discover.travel.adventure

Abel Tasman national park, Nelson

2006-12-12T05:28:00.000+08:00

me and my twin!! At the starting point of our trek, Marahau, Old McDonald's farm.. Sweet the both of us! Hobbes din think my pic with my lamas were worth a place in our blog.. so thr.

Alright! We are back! After 4 days of trekking in the Abel Tasman National Park, we emerged at taturanui camp site and came back to civilisation!! Guys do note.. Lonely Planey rated it as an easy to moderate trek, which can be accomplished with tennis shoes.. Also note that Lonely Planet seems to cater for Ang Moh's with REALLY long legs and apparently written by Hercules for superior human beings like Lance Armstrong or something.. For Tiny ASIANS like us.. its moderate to hard trek ok!! Averaged about 11 km a day.. crossed estuaries at low tide.. ( yes,, getting feet really wet..)

What was supposed to be a scenic walk by the coast turned into a climb up and down many many mountains (bet its hills to them). And it rained 2 of the 4 days we were out there.. Freezing.. but I guess that's roughing it out huh.. Btw, amg moh trekkers don't believe in isntant food.. They eat Mushrooms and Asparagus ( they really brought it out from home all the way here!!) While we poor pathetic Asians eat instant noodles and porridge.. Oh well.. It was an experience indeed..

Oh yar.. Yee, forget abt the Taranaki High circuit trek we wanted to do.. Once is enough for us...

But the scenery was really awesome..Nice beaches and seas that stretched out far into the horizon. Guess it was worth it in the end. You juz gotta work for it..

Oh yar.. It was suppose to be a National conservation centre or something.. But while we were on the beach strolling abt.. We spotted.. *gasp MUSSELS! So we promptly got out our swiss army knife and went mussel hunting.. Had a really good seafood meal that night.. Free somemore.. making Singaporeans the world around proud.. Mom, proud of us right.. =D

Tom Yam Goong!!!

half way through the trekking.. me and Thabs decided to just jump into the sea! Heh.. And did just that! had to change and all in a jify before the next trekkers come along haha.. The water was cold la!! But it was damn fun!! Things pple won't norm do.. Yup defly not normal ppl cos hobbes jumped in in his teh-kor cos even thou we r gog to the coast his packg did not include trunks.. Smart right? ( Thab brought 3 kg of toiletries! and 1 swim suit, and one bikini.. and dun noe wat else..) And because of my packing he actly got a track pants to borrow after his teh-kor episode ya... Yup hobbes can fit into my trackpants...=]

Colour co-ordinated?

The suspension bridge.. Finally! We crossed like 6 bridges along the way and kept going "this is tt famous bridge?"

Sunrise at Bark's Bay ( I took the photo!! Thabs still whining in bed!) (In tent by the way.. and its really cold in the morning ya.. Must be 10 degrees or sumthg) ( BUT I!! HOBBES WAS FINE!!) (He shld be right? Being the guy and all.. I already almost lost my life freezing during the dolphins encounter)( She used the f* word on the coldness!!)

Cookinng dinner after 11km for the day...

Sun setting over the awaroa estuary at 9pm

in our tent with hobbes trying to act beng after not having bathed and shaved for 4 days

Yay!! Finally completed..

And our sorry faces after it all... =S

One of the many nice beaches.. Our pic's not doing justice to the real thing!

Finally!! The long awaited photos of our trip thus far!!

2006-12-05T18:19:00.000+08:00

OK!! Loads of photos!!
Starting from

Day 1: Auckland ( Me, Mom & cousin at dinner for the first night!)

Day 2: Starts off with a domestic flight from Auckland to Christchurch where we started our backpacking journey!

Arrival at CHRISTCHURCH!

OOHHHH!! The church The church!! We went to the CHURCH in CHRISTCHURCH!

I donated a dollar to their fund.. So I guess whatever sins I have accumulated have all been washed clean!! I mean.. This church is in CHRISTCHURCH! So it should have stronger powers than the other churches right?! Holy Hobbes and Thabye..

And finally we are off to find a place to stay! And since we have taken much initiative in getting ourself YHA (Youth Hostel Assosciation) memberships. We are supposed to find YHA hostels in the towns that we hit.. So off we went to seek Yha hostels.. After an hour or so.. we finally found one.. One which we walked past like twice.. Cause the YHA sign is so BLODDY SMALL!

( See where my finger is?? Thats the small YHA word.. Horrid)

Supper at the YHA!! JEtLag! I woke thabye up at like

2am to eat supper with me cause I can't sleep..

Yea.. She blamed me for her tiredness after
that the next day. What bull..

she was just lousy... tsk tsk tsk..

More sight-seeing at CHRISTCHURCH the 2nd day there..

And next stop Kaikoura! Which is where I am now! Best fun I had thus far! We took a bus down from Christchurch and after a quick check-in to Dolphin Lodge hostel.. Which is great, btw.. ( owner looking over my shoulder... ) We headed out to the dolphin encounter !! We took a speed boat out to mingle with Dusky Dolphins and went into the water ( freezing!! 14degreecelsius!!) to play with them as they come close! Amazing!!

wE wERe LEfT OUt in THe RAin AS the BUS PIcking US up for OUr Dolphin Trip WAS LAte.. Sad Looks =[

Taking our pics!!

ME and THABS after the DOLPHIN SWIM>>FREEZING AND WITH WEIRD FUNKY HAIR! GEESH OH DOLPHINS!!

OUR REWARDS FOR OUR FREEZING DIVES... brrrrrr!!!!

Yea so that was our exciting afternoon!! Kaikoura is a lovely place and I truly wish I could have spent more time in this lovely seaside town.. But oh well.. Onwards to greater stuff with the Abel Tasman Hike in Nelson!!

To top off our WONDERFULROUS, Thabs and I decided to be a bit more extravagant with our dinner.. An idyllic little restaurant called The Green Dolphin. Brilliant food I tell you... Bread and dip ( which since we were the first dinner customer, just got out of the oven,) Seafood chowder ( that had awesome bits in it.. Squid.. smoked Warehau- some NZ fish amongst others..) Another white NZ fish we cant pronounce, and some other seafood mix which was gorgeous.. Drank their housewine as well.. Great recommendation from the hostess... A gorgeous blonde and her family. Fantastic I tell you.. Thabs was giddy with delight! And we ate from 6pm right until 11pm..

Our view at the table of our restaurant.. Awesome I tell you... Those hills yonder.. Legolas has climbeth further.. I see snow on those mountain tops I tell you.. Beyond words..

''Kill me now and I will be in bliss,

For to engage in love may not be

as pleasing as this'

( I just made that up!-- at 134am!)

Great companions too! From 2 Americans who don't love Texas too much at all! Had great after dinner convresation with them, downing port and cinder! Cheers mates! Great knowing you all!! Leave me some tags would ya!

Along the beach in kaikoura.

Alas this part of the journey must end.. and what better pic to show you guys then the dessert that has served us so well the end of dinner. Best Creme Brulee I ever had and Thabs too! Splendid I tell you..

( Creme Brulee... *Thinks of someone)

Hurrying

2006-12-04T17:32:00.000+08:00

OK Christchurch now...

I hav3 3:30 minutes on the computer left...

Erm.. I went to a church in christCHURCH!!

Erm.. Me and Thabye had lunch ( fish and chips in the square!!) She had 3 bites snatched by seagulls from her.. Erm.. and she thinks they are cute!

2 minutes left..

AHHH!!!

Will post pics at Kaikoura where we are heading next for a dolphin swim! Internet is free there !!

30 sec left...

AHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Hobbes

Day One In Auckland, New Zealand

2006-12-02T18:26:00.000+08:00

Hello all!!

pink thabye
purple hobbes

A harrowing experience indeed... Hobbes got mistaken for a terrorist and almost cdn'tboard the plane! Andyou thought my passport was the probematic one...

SQ sucks!!!! Crampy seats, old auntie behind who tickles my ears.. But oh well.. after 2 vodka pineapples, 1 singapore sling (which sux), 1 screwdriver (which also sucks), 1 red wine (which was not bad) we finally made it to Auckland where an unneving chalenge awaits.. Smuggling dried mushrooms intoNZ.....

Quarantine Officer: Are you bringing in dried fish?? Dried mushrooms??

Me: Nopes.. No dried fish..

Quarantine Officer: Dried meat?? dried MUSHROOMS? etc??

Me: No, Sir, no dried meat.. ( nervous eyes..)

Quarantine Officer: So no dried MUSHROOMS?

Me: Nope.. No dried meat or fish....

Quarantine Officer: alright... go to queue 2... ( Fierce stare..)

Note: The fine for not declaring MUSHROOMS is like NZD $ 10,000.. See what a filial son will do for his MUSHROOMY Mother...

Things got smooth from then though..

First stop: makan.. We had the BIGGEST latte I've ever seen. It came in a bowl.... The pictures are gonna be uploaded.. Er.. Once the techno savvy Thabs and Hobbes actually figures out how.. I mean.. we are really good with technology.. just you noe.. erm... NZ blooger.com and singapore blogger.com is REALLY different! its like the screen is different.. er.. the keyboard is diff.. Err.. So once we get the hang of this alien environment, we'll er.. upload.

Next: We practised how to set up the tent! ( also got PICS!) Er..
Step 1: Setup the tent.
Step 2: Tent setted upped
Step 3: Keep the tent.

Ok hobbes is tired and crappy.. we shall all go sleep.

*Dinner was good.. Got PICS to prove too! =S Really....

2006-12-01T11:42:00.000+08:00

off we go!

2006-12-01T11:32:00.001+08:00

we are going to n.z
what about you?
you can come too
we are going to n.z!