NZ Day 7: Fox Glacier and Queenstown

In the morning we went to see the Fox Glacier. What is glacier? Well, according to this website,

Glaciers are made up of fallen snow that, over many years, compresses into large, thickened ice masses. Glaciers form when snow remains in one location long enough to transform into ice.

Okay? So you got the idea? We're gonna see some ice. hahaha. It's a free entrance to see Fox Glacier, but at certain point, you will need a guidance from the expert because the area is getting rocky and slippery. I just went until the certain point that they say is safe. It's an half hour walk to see the ice, but if you want to explore some more, you will have to walk further than that.

Fox Glacier entrance

and here it is! The safe unguided spot ends here.

Some people are doing ice climbing with tour guide

Saying goodbye to Fox Glacier!

Now we're continue our journey to Queenstown. It's a five hours drive. Super long journey! I feel asleep during the ride hehe.. then I woke up when we made a stop at Haast city. We had lunch at Frontier Cafe & Bar and the burger I ordered taste super yummy!!! I can say that it was the best food I've tasted in NZ.

I will never forget the day we met 

Thanks for the great meal!

We continue driving to Queenstown. Reach there around 5 p.m. and started to look for a place to stay at night. We called few hostels, all said that they're all fully booked (it was saturday night), and finally we decided to stop at each vacant hostel. It was freezing in Queenstown that night, I think the weather almost reach zero degree. It's not fun to come and knock asking if there were any vacant room available for the past two hours . Desperate enough, I suggested we took a room more expensive than our budget. As long as I'm not freezing in the car like this. hahaha. That moment was the most miserable night of the whole journey. 

In the middle of my desperation, Ms. F randomly called a hotel, and they say they still have an available room within our budget. I could cry in tears of joy if I wasn't that hungry. A clean bed, a warm room. What could I needed more back then? 

Sherwood Manor Hotel view in the morning

After we checked in, we went to the city to have dinner (but somehow I lost my appetite) and went back to the hotel. The next day we're gonna continue the journey in the early morning to Milford Sound - another story awaits hohoho

NZ Day 6: Wanaka and Knight's Point

 Day 5 started in Wanaka. A small city (but bigger than Lake Tekapo) that also offers the beauty of it's lake. We stayed at Wanakabakpaka the night before and in the morning we took a stroll on the area around the city and the lake. 

Cute car in front of Wanakabakpaka + View of Wanaka

The other place we visited in Wanaka is Puzzling World. Inside, you can see and play with many types of puzzle. You can also play in the maze or buy tickets to get inside the exhibitions. That time we were rushed to reach our next destination, so we only took some picture and here it is:

 Trying to create an illusion from certain angle 

Then we were rushing to get to Fox Glacier. It's a four hours drive from Wanaka to Fox Glacier but on our way we made a stop at a place called Knight's Point. It's a coastal area so the you can feel the warmth of the  sun for a while.

Must do at Knight's Point: taking pictures! :p

Then we reach Fox Glacier, we checked in at Fox Glacier Holiday Park. The Fox Glacier area was very quite, not much tourist coming when we were there. Because it's getting dark and I don't know what to do in the evening, I just watch Junior Masterchef on TV that night hahaha. But the most memorable thing was how clear the sky were. You can see the stars shines clearly. It was breathtaking seeing your skyline has no border. 

Welcoming Baby Cleo!

I'm officially an aunt now. My niece name is Cleona Vanielle Tjiptono. She was born on Aug 9th, 2012, delivery via C-section. Weight 3,090 gr and length 50cm. Cleo is the first daughter of my sister and brother in law. It was such a joy moment for both big families since it's their first grandchildren from both. So lucky you Cleo, you're gonna be everybody's little princess!

Thirteen days old Cleo

Right now my sister and bro in law are staying at my parents' house (with me) til my sister is fully recover from the surgery. So everyday I get to see Cleo and watch her grow bigger everyday. haha. Well, it's been 13 days since she was born, but you certainly can see her cheeks are getting puffier. 

I have to admit that I haven't been such a good helper taking care of Cleo. I only like to play with her, talking to her and sometimes sing a song to her (today I sang 1D 'What Makes You Beautiful' hahaha), but when she started to cry and I know that she's doing the 'smelly stuff' (haha), I can only call her mom or grandma to change her diaper. 

Since I'm about to leave to BeiJing within a week and probably gonna come back one year after, she's gonna be one year old when I come back. Ahh... baby Cleo.. Ii is sure gonna miss you. (I want Cleo to call me Ii, instead of aunty, because aunty reminds me of Singaporean Kopitiam aunties :p)

But I believe when Ii come back from BeiJing, both of us are gonna be more awesome than today! So cheers to us, Cleo! (Cleo with her milk, and Ii with her Baileys hahaha)

NZ Day 5: Mt. John, Mt. Cook, and Wanaka

On the fifth day, we first took a stop at Mount John. It's around 20 minutes car ride from Lake Tekapo to reach the top of the mountain. From there you can see the lake view below and the snowy mountains around them. This is so my first time touching a real snow. What an epic moment for me :p

Snooow! Real snow! *excuse me*

After finish taking pictures, we're heading to Mount Cook. Mount Cook is the highest mountain in NZ and it has eternal snow. So any time of the year when you feel like touching the snow, you can come here to feel the freezing ice and do those mount climbing thing. Yeah, clearly I don't understand what kind of sports you can do here. But one thing for sure, you can take some pre-wedding pictures here! I saw the brochure in the information center :P

On our way to Mt. Cook, at the intersection between Mt. Cook and Twinzel (the next city) we met a fellow backpacker. She (yes, a girl and she was alone) was standing in the intersection waving on our car for a ride to Mt. Cook. At first we were hesitate to give her a ride, but finally we decided to give her a ride. Her name is Xiao Ming and she come from China for a year working holiday in NZ. She's about about to go back for good to China in a few weeks, so this is her last chance to travel around NZ. Waw. That's very brave of her doing this kind of trip alone. 

Hello Stranger!

So here's the view Mt. Cook offers you... I didn't do a lot of editing here, first cause I feel like it will waste a lot of my time editing things that are already beautiful just the way it is. Secon, cause I'm just laaazy. hahahaha

Last but not least: lunch time.. and of course 'poto dulu sblum makan' moment

After we're done admiring the magnificent Mt. Cook, we continue our journey to Lake Wanaka. After three hours drive and facing a very scary sudden weather change on our way, we finally arrived safely in the evening. So you know what I'm about to write on the sixth day post: Lake Wanaka! I'll be writing about it soon :)

NZ Day 4: Lake Tekapo

On day 4 trip we're finally out of big city- with a little help from our friend: GPS. On way to Lake Tekapo, the view on the left and right started to change: from houses to sheep. At first we were still amazed seeing a crowd of sheep on our left and right. We even made a stop to take some pictures. Later I found out on the road, sheep is easier to find compare to human beings. Maybe those sheep were trained to help us to fix the car in case anything bad happen. hehehe.

Too excited seeing sheep: The First look of Mr.J 

When we reached Lake Tekapo, we checked in at Lake Tekapo Scenic Resort. It has a free wi-fi facility (super important for budget travelers). It reminds me of Puncak and Cipanas resorts haha. I know I shouldn't compared those two things, but somehow when I was there, seing the resorts and shops around its surrounding, I couldn't help but think of Cipanas. Cipanas in New Zealand version hahaha.

A very peaceful resort. Like this!

Lake Tekapo itself is a lake surrounded by mountains and resorts. When we were there, the sky is a bit cloudy, so the pictures taken were not so good. The colour of the mountains didn't show up on the pictures taken. But if you see it with your own eyes, the view is just amazing. Usually people do skydiving in here.

It's such a gloomy weather back then

Besides the beautiful view, you can see a historic church in front of Lake Tekapo. They say this is the world's smallest church :)

Church of The Good Shepherd

Forgive me for my lack of words on my blog post. It's only day 4 but I'm getting to lazy to finish the whole story. I mustn't give up this fast. Twelve more post to go! See you on day 5 post. This time we're gonna visit more places :)

NZ Day 3: Christchurch Baby!

On the next day, we're about to start our Southern Island road trip for a week. We went back to the airport and took Jetstar airlines to get to Christchurch. The plane ride took only one hour flight.

Christchurch is the largest city in Southern Island, but since a few earthquake stroke few years ago, most people chose to Queenstown as their holiday destination. They say sometimes you can still feel a little quake in Christchurch, just like the night when I stayed there (but I ignored the shake cos I'm too damn tired haha)

We reach Christchurch around 2p.m. and we wasted quite some time looking for Jucy Rental office, the place where we rented our car for the road trip. I turns out that they provide free shuttle from Christchurch Airport to their office (yea we spent quite some time trying to figure out where their office were while dragging our heavy baggage)

You are certainly most welcomed here

We rented a Hyundai Getz car, a compact mini car which has no power steering hahaha. I tried to drive that car for while but somehow I get to nervous driving a car that I'm not familiar with. Plus the weather outside was very cold and made the front window very foggy and hard to see. I was freaking out back then. I'd rather stay on the back seat. hahaha.
Our rented car and our first hostel 
Christchurch itself is not as crowded as Auckland. People were very laid back when they were driving. Things that you cannot see when you are in Jakarta of course. hehe. That evening we spent some time looking for a hostel to stay and we end up staying at 'at the right place' Backpackers. We shared the room with two other strangers. Yep, that's the beauty of travelling in backpacker style: sharing things with strangers. Usually the rate for hostel per bed is around 23- 30NZD. If you have a BBH membership, they will give you cheaper rate (Please google BBH by yourself :))
So this is the end of day 3 post. We didn't explore much in Christchurch but on the next post I'm gonna show you a beautiful place called Lake Tekapo. See you on the next post!

NZ Day 2: Sydney and Auckland Finally!

Finally after seven hours flight from Jakarta, we reached Sydney International Airport. It was around 7 a.m. when we reached there. Three hour faster than Jakarta time. Feels like doing a time travel right? (errr... no).

After we finished doing another baggage screening, we still have three hours waiting time. 

What's inside Sydney Airport? Just like most airports, duty free shops, candy shops, some branded stores, fast food restaurants, cafes, all in Australian dollars. And you know, I know, we both know (but if you don't know yet, now you know cause I'm the one whose telling you) how expensive Australian dollar these days. I only have 3 AUD (my brother gave it to me, he got it from his friend whose studying in Aussie) which can only get you a bottle of mineral water from the vending machine. But hey there's a free drinkable water tap there. Why waste your precious three dollars? :p

So after strolling around two times, meh.. we got nothing to do around the airport. We just sat down and enjoying our free wi-fi. Yes it's free. don't you like anything that has 'free' word on it? Do I being too cheap? hahaha

Things that free at Sydney: taking pictures! I'm so bloated after seven hours flight 

So finally we got inside our connecting flight and once inside I didn't waste any minute to fall asleep immediately. But once the food was served, I couldn't sleep well again. So spent the remaining time from our three hours flight to watch 'Mirror Mirror'. I chose a bad movie to watch (and yet I still watched it til it finished -_-) . Attention everyone, do not watch that movie. Even though it has Julia Roberts in it, it's just a cheesy version of Snow White's story.

 Dessert served: Weis Mango and Cream Bar - to die for!

The flight from Sydney to Auckland was smooth. We had no trouble at the immigration check point. So this is it! Finally we arrived at Auckland! New Zealand let me kiss (i mean eat) your sheep! :D

When we're out from the arrival gate at the airport, we were looking for F's boyfriend. He's the one who picked us up. It turned out that F's bf (named J) was already there waiting for us and he was taking candid picture of us (err... I think he actually wants to take pic of his gf only) walking out form the arrival hall.

Miss F and I arriving at Auckland, pictures taken by Mr. J

Then just like a drama scene, there it is. The couple separated by distance and time zone finally meet up again. If I had to describe that moment, in slow motion the couple was hugging each other with background music by Bad English - When I See You Smile:

When I see you smile 

I can face the world, oh oh,  

you know I can do anything

We all know that song. Love has never tasted this sweet for both of them. hahahaha. Okay I need to stop teasing them on this post right now. I'll only tease them once... on each post. mwahahaha.

Okay back to our trip. I decided to change some money on the airport cause I didn't have any New Zealand dollar. Money changer near my house in Jakarta says they don't sell NZD. I know that the exchange rate in airport is usually very low, but the one thing that I didn't know that... they also charged you with the processing fee. So, I changed my 100SGD, and they charged me with 10NZD. It was such a heartbreaking moment. I felt like the Travelex guy robbed me. hahaha.
So lesson #1: never exchange your money at the airport unless it's a life and death situation.

We took a bus to J's place then after putting down our luggage and stuff, we took a walk to the city. The first thing that caught my attention is: why there are so many Asians here? It turns out that there are a lot of immigrants come to NZ, for study or working. The ratio of Asians (Chinese, Koreans, Japanese, Indians) and the local in the city is almost the same (from what I see). Then when it's time for dinner, we go back and had a dinner in J's place.
J rented an apartment unit with four other people (all of them are Koreans). So when F and I stayed there, his room mates are being kind letting us staying at their room. Thank you so much strangers!

I decided go to bed early cause of my lack of sleep and five hours time difference from Jakarta has making me grouchy. Plus I haven't got used with the weather. It's 11 degrees Celsius that time, but I'm feeling super cold. This is the end of day two post. It ends with a good night sleep :) See you on day 3 post!

NZ Day 1: We're Coming!

It's finally the day for our winter trip! I'm both excited and nervous. It's my first trip out of Asia continent and my first trip ever to touch the 'real' snow. hehehe. We took Qantas airlines departed at 8.45 p.m. from Soekarno Hatta Airport.

There are several airlines options to get to Auckland, but I choose Qantas because we don't have to transit to Singapore like most airlines, it think it's a waste of time to go back and forth the distance. Taking Qantas, the route is Jakarta-Sydney-Auckland. At that time, the other airlines that we also considered to take was JetStar. The price difference is around USD200 for two way trip but I told my self that it's a long journey flight (almost 10 hours not including the transit time), at least I don't want to be 'that' suffered taking budget airlines. I think the price difference is worth it with the service and my comfort during the flight. (ya loh... :p)

The last time I took a non-budget airlines was around ten years ago. I didn't really remember how does it feel to take a full service flight since for the past two years I always took a budget airlines back from Singapore - Jakarta. Man, I told ya, it feels good to be treated with full service of meals and entertainment, I don't think I want to take a budget airlines again after this (hahaha how I wish my money is that unlimited)

This is our dinner and breakfast

I tried to sleep during the flight, but I guess economy seat isn't that comfortable anyway. Perhaps I should upgrade to business class on my next long flight trip (haha again, there's nothing wrong with wishing). Our plane is heading to Sydney for a four hour transit. I'll continue on our second day post. See ya!


FYI: We asked Bayu Buana Tour Kelapa Gading to help us with the visa to NZ. It cost IDR 1,262,500 and took about 5 days of work to be issued (as long as all of your documents are complete)

NZ Post Series Starts Here!

Howdy!

As I mention on earlier post, I'm about to write my experience going to New Zealand last July. This is like the 'preface' for all the coming New Zealand posts.

Why New Zealand? Why not Europe or U.S.A? To be frank, the main reason I went to New Zealand was to accompany my good friend to meet her boyfriend there. I might mention their names on the next posts, since I'm gonna share some pictures too.

When my friend (with initial 'F') asked me to join her to go to NZ, at first I thought.. "Yeah, why not?" I've been mentally tired (haha) with my work in Singapore for almost two years, so I think it would be nice to have some vacation. The only thing I know about NZ by then was kiwi (fruit), Lord of the Rings movie site, the home of extreme sports and their breathtaking scenery. I didn't make research about NZ then (yes, I'm so lazy). Lucky my friend and his boyfriend had some road trip experience before, back when they were still living in South Korea. So I went to New Zealand without any itinerary. Only God, my friend and her bf knows where was I going hahaha...

I will write a day by day post about my sixteen days vacation in NZ from July 1st - 16th, 2012. This is my first trip out of Asia and it's winter time! Friggin cold there. At some point the weather was below zero degree. The trip itself is consist of two parts: a road trip on the Southern Island for seven days, and the rest was our trip in Auckland areas. Also for your information, I didn't make an more in depth research about the places that I've been in my writings (cause of course, I'm too lazy :p). So I'm the NZ trip post series based on my experience, on what I see and how I feel. It's rather a personal writings than an objective writings about NZ. Hope no one's (or any animal) is harmed by my writings :)

So let "the day by day NZ winter vacation" post series begins!

Dream Sky High: China!

Have you heard about the phrase:

"Be careful what you wish for, it might just come true"

Well, if you haven't heard it before, you should be very wise with your wish cause it does come true! hahaha... at least it happened for me. In this case, I've been dreaming to go study to China since I graduated from high school (2005), but yet haven't got a chance for it. Then sometime last month, my friend posted an old picture of us at instagram. It was on early 2010, she posted on facebook that time with a caption: "Dream sky high: China"

It was one  year after our university graduation, and I've been working for six months in my first real job, yet I'm still dreaming bout China. Then in the middle of 2010, I worked in Singapore for two years, and in the middle of it, me and my other friend been planning to go to China. And now this is it... In less than two weeks, I'll be leaving home once again, to finally do what I've been dreaming since seven years ago. 

It feels good to know that you can achieve something that you've been wanting for so long. The wait is almost over but somehow I'm also feeling anxious and nervous about it. If you asked me, what makes me want to go to China? I might not have a great answer for that. All I know is, I just need to go there. But I also want people to know that I'm also serious to go study there. Just wait and see people :)

Flash Catch Up

Hello world!

It's been a while (ehm.. more than two months) since the last time I actually write something in this blog - or since I got back to Jakarta, leaving Singapore for good. So where have I been in the past two months? Well, most of my time, I think I did nothing (haha), but I'm about to make some list about what I did. Maybe if I had some extra time, I would make detailed posts about all of it.

1. Took a private Mandarin Class, focusing on HSK test since I will be going to Beijing (for one year study guys, this isn't just bluffing)

2. Went travelling to New Zealand for two weeks (Detailed posts coming soon)

3. Bought a new 'budget' laptop :) I'm saying goodbye to my seven years old Toshiba Laptop

4. Cut my hair short (after more than two years having a long hair)

and last not least I have a newborn niece: Cleona Vanielle Tjiptono. Yeaaay! Gonna start to write about the details soon. One post at a time :)


Loads of love,


Abeth