Me: Excuse me miss, can you pls help to turn on the air con? It feel a bit stuffy here. Stewardess: Uhm, sorry – this plane can only turn on the air con once it already started to move backwards… So, hang in there. The pilot should turn on the air con soon… Me: ??? I was puzzled, and then I giggled a bit. I have never heard of a plane that “need to go backward first” before the air con can be turned on. And as cherry on the top – guess what – the in flight system was also down. So it’s just you and the blank screen for the next 13 hours or so. But I guess, that’s the trade off of trying to save some bucks. Open Jaw Finn Air ticket was ... read more

Every year, typically my husband (R) and I will do something special for our wedding anniversary. Year 1 – we went diving in Bunaken: one of world’s most amazing dive sites. Year 2 – went backpacking to Osaka and Hokkaido in Japan; where we saw the most beautiful flower fields in places that most people don’t even know exist in this world. Year 3 – we went to a secluded beach in Belitung; which is a dead ringer to Seychelles but much value for money. And for Year 4 – we decided to go back to where we spend our Year 0; a.k.a. going back to where we had our honeymoon the first time *smile* Value for money has always been my priority. But of course, money was tighter back then as we just started our ... read more

I hate goodbyes. But the end is near, and I can feel it in my spine. Tomorrow I need to catch my flight back to the concrete jungle and leave this beautiful country. So does M. Tomorrow doesn’t count. In my mind, today IS the last day. I try to wipe away the bitterness, but another gloomy day really doesn’t help. We ran out of luck, and ran out of sunshine. I was secretly hoping that with some magical cosmic power, the parade of blue skies will come back. But it never did. It ended the minute we left South Island. If before I kept asking “Dude, where’s my shoes?” (as I prefer to be shoeless in long journey in car), now I’m asking “Dude, where’s my luck?” I try to pick myself up. Hey, I’m ... read more

Rotorua was a compromise. I was more intrigued by Dunedin’s old European style buildings, those wild penguins on the beach and perhaps a quick visit to Cadbury museum to buy NZ’s original chocolate for my dear husband. But one discussion leads to another, and I’m willing to scrap Dunedin for Rotorua. Some say life is full of compromises. I’d say – you can’t win them all (if you want everybody’s happy; or at least, kinda happy). And the most efficient way to cramped NZ’s highlights in 2 weeks is to fly between the 2 islands. So we flew to Rotorua from Christchurch. Air NZ check in was sooo cool! From start to finish you can just do it yourself. (note: for Singapore Airlines, although you online check in, you still have to talk to the officer ... read more

Gosh, I really have to be careful with what I wish for, am I? Every time I passed Lake Wakatipu (which is just right in front of my hotel), I was like “Hmmm… wouldn’t it be nice to jog along the lake? Must be fun rather than the regular cardio session in the boring office gym.” Well I got what I wished for! Again! I’m running and huffing and panting because otherwise I wouldn’t be able to catch the TSS Earnslaw boat that’s supposed to leave at 10.15. After my sunrise photo shoot this dawn, I catch some sleep and woke up late. From afar I can see the black smoke already starts to puff from the top of the vessel. And I don’t even have a ticket. But…of course, I made it! Just in the ... read more