Only In the Park

I have been walking my cat for months. It became a usual weekend habit. Only (my cat) when he'll be going- soon as I put the bag out in the room, he'll jump in! Clever cat. Well I think he knows that the bag means fun for him.

Usually I went to the nearest park to home, Western Park but there also time when I feel like hanging out with him in Albert Park. Fair walk from home but along the way he would caught people's attention. Only such a good conversation starter. Sometime in Albert Park he'd swarmed by tourist to take photo with him! Such a self-made celebrity he is.

This week I finally has the "right" time (oh who am I lieing to, I'm lazy all this while) to edit the video. Since I got new MacBook Pro, I got good reason to not doing it. Anyway here's the video of him around Western Park a couple of weeks ago.

Something In the water, DOLPHINS!

I finally got the time to put the video together and has also have the tool- MacBook Pro! LOL. This video was shot around the bay area of Bay of Islands on my day 2 of Labour Weekend. Thanks to GrabOne, I got a very good deals on Explore NZ. 50% discount! Anyway enjoy the clip.

Day 3 of Labour Weekend: Cape Reinga Via 90 Miles Beach Part 2

The time that I wish I had a travel companion is when I had trouble taking self portrait. It’s either my face out of the frame or subject matter gone out of picture. Completely covered by- my big nose! Then a Latino girl came to me, “Excuse me, can you help us with the picture?” she asked.

“Sure” I replied with an ah-ha thought in my head. I snapped twice.

“Can you help me with me mine” I asked. She snapped 3 or 4 with few different background! This is what the Malay said, you give calves but they want thighs. What? Don’t judge me. I don’t come here often. I bet she regretted asking me. Too bad sister.

At about before 1:30pm I went back to the bus. The driver did his usual walk-down-the-aisle-count-the-head. I heard he said two was missing- the two chinese girls sat across me. He went down and searched for the girls.

In my heart, please leave them, please. Teach them a lesson. A hard one so that they know to be on schedule since I learned my lesson few times already. Minutes later I saw him walked alone and started the engine.

YESSSSSS, they miss the bus. It fed the devil in me to be happy for some people’ misfortunes. I could almost the devil in me said, take that bitches. I looked at their seat. Empty. Only jackets sat there. If the weather packing they definitely will be freezing.

For about 8 minutes driving, we stopped at Tapotupotu Bay. I took off my shoes, changed to my shorts and my lunch at the shore while playing the the fine sand in between my toes. The seagulls on my left and behind me were really annoying. The squawk like a shrieking baby in very confine toilet and you in it. Urghh, I felt like slapping them to shut up and give me some much needed peace and quiet.

They actually want my lunch. Go get yourself. Tonnes of fish in the water you lazy bum.

After lunch I wondered off along the beach and guess what I saw. Not seagulls. Not a dugong but the two chinese girls! How on earth did they got there? They don’t show any worry or sad or terrified in their face. They were happy cam-whoring by the beach. When I missed my flight in Sydney I was a mess. And a bitch too.

Then on the bus, on the way to Te Paki Giant Sand Dune, I couldn’t help myself but to ask the girls, “How did you guys got here.”

“Another driver brought us here. Just the two of us”, one of the girls said.

“That’s nice of him”, Translate, you lucky bitch.

Been on the road since morning and just had lunch, I fallen asleep until I heard our bus driver cum tour guide on the speaker above announcing we almost reach the sand dunes and his narration of the local history.

There’s no road on the dunes. the only access is to drive on the Te Paki stream. Shallow river. No rocks just fine sand. Mind you, the stream is also a quick sand. The driver said if he stops on that stream the bus will stuck there. “But don’t worry. I bring 36 shovels with me.” He joked. Us were the shovels!

As I stepped out from the bus, I looked around. On my left were hills with vegetation. to my right were bare sand mountain that look like middle eastern dessert. Not that I’ve been there. Just from film and tv. I’m amazed at how how god created these two different landscape only separated by a not so wide stream. God really has his funny way to make things work.

There were many people climbing up the dunes. Few buses already there. I took my time, s

napping photo here and there and laughing at how people slide down the dunes with boogie board.

From afar, it looks like it was easy to get up to the top but when I set my foot and tried to climb up, god it was bloody hard. My feet buried above the ankle. Our feet were so not meant for the sand. But I didn’t wish to have camel toes (literal and technical!) though.

I finally reach the top after several stops. My heart pounded like a V6 engine and I breathed heavily to pump air into my lungs. It feels like I wasn’t in my prime years anymore but I’m still young. I really need to work on my stamina and do more cardio. The line looked long so I cam-whoring up there. Tonnes of self snap of low angle big nose shots!

Then I realised the people that climbed before me were having their second shots. The driver instructed us to knee on the sand and lay on the board. Hands holding the front of the board and used the foot as a break.

Nervously, I did as per instructed. Oh-my-god, I’m so going to scratch my legs with this sand, I thought. It started slow but soon as it gained momentum it got faster. The drop really feel like in a roller coaster ride. The adrenaline rushed in my tummy. The first I checked at the bottom of the dune- my legs. No scratch. I was just paranoid. The sand was so fine to cause any skin abrasion. My findings made me excited to have a second attempt. Climbed up quickly and push myself down the dunes harder and screamed. Fun. I wanted to have a third one but then I saw some people already heading to the bus. I hate to say this, but i followed the crowd. Clearly I didn’t want to be left behind like the Chinese girls.

Back on the bus I was thinking I wish I could do this all day. Hermm..maybe half day. It was so fun and it was like a sport that everyone can do. The driver continue driving on Te Paki stream until it met Tasman Sea. From there we headed south via 90 miles beach. The story about 90 miles beach, that wasn’t its actual length. Those days, in the 1800s, the traders travelled by ox and bullocks. One day journey was equivalent to 30 miles and it took them three days to cross the beach. Voila, they named it 90 Miles Beach. In actual it was only 64 miles long.

The weather seemed to change to partly cloudy and the sun played peek-a-boo behind them. It changed my mood as well, knowing that we’re heading back to Paihia. Journey almost over. We did a stop on the beach to collect shell fish. I didn’t but the driver cum tourist guide then turned fisherman did caught a few. This man can really wear so many hats.

By the time I reached Paihia, I was so exhausted and a little dizzy. Since middle of this year, my body couldn’t cope with long distance journey anymore. Sign of aging, maybe. Anyway I popped my fourth paracetamol of the day and fast asleep.a

Day 3 of Labour Weekend: Cape Reinga Via 90 Miles Beach Part 1

I set my alarm before I went to bed and I woke up even before it went off. Honest, I hate alarm. I had history of throwing them (clock) on the wall when I was in my teenage years. Annoying to be awaken by a sudden high pitch noise. It ripped my soul out. But as I'm getting older or wiser I should say, my body will automatically turn on at about 6 something. I switched the alarm off before it annoys my other dormmates. Got ready, had breakfast and waited outside.

My bus came right on time at 720 am. The driver made some other stops to pick up more terrorist- tourist I mean.

The first stopover was at the Puketi Kauri Forest . The housed the oldest living Kauri tree in New Zealand (probably in the world too). Some of them were more than 1000 years. None of us were even here. Not even Moari in Aotearoa. Century ago this land was uninhabited. Kiwi birds running free under these Kauri searching food without any worry of predator. If these trees can talk, they could tell a heck of stories and may take hundreds years to be told!

Our driver warned us the temperature in the forest colder than outside. Indeed. Cold like in a fridge. A I came closer to the trees , standing next to its trunk, I realised how small we human on this earth. But a tiny creature like us able to flat a mountain and thin the ozone layer! I read the plaque on the ground, Kauri are the giant of the Pacific. Yes, they are.

I ran to the bus since we only stop for 15 minutes. I don't want to be left behind in this freezing forest. I won't last 4 minutes. I'll die of hypothermia. Thanks to my fatless body! The driver walked down the aisle counting us. I heard him say two missing and someone in the bus pointing the two Chinese tourist cam-whoring at the sign!

We drove another good hour or so further up north abefore stopping at Ancient Kauri Kingdom. Let me tell you about this place- it's a factory with cafe and souvenir shop. But what factory you might ask. Judging by the name you might think they produce by-product of Kauri tree. Well partly true. The tree that they used are the Kauri has been buried in the earth for over 45 000 year! This is not a typo, they have been carbon dated. 45 000 years prior to the unearthing, all those dead Kauri lived for at least 1000 years! It took me awhile for me to digest it, how can this dead trees not rotting or decompose into soil? 45 000 years was a long time. Then I learnt swamp water helped to preserve them.

The Kauri stump turned into furniture, souvenir and some other household products. The price were unimaginable. A 3 seater sofa will cost you a handsome NZD$50,000. If you want a prehistoric thing in you living room.

the centrepiece inside the souvenir shop was a spiral staircase made from a single Kauri stump. Absolutely giant. It took 700 man hours to carve it. I feel like a Smurf when I walked up the steps. Wondered why the owner not building a tree house out of that trunk. Sure it would bring out the child/ Smurf in every of us.

Since there'll be no shop in Cape Reinga and at Te Paki, I bought Tuna sandwich, a cheese scone, yogurt, and hot chocolate and to my surprises they cost me almost 15 bucks. Freaking expensive. I understand this is a tourist spot but 15 dollar for those items were bloody ripped off. Can't complain. I just suck it up else I'll be starving.

We continue the journey driving pass though through vast farmlands, orchards, native bush, through the dark pine forest then hit the seaside town of Houhora. I had the best seat ever- window seat on right aisle . Along the way my view was Pacific ocean. Absolutely stunning.

At About midday we finally arrived Cape Reinga. I can't belief we have been on the road for half a day to reach the tip of North Island. Before we got there, the driver told us this place was very spiritual to the Maori and sacred. It's a holy ground for the departing souls before going to the underworld. He sang something in Maori, a calling to the spirit to join us! Beautifully sang. The melody sound very mystical just like the Javanese chanting. I got goosebump. I could be superstitious at time (I'm a Malay remember). Some moron clapped their hands after he sang it. Idiot.

I took a slow walk to the over-photographed light house. Quite a walk. The vegetation down the gorge were dwarfed. The plaque read, strong wind, the high level of salt made the plant into bonsai size. Oh-no-wonder, I nodded.

Cape Reinga, the northern tip of New Zealand, it is here where the Pacific ocean meets the Tasman Sea. Subhanallah, it was amazing. Allah has His way of differentiating the two waters. The Tasman on my left or on the west was almost bluish greenish and the Pacific on my right was almost navy bluish. When these two waters met each other they created waves and swell and you could tell that was the border between them.

I sat there in front of the light house looking at seas in amazement.

Day 2 of Labour Weekend: Something in the Water, Dolphin! Part 2

Later the skipper found the spot where the dolphins were. Seriously I was so nervous. Excited sort of nervous. When I first saw a dolphin from afar I want to jump joy. I can't. I was sitting at the edge of the rail but part of me want to be thrown overboard and be saved by a dolphin.

As we got closer, they weren't many of them. According to the commentary those were teenage Bottlenose dolphins. I know why there weren't many of them. Those dolphins were skipping "school of dolphin". Teenage rebellions. We didn't come too close as the skipper said let them come to us. And they did.

Dolphins were such a curious animal just like cat. Always nosy with new thing coming. I saw one dolphin peeked his head up then float to whole body to the surface and rolled his belly up. Just like Only (my cat) when he is in the affectionate mood. Perhaps the dolphin was in the same mood. I want to rub his belly and tickled him but then again no matter how cute and cuddly and friendly they are, they still a wild animal.

Then we left the spot. Other boat has radioed our skipper there were

sightings of dolphins not far from where we were. This time there was a baby dolphin in the pod. I didn't see it though. One thing that I learn from the commentary, we weren't allow to swim with baby dolphin. Reason number one, the mum might be protective. Reason number two, we human have the same body temperature with dolphin so we don't to confuse the dolphin. Reason number three, baby dolphin suckle its mum every 3 minutes. So I don't want the baby to suck any part of my body thinking I'm its mum!

These school of dolphins were really came close to us. I was lucky enough to be

so quick to get to the bottom front deck since most people climbing up to top deck. Following crowd isn't always good, at least not on this one,. I saw 2 dolphins just inches from the boat. They were huge. Bigger than average human size.

I wonder why people love dolphin. Cute? Gentle? One thing I know, I like the way they swim. Gracefully like a ballerina and very therapeutic. Do you know why most dentist have aquarium? - to calm the patient so that they won't suffer excessive bleeding. Swear to god I'm not kidding. I read it somewhere. Back to the therapeutic effect, yes I do feel calm looking at their antics.

I've taken few minutes of videos but none of the shots reflect the real experience. It's really true what most people said, you have to have to be there to it. My handicam battery almost exhausted yet we have 2 more things to see - Cape Brett's Hole in the Rock and Ohakei Bay.

The sky was so clear, on the top deck I could see as far as the eyes could see. The skipper said in this weather we could see up to 28 nautical miles ahead of us. 52 kilometres! Crazy. From where I stood I could see a volcanic rock formation from the distance. I don't know the name but it looked so familiar from those travel brochures and it was 20 kilometres away! I can't believe I could see that far.

About 20 minutes later we reach the tip of Cape Brett. Rugged rocky shore with a ruin concrete jetty. On top of the hill was a whitewash weatherboard house and hundreds metres further up stood a light house. I saw a guy walking out of the house, topless. Apparently, you rent a bed there for NZD$15 per night. Imagine waking up in that view and just stone throw away to the Hole in the Rock.

The boat sail through the hole. Huge tunnel. The water pretty rough in that hole, made the boat a bit wobbly. We circled the rock to find nature's natural sculpture of a lady face. The Maori belief she is the guardian of the Bay of Islands.

The journey just got better when we did stopover at Urupukapuka Island. I found my paradise there. Well manicured green grass until the edge of the shore and a little stream running at one end of the beach. Across the stream the land was gated and in the middle of it was a bright red shed housing the farming I supposed since there were sheep behind the building. Picture perfect but it's a shame we stopped there less than an hour. Love to come back and stay few night on that island.

On the way back to Paihia, I told myself how lucky I was this time, blessed with a very good weather which is very rare to happen during Labour weekend while looking out at the horizon and thought, if I were to die tomorrow, I'll die a happy man. I've seen such a beautiful place and magnificent animal in my life.

Once I was back at the hostel ,I dozed off. Recharging myself.

Day 2 of Labour Weekend: Something in the Water, Dolphin! Part 1

Woke up early this morning. My body is accustomed to normal working-day hours. I needed no alarm. My eyes will pop wide open with fresh head. Well not so- someone in the dorm snored. Really loud. I can't even hear my dream! But somehow I managed to get back to sleep. Perhaps I was so tired from the bus ride.

It took me awhile to get up. I was just lying idle staring at the ceiling when I started to see light behind the curtain. I went off to shower. Some other people grunted when I tried to open my bag getting my stuff. You know one of those time when you tried to be as quiet as possible but it still loud. I tried to hold my breath and search slowly- it didn't work. Too many plastics in my bag.

As I walked to the town centre, from afar I could see the water. Calm with orange sunrise gleaming on the horizon. Absolutely stunning. I smiled. The sun just make me happy. Here comes the sun do-do-do. You know I have history travelling during bad weather.

God knows how many photos I snapped around the wharf. The orange light seems to make everything looks beautiful. Didn't want to run out of memory (in my camera) when I'm on the boat later.

Breakfast at the end of beautiful Victorian ferry building. Eating Eggs Benedict with orange juice outside, enjoying the sun on my already tan skin. The sound on the wave break on the shore and writing in between mouthful of breakfast. I tell you, I can so can do this everyday. I wished. I wished I was born in a rich family living on the trust fund. or I wished I'm a retiree who could enjoy this everyday of my remaining life. Even though I been here less than 24 hours but something tells me this is paradise on the earth.

Imagine if I come here in bad winter weather. I probably thing this place a hell hole.

At about quarter to 9 , I queued up on the jetty. I was second on the line. Contrast to my previous travel attitude - to be the last. This time I want to be as early as possible so that I could get the best seat on the boat- front row top deck that is. And Indeed early birds get the worm. I secured the best possible port for myself and Graeme.

As the boat moved further out to the open seas, the view is getting better and better. I don't know where to look. Everywhere look so magical in that morning sun with little hint of sea haze. I panned my head left and right just like urban pigeon searching for bread. The first few islands we sailed pass were uninhabited. Not so far in the distance, lots of yachts pulling up their sails. According to the commentary by the skipper, those flocks of yatchs were from Auckland arriving yesterday. They departed at 5pm. Man, I could have hitchhike them to get a ride to Paihia!

Just after we sailed pass Russell, another seaside town across the bay about 20 minutes boat ride but 90 minutes driving! we were called to go to bottom deck for briefing. Urgh, this kills the moment, I said to myself. Probably the word briefing telling something like the do's and the don'ts. Well party yes but it was quiet entertaining actually. The skipper and the rest of the crews sort of joke around and definitely they got me.

Not long after that, they let us go. I resumed what I did previously- appreciating God's creation. Subhanallah, He created New Zealand beautifully. The landscape changed every seconds. I got no words to describe what I saw. Well definitely I saw islands. Some of the island has secluded private beach. Skinny dip!

Then we approached this one island. A private island but hundred years ago the island used to house 600 local Maori. One day in the 18th century , world famous sailor Captain Cook landed there to shelter from bad weather on his way to Gisborne. He brought with him a Tahitian native who could speak English and Maori Te Reo and he was the middle man between the two groups. The Maori provide them shelter until the weather subsided. The provide Captain Cook with fresh vegetable and some other supplies. You see Maori were very accommodative just like the Malays. If any of my relative came to my house, they won't come back with empty boot in their car. Will be full of coconut, banana, bread fruit, etc.

Another islands next to it, connected by sand pit is also privately own. The caretaker of that island has been living there for over 23 years. I would want to work and live there. Who doesn't? It's a paradise. Clear emerald water at your doorstep, frequently visited by dolphins, and owner whom hardly there. He basically got the whole island for himself and his dog. The kid behind me said, "I don't want to live there. No flat screen and PS3! Yes the island has no electricity. If I live there, I'm sure I can entertain myself like talking to a volleyball! But hey, there must be something about the island. Else the caretaker won't last 23 years of his career there.