......... of Waimangu Volcanic valley in N Zealand

A visit to Rotorua , north island of New Zealand (NZ) is a must to feast the eyes on geothermal features, soak in the geothermal lakes and also smell all the sulfur you can.

Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) was taken to Waimangu Volcanic Valley which is the world's youngest geothermal area. Y S stepped into a world of astounding geothermal features and gigantic volcanic craters.

The four hour walk, with lots of coaxing and encouragement from the daughter in the forms of tit bits ( chocolates and Muesli bars and rationed bottled water ! Y S and Better Half were tenderly treated like old folks from the homes on an outing. ROFL ) , introduced Y S to huge steaming lakes, bubbling hot spring, newly formed terraces, mysterious inferno craters, and powerful volcanic activity. There are rare and unusual plants which have adapted to grow in the hot earth and rapidly regenerating native forest. All these were seen up close as you are a part of nature in this park.

The tickets are a bit costly and the walk long , so you are away from itineraried packaged tourists who are usually taken to the Old faithful geyser just to witness the periodic sprays.

A dip at the Polynesian Spar that evening ( Sorry. No photos allowed) completed Y S' full experience of Rotorua.

Nevertheless, it is quite daunting to think that your property lies above tons of molten lava, and that you are practically conducting your life daily on them!

This visit is top on Y S' lists of things Kiwi I did.

.... of what we did in New Zealand II

Daughter took us to a quaint restaurant, FLEUR at stone's throw away from Moeraki Boulder, tucked away at an idyllic spot, surround on three sides by the sea.

The quaint interior of Fleur Place is very Kiwi and maritime for your liking. You can see in the photo posted , the renowed owner Fleur Sullivan, all gray, on the left , signing her latest book " FLEUR." At 70 plus she still makes her presence felt in her restaurant, going around "Hello" here and there, delighting Y S.

This the main door into the restaurant. Like the door of our "Kampong' (Village) toilet. But.. ....... when the door is opened, the crowd of lunchers (My own word for people who are lunching.) and wafts of the delicious food may make you berserk looking for your reservation. If you don't know about the place, you may not choose go in.


Sinfully delicious dessert to titillate your taste buds and shoot up your glucose level. But who cares ? You are on a vacation. (Anyway, whether you eat or not, the difference in your life span is only 2 hours.Terms and conditions applied.)

The green shell mussels in the big bowl are ultrally fresh. This is one of the few "Orang Putih" (White Man) cookings that is not that "buttery and cheesy." The flavoring is just enough and so the taste of the seafood is not robbed off like the Chinese "Kam Heong" frying where the taste of the seafood is simply robbed off by the flavoring. Y S' "Cod wrapped in bacon " was a real treat.
Better Half's "Seafood Chowder' is equally exquisite.

Finally, my ratings on the scale of 5 :-

Food : 5
Desserts : 4
Presentation : 3
Service : 5 (Delighted by the owner's personal presence.)
Ambiance : 3 (Furniture a bit old. Chair rickety. But then they are for rustic reasons.)
Toilet : 4
Cost : 4 ( If you don't convert! )

Thanks Dr Adeline for the treat.

....of what we did in N Zealand

With 20 over days to spend with your married daughter and her beloved hubby in a foreign land could be quite daunting. How to spend or kill time when the couple went to work ? Yours Sincerely (Y S ) does not like to be cooped up, and be "home alone."

You know what ? Daughter laboriously planned out an intensive, extensive and comprehensive 21-day itineraryon a spread sheet that covered eastern north and south island of New Zealand. Talking about killing time ??? And the days were just enjoyably stretched to the limits, taking advantage of the longer summer day light, and her impeccable, meticulous and proactive planning where everything was pre-booked : car rentals, hotels, resorts, restaurants, parks, tour packages, museums etc etc etc. You just cannot beat a Phd holder.

There are too many web sites describing amazing places in NZ, so Y S only wants to share his personal experience and from an aging father point of view the places and experiences.

A short drive away from Dunedin, Y S was taken to visit the Moeraki Boulders.

The Moeraki Boulders are a group of very large spherical “stones” on Koekohe Beach near Moeraki on New Zealand’s Otago coast. These boulders are actually concretions that have been exposed through shoreline erosion from coastal cliffs that back the beach.

They originally formed in ancient sea floor sediments around 60 million years ago

Some of the boulders weigh several tonnes and are up to 3 metres in diametre!

Maori legend tells that the boulders are remains of calabashes, kumaras and eel baskets that washed ashore after the legendary canoe, the Araiteuru was wrecked at nearby Shag Point (Matakaea).

The Britons have Stone Hench. The Kiwis have Moeraki Boulders. Geologically impressive. Some look like dinosaurs' eggs. Y S was impressed.

.... 0f 2012

Yours Sincerely ( Y S ) and his better half spent their 2011 Christmas with their elder daughter and her husband in Auckland, New Zealand, and the 2012 new year eve hassling with the airport officers over over-weight cabin luggage. Somehow with God's grace, Y S managed to get all his luggage home safely. It was a holiday of a life time - picturesque places, exciting events and activities, sumptuous food of chef's standard, comfortable accommodation, fine weather ( after a few days of rain and cold wind ) and being with your loved ones is just indescribable !

When Y S touched down at Changi, Singapore, it was already 6.30 am, 1st of January, 2012. With jag lag buzzing, and nostalgia hovering over YS, the new year simply zoomed in unushered. Y S simply had no time to take stock for 2011 or make resolutions for 2012. It was just like when YS was getting use to yesterday along came today.

Anyway, the years have slowly become unimportant to Y S as a retiree at the threshold of his 60 s ( sigh !!!), now the seconds, minutes and hours count more ! " Don't let yesterday use up too much of today." Will Rogers Yesterday is a cancelled cheque. Tomorrow is a promised note. Today is ready cash, use it ! Let us live in the sunshine of today and not the shadow of yesterday which is but a dream, and tomorrow is only a vision ..... But today well-lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Let's us have not only the usual happy new year but a happier bordering happiest new year !