C'est LA viE

Just back from the countdown, well not very impressing, but i am seeing it with a positive view, the weather was brilliant, it was not too crowded =)

I dint really expecting too much, therefore even though there was no MC counting down, fireworks was not amazing, people around werent too excited...however, i was not that surprised~

I am happy that my standing spot did able to see the 5 min fireworks clearly, perhaps was because I was not able to see fireworks in 2012 new yr which also when i was at Auckland as the weather was real bad.

Anyways, it was a past, what we gonna do is move on, hi 2013!!

Although i still complained how the fireworks sucks compared to Malaysia, even my hometown, Klang one, i still felt grateful I was able to countdown at Akl, as not many ppl were able to do that.

So world, please be happy and share more love in 2013! PEACE and SMILE!!

Time flies, and today is the last day of our trip....but happy that our trip had run very smoothly so far.

We dint go many places today, just gone to Auckland domain, Mission Bay and North Shore.

Photos to be shared:

Auckland domain is such a nice place, it was also the first time I been there...Never expect the winter garden was so organized and all those flowers grow so beautifully! <3 

Mum and I just couldnt stop taking photos as those flowers are so beautiful, and the entry is free!

What I really like about NZ was the natural preserved well done especially there are so many free botanical gardens around.

Dad was relaxing in the garden, looks like he owned the whole garden~ I was asking him at this bench: 'Pa~ what do u think about staying here (as in NZ)?'

Dad was like: "hmmm.....one to two wks were alright...bt not long term...' Yea, i guess that....

lol, truth is this relaxing place was not really ideal for us, who are a total busy and easily get bored Asians...

Oh well, Auckland domain is still a relatively good place to visit.

Lunch time....

We went to the De Fotein Belgium cafe at Mission Bay for Mussels!!! YUM!!

This is definitely my favourite mussel place so far, family were also very impressed with the freshness and juiciness of the mussels

we ordered 2 plates of grilled mussels and 1 pot of 1kg steamed mussels~

After lunch, we just chilled out at the beach~

Later, we gone to North shore just to kill time before I meeting my other fren, Jennifer who travelling up to Akl

Our family trip end after my family checked in at the counter at Akl International airport around 10pm...

I actually hold my tears, yea i really couldnt stand the farewell especially with my precious family.. TT

however, i will eventually see them in February! I cant wait now!!!

Overall, I am very happy with my family trip, especially that I was able to use money i earned to treat them for a pleasant trip!

I am proud that I able to make my family stayed at hotel/motels every night, and have good meals every time.

As compared to last family trip, while i was still a bloody poor student, i was not able to treat them, moreover we stayed at backpacker all time =(

Really sorry for them last time, so i just made a 180 degree changes this time, lol

the only bad thing was there were not much scenary in North island compared to South, but anyways, we had a relaxing trip as we were not rushing to see many places which was good.

I am inpatiently waiting for the next family reunion now =D

Yep is time to drive around Auckland, is a packed and filling schedule today!

First we gone to one tree hill~

Then we gone to Mount Eden....

Lastly we spent the rest of the day at the zoo!!

This is also the first time I went to Auckland zoo, is really a worthy visit as there are many animals and the zoo is very huge!

Just realized I had gone to zoo twice this year, wow, suddenly felt like I back to a kid. hehe

We were very lucky bcz we able to view the blue kiwi feeding show....omg they were super cute.

They knew the feeding time too well, they ald started lining up front of the door which the feeder will come out from with their favourite fishy food!

finally the feeder came out and see how those penquins were inpatiently followed her

well food time!

I also just discovered that they have bad vision, the feeder must feed the fish right into their beaks bcz when the fish dropped on the floor, they dint spot it....wow..

There's also an orang utan trail at the zoo~

I was amazed that the zoo was very great organized, different types of animal were divided into different zone precisely, with very natural and beautiful decoration around.

Then, we also lucky enough to spot the kaka (a bird) feeding, which actually not recorded on the animal show lists.

Well, there were too many photos to be shared, I would just showed some unique animal we saw:

this leopard was real tame, i guess it had itchy toungue, and just approached this zoo keeper and licked on the comb...haha very rare scene~

We had great fun in the zoo and stayed up to 5pm, just half an hour bfore the zoo closed.

What a nice day~

Is boxing day today, which means is shopping day!!!

Well, but we dint buy much thing today...I guess we just enjoy the overwhelming shopping waves around the city....plus get around the city.

Spotted the sky city tower of cz....

Then also gone to the Auckland Viaduct Harbour....

Not many great attractions beside shopping today, and my mum even thought that the xmas atmosphere was not very 'hot' compared to Malaysia

LOl, is true tho, bcz except the huge santa, we dint actually see anything... =S

But we did have a tiring feet today due to the long walk whole day, should get some good sleep tonight!

Merry Christmas!!!

Our family trip continued today, we left Taupo and went up to Akl via Rotorua, Matamata and Hamilton.

However, before our road trip began, we gone to the famous Huka falls at Taupo.

We actually struggled to find the access car-park to the closer view point of this attraction

Finally we able to view the power of natural through our lens~

Weather was quite good, many tourists visited here too.

Then we started our road trip, 1 hr later we arrived Rotorua.

We actually ran out of time, so we only stopped by the free Kuirau geothermal park to view the natural thermal pool

Well done for the development for this park! But apparently this park is very dangerous to be visited...

My parents refused to go to the rainbow spring bird park bcz it is too expensive, they did save me a lot of money =S

Later, we gone to Matamata, where is the hobbit land!

Of cz we dint join the Horbitton trip as my parents think the trip is far too expensive. Actually i did agree with them, it was used to be NZD45 per tour last yr, however, just less than a year, it gone up to NZD75 per person!!!!

U bet it was due to the heat wave of Hobbit, given that the Hobbit is a trilogy, i dont think the price will be going down in the future...

Well photos around Matamata was well enough, this small rural town was alive becz of Hobbit. The i-site is just like one of the Hobbit hse~

Dad come up with an idea, let's go to the Hobbiton movie set place, I only realized it was not where Hobbitton is, it is just the meeting point for ppl who want to join the Hobbitton tour. 

Well, but we kinda like known what's Hobbit land looks like along our journey....

So basically, they just put a hole on those small hills....I guess.

Therefore, that's end of some middle-earth dream....we continued our journey.

A short stop at Hamilton garden.

Then eventually, finally we arrived Auckland!!

The Chatham apartment I booked for my family is very nice and warming, worthy stay!!!

I guess same as other big city around the world, staying at the centre of city definitely would be challenging for a good dream, as the city is always noisy, all of us dint sleep very well bcz of the loud crazy scream from drunkers....well, is not chatham fault anyways~ =P