Unpredictable life - Car purchase in New Zealand

Life is really unpredictable in New Zealand. So many things happened since the last update. I went missing last few days because the internet was down in my home and I finally can connect back to the world now. After the kiwi season, we were jobless. During that time, the feeling was definitely bad and we can fully understood the unemployment feeling. Everyday our account showed figure in credit part without any in debit part. Then, we were confined in the small area without much places to go (Te Puke is a small town). The only things we did was searching for job everywhere. We walked one hour to a packhouse to ask for job, we walked in every shop to ask for vacancy and we used all the methods we could just to get a job.

After one week, one company located in Auckland called me up for a job interview! My friends decided to follow me to Auckland and have a walk. After we planned everything nicely and bought the bus tickets, my friends picked up a call from a packhouse and informed us that we got the job. We were requested to start work the next day! Oh my god, where should I go???Auckland or stay here for the job? At the end, I decided to delay the job for 1 day to continue my travel. That was the reason I travel alone to Auckland for the job interview.

At the same time, we saw a post written that a car that we want was selling in Auckland with an affordable price. So, I was given the task to have a look on the car. Some people might not understand why we want to buy a car. The public transport over here is not well developed. We can’t even look for a job without a car. Therefore, we NEED a car urgently.

The responsibility was too big but I needed to take it up!! I was given the authority to decide buying the car or not. Stressful.....  The car was just met our requirements so I told my friends ‘yes, I’ll buy it.’

The procedure to buy a second hand car was very simple in New Zealand.

Car purchase procedure
1) Go to the post shop (= post office), fill up ‘notice by person acquiring motor vehicle’ form (MR13B).
2) Send in the form in post shop and show them the original passport and driving license.
3) Pay notice of acquisition fee $9.41.
4) Pay the cash to the previous owner.
5) The car is yours now!!!!
Very simple right?? It is just like buying a sweets in a grocery shop. I like it!

Of course, I need to drive back to Te Puke. There was no place to park the car in Auckland city as the car park fees is damn expensive. Driving 4 hours alone with a small little map in foreign country was a totally new experience for me.

This is our car~~

Yes, Honda Odyssey.

Packhouse lunch

Finally, Kiwi season was coming to an end. For the last few days of working, we were forced to off early instead of 5pm. During the first time our supervisor announced in the short meeting 'Today we are going to off work early at 2pm.', all of us had the same respond 'HARR??? Off early??' We didn't celebrate for the early off work but all of us felt upset for it. This is the first time in my life felt that off work early is a sad news!! (This is because our wages are paid according to hours, which means we will get less salary!!! OMG, money getting lesser and lesser)

During the last day of our work, my kiwi packhouse organised a buffet lunch for us. Yes, buffet lunch. Finally I had the chance to taste the local buffet lunch in New Zealand. Let me show you what we had for the lunch.

The arrangment is almost same with our style.

I think this is pork.

Salad Shrimp. I like this. It is fresh~

Salad Broccoli

Yup, salad again.

Pumkin~ Again, this is the food I don't take in Malaysia but this pumkin is really taste good! Yummy~

Not sure what was this but it was nice~

Yeah~ This was my portion of food~ Basically, all food served was scrumptious! Yes, all. Argh, I want to eat again!!!

Sometimes, kiwis (New Zealand residents) love kiwi so much, their decoration on table was like this.

And even their tissue provided was like this.

My goodness, kiwi everywhere.

My supervisor and I. Very nice and lovely.

The end of kiwi season indicated that I am jobless!!! OMG, I need to search for job again!! Help.......

Kiwi, Kiwi, Kiwi...

On of my friend asked, since my job is related to Kiwi, why I never posted photo for kiwi tree? Frankly speaking, I don't like kiwi fruit before I came to New Zealand. I just don't like the taste. But guess what, I eat kiwi everyday here! It just because the fruit taste good in New Zealand, it is sweet and not sour!!!Of course, the second reason is, those kiwi fruits are free!!! We are allowed to take kiwi back from packhouse!

OK, let's kiwi now.

Hey, my name is Kiwi although I look a bit strange.

We are twins~ We don't separate with each other.

Yes, I am kiwi~

I am giant Kiwi!!!! Don't believe?

See? I am much more bigger than normal kiwi.

I am kiwi also, please don't discriminate me...

We are from here!!!!! Welcome to our kiwi family~~~

Huka Falls

The Huka Falls are the largest falls on the Waikato River, near Taupo on New Zealand's North Island. This Waikato river is one of New Zealand's longest rivers and it is confined by hard geothermally altered Rock. The river is normally up the 100 meteres wide and it is narrows to just 15 meters as it crosses a hard vocanic ledge result in the powerful and rapid falls.

And, of course, we won't miss the chance to have a look on this.

Here, it comes, the Huka Falls

A very beautiful and powerful falls. According to the sign board available, the speed of Huka falls can fill up 5 olympic swimming pools every minute. You can imagine how strong the water is.

I like the blue of the river. So blue, so clear.

If you are adventurous enough, you can try the Huka Fall Jets. I think this should be quite interesting. NZ$105 for adult and NZ$ 59 for children. We didn't try this as there is time constraint and at the same time we want to save our cost :P.

Stay tune for more tourist attraction in New Zealand. 

The Tongariro Alpine Crossing

The first trip that I went with my own hard earning in New Zealand - Tongariro Alpine Crossing! If you love the movie, The Lord of the Rings , you will know where is this. This is the the place where Peter Jackson chose to shoot the film.

Before I start with my own story, let me just brief how amazing this Tongariro is. Tongariro National Park is a volcanic complex in the North Island of New Zealand. This is the New Zealand's first national park and it had been recognised as World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural and cultural values. 

On our working off day, we departed around 6.00am something in the morning just to ensure we can complete our hiking before the the sunset. (Sunset at 5pm something here). 

This is because the whole trip took around 8 hours plus to complete. Yes, we hike for more than 8 hours.

 

On the way to Mt. Tongariro.

We started our journey!!

We saw this when we reached! Wao~

The route to Soda Spring

The view when you hike.

The Soda Springs

Going towards the mountain!

They even fixed this on the bridge to reduce the slippery. ^^

Sign boards are available on the way to tell you the information.

We found this in soil while we hike!!! Crystal ice~~ Ya, all of them just hiding inside the soil. You just need to use your leg to remove the upper part of the soil then you will see them.

Feel like going into desert.

Yes, ice was easily spot everywhere when you hike higher and higher. Weather was getting colder, Remember to bring a warm jacket when you go to Tongariro.

The proof of hiking. :P The must do if you go because this gonna be a precious photo.

View from the upper part of the mountain.

Can you see the ice on the tip os the mountain?

The photo looks fake but I swear no photoshop was done for all the photos posted.

The view from the Red crater. This part is very steep and you need to walk with care. I spent the most time here because it was just too steep and the feeling of crossing it was too horrible. It just like you will fall down deep to the moutain if you didn't take proper step. You can see old lava flow from Red Crater spreading out across the floor of central crater.

Then, you can see this breathtaking view, the Emerald lake. This lakes fill explosion craters near the summit of Mt Tongariro. The colour caused by dissolved minerals, washed down from the thermal area of nearby Red Crater. Amazing...

.

Blue lake comes after Emerald lakes.

The weather change without warning in this place. I felt that I passed through the 4 seasons in the whole trip. When it is hot, it is just like Malaysia, but when it turns cold, it will make you trembling even with thick jacket.

If you plan to go, remember 

1) Not to wear jean, it will retard your movement. 

2) Bring waterproof thick jacket, it will be freezing cold up there

3) Strong sturdy shoe 

4) Energy bar/ chocolate

5) Lots of water, Isotonic drinks will be highly recommended

6) Sun glasses

* This is a place that must go if you are in North Island!

BBQ in New Zealand - Papamoa Beach

The first off day was a day that enligthen my day. This was the first time I felt so excited with the day as finally I could take a break!!!! The other thing that pleased me was I went to the first BBQ in New Zealand!!! yeah!

The BBQ took place at Papamoa beach. It just located around 20 minuted driving distance from Te Puke Town. Before we start with our BBQ, we went to Pak n Save ( a shopping complex similiar with Tesco) to grab all the food and items that we want. All the groceries selling in Pak N Save is really very cheap compared to others.

It was really an eye opening for me to BBQ here. (OK, I know I'm the frog under the coconut shell). Let me show you the photo.

This is the BBQ pit!! Yes, here it is. You doesn't need to do any reservation on the BBQ pit before you come. What you need to do is just prepare all your BBQ stuffs and aluminium foil. There are several BBQ pits around the beach side.

I love the BBQ style here very much. It is so clean and user friendly. You doesn't need to struggle for lighting up the chacoal, keep on fanning it and inhaling all the smoke. What you need to do is just press the button below the pit. Yes, only one action, press the button, then it'll automatically heat up the pit. Very easy right??? Wao, why malaysia don't have this kind of BBQ pit??? I want to move one set back to Malaysia!!!!

The only troublesome part for this is it will switch off automatically every 8 minutes. It means that, every 8 minutes you need to press the button. Yet, I feel this is much more better than our traditional style of BBQ.

OK, let me show you the food that we bought.

More~

More more more~~~

Chips are always the best desert for BBQ~

In the process of cooking~ Mussels~


Yes. Typical sausages


Our group~

The two ladies helping beside by eating the muffins. :P

Our food were ready!!!

A lot of food!!


Mussels~

More food.


Lamb~

A small tips: the place is very windy, make sure you wear warm enough for the BBQ. :)

So, if you happen to be in New Zealand, you may try to BBQ here. You will love it~