Post Bersatu Road Trip 2008

Post-Bersatu Road Trip 2008
Wellington --> Auckland

Day 1: 3rd July - Wellington
Woke up early in the morning and then along with Jeremy, Ivan, Sharvin, Jeffrey and Suzie, we dragged our luggages across town and head to Rowena Lodge to stay there for a night as Ying Swan had to attend some post-bersatu briefing. After dropping our luggages, it started to rain. Rather heavily and so windy. But since we weren't going to spend a whole day in the backpackers, we decided to just go for it.

Windy welly

Walked under the rain and headed back to the city centre to Te Papa museum where we dried off and met Boon, Rayvin and Pui Li. Swan was there too because her meeting was in the evening.

The museum was .... well, I'm not a person to talk about museums because I have no interest in them. But I'm guessing it's... good? Anyway, let the photos do the talking ya?

Te Papa museum


Outside the museum


artsy welly... a bench made out of skateboards

Walked around the city after that as well as the rain stopped. Bumped into Rachel, Ben, Roger and Eugene. Took more photos. Swan and I wanted to jump off the wharf as it was our very first time we won Gold for netball. But due to the cold windy weather, we couldn't. We would if it was sunny!!! haha!

crazy bunch of us

huge ass balls!

After that, we all went our separate ways. Me, Jeremy, Ivan, Sharvin, Jeffrey and Suzie headed to the Beehive and snapped some photos, bought some chips and soft drinks and then it was off to Darren and Mag's place. Our map reader: Ivan. Epic fail. Haha!! We got lost and was walking round and round and still not there yet. But yea... we eventually reached their place and was greeted with curry for dinner. Ahh!! way way better than the Bersatu closing dinner I must say. Even the brocolli was good too! Tasty!!

Day 2: 4th July- Palmerston North
Tuna with Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce and bread for breakfast. Jeffrey and Suzie stayed back as they had another day at Welly. As for the rest of us, our shuttle came and picked us up, picked Swan on the way and then headed to the car rental company.

And the road trip begins! The year before, it was 3 cars, this year, just 1 car. The family of 5. Me, Swan, Jeremy, Ivan and Sharvin. Jeremy as the single dad who have to take care of 4 kids. Haha! Him as the driver, Sharvin as the navigator as Ivan failed the navigating test to Darren's place.

When we were about to leave Wellington city, Jeremy got stopped by a cop and was given a fine for driving too fast. But what actually happened was he was driving with a normal speed, the police car wanted to cut in but Jeremy just keep going because there wasn't much space to cut in anyway. I guess the police tak puas so gave him a fine. Stupid...... but yea.. the ticket eventually didn't come in the mail. Haha!!

We reached Palmy town and the first thing we did after checking into Grandma's Place was.. EAT. Where? KFC? hehehehe... all of us were craving KFC so we went to the info centre and asked for the nearest KFC. Lol! Super satisfying :)

When you go to Palmy, you need to see the wind turbines. And so, we did... spent quite a lot of time there taking silly photos and videos. Photos, I let you guys see... videos ... it's just between the 5 of us :p

hilarious!!!

We all went to some botanical gardens where we saw parrots and swan's relatives - the ducks. I can't remember the name of the place because.. i'm writing this 2 years after it all happened!

trying to communicate with the ducks to ask where swan's significant other is

Dinner was at Grandma's Place i.e. our accommodation for the night. Soya pork on rice with cabbage. Double flavored cabbage. One was with sweet thai chilli sauce and the other just with salt and pepper. Why sweet thai chilli? Well, you see... Rayvin bought a bottle of sweet thai chilli sauce during bersatu games and since he didn't want to take it with him, we took it and it became ours throughout the whole road trip. You'll hear more of it throughout the post :D

we're all so creative huh?

After dinner, it's about time to teach these guys to play Shit Head. Let's just say, mine and swan's luck weren't good at all, lolx!! Good times though, still good times.

just look at that.. my cards so crap!

Day 3: 5th July - Queen Elizabeth Park and Stonehenge
Breakfast was sweet thai chili fried rice with egg by abang sharvin. There goes the Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce again. Hehehehe... also had garlic bread and made sandwhich for lunch.

We left Palmy and headed to Carterton to see the Stonehenge. As we still had some time to spare, we went to Queen Elizabeth Park first. There, we fed ducks, we fed deers, we played in the playground and we saw a fire truck!!!

feeding the deers

revisitting our childhood

After taking photos with the fire truck, little did we know there was a fireman inside! He came out, and took photos with the guys. Haha!

Next, the stonehenge. I had no idea what they were talking about. About the stars, the signs and so forth. I was just like.. hurry up, I just wanna snap photos! It didn't help that it was so windy and I was freezing my butt off. But yea.... no regrets. At least I can now say I've seen the Stonehenge!!

talk talk talk talk talk....

ivan didn't want to leave.. lolx!

THE goalie pose

After the stonehenge, our drive to Wanganui begins! It was already 4-ish when we left and hence most of the driving was in the dark. It didn't really help much when we saw this sign ...

Zzzzz.... And it was raining too!

We stayed at Braemar's House at Wanganui for the night. Thank goodness the owner was still awake to give us the key. We were supposed to share rooms with other people but look what he gave us ...

The key to the Family Room. Hahaha!! So so us!

Pasta for dinner and then we watched some TV before heading to bed. no shithead tonight. I was falling sick then and my throat was really sore. (How do I remember this detail? Because I have my road trip expense and on it.. it's written Strepsils - $8.. haha!)

Day 4: 6th July- Wanganui and New Plymouth

Wanganui River

We walked around the town and stumbled across this glass studio. So many pretty glasses and also saw people blowing glass. Quite cool. We then walked pass the Wanganui River and back to the car.

some monument thingy

pretty glasses!!!

Drove towards the Durie Hill Tower and walked up the Durie Hill Tower because we didn't want to pay for the elevator. It actually had an elevator and it was New Zealand's only public underground elevator. Took some crazy photos over there, saw the Wanganui River and the town of Wanganui.

our shadows... hehehehe

Durie Hill Tower

We saw the Memorial Tower from the Durie Hill Tower and decided to walk up there too. The walk up Memorial tower was way longer. 176 steps from base to the top floor level.

Memorial Tower behind us

THE 'word'

We then went to the Virginia lake and park where we saw really cute statues and a lot of swan's relatives and brothers and sisters. Hehehehe....

Swan and her Swans

Swan's relatives...ducky

so cute right the statues? hahahaha

Not too far from it, there was a botanical garden and some bird sanctuary. Sorry I forgotten the names.

After that, we drove to another garden and stop just to take some more photos. Wanganui just have too many gardens and parks!! but yeaa..... there were all very beautiful and that was why we kept on stopping and taking photos.

i just realized there's so many jumping photos of us

crazy crazy orang gila

Anyway..... at this particular garden..... it was when IT happened.... after we were satisfied.... we got into the car... Ivan drove off and then..... CCrrrRaacckkk!!!! We stopped, looked out the car ... and ....

Awwwww!! Swan's adidas glasses. Kemek!!! So sad!!!!

After that, we were off to New Plymouth and checked into our accommodation at Taranaki where we will be there for 2 nights. After we checked in, changed and then it was off to the Coastal Walkway which is a 7km walkway and I figured it will be awesome to run along the walkway while the sun was setting.

The runners: Me, Ivan and Sharvin.

Off we go and this was where the unexpected "Amazing Race" started. Swan and Jeremy said they will go to Pak n Save first, buy dinner and groceries and then pick us up at the end. So yeaa..... we ran and enjoyed the view at the same time.

Beautiful sunset

We ran to the end and turned back and realized we didn't take as long as expected. Since Jeremy and Swan weren't there yet, we decided to walk to Pak n Save to meet them there instead. It was quite a walk there and I was in shorts. We got there and we couldn't find them. The most sucky thing was..... none of us had a phone on us or any money and even so, we don't have their numbers off our heads. Ivan said he'll run to the coastal walkway and find Jeremy and Swan. And so, sharvin and I stayed back at Pak n Save to see if Jeremy and Swan drop by.

After 20 minutes, we started worry. No sight of Jeremy and Swan, no sight of Ivan. Then we started to wonder if Ivan actually got lost on his way to the walkway coz....... well.... his sense of direction wasn't that good. lol!!!! Maybe shouldn't have send him off. What if we find Jeremy and Swan and then we lose Ivan? Hahahaha!!

I think it was for another 20 minutes and then we saw a red car coming towards us. Phewww!!! It was them. All 3 of them. Ivan found them at the coastal walkway driving around looking for us! I think they were about to leave actually and then spotted Ivan. Or was it the other way round? I don't remember. And the story was that swan and jeremy didn't go to Pak n Save at all. They were walking along the walkway and then realized it wasn't that long and decided to pick us up first instead of going to Pak n Save first. By the time they got back to the car and drove to the end, we weren't there already. I think at that point, we were on our way to Pak n Save. So yeaaaa... they waited for us thinking they would see us when we turn back or something along those lines. And so... that was how we lost each other. Hahaha!! But founded in the end.. Phew!!!

We then bought our groceries from Pak n Save, went back to the backpackers and cooked and have our dinner. Chicken wings and rice with salad for dinner.

Headed to bed not too long after that after a day of adventure. Will never forget that famous Pak n Save at New Plymouth :p Hahahaha!!

Day 5: 7th July- New Plymouth

Shivering the whole night. The room was very cold and the heater wasn't very warm. The backpackers is a wee bit spooky as well because not a lot of people staying there. It felt llike it was only us and we had the whole place to ourselves. Swan got the fright of her life when she was coming out of the bathroom. Ivan was hiding at some dark corner and as she walked pass... BOOOO!!!!! lolx!!! thank goodness I didn't fall for it because I was still in the bathroom and knew what was gonna happen to me as well. Haha!!!

Anyway, weather wasn't too good that morning so we couldn't go up to Mt. Taranaki. Ended climbing up Paritutu Rock and got some amazing views.

view from paritutu rock

going down paritutu rock

haha!!

And then spent the rest of the day walking at some park/reserve which I forgotten the name. Got a lil bit muddy because it was wet. Though I was a wee bit disappointed for not being able to go to Mt.Taranaki, nevertheless, it was still satisfying. It was a nice weather where it wasn't too cold... lots of crazy, memorable moments.... pictures shall do more talking.

lunch time!

our car

siao siao

trees

wassssuppp!!!!

we saw a black creature on the tree... still don't know what it was.. haha!

Dinner for that night: Onion chicken, brocolli and carrots and rice.

Played a few rounds of shithead before heading to our cold cold bed along with our wet smelly socks from the hike that was left out to dry. Haha!

Day 6: 8th July- Mt.Taranaki and Waitomo
A day with lots and lots and lots of driving!!!!

brrrRrRrRrrRR

jump again

Brokeback mountain

The weather was much better so we drove up halfway to Mt.Taranaki because we have a long journey ahead.

Our long journey starts here... The entry to the Forgotten World Highway. I suggested this because it was one of the 101 Must Do's. I read up the description and there was lots to see and do on the way and that's why I left one whole day for it. Little did I know, it was the EXACT highway that my dad drove through when we went to New Plymouth few years back and we were saying we will NEVER EVER want to go through that again because it is so much longer than the normal highway and very very windy!! I only realized that when we were halfway through the highway and there was not turning back. Whooopps!!!

"The Forgotten World Highway is a legendary one-day road trip—in more ways that one—but be sure to fill up your tank before you begin the journey as the next petrol pump is some 150 kilometres away!"

Legendary indeed. Ate up so much petrol. One of the attractions was the Bridge to Somewhere. We had to drive off this road and it was another 80km to go in and another 80km out. OMG!!! I didn't know. And... it was just... a bridge....... Arghhh!!! To make our trip worth, we took lots of photos.

Bridge to Somewhere

But well... at least we got to drive pass the Makahu tunnel as well. So that's 2 attractions done.

Makahu tunnel

Cow skins out to dry

There were 31 attractions along the highway and because we spent so much time on the Bridge to Somewhere, we didn't get to see all 31. We just wanted to get out of it quickly.

jeremy drinking sharvin's wee wee

Here's Mt.Damper Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in North Island.

It was a 20 minute walk through the farmland, where we had to walk pass lots of cow dunk and muddy grounds.

Sharvin looked exactly like them!

Walking through the farmlands

After the Mt.Damper Falls, Nevin's lookout was our last stop before we got out of the highway. There, we saw panoramic views of the Taranaki and Central North Island and mountains of Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe and Tongariro.

view from Nevin's lookout

As you can see from the photos, it was getting dark and we still have to make our way to Waitomo, where we stayed for the night. Bought some groceries from the town before heading to our backpackers.

We arrived pretty late and the reception was already closed and they left the keys at the front door. We stayed at Juno Hall accommodation and it was a pretty good place. Somehow, we always arrive late at good accommodations. Still remembered back in 2007, the backpackers at Kaikoura was the best but we arrived late and didn't really get to enjoy it. This time, it was the one in Waitomo. Haiyohhhh!!

Anywayzzz...we still cooked our dinner..... Had our dinner and played shithead for our final night. Hahaha!! Swan and I emerged as the champions after the whole trip. Top shitheads!!! Keep on getting lotsa shit!! hahahahaha!!!

Day 7: 9th July- Waitomo caves, Raglan beach

Our final day of the trip. Woke up bright and early for our cave adventure. We abseiled down the Waitomo caves, did black water rafting, saw lotsa glow worms..... and rock climbed our way out of the caves. It was something I've always wanted to do and am so happy that we did it :)

inside the cave

abseiling

us and our guide

After our caving adventure, it was back to Auckland. But on the way, we stopped by Waikato and visited Raglan beach, a surf beach.

A pretty cool beach, huge waves and wished it was summer!! I'd jumped in and swim!!! A wee bit sad that the trip is ending. I always get sad when it's towards to the end of any trips anyway. Haha!!

too funny!!!

Anyway, final meal of our trip....... we decided to reward ourselves and spend some money on outside food instead of cooking. And so..... we headed to Mission Bay and had mussels and fries!!! Yum yumm yummm!! Ohh... and not forgetting the 1 metre long sausage.... hehehehe!!

Ahhh.....mmmmmm ahhhhh!!!

And so, that's the end of our journey from Wellington to Auckland in 2008! Yet another memorable road trip with close friends and of course.... when they started to notice something going on... hahahaha!!!

And I am just proud of myself that I finally completed blogging about it before 2010!! Wooohooooo!!!!!!

Goodbye !!