New Zealand - Day Nine (15/12/11)

It was a calm, relaxing day where we went for a cruise around the Bay of Islands.

Yeah, start humming "Paradise" by Coldplay - because it certainly felt like paradise.

It was thankfully sunny with blue skies today - which made photography really enjoyable.

And then we saw dolphins. Since these little taukes were so sneaky, I literally camped by the side of the ship for quite some time just to get several shots of them - all which didn't turn out that well. These dolphins wouldn't jump up too high, they'd just skim around the water, rub their bellies against the ship - and at most leap a little off the water.

But dang, they were so c-u-t-e. I swear, they were cuter than any guy I've ever seen in my entire life. I was half-tempted to leave everything and dive down the water to swim with them - assuming if I can even swim in the first place.

Nothing much happened after that - but it was time to return to the mainland of Auckland. My parents were going to fly off to Dunedin the next day for my brother's graduation, and I had to fly back home to Malaysia.

New Zealand - Day Eight (14/12/11)

It would be the wildest day in the whole trip ever.

Ever heard of sand-tobogganing - or, in simple terms, sand surfing?

Anyway, we visited Cape Reinga in the morning. It's the most Northern part of New Zealand, and from there we were supposed to see the the meeting point of two oceans. Unfortunately, we were presented with the crappiest weather ever. No, I couldn't see any sea. I couldn't even see the lighthouse clearly. Visibility was limited to a few metres at most - it was like a serious version of Genting with thick mist and raging winds.

So much for summer. I was the only one who didn't bring a parka - a raincoat - or anything waterproof along with me. While my parents were safe and sound with their plastic windbreakers, my jacket was soaked.

 Yeah, well...

Then came the wild part of the day - sand surfing.

 All hail Anne, the amateur sand surfer who rolled off the sand hill with board in hand.

No, really. The wind was that strong. Now, that normally wouldn't be a problem, but the board seemed to like the wind a lot. Whenever the wind blew, I had to clamp my fingers down on the board tightly so as the ensure the board didn't fly along with the wind. And mind you, climbing up the sand hill with socks was tough - probably due to the grip, I guess. I deftly threw the socks to one side and staggered up the hill, using the board as an anchor. There were a few times where I really wanted to just quit and back the hell down - but hey, there was no way I would just quit like that. The most important part was making sure the board was in my hands - if the board flew off, God knows where'd it go.

I had to lie on the board, hold on to the front part, and slide down on the slope.

Honestly, I preferred skiing. For one, looking down the slope was a frightening experience. For another, whenever I clammed up, the results were never, never good.

The guide's strict instruction was - never to let go of the board, otherwise one would fall off the board.

And I typically let go of the board in hopes of steadying myself, only to find myself falling off (damn it, why never I listen?) and rolling downwards.

You had no idea how hard it was to get the sand off my jacket. I had to use one of those brushes to pat the dust away - and even then I still had my dirty socks and wet jackets (it was still raining, believe it or not) to deal with. My mum practically scooted away and kept a distance away from me.

We then visited the Ninety Mile Beach. Well, it was supposed to stretch out for ninety miles, but in reality it was only sixty miles. Still, it was a beautiful sight to behold as it wasn't commercialized - there were no hotels, resorts, or even any shops or restrooms. No one was allowed to build anything there - leaving the beach deserted, untouched, but incredibly breathtaking.

Of course, due to the grey sky, the photo didn't turn out that nice - but to me, it was unpolluted, calm, serene -

- and that was, perhaps, the most important thing of all.

New Zealand - Day Seven (13/12/11)

We set off for Paihia early in the morning, and which we reached late in the afternoon - but before that, we stopped by on several places for a look-see, and that would include the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.

What's important about these place? Well, it was where they signed the official documents about the formation of New Zealand. Pretty important, I'd say. And my brother couldn't answer questions about the Treaty when it came out in his Law exam - so there, important perjanjian. Not to be fooled around with.

 The flag on the left would be the original New Zealand flag many years ago, while the one on the right is the New Zealand flag we often see today. We had a guide, who was supposed to do the explaining - but he wasn't that good, and he couldn't even answer my questions properly.

Anyway.

We set off for Russell Island to see the sights, which required us to take a cruise.

I must say, I rarely wear shades - even in Malaysia - but somehow I ended up wearing them in New Zealand.

 Some friendly kids put up a traditional dancing performance for us visitors on Russell Island. Many tourists, most of them Japanese, were recording videos and looking at the kids fondly.

And these are Pohutukawa trees - more commonly known as the "New Zealand Christmas tree". They bloom mostly in the summer - and the entire island of Russell was filled with these. It was quite a rare sight seeing the mounds of red everywhere we went - and though these weren't hollies, the color resemblance was striking.

A view of Russell Island from the top.

We spent the night at one of the hotels on Russell Island - well, it was supposed to be a four-star hotel, but in many ways it didn't feel that four-star to me. Nevertheless, I didn't complain. With a hairdryer, a kettle, and the perfect electric blanket - I was more than satisfied.

Tomorrow would be one hell of an experience, but of course, I didn't know that yet.

New Zealand - Day Six (12/12/11)

It was a grey morning with little sunshine. It didn't seem that the weather was going to be very nice today, and that thought miffed me to no end. Since we had some issues to settle with the bank, my parents and I headed to both ASB and ANZ bank.

Auckland morning from high up.

I created my bank account in ASB, activating it and promptly getting my card for EFTPOS usage. With that, I realized that I was running late. I had to meet Hamsa, and she was already waiting at the hotel lobby. I felt bad, of course, but she assured me that it was okay. And with that, my parents brought us to lunch at one of the nearby restaurants.

 The lunch was alright, and I had the biggest Christmas pudding that I had ever seen in my life.

Hamsa and I roamed Auckland after that. We were supposed to check out the parks and chat there the entire afternoon, but dang the weather - it rained on, and didn't seem like stopping anytime soon. We walked around the streets for a while, felt annoyed by the onslaught of rain, and decided to rest by at Gloria Jeans for a cuppa.

 And we talked, gossiped, and discussed about everything under the sky - including 5S1, our friends, new potential relationships between them, college, university, families, and just life in general. It felt good to talk to her after not having the chance to do so for such a long time. We talked about our future plans - and I grinned when I found out that she would be applying to Otago University the year after this.

It would be nice if the two of us could be in the same university. We would meet up often, complain about our workload, and hang out anytime we wanted.

Yeah, that would be wonderful.

My parents decided to bring Hamsa out for dinner, and we ended up eating at this steamboat restaurant. All the menu was in Chinese, and it was obvious that the restaurant catered to the needs of the Chinese from China.

I didn't particularly enjoy the dinner - it was too oily, and everything tasted like pork and mutton. Nevertheless, it was my brother's choice of restaurant, so we went along with him.

My parents like Hamsa. A lot. They like how she refuses to forget about the Chinese culture, and they like the fact that she's independent and assertive.

I'm glad they do - because I can tell that Hamsa will definitely be one of my lifelong friends. I just know it.

New Zealand - Day Five (11/12/11)

Today was going to be another one of those travelling days.

Nothing much happened. All we did was fly up to Auckland, where we stayed back in the same hotel we did many years ago. Since my brother was now in Auckland with a car, we waited for him to pick us up.

And that was when we discovered that he drove like an impulsive, impatient teenager. My parents continued to admonish him even after we reached his flat. We had dinner together, and later on decided to stroll along the city to see the nightlife - and to find a cybercafe.

It was a Sunday night. The streets were more or less deserted, and most shops were closed.

A guy ran up to me.

I reflexively took a step back, narrowing my eyes and wondering what he wanted. The guy, with his other friends, crowded around and continued to stare at me just as my mum grabbed my hand and glared at them. As soon as they recognized that I was with someone older, they quickly laughed and said, "It was just a joke!" They hurried off the road, and for that instant moment, I felt relieved.

Before we could walk to the next street, a young girl approached me. She appeared to be using crutches to support herself, but anyone who looked closely could tell that she was faking it.

"Could you give me some change? Just to catch the midnight train back home."

I honestly had no money on with me at that time, and even if I had any, I wouldn't risk taking my wallet out either. I merely looked at her, pretended that I couldn't speak any English, and said something like, "No, uh, I don't have any."

After being in Malaysia for so long, one would be a fool not to be cautious. They would most likely grab your wallet and run off, and you wouldn't have a chance to see your money ever again. While rape and murder cases weren't as popular here, it was still the biggest city in New Zealand - which meant many people that weren't originally Kiwis, and which meant that they would be after money when they faced a shortage.

I felt irritated at being someone they felt was worth targeting. Honestly, although the streets were quite empty, there were still dozens of other people hanging out. With all the Asians in Auckland, I could have easily blended in as one of the locals. Why did they still target me then? Its not like they could have seen my face anyway - I had my cap on.

In some ways, they could still tell that I was someone foreign to the ways of living over there.

And I felt really young. It was the same during meeting my sister's friends at the campus - the same feeling of being naive and unknowing towards society and its ways.

That would have to change, and I hope it would.

New Zealand - Day Four (10/12/11)

Sunny days in New Zealand are always days to behold. Those are the days when you can just walk along in nothing but a long dress and a thin overcoat, smiling at the thought of summer and long daylight hours.

It was my sister's graduation day, and we accompanied her to the university.

And took quite a few photos with her in her graduation gown.

 I must admit that ever since I had a new camera, I enjoyed taking macro shots of flowers. The detailed folding of each rose petal fascinates me to no end.

The University of Otago - which would be the place I would be studying at next year.

Since Dunedin itself is mostly a student town, the university there treats graduation very, very seriously. For graduations, there will always be a procession on the street. A live Scottish band will lead the way, followed by the Vice Chancellors, faculty members, and finally by students - who can be accompanied by parents.

It was an interesting sight to behold.

 The ceremony itself was a solemn one. Other than just giving out the certificates, the graduates had to swear on the Hippocrate's oath to use their knowledge for the good of the world - and the ceremony ended by singing the national anthem both in English and Maori.

We were treated to a simple reception at a nearby church after that.

 I just noticed that we matched each other in red and black.

We had dinner at Speights after that. Believe it or not, everyone had arrived there for their graduation dinners. It was a brewery, and apparently served the best wine and beer in town. Not to lose out, we ordered some.

And I was allowed to have a glass as well. No, I didn't get drunk.

After much thought of consideration, I decided to give up the offer from Christchurch's Canterbury University and accept the offer from the University of Otago. Amusingly, my brother and sister once studied there - and I would be going there next year, too - which would make it something like a family tradition of the three siblings.

I quite like the environment there. It's not really a big place and the hangout places are limited - but does it matter? Most importantly, the people are friendly, the student life is interesting, and I know that I wouldn't regret going there - no matter what obstacles I would face. 

New Zealand - Day Three (9/12/11)

I awoke to a bright, sunny day in Timaru - which made all of us feel bright and cheery.

We picked our sister up from her flat. Since she was a practicing doctor, she lived directly opposite the hospital.

It's quite a quaint place, really. The sea isn't too far away either.

 Outside my sister's flat.

We drove - or, to be specific, my sister voluntarily drove down all the way to Dunedin. Along the way, we discussed about her work life, practical tax issues, and various other relaxing topics. I smiled, nodded along, and just took in everything. For the first time in a few months, I could just ride along and admire the scenery without rushing for another Biology fact. The family atmosphere was there, and everything just felt so calm and serene. 

We reached Dunedin, and headed for the university where my sister picked up her graduation gown. I spontaneously headed along, only to find that I wanted to shy away from every single friend she met - which included tall, hulking guys and smiling girls. It was the fact that they were all mature graduates, while I was still a young high school graduate. I felt young, inexperienced, and very different. Actually, I could have passed off for a student easily. A friend of my sister actually thought that I was a forth year medical student - but the way I acted quickly gave away the fact that I was younger than I looked. It was the inferiority complex kicking in, and I had to ditch that away as soon as possible.

And while being there, the strangest thing happened. That particular university I was at, University of Otago, had offered me a place for Foundation in Arts next year when they were initially very negative to me. I ended up consulting my two closest wise friends, which resulted in me hurtling towards the university office.

The rest of it was pretty much history.

New Zealand - Day Two (8/12/11)

It didn't feel like summer at Christchurch - nope, not at all. What I felt was cold wind that prickled at my skin and chilly temperatures that made me feel sluggish. It was upsetting, for I had hoped to see beautiful blue skies that depicted the true New Zealand summer I knew.

We picked up a car from the car rental area, fixed the GPS on, and headed to the house of a friend of my dad.

While the house was impressive, the garden was even more so.

The flowers were in full bloom despite the nasty weather.

The house.

We couldn't stay for long, though. We had to drive southwards down to Timaru, where my sister was staying at.

The funniest thing was that the GPS trolled us successfully by directing us into another town called Omaru. Apparently the street that we were looking for in Timaru was too small, resulting in it being unlisted in the GPS - so we ended up in Omaru, a town smaller than the already-small Timaru. Oh, the horror. I wanted to grin, but my parents didn't find it particularly funny.

In the end, we managed to reach Timaru - but by then it was late, and most of the shops were already closed. We ended up eating dinner at a ridiculously expensive restaurant that tooked the opportunity to charge us at a high rate.

There was nothing more that could be done. It was too late, and my sister had to sleep early after a long day working at the hospital. We would meet up with her tomorrow and head down to Dunedin together for her graduation.

New Zealand - Day One (7/12/11)

It was the final day of SPM.

I fidgeted throughout the entire exam, feeling unsettled, excited, and anxious at the same time. For one, I had no idea what the ancient Mandarin scripts in front of me were about ; and for another, I knew my bags were back home in my room - unpacked and half-empty.

It hadn't been my fault, of course. The exams had taken up too much of my time. Of course, it also had been me who wanted to join in the excursion to New Zealand as soon as I was done with SPM here, so I didn't complain.

As soon as SPM ended, I rushed back home instead of staying back for the victory celebrations.

Thanks to the fact that I was quite a seasoned traveller, I could hastily shove everything into my bag without making a long, lengthy list.

I glanced at my watch. There was around an hour left. Damn. And the worst thing was, at that current moment, I found out that my earphones for my music player had spoilt (It worked fine the day before that, I swear.) and my new Olympus E-PL2 camera had a faulty memory card. Goodness, I wanted to scream bloody murder.

I would have preferred travelling with MAS instead of AirAsia, but AirAsia fares were much cheaper. Another downside was that we would depart from LCCT, and not from KLIA. The LCCT really lived up to its Low-Cost-Carrier-Terminal name - by having little to zero system. While KLIA exuded a classy charm, LCCT carried an exuberant pasar malam vibe to it. I practically had to squeeze past the mass of people, lugging a huge bag along.

There was a lady with a baby directly on the seat in front of me.

Said baby cried in random intervals throughout the night flight.

My parents were quite understanding, and I tried to be as well. After all, flying long flights were uncomfortable businesses that took time getting used to. I remember having nosebleeds while flying whenever I was younger due to the dry air on board - and that had been really messy. This young baby couldn't speak, and therefore could only cry whenever he felt hungry, thirsty, or merely irritated. The mother was frantic, and my mother ended up helping her out.

Basically, the entire night was full of wailing. I couldn't sleep, and the hard seats on the flight were not in the least bit comfy. My back and neck ached, (one of the side effects of having scoliosis I suppose) and I felt like just twisting the cabin doors nearby so that I could make a memorable exit by skydiving.

Not that I would really have the courage to carry that out, of course.

The hours dragged by, painful and torturous. The next meal served was a few hours before landing - 11am New Zealand time, and 6am Malaysian time. I looked at the oily meal in front of me and suppressed the urge to throw up. I never was one to eat anything for breakfasts, and the time difference, while not as large as being in Europe, was enough to make me dread the fatigue that would be arriving very, very soon.

I sighed, and left the meal untouched.

All I wanted was some solid land to step onto.