船靠紐西蘭北島大城奧克蘭2019/莊峻華
奧克蘭是紐西蘭最大城市，規模龐大，甚似倫敦新商區，碼頭前正在擴建整修，我選城中大街，掛有國際名牌企業，像琳兒服務之公司，就在碼頭附近，沿街深入，盡是人潮，奧市已經是國際級大埠，街上已有許多東方面孔，而且多半是年輕人，不久來到一市中心，我隨大學畢業生隊伍，來到一中心廣場，我想這是奧克蘭科技大學，相信也有另外學校，廣場中心兩側，有兩大會議中心，我在廣場已經十分忙碌，遇見兩組畢業生。
第一組是三位紅袍博士，一位是指導教授，兩位是姊妹學生，我和教授聊天，他是位英國人，來自英國紐凱瑟大學，就是新城堡，在英格蘭北部，我和他談到該市和該大學，他也曾到我們德州聖安東尼德大醫學院講學，兩位姊妹都在他指導下，拿到醫學某專科之博士學位，我已離開學校許多年，他所提之專科，已十分陌生。
另一組是一韓國家庭，兒子穿學士服，貌似年紀不滿二十歲，我問他是否位天才學生，電腦專門，他父母親靠過來，親切寒暄，原來是山東孔子後裔，給我一張名片，是奧克蘭韓國同鄕會公關部主任，我答應寄回相片留念，這位學士已經二十七歲。廣場人潮稍退，但仍有另一批畢業生群進入，也有人開始在另一活動中心，交還租借學士服，我在台灣，學校畢業都不甚喜悅，一是準備升學考，再是學分尚不足，畢業典禮只是形式，在奧本之碩士，暑期完成，但過年始畢業，人已經到休士頓，所以我一直羨慕大學畢業典禮，所幸我參加過子女兩次畢業典禮。
接著我逛入紐西蘭國際特赦辦公室，當年我們台灣，面臨中國統治者，許多人權被迫害者，均期待此國際特赦組織之幫忙，中國統治者，向來無視人權，不知人權為何物也。
此街尾端，有很多中國餐廳，幾乎包括大江南北口味，也有日本韓國餐廳，我節省本性，讓我僅看外面相片而已。晚上休假回來者已上船，幾位愛女們，愛琳和金格爾，瑪莉安因招募代理簽證延誤，需要延遅數日，奧克蘭是航線終站，明日郵輪沿同途徑返回澳洲雪黎市。
Friday, February 21, 2020
Flying from Bangkok DMK to Hong Kong 2020/Carlos Pueblo
Flying from Bangkok DMK to Hong Kong 2020/Carlos Pueblo
DMK is Don Mueang International Airport for short, the old airpot of Bangkok used for the discount airliners for the area in difference from BKK for most of the regular international transportation. It is the reason why we have to spent a briefly night at an inn nearby the airport. There was a nice breakfast offered free at 4:00 am and a small fee shuttle to take needed passengers to the airport thereafter. It was too late for us to avoid or pre-pay the luggage fee on the internet. The budget flight doesn't cover any of the luggage for any flight domestic or international. It was very simple and quickly flight and arriving Hong Kong.
A young lady with a mask covering her mouth in the information center kindly helped me for all my questions involving this tree nights stay. First, showed me how to get to our hotel by the public transportation, second, how to get my favorite Teochew marinated duck by focusing on two restaurant at the Central Station area, third, extra help to set up my i-phone to have a phone by using Line and Facebook yet I didn't use both in my simple i-phone life. She is the first nice impression of this great city. I can communicate with the local in the Mandarin Chinese; therefore, we have had a very smooth transaction of light rail and bus to reach our hotel. All area passing by were very familiar in my memory from reading books and watching movies and finally I made it to this great city.
Another nice young clerk in the hotel counter kindly review my interest again and double check my request which made me very appreciated. She had pointed out one of the two places, the Central and the Causeway, for eating my duck. Both bus and light rail station are nearby the hotel. Another nice girl also with a mask helped me to purchase the train ticket, by selection a pass for me and a solo ticket for Amy due to the senior discount matter. We reached the Central quickly and were wondering around the busy street to locate my restaurant. It was still on the holidays of the Chinese Lunar New Year and I was told most of restaurants were still closed for business. Finally a nice young gentleman stopped with his family to help for matter of my eatery. He flipped his i-phone and found both of my written recommendation of duck restaurants which were about another 30 minutes walk on the Victoria Avenue. He suggested to go to a next street parallel to Victoria to try our luck. We did find a roasted goose restaurant on a second floor of a crowded street. I was told marinated goose was also delicious and famous in Teochew cuisine menu. We had a very delicious dinner and the lady manager even made an effort to introduce the business because that she was not that busy during the protest of youngsters.
Eugenia, an acquaintance from my previous tour of Frankfurt, Germany, responded to my e-mail of my visit. I called her and she promised to meet us in the hotel on the next morning for some visit of Hong Kong.
DMK is Don Mueang International Airport for short, the old airpot of Bangkok used for the discount airliners for the area in difference from BKK for most of the regular international transportation. It is the reason why we have to spent a briefly night at an inn nearby the airport. There was a nice breakfast offered free at 4:00 am and a small fee shuttle to take needed passengers to the airport thereafter. It was too late for us to avoid or pre-pay the luggage fee on the internet. The budget flight doesn't cover any of the luggage for any flight domestic or international. It was very simple and quickly flight and arriving Hong Kong.
A young lady with a mask covering her mouth in the information center kindly helped me for all my questions involving this tree nights stay. First, showed me how to get to our hotel by the public transportation, second, how to get my favorite Teochew marinated duck by focusing on two restaurant at the Central Station area, third, extra help to set up my i-phone to have a phone by using Line and Facebook yet I didn't use both in my simple i-phone life. She is the first nice impression of this great city. I can communicate with the local in the Mandarin Chinese; therefore, we have had a very smooth transaction of light rail and bus to reach our hotel. All area passing by were very familiar in my memory from reading books and watching movies and finally I made it to this great city.
Another nice young clerk in the hotel counter kindly review my interest again and double check my request which made me very appreciated. She had pointed out one of the two places, the Central and the Causeway, for eating my duck. Both bus and light rail station are nearby the hotel. Another nice girl also with a mask helped me to purchase the train ticket, by selection a pass for me and a solo ticket for Amy due to the senior discount matter. We reached the Central quickly and were wondering around the busy street to locate my restaurant. It was still on the holidays of the Chinese Lunar New Year and I was told most of restaurants were still closed for business. Finally a nice young gentleman stopped with his family to help for matter of my eatery. He flipped his i-phone and found both of my written recommendation of duck restaurants which were about another 30 minutes walk on the Victoria Avenue. He suggested to go to a next street parallel to Victoria to try our luck. We did find a roasted goose restaurant on a second floor of a crowded street. I was told marinated goose was also delicious and famous in Teochew cuisine menu. We had a very delicious dinner and the lady manager even made an effort to introduce the business because that she was not that busy during the protest of youngsters.
Eugenia, an acquaintance from my previous tour of Frankfurt, Germany, responded to my e-mail of my visit. I called her and she promised to meet us in the hotel on the next morning for some visit of Hong Kong.
Thursday, February 20, 2020
曼谷飛抵香港 2020/莊峻華
曼谷飛抵香港 2020/莊峻華
星航從星加坡飛抵曼谷新機場，再從曼谷飛香港，需要從舊機場搭機，中間有14.5小時間隔，我因人地生疏，因此設法在機場附近，租上一夜旅社居停，凌晨旅社有專車，送到機場，我的問題是不清楚，行李託運，不像星航，需要加費，令我甚不滿意，而且時間短促，無法網路訂購補救，很快飛機飛抵香港，不是熟悉之啟德老機場，而是新穎之新機場，所有香港人，都戴上口罩，只有少數外國旅客，大剌剌之無遮掩。有位機場案內小姐，非常親切之指點我，如何搭車，如何找香港美食，如何上船，甚至設法可以回家後，用手機打免費電話，給台灣親友等，她一聽我的台灣國語，就知道我是台灣人。
按照指點，我們先搭地鐵到總站，然後更換一巴士，在高樓大廈林立街道穿梭，又是美麗海灣，又是隧道，又是九龍路標，我真像入了大觀園，司機幫我們留意下車站，下車後，馬上就是一美孚加油站是66號，旅店是64號。旅店是與美國瑪里奧特系統合作，琳兒用點數，訂下三夜，旅店本身是舊工廠改裝，非常樸實乾淨，而且幾乎提供早晚兩餐，飲料無限供，可惜我已經不沾酒精，因控制糖尿病故。櫃台小姐，親切查看機場小姐指點兩家潮州滷水鴨餐廳，然後教我們到中環，她們都說中環和銅鑼灣兩處餐廳最多，最為出名，這兩處均是我小時，認識香港如雷灌耳之香港地名。
我們在中環逛，想找那兩家機場小姐推薦，生記滷味和正斗潮州滷鴨，問街警曰不知，而且正在春節年假期，許多餐廳仍舊打烊，有位善心青年，留步幫忙，他在手機上查看我寫下之兩餐廳曰，需要再步行半小時，是在中環維多莉亞大道另端，建議我們在平行維道之旁街試試運氣，我們果然找到一家燒鵝店，在隱閉之二樓，我想是深井燒鵝店，非常可口美味，是廣東美食，經理不忙，聞我一生僅食兩次鵝肉，特別介紹深井燒鵝，潮州人吃滷水鵝，據廣東人曰燒鵝味較美，深井是香港古養鵝處也。
回旅店，手機電腦有守正回信，我們相約明晨在旅店相遇，她是我在德國佛蘭克福旅店相遇之老友，剛發一封信，試試運氣，真高興取得回覆。
星航從星加坡飛抵曼谷新機場，再從曼谷飛香港，需要從舊機場搭機，中間有14.5小時間隔，我因人地生疏，因此設法在機場附近，租上一夜旅社居停，凌晨旅社有專車，送到機場，我的問題是不清楚，行李託運，不像星航，需要加費，令我甚不滿意，而且時間短促，無法網路訂購補救，很快飛機飛抵香港，不是熟悉之啟德老機場，而是新穎之新機場，所有香港人，都戴上口罩，只有少數外國旅客，大剌剌之無遮掩。有位機場案內小姐，非常親切之指點我，如何搭車，如何找香港美食，如何上船，甚至設法可以回家後，用手機打免費電話，給台灣親友等，她一聽我的台灣國語，就知道我是台灣人。
按照指點，我們先搭地鐵到總站，然後更換一巴士，在高樓大廈林立街道穿梭，又是美麗海灣，又是隧道，又是九龍路標，我真像入了大觀園，司機幫我們留意下車站，下車後，馬上就是一美孚加油站是66號，旅店是64號。旅店是與美國瑪里奧特系統合作，琳兒用點數，訂下三夜，旅店本身是舊工廠改裝，非常樸實乾淨，而且幾乎提供早晚兩餐，飲料無限供，可惜我已經不沾酒精，因控制糖尿病故。櫃台小姐，親切查看機場小姐指點兩家潮州滷水鴨餐廳，然後教我們到中環，她們都說中環和銅鑼灣兩處餐廳最多，最為出名，這兩處均是我小時，認識香港如雷灌耳之香港地名。
我們在中環逛，想找那兩家機場小姐推薦，生記滷味和正斗潮州滷鴨，問街警曰不知，而且正在春節年假期，許多餐廳仍舊打烊，有位善心青年，留步幫忙，他在手機上查看我寫下之兩餐廳曰，需要再步行半小時，是在中環維多莉亞大道另端，建議我們在平行維道之旁街試試運氣，我們果然找到一家燒鵝店，在隱閉之二樓，我想是深井燒鵝店，非常可口美味，是廣東美食，經理不忙，聞我一生僅食兩次鵝肉，特別介紹深井燒鵝，潮州人吃滷水鵝，據廣東人曰燒鵝味較美，深井是香港古養鵝處也。
回旅店，手機電腦有守正回信，我們相約明晨在旅店相遇，她是我在德國佛蘭克福旅店相遇之老友，剛發一封信，試試運氣，真高興取得回覆。
Scares me a lot by misplacing my wallet/Carlos Pueblo
Scares me a lot by misplacing my wallet/Carlos Pueblo
Yesterday morning I was preparing to take my son to his doctor's office for a visit and couldn't find my wallet and the panic started. I had repeated checking every possible places in the house several times, bed room, desks, up stair library room, garage tennis bag, old vehicle, and even drove to the gas station where I had gasoline filled in both car and a small gas tank for lawn mowing, etc. On the previous night, I did go to a gas station and pulled out my wallet to have two credit cards purchase before coming home that was about 9 pm. I did empty my pockets inside the house, i-phone, shoe knife we called to make my feet fit to a pair of tight tennis shoes, etc. All were in place in spite of the wallet. I woke up every one including the pet cat Ayoko who knew something strange was urgent and happening.
Before I left the house, I called Chase to report my loss. The clerk told me that I was not fraudulent for any pending charge and cancelled all three cards and issued me new ones. I was driving very carefully on the congested freeway and still worrying my lost wallet. Even though I was sure it would be long gone if I lost it on my way out of the gas station, some one picked it and would keep it yet I still went to check with the convenient food store of that gas station. The night clerk in charge laughed that was impossible to find and I knew that was true. I can't wait the nice character of that person to keep my cash in the wallet and mail back the rest including the old leather wallet. The anxiety of people to sell the contents inside the wallet, credit cards with driver license to make some automatic check out purchase bothering me a lot.
My son tells me that I can't go out to cruise again until his surgery is done which makes me feel better because that I can forget the wish to travel from Argentina to Chile and to the Caribbean then again to NYC and London with grand total 53 days and lots of money spending. By saving that cost, I can make up some $350 cash inside the wallet. Suddenly, I felt like to practice my long lost Spanish study and I began to converse with the nurse at the doctor's office and the pharmacy clerk at my clinic on my way back from the doctor's visit. I felt a little bit hope of my depressed life.
I continued to call Capital One Bank to cancel my credit cards, there were two and the bank would issue new ones for me immediately and reminded me to use the new cars. I couldn't get to my 360 debt card which I used it in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore many times. I switched to prepare to cancel my driver's license which was very urgent as well that the early voting was started and required an personal identification document and I couldn't carry my passport to the voting station to get a vote that looked silly. I went to check a drawer of the last year receipts for income tax filing. I was fighting on every front for the time being, wallet issue, Arthur's surgery schedule, my blog writing,and 2019 federal income tax filing etc. I was suddenly very busy on my self exile or self quarantine life.
Here it was, the old black leather wallet was laid properly on top of an organized pile of receipts. I was organizing the receipts in order to figure out one of my 1099-miscellaneous income. Amy figured it out that I was placing the two unusual gas receipts to a wrong 2019 drawl due to aging and that was true in fact existed in my mind. The old wallet was in my one hand and I placed it on top of that small pile and closed it.
I was so happy and released; therefore, I decided to send my bit up tennis rackets to re-string. The tennis pro was on his way passing by my house and picked them up. I have known him ever since Michelle's day in Texas junior tennis tour which has been very good 25 years. He is still a very good tennis professional executing his job faithfully.
Yesterday morning I was preparing to take my son to his doctor's office for a visit and couldn't find my wallet and the panic started. I had repeated checking every possible places in the house several times, bed room, desks, up stair library room, garage tennis bag, old vehicle, and even drove to the gas station where I had gasoline filled in both car and a small gas tank for lawn mowing, etc. On the previous night, I did go to a gas station and pulled out my wallet to have two credit cards purchase before coming home that was about 9 pm. I did empty my pockets inside the house, i-phone, shoe knife we called to make my feet fit to a pair of tight tennis shoes, etc. All were in place in spite of the wallet. I woke up every one including the pet cat Ayoko who knew something strange was urgent and happening.
Before I left the house, I called Chase to report my loss. The clerk told me that I was not fraudulent for any pending charge and cancelled all three cards and issued me new ones. I was driving very carefully on the congested freeway and still worrying my lost wallet. Even though I was sure it would be long gone if I lost it on my way out of the gas station, some one picked it and would keep it yet I still went to check with the convenient food store of that gas station. The night clerk in charge laughed that was impossible to find and I knew that was true. I can't wait the nice character of that person to keep my cash in the wallet and mail back the rest including the old leather wallet. The anxiety of people to sell the contents inside the wallet, credit cards with driver license to make some automatic check out purchase bothering me a lot.
My son tells me that I can't go out to cruise again until his surgery is done which makes me feel better because that I can forget the wish to travel from Argentina to Chile and to the Caribbean then again to NYC and London with grand total 53 days and lots of money spending. By saving that cost, I can make up some $350 cash inside the wallet. Suddenly, I felt like to practice my long lost Spanish study and I began to converse with the nurse at the doctor's office and the pharmacy clerk at my clinic on my way back from the doctor's visit. I felt a little bit hope of my depressed life.
I continued to call Capital One Bank to cancel my credit cards, there were two and the bank would issue new ones for me immediately and reminded me to use the new cars. I couldn't get to my 360 debt card which I used it in Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore many times. I switched to prepare to cancel my driver's license which was very urgent as well that the early voting was started and required an personal identification document and I couldn't carry my passport to the voting station to get a vote that looked silly. I went to check a drawer of the last year receipts for income tax filing. I was fighting on every front for the time being, wallet issue, Arthur's surgery schedule, my blog writing,and 2019 federal income tax filing etc. I was suddenly very busy on my self exile or self quarantine life.
Here it was, the old black leather wallet was laid properly on top of an organized pile of receipts. I was organizing the receipts in order to figure out one of my 1099-miscellaneous income. Amy figured it out that I was placing the two unusual gas receipts to a wrong 2019 drawl due to aging and that was true in fact existed in my mind. The old wallet was in my one hand and I placed it on top of that small pile and closed it.
I was so happy and released; therefore, I decided to send my bit up tennis rackets to re-string. The tennis pro was on his way passing by my house and picked them up. I have known him ever since Michelle's day in Texas junior tennis tour which has been very good 25 years. He is still a very good tennis professional executing his job faithfully.
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
虛驚一場 2020/莊峻華
虛驚一場 2020/莊峻華
年邁腦筋不管用，遺忘事物，甚為無耐，鄰晨，準備攜帶元兒看眼醫，找不到皮夾，真是心疾如焚，昨夜網球局回家，本就遅疑是否順道加汽油，我把割草用小油桶也在車行李箱，汽油是加上，而且分兩次信用卡付帳，因為首次加滿，不得續填滿小油桶，第一張信用卡不能再用，於是我在皮夾中，取出第二張信用卡，付兩美元油錢，然後開車回家，當時已經快晚上十點多，換洗後，愛美交代衣物，放到洗衣機內，我又在網上付兩張卡債，算是忙碌一日。
找不到皮夾，我就開始緊張，開始懊惱，就像去年十月發現兩皮衣失蹤，一般緊張懊惱，因剛旅行回來，準備之美金現鈔，尚未歸位，其實我也未又歸位習慣，這筆小款，一直留在皮夾中，偶而有支出，旅行前又補上，郵輪旅行，我養成不花錢習慣，這掉之皮夾，現金損失，令人心疼。
然後又是信用卡，到底又多少張，我不詳細清楚，只好先打一家，銀行職員曰，若有盜用，我無責任，我仍不心安，有駕照有信用卡，錯將在我，不是嗎？元兒門診需要出發，我滿腹憂慮，無駕駛執照卡上路，幸好一路平安。元兒曰手術前後，我不能出外旅行，我算一下，約可省下皮夾遺失款之十倍，於是我開始阿舍自己，塞翁失馬，焉知非福？回家後，又打一家銀行，取消三張信用卡，又在網路銀行，轉出現金，只存一美金，如此該現金卡，應該無恙，下一步是取消駕駛卡，另外再申請補發一張，無駕照卡，就像無身份證，投票都難，皮夾遺失，真令我頭疼。
我又下意識，在房間上下内外，找來找去，那皮夾安置在去年收據抽屜內，在一小疊稍整理過之書類上，我出示愛美，她說我們出去時，她也找遍各處，只差這一抽屜。我有新決心，爾後不再放多現金於皮夾中，我平時都用信用卡，信用卡比較安全，需要現金，可以使用現金卡提款。
年邁腦筋不管用，遺忘事物，甚為無耐，鄰晨，準備攜帶元兒看眼醫，找不到皮夾，真是心疾如焚，昨夜網球局回家，本就遅疑是否順道加汽油，我把割草用小油桶也在車行李箱，汽油是加上，而且分兩次信用卡付帳，因為首次加滿，不得續填滿小油桶，第一張信用卡不能再用，於是我在皮夾中，取出第二張信用卡，付兩美元油錢，然後開車回家，當時已經快晚上十點多，換洗後，愛美交代衣物，放到洗衣機內，我又在網上付兩張卡債，算是忙碌一日。
找不到皮夾，我就開始緊張，開始懊惱，就像去年十月發現兩皮衣失蹤，一般緊張懊惱，因剛旅行回來，準備之美金現鈔，尚未歸位，其實我也未又歸位習慣，這筆小款，一直留在皮夾中，偶而有支出，旅行前又補上，郵輪旅行，我養成不花錢習慣，這掉之皮夾，現金損失，令人心疼。
然後又是信用卡，到底又多少張，我不詳細清楚，只好先打一家，銀行職員曰，若有盜用，我無責任，我仍不心安，有駕照有信用卡，錯將在我，不是嗎？元兒門診需要出發，我滿腹憂慮，無駕駛執照卡上路，幸好一路平安。元兒曰手術前後，我不能出外旅行，我算一下，約可省下皮夾遺失款之十倍，於是我開始阿舍自己，塞翁失馬，焉知非福？回家後，又打一家銀行，取消三張信用卡，又在網路銀行，轉出現金，只存一美金，如此該現金卡，應該無恙，下一步是取消駕駛卡，另外再申請補發一張，無駕照卡，就像無身份證，投票都難，皮夾遺失，真令我頭疼。
我又下意識，在房間上下内外，找來找去，那皮夾安置在去年收據抽屜內，在一小疊稍整理過之書類上，我出示愛美，她說我們出去時，她也找遍各處，只差這一抽屜。我有新決心，爾後不再放多現金於皮夾中，我平時都用信用卡，信用卡比較安全，需要現金，可以使用現金卡提款。
Visiting Tauranga on the North of the North Island of New Zealand 2020/Carlos Pueblo
Visiting Tauranga on the North of the North Island of New Zealand 2020/Carlos Pueblo
The ship reached Tauranga on the next day morning after leaving Napier overnight. The map is shown like an arm making a fist, both sides of the arm shape island are beautiful beaches with white sand and the fist part is a small hill 232 meters to the summit. I easily decided to hike from the port along with one side of the beach toward the fist part of the mountain. It was early in the morning yet still some gathering of beach goers. A series of huge trees like the American Pines caught my eyes. Two locals with a Christian mission on the side of the walking path answered my question that trees were planted at the time of town building; therefore, 50 years of age at most. They are huge that almost required three grown up arms to arms to cover the trunk. I had had a bible discussion with these two Jehovah Witness like missionary wherever in the corner of the world. They are devoted Christians. What I mentioned was a story of a day Jesus was thirsty and asked a woman for a buck of well water and the living water thereafter.
On the side of the entrance, there is a camping ground for the recreational vehicles which are more like the scenery of the North American camping ground. Those RV are larger than the compact size of utility vehicles on the beach of Napier. I got myself ready and followed a group local seniors hiking on a service road around and up to the summit of Mount Maunganui, or Mauao. My experience is that the service road is flater the mountain steps yet takes more time to cover the route. It is designed to let the 4 wheel drive vehicle to go up and down to do the maintenance. The mountain is full of red flowers trees called bottle brush. It is much larger than our Texas dwarf species in the front yard garden. The flower shape is unique with red tread like petal like a bottle brush. I could have a very good view on every corner of the roadside to see the near islands across the bay.
Fellow tourists on the way down were keeping on encouraging us that there was only five minutes left to the top yet actually took more time. I had to take several brakes and encouraged myself that I should be able to make it. I saw one middle age man fell twice on the way down due to slippery path with a difficulty to get up. This was why I decided to change route by the ladder steps down, easier and faster yet required a pair of good knees. On the summit, there had been many people gathering already to see around. We could see around 360 degree over the area. On my second trip up to the same summit, my hiking partner ,Professor Susan of Laredo, Texas, pointed to a far away island strip with a smoke cloud behind that was the White Island where a life volcano erupted with 17 casualty. The cruise ship was on the pier in front of us some days before. Someone on a dinner table broke out the tragedy news. That smoke is still raising slowly and I don't believe any more excursion would dare to follow. It reminds me one day of our visit to the Sakura Volcano far away from a park at Kagoshima, Japan on the south of Kyushu Island.
On my way down, I ran into Lily and her daughter again by an observation post, she was very surprised for my effort to make the hiking. They live in Sydney, Australia. They did come to visit their other sibling in Houston attending Rice University later after I finish my second back of the cruise. The other side of the arm shape beach was busy when I passed by. There is a residential section which I passed by in order to be back to the ship. It is like the new subdivision in Houston, very nice and elegant.
The ship reached Tauranga on the next day morning after leaving Napier overnight. The map is shown like an arm making a fist, both sides of the arm shape island are beautiful beaches with white sand and the fist part is a small hill 232 meters to the summit. I easily decided to hike from the port along with one side of the beach toward the fist part of the mountain. It was early in the morning yet still some gathering of beach goers. A series of huge trees like the American Pines caught my eyes. Two locals with a Christian mission on the side of the walking path answered my question that trees were planted at the time of town building; therefore, 50 years of age at most. They are huge that almost required three grown up arms to arms to cover the trunk. I had had a bible discussion with these two Jehovah Witness like missionary wherever in the corner of the world. They are devoted Christians. What I mentioned was a story of a day Jesus was thirsty and asked a woman for a buck of well water and the living water thereafter.
On the side of the entrance, there is a camping ground for the recreational vehicles which are more like the scenery of the North American camping ground. Those RV are larger than the compact size of utility vehicles on the beach of Napier. I got myself ready and followed a group local seniors hiking on a service road around and up to the summit of Mount Maunganui, or Mauao. My experience is that the service road is flater the mountain steps yet takes more time to cover the route. It is designed to let the 4 wheel drive vehicle to go up and down to do the maintenance. The mountain is full of red flowers trees called bottle brush. It is much larger than our Texas dwarf species in the front yard garden. The flower shape is unique with red tread like petal like a bottle brush. I could have a very good view on every corner of the roadside to see the near islands across the bay.
Fellow tourists on the way down were keeping on encouraging us that there was only five minutes left to the top yet actually took more time. I had to take several brakes and encouraged myself that I should be able to make it. I saw one middle age man fell twice on the way down due to slippery path with a difficulty to get up. This was why I decided to change route by the ladder steps down, easier and faster yet required a pair of good knees. On the summit, there had been many people gathering already to see around. We could see around 360 degree over the area. On my second trip up to the same summit, my hiking partner ,Professor Susan of Laredo, Texas, pointed to a far away island strip with a smoke cloud behind that was the White Island where a life volcano erupted with 17 casualty. The cruise ship was on the pier in front of us some days before. Someone on a dinner table broke out the tragedy news. That smoke is still raising slowly and I don't believe any more excursion would dare to follow. It reminds me one day of our visit to the Sakura Volcano far away from a park at Kagoshima, Japan on the south of Kyushu Island.
On my way down, I ran into Lily and her daughter again by an observation post, she was very surprised for my effort to make the hiking. They live in Sydney, Australia. They did come to visit their other sibling in Houston attending Rice University later after I finish my second back of the cruise. The other side of the arm shape beach was busy when I passed by. There is a residential section which I passed by in order to be back to the ship. It is like the new subdivision in Houston, very nice and elegant.
Tuesday, February 18, 2020
船靠紐西蘭北島投蘭噶港 2019/莊峻華
船靠紐西蘭北島投蘭噶港 2019/莊峻華
此島港在紐西蘭北島正北方，西方再有一半島沿申，島本身若手臂，兩邊都是美麗之白沙海灘，可比美夏威夷，手臂全頭部份，是一座山頭，我的行軍路線，甚快決定，就是沿著市區手臂上山，而且是登峰造極，然後再走下山來，這又是一樂園般之小鎮，連當地居民，都清晨健行。
這左方海灘，有些遊艇碼頭，一些開車旅行家庭，停泊路旁，海灘戲玩，步徑兩旁有若美洲松巨樹，有兩位虔誠基督徒告知，樹為當年鎮建立時所植，如今約是五十年，若見其三人環抱樹幹，恐誤會為千年古株，兩位均為退休老人，站步徑旁草地，與耶和華見證者搶生意，我在全球旅行，都與見證會查經，所以我是有備而來，而且也可以說出一段耶穌口渴要水之典故，兩人均好奇，一位老木匠說他年輕時有罪，我當場說無，另一位設法解釋我之疑問，口渴和生命水，我說太玄矣，不像一位年輕人之談話内容，幾日後回程再爬山，又重逢步徑旁，像是老友，我們拍照留念。
山麓有露營公園，停車則類似美洲規模，不像娜匹爾小鎮之小車，我隨一隊像是當地人，爬山健行俱樂部，沿一稍平坦路面步徑上山，這是繞山徑，反而較為困難，我想是整理車徑，就是方便四輪帶動車輛，若老年人則需戰戰兢兢，我看有胖男士，下山滑倒數次，上山超過一小時半，但可以眺望四週美麗風景，有一花樹遍佈原野，其實整紐西蘭國，就是我們德州之瓶刷花，是紅色花朵鬚狀，我們德州株儒品種，此地者株大花朵大號，原野上盡是綠業紅花，非常美觀。
下山者君鼓勵道，再過五分鐘即登山峰，其實約232米高，因為山抖需繞行，因此費時，但也無妨，我在山頂隨眾拍照留念，而且我攜帶望遠鏡，好像可以眺望遠處，後來在回程，我多一位同伴，我們德州農工邊城分校教授蘇珊，她說山頂可見剛出事之爆發火山，我未久留，因恐身體血糖低，沿步梯階下山，又看到許多瓶刷花，在觀望站遇見雪黎來之麗麗母女，後來她們也來休市，探望在萊斯大學就讀之大女兒，約在山麓草園，就遇見一大群綿羊。
我沿手臂另一方海灘岸回船，市區社區建築新穎，類似休市新社區，真是好居住樂園，回船後女兒們，紛紛詢問好玩否？年輕人可能不珍貴如此寧靜之環境。
此島港在紐西蘭北島正北方，西方再有一半島沿申，島本身若手臂，兩邊都是美麗之白沙海灘，可比美夏威夷，手臂全頭部份，是一座山頭，我的行軍路線，甚快決定，就是沿著市區手臂上山，而且是登峰造極，然後再走下山來，這又是一樂園般之小鎮，連當地居民，都清晨健行。
這左方海灘，有些遊艇碼頭，一些開車旅行家庭，停泊路旁，海灘戲玩，步徑兩旁有若美洲松巨樹，有兩位虔誠基督徒告知，樹為當年鎮建立時所植，如今約是五十年，若見其三人環抱樹幹，恐誤會為千年古株，兩位均為退休老人，站步徑旁草地，與耶和華見證者搶生意，我在全球旅行，都與見證會查經，所以我是有備而來，而且也可以說出一段耶穌口渴要水之典故，兩人均好奇，一位老木匠說他年輕時有罪，我當場說無，另一位設法解釋我之疑問，口渴和生命水，我說太玄矣，不像一位年輕人之談話内容，幾日後回程再爬山，又重逢步徑旁，像是老友，我們拍照留念。
山麓有露營公園，停車則類似美洲規模，不像娜匹爾小鎮之小車，我隨一隊像是當地人，爬山健行俱樂部，沿一稍平坦路面步徑上山，這是繞山徑，反而較為困難，我想是整理車徑，就是方便四輪帶動車輛，若老年人則需戰戰兢兢，我看有胖男士，下山滑倒數次，上山超過一小時半，但可以眺望四週美麗風景，有一花樹遍佈原野，其實整紐西蘭國，就是我們德州之瓶刷花，是紅色花朵鬚狀，我們德州株儒品種，此地者株大花朵大號，原野上盡是綠業紅花，非常美觀。
下山者君鼓勵道，再過五分鐘即登山峰，其實約232米高，因為山抖需繞行，因此費時，但也無妨，我在山頂隨眾拍照留念，而且我攜帶望遠鏡，好像可以眺望遠處，後來在回程，我多一位同伴，我們德州農工邊城分校教授蘇珊，她說山頂可見剛出事之爆發火山，我未久留，因恐身體血糖低，沿步梯階下山，又看到許多瓶刷花，在觀望站遇見雪黎來之麗麗母女，後來她們也來休市，探望在萊斯大學就讀之大女兒，約在山麓草園，就遇見一大群綿羊。
我沿手臂另一方海灘岸回船，市區社區建築新穎，類似休市新社區，真是好居住樂園，回船後女兒們，紛紛詢問好玩否？年輕人可能不珍貴如此寧靜之環境。
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