Have a Blessed Flight

Our Royal Brunei flights from Auckland to Brunei was rather interesting. We had a brief 1 hour stopover in Brisbane to drop off and pick up passengers. Before the plane takes off, there would be a little muslim prayer that they would show to bless the flight. I guess its better to be blessed and be safe. Quite intersting. Although I do think that they pilots (mostly expats from the UK) do need more blessing though as they like to just throw the plane on the ground when they land.

I was highly disappointed when they FORGOT!!! to bless the flight from Brisbane to Brunei LOL .... never mind, it landed and arrived safely in one piece and that's all that matters I guess.



We arrived in Brunei at about 17:30 and Jefferey, my old room mate from college in New Zealand was kind enough to chauffer us around Brunei for sightseeing and took us out for dinner. What he didn't know was that there were 7 of us including him LOL ... we DID manage to squeeze 5 butts in the back seat (not very comfortably) and WHO CARES, its Brunei! the police won't come after you anyway hehehe.

So.... we had dinner with my friend Jeffrey....



Then we visited the current Sultan's mosque that was quite impressive .... 28 golden domes made of real gold





We did a quick drive around the CBD area and walked around an area where water taxis zoom across a stretch of water that takes you to Kampong Air, a water village known as the Venice of the East ... The water taxis driver did ask if we wanted to go for a quick trip around the village but it was dark and I didn't really want to risk the chance of falling into the sea at night time in Brunei before my next flight LOL.





Our brief 4 hour transit was quite nice actually. Like always, mum and dad have always though Brunei was a boring country with nothing to see and do. I'm glad I have dragged them out of the airport this time to prove them wrong LOL ...

YAY Holiday

YAY, I'm finally on holiday. This was how excited it got at work last night.



So to kick off my holiday, I've decided to finish work right on time, rushing out the door at 7am and headed off to Drexels (American Breakfast Restaurant) to have a fat unhealthy breakfast heheh, hashbrowns, fried eggs, waffles, ice cream and banana ... I'm on holiday, who cares about a healthy meal LOL .... thats what the gym is for ...after the holiday....



My day kind of got busier after that. I packed my bag at last minute as always ... went to the supermarket and got minuture bottles of things to take on the plane, toothpaste, mouthwash, PURELL to protect my genetalia (just in case I decided to go to Rarotonga and feed the cats and dogs on the beach) .... etc etc... I did also buy a TV that was too big for our TV cabinet so its currently sitting on the coffee table at home at the moment :S

I managed to squeeze in 2 hours of sleep so that I am not like a zombie by the end of the night. After a bit of rushing around, yelling, cursing and rupturing a few blood vessels, I got the family to the airport on time.



Auckland was a bit rainy, hot and humid when we got here. I had to blast the A/C in the room just so we could be in it....wait till Malaysia!!!! The airport hotel was nice and the person that checked me in didn't really believe I work in a hotel as I got industry rate with them...HOW RUDE! He was asking all these questions, pretenting to chat to me but would never let me finish what I was saying LOL .... I think he was just trying to fish some information out of me about the 'Hotel' I'm working at while he's checking out the hotel website. I of course pass 100% with all the questions he asked so he had to believe me in the end hehe....

The rooms were nice ...







The ear plugs DID help sleeping in the same room with dad LOL .... I'm just having my free breakfast now at some ungodly hour in the morning before having to check out at 7am and head to the airport.

YAY YAY YAY!

Mr Buddha's Birthday

Back in the big smoke, got my hi speed wireless internet back, 2 extra flatmates and my bug free home, I'm able to update my blog again.

Apparently, its Mr Big Man Buddha's birthday today. We were wondering why Cathedral Square was jam packed with people at 9am on a Saturday morning after we returned the rental car. As always, I had to drag everyone else out of the car and go check out what the excitement was all about.

When we got there, there were people dressed in all sorts of different national costumes, praying to Buddha...

Then there were masters/monks dress in their robes...praying to Buddha....

Then there were girls dressed up in traditional costumes....dacing and singing.....I think I was more interested in the food stalls rather than all the hoohaa that was going on around me. So I checked them all out. Being a buddist event, everything was vegetarian of course. However, I did find some interesting items of food on offer.

A 'VEGETARIAN' Beijing Duck Wrap?!?! I'd like to see a non-meat duck to believe it .....

3x Little Cakes for $2.00 :S ....... hmmmm explains a lot doesn't it

Stuffed buns anyone? I'll leave that to your imagination .....

There were also some games that were on offer if you are keen enough.......Anyone like to play with a Chinese Yoyo? Personally, I'd prefer a European one.....

The Big Move

The day has finally come for me to steal Salome and Charlie forever from the Portage. Last night we made a nice dinner at my old 'home' and pretty much just sat around and chatted with a few old friends that are ALSO moving to Christchurch in a month's time.



I woke up early this moring to the sunrise and decided to get a coffee from David (because he is the only one there that knows how to make a good one), then walked the around the resort, took time to take in the scenery and headed up Torea road to visit Torea Bay.

I also walked a bit of the Queen Charlotte Track. I was tempted to hire out a bike to do a bit of mountain biking but I figure that it's probably not a good idea seeing as I have LOTS of moving to do and also another 7 hour drive back because Salome will want to stop at every single photo stop.

The beach today was not much of a beach as it was high tide and the wind was had a slight chill in it anyway. It was nice just to walk around and enjoy the place rather than having to work at it.

I also filled up the car at the only petrol station in the Kenepuru Sounds ..NOT! .... Look at the prices!!! $1.95 for Unleaded 91 and $1.45 for Diesel.....

Now Kenny, seeing as you haven't found any spiders in while you are in NZ, I've managed to find LOTS for you. When I was walking over the sadle over to Torea Bay, there were all these white things in the prickly bushes....they looked like fluffy cotton wool stuck within some tree but if you take a closer look, you may find some nasty creppy 8 legged friend living inside them. I took a few snaps, ran away before they had the chance to jump on me.

When I got back from my few hours of self touring, I was thinking that everything should all be packed up and ready to go into the car when I arrived.....I thought wrong. After 5 years of knowing Salome, I should've known that 'HER' I'm ready to go is in fact (give me another day) and I only have 2 bags and 2 boxes is also not true. Good job we did not take Satish as well because we would've had to tie one of them up on the roof rack. The station wagon was packed to the max, leaving Charlie all squished up in the back. I also hid my CD's so well that I could not find them in the car so we all had to listen to the 6 CD's that I put in yesterday....again....

After a few clicks on the camera and a few goodbyes, we headed off to the metropolis PICTON.

Salome had to have her apple before leaving because I wasn't going to let her do her hurling and chucking business in my nice car again.

On the way to Picton, we were all wonderting why I did not hire this van instead of my nice station wagon. Perhaps next time.....

A sign for Mr and Mrs Moo Cow

"The Hills are (not so alive) .... perhaps Fräulein Maria haven't had time to sing on them and giving them the sound of music. There were lots of logging around the Marlborough Sounds area. Not very 'Green' for NZ??!?

The Interislander ferry that jouneys across the Cook Strait was just docking in Picton

We drove to Blenheim for a late lunch and then went off to search for a lotto shop in a small town, hoping to win $18 million on Saturday night and never have to work again. We ended up buying one in Kaikoura after stopping by the seal colony.

Parked across the road was another van that we wondered why we didn't hire. As jucy as it sounds, may be its because we didn't have a baby and we didn't really need a sink. (It reads 'This Jucy crib comes with everything and the kitchen sink')

Have A Magic Day

I've finally arrived at Portage and so far, no one have chased me with a knife or a gun yet. Most people are happy to see me apart from the newbies who don't know me....they just had the 'who the f**k is this person and why is he wondering around the hotel' face on with them.

Initially I was planning to leave work early and drive up so I can have the afternoon to take a bike or a kayak out to explore the place. THAT like always .... did not happen and I ended up staying at work for 2 hours extra in the end. By the time I picked up the Subi Station Wagon rental car, had breakfast and got ready, it was 09:30am (usually I'd be asleep by that time). I have prepared myself for the 5 hour drive by popping 2 No-Doz (caffine pills) and had a couple of espresso before leaving work just to make sure I don't fall asleep on the wheel. I might've had just a wee bit too much of it thus I am still rather awake with my bloodshot eyes after 26 hours of no sleep. MAD.....

The 5 hour drive also turned out to be a 7.5 hour journey as I have decided that I should take time and enjoy the things along the way this time rather than just rushing to get to the place like in the past. I had no set time that I need to be at the resort and it was a nice sunny day anyway.

So I started off looking at a few wineries just north of Christchurch in Waipara ..... Plenty on the way

For those drivers that needs reviving......hopefully not from death!

I also took a short stroll along the water front on

Kaikoura....what a perfect day

I'd hate to think what the people staying there looks like....beach whales perhaps? eeee...

Um...because I don't want to....

Now Steve, did you get your pie from this place???

A couple of giant crayfishes (lobsters) ... what Kaikoura is famous for apart from whales

Then I drove past a salt farm on the coast.....rather interesting....the lakes had all sorts of different colours....red, blue, white.....

It was time to refill the car and I was feeling slightly peckish so I got a MEAT PIE as well! Good old travelling food.

I got my meat pie, sat by the road and enjoyed the views of Marlborough

I wonder what else this 'shed' sells with a name like that .......

They are No1. What number we are?

Time to head into the magical Marlborough Sounds..... This is at Pelorus Sounds....Pretty isn't it?

The 30km of continious 1.5 lane winding road starts

One of the many gorgeous bays at Kenepuru Sounds

FINALLY.....arrived at Portage Resort Hotel

Discovered that no one is going to kill me so.... Te Mahia was cancelled :( .... I ended up staying over at the my old house that I was living in ... Free accommodation is always good.

Watched the sunset

Had a few drinks, ate an ice cream .... and now its time for bed after being awake for 30 hours @o@zzzz Crazy!

Until tomorrow.....