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BEAUTIFUL. SURREAL. WILD – NZ TRAVEL 2024 PART 1

May 27, 2024 Lucy Leave a comment

It has been four years since our last visit, when we had only 7-month-old Ryan
and were still getting used to being new parents with John. This time, the
experience feels much calmer and more fulfilling.


DAY 1: LANDED IN QUEENSTOWN

We landed in Queenstown, welcomed by fresh snow. The first day was challenging
due to our flight delay, adjusting to the cold, and settling into the campervan.
Yes, we hired a campervan again—it’s small but cozy, perfect for the season.

Tip 1: During our trips, we’ve often chosen to hire from Maui Rentals,
particularly their Queenstown location. You can find more about their offerings
here. For our family, the 2+1 Berth Ultima Plus model has been perfect. The
turbo heating system kept us warm even during freedom camping in the snowy
mountains.

Tip 2: Set up your camper’s system as soon as possible to stay organized in a
small space. When everything has a designated place, it makes living in a small
area much more pleasant. For more details, check out my previous post,
“Campervan Travel with a Baby.”


The fresh snow, clear sky, and the last traces of autumn wowed Ryan the next
morning. He played in the tiny patches of frost and ice around our campervan for
a while. As we traveled to Te Anau, he kept saying, “Mummy, I want to build a
snowman like Olaf!”


DAY 2: QUEENSTOWN TO TE ANAU

Tip 3: Big4 Holiday Parks in Australia and Top 10 Holiday Parks in New Zealand
are part of the same company, and their memberships are interchangeable.

Stepping onto the shore of Lake Te Anau near the entry point of the Kepler Track
on a sunny late autumn afternoon, we found ourselves alone with just the three
of us. The pristine waters gently lapped at the shore, enveloping us in a sense
of tranquility that felt like being wrapped in a warm hug.

Back at the campsite, I sat watching the sunset, basking in the soft rays of
sunlight filtering through. In that serene moment, time seemed to unfold in
silent harmony, embracing me with its gentle beauty.

Tip 4: Although Google Maps might estimate a 2-hour drive, plan for a longer
journey to enjoy some spectacular stops long this scenic route.


DAY 3: TE ANAU TO MILFORD SOUND

To the mysterious fiords of Milford Sound is the bucket list of this trip. The
last visit was nine years ago and many of memories have faded.

It’s raining today, but we actually appreciate it because it means more
spectacular waterfalls on our way to Fiordland National Park. As we drive
through Eglinton Valley, carved by glaciers thousands of years ago, long and
narrow stretches of road cut through the vast golden tussock-covered valley on
either side, with mountains towering all around. I was literally crying, amazed
by the breathtaking view. Ryan and I ran through the golden valley, eager to get
closer to the mountains.

We missed the Lake Marian Track today because the rain grew heavier. There’s
always some disappointment on the road. However, our next stop, Monkey Creek,
offered another picturesque view. I learned a couple of days later that Monkey
Creek is a glacier-fed spring located in the Hollyford Valley, with water so
pure you can fill up a bottle and drink straight from the source. Missing this
experience gives me enough reason to return in a couple of years.

As we passed through the Homer Tunnel, we stopped at the Milford Valley Lookout.
According to Ryan, and rightly so, it could be called “Hundred Falls”—the view
was incredible. We were also greeted by kea, fascinating and threatened birds
with colorful feathers hidden beneath their wings.

Tip 5: Check out this blog for 17 scenic stops on the drive from Te Anau to
Milford Sound.

Tip 6: We deliberately chose to travel to Milford Sound on a rainy day to see
the countless waterfalls along the way.

We slept in a four-star holiday park in Milford Sound. The only one
accommodation in Milford Sound.I was amazed by its facilities, shocked by the
prices at the PioPio restaurant, and annoyed by the poor internet connection.
But it makes sense; we are, after all, in the middle of nowhere.

Tip 7: Fill up your tank when leaving Te Anau, download the maps, and if you are
traveling with kids, have some downloaded stories and videos ready. They can be
really handy.


DAY 4: CRUISE IN MILFORD SOUND AND TRAVEL BACK TO TE ANAU

The following day was one of the rare sunny days in Milford Sound!

Some fun facts about Fiordland and Milford Sound: Located in the southwest
corner of New Zealand, Fiordland is known for its dramatic landscapes, epic
hiking trails, and spectacularly beautiful fiords, most of which are difficult
to access due to their remote locations and challenging terrain. Of the 14
fiords, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound are the most popular due to their
accessibility. Despite their name, Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound are
technically fiords formed by the movement of glaciers over thousands of years.
In New Zealand, all maritime fiords use “sound” in their names and are spelled
“fiord” rather than “fjord.” The landscape in Milford Sound is more dramatic,
with taller mountain peaks and rougher, more jagged edges. It’s home to Bowen
and Stirling Falls, the two largest and most impressive waterfalls among all the
smaller falls streaming down the mountains. Milford Sound attracts more people
than Doubtful Sound because it is the only fiord with direct road access where
you can drive yourself.

We chose a smaller cruise this time called Mitre Peak Cruise. It was a great
experience because it had fewer people onboard, and the smaller boat could get
closer to the falls. Yes, we all got wet and were amazed by the power of the
waterfall! Thank goodness for the sunny day! I can’t imagine if it had been
raining. John spent the entire two hours outside taking photos. His camera was
completely out of battery by the end!

Tip 8: I was worried that Ryan and I would get seasick on the cruise, but we
didn’t. Most people should be fine with the beautiful views and fresh air on the
boat.

Tip 9: Depending on your itinerary and budget, there are various cruises and
time slots to choose from.


TO BE CONTINUED…




WINTER SEA

June 6, 2021 Lucy Leave a comment

When the sea breath, the birds hang on as best they can. When the fresh, new and
beautiful world in your eyes, the birds start touching the sea. Wait for me
where the world begins.




HIKING WITH RYAN #7

May 30, 2021 Lucy Leave a comment

這個距離我家開車不到十分鐘的步道每次到訪都會有驚喜。這次的陽光毫不吝嗇的灑在每一處，讓那個性張揚的惠靈頓大風悄悄退去。天際線那些殘留的灰藍絲毫不影響牛兒們的胃口，不徐不疾，它們吃的歡暢，我看的痛快。


CAMPERVAN TRAVEL WITH A BABY

July 11, 2020 Lucy 2 Comments

I must say camping further down south in a winter month with the little man is a
new set of challenges (I regretted this trip on several occasions during the
first couple of days of our journey). As new parents we certainly are very
brave, lack of experience but luckily our journey continues. We thought we’d
give a few tips for anyone considering a similar adventure while the laughter
and pains are still fresh.

1: Be mentally prepared, do not be ambitious, take easy especially for the very
first couple of days.

The first three days was very tough for us, we need to familiarise with the van,
Ryan needs to adjust his surroundings, mum needs to set a new system to get
things organised. There was no energy left for any driving more than 2 hours. We
made couple of mistakes causing bit of frustration and an elevated anxiety. So
keep the focus on setting up camper’s system for the first couple of days.

2: keep sane in a small place

Dad did a fair bit of research on this ahead of booking our van. We chose glider
4 from Wildness motor home rentals because it has a large living area with rear
and front lounges. During day time rear lounge is Ryan’s play area (bonus:
because of its unique setting Ryan practiced his standing pose and even started
practicing walking!) and during the night time it fits a travel cot perfectly.
We closed the rear lounge door with the white noise on, Ryan is sound sleeping
for most of nights!

In a small living area, it is essential to have a system (i.e. everything has a
place). When everything has a place, it makes a small area much nicer to live
in.

3: Schedule driving times, happy times and nap times

We spent almost a week to establish our camper daily routine! 2 to 3 hours daily
driving time is an ideal for everyone. 4 is definitely stretched! Ryan naps
twice a day. We schedule our driving times around when Ryan is due to morning
nap. We always have decent lunchtime and afternoon nap stops (often 2 to 3
hours) as everyone needs to be recharged.

The most important point is arriving campsite before 4:30pm, we can leisurely
enjoy the views, cooking dinner, playing with the little fella, and setting up
for his sleep around 7:30.

4: Plan where you camp (but embrace the spontaneity!)

This is an another learning for us. We naively thought we can just follow the
Sun because we are driving a camper van. Itinerary is for those travellers need
accommodations. It is WRONG WRONG WRONG! A detailed itinerary with consideration
of little man’s daily routine, scenic viewpoints, activities and each night’s
campsite is compulsory. Plus there are so many errands are time consuming but
are necessary such as filling up petrol and water, clearing grey water and
changing gas bottle.

Think generally about where to pull in when you stop – where your back window
faces (a good view is everything), particularly where the sun sets or rises
(nice views during meals makes even a roadside lay-by pretty special). Also try
and park near the water and electricity when you’re in a proper campsite.

Temperature is still a potential issue in a van during night time. Layers are
key for the baby and parents.

5: Make the most of it!

It took me almost 10 days to enjoy the trip completely. In this quiet night,
dwelling on the past 10 days, I think I was tensed up and not be able to enjoy
and relax. My little fella will get dirty, we will choose the wrong route and
campsite, the van will be little bit problematic and required a workshop visit,
so what! Those episodes are part of our journey, embrace it and relax!

It may take a few days (and a few arguments) to get into a routine and feel
comfortable, but you will find your feet with it. As long as you’re careful,
it’s all totally feasible, and being able to park up in the great outdoors with
an awesome view, stargazing besides Mt cook, and new sights every day will be
something that changes your baby and their outlook for life.


PART 3: JERUSALEM DAY 4 – CHURCH OF HOLY SEPULCHRE

February 27, 2019 Lucy Leave a comment

Church of Holy Sepulchre- centuries of tradition and gaudy decorations cover up
the impact of the historical event

The Scriptures testify to the empty tomb of Jesus the Messiah and His bodily
resurrection from the dead.  The Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been overlayed
with centuries of construction, damage from wars; the Crusades; earthquake
damage, lots of church building and ornate and elaborate decoration, and gaudy
statuary and idolatry, in order to mark spots of certain events surrounding the
crucifixion of Christ, to accommodate pilgrims.

Several different church communities are in charge of different areas of the
church today.

> 人生必去一次的聖墓教堂 Church of Holy Sepulchre



http://www.generationword.com/jerusalem101/52-holy-sepulcher.html





We went to the Church twice. The first time we went there, inevitably we waited
nearly an hour and half to visit the tomb. After the visiting we decided to come
here early in the morning to get closer look not to the tomb but the other parts
of the complex. The next day we went to the Church early about 7:00am the line
visiting the tomb was almost the same. Pilgrims around the World, with the
elaborate decorations, statues and icons of Jesus and Mary; lamps, candles, and
external worship and kissing of artifacts and bowing to statues. I said to
Yunhan that it is not right all truly go against the Biblical principle in John
4:19-24.

19 “Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors
worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must
worship is in Jerusalem.”

21 “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship
the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You Samaritans worship
what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the
Jews. 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will
worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of
worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship
in the Spirit and in truth.”

Well undeniable the architecture here is really impressive despite the gaudy
decorations. Some cross marks left during crusades time, Helena’s Church, story
of Adam Church underneath Calvary, centre of the universe, place where three
Mary standing…… there are so many biblical stories and fine details to trace and
discover. Even for the second time visit, we spent another good two hours there.

















They we went to the Garden tomb where the most Protestants believe the venue is
the place that was expressed in the Gospel accounts. Well standing in the
beautiful and tranquil surroundings, I am thinking the actual place is not so
important anymore. We are neither an archaeologist nor historian, something we
can never fully comprehend, therefore we can neither prove its existence nor
fiction. Believe is all we need to do.


PART 3 – JERUSALEM DAY 3 THE DAY WITH MANY REFLECTIONS

February 25, 2019 Lucy Leave a comment

The Temple Mount (Haram Al-Sharif)

Arguably the most holy place in the city. It has major significance to all 3
religions (Islam – The rock under the dome is where the Prophet Muhammad left
Earth to visit heaven on a winged horse during his night journey in the 7th
Century; Judaism – the Temple Mount was the location of the the First Temple
built by King Solomon in 957 BC to house the Ark of the Covenant (which held the
Ten Commandments) in a special room called “The Holy of Holies”; and
Christianity – where Jesus prayed daily & later preached with his disciples).

Today on the Temple Mount complex, 2 important Islamic structures, the most
dazzling building in Jerusalem Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Although
Israel took control of the Old City in 1967, but Muslims continue to manage the
site. And that makes the site is a controversial & culturally significant place.

Maybe it was in the morning, so called Airport level security check above the
Wailing wall access wasn’t so scary however I have been asked to put on the
cotton wrap to enter the site.







Surprisingly we saw a group of Jews guarded by armed Israeli soldiers visiting
the site. Later on we knew the Jews can visit the site with permission but can’t
pray there. Well, with the group of Jews and armed soldiers, there is definitely
tension in the air, but it didn’t feel overly dangerous. I was thinking can
religious conflicts be avoided. I remembered my bible study teacher said we live
in this world but not of the world. We can and have to live in this world,
enjoy/suffer God’s creation, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the
world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. If our goal is to
worship God and shed lights in someway to others, then the religious conflict
should be avoided at least to Christians. Or it can’t be avoided because we are
unique in our ways and we have our own convictions based on our upbringing that
becomes a factor in the foundation of our development. In every belief even
within the same religion, there is a either large or small contradiction (胡思亂想中）











Mount of Olives

> 【耶路撒冷景點懶人包】橄欖山半日遊：升天教堂、主禱文教堂、橄欖山觀景台、先知墓、主泣教堂、猶太墓、客西馬尼園、萬國教堂、童女馬利亞墓、抹大拉的瑪利亞教堂



The most expensive Jewish Cemetery is there they all wish when the judgement day
comes they will come out of their resting places then into the holy town. With
religious beliefs and traditions we all can easily find a purpose to live in
this world of contentment and not afraid of physical death.







Mount Zion

> 【耶路撒冷景點懶人包】錫安山半日遊：雞鳴教堂、聖母安眠教堂、大衛陵寢、最後晚餐樓、(辛特勒的墓)



Church Saint-Peter in Gallicantu: luckily we were in a small sermon service in
Sacred Pit (dungeon) / caves (prison), where Jesus was kept. The pastor asked
people what do you feel when you are in the cave without any lights, complete
darkness. Do you still believe in Jesus our God will lead us to the
righteousness, to the light. Sometime we said we will and we fully understand in
fact we are not. Like Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus before the
rooster crows. I am thinking only with the gratification and appreciation, we
can be less self centred then we can slowly understand what is true love!




















PART 3: JERUSALEM- DAY 2

February 24, 2019 Lucy Leave a comment

“Jews may often be seen sitting for hours at the Wailing-place bent in sorrowful
meditation over the history of their race, and repeating often times the words
of the Seventy-ninth Psalm. On Fridays especially, Jews of both genders, of all
ages, and from all countries, assemble in large numbers to kiss the sacred
stones and weep outside the precincts they may not enter” Charles Wilson, 1881.

Kotel, Western wall, Wailing wall:

Watching Jewish prayer and pilgrimage meditating on this 187 foot exposed
section of the ancient wall and placing written prayer into a crevice of the
wall is an experience cannot be felt by the words in any textbook or YouTube
clips.







What is special about Western wall?

The wall has withstood time and has witnessed war and peace. Long before the
first temple was built, Abraham came here to sacrifice his son Isaac, and Jacob
slept here, dreaming of a ladder to heaven.

Then called Mount Moriah, its summit was where Solomon built the First Temple on
the land that his father King David bought from Aravnah, the Jebusite, 3,000
years ago. Then the Babylonians destroyed it in 586 BC. and the Jews were
expelled from the land of Israel. They were allowed to return 70 years later and
built the Second Temple.

King Herod (who ruled 37-4 BC) decided to rebuild that in 19 BC. He had a
problem, though: the Temple was on the peak of a mountain where there was
limited space. Herod, who was known for huge building projects (such as the port
at Caesarea, and his palace at Masada), decided to build four massive supporting
walls around the mountain and transform it into a level platform. Which he did,
and built the next Temple on the new platform. And inside the temple was the
holy of the holies, It contained only the Ark of the Covenant, the symbol of
Israel’s special relationship with God.

In 70 AD, during the Jewish rebellion against the Romans, Jerusalem was
conquered and the Temple destroyed.

After the rebellion, Jews were not allowed to return to the Temple mound and the
Kotel (Western Wall) was the closest they could come to that area. The Western
Wall is the most sacred, because the Temple (and its inner Holy of Holies) had
been built closest to that wall. Since then, the Western Wall has been the
center of Jewish belief. For Jews, touching the stones links them with their
nation and heritage, and their long turbulent history.







Western wall tunnel: highly recommended

Like the tip of an iceberg, the Western Wall plaza represents only a small part
of the whole picture. Most of the Kotel lies buried beneath the rubble of time
and hasn’t seen the light of day for centuries. The tunnel exposes a total
length of 485 m of the wall, revealing the methods of construction and the
various activities in the vicinity of the Temple Mount.

From first temple to second temple to later bazentine period and crusade time,
the complex hadn’t been destroyed, on the contrary you can easily find two walls
next to each other but thousand years apart. How fascinating it is! Our guide
joked that recycling was not invented recently, actually 2000 years ago.



Every wall must have two sides – The Jewish Archeological Park

Another spectacular site to see how magnificent the wall it is and trace some
visible signs of previous market places, arches and pavement which had been
later on destroyed by the Romans.

It is a pretty much wall sights seeing day also overwhelmed with so much history
concentrated in one place, we were quietly sitting in the staircases between its
timeless stones and enjoyed the sunset over Mount Zion.






PART 3: JERUSALEM- DAY 1

February 23, 2019 Lucy Leave a comment

“The truth is that Bethlehem, the ‘little town’ venerated during Christmas, is
one of the most contentious places on Earth.” – Michael Finkel

Part 1: Church of the Nativity – a typical shopping mall the day before
Christmas experience.

It was not a peaceful place and nothing like the scene I imagined the day that
Christ was born. With the huge lines, people pushing their way forward, I now
understand where the hustles and bustles of the Christmas holidays come from
nowadays.

Joke aside, we actually thoroughly googled everything we need to know about the
Church. How it has survived 14 centuries of conquests by Persians, Byzantines,
Muslims, Crusaders, Ottomans, Jordanians, Brits and Israelis. How the front door
was lowered and how everything is magically planned by our God.

After nearly an hour waiting and emerging ourselves from all the pilgrims from
around the world, we were excited to see the actual birthplace of our Lord. When
we were in the cave, I was wondering maybe the waiting, the hustles and bustles
is part of God’s plan, to teach us how to quiet ourselves in the midst of chaos.







Part 2: How ironic that the birthplace of the Prince of Peace is in fact a
veritable prison.

We planned to leave Bethlehem before 6:00pm, with the huge line and few detours
on our first stop, we only have an hour and bit. Without hesitation, we took the
cab to the Separation wall and Banksy’s Graffiti work.

Yes you read number of articles about the wall but nothing like you were truely
there. I just feel sad. A Palestinian born within the city limits has the
mathematical possibility of never being able to legally live the city. Bethlehem
does not just feel like a prison, it is a prison! I truely puzzled this time, is
this a part of God’s plan?















Part 3: Walking toward the check point

I am fairly sure the alley towards the check point is safe but I am sacred
especially only two of us walking on the street while others either taking
private vehicles or buses and some palestine peddler yelling “你好”.

Some unlucky ones have been thoroughly checked and inspected by soldiers like
the older couple in front of us. When we were cleared and passed the check
point, just in time bus 234 is right there. I feel safe and relieved but the
sadness kept lingering in my mind until now.






DAY 6 A DAY ON ROUTE 90

February 15, 2019 Lucy Leave a comment

Route 90 is the longest Israel and Palestinian road, at about 480 kilometres
(300 mi), and stretches from Metulla and the northern border with Lebanon, along
the western side of the Sea of Galilee,through the Jordan Ricer Valley, along
the western bank of the Dead Sea (making it the world’s lowest road), through
the Araban valley, and until Eilat and the southern border with Egypt on the Red
Sea.

I have never had any safety concerns until one particular statement on a post
caught my eye: “在公路上，若不幸遭到恐攻，以色列政府也會賠償的” as we are driving in the darkness – 4am
in the morning with poor visibility, my heart was rising until the first sight
of Dead Sea in early dawn.

Dead Sea at dawn

The moment I saw the first ray of sun breaks through the cloud and has risen
over the Jordanian mountains, I cried, felt and knew where the heaven is.







Masada shall not fall again

This ancient city was built by “Jonathan the High priest”, at least according to
Josephus. It was ruled by King Herod, who was the King of Judea. It was an
ancient Roman style fortress. It features not just the palace, main fortress and
living quarters but camps by the base and an assault ramp. It is believed to be
the most complete surviving ancient Roman siege system in the world.

What happened here – mass suicide: Masada was the last remaining Jewish rebel
stronghold in Judea in the year 73 AD. When the Romans with their 8000 troops
building camps all around the base of the mountain. One of the Jewish leaders,
Eleazar Ben Yair gave speeches to the 960 people living on Masada and told them
that suicide was the way forward. When the Romans came to the top these were two
women and five children, who had been hiding in the cisterns. Everyone else was
dead. A sad and chilling story, hard to imagine over this ruined ancient
fortification, but the legacy remains in the Israeli army with the declaration
“Masada shall not fall again”.









I am actually floating in the Dead Sea

Yes yes, I am actually floating and the sea water is incredible salty –
verified.





Eilat is where Israelis come to relax

We finally arrived Eilat, the southern border city with Egypt and Jordan on the
Red Sea. Tiring tiring tiring, it is just a transit city!





Looking forward to the next phase of this trip: Jordan


DAY 5 THE BEAUTY OF THIRSTY SEA OF GALILEE

February 13, 2019 Lucy Leave a comment

The Sea of Galilee, which is in fact a lake has so much to offer: pristine
beauty, hiking trails, religious attractions, and historical sites.







Our first stop: the Mount of Beatitudes, site of the Sermon on the Mount.
Followed by the site of the Feeding of the 5000; Tabgha and the German Church of
the Multiplication of the Loaves and the Fish. And the Primacy of St Peter.
Amazingly I am at the places where those events occurred and those are no longer
just stories from my year and half bible study. If you asked me any reflections,
to be honestly there was only the amazements of the Churches art value.

















Those three places are the must go to places of Galilee’s religious tour. We
were surrounded by many devout believers around the worlds and they are also
part of the scene at least in our eyes.

We still have two more Christian sites on the list. But in between we headed to
the Arbel National Park. Well it has the two elements we enjoy namely hike and
the stunning view. Plus the bonus of a glimpse of history: fortress and caves
actually on the cliffs. Tiring but rewarding!













Then we rushed to the Mt Tabor. At 1,900 feet above sea level, Mount Tabor (also
called Mount Tavor) is believed to be the site of the transfiguration, when
according to the Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke, Jesus took the disciples
Peter, James and John to see an apparition of Moses and Elijah.





The last site is Yardenit– Here, where the Jordan River flows from the Sea of
Galilee southwards to the Dead Sea, it is believed that Jesus was baptized by
John the Baptist (“Yardenit” is the diminutive form of the name of the Jordan
River in Hebrew). Standing on the shore watching scores of pilgrims wear white
robes and get baptised in the same spot. Maybe the warmth of afternoon sun,
maybe the atmosphere of spirituality, I somehow connected to the holy land –
being happy by focusing on the eternal life, therefore so called hardship in
this life becomes less important. Yes on this spot I can feel the happiness from
sisters and brothers!





It is a such busy day packed with spiritual experience and fun. To finish with
famous St. Peter’s fish, delicious lamb Kabab and a great variety of side
dishes, today is the day!










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