Run Of The Mill (Part 12)

Niv never fails to feel fully recharged each time he returns from New Zealand. He loves that place so much, even if his time is short there, he cherishes every moment there. However, he knows he does not belong there and he must return to his home, Singapore.

Attending the staff meeting before the new school year started, there were comments made by a few other educators of why Niv is still around. He knows he had stepped on more than a few toes during his time there and he was not surprised at the questions he picked up when they thought that he was out of earshot. Niv had knew that no matter how well he performed during this 6 upcoming months he will never be sent for further studies. He could tell by the final meeting with management 2 months ago and he was just stretching his time there.

However, this year they gave him a few challenges. He had a full load, not unlike other educators and would have complete autonomy in his mathematics classes. He loved being allowed to educate without being restrained. He also was asked to take on co-form teachership and he was surprised by this offer. This year also started on a good note as a new fellow educator, Kok, and him hit it off right away. It did not hurt that they shared a class. Together, they had more than their fair share of after school laughs. Niv also started to have a regular group of lunch mates, bonded only by their love of food and the emotional well-being of each other.

Starting the year allowed Niv to better bond with the students and he really loved them alot. Every lesson was a joy for him and he tried his very best to ensure that all the students are able to understand the concepts yet have fun. His methods are a mixture of old school and freedom minus the incessant IT that the education arena has been focusing heavily on. It was not that he was afraid of IT or found it cumbersome. He had realised that too often students are turned-off when they see IT-based lessons. He wanted to get their attention and bring in some old school classroom atmosphere where students do enjoy their time in class. How successful he was, was anybody's guess. However, as his maths lesson got along, he could see that the students were starting to have more confidence in themselves.

His relationship with his form class would be one of almost there but not there yet. He was trying his best to learn their names and to be able to help them to adjust into secondary school life. He wanted them to show more confidence in themselves and not be put down by others.

He did not have as much fun in his other subject but he tried his best to make things interesting for them. He wanted them to be able to enjoy. Students should think of school where they come to learn and enjoy. Not just assessments and more assessments. True, those do help them improve but to turn them off when they are just starting their secondary school career would just have them turned-off altogether. Give them some initial breathing space and slowly bring them in.

It could be said that his ultimate leaving of the education sector was not down to his incompetence but more to disagreement of ideas. True, he had erred initially with his slow marking of assignments and non-feedback. He accepted those criticism and worked hard for the students sake. However, he knew that no matter what he did, it would never be enough for those who reign over his appointment. When the time came for his review he was told to leave. Or rather, management wanted to terminate him but at least someone from the district had a better head on their shoulders and offered an alternative leaving plan. Much to the chagrin of management, he was allowed to resign instead. District was surprised by Niv's nonchalance to his removal and he mentioned that he never had a chance the moment management took a dislike for him. He admitted he was at fault for the points raised during the meeting but as District might have realised by then, the report was exceedingly damaging and exceedingly skewered against Niv. It just serves to highlight the agenda management had against him and how unrepairable it is. He put it down to being at the wrong school at the wrong time.

There were also some rumours and heresy that told of how 6 other previous educators under one of his mentors never got to be recommended for further studies. Only one went through and only because he had the backing of another senior educator. How true is this? Niv does not know. However, if it is, are all the 7 educators, including himself, really unsuitable or is there something fundamentally flawed with the mentor? Hmmmm..... He did not want to ponder on such hypothetical issues. It does nothing to improve his situation.

When he left, he felt that he had abandoned his students. He loved the bond he had with them and was sad to be leaving them. Before he left, a parent had given a card to him commenting on how Niv had helped to peak the interest in maths in her daughter again. He felt really all tight inside. He was in a state of shock and he teared. He never expected for anyone to recognise his efforts and the card overwhelmed him. He was so happy yet he at the same time he felt really sad. Was he crying tears of joy or sadness, he does not know. The students had liked his lessons and he only wished that he could have continued with them. However, his time was up and he had to move on. Would he return? Definitely but not under this management, not with people like his mentors if they are still there. He knows his time with the education sector is only taking a break. He will return to it for he knew now more than ever, herein lies his passion.

Run Of The Mill (Part 11)

With his desire for a yearly break from the hustle and bustle of Singapore, Niv was getting desperate. He needed a break but could not find a trip companion. Plans were afoot initially for Niv to bring Heng along but in the end, things just could not work out. He had often mentioned his love for New Zealand to his mom and it never struck him to bring her along till now. Checking his sums, he then approached his mom,

"Mum, do you have any leave days left?"

"Yup, why?

"You want to go New Zealand. My treat. However, shopping is on your own. How about it?"

"Wow! How long do you intend to go? I got to check with my boss first."

"About 17 days. We leave on a Friday evening and return Sunday morning."

"Sounds ok. Maybe I can even stop over in Perth to visit your Aunt."

"Eh......sure. Maybe on the way back? I got to return for a meeting. You can visit Auntie while I return to Singapore first."

"Don't worry, I will pay for my own detour to Perth. I will let you know after I checked with my Boss."

Niv's Mum had never taken a long stretch of break from work before and her boss was surprised when she broached the topic. However, she quickly agreed when she heard the Niv was going to be bringing her on a trip. Even Niv's Mum's friends were surprised and slightly jealous. According to his mum, apparently, none of her colleagues kids have offered to bring their parents on a holiday. Well, what can Niv say. His mum has worked hard all her life and since he had abit of savings now, why not. Also, it should be pretty interesting having his mum as his trip companion.

Excerpt from Trip Diary:
Kia Ora! It has been a wonderful time here in New Zealand for 17 days. This time round, my trip companion is my Mum! It is supposed to be Summer but the temperature is going haywire and it is still as cool as Autumn. Brrr…. The flight to Auckland from Singapore was largely uneventful, thankfully and when I saw the 90 mile beach coast line, I was so HAPPY! Very often, my body got fooled by the daylight as I was still seeing the sun up till 9.30pm, making me think that it was still 5-6pm. AHHHH!

Day One
Left Singapore for Auckland via Brisbane on Qantas. It was a red-eye flight as I was hoping to get some things done at least on the day of touch down. While flying over Australia, we flew over some populous towns such as Alice Springs.

Day Two
Alas, while the plane was flying in to Brisbane, I could not get a shot of the rising sun at 30,000 feet. Arggg. Brisbane Airport is small when compared to Changi but it will do for today. I had forgotten how small a 737 is and when I compared it to the 747 I arrived on, I groaned in disappointment of the plane bringing me into Auckland.

YEAH! Auckland, New Zealand! Finally I am here. After picking up my rental car, we headed over to Mount Eden. It is now an extinct volcano but the crater makes for a great walk. However, there are too many “landmines” while going up the Mount. Haha. We had to watch where we land our every single step. There were plenty of cows on the Mount and I got right up and patted one. Haha! When we were at the top, we then realised that there was actually another route which would have allowed us to drive up instead of trekking up. Guess I was not reading the map too carefully. Heez. However, the sweet air and the cool temperature made it an easy walk for us both.

Mum had arranged to meet up with her former primary school teacher and we were invited by she and her husband to dinner at a nice little Chinese restaurant in Remuera. We had a great laugh at dinner and they were surprised that I brought my mum along. My mum's former teacher said that in future we have to give them more notice ahead of time. Afterall, my mum only informed her that we were coming 2 days prior. Haha.

Day Three
Woke up early today to head up to Paihia for the cruise of the Bay of Islands. Took the longer route and felt that it was not worth it. Next time, I am sticking on State Highway 1. The cruise was really wonderful and we were able to spot dolphins and went to the “Hole in the Rock”. Unfortunately, the sea condition today was choppy and the tide was high, resulting in us not being able to sail through the rock. The captain of the boat was a really funny bloke and regaled us with plenty of stories and jokes. The cruise also had a stopover at an island called Urupukapuka. The lookout point is only a short walk from the cafe but the view was beautiful. However, now we again met up with "landmines", this time the sheep kind. Hahaha.

When we resumed the cruise, there were some people who had paid for the opportunity to “swim with the dolphins” and it was really hilarious seeing them dive down and swim around to see the dolphins. Every so often, the captain would manoeuvre the boat to near where the dolphin pod was and told the swimmers to go out and look down.. Plenty of shouting and encouragement came from those of us on the boat. Hahaha!

After the cruise, as there was still plenty of daylight, it was a good idea to head over to see the Haruru Falls. There have been some people who have claimed that the falls look no more than a drain. Well, when I looked at it, I had to admit that it seemed rather small but it still looked beautiful nonetheless. By then my stomach was growling and I told mum that is was time to head for dinner. We had dinner at a restaurant by the dock and they served really good food. I especially liked the melting chocolate pie. Yummmmmm!

Pit stop for tonight is the exact same hotel I stayed at the last time I was here. When I reached the hostel, I realised to my horror, that I was terribly sunburned. Not just dark, my body was heated up too. Damn, forgot to use sunblock!

Day Four
The destination for today is Cape Reinga. Situated at the Northern tip of New Zealand, it is the place where the Maoris believe that the souls of the departed will leave and return to their homeland of Hawaiiki. On the journey to Cape Reinga, we stopped by at the Kauri Forest where we saw trees that were so wide, that with my arms stretched out, I still had not covered the diameter of the tree!

After the Kauri Forest, we headed to 90 miles beach but it started to drizzle. Looking at the beach, it was but a stretch of beach which you could drive on, provided you had a 4WD. The wind had kicked up the sea slightly and we quickly moved on to our next destination. When we reached a fork road heading to Cape Reinga, we saw a sign which pointed to the Giant Sand Dunes. Standing on the dune, you could not help but felt how small you were. It was almost like a desert out there. I also had a chance to see some people sand-boarding down the dunes. I had real difficulty getting to the top of the dune and could be largely due to the fact that I was wearing my boots. DUMB! Haha.

When we reached Cape Reinga, it was starting to drizzle slightly but we still went ahead to the lighthouse. At the lighthouse, we had a magnificent view of the area where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. WOW!

With the need to reach Auckland for our pit stop for the day, we soon left and it was a marathon 7 hour drive from Cape Reinga. Along the way, we stopped for pies and even picked up more food at a supermarket. By the time we reached Auckland, it was already 10pm and we adjourned to the Skycity Grand Hotel. Word of warning, if your package includes valet service, go to the correct hotel. It is abit pricey but its ok to pamper my mum abit and I get to soak in the bath. AHHHH!

Day Five
Waking bright and early, we had our breakfast at the coffee house before heading on to the Coromandel Peninsula. We took a trip through Road 309 known for many places of visit within but driving here was not easy. It was a day of plus and minus today. I managed to visit the beautiful Rapaura Watergardens, went up to Castle Rock and saw the Waiou Falls on Road 309. It was a surprise to see a statue of the God of Longevity, otherwise known as Shou Xing Gong to most of us in Singapore, at the Rapaura Watergardens. Haha. Drivers beware, Road 309 is a gravel road and the drive up to see Castle Rock is not for the faint hearted. However, the rewards for the bravery are beautiful sights.

After we exited Road 309 on the other side of the peninsular, there is a beach in the area known as the Hot Water Beach. Here, the geothermal energy in the ground heats up the water that is trapped in the sand as it is being brought in by the waves. Many folks come ready with their shovels at low tide to dig up their own private hot water spa. It was really fun seeing everyone digging hard for their own spa pit. Wish I had a shovel, I would not mind joining them.

Sadly, I took a wrong turn later near the Hot Water Beach while heading to the lookout point for Cathedral Cove and got stuck at the beach at Hahei and had to pay to get the vehicle pulled out. Arggg. NZD150! Ouch! After the car was rescued, I headed up to the lookout point to Cathedral Cove. No way was I going to give up seeing the sight just because my rental car got stuck.

Due to the delay, we had to rush to our next pit stop in Bethlehem, a 3 hour drive away. I was tired and hungry. We, or rather I, had finished most of the snacks and there was nothing left for me to munch. Also, my astigmatism was getting to me and I needed my spectacles badly but was too lazy to get it out of the bag. However, when we arrived at the motel, it was a really good place to rest. They even had a jacuzzi tub to boot! WOOO HOO! While I showered, Mum prepared some simple soup with the food we had bought at the supermarket previously. It is great travelling in New Zealand as we do not have to worry about our perishables spoiling as it was mostly cool and dry.

Day Six
In the morning, while on the way to Rotoroa, we headed over to the Kiwi Capital of the world, Kiwi 360. Over here, the kiwis were sweet! Not the sour kind we find in our supermarkets back home. The golden ones were especially yummy! Mmmm.... After that, we passed Okere falls while on our way to Rotoroa. It was a place where many come to do white water rafting and there happened to be a group who were being "dunked" at the falls while I was there. Nice.

Next was to the region of the thermal energy, the place of interest for today, Rotoroa. Sad to say the Maori Thermal village that I visited previously, has begun to commercialize itself. The performance seemed to be shortened. Sigh. However, the guided tour was still a thrill to follow. The guide was really great and patient with all the visitors.

Next up was the Buried Village. This was a Maori Village which was completely buried when Mount Tarawera erupted in 1886. Here, we could see some of the huts that were excavated since the eruption. On the way back to the hostel in Rotorua City, we passed by the Whakarewarewa Redwood Forest. It was a redwood forest with many marked paths which allows visitors to take a walk amid the serenity of nature. It was really quiet and you could hear your self think!

Headed to the hostel and started paying my bills. Haha. Most of this trip was paid for using my credit card initially and I went online to make payments so as not to burst the limit. Heez.

Day Seven
While on the way over to Waitomo caves, we headed over to Huka Falls and did the Hukajet and it was really really fun! Especially the 360-degree turns. FWAH! Everyone should give it a go, even though it is abit pricey. A brief stop over at the Craters of The Moon was lacking as the geothermal energy seems lower. Plus, you got to pay entrance now. AHHHHH!

When we reached Waitomo Caves village, we managed to cover the 3 caves in the Waitomo caves area "Aranui, Ruakuri & Waitomo Glowworm" and the limestone structures were really beautiful. Each cave had its own unique characteristics and you never grow tired of seeing it again and again.

When we finished with the caves, it was still bright, so I decided to head on to the Marakopa Falls. The last time I was in this region, I tried looking for it but to no avail. This time, with the long hours of sunlight, I finally found it and it was fantastic.

Tonight we stayed at a little Bed & Breakfast situated atop a hill just at the edge of the village. When we approached the slope, there was a sign which said "Approach with Enthusiasm"! I was laughing and engaged the first gear and floored it. The slope was really steep and second gear could not even make it! The rooms were very well decorated and the hospitality was wonderful! We had a wonderful view of the village from up here. It was really nice.

Day Eight
Woke up to the wonderful smell of Helen's and John's cooked breakfast. It was so nice! An American family also happened to be staying at the B&B that day and we had a little chat over breakfast about place of visit and sports. After breakfast, we soon bade farewell to Helen and John, and started for the 6 hours drive to Wellington.

While on the way to Wellington, we made a detour to the Te Apiti Wind Farm. It was grand and the wind was sooo strong! I am so small compared to the large wind turbines. Te Apiti Wind Farm is the biggest wind farm in New Zealand! It was also very windy at the Paekakariki lookout which is situated just an hour outside Wellington. The skies were not looking good and we did not have a really great view.

We quickly got back into the car and headed onward to Wellington. After checking in at the hostel, yeah that cute gal I saw here 2 years ago is still working here, we headed to our destination for the evening. The Kraori Bird Sanctuary in Wellington was a very nice place to visit. Took part in the guided night tour and it was a great experience. Only sad thing was we heard the wild Kiwis but could not see them. Ah well.

2 years ago when I visited Wellington, I had taken a picture at the Botanic Gardens and it had Chang's hostel as the backdrop. Now that I am back in Wellington again, my thought invariably led to Chang and I wondered how she is doing currently. I remembered she had a handphone trinket, she bought when she was a student here, which she liked very much. I drove around looking for it and was glad to finally find it. Sadly there was only a piece left.

Dinner tonight is FUSH & CHUPS. Really, no bull. We were lucky when we arrived on the evening that the hostel had a dinner special and we took it up. Did not feel like cooking or going out to eat tonight. Haha.

Day Nine
It was a very windy day today in Wellington. My rental car was being bounced around by the wind while waiting at the junction of Wakefield Street and Cambridge Terrace. Ooooh. Headed to Cape Palliser to find the seals at the seal colony, unfortunately there were no seals there at all. However, during the journey, I kept getting blocked by a huge herd of sheep crossing the road. All the time they kept baying and shitting all over the road! Hahaha. It was starting to drizzle on our way back to Wellington and I decided to head over to visit the Hau Nui Wind Farm. Hau Nui Wind Farm is the first wind farm to be built in New Zealand.

When we returned to Wellington, it was raining heavily and my plans could not be put into action. In the end, only the visit to Te Papa museum could be done. Well, at least they had a great exhibit there today, the colossal squid which was caught last year by chance. While visiting the museum shop, I was happy to see the All Blacks jersey on sale and I quickly got one for myself! I love the All Blacks and it is really difficult to find their stuff anywhere outside of New Zealand. The official original merchandise I mean.

Day Ten
The wind was really gusting in Windy Wellington this morning. Remembering my mistake from my previous trip, I topped the car's tank full before heading on to the ferry. With the strong wind, came heavy seas and you could really feel the Interisland Ferry bouncing. I wanted to go up to the sun deck but it was raining and was stuck in the cafe for the entire duration of the cruise.

Finally I am in the South Island and heading down to Franz Josef township. Along the way, a visit to the seal colony at Cape Foulwind was done. At last, some seals at a seal colony and there were many seals there too! There was also the customary visit to the Puanakaiki Pancake Rocks park as it was on the route along the way. Apparently, if I had come during the high tide, I would have gotten to see the magnificent water spouting from the blowhole. Next time! Next Time!

Along the way to Franz Josef, there were many strange road signs that will never appear in Singapore. Cow crossing, Penguin Crossing, Seal Crossing, Kiwi Crossing! What the.......! Hahaha. Thankfully the motel we were staying at this evening has a stove and we could cook some porridge and grilled some chicken. They also came with a DVD player! Haha!

Day Eleven
Woke up in the morning after a good rest and headed over to visit the glaciers. Although I did not manage to sign up for the glacier tours, I did my own walks and I got really great views of the Franz Josef and Fox glacier. The glacier river was so cold that I could not cross it properly as it was FREEZING! However, over at Fox Glacier, days of rain have caused a rock slide and the front of the glacier had collapsed. The ice cave that I was at previously is missing too. The entire front had collapsed and now the glacier river was flowing from the right side instead of the left 2 years back.

While on the way to Queenstown, we picked up 2 hitchhikers who happened to be on the way there too. Chatted with them in the car and found out that they were Apple and Ricky from Hong Kong. Apple was real chatty and looked cute too. Ricky was quiet though. We had a great chat in Cantonese and found out that they were on a 1 year work and tour visa and moving through New Zealand. WOW! If only I had the guts to do such a thing and put my life on hold. Queenstown is a small town with a very laidback charm. The mountains nearby gives it an added blend of man in nature. Alas, as it is supposedly Summer now, the ski fields are all closed and I could not get to ski. We had wanted to invite Apple & Ricky to join us but I guess Ricky was too shy and got out of the car after we arrived in Queenstown but not before thanking us. Today happens to be the Chinese Winter Solstice and we headed to a very nice Chinese restaurant for dinner. The lady boss was from Hong Kong and we had a great chat. We joked whether they had any Tang Yuan but sadly, such things are not available readily in New Zealand.

Day Twelve
Onward to Manapouri for the Doubtful Sound Wilderness Cruise, It is a cruise lasting the entire day and it was well worth it. Sailing through the fjords and enjoying the lush scenery and wildlife. Ahhhh. While on board, my mum commented that we seem to be the only Asians here. I told her that most Asians head to Milford but I have read that Doubtful is equally if not more beautiful. Also, it is less travelled and thus more pristine. We got to see seal colonies, beautiful untouched fjords and even had dolphins swimming with us! We really enjoyed ourselves on the cruise. I guess nest time I have to bring my own packed lunch. The packed lunch that was provided is very simple and very expensive. No wonder I saw some families bringing their own food. Haha.

Day Thirteen
Headed towards Bluff in the morning to get a shot of the coastline. However, I got caught by the police for speeding and got slapped with a NZD230 fine. Sigh. Money not well spent. Arggg. The view from Bluff was ok but the return trip walk to the lookout was a killer. I was panting very badly by the time I returned to the rental car.

The Catlins coastline was our next destination and I found some interesting places of visit. Like Slope Point, the South most point of New Zealand and Curio Bay where there lies a fossilised forest. It was a rock shore where many fossilised remains of shellfish remains. Found a seal resting there too. Penguins were expected at the Curio Bay but they are out fishing, although there was a very clear stench of penguins and signs of their "projectile shitting". I knew penguins had been there as I recognised their smell from my days as a birdkeeper at Jurong Bird Park's Penguin Parade. Driving the Catlins coastline explorer route is risky as it was all loose gravel roads and I felt the car slipping a few times too! Just before heading for my rest stop for the night, the final place of visit was the Moeraki Boulders. These are round boulders that happened to be at the shoreline. Nobody knows how they got there and they sort of look like dinosaur eggs. I could not resist and started jumping on them. Haha.

By the time nightfall came, we were tucked in nicely at The Hermitage in Mount Cook Village on Christmas Eve. The village is situated at the base of Mount Cook. I had hoped to so stargazing the evening I arrived but alas, it was very cloudy. Even the view of Mount Cook was obscured. What a waste especially since I had a floor to ceiling window view of Mount Cook. Sigh.

Day Fourteen
Rise and shine and still the cloud cover was on Mount Cook. Ah well. After a hearty breakfast at the Alpine restaurant, it was a nice relaxing drive to Hanmer Springs. Along the way, the sky was still threatening and the rain was sporadic. However, I made some discoveries along the way. Farmers had built culverts or tunnels below roads to allow their cows to move from one grazing field to the next.

Lake Tekapo was a nice little village at the base of Mount Cook. A good place to take a break before heading on. However, I guess I must have been very drained by this point with all the driving and did not managed to visit the thermal pools when I reached Hanmer Springs. Anyway, I guess they were closed, since it was Christmas Day.

Day Fifteen
The early rest was good for me as I felt really recharged this morning. Heading to Kaikoura for the Whale Watch, I had forgotten to call them up prior to confirm the sailing. Alas, when I arrived, the wind was blowing too strongly and the sailing for the day was cancelled. I rearranged to return the next day and headed over to the Seal Colony to see the fur seals. Previously, the fur seals would be situated at the colony near the car park. However, this time round, they have placed themselves at the colony further at the tip of the peninsula and I had to walk through a bird nesting colony to get to them. While walking through the nesting colony, the birds must have thought that I am a threat and made lots and lots of noise.

Since there was not much to do for today, with the cancellation of the whale watch, we headed down to Christchurch to do the Gondola ride. As I have said during my last visit, the Gondola is actually the same as our Cable Car. The "gondola" which we are so familiar with in terms of Italian folklore is called Punting here. They have revamped the Heritage trail since I was last at the Gondola Station back in 2006 and now it is a ride. Not too bad if I may add. Sadly it was ruined by the noisy people in the ride. Sigh.

Shopping in town was up next and since it is Boxing Day, they have very very big Boxing Day sales going on. I got a couple of All Blacks merchandise for myself, fleece, long and short sleeved jerseys, winter jacket, key chains. Haha. Going nuts buying All Blacks stuff.

We finally took our rest at our final pit stop in Christchuch in a little motel. It had spa baths in the rooms and we had the bath that could sit two. Great for couples but not so great for me & my mum! Haha. Hmmm......If only Heng was here with me. Scrub that thought! Haha.

Day Sixteen
While waiting to reconfirm the sailing for the day's whale watch, we went to visit the Christchurch Cathedral Square. There was a bazaar, people playing chess with the giant chess set, street performers and everybody out on a day just to relax and have fun.

When I confirmed the whale watch, it was a two and a half hour drive up to Kaikoura again. We managed to see 2 whales but they did not do the traditional dive with their tail fins up in the air. Looking at the whales, it almost seemed like it was just a log there, if not for the occasional spouting of water from their blowholes.

Heading back to Christchurch after that, I began the process of packing my bags for my return home. Sigh. I really really don't want to return to Singapore. Anyway, there was a lost sheep while I was heading back to Christchurch. In fact I saw many lost sheep during my trip, many of them escaping from the farms and running around outside on the road. Hahaha.

Day Seventeen
This morning we bid farewell to New Zealand. While on the shuttle from the car rental company to the airport, the driver chatted with us and he too was upset that Air New Zealand does not fly to Singapore anymore. He said that it costs more now for him to visit South East Asia, with Singapore Airlines holding the monopoly on the routes from Christchurch.

On my flight back to Singapore, something nice happened. I got bumped up to another class in Sydney after arriving from Christchurch. This will never happened on an SIA flight as their flights are never full. Thank goodness I flew Qantas this time. The welcoming steward even pulled a fast one on me when he mentioned that I could not board the plane with the shirt I was wearing. I was stunned for a moment before realising that I was wearing my All Blacks jersey while boarding an Australian carrier plane. Hahaha. The service was great and I can grow to like it. Alas I am not rich and usually can only barely afford to fly Economy. However, thanks Qantas. You made it a nice ending for my holiday!

Well, that just about wraps up my journey this time in New Zealand. Till the next time. Kia Ora and Harae Ra.

Run Of The Mill (Part 10)

Life as an educator was definitely not easy for Niv. His education was in a top school and he never had any friends from schools of the neighbourhood. He had heard many horror stories of how neighbourhood school students were like and he wondered if he would be able to handle the students. True that he had lived down the road from the school he was posted to for his entire life but suffice to say, the behavior he had seen of some of the students a couple of years back leaves much to be desired.

After receiving his posting, he contacted the school to ask for arrangements for the first day of school but he received no news. With no way to prepare himself, he did what he could do. Read up on the topics and hope like mad that he still remembered how to do his sums. On the first day of school, with still no news about what his duties are, he arrived at school just as the assembly started. Together with another fellow new educator, Weis, they were both introduced to the school.

From the beginning, it was pretty clear that Niv had trouble assimilating into the culture. On his very first day, he mentioned to Weis that he did not like 2 particular educators. Given that it was the first time that Niv and Weis met each other, it was a really bold statement by Niv to make. Weis did not ask why and Niv never told her. Maybe it was the way they carried themselves, the way their body language were speaking was telling in so loud a volume to Niv that he had to avoid them at all cost. Niv does not usually judge people right away but when he reads bad vibes, he is more often than not exceedingly accurate and has never been proven wrong. Horrors of horrors would befall Niv when he realised that the very 2 ladies that he knew he could never work with would turn out to be his mentors. Argggg!

Through his first half year at the school, he had many run-ins with his mentors. They felt that he was not professional. They felt that he was too lazy. They basically felt that he was just not suitable to be an educator. He had problems adjusting to the needs of the education system as some of the methods taught differed from what he had learnt in his tertiary education. Also, when he tried to bring up examples of different cultures, he was accused of trying to cause racial imbalance. He was really frustrated. It seems that whatever methods he tried just did not meet the acceptance of his mentors. He also had problems handling some of the students as he just did not know what to do with them. This could have been due in part to his background where students truly wanted to learn, no matter how they were and they never disobeyed the educators. He was truly at his wits end. He really wanted to carry on as an educator but the students and his mentors made him feel like an outcast, a pariah.

However, he still loved being an educator and had real passion in mathematics. Later on, he had a discussion with another mentor and was told that he will be given his own group of students to handle and that he will be given more autonomy in his methods. Niv was abit apprehensive initially but he decided to put in his effort and make it work this time. The students under his charge were more receptive to his teachings and he had a great time teaching them the finer aspects of mathematics. He loved the group under his charge and was willing to go the extra mile with them to help them achieve their potential.

Alas, he never seemed to pull off the same charisma and atmosphere during his observations and was told that he had not met the criteria. The very criteria that was set for trained educators, something which places Niv at a disadvantage as he had never been trained. To say that he was not meeting the standard was not being fair to him. He was judged per the requirements of a trained educator while he had never been trained. He was only armed with his passion and the methods used on him previously.

Niv felt that there is something fundamentally wrong here. Is it him or is it the school or is it the system? Weis was constantly at the end of Niv's endless rantings and it was a surprise that she endured them while they were seated next to each other in the staff room. Niv was glad that Weis was willing to put up with him and knew then that this is one friend that he will truly cherish.

There were a couple of good episodes during his first 6 months at the school. He had assisted in the parade segment of the national day celebration. He came in when they had already done up the plan but were still working out the kinks. Niv always loved military parades and had taken part in the official National Day Parade in previous years as a Guard of Honor, no less. In terms of parade experience, Niv had plenty and gladly assisted in outlining the structure of the parade. Unbeknownst to many, he volunteered to the person in charge to allow him to structure the parade. He also worked hard at it with the kids under his CCA and really wanted to pull off a parade of some semblance. When the parade went off, everybody was happy. The students who put in the hard work, and the management who felt that it was one of the better parades for some time. An adult leader even mentioned later to Niv that praises were going around for the well-structured manner of the parade segment. Niv just grinned. He knew that nobody would know the effort he placed in but he was glad that the students were at least given the recognition for their effort put in.

The school year soon came to an end and Niv was once again troubled. He had been told that he would be given a second 6 months to prove himself. With Weis leaving for further studies, he will be on his own and he was thinking if he could prove himself this time round. He needed a break and where better than to his favourite country of all time. New Zealand. He had meant to go with Heng but somehow things just did not workout. It kept on dragging until the very end, Niv thought, "Why don't I bring Mum there?"

Run Of The Mill (Part 9)

With the Taiwan trip blowing a huge hole in his pocket, Niv set out to land a new job as soon as possible. While sending out applications, he went back to the shipping firm to temp for a short period. Better to have some income than no income.

Like his earlier forays in to the employment market, he still faced many honors-conscious companies and had little luck in landing a job. However, this time round, he got a bit more lucky. A local firm dealing with designs of handphone panels offered him a position as a design engineer based in China. If he took up the offer, he would be based in China for two years and had to sign a bond during that period. Niv was in two minds as he was not certain if he should take up the job. After all, he will be allowed to do what he liked best, Project Design Management. He will be involved in the latter stage process and not in the initial phases. Also, it will look really good on his resume. On the other hand, he did not want to leave Heng. Granted they are not a couple but he wanted to stay and be with her.

While Niv was contemplating the offer, a semi-conductor company came along and offered him a position as an Equipment Engineer. The pay was only $50 lower but he would be based locally and it allowed him to still have time to spend with Heng. Also, it is a much safer working environment than in China, even with the presence of hydrofluoric acid in the processes. In the end, he opted to take up the position with the semi-conductor company.

Niv was looking forward to finally being a part of the semi-conductor / wafer-fabrication industry. He had some adjustment issues initially as this job entails being on standby for 24 hours everyday and he had to learn all the basics. Also, he is taking over from another engineer who was leaving for another job. Little did he know that he had the most machines under his charge. 22 machines in fact!

It took some time for Niv to get into the flow of things and he soon was adapting well with the work life. However, he was taking a slightly longer time to figure out the many problems faced in the plant and it did not make a good impression of him to the boss. Coupled with the fact that his machines are one of the oldest in the plant, spares were a problems for repairs. The only thing good out of his machines were that the processes were stable and he did not have to worry about process-related issues. Niv worked hard to learn and was very willing to try all methods to help optimise the production capabilities of his machines. His fellow Process Engineers commented that even though Niv had not grasped the concepts fully, he was willing to try, which is better than stonewalling on all issues. This though resulted in some cases where his section manager and principal engineer questioned his capabilities. However, Niv had his better moments too. He had did some investigations which resulted in wide-spread modifications done to prevent similar problems from occurring. This was widely commended by the department manager and the other principal engineers as it was a potentially highly damaging situation if it was not discovered and rectified immediately.

Some time during his time at the wafer-fab, a letter came from the education sector to invite him for an interview. Months earlier he had applied to be an educator but had heard no response from them. He was offered an opportunity now to be an educator but he had some reluctance in teaching one of the subjects that is offered to him. During the interviews, he had raised the issue but was convinced to give the subject a try and if he still faced problems, he could make a request to change it later. He was asked to give some thought about the offer.

Maybe it was a case of timing but Niv had always wanted to be an educator but not this early in his career. He had planned to experience a couple of industries prior to being an educator. Aerospace, Oil-Gas, Shipping, Wafer-Fab. These were the various industries that he had wanted to expose himself to and prior to being an educator. He has experienced all of them and only had not went into Aerospace yet. Not that he never tried but was never given the opportunity. Another result of the honors-conscious society of Singapore. In fact, only the Aerospace industry could have prevented him from being an educator if ever he was in it.

In the months as an Equipment Engineer, he had built up a very strong rapport with his subordinates and the vendors. However, he never got the vote of confidence from his bosses. Maybe it was his air of nonchalance, maybe it was his happy-go-lucky attitude. Even though he was achieving the KPIs, bringing down the budget spending and having the machines mostly fully operational, he was never given any acknowledgement. Another Process Engineer, who also happends to be his senior at the university, told him matter of factly, "Don't you know Enquipment Engineers are only here to bear the responsibiliies for any failures. Credit for any good work done will go to the line or management but never to the equipment owner." Coupled with the long hours he had been putting in, working from 8am till 4am, he soon grew very tired physically and mentally. He liked the camaraderie he had with his colleagues and his job scope but it was taking a toll on his health. When the offer came from the education sector, he decided that his health was more important than money, and decide to leave. As it was still some time before he assumed his role as an educator, he kept it silent and continued working at the plant. His yearly military training came at an opportune time and it allowed him to take a breather from work. Sadly, his manager knowing that his camp was just round the corner from the wafer-fab, asked if Niv could come back on days when he booked out. Crazy, Niv thought. He informed his manager that he is not allowed to return to the wafer-fab during his period away as he is now under the jurisdiction of the military and should he get injured due to fab issues, the company will be in very deep trouble. This resulted in an uneasy stand-off between the both of them when Niv left for his military training.

When he returned from the military training, Niv was feeling refreshed and actually looked forward to the day that he will tender his resignation. His subordinates felt that Niv was complaining less and seemed to have found himself another avenue. Also, Niv was cutting back on his overtime by alot. To Niv, his overtime pay made up almost 40% of his pay and cutting back on it just did not fit in with Niv's character who wanted to earn as much money as possible to pay off his educational loans. They were not far from the truth. One day, his assistant engineer then asked Niv if he was planning to leave. Niv asked him why he thought so and the AE claimed that it seemed as if Niv was too happy and not too interested in overtime work anymore. Niv was noncommittal but told his AE, "Maybe."

When Niv finally tendered, it was actually done ahead of schedule. His AEs while doing their yearly appraisal had brought up the matter to their SM and asked if Niv indeed was leaving. They had wanted the SM to convince Niv to stay. Niv was taken aback when his SM brought up the issue and Niv then said that he had not planned on making it official till the following week. Since it has been brought up, Niv told his SM that he will be tendering with 5 weeks notice instead of the required 1 month. The SM never made any overtures to keep Niv and it was clear then that the SM never wanted him there. Niv was employed by their Senior Manager and placed under the SM and they never had a good working relationship.

To Niv surprise, barely had he tendered his resignation, the following week, he was put in charge of a 2 million dollar decommissioning and refurbishment of machine project. His partner had just been employed the month before to work along side him and he never expected Niv to leave either. Working together, they worked out all the parts issue, the facilities requirements, the specifications and presented the report up to management. Green light was then given to proceed with the decommissioning portion first with the refurbishment to be considered later on. By the time all the paperwork was completed for the decommissioning, Niv's time was about to be up and he informed the other department personnel whom he had been working with that he will be leaving and that his partner will be heading up the project. There were some groans but he assured them that they are in safe hands. Months later, he heard from one of the other engineer that after he left, the refurbishment project was shelved. Ah well, not his issue by then anymore.

On his last day, there was a BBQ-cum-chalet thrown as a farewell to Niv. Most of the engineers attended while the team on shift sent at least a representative while the teams that were having their off time were present. Wow! Of course, he did not invite any management as he wanted everybody present to be happy. Niv had done this as a was of showing his gratitude to the people he had been working with and he was really happy with the turn-out. Later on the AEs and Technicians who were there told him that no other Engineer ever had such a good turn out for a send off. Niv guessed it was a privilege that everybody came.

Run Of The Mill (Part 8)

About 6 months into his work as a Project Engineer, Niv had started to be in contact with Heng again. At first it was just simple SMS or a coffee. Then they started going for dinner and drinks together. They even found a place where they liked the performance of the band that they went back again and again. Niv was wondering where this will take them. Is he just a friend or did he now stand a chance with Heng? He did not know. When Niv had tendered his resignation, he felt he needed a break and asked Heng to go on a trip with him. At first, Heng was hesitant but later agreed. They had wanted to head to Macau but as it was too boring, they eventually decided to head to Taiwan. Heng was immensely interested in the Taiwan trip but was still pondering over the cost. Before she knew it, Niv had booked the tour package and told Heng that they were going. Heng was so excited and really looked forward to the trip. Niv was very happy as he never expected Heng to be willing to go on a trip with him and it was his first trip alone with another gal. He was not looking forward to anything happening as he only wanted to enjoy the company he was having. Although he had booked for Twin-Sharing, the tour agency thought they were a couple, causing a slight displeasure to Heng.

Excerpt from Trip Diary:
Heylos! In case you are wondering where I have galivanted to, I am in TAIWAN! Have been here since yesterday and currently in Hualien. These past 2 days I have visited places like Xi Men Ding, Taipei 101, rode on the Bullet Train, visited Jiu Fen, Dan Shui Old Street and the Yi Lan National Center for the Arts. This place is really nice! Well....the company is good too. Came on this trip with Heng.

Day One
Touch down Tao Yuan International Airport after a six hour flight from Singapore. Paid a little extra to fly by Singapore Airlines. Not that we wanted luxury but because too many bad press about China Airlines in recent news.

We enjoyed the famous mee sua at Xi Men Ding and went up to the top of Taipei 101 for a view of the city. While at Xi Men Ding, I smelt something very nice smelling and when I followed my nose......WOW! SMELLY TOUFU! It tasted really nice and it was not smelly at all! Hahaha. I never knew Heng was afraid of heights and yet she wanted to go to the very top. The wind was really strong up there and it was drizzling lightly too.

Day Two
The day started with a ride on the Taiwan bullet train. It was a quick ride but I feel that Shanghai's Maglev is faster. Not sure. Hahahaha. Visited the lover's bridge thereafter, otherwise known as Yu Ren Ma Tou (Fisherman's Wharf). This bridge was made famous in drama serials and we made friends with a lady who happened to be walking her dog on this day. We visited Dan Shui old street after this and we tried out them IRON EGG! Actually they aren't really iron, they are just eggs which have been boiled in chinese herbal medicine until it shrink down to the size of a quail's egg.

It started to drizzle by mid-day when we made our way to Jiu-Fen. Thankfully the sky gods were kind to us and we managed to visit this little town on the top of a hill with little problems. Met a family from Hong Kong while we were having our lunch and had a hearty conversation with them. Heng could understand what we were talking about but she could not converse as her Cantonese is not too good.

Day Three
Visited the Taroko Gorge area today. Alas, there was a collapse of some rocks and caused the road to be closed. The tour group took some photos at a rest stop half way up and we enjoyed some of the views here. Visited a mini temple too.

This night, we stayed at the Zi Xi Manor in Taitung. This was our first stop for natural springs. After the long trip to this locale, the spring pool was a welcome relief. We had a great time at the outdoor pool, laughing and joking with the rest of the tourmates. We even had a muah chee making session and lit off some fireworks. Wow! It sure feels nice here.

Day Four
In the morning we headed over to the Chu Lu ranch where we were introduced to how the animals were milked and I kinda felt that this place was a tourist trap. SGD1 just to buy a handful of grass to feed the cows?!?!?! What the......On a side note......Heng had selected some chocolates for purchase but I forgot to take it after we had paid for it! AHHHHH! Stupid!

We then moved on to Ken Ding National Park! Ooh Yeah! I have heard so much about this place from them tv programs and was looking forward to some of the activities here. We went to the lookout point at Mao Pi Tou which overlooked the Taiwan Straits and onward to mainland China. We also visited the now defunct lighthouse in the area. Apparently, all these locations including the hotel we are staying at today, Howard Kending Hotel, is located within the Ken Ding National Park. We wanted to play with some fireworks but local laws does not allow it. Ah well, we do not want to cause harm to this beautiful national park.

We just came back from a night out walking along the night street of Ken Ding and we bought many many muah chee. We even had a short chill out session at a pub a short stone throw from the hotel. We were lucky to get back to the hotel just as the rain began to fall.

Day Five
The breakfast this morning was the best one we had during the entire trip. Finally we are getting our money's worth. We set off from Ken Ding to Fo Guang Shan Temple. The temple has been around for a very long time and there were alot of Buddhist relics in the temple's museum.

From Fo Guang Shan, our pit stop for today is Kao Shiung. We went to the Kao Shuing Dream Mall. It is supposed to be Taipei's biggest mall but I am not much into shopping so I can not really comment. There were alot of shops here, selling things which we could get easily in Singapore but Heng says that there are some models here which are not available back in Singapore. Oh well......I defer to the shopping expert.

A cruise down Kao Shiung Love River was next on the agenda and it was really interesting. Hahaha. Well, it ain't that romantic to begin with but it was a nice cruise nonetheless. The sad thing about today was the bad service at the restaurant where we had our dinner. The waitress in a rush to serve the dishes, kept throwing the dishes on to the table and then it happened. The soup slipped from her grasp, crashed on to the table and I almost got hit. Sigh. Well, at least we stayed at the Howard Kao Shiung for tonight. One of the better hotels around.

Sadly or happily, depends on whom you ask, while we were waiting for some tourmates to come down so that we can go out to visit the Xin Jue Jiang street, one of the other tourmates mentioned that Heng and I made a great couple. Heng was not happy and wanted to make things right but I chose not to. She even questioned me later on why I did not clarify the issue. Doesn't she know my feelings? Sigh. Anyways, she stocked up on alot of shoes and I even had to get another bag so that we could pack the shoes in. WAH!

Day Six
Visited various tourist traps today. First it was to the Shao Tribe where we bought Ling Zhi and Royal Jelly. Lunch was at a restaurant next to the Sun Moon Lake. The lake looked beautiful but the strong sun beating down killed any good photos. Time I moved on to SLR cameras. There was also a short visit to the Wen Wu Temple. This temple worships Confucius, Yue Fei and Guan Yu. Hmmm......genuine worship or tourist trap?

Then it was on to the Nine Aboriginal Tribe theme park. It was really fun there but I did not get a chance to try the gravity drop. Hahaha. The day rounded off at a hotel in Tai Tung, where we enjoyed some in house piped natural spring water. The group gatherings at the spring bath are always a hoot. Unfortunately, the 2 spring baths we visited are all unisex and swimsuits and shower caps are a must. Damn. Hahaha.

Day Seven
Just arrived back in Taipei today. Staying at the Sheraton hotel leh. Dun play play ah. We has lunch at a restaurant called the Five Cent Drift Wood House. Apparently the architecture of the restaurant is unique and the lady owner has the strong backing of her husband. I am not sure how true it is but there are those who says that all her restaurants are still in the red because of the cost of the construction. Hmmm...... We headed over to the Martyr's Shrine after lunch to catch the changing of the guards. It occurs every 30 minutes and nobody is allowed to touch, lean, bump or make any form of contact with the guards. Hwah!

Finally we made our way to the Shi Lin night market. We tried out the XXL chicken there but I feel that the pseudo ones in Singapore give better quality ones. We strolled through the night market looking for something to get. I have not gotten anything for myself during this entire trip and I was hoping to get something. Alas, nothing caught my eye but many caught Heng's eyes. No wonder they say that Taiwan can be a shopper's paradise. Hahaha. OK, time to wrap up now, Heng is about to be done with her shower and then we will be returning back to Singapore tomorrow.

Day Eight
Today while waiting for our flight back to Singapore, we went shopping for some new Levi's jeans for Heng. She looked really good in them. We were almost late back at the hotel as the bus was waiting to bring us to the airport and everyone else had already boarded. Phew! Haha.

I had a pleasant surprise today while boarding the plane at the airport. While lining up to get on board the plane, I saw a former coursemate of mine from my photography module in my university days. Nope, it is not Zhen. It is another pretty girl from the class. She was there on a holiday with her parents. While on the plane, after heading to the washroom, I had went up to her seat and chatted with her. We were catching up when Heng came up to me.

"Why are you here and not at our seat? You were gone for so long," said Heng.

"I saw my coursemate while boarding the plane and came here to chat with her for a while. She was in Taiwan for a tour with her parents but with another tour agency" Niv replied

"Hello" Niv's coursemate said to Heng.

"Hi," said Heng, smiling, "People are feeling tired, let them rest. OK? Come back quickly."

"Ok. Be right back," said Niv.

"Nice meeting you," said Heng to Niv's coursemate.

"Nice meeting you too," said Niv's coursemate. When Heng was out of earshot, Niv's coursemate asked Niv, "Your girlfriend?"

"I wish. I hope so."

"Well, I sense a very strong smell of vinegar(jealousy)," she smiled.

"Haha. I hope that it is a good sign. I really do like her."

"Good luck"

"Thanks. I best be getting back now or she will not be happy. Take care."

"See Ya"

That seemed the only time I felt that Heng was not happy about me spending time with someone else. Hmmm.......Could it be? These 8 days spent with her have allowed me to know her better but alas, maybe I was not much of a company for her and she preferred to spend more time with the other tourmates. Sigh. Ah well, all in all a good trip.

Run Of The Mill (Part 7)

After returning from Shanghai, Niv went full scale into landing a proper engineering job. While searching, he went back to the shipping firm to temp. The personnel in the firm were satisfied with his performance and wanted to keep him on a permanent basis but he declined their offer as it was too low. Also, he did not want to be seen as a job hopper and leave after just being in a job for less than 6 months.

He got a couple of interviews with some MNCs and while he made it to the final round of interview for 2 of them, his lack of an honors degree resulted in him being overlooked again. Time and again, companies in Singapore and their unhealthy obsession with the want of an honors degree has limited his chances of landing a job.

Among his many applications, one small local construction firm called him up for an interview. Maybe it was his performance at the interview or maybe it was due to the lack of applicants, he landed his first proper engineering job as a Project Engineer. He does not know the specifics of the job but was glad to finally be given an opportunity to prove his worth.

Life as a Project Engineer was not easy. Handling client documentation, corresponding with clients, maintaining project budget, arranging for office equipment, office administration, attending meetings, liaising with clients, coordinating with Human Resource for manpower, sending vehicles for servicing and lots more. It was not just a simple job. It had so many elements involved that one had to multi task and learn everything on the go. It was really great fun working there initially. He picked up really quickly and was given opportunity by his Project Manager to attend meetings meant only for Project Management Team. His rise was also noted by the Chairlady of the company, who has noted his work put in as well. The Project Manager even put him as in charge of the team should the Managers and Lead Engineer not be around. It was a great responsibility thrust upon someone just 4 months into the company and still new to the job. There were even times during meetings with clients that they had mistook him as the Project Manager due to his in depth knowledge of the project's ongoings. Wow!

However, the arrival of the assistant project manager later spelt his downfall in the company. The APM felt that Niv had his hand in too many important responsibilities and started to remove them from his charge. His reason to Niv was that as a Project Engineer, he should concentrate only on the engineering portion of the work. However, it was felt by most in the company that the APM never liked Niv and was not happy with Niv's quick rise among the ranks. He was especially not happy that Niv was given a company vehicle to use, albeit it being a lorry, outside of office hours.

While coordinating with HR on the manpower issues, Niv worked closely with the new HR Executive, Chang. Chang had graduated from a university in New Zealand and just returned to Singapore. They had many laughs when working together and was often seen together. Slowly, Niv started to take a liking for Chang and asked her out. He was afraid that Chang would turn her down but was pleasantly surprised that she had a passion for the arts. She readily agreed to go for the play with Niv and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Slowly, they started to go out for dinners, walks and movies. When Niv was away serving his yearly military service training, he chatted with Chang every night. He really liked her and found her special. Alas, it all started to come crashing down when he revealed his feelings to her. She started to avoid him and did not converse with him as often. They started to drift apart and he was sad to see that all along, he never stood a chance. After all, she was very pretty and he was just plain obese.

Together with his problems with Chang and the APM, Niv started to feel disheartened and requested to be posted as an on-site engineer. He wanted to leave the compound of the HQ, away from all the petty politics and to get his career back on track. Niv soon got his wish and he was posted on to the island. Every morning, he had to take a ferry to the island to work. It was a good experience for him as it was hands-on work and work never followed you home. He struck up a good rapport with the client, his colleagues and workers. Initially, he was assigned to oversee all paperwork in the site office and he put in his fair share of work. The clients were impressed with his attitude and even praised him to the MD. However, this brought his name to the attention of the APM and again the little bits of politics started. It was really frustrating for Niv as he was starting to show his potential again when along came the APM to put down all his hard work. Niv soon grew fed up with the APM and requested for a change of project team. He wanted out of the influence of the APM but he was so wrong. It seemed that the APM bore a grudge against him and influenced Niv's new manager and soon Niv was given very menial tasks to do. The clients' were outraged at the treatment of Niv and were questioning the company's management whether they knew how to nurture talent. It seemed that each and every time someone capable came along who is not a yes man, they get shipped off!

Niv's patience with the company finally snapped the day his new manager covered up a safety incident for his previous project team. When he was with the previous team, unsafe practices were few and far between. However, with the delay in schedule, unsafe practices just kept popping up. He worried for his workers and wished that they had better protection. Seeing that everyone on the site office kept covering up incident after incident, Niv could no longer stand the unsafe work environment and tendered his resignation.

Run Of The Mill (Part 6)

Back in his university days, Niv had made a very good friend in his Photography module. Her name was Zhen and she was only in her second year in the university, while he was going to graduate soon. Zhen had mentioned to Niv that she will be going away to Shanghai for a Work and Study attachment in the later part of the year. When Niv was in NZ, he had bought a present and gave it to her on the day that she left for the program. He constantly kept in touch with Zhen over MSN and looked forward to the day that she returned. Admittedly, Niv had feelings for Zhen but she was happily attached and he did not want to do anything stupid.

When they chatted online, there were times she lamented feeling homesick and how she misses the people back home. Seeing how much he had missed Zhen all the time that she was there, Niv then suggested to Zhen that he come over and spend some time with her. She was so happy and asked if he was pulling a fast one on her. Of course not, claimed Niv. He told her he will make arrangements and for her to wait for his arrival.

Niv was really really happy. Just before he went, she had asked him to bring along from Fried Bee Hoon and Long John Silver when he came. Zhen must have really missed the food back home. Happily, Niv packed his bags and got ready to meet Zhen.

Excerpt from Trip Diary:
At my first pit stop now. first time in the land of a thousand smiles. Damn, there sure are a number of pretty babes around. Hahaha. As always, when come to pit stop, must release. hahahaha!

Day One
Finally touched down in Shanghai after a 4 hour flight from Bangkok. It has been 139 Days since I last saw Zhen! It has been too long!

First impression I got was, this place has a bigger haze problem than us. It took me 40 minutes to clear customs! Haiz. After boarding the Airport bus to the Longyang Road MRT station, Zhen soon called and lamented that I did not take the Maglev. Ah well, I was hoping to save some cash. However, I soon made my first mistake. When the bus arrived at the Longyang Road station, I informed the ticket inspector that I needed to collect my Backpack from the luggage compartment but the moment I alighted, the bus just drove away! What the! Thankfully there was a nearby Police Post nearby and they helped me to track down my bag. Zhen soon arrived and we quickly rushed by cab to the terminal station to retrieve my bag. When we finally retrieved my bag, we headed over to the hotel to check in. The hotel is pretty well located but very expensive! Seems like all hotels in the city area are expensive! This happeneds to be the cheapest of them all. As there was no single room available, I had to settle for a twin sharing room. After we finally settled down in my hotel room, I handed Zhen the food stuff she asked me to bring along. She must really miss the food back home.

We then went out for a walk and she brought me to this Cantonese cuisine place. It really is a joy to finally see her again after so long. I really missed her. For the first time in my life, I am overseas on my birthday and I am glad to have her company. Well, I did not tell her it is my birthday today but what difference does it make? I am just happy to have spent part of this day with a person who is important to me. In case you are wondering, no hanky panky happened, so please scrub your minds clean.

Day Two
As she has to work on weekdays and attend classes on Fridays, I had to find ways to keep myself entertained. Went down to Longhua Temple today. It is one of the older temple in the Shanghai area. Well, I ain't a Buddhist but I went there to have a look anyway. I liked the old style structure and was there more to see the building then to worship. On my way to the next destination, I picked up some Pao along the way. They sure are cheap here. Only RMB1 for a Big Pao! Haha. My next destination was to the Soong Ching Ling's Mausoleum. Places I go to are most probably the places that many will shun. However, I am more of a historical person and went there to read more about her history and her life.

As we had to leave early the next day for our train ride to Hangzhou, Zhen came over to stay for the night at the hotel. Waited up for her as she was out with her boss and company's customer at a sending off dinner for her. She sure is popular here.

Day Three
Woke up early to take the MRT to the Shanghai South Train Station. Thankfully we had purchased sitting seats and had comfy seats for the 2 hour trip to Hangzhou. Apparently there is such a thing as standing room tickets. Luckily our coach was not packed in like sardines.

When we finally reached Hangzhou, the wind was gusting and the wind chill factor was at a high! We quickly went to check in at our hotel before heading out to the famous West Lake. However, on our way there, a local auntie heard that we were heading to West Lake and suggested we head over to Jiu Xi instead. She said that today the wind was gusting too heavily and thus not conducive for a boat ride on West Lake. Taking up her advice, we headed over to Jiu Xi after lunch. Had to eat first as we han not taken any breakfast.

After a short bus ride, we soon arrived at the path into Jiu Xi. As we walked in, you could feel the air being much cleaner and fresher! Ah! UNPOLLUTED AIR! Along the path, we passed a small farming community. You don't see such things back in Singapore. While on our way to the Jiu Xi Scenic Park, a local uncle suddenly started to talk with us and introduced the area to us. The people of Hangzhou sure are friendly! He even recommended us to continue on after the Jiu Xi scenic spot along the road called Qian Long Road to the village of Long Jing.

After visiting the mini waterfall, we headed on to Qian Long Road. The road was named Qian Long Road because many many moons ago, the Chinese Emperor Qian Long had walked along that path. DUH! Haha. Along the way, another auntie suddenly started chatting with us! HWAH! 3rd person to speak with us out of the blue today! The people here are indeed very friendly! She told us that she is a villager here and today was one of the rare times she had left the village to go out to settle some stuff. We chatted about village life and she thought we were from the South. We are from the South but waaaaaaay South. Haha. When she heard we were from Singapore she was amazed that we could speak such fluent Mandarin. Heez. She even invited us to her place to try the local Long Jing tea. Authentic! Genuine Stuff! Cannot Bluff! Haha. Bought some back for Mum & Granny. Not cheap ah! Haha.

The auntie then showed us the place where she planted her Long Jing Tea plants. The way her plants were planted, it looked like terrace planting. Secondary 4 Geography! Haha! We soon bade farewell to the auntie and flagged down a minivan to fetch us to the nearby silk manufacturer's place. The driver uncle even told us what we can expect and mentioned to us the 3 "treasures" of Hangzhou. Freshwater Pearls, Long Jing tea leaves and Hangzhou Silk. Well, we had the Long Jing tea, we are headed to the silk manufacturer's place for Hangzhou silk. We did not get any Freshwater Pearls as they were very expensive even though this year is the harvesting year and the pearls are supposedly cheap. Apparently, the people here are only allowed to harvest the pearls once every 5 years and we were lucky to be here at this time. However the cost was not cheap even with discounts and we decided to give it a pass.

After we had purchased the silk stuff, the sky was turning dark and we quickly made our way to the Yue Fei Tomb. The wind was still going strong and it was a very chilly wait for the bus to arrive. By the time we reached Yue Fei tomb, we decided not to go in as there was an entrance fee involved and we did not want to be caught in another Tourist Trap. Haha. We then strolled along the North side of West Lake and headed to the restaurant Lou Wai Lou. There were a lot of people there and we had to take a queue. Since there was a wait of about 20 minutes, we headed out to take more pictures. We tried out the Beggar's Chicken here and it was pretty good. The price also not too cheap. Haha. After dinner, we took a stroll across the Su Causeway to the South side of the West Lake. Even at night, the West Lake still looks very beautiful. Apparently, there are plenty of tombs of war heroes and literary scholars around West Lake.

Getting back into town was difficult as the buses were few and far between at that time and there were hardly any taxis available. In the end we had to settle for a bus which brought us back close enough and we walked. Zhen wanted to do some shopping and we stopped at Smith & Calvin! Alas, the staff there could not speak English and were having problems with a Caucasian couple. Seeing the difficulty they were in, we stepped in to assist the shop assistants. Haha. After she had bought her jacket, we then strolled back to our hotel where she had to continue her work on her IA report which is due next week.

Day Four
We chose to wake up early as we had yet to do a proper tour of the West Lake and quickly washed up and headed there. On our way there, another auntie suddenly spoke to us and again she encouraged us to go visit Jiu Xi first. Hahaha! When we reached the West Lake, it looked really nice. We took a boat ride to visit the various islets in the lake. There was a tablet there written by Qian Long which had the word Chong Er. I later then realised what it actually meant.

After we were done with the islets, we headed over to the Duan Qiao. This was the bridge, according to the Madam White Snake folklore, where Xu Xian met Bai Su Zhen. Or was it where they accepted each other's love? Hmm......

Soon it was time to head back to Shanghai and we rushed back to the hotel after lunch to get our stuff before checking out. This time, although we had comfy seats, the coach was packed in like sardines. Argg! When we reached Shanghai, my next hotel is situated outside the city area and within a stone's throw of Zhen's apartment. This hotel is somewhat like a budget hotel. Like a normal hotel, it only did not have any carpet flooring and a shower head instead of a bathtub. Else, at half the rate of a city hotel, this can be a pretty comfortable place to stay. After we checked in, I could see that she was very tired and I suggested that we have a quick dinner after which I walked her back.

Day Five
On my own again today, I went to get the tickets for the Shanghai Plant Sculpture Exhibition before heading to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. Alas, it is closed on Mondays. Since I was in the vicinity, I took a walk around to see the parks there.

After a while, I headed over to the vicinity of the Oriental Pearl. Apparently it costs RMB100 just to go all the way to the top. Expensive. I then went over to the Grand Hyatt Shanghai to place my reservation for this coming Saturday. I had read how the staff treated those who can speak Mandarin differently from those who speak English, I stuck to English the entire time I was there. Haha. It sure was a test of resolve on my part not to break into Mandarin, seeing the difficulty the staff had at speaking staccato English. Although the buffet here ain't cheap, RMB298 per person, but the view is just as good as the Oriental Pearl and we got food. So why not? Haha.

While shopping at the Super Brands Mall there, I realised that not everything is cheap over there. Zhen met me there after work and she looked really pretty. Looking at myself, dressed only in my jeans and jersey top, I felt under dressed and undeserving of her company. We headed over to a place called Chamate for dinner. The food there is so-so but the "bak-chor" is good. Maybe it is her company that I crave for. Anything else is just secondary. Haha.

Day Six
Went out looking for the Shanghai TV & Movie city but had mistaken the Shanghai Film City as my place of destination. Argg! Apparently the TV & Movie city is at the Songjiang district, which is outside of Shanghai City, whereas the Film City is just a cineplex. Waste my time. Hahaha.

I then headed over to the Shanghai Stadium to get my tickets for One-Day tour to Zhou Zhuang tomorrow and Suzhou the day after. The trips do not cost too much though.

Next stop for the day was to the old street of Shanghai. It is a bit like a run-down version of our Chinatown. Also, there is a market nearby where you could pick up stuff. You know what I mean. Haha.

Met Zhen later that evening at Dong Chang Road area, where we had our dinner at Bi Feng Tang. When I laid my eyes on her, SHE WAS SO PRETTY! I am so HAPPY!

Day Seven
Went on the One-Day tour of Zhou Zhuang today. I was almost late for the bus but made it just in time. Was feeling a bit fluish but nonetheless, just wanted to go visit a waterside town.

Alas, the place is a bloody tourist trap! No cheapo food anywhere. Had to settle for eating in the restaurant. Haiz. The building there were of the old designs and sure gave a feel of time past. One of the placed visited was the old home of Shen Wan San, the rich guy of days goneby. The temple was a nice place to visit but they were very persistent in getting people to donate money or to "fang sheng". Haiz. It was so business like. The tour even included a visit to the nearby silk manufacturer's store, with a fashion show to boot! BUT......the models all cannot make it, very stiff. However, have to give them the credit for doing the show. By the time we headed back to Shanghai, we got caught in the typical afterwork rush.

I felt so bad having to make Zhen wait for me to return before going for dinner. In the end we settled at a nearby beef noodle place. Following that, we ended dinner with a visit to the nearby dim sum place for some hot Soya Bean milk and Xiao Long Bao. My verdict on the Xiao Long Bao? Cannot compare to those served at Crystal Jade back home.

Day Eight
Woke up with a splitting headache and under the weather. It finally rained today while I was rushing to the stadium to catch my tour bus. Alas I was 1 minute late and the bus had driven off. Thankfully I could get at least 50% of my ticket refunded. I then slowly made my way back to the hotel to rest for the day. Damn! It sucks to fall ill on a holiday.

Spent the entire day in the hotel today recovering from my illness. Did not even get to meet her today. Also good, did not want to pass the germs on to her. Until I get back to Singapore, take care!

Day Nine
My flu finally cleared up enough for me to go for a walk around town today. I went on some DVD shopping and wanted to visit some of the old buildings in the city area. Alas, after I was done with the DVDs, the sky did not look good. I wanted to meet Zhen at Jiao Tong University today but she was busy. She asked me to go walk around some more and that she will meet me later. Since I had yet to visit the Science Museum, I decided to go have a look.

It ain't cheap getting in, RMB60 to be exact. There were some interesting exhibits here and there but after visiting a few of the areas, I finally realised why I did not visit our very own Singapore Science Centre for so many donkey years. It is all the same. Nothing much. Well, they did have an audio-visual area which was pretty interesting. Here, you could try your hand on a very basic flight simulator with 3 degrees of freedom. What I felt was the best there was the sound studio where, with the aid of headphones, a ghost story was told and the creaks and gentle whispers manifested in a 3D-sound environment. Got my hair standing, especially since it was meant for 10 people to try but I did it solo. While walking around, I saw wall plaques around which listed some great scientists of past, such as Darwin, Einstein. I even saw a plaque which listed thermodynamic formulae! AHHHHHHH!!!! There was one plague which did catch my fancy. It was a plaque listing the Chinese Medical Herbs Compendium.

Today, we ate at a place called Shu Yu Fang. Apparently, they are well known for their fish cuisines here. As Zhen does not really like spicy food, I had a hard time picking the dishes. Heez. We talked about her time here and she asked me about my NZ trip. I told her it was great fun and maybe we could go together next time. Maybe during her graduation trip. We sort of agreed and even mentioned that we should rent jeeps or 4WDs next time. Haha. I hope it will happened but it is only a wish. Although my hotel was just 50meters away from the restaurant, I walked Zhen home instead. I do not know if I will have many such opportunities and just want to enjoy the moments while they lasted.

Day Ten
We had planned on going to the Century Park today to view the Mosiaculture Exhibition but it just kept on raining. Well, since we could not do much outdoor activity today, I asked Zhen to stay at home to rest and work on her report. Afterall, we had our dinner date tonight.

I had made a reservation earlier in the week at the Grand Hyatt Shanghai. I had promised Zhen that I will bring her there and even tried to get a view of Puxi for her to enjoy. When we were nearing the building, the low lying clouds made the Jinmao Tower, where Grand Hyatt Shanghai is located, look very eerie. You could not see the top of the tower for the clouds were hanging around the 2/3 mark.

We strolled into the hotel and I could see that Zhen was very happy tonight. She mentioned that she did not want to move much and I told her that she need only sit and wait to be served. Afterall it is a buffet and I did not want her to be jostling with the crowd. The food served was ok but the company I had that evening was the best! Heez. Seeing the smile on her face during the entire evening made me feel that it was all worth the effort coming to Shanghai to spend time with her.

Day Eleven
Today is the last day Zhen could spend time with me for I am leaving on the 8.45am flight the next day back to Singapore. Seeing that she had stayed up late last night to work on her report after the dinner, I decided not to disturb her too early in the morning. When I opened the curtains of my hotel room, the ground was still wet but no one was walking around with umbrellas.

We finally met around lunchtime at a eatery near our place. Zhen wanted to treat and I was happy to oblige. The food was not bad and the price was reasonable too. After lunch, we strolled towards Century Park to finally do the Mosiaculture Exhibition. Halfway through, it started to pour again but we both squeezed under one umbrella and continued to enjoy our time at the park. Haha. It was really fun to go walking in a park with her. The first time we went out together, just the two of us, was also to a park, our very own Botanical Gardens.

With the sky turning dark soon, she told me that she wanted to go to the shopping area near the Science Museum. Of course I readily agreed and we headed that way. The shopping area was also another place where you can get "stuff" and you can keep pressing the prices down. Hahaha. Well, nothing caught my fancy although I wanted to get her something but she did not get anything in the end either.

Our final meal together in Shanghai was at a little Japanese eatery. I tried to express my feelings then but could not mouth the words out. After dinner, we headed to my hotel for I had some maps for her. As I walked her back to her place, we chatted and I tried to bring my guts up to tell her. However, I still could not do it. When we finally reached the final junction before she reached home, we bade farewell. Before she left, I grabbed her arm and wanted to tell her that I liked her very much but "like" became "missed". Haiz. I felt like such a fool as I walked back to the hotel. Damn Fool!

Day Twelve
I have arrived back in Singapore today but had to tear myself away from Shanghai this morning. It was with a heavy heart as I left Shanghai. The past 12 days were more than wonderful. It has been the most enjoyable time for me for I was spending it with Zhen. Alas, I was too timid and could not express my feelings verbally. Words came out but "like" became "missed". Haiz.

Run Of The Mill (Part 5)

Shortly after leaving the insurance company, Niv landed a job with a shipping firm as a Pricing Assistant. Well, it was not exactly what he had in mind and the pay was not fantastic but at least he had some income while searching for a permanent job.

When he arrived at the firm, he was told that he will be covering for a colleague who was about to leave while the company was looking for a full time staff. I was thinking why not me. However, I forgot. Too often in Singapore, any jobs meant for degree holders are really meant only for degree holders with 1st or 2nd Upper Class Honors. Those with 2nd Lower or 3rd Class honors could still land jobs but not in any government agencies, statutory board or MNCs. Well, a few of them do still get in but they are few and far between. Often those with a degree not any of the above would find great difficulty in landing a job as they are deemed over qualified for jobs meant for diploma holders but not good enough for jobs meant for degree holders. The only exceptions are for degrees from the top universities in US or UK. Even with a pass degree, they are very much sought after by the local companies.

Coming into the shipping industry has been one of the wish places Niv had when he graduated. He was assigned to work in the trade department and to aid with all Middle-East outbound shipments. It was really an experience to have, working with colleagues from the Middle East. Often he worked late into the night because his counterparts are 5 hours behind and they do not work Fridays but on Sundays. Every Monday, his Inbox is always flooded with quotation approvals. Haha. Life was great and he really loved the job there. He made quite a few friends there too. People like Kong, Ling and Real were really great to work with and never hesitated to show him the proper methods and the ropes.

One day, he happened to see Sue while in town, one of the assistants at the insurance agency.

"Hey Sue!"

"Hello. How have you been?"

"Still the same, could be better. I am working for a shipping agency as a temporary worker currently while searching for a proper job. You?"

"Ah! Life sucks. The crazy woman is going nuts and I cannot stand that environment anymore. I want to get out of there!"

"I was never happy there, that is why I left. Maybe you should too. Have you tried looking around?"

"Yup but I cannot land a job relevant to my diploma. I want to go back to my roots. You got any offers?"

"For myself, still searching. For you, I can try to help you keep a lookout. Are you willing to temp at some place first while searching for a new job?"

"Maybe but I am so used to where I am now."

"Get out of there, silly girl. You are not happy there. I see what I can do but for your own sake, leave. Anyway, even if you stay on, it will not help your career much. It does not build on your diploma and I do not think that crazy woman is going to pay you much either."

"Ok, I will see how things work out first."

Well, things did change for the better later on. Not long after they met, one of the Directors asked Niv if he had anybody to recommend as a temp as they had an opening to fill for about 2 months. 2 staff are going to be taking leave consecutively and they needed someone to come in to cover for them while in their absence. I mentioned that I had a possibility and if he is willing to speak to Sue.

I picked up the phone and called Sue, "Quit your job now and come join me!"

"What?!?! What are you talking about?"

"There is a temp opening coming up for 2 months. Take this opportunity and get out now! Plus, they pay about the same as what you are being paid now. You will be happier here. Trust me."

"But...but..."

"No buts. How long is your notice period?"

"7 days"

"Ok, come over and talk to the Director. Once he confirms, go and tender your resignation."

"But...but..."

"Stop saying but. Get out of there you silly gal. I will arrange for you to meet the Director tomorrow. The appointment is fixed. Just show up."

"Ok"

Just like that, Sue left the insurance company and joined Niv at the shipping firm. Initially, Sue could not get used to leaving her comfort zone but she soon warmed up to the current post. She was so happy that Niv pulled her out and she mentioned that another of the assistant was also not happy.

"Hey Niv, Rev is not happy either."

"Well, maybe we can check with HR to see if there is any opening. No guarantees. We have to get her out of there soon though. Haha."

"Yeah. You are really bad, taking away all the staff."

"Hey, if you were happy there, would you come? Plus, we still do not know the situation with the firm or Rev. Let us just wait and see."

Maybe, just maybe, that period was a lucky time for Rev as the firm soon had an opening in another department. Sue called Rev up and asked her to come for the interview. Things were really messy for Rev as Niv's previous manager refused to allow Rev to leave. In the end, Rev managed to strike an agreement and soon joined Niv and Sue at the shipping firm. Since then, Sue had managed to find a job relevant to her roots after her temp assignment was over. For Rev, the last Niv heard, she was still at the shipping firm.

Niv's temp assignment was coming to an end too. However, he had yet to land any interviews or job. To take his mind off, he decided to fly to Shanghai to spend some time with his junior from the university.

Run Of The Mill (Part 4)

Freshly recharged from his trip to New Zealand, Niv set out aggressively hunting for a job. He applied to every single government agency and statutory board. He applied to all the big companies. He even sent in applications to the smaller companies. However, it seemed that nobody wanted to give him a chance.

Sure, he got a few interviews. Companies were offering salaries as low as $1900 for an Engineer?! This was ridiculous. No way was he going to let himself be treated like an experienced Diploma holder and be undercut by the needs of such companies. Some others, especially the bigger companies, questioned him and asked him why he had not graduated with Honors. Those interviews always ended with the employers making it seemed as if Niv had wasted their time. ARGGG! What is going on? What is Singapore's continuous obsession with Honors?! To add insult to injury, not a single Government agency nor Statutory board called to offer him an interview.

With things looking really bleak, along came one of the insurance agency. Time and again Niv had told himself that he will not go into insurance. The job is not well respected and you lose all your friends. However, his greed took over when shown the possible amounts available for earnings if one was willing to put in the effort. After agreeing to join, he was sent for training where he learnt the basics of insurance and how to protect the interest of the clients. Along with 5 other new colleagues, they spent some 2 weeks learning the business. During this time, he was good friends with one of the other new colleague, Snowy.

When he completed the training, he thought of all the possibilities, Alas, it was not to be. The hours were long and the pay was not really very attractive. In fact, there was no pay, it was purely commission based. He tried but he just could never make the breakthrough. Initially, he was approaching people with wild abandon. However, as time passed, he became more and more dejected. It could be his lack of courage in approaching the people on the streets. His fear of rejection. He had a hard time getting his career to work out for him.

Around the same time, he started to be friends with another colleague, Heng. Heng had been in the line about 6 months prior and happened to be his senior at the university as well. He had not met Heng while she was at the university but they hit it off after the initial hiccups. They both were under the same manager and after some time, even the assistants in the agency though they were a couple. To everybody, their impression was that Heng approached Niv first, while Niv was the one who took little steps. Niv really did like Heng but things just did not work out for them and they never spoke to each other for a very long time.

With his career in the pits and his savings all but dried up, Niv decided to leave the insurance field. He is not able to survive based on just passive income. He had to get some real income and fast. The CPF Board had just sent notice to him to start repayment of his polytechnic and university studies. Also, the university had sent him a letter to inform him of the beginning of the repayment for his PC loan taken in his freshman year. So much repayment, so little cash.

Run Of The Mill (Part 3)

3 years was soon up and Niv had successfully negotiated his way through all his failed exams to finally graduate on time. It was a surprise really. After all, when a former secondary schoolmate saw him at the university, he had exclaimed to Niv, "Even you can get in?" Niv never claimed to be of any great significance but he hated those who talk down or looked down on others. The elitist mindset of the meritocratic system that Singapore runs on has made him feel very very disheartened.

Saddened at this fact, he took on his first trip on a plane out of Singapore with another friend Cir. He needed a breather away from the monstrosity of Singapore. Just to clear his head before, he, too, have to plunge head on into it. His choice of destination could be no better than the land of the Silver Fern, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Excerpt from Trip Diary:
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. Cir 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 so 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!

Day One
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.

Day Two
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 Cir 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.

Day Three
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!

Day Four
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?!

Day Five
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 fettuccine and tomato pasta sauce for dinner, together with a serving of salad. After many days without anything other than potatoes, we needed leafy vegetables!

Day Six
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.

Day Seven
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, Cir 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 emitting. 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.

Day Eight
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.

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 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 fettuccine in creamy chicken gravy. Yummm!

Day Nine
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 Revart, the ex-Singaporean hostel staff, and talked about the differences in lifestyles between New Zealand and Singapore and how things have changed back home.

Day Ten
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! Revart 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 Cir 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.

Day Eleven
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, Cir 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.

Day Twelve
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 historical 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 Canterburry 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 Aotearoa, 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. It was so foggy this morning that Chirstchurch International Airport grounded all planes till 11am. If this happeneds tomorrow, I am going to miss my connecting flight at Auckland! Let us see if the sky gods will be kind to us tomorrow.