Skip Visiting Oamaru, NZ South Island, If you have These 3 Traits

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As travelers, we often ask ourselves if a stopover especially at a small town is worth our time, money and effort. For an answer, we read up what others say about 'To Do' at this town or we throw a question in a forum or at fellow travellers we meet at hostels. Then, we decide 'To Go' or 'Not To Go'.

If you are considering whether Oamaru is a town worth your limited travel time and fund, the following may help you  to decide if you would like to drop by, and if yes, for how long?

A traveller may skip visiting Oamaru if he/she has these 3 traits below:-

1. Dislikes blue-eyed penguins and seals

A.S’s most memorable penguins encounter in NZ was here in Oamaru. They were not confined like you see in a zoo but out there at the harbour front especially at night. How amazing! To A.S, penguins, whether blue-eyed or yellow-eyed, they are exotic wildlife to her. If only these penguins and seals were livelier, they would be more interesting to watch.

2. Is afraid of deserted streets

It was EEERIEEE, yes it was. It felt like A.S was in a dead town or a setting of a horror movie. Take a look into the video and you will agree with her. It was only 10 p.m in summer and no one else was seen on the streets, but a lost penguin.

3. Loves partying

Sorry but true, Oamaru is not an ideal town for partying. The nightlife here is enjoying the sound of water blown by the strong cold night breeze at the harbour as one looks out into the dark water and only guided by the orangey street lamps with intermittent spotting of penguins and seals, as one sinks into deep contemplation, with a can of beer in one hand and snacks on the other.


More tips on experiencing Oamaru can be found here.

Stopping by at Shag Point during the drive from Dunedin to Oamaru.

A.S joined a crowd waiting for these Yellow-Eyed Penguins at a look out point on a higher ground. It was an EXTREMELY COLD drizzling evening and they waited for about 30 minutes, only to leave in disappointment.

*A.S's current location*

Day/ Date: Wed/ Dec 24th, 2014

-A.S has been back in KL, Malaysia since Aug 16th, 2012 from a total of 3 months in Spain and then, Austria. Burdened with lots of thoughts, plans and to-dos, she'll still try her very best to keep this blog alive. Thank you so much for keeping up with her delays.

A.S appreciates you as an audience to her blog. She welcomes you to drop in more often, share your thoughts and interact with her here at cyberspace. The posts may be a little behind but she promises to close the gap as much as she can, as she gets limited internet access and the time to update.

Be a fan today to get instant updates the soonest the next post is published!

It's EASY. At the right-most column of this page, you may either choose to:-

1. Receive blog updates by mail

2. Read her up-to-date posts at your MyYahoo, Google, etc. homepage by subscribing thru the links.

3. Read her up-to-date posts on your Facebook wall by 'Like'-ing the fan page A.S created specially for this blog (Scroll down page to search right-most column)

4. If you are a fellow blogger, link to her blog with the HTML code provided.

Thank you very much and A.S hopes you enjoy your stay here. ;)

NZ South Island: 3 Top Things Memorable About Dunedin

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Dunedin (pronounced Duh-nee-den) is claimed to be New Zealand’s oldest city. It is a university city of Scottish heritage, rich with culture, architecture and wildlife reserves on the Otago Peninsula. Situated on the south-eastern coast of New Zealand’s South Island, Dunedin has a population of about 130,000 and is the main centre of Otago, a region recognized for its spectacular scenery.

In the 3 nights A.S spent here, Dunedin gave A.S 3 lasting impressions which are:-

1. The best place to spot Royal Albatrosses and Sea Lions.

A.S remembers walking over to Otago Peninsula after checking in at the hostel in the city centre of Dunedin. It certainly was not as small as it seemed on the map neither was it as near as it seemed. She took a local bus, and then walked and walked for about an hour before thinking she would not be able to make it there before dark if she kept walking. So, she put her thumb up as she walked. There was only one destination at the end of that street and many who headed this direction had the same intention as her, to spot Royal Albatrosses and Sea Lions. She was lucky she found a ride with a fellow traveller from The States.

2. It is not flat and has a beautiful coastline.

This city is not flat and it serves as an ideal place for anyone who loves to burn calories, but not for someone who would like to get to places quick and easy. Baldwin Street, here in Dunedin is considered the world’s steepest residential street. However, the coastline is spectacular just listening to the waves and feeling the breeze with close eyes.

3. It feels like being in UK.

Strolling along the street surrounded by the architectures brought back the memories of being in London once again. Do you feel the same by looking at the pictures below and here.

Just arrived, from Invercargill.

Where, o where is that hostel.

Highest land so far to look down to the city.

Belonging to the University of Otago.

Dunedin does not just have a university.

An enjoyable stroll on a lovely day.

Admiring the architecture.

Yay, down she goes.

Events to check out.

Lovely day, lovely people

A quaint non very flat, peaceful city.

*A.S's current location*

Day/ Date: Sun/ Dec 14th, 2014

-A.S has been back in KL, Malaysia since Aug 16th, 2012 from a total of 3 months in Spain and then, Austria. Burdened with lots of thoughts, plans and to-dos, she'll still try her very best to keep this blog alive. Thank you so much for keeping up with her delays.

A.S appreciates you as an audience to her blog. She welcomes you to drop in more often, share your thoughts and interact with her here at cyberspace. The posts may be a little behind but she promises to close the gap as much as she can, as she gets limited internet access and the time to update.

Be a fan today to get instant updates the soonest the next post is published!

It's EASY. At the right-most column of this page, you may either choose to:-

1. Receive blog updates by mail

2. Read her up-to-date posts at your MyYahoo, Google, etc. homepage by subscribing thru the links.

3. Read her up-to-date posts on your Facebook wall by 'Like'-ing the fan page A.S created specially for this blog (Scroll down page to search right-most column)

4. If you are a fellow blogger, link to her blog with the HTML code provided.

Thank you very much and A.S hopes you enjoy your stay here. ;)

NZ South Island: 5 Highlights Of The Trip From Te Anau to Invercargill

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A.S bade farewell with Dutch mate at Lake Manapouri as we continued our separate ways. He was heading back north while A.S south to Invercargill.

...with a short stretch along the coast offering views of the ocean.

5 Highlights of The Trip From Te Anau to Invercargill, the A.S version are..

1. It's tough... but scenic.
2. It's tough... but A.S met great people and had interesting conversations.
3. It's tough... but it made her realize that if you're patient and you stayed positive, good things will happen.
4. It's tough... as Invercargill, albeit is just the southernmost city of NZ South Island, and one of the southernmost city in the world, is still worth the 3 night's visit, simply because it's the southernmost city of NZ and serving as an important commercial centre for this region.
5. It's tough... and still tough, and it made that trip memorable.

- the end of a 'very helpful' post-

"Interesting, A.S, soooo worth my time here."

*A.S's current location*

Day/ Date: Sun/ Nov 30th, 2014

-A.S has been back in KL, Malaysia since Aug 16th, 2012 from a total of 3 months in Spain and then, Austria. Burdened with lots of thoughts, plans and to-dos, she'll still try her very best to keep this blog alive. Thank you so much for keeping up with her delays.

A.S appreciates you as an audience to her blog. She welcomes you to drop in more often, share your thoughts and interact with her here at cyberspace. The posts may be a little behind but she promises to close the gap as much as she can, as she gets limited internet access and the time to update.

Be a fan today to get instant updates the soonest the next post is published!

It's EASY. At the right-most column of this page, you may either choose to:-

1. Receive blog updates by mail

2. Read her up-to-date posts at your MyYahoo, Google, etc. homepage by subscribing thru the links.

3. Read her up-to-date posts on your Facebook wall by 'Like'-ing the fan page A.S created specially for this blog (Scroll down page to search right-most column)

4. If you are a fellow blogger, link to her blog with the HTML code provided.

Thank you very much and A.S hopes you enjoy your stay here. ;)

NZ South Island: 40 Hours in Te Anau & Milford Sound

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It's been a looonnnggg absence from this blog and now A.S is back, trying to revive it. There are so many pictures and video clips she'd like to share here dated back in 2010 from a little bit of USA, to a lot of Western EU to another half of NZ and then back to Spain,  Austria and Japan. There was one time she lost her entire files saved in an external hard disk drive and thankfully, with advanced technology these days, she managed to finally... finaalllly retrieved most of them back. It could be one of the lowest point in life when you realized your memories were gone.... forever. 


Now, let's move to the Southwest of South Island, NZ. A.S did not spend a long time here in Te Anau(gateway to Milford Sound) and Milford Sound, but only 40 hours, back in January 2012.  Following are 5 impressions she remembers about these 2 places:-

1. It rained a lot. 
If annual average rainfall in Peninsular Malaysia is 2000mm/yr, it is 4 times in Te Anau. A.S arrival at Te Anau at 6 pm, and was welcomed with strong wind, it could blow and break your umbrella and rain which didn't seem that it was going to stop. The reception at the Te Anau Visitor Centre promised a cleared day the next morning and rain again in the evening, so A.S and mate had to get up early to catch the good weather.


2. It looked like homeland.
A.S supposed it must be due to the generous rainfall that everything looked so green and so tropical. It felt like home. The look of Milford Sound on brochures and images she looked up online did not appeal to her as much as Queenstown. The hills appearing from the water reminded her of Halong Bay in Hanoi, Vietnam.


3. It had many tunnels.
It was the only place in NZ she remembers driving through tunnels from the small town of Te Anau to Milford Sound. It was a scenic drive surrounded by the morning mists and majestic mountain ranges.


4. It was quiet.
Like any other smaller towns in South Island of NZ, particularly, it was quiet, peaceful but yet, feeling safe. The population in this town is about 2,000 people, according to the 2013 census.


5. It had a very big lake
This official site says that Lake Te Anau is the largest lake in the South Island and largest in the country by water volume getting to depths of over 400m.The lake sprawls at the feet of high rugged mountains, and during the summer the hot dry weather encourages water skiing, swimming, fishing and kayaking on the lake. During the winter, days are crisp and clear with frosty mornings and sunny days.

As of 2007, the ratio of sheep to man is 10:1 in New Zealand.

Clear morning, woo hoo!

and mystical too.

Heavenly.

We must step up and take some pictures.

... all around us.

Chilly clear water. 

Arrived at Milford Sound

Go on a cruise to explore this Natural Wonder of the World.

That's what you'll ride on.

Plankton, marine vegetation..and the likes.

See the waterfall?

The size of the mobile homes against the mountain.

The thunderous waterfall from a distance.

Along the drive back from Milford Sound.

An exciting group of Japanese joined us. 

Arrived at an alpine lake where one just wanted to sit and feel the place.

Let's go.

Originally a video clip, minus the voices.

*A.S's current location*

Day/ Date: Sun/ Oct 19th, 2014

-A.S has been back in KL, Malaysia since Aug 16th, 2012 from a total of 3 months in Spain and Austria, but the memories are still vivid.

A.S appreciates you as an audience to her blog. It keeps her contented knowing she's not writing for herself. She welcomes you to drop in more often, share your thoughts and interact with her here at cyberspace. The posts may be a little behind but she promises to close the gap as much as she can, as she gets limited internet access and the time to update.

Be a fan today to get instant updates the soonest the next post is published!

It's EASY. At the right-most column of this page, you may either choose to:-

1. Receive blog updates by mail

2. Read her up-to-date posts at your MyYahoo, Google, etc. homepage by subscribing thru the links.

3. Read her up-to-date posts on your Facebook wall by 'Like'-ing the fan page A.S created specially for this blog (Scroll down page to search right-most column)

4. If you are a fellow blogger, link to her blog with the HTML code provided.

Thank you very much and A.S hopes you enjoy your stay here. ;)

Getting Inspired

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Has it ever happened to you? You didn't know someone but had an instant affection towards her by just reading her work or about her. Oh yea, it just happened to A.S. It was like an 'Aha' moment. She's got an instant fan in A.S.  Well this charming lady is none other than Janice Waugh. You may not know her like you know Oprah Winfrey but I'm sure they are both awesome in their own ways. Janice started the SoloTravelerBlog in 2009 and since then has garnered a wide readership. 

What does A.S like about her? Firstly, her distinct somewhat signature look. That white hair on a youthful face is just so uniquely Janice. The charming smile and you should watch the video below to see how poise and composed, the way she speaks, such a warm and friendly lady. 

Secondly, anyone who does solo travelling, especially a lady, is already A,S's instant friend. There's so much we can talk about and share... if only we met. She seems to have been to many places A.S aspires to go and being someone her age, (of which many travel with tour groups) but she, on her own, is just superbly inspiring to A.S.

Thirdly, she ran a successful conference, trade show and publishing company with her husband before the business was sold and became a writer/ speaker as she travels solo discovering this planet earth where we live in. Compared to her, what A.S did in 2010 was nothing. In one of her blogpost, Janice wrote 'Solo travel is an experience like none other. It allows you to enjoy a place on your own terms – without the distractions or schedule of others. It gives you time for contemplation and personal growth."

Affection requires first getting to know. Whether it is a 1 minute read or a 2 hours meeting, that's still a process, of getting to know. Do not fret, but instead reach out for you 'll never know who you'll read, meet and greet. 

*A.S's current location*

Day/ Date: Sat/ Jan 18th, 2014

-A.S has been back in KL, Malaysia since Aug 16th, 2012 from a total of 3 months in Spain and then, Austria. Burdened with lots of thoughts, plans and to-dos, she'll still try her very best to keep this blog alive. Thank you so much for keeping up with her delays.

A.S appreciates you as an audience to her blog. It keeps her contented knowing she's not writing for herself. She welcomes you to drop in more often, share your thoughts and interact with her here at cyberspace. The posts may be a little behind but she promises to close the gap as much as she can, as she gets limited internet access and the time to update.

Be a fan today to get instant updates the soonest the next post is published!

It's EASY. At the right-most column of this page, you may either choose to:-

1. Receive blog updates by mail

2. Read her up-to-date posts at your MyYahoo, Google, etc. homepage by subscribing thru the links.

3. Read her up-to-date posts on your Facebook wall by 'Like'-ing the fan page A.S created specially for this blog (Scroll down page to search right-most column)

4. If you are a fellow blogger, link to her blog with the HTML code provided.

Thank you very much and A.S hopes you enjoy your stay here. ;)