TOUR MEMBERS OF NZ '11 :
KHOR TIAN NING
CLEMENT LOO
ANDREA LIM
HONG SHAN SHAN
DESTINATION OF NZ '11:
AUCKLAND
ROTOROA
ACCOMMODATION OF NZ '11:
YHA AUCKLAND CENTRAL
This is the second trip for the 1 month winter break. And guess what! Its an overseas trip when I'm already studying overseas (hahahhaha). In my imagination, New Zealand is a land full of farms and cows lol. I was being so stereotype of the impression given from the story books when I was young. We travelled to the biggest city in New Zealand's north island, which is Auckland. Its the previous capital of New Zealand. Its absolutely not what I had in mind like those scene in story book. hahah I know la nowadays the world has changed but still the images of New Zealand that I've pictured since young stayed in my mind! Auckland is a hectic city, something like Melbourne and Penang, but not as busy as Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong. Those who says there're nothing to shop in New Zealand, are you sure you've been here??? There are so many shops for shopping over here! Cheap or expensive stuffs, they have it all! One bad thing there is that their roads are ridiculous! The roads are all so sloppy! Other than that, it just gives you this comfortable feeling about it, an unexplainable attractive power,a very very nice place to be! and something cute about them is that the people are also called "kiwis" hehe =)
An evidence of the road!
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Something that we noticed at New Zealand is that there are so many Koreans there! Students or tourists! I wonder why... Most of the attractive tourist destinations are actually in Rotoroa, not in the Auckland city, we actually followed a one day tour by Grayline. It costs us a bomb! Luckily we got 10% discount and it comes down to around $280, yet it's still super expensive T.T Because of this we were totally broke and have to change more New Zealand money! Never this broke before, will never forget about it! But the bus is really cool! It has 2 levels, where the upper level is the passenger seats while the lower level is a small kitchen and a toilet! Because its a day trip, we don't have time to have lunch in restaurant, do the tour guide prepared lunch for us on the bus! Its curry chicken with rice and its surprisingly yummy! Ten times nicer than those served in the flight! Oh we had morning tea and afternoon tea on the bus too. haha at least get VIP treatment for the price we paid.
Destinations that we've visited in Rotoroa includes Waitome Glow Worm Caves, Agrodome Farm Tour, Lake Rotoroa, and Te Puia Maori Village. Waitomo Glow Worm Caves is really really really magnificent! Anyone that's gonna go New Zealand must visit this place! Imagine this : riding on the small boat inside the cave, head up and look at the ceiling of the caves, where you see thousands tiny lights, just like a star-filled sky! Too bad we weren't permitted to take any photo or video inside. This is a photo I took from a
travel website:
Agrodome Farm Tour did'nt really amaze me that much, b'cause I've been to a similar concept farm tour in Brisbane. But we thought we should at least go to a farm tour since we're in New Zealand lol. Some photos that I really like :
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| it is naturally born with the love shape1 how lovely! |
In the Maori Village, we have the opportunity to experience the cultural dance performances by New Zealand's aborigine, called Maori. The dances have been slightly modernised in order to maintain interest of the younger generation and I kinda like it =) Inside the Maori village, we could see the geothermal areas that produce the gases so closely.. and the smell is definitely not nice haha.. Apparently the whole area of Rotoroa is geothermal area that's why they have the hot spring there. Besides, there is this mud pool that's like boiling @.@ and its used for many purposes.. one of it? mud masks =P
Apart from the day tour, we visited this European village, called Howick Village ourselves by public bus and walking *proud* Its established back in 1847 by soldiers from England. The story behind is something like the soldiers and their families are offered to transfer to Howick village FOC including houses and schools built in the village, but they have to live their daily life in this village for 7 years and have to protect New Zealand if its in danger. And now, years passed and their younger generation volunteer to serve in the village, as it is now a tourist attraction. The village is really a place to be! Everything in the village is well-maintained. Look at the photos :
Apart from all these, New Zealand has few dead volcanoes. We climbed, okay sorta walked all the way up to Mount Eden, to have a look at a dead volcano. It is like a very very huge lake, without water in it lol. So this is how it looks like :
And we also went to this island, where a dead volcano is situated. Look at the ugly rocks along the way! The path was just too long we din't make it all the way up.
That's all my memory from this New Zealand trip =) Oh we ate at a super yummy Thai restaurant for dinner during this trip. The reason behind is the wife of the boss of the restaurant is from Thailand, and so I'm guessing the chefs are too. The taste of the food can really compete with the restaurants in Thailand itself! One of the yummiest Thai food I've eaten overseas so far! I really wish that I can go to New Zealand again next time! I somehow really fall for it...
