Monday, October 25, 2010
Wedding Dress - Tae Yang
Saw a link on FB by a friend....it was an English version of this Korean song titled "Wedding Dress"...originally sung by Tae Yang (i have no idea who he is but i assume he's a Korean singer)...the English version was sung by this guy called Kevin Lien...no idea who he is also... but the song is quite cool....especially the lyrics for the English version....so sad...and the MV...gosh...can really bring tears to the eyes...it's really so sad when you see the person you love getting married but the person he/she is marrying is not you...i wonder if i'd be sad when this finally happens to me...but i guess i probably won't, since i no longer harbour any feelings anymore...
NZ trip - Day 9
Today we woke up about 640am...Elena was leaving Queenstown for Auckland...she wanted to walk around the lake before taking the bus to the airport...as we were walking towards Queenstown Garden, we heard the blaring of siren...there were a lot of ppl walking out from the Nomad's Backpacker (looked like a really classy backpacker)...within minutes 2 firetrucks were parked in front of the backpacker...didn't see any smoke though...probably some idiot decided to smoke under the fire alarm and caused a false alarm...saw some cute guys in their t-shirts and boxers walking barefooted....what a sight to greet us on a lovely morning...:P
Anyway, we walked around the garden a bit...took some photos...and it was time for Elena to catch the bus...so we sent her off at the bus stop and Cam and I went back to the Alpine Lodge...had bread and kiwi for breakfast and met a Taiwanese girl, Kay who was sharing the dorm with us...there was another person who checked-in the night before and we found out that the person was a guy...Cam and I were pretty shocked coz we were changing in our room....thank God the guy was still sound asleep...else it would have been an awkward situation if he woke up while we were changing...
We checked out and put our bags at Absoloot...we paid for our room and headed for the Snow Centre where we got a return ticket to the Remarkables at NZD5...took a 45 mins bus ride up there, in which i was asleep most of the way...when we arrived, i was almost blinded by the whiteness of the snow...i've never seen so much snow in my life...it was everywhere....we took a travellator up to the guest service building....watched people ski and snowboard...even kids about 4-5 years old learn how to ski...but the beginner's class cost about NZD129 or so...we decided to just build a snowman...while we were hard at work, a guy (probably French due to his accent) came and chat with us...he told us we could actually walk up the ski slope to have a look up there...
So after we've completed Frosty and taken enough photos of it (there was one of me kissing Frosty), we stupidly followed the guy's suggestion and tried walking up the ski slope...Cam was slipping on the snow every 5 steps thanks to her shoes...but it was quite an adventure...Cam said she felt like she was on an Everest expedition...when we finally reached, a couple told us we could snowtube for NZD19 an hour....but we had to go back down to the guest service building to buy the ticket...dang!!! decided to just lie on the snow for a while and made my snow angel coz the prospect of walking down a ski slope wasn't exactly the most thrilling...
We decided to ask the guy at the chairlift if we could take the lift down....thank goodness for New Zealand kindness...unfortunately, while on the chairlift, i accidentally dropped the left side of my glove....another dang!!! so we went to the guest service and bought our chairlift passes and tickets...had hotdog for lunch and took the chairlift up the slope again...but i had to walk down the ski slope to retrieve my fallen glove...gosh!! that was quite an adventure...i kept slipping and sliding down....eventually i got my glove but somehow walking back up this time was far more difficult...i guess the slope near the chairlift was steeper...once i slipped and slid quite far down...thought i wouldn't be able to stop but somehow i managed...so finally made it back up the slope...
So we started our snow-tubing...sat on our tubes and this guy hooked our tubes onto the rotator belt which pulled us up the slope....then we slid down in whatever style we wanted to...sitting, lying prone, spinning (while sitting and lying prone)....WHHEEEE!!!! it was totally awesome!!! and Cam had an even better time thanks to the cute guy at the rotator belt...and the fact that it actually snowed while we were snow-tubing...this was Cam's first experience of falling snow...after an hour of snow-tubing, it was time to go as it was snowing heavier....so we took the bus down...
We shopped for souvenirs coz we did not have much time left in Queenstown...then we checked-in at Absoloot...there was another girl in the room and she had tons and tons of luggage...i guess Cam and i weren't the only ones who weren't really backpacking...then we continued shopping for souvenirs till almost dinner time...dinner was at Speight's Ale House where we had Porter Sausage with mash and Shearer's Shank...yummy!!! the ambience was great...and so was the food...i guess our little expedition up at the Remarkables helped with our appetite as well...
After that, we went up the Skyline Gondola...it cost NZD23 for return ticket...actually it would have been good to spend more time up there as there were many activities that can be done up there...but we went up for the night view of Queenstown...only the restaurant was still opened...the other attractions such as the Luge, Bungy etc were closed...so we amused ourselved by taking photos at the fireplace outside the restaurant...and at Cam's request, we took the gondola down and up and down again...to make our money worth...hehe...we initially wanted to get a drink before we called it a night...but we were both tired enough after our snow hike today so we decided to skip the drink and headed back to the backpacker....after a good warm bath, Cam was asleep in no time...after i wrote my travel log (and managed to say hi to the other girl who was sharing our dorm), i fell asleep too...
Anyway, we walked around the garden a bit...took some photos...and it was time for Elena to catch the bus...so we sent her off at the bus stop and Cam and I went back to the Alpine Lodge...had bread and kiwi for breakfast and met a Taiwanese girl, Kay who was sharing the dorm with us...there was another person who checked-in the night before and we found out that the person was a guy...Cam and I were pretty shocked coz we were changing in our room....thank God the guy was still sound asleep...else it would have been an awkward situation if he woke up while we were changing...
We checked out and put our bags at Absoloot...we paid for our room and headed for the Snow Centre where we got a return ticket to the Remarkables at NZD5...took a 45 mins bus ride up there, in which i was asleep most of the way...when we arrived, i was almost blinded by the whiteness of the snow...i've never seen so much snow in my life...it was everywhere....we took a travellator up to the guest service building....watched people ski and snowboard...even kids about 4-5 years old learn how to ski...but the beginner's class cost about NZD129 or so...we decided to just build a snowman...while we were hard at work, a guy (probably French due to his accent) came and chat with us...he told us we could actually walk up the ski slope to have a look up there...
So after we've completed Frosty and taken enough photos of it (there was one of me kissing Frosty), we stupidly followed the guy's suggestion and tried walking up the ski slope...Cam was slipping on the snow every 5 steps thanks to her shoes...but it was quite an adventure...Cam said she felt like she was on an Everest expedition...when we finally reached, a couple told us we could snowtube for NZD19 an hour....but we had to go back down to the guest service building to buy the ticket...dang!!! decided to just lie on the snow for a while and made my snow angel coz the prospect of walking down a ski slope wasn't exactly the most thrilling...
We decided to ask the guy at the chairlift if we could take the lift down....thank goodness for New Zealand kindness...unfortunately, while on the chairlift, i accidentally dropped the left side of my glove....another dang!!! so we went to the guest service and bought our chairlift passes and tickets...had hotdog for lunch and took the chairlift up the slope again...but i had to walk down the ski slope to retrieve my fallen glove...gosh!! that was quite an adventure...i kept slipping and sliding down....eventually i got my glove but somehow walking back up this time was far more difficult...i guess the slope near the chairlift was steeper...once i slipped and slid quite far down...thought i wouldn't be able to stop but somehow i managed...so finally made it back up the slope...
So we started our snow-tubing...sat on our tubes and this guy hooked our tubes onto the rotator belt which pulled us up the slope....then we slid down in whatever style we wanted to...sitting, lying prone, spinning (while sitting and lying prone)....WHHEEEE!!!! it was totally awesome!!! and Cam had an even better time thanks to the cute guy at the rotator belt...and the fact that it actually snowed while we were snow-tubing...this was Cam's first experience of falling snow...after an hour of snow-tubing, it was time to go as it was snowing heavier....so we took the bus down...
We shopped for souvenirs coz we did not have much time left in Queenstown...then we checked-in at Absoloot...there was another girl in the room and she had tons and tons of luggage...i guess Cam and i weren't the only ones who weren't really backpacking...then we continued shopping for souvenirs till almost dinner time...dinner was at Speight's Ale House where we had Porter Sausage with mash and Shearer's Shank...yummy!!! the ambience was great...and so was the food...i guess our little expedition up at the Remarkables helped with our appetite as well...
After that, we went up the Skyline Gondola...it cost NZD23 for return ticket...actually it would have been good to spend more time up there as there were many activities that can be done up there...but we went up for the night view of Queenstown...only the restaurant was still opened...the other attractions such as the Luge, Bungy etc were closed...so we amused ourselved by taking photos at the fireplace outside the restaurant...and at Cam's request, we took the gondola down and up and down again...to make our money worth...hehe...we initially wanted to get a drink before we called it a night...but we were both tired enough after our snow hike today so we decided to skip the drink and headed back to the backpacker....after a good warm bath, Cam was asleep in no time...after i wrote my travel log (and managed to say hi to the other girl who was sharing our dorm), i fell asleep too...
Saturday, October 16, 2010
等待
每个人都跟我说，总有一天我会找到那个另一半。。。所以我就一直在等待那一天。。。就怪我没寻找 。。。但我也飞到天涯海角 (纽西兰应该算是吧)， 却没遇见‘他’。。。在我身边，有没一个适合我。。。也许我也不适合它们。。。
其实，等待一个很遥远的人回来是否很笨。。。却我还在等。。。很希望他回来找我。。。虽然他没有表达过他心意。。。还是渴望他心里有我。。。若他回来而因为我留下，这是否是真爱? 原来想象力真的是最残酷。。。真相却没那么完美。。。到头来，还是一个人绝望。。。虽然如此， 我还是相信真爱的奇迹。。。所以我会继续等待。。。主，求你别让我久等。。。
希望这首歌会变我以后的主题曲...
其实，等待一个很遥远的人回来是否很笨。。。却我还在等。。。很希望他回来找我。。。虽然他没有表达过他心意。。。还是渴望他心里有我。。。若他回来而因为我留下，这是否是真爱? 原来想象力真的是最残酷。。。真相却没那么完美。。。到头来，还是一个人绝望。。。虽然如此， 我还是相信真爱的奇迹。。。所以我会继续等待。。。主，求你别让我久等。。。
希望这首歌会变我以后的主题曲...
張靚穎-我相信
Friday, October 15, 2010
NZ trip - Day 8
So we woke up about 6am...got ready and rushed to the clock tower at Camp Street to wait for the bus which was leaving at 7am...we were booked on our Milford Sound tour with Kiwi Discovery... our bus departed about 710am...it was a cloudy and rainy day....there were mist covering most places along the way...we passed by Lake Wakatipu, which was South Island's 2nd largest lake...then we stopped at Lake Te Anau (NZ's 2nd largest lake) for breakfast...had steak and cheese pie and a hot chocolate with marshmallow...it was so bloody cold...i was wearing 4 layers and my breakfast barely warmed me up...bought some Wild Ferns product (one of NZ's skin care brand) thinking it was cheap...of course we were mistaken again...
Our next stop was at the MIrror Lakes....the lakes were pretty small but the water was so still that one can see clear images of the mountains on the lake...amazing!!! then we passed by more lakes and stopped at Monkey Creek...which was just before Homer Tunnel...there was a remnant of last year's avalanche...the snow was quite thick and my shoes got wet walking on the snow....we finally reached Milford Sound close to 1pm...it was raining and foggy....we boarded our cruise, the Milford Monarch, at 1pm....
We started our cruise in rain and fog...it really had the Middle Earth feel...even the cruise crew told us that it's the best weather to experience Milford Sound...the cruise lasted about 1 hour 45 mins...we headed out towards the Tasman Sea..although it was raining and freaking cold, we still went to the upper deck for photos...saw a couple (who looked and sounded like Singaporean) doing the Titanic scene on the deck...Cam was pretty envious...hehe...as we were on the way back, the sky cleared a bit and the fog lifted...so we managed to see the Mitre Peak, Mt Kimberley and more stuffs...we saw some seals on the rocks....the ship went very near the Stirling Falls and water was splashing onto us...but everyone was happily taking photos...
Then we saw some dolphins....i went to the toilet for a while and totally missed the blue penguins...when our cruise ended, it felt like we just returned from another world...Milford Sound is indeed a place worth visiting...would be nice if we could have spent more time there exploring the other places...then we got up our bus and headed back to Te Anau (which means the Lion in Maori)...we wanted to buy some fridge magnets but some girl on the bus told us the stuffs in Queenstown are a lot cheaper...on the bus, they were showing a movie called 'The World's Fastest Indian'...the view on the way back was better as the fog has lifted...but i felt a bit nauseated in the bus...finally we reached Queenstown at about 650pm...
Elena went back to the hostel to get the Wi-fi password while Cam and i checked out the price of souvenirs...the girl on the bus was right...stuffs in Queenstown were cheaper...then we went for dinner at PJ's fish and chips...Pia (a Chilean girl whom Elena met on the bus) joined us...the fish was good...after that, Elena went to get her hokey-pokey ice-cream and Pia dropped by at her backpacker...which was called Absoloot...Cam and I asked if there was vacancy as we only booked 2 nights at Alpine Lodge...Absoloot was a new joint...and they had vacancy for the 6-bedded dorm at NZD26 per night...and since Cam thought the receptionist Ryan, was cute...we booked our last night there...we met up with Juana & Alberto at Fergburger...then we headed for the World Bar where we got our IDs checked by the bouncer...it was happy hour when we were there...so the cocktails in teapots were half-priced at NZD8.50...so i had a pot of Smoochable (which i liked a lot coz it tasted like ice-cream soda)...Cam had Ruby Louby which i thought tasted a bit like medicine...Pia and Elena shared a pot of Tropicana which tasted like cough syrup...took us quite a while to finish a whole pot...
Then we got back to our hostel...and yes, i was still sober...but i felt itchy...and my whole body was red...perhaps i was allergic to alcohol after all...anyway, i bathed and took loratidine and the itch kinda subsided...at least i managed to sleep soundly...
Our next stop was at the MIrror Lakes....the lakes were pretty small but the water was so still that one can see clear images of the mountains on the lake...amazing!!! then we passed by more lakes and stopped at Monkey Creek...which was just before Homer Tunnel...there was a remnant of last year's avalanche...the snow was quite thick and my shoes got wet walking on the snow....we finally reached Milford Sound close to 1pm...it was raining and foggy....we boarded our cruise, the Milford Monarch, at 1pm....
We started our cruise in rain and fog...it really had the Middle Earth feel...even the cruise crew told us that it's the best weather to experience Milford Sound...the cruise lasted about 1 hour 45 mins...we headed out towards the Tasman Sea..although it was raining and freaking cold, we still went to the upper deck for photos...saw a couple (who looked and sounded like Singaporean) doing the Titanic scene on the deck...Cam was pretty envious...hehe...as we were on the way back, the sky cleared a bit and the fog lifted...so we managed to see the Mitre Peak, Mt Kimberley and more stuffs...we saw some seals on the rocks....the ship went very near the Stirling Falls and water was splashing onto us...but everyone was happily taking photos...
Then we saw some dolphins....i went to the toilet for a while and totally missed the blue penguins...when our cruise ended, it felt like we just returned from another world...Milford Sound is indeed a place worth visiting...would be nice if we could have spent more time there exploring the other places...then we got up our bus and headed back to Te Anau (which means the Lion in Maori)...we wanted to buy some fridge magnets but some girl on the bus told us the stuffs in Queenstown are a lot cheaper...on the bus, they were showing a movie called 'The World's Fastest Indian'...the view on the way back was better as the fog has lifted...but i felt a bit nauseated in the bus...finally we reached Queenstown at about 650pm...
Elena went back to the hostel to get the Wi-fi password while Cam and i checked out the price of souvenirs...the girl on the bus was right...stuffs in Queenstown were cheaper...then we went for dinner at PJ's fish and chips...Pia (a Chilean girl whom Elena met on the bus) joined us...the fish was good...after that, Elena went to get her hokey-pokey ice-cream and Pia dropped by at her backpacker...which was called Absoloot...Cam and I asked if there was vacancy as we only booked 2 nights at Alpine Lodge...Absoloot was a new joint...and they had vacancy for the 6-bedded dorm at NZD26 per night...and since Cam thought the receptionist Ryan, was cute...we booked our last night there...we met up with Juana & Alberto at Fergburger...then we headed for the World Bar where we got our IDs checked by the bouncer...it was happy hour when we were there...so the cocktails in teapots were half-priced at NZD8.50...so i had a pot of Smoochable (which i liked a lot coz it tasted like ice-cream soda)...Cam had Ruby Louby which i thought tasted a bit like medicine...Pia and Elena shared a pot of Tropicana which tasted like cough syrup...took us quite a while to finish a whole pot...
Then we got back to our hostel...and yes, i was still sober...but i felt itchy...and my whole body was red...perhaps i was allergic to alcohol after all...anyway, i bathed and took loratidine and the itch kinda subsided...at least i managed to sleep soundly...
Sunday, October 3, 2010
NZ trip - Day 7
We woke at 8am to a clear blue sky...no mist covering the mountains and the sun was shining brightly...so the 4 of us had a light breakfast and headed towards Kea Point track...got a bit lost but managed to get up to the Hermitage Hotel where the track started...so we followed the signboard and walked for about 1 hour to Kea Point...we played with fallen snow along the way...after walking for a while, i felt quite hot so i took off my bulky jacket and was still sweating although i only had my long-sleeve t-shirt on...
At Kea Point, we had a clear and beautiful view of Mt Cook...there was also a glacier lake, the lateral Mueller morraines and Mt Sefton...heard a few avalanches while we were there...the rumbling was pretty loud...saw a small one but didn't manage to get it on camera...after taking enough photos, we headed back...halfway through, Elena called us to look back...so we turned around and lo! a huge avalanche on Mt Sefton...managed to get it on pic...ok, so it wasn't that huge that it almost got us...but it was still a sight to behold...
We stopped by to buy some souvenirs at the gift shop at Hermitage Hotel (only to find out later in Queenstown that we've overpaid for the stuffs)...oh well, should have known better...so we went back to the YHA and packed...had chips and chocolates for lunch...that was all that was left of our groceries...we waited for our bus to Queenstown which departed at 230pm..so we said goodbye to Anna who was continuing her stay at Mt Cook for a week (but she will be in Malaysia in October so we'll get to meet again)...the bus stopped at Omaraha for toilet break...then it stopped another time at Jone's fruit stall which was by the roadside...they were selling huge packets of apples for NZD10 per packet...but we only bought a box of mixture of plums, peach and nectarine for NZD6.50...we also feasted on the variety of dried fruits, nuts and nougats that were put out for sampling...liked the apricot nougat so bought some as well..
We reached Queenstown at 630pm...Elena met another Spanish lady while on the bus so we agreed to meet up for dinner at Fergburger at 730pm(apparently this was a must-go fastfood when you're in Queenstown)...so we went hunting for backpacker...we ended up at Gorge St and found the Alpine Lodge which still had vacancy...we got a 6-bedded dorm to ourselves for the night...cost NZD26 each...we put our stuffs and went to look for Starbucks (Elena was thermos-hunting but they didn't have the kind she wanted)...after that, we went to Fergburger...it was packed with people...had to queue up about 10 minutes before they took our orders...and another 20 minutes before my Southern Swine was ready...it cost ND11.50 and the burger was definitely worth the wait...it was probably as huge as Burger King's Whopper...and it tasted real good...
After dinner, we walked to the Lakeside and spent some time at a souvenir shop but didn't buy anything...then we went to the -5 degrees ice bar...but we only took pics from the outside coz entry cost NZD31 with cover drink...Elena, Cam and i went to the Buffalo Club instead...where they had a buy 1 drink free 1 shot or buy 1 beer and free another promotion...i had a glass of white wine for NZD5 and both of them had beer for NZD6.50...not much of a drinker but i think the price is quite cheap...our free shots were sambucca, which was too sweet for Cam and Elena's liking...i found it too sweet as well but for me, it's better sweet than bitter...my white wine wasn't too bad...and the beer wasn't bitter too...then we went back to the backpacker..and yes, i could still walk in a straight line...though i did feel pretty warm after the drinks...so we bathed and slept...would have had a really good night's sleep if it weren't for some idiots who were talking and laughing rather loudly at the lounge outside our room...
At Kea Point, we had a clear and beautiful view of Mt Cook...there was also a glacier lake, the lateral Mueller morraines and Mt Sefton...heard a few avalanches while we were there...the rumbling was pretty loud...saw a small one but didn't manage to get it on camera...after taking enough photos, we headed back...halfway through, Elena called us to look back...so we turned around and lo! a huge avalanche on Mt Sefton...managed to get it on pic...ok, so it wasn't that huge that it almost got us...but it was still a sight to behold...
We stopped by to buy some souvenirs at the gift shop at Hermitage Hotel (only to find out later in Queenstown that we've overpaid for the stuffs)...oh well, should have known better...so we went back to the YHA and packed...had chips and chocolates for lunch...that was all that was left of our groceries...we waited for our bus to Queenstown which departed at 230pm..so we said goodbye to Anna who was continuing her stay at Mt Cook for a week (but she will be in Malaysia in October so we'll get to meet again)...the bus stopped at Omaraha for toilet break...then it stopped another time at Jone's fruit stall which was by the roadside...they were selling huge packets of apples for NZD10 per packet...but we only bought a box of mixture of plums, peach and nectarine for NZD6.50...we also feasted on the variety of dried fruits, nuts and nougats that were put out for sampling...liked the apricot nougat so bought some as well..
We reached Queenstown at 630pm...Elena met another Spanish lady while on the bus so we agreed to meet up for dinner at Fergburger at 730pm(apparently this was a must-go fastfood when you're in Queenstown)...so we went hunting for backpacker...we ended up at Gorge St and found the Alpine Lodge which still had vacancy...we got a 6-bedded dorm to ourselves for the night...cost NZD26 each...we put our stuffs and went to look for Starbucks (Elena was thermos-hunting but they didn't have the kind she wanted)...after that, we went to Fergburger...it was packed with people...had to queue up about 10 minutes before they took our orders...and another 20 minutes before my Southern Swine was ready...it cost ND11.50 and the burger was definitely worth the wait...it was probably as huge as Burger King's Whopper...and it tasted real good...
After dinner, we walked to the Lakeside and spent some time at a souvenir shop but didn't buy anything...then we went to the -5 degrees ice bar...but we only took pics from the outside coz entry cost NZD31 with cover drink...Elena, Cam and i went to the Buffalo Club instead...where they had a buy 1 drink free 1 shot or buy 1 beer and free another promotion...i had a glass of white wine for NZD5 and both of them had beer for NZD6.50...not much of a drinker but i think the price is quite cheap...our free shots were sambucca, which was too sweet for Cam and Elena's liking...i found it too sweet as well but for me, it's better sweet than bitter...my white wine wasn't too bad...and the beer wasn't bitter too...then we went back to the backpacker..and yes, i could still walk in a straight line...though i did feel pretty warm after the drinks...so we bathed and slept...would have had a really good night's sleep if it weren't for some idiots who were talking and laughing rather loudly at the lounge outside our room...
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