum. Again, it was a well maintained museum, really puts the musuems back home to shame! The museum chartered the history of the Canterburry region of which Christchurch is one of the City within. There were also exhibits of some dinosaur and moa fossils. You will NEVER get to view such exhibits for free back home. NEVER! Hahaha.

Since it was our final night in New Zealand, we deicide to splurge some on food and we went to a local steakhouse for steak, All I can say about the meal is that, it was worth every cent spent! It was really good and not too exhorbitant. Only NZD$30 for my steak meal shown below! Great food and great value!

Well, that just about wraps up my whirlwind 12-day backpacking trip of new Zealand. Tomorrow morning I will be bidding farewell to Aoretoa, land of the Kiwis, and be back in sunny Singapore. I sure am going to miss this place. I will definately return in future but definitely for more days, maybe a month. However, I got to save up again, most likely in the regions of $7000. This trip blew a big $2650 in my bank account and just abouts dries it up. NOW, I really need to go get a job! Hahaha. See everyone when I get back! It was so foggy this morning that Chirstchuch International Airport grounded all planes till 11am. If this happened tomorrow, I am going to miss my connecting flight at Auckland! Let us see if the sky gods will be kind to us tomorrow.

KIA ORA!

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!