Sails through the Fiord land National Park of New Zealand/Carlos Pueblo

Sails through the Fiord land National Park of New Zealand/Carlos Pueblo

The Captain takes the ship sailing through the famous fiord land of New Zealand, the Milford Sound, Doubtful Fjord, and Dusky Fjord during the three different time interval of the day. The melting water from the glacier on the top of the Alps to form deep lakes and release the water falling from the sky. There are similar scenic cruise in Alaska, Norway, and the South America with some difference each other.

I had my tripod set on Deck 14 right above the poolside deck 13 on a small platform. The Pentax was on manual mode while the Lumix was an insurance was still on auto code. It was wet and the water falls were very active created huge steam along with the fall of water to the sea. No huge wave on the water way where the ship passing through just small wave between the cliff. Suddenly it rained with huge wind and made everyone scrambling for cover. I was even in worse condition because of the tripod and the small umbrella to cover the equipment. Later, I tried the Cafeteria and Spinnaker Lounge with windows affecting the photographing. It is much closer in distance between the ship and the cliff than in Alaska Glaciers. Different nations have different policies to protect these treasury.

After about 2 hours sailing on the Milford, the Captain took us out of the Sound and sailing toward the second, the Doubtful Fjord at about 2:00 pm exact. The Doubtful is smaller in size in compare to the Milford yet is still very amazingly beautiful. I can see some glacier on top of the mountains far away with a help of my binoculars. It was cold outside and the rain made it uncomfortable. I was tired and took a nap to wait for the third one to visit. I sat inside a restaurant by the window and witness the miracle scenery.

搭巨型郵輪飄過紐西蘭南島西南三峭壁/莊峻華

搭巨型郵輪飄過紐西蘭南島西南三峭壁/莊峻華

船離雪黎港，航行東南向兩日夜，抵達箸名之紐西蘭南島西南三峭壁，彌爾福特，道特佛，和達斯基，而且時間也非常準確之估計，這是紐國之峭壁國家公園，船上之節目部主人，擔任介紹，十分清楚明了，這三峭壁與阿拉斯加之冰洲峭壁，是有不同，冰洲之大小也，紐國三峭壁，峽谷規模稍小，峭壁挺峻，瀑布壯觀，只不見山峰積雪冰洲，我懷疑這些瀑布之足夠水源。

我無經驗，一聽廣播，就在船頂觀望台，架設三角架，更換500呎廣角鏡，更換手操作相機，而且尚稱就緒，這時後洋台觀看者尚渺，只是好景不常，馬上刮大風下起冰雨，我連忙撐起小紅傘，已經是狼狽不堪，勉強收拾完畢，走回自助餐廳，已經客滿為患，船前史賓客樂觀望大廳酒吧，也是擠滿觀望乘客，我發現只能手提相機拍照，我是來回乘客，尚有一次機會。幾座瀑布，水源充足，李白將進酒曰，黃河之水天上來，這峭壁瀑布，真是從天而下，而且水似煙霧迷漫，十分壯觀美麗。這彌爾福特峭壁第一美，約兩小時不到通過。

第二座是道特佛，英譯懷疑意，我需要看拍攝相片，始得回憶其特點，這是在下午兩點通過，達斯基一直到下午五點通過，這些峭壁遠處，都有冰洲高山，只是近處山頂，看不到積雪，一直到回程於威靈頓博物館，觀看跳山影片，始印證山頂是有積雪，融雪後匯集成瀑布，從山頂飛奔而下。

整日折騰，我已甚疲倦，最後之峭壁行，我已經在房間休息，而且準備晚餐去也。

Learning how to use the camera manually/Carlos Pueblo

Learning how to use the camera manually/Carlos Pueblo

During my travelling, I always carry cameras to catch photos which are interested to me and become my collection; however, some of the scenery are pretty hard for me to make them successful such as too bright on the back ground and a moving object, etc. Learning how to use the camera manually is my goal on this cruise trip in New Zealand and Australia. Luckily, I ran into a kind photographer on the camera department, Engelbert S. Rias and with his patient advice, I started my Pentax shooting manually and still kept my Lumix as a back up to avoid sudden jam on the manual set up.

Actually, there are three numbers which determined the manual technique, the shuttle speed, the shuttle lens width, and the brightness of the lens or called ISO. He gave me a sheet photo on my i-phone in case I need it to be rescued at jam. Jam means that I can't get the shot. Thee three numbers can be in good coordination to make a shot, a clean shot. I learn that in case of to dark inside, I can use the flash light to help to rescue my error and sometime it works.

My previous failure has been the glaciers in Alaska because that they are too bright and I must respond it to an adequate ISO, speed, and lens open width altogether. His manager, Eugene, also advises me to take a lesson on You Tube and I don't know if I am ready to have that lesson. I also like to have the portrait of my lovely adopted daughters on board. They are young and beautiful, hard working and good personality, and furthermore with touching stories behind them of their helping their family at home. I always send back our together pictures to them with my best regards. Going on cruise is just like coming home. I wish that I can use one of my small portrait lens to make portrait shot. I gather their photos with many flowers photos from the famous gardens all over the world.

I also ran into another expert in photography, Nancy Poitzsch from Germany. She flipped her works on her nice Sony camera. She has taken many wild animals large and small in Australia. I can see how excellent of her works. She would edit her works into a book and sell them to the publisher for mass printing. One night, I mentioned her to Engelbert and there she was passing by. Amazingly to watch these two camera experts to discuss cameras and photography. On the last night, she was taping her i-phone to a video with the cruise ginger bread houses for Christmas with a help of a toy that I believe to be for her own You Tube show.

相機操作雅興/莊峻華

相機操作雅興/莊峻華

旅行攜帶相機拍照留念，是一嗜好，遺憾者為不黯相機操作，偶有漏失，例如阿拉斯加冰洲，還有船行中，無法劫獲沿岸美景等，過去我常在郵輪船上，請教拍照店職員，請他們重新調好相機自動拍照設點，讓我能恢復拍攝，他們均建議，使用如此相機，應該使用手調相機法，發揮最大功能，這次上郵輪，我下定決心，開始學習手操作法，除兩相機外，我再攜帶三種不同功用之鏡頭，和一三角架，稍微不便，但是一決心，我主要的目的是人物美女，花朵，和美景。一位攝影師，耐心指導我兩整天，甚至隨時解決我之疑難，因此，我已經開始使用手操作一相機，另一稍小型相機，自動備用，雖然尚不理想，但已有頭緒，回家後，把舊相機取出，我有三只數位相機，三組不同鏡頭備用，有兩舊底片拍攝相機，按照這位老師之看法，這種相機相片，品質更佳，我也剛使用智慧型手機，在船上也遇到一位德國小姐專業攝影師，手機製作影片，相機蒐集產品，提供出版，這位相師小姐芳名為南西。波易特斯奇，我的師父是英格伯特。李亞斯，是位英俊菲律賓青年。

手操作相機要點有三，就是在拍照時之光速，如125就是125分之一秒，容許光線進入，第二個數目是光圈之大小，數目越大，光圈越小，數目越小，則光圈越大，第三個數目是光度，數目越小，光度小，越大則光度越高，此三數目，有一參考表，老師將它拍攝到我之手機，隨時參考調整，一次找不到老師，他之經理，也是善人曰，三數目可以調整，只要相片影像清淅即可，一夜郵輪派他來拍攝晚餐相片，我之立姿照，令我手不釋卷，真是上品，相機品型，與我之相機相似，真是不同功夫，他說可以在網誌中，習得操作技術。

我家中老電腦中，儲存一些旅行經過之花園，也收集三百八十餘位美女合照相片，這些美女多半是在船上工作之愛女，像花朵一般之美麗，高雅之氣質，和藹親切之態度，勤奮向上，我真想學會藝術肖像拍攝，送給她們留念，我也可以在我文章中，表達我愛慕欣賞之心境。

Visiting the University of Sydney Campus, Australia/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting the University of Sydney Campus, Australia/Carlos Pueblo

After a 17 hours long haul air flight from Dallas, Texas to Sydney, Australia, I carried two camera bags and hauled two luggage and marched to the airport train station to take a train to its down town main station and found a bus stop to visit the University of Sydney Campus. I always like to visit the University to fulfill a life time wish to see the late Professor Hou Jia-ju's Alma Mater. He was my 8th grade Chinese Language Art teacher at my home town on the southern rural town of Huwei for a semester while he was waiting for his Australian Government Scholarship to have his graduate study at the University. I visited his wife who was also my elementary teacher after he left for Sydney to get his address in Australia. He was very nice to write back to my letters and introduce the country. He is my inspiration role model at my young age to study abroad. I still remember my two visits to his home in his teaching University of Suchow in suburban Taipei in 1968 and his dean office of that institution at downtown Taipei by the Presidential Palace.

The University itself is astonishing in size and architecture full of the appearance of the British Empire Greatness. Of course, I couldn't walk too far with heavy luggage and I at least made to the newer building of the Economic Department after a distinguished US Study School, and some significant buildings. I was not sure that Economic Building was the one of his research; however, I was there and done it. After his returning to Taiwan, he became famous both in academic and consulted with several national government projects. I wrote a piece on my blog several years ago to remember him and his wife as a memory and got some interests from his former students who knew him.

I went back to the main station and hop on another bus to the circular quay terminal to board on the Jewel. I was very fatigue and even took a nap while waiting to get on the ship. The world famous Sydney Opera House is right by the ship. I could have a good view to see the building and traffic of visitors.

拜訪澳洲雪黎大學校園/莊峻華

拜訪澳洲雪黎大學校園/莊峻華

這次紐西蘭郵輪旅行，是在澳洲雪黎市上船，我查飛機抵達行程，再請教當地人士，拜訪雪黎大學校園，尤其是經濟系，時間應該是綽綽有餘，於是我背著兩相機，一三角架包，拖上兩行李，搭上雪黎輕軌，從機場到總站，再拖行李走下購物中心，搭市巴士到雪大校園，這時候經過者，皆為這231年城市之鬧區，建築宏偉，真有大英帝國之風範，歌德式維多莉亞建築和近代新穎高樓大廈比鄰，顯露出澳洲第一大埠之富裕。我之選擇此郵輪旅行，一則慕雪大之名，此中有一緣起，我曾在部落格中介紹過恩師，侯家駒先生，他在虎中擔任我初二上之國文老師，就是在等候雪大澳洲政府獎學金，果然選上，學期結束，就隻身整裝出國，師母沈翠瑩，也是安慶國小恩師，和兩小男孩，則先在虎尾等候，我常拜望在梅光樓宿舍之沈師，得到侯師通訊住址，於是我開始與恩師通信，他也耐心回信，他是私塾教育出身，漢學根基扎實，我的漢學興趣，受其影響至巨，主要的是他對我出國勵志，有莫大鼓勵。

拖笨重行李行軍，非常不便，但雪大校園，確實令人肅然起敬，我看到的英帝國大學，都是如此，連美國都是如此，休市中小學校，資源不匱，蓋得比若干國家大學還結實。我經過一美國問題研究院，就隨便左轉，到一健身中心，肯定經濟學系之位置，我想拍攝留念，這經濟系大樓新穎，不像是57年前，恩師深造博士之處，我仍舊照上幾張相片。雪大校園廣闊，拖行李參觀，非常侷促，只得轉回車站，換車到郵輪碼頭，而且我甚疲倦，達拉斯直奔雪黎17小時航程。

澳洲雪黎市馳名全球之歌劇院，就在郵輪碼頭旁，我上船後，連忙休息，一直到郵輪催促航海救生講習。

Happy Holidays 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Happy Holidays 2020/Carlos Pueblo

2019 is coming to an end and I like to send my greeting to friends all over the world. It has been a very good year for me as a cruise traveler during this year that I have done 8 times on various routes, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal transit, Alaska, Maritime Canadian Provinces, and the recent New Zealand trip. I find that the cruising during the winter and the summer to avoid the heat way and the cold current in Houston is very enjoyable for me at the old age. I shall repeat it again in just a month to Bangkok with a land and sea combined 19 days trip.

After the trips, I always write my blog on site to describe places where I have visited and friends whom I have met. The last late spring, I was in England for a long land trip to be experienced with the canals and rivers in England and also stayed two weeks in London especially for the early roses blooming on three Royal Parks.

Both our children, Michelle and Arthur, are doing well on their jobs and manage their life very well. He stays home with us for his night shift job with a supermarket while she lives in Austin, Texas for her job assignment with a consulting firm. We're going to visit her this afternoon. Amy has her vivid life at home with two eldest sisters near by, a new church with plenty activities every week. I walk 2.2 miles every day at the subdivision to visit my pet dog friends except on Saturday morning to play man tennis league games. The rest of my day I am occupied with writing, napping, and watching the political program, free movies, and some old popular hits and pianos. I dare to say that I am in paradise.

I haven't write to you for my annual greeting for quite some time and this is a good time to report it to you and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Years, including the Lunar New Years.

新年賀喜2020/莊峻華

新年賀喜2020/莊峻華

舊年19將過，新年20即到，僅此賀喜，我也有好幾年，不曾向各位請安，藉此良機，恭喜大家新年快樂。我先簡單之報告，這些年來，家裡之生活狀況，我在01年喪失大盤石保險契約後，幾次想重返職場，一直都未成功，其中有一次當高維斯頓高中老師兩個月，兩次重回保險業，都在半年之譜，幸好在18年前，安排兩家產物保險契約公司代理，一直到目前都仍有效，年底將因瀆職保險費高，辭去一家汽車險，仍維持州屋保險代理，和聯邦洪水險等固有客戶，幾十年舊客戶，尚有壽險問題，與我討論，我的收入都靠社會安全金，和701/2歲最低領取退休計劃金額，當作年收入。

愛美也有她自己之財務安排，她也在62歲提前領社會安全金，同時掌理自己財務，我們按規矩繳月費，非常詳細合理，所以沒有家政爭執問題，我們將元兒留在家裡，鼓勵他儲蓄，所有問題，都先從經濟財務上解決，他在同一超市工作11年。琳兒仍在同一商業顧問公司上班，比較辛苦，但待遇高，除退休金外，她也投資房屋，家住州府奧斯汀。

我的日常生活，非常規律，早睡早起，清晨散步2.2哩，多半是拜訪鄰居愛犬，和一些愛犬主人聊天，然後就躲在室內，觀看網誌，就是台灣之政治節目，免費電影，和一些老熱門歌曲等，其餘時間，都在寫作，我經營之部落格，有3200篇，讀者遍佈全球，目前多半是遊記，我旅行過之全球大小城市。

昨夜，剛從澳洲雪黎市，搭機返家，如此郵輪旅行，今年有八次，非常忙祿，再一個月，我們要到曼谷東南亞洲19日，然後又是一年旅行計劃，很久不曾回台灣，也需要牙齒維護，祝大家新年假日愉快，聖誕日和舊曆新年快樂。