dhuha's dunedin -day4

Late morning....after two late nights
sorry hubby, you wouldn't allow such menace
with Amin to depend on if misfortune happened
nevertheless we are the carefree holiday makers

we rushed to the Cadbury Factory
established company for more than 100 years
with the consent from HRH the Queen
hence the use of purple the royal color as their theme

the tour was conducted in group of 12

including  americans, aussie, canadians, chinese HK

like school kids we trotted after jenny

she entertained us with tricks  and treats

along the way she pop-up quiz to win a choc bar

everyone was tentative and alert to wow the group

at the end everyone grabbed one giftaway quiz

and were delighted with a mini bag full of goodies

Nuha even won for being pinky, the next color to purple

the tour was educational and interesting

going up to the silo and ended in a confectionery

where the chocolate rolled  from the ceiling

reminded me of  Willy Wonka Fantasy Land

we were spoilt with plenty of choices, mind you it was costly

so purchased what we cannot get at home

Up from the silo we have a breathtaking view

the stunning peninsular and the solitude harbour

Larnach Castle perched on the hill

the only castle in NZ built by a scottish landlord

reflection of  Edinburgh Castle on Carlton Hill

as far as the eyes can see the NZ landscape

clear blue sky, green craggy hills and blue calm sea

just like Land's End in United Kingdom

this is the southern most city in NZ

The city is the treasure trove of Victorian and Edwardian architecture

the second most photographed building is the  Dunedin Railway Station

the first is Sydney Opera House in Australia

The tiles and staircase at the railway station was so antique

the most popular destination is Taeri River Gorge

that is the highest railway across the gorge

there was an art gallery  on the first floor

whereby we browse their paintings

appreciated the art but mind you it's costly again

we had a stroll in the city and awed the town planning
the octagon was at the centre of the town
all the buildings around the octagon were historical
the cathedral, art gallery, the town hall and I-site
fancied more paintings at the market square
souveniers for keepsake and window shopping
the city was in merry xmas mood
decorations were adorned a huge xmas tree

my legs ached on the way home,  been walking for hours
Noral cooked kurma chicken and we enjoyed the meal
stayed cosy , upload photos and  online with families at home
that night we even skyped with Alin in Volgovograd

a small town name Alice

The tittle is from a film back in the 70s

It was a small town in Australia during world war II

it was so desolete in the Australian desert

and the casualties were trasferred by choppers

there was no hospital there or here, so i fret again

it's a no man's land, waiting for pioneer to develop

dream on noral, we can start a community here..

Subhanallah we were granted the chance to observe

such beauty creations  from ALLAH

this place is majestically the last and loveliest place

yet it can be the loneliest place on earth after Antartica

i never dream of seeing such spectacular beauty

other wonders are  Mount Cook, highest peak on the Remarkables

and stunning Fiordland at  Milford Sound

its the  must-see attractions in New Zealand

homeward bound trip should be fast

to avoid the night safari drive we moved on at 6 pm

Nuha wanted to see puzzling world

at a small town name Wanaka 

but that will be another 2 hours late

She should have booked a lodge there

eventually she  had to forget  and wish to come again

volcanic eruption long time ago

produce fertile land when lava flowed down the valleys 

so there were scattered oasis of vineyards and fruit orchard 

the Kiwinese called it vinery and fruitery

and chessery for the  dairy  farmyard

there must be a  ribena farm somewhere here

At a small town name Cromwell 

we stopped for fruits and honey

varieties of berries, grapes and  cherries so sweet

pear and apples, nectarine and peach, plums and apricot

we bought a few of each...juicy and fruity-licious

at a small town name Alexandra 

we stopped for petrol and solat

it was a one street town with only one gas station

but there was an I-site next to the central stories

it look like a hall -library-museum-church

we noticed a clock set high on the mountain

sun rays from the west illuminate the engraved clock, brilliant! 

The wc in NZ were so clean and facilitate for the disabled

In the disabled unit, it was spacious with a sink  enclose

so practical to the muslims for taharah as well as wudhu'

then  we performed jama' and qasr solat at the balcony

the cold wind when the sun was out chilled the town

no wonder no one is outside, all scurried inside

to the warmth of the heater. we better be going as well..

At a small town name Roxburgh

finally the sun set and we were racing home

the shadows of the poplar  and beech trees

can still be seen  outlined the dark mountains

the poor sheeps are still hanging around

don't they run back to their shed?

llama and horses were already in the barn

At a small town name Lawrence

we saw lights  and X'mas trees from houses

there was spotlight from the school nearby

relieved! as there was no street lights

butterflies in my stomach stop fluttering 

i don't feel like sleeping, the rest was in dreamland

i kept talking to Nuha to keep her awake

ocasionally there were cars from opposite direction

our car is the only one heading south

It was pitch black  in the pine woods 

as we were going down the mountain

at a small town  name Milton

we stopped again as Dhuha need to solat

Noral and I took turn to accompanied her

she prayed on the pavement by the toilet

with the coat as the sejadah.

its a peaceful and lonely one street town

not even a drunkard or punk wander about

after Waihola Lake, i took a deep breathe

there were street lights and road workers  in action

alhamdulillah  we finally reached Dunedin by 12 pm

queenstown - day 3

Nuha in-charge today as she planned the trip and a picnic

she cooked nasi goreng  and noisily woke everyone up

aided with map and GPS, Amin  was the co-driver

we won't get lost... it's a tour friendly country

first leg of the trip we were excited

the farm getting smaller, scarce and deserted

there were more sheeps and hardly any farmer

so halfway the journey we fall asleep

poor Nuha she found herself in a lost world

she took the wrong turn at Mosgiel

she suspected  it was the the wrong route

but never mention it until we reached Alexandra

woke up somewhere in Ida Valley

the place where Lord of the Rings were filmed

all around us  was rocky mountains

remote outback with one or two sheep stations

Allahu Akbar the mountains were so huge

there's still snow gleaming at the top ridges

though it was summer, bright  and shiny

wild buttercups thrive the hardy condition

when the  signboard  showed Alexandra

Nuha enlightened us with  her last summer 

nearby Alexander she went fruit picking

she revealed that  she was fretful all the way 

anyway we arrived by one hour late

the sun was bright as a smile

we  joined the picnickers at the Pioneer Park

most of them are old folks

the young ones had fled to big cities

but the town was so peaceful

Noral and I had a go on the swings

enjoying the true summer

the air was pollution free

the town  surrounded by mountains

once was the gold rush mine

moving on, we stopped at the highest spot

at Clyde Dam overlooking   Lake Dunstan

the lake was  as blue as the opal

the slopes were covered with thymes

no wonder  the smell reminded me of pizza

From Kavarau Gorge  we drove downhill

to a deep valley where a stream roared

we  walked gingerly  to the look out

down below the roaring meg flowed 

to the hydropower station 

scenic Queenstown is renowned as the country's adventure  capital

get your adrenalin rush  at sky diving , masya Allah

feel the thrill   jetboating down spectacular canyons of  Shotover River

or  white water   rafting  over rapids of Dart River

Do you dare doing the bungy jump here?

AJ  Bucket  Club served  for those interested

up from the bridge , gather your guts  and jump down the Waikiri   Creek

a shame we were not daredevils  and  missed the adventure 

this four -season alpine resort  has something for everyone

skiing in winter,  cruising in the lake during autumn

flightseeing in summer and  skyline gondola in spring 

all were expensive activities for the  rich tourists

so with no choice we shopped till we dropped

the souvenier shops have everything for everyone

Queenstown is not a city because there was no cathedral

it was founded by gold rush merchants who hiked on horseback

lake resorts or lodges and mall on the hills

overlooking the esplanade by  Lake Wakatipu

the picturesque is more like european tourist spot in switzerland

tourists enjoyed skating, playing guitar, singing and sun bathing

group of hippies bubbled with laughters with their fun loving stints 

chinese were owners of the souvenier shops

exchange salams with few Malaysians also scouting for souveniers 

we ate kebab laced with cappucino at Turkish cafe

pubs and nightclubs are  the local's business

we met a family from Brunei feeding the Muschovy ducks

there were no black or white swan  around if not it will be a little romantic

wilderness in Otago Peninsular

in an adventure mood we continued our drive
to watch the sunset at the Peninsular
we followed the road trail in a cliff to the highest peak
it was getting dark and windy
and the bay where penguins suppose to show up
became so cold, creepy and lonely

Noral, Dhuha and Nuha braved the wind walked down the shores
Amin and I watched from the cliff
the wind was like howling, bringing gusts of cold air
i was shivering while Amin can't even focus his camera

it's dusk and it's no time to linger
the threesome have to struggle back
fighting against the wind
i was frantic waiting
yes it's a safe country
but there's no one to track if we're lost

amin was ever ready in the car with the engine on
until everyone was inside
to drive down along the dark trail
depending on the headlights from the car
carefully he turned the narrow and steep road

all were silent in their own thoughts
i was like an old granny
spilling aloud all my fear
watching Dunedin at night is no more thrill
after reaching the gas station
they were back to normal selves

they were relieved to climb back
as the winds were pulling them to the bay
they were out of breathe and freezing
and my fear make them even scared
is Sandfly Bay a haunted place?

Luckily we didn't see any creatures
penguins, seals, albatross even whales
or they can turn out to be a monster from the sea
out of our freaky imagination

it was late but we have to stop
for groceries at the Pack n Save
we hurried side by side with the boy
on his way to close the store
and we were the last customer he send off

phew! what a day...and its only day 2
we have roast potato and chicken for supper
before we snuggled into slumberland
glad noral did not get asthma that night

3rd city Dunedin = Edinburgh in Scotland

Arrived to the smell of freshly bake

Dhuha welcomed us with tea and brownies

later we had rice with grilled tandoori chicken

food was splendid but weather was unpredictable

Better wrap up 

as we may face 4 seasons in a day

it will be horrible if it snow

with mittens, socks and bubble jacket

we were off to the botanical garden

blessed with long days

it was still bright at 5 pm

can you know the difference between

oregano, thyme, terragon or sweet marjoram?

At the herb garden we tried to figure it out

mint and basil have thick leaves like pudina

dill has yellow flowers, while rosemary bears white

all these are culinaries in our kitchen

daisy like flower is chemomille tea

purple is obviously lavender

both are popular in aromatheraphy

roses are special

there were varieties of colours and species here

grandiflora  like Arabella, Queen E2,   

floribunda like Kristin and French Lace,
hybrid type in Black Magic, St Patrick
shrub type in Ballerina
white rose call Fairy Snow
red one is My Valentine also Pride of England
Cleopatra the mauve rose
 Birthday Girl the yellow rose

sizes are large in temperate condition

colourful  lupins  are abundance

lotus and hyacinth so graceful

blue bells and violets easily spotted
hydrangea in lilac
between begonia or petunia
geranium or fuschia
i can also get confused
bulbs like daffodils or  tulips are nowhere
as they were out during spring

trail of two cities- day 2

Woke up to a new day 8th Dec 2010
dreamt of my childhood in Jerulong
the motel is nearby a road with many cars passed by
that reminded me of my grand's house
rise and shine after a warm bath

2nd City Christchurch = Cambridge, UK
Most  names of the road were familiar
Oxford Tce, Cambridge Tce, Worcester, Gloucester, Hereford....
The city enjoys the reputation as the most English of the NZ cities
I like its gracious parks and the tree-lined Avon River
first place to check is I-site at the Church Square
in front the popular cathedral that was damage during the earthquake

In Cambridge there's River Cam that flows through the city
and punting is popular in summer
also green city with several parks and nature walk within the city ring road.
Here in Chch it has all these plus commercial and historic buildings
and trams for comfortable sightseeing in cold weather
Sun is out but the wind is cold that we have to buy woolen gloves

The people are friendly and loves art
At the amphitheater in the square
children were playing musical instruments
the locals playing the giant chess
There are many art galleries,museums and theatre

we were hunting for paua shells for souveniers
Nora bought pendants and bracelet for her daughters
have passion for rings, i bought severals and a bangle to match
amin even buy a bracelet for the special girl.
enough shopping, still a long way to drive today

we drove south stopping by at
Salmon World in Rakaia for coffee and choc
Strawberry farm at Ashburton for sundae ice cream
by pass Temuka small town by the sea
small towns reminded me of Northampton,UK
where we go fruit picking  in the country
then caught and grilled  fresh trouts from River Nene

Along the way the landscape was flat land,
the panoramic moors with rolling hills
acres and acres of sheep and cow farm
windbreakers align  to slow down the strong gales
across the farm from the sea
amazed how farmers manage such prairies
automatic sprinkles are common sight
our car even got splashed along the meadows

frequent stops by to snap small cottages with blooms in the garden
also lavender farm and white herbs at certain spots
its such a beautiful countryside with colourful flowers
like kaleidoscope of my memories in England

Amin drove along the way but he complained
as he missed the chance to snap photo
A long stop at  Moeracki Boulders
stunned by the spherical boulders align the shores
with no mountain nearby, how come it's here
discarded the coats we enjoyed the sunshine
getting warmer in spite of going south
probably the warmth from the tides

Amin is unseparable to his camera
favorite pose-  feeding the tame red eyed seagulls
Nuha took the wheels and Amin went snap,snap,snap
took an early turn and lost somewhere in Pinehills Street
finally arrived in Dunedin  just around the corner
after more than 24 hours we just need a proper meal

trail of two cities- day 1

6th Dec 2010
Embarked on a journey to New Zealand-the new land full of zeals (or zests)
It was a trip back to memory lane after 26 years,
my first child born in UK will be graduating in New Zealand.
A trip to rejoice with her compared to the memorable trip home in 1984.
Nuha was just a month and I'm home for good with a degree, hubby and baby
a package of 3-in-1 for my beloved family but it was worthwhile.

No fun going for an adventure alone. Along came
my elder sister, Nora who loves travelling
and my second child, Amin who loves photography
so the group is complete;
a hostess, a travel guide, a photographer and a reporter.
Dear hubby had work commitments so he missed all the fun.

1st City Auckland = London
Touch down was a relief after 10 hours flight.
Looking forward to re-unite with Nuha
but the immigration was slow and pettish
anything organic is banned, even packed butter from MAS!
Luckily we were through without penalties.
Snapped photo, refreshed and performed prayers
Ironically the airport provide a secluded corner for Muslim.

Auckland is a modern airport but small compared to KLIA.
KLIA is more like Heathrow London.
It is not the capital but metropolitan like London
Similar to London because its the biggest city in NZ
Not so popular with historic building but many outdoor attractions.
The islands are paradise for the tourists.

Domestic flight is separated in another building
so we have to walk- a nice briskly walk in fresh NZ air
can feel the soft breeze on my face and made me puffed a bit
a nice early summer welcoming us
manage to sit for a quickie picnic, basking in the sun,
munching wholemeal sandwiches that Nuha prepared.

Another check- in that was srictly commercial
only one luggage though small per ticket
you have to pay for extra luggage or food
fly with Jetstar  equals to Air Asia
Nuha's picnic thermobag was carried as hand luggage
and all the cutleries have to be sorted out and not allowed onboard

Arrived in Christchurch after an hour flight
enough of three airports in a day
It was getting chilly outside
we were picked up by taxi rental courtesy Apex
Rent a blue Toyota Vios and check-in at Avalone Motel
an apartment with two bedrooms

we were cold and famished
took sometimes to heat the room
we have bread with spaghetti sauce for dinner
watched final episode cooking program NZ style
3 of us tucked ourselves warm and cosy in each bed
with lots of gossip to catch up with Nuha
Amin on his own dozed off in another room
Shh! we all slept like a log