Author archive
18 March 2024
Arriving and transit in Haikou We arrived 15 mins ahead of the scheduled time of 0500 into Haikou. Immigration didn’t take too long and we were in the quiet landside area around 0530. I had a note in Google Translate explaining to the immigration officer that I needed the 15 day “All China” visa exemption […]
17 March 2024
Bargain of the century! I had every intention of staying home in Auckland through autumn until my next trip in June. However, while helping friends search for fares, I came across a crazily low fare from Auckland to China. Hainan Airlines had fares to Guangzhou for NZD548 through their hub in Haikou. I was allowed […]
7 February 2024
I woke up not feeling sore but only a bit stiff in the knees after the long hike yesterday. We left National Park at 0945 on the drive back to Auckland, with a lunch stop at Otorohanga. I changed to my own car at Uncle S’s place at Manurewa and got home a little after […]
6 February 2024
Mangatepopo to Soda Springs The Tongariro Crossing hike is a one-way hike, meaning that one doesn’t return to the starting point. For us, it was best to be picked up and returned to the hotel by shuttle and Swee had opted for the 0715 pickup. The bus got us to the starting point at Mangatepopo […]
5 February 2024
The drive from Auckland to Tongariro National Park took us through a township called Temple View. It looked like a new town with three Mormon churches but upon looking it up in Wikipedia, it was established in the 1950s and is still looking immaculate. After a lunch stop in Te Kuiti, we reached Howards Mountain […]
5 February 2024
Tongariro Crossing, or officially Tongariro Alpine Crossing is often considered the most beautiful day hike in New Zealand. So, it seems wrong that after nearly 40 years in the country, I hadn’t done the walk. We had tried going in spring before my Saudi trip but had to cancel due to bad weather. Late spring […]
26 January 2024
Despite the lightning strike which put the flight on hold briefly, we landed at Auckland about 30 mins ahead of the scheduled time of 0940. This was when we lost our gain. The airbridge operator had trouble with the airbridge and after some time trying, had to get an engineer. After about 30 mins, the […]
25 January 2024
Above: Flight path after being struck by lightning. I had trouble getting to sleep last night and had to wake around 0600 to prepare for the 1030 flight. The included breakfast at 0615 looked amazing. However, quite a few things didn’t pass the taste test. The chicken was hacked Asian style with lots of bones […]
24 January 2024
Above: Tune Hotel lobby at KL International Airport. Today, I only have to make my way to Kuala Lumpur International Airport for a nightstop for my journey back to Auckland via Singapore tomorrow. I started my search for the way to the cable car more or less immediately. Some 20 mins later, I had found […]
23 January 2024
Killing some time Just for a change, instead of staying in Kuala Lumpur any longer, I had booked to go to Genting Highlands instead for a one-night stay. I had been perhaps 27 years ago in May 1997, that being my first and only visit. There’s no point getting there too early due to the […]