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. 

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。

Flying to Bangkok from Houston 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Flying to Bangkok from Houston 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Last year the Singapore Air offered a promotional rate to fly from Houston to Bangkok, a log flight covering a lot of territory yet was very interesting. With Amy's interest, we booked a 19 days ticket and made a plan to visit Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, a seven day cruise to the Vietnamese coast. As the trip came near, a day before the Chinese Lunar New Year, we were under a threat of Chinese Wuhan Coronavirus and the cruise liner informed us to be sure not sick or forfeit the trip. We di make it and had had such a wonderful time in the Southeast Asia.

 Even though it's a long haul, I have no complaint for my natural frugal character. It's a good deal with a super service from the airliner. There are six meals provided with drink including liquor. The head stewards even put efforts to have vegetarian meals for me even that I hadn't register on my check in. On the second leg from Manchester to Singapore, I adopted a stewardess, pleasant and beautiful, as my daughter. She is Mo Shen from Iland, Taiwan has a good command of the Amoy or Taiwanese, my mother tongue. I have her and her colleague's picture taken and her e-mail address. I shall see them again.

There were a 5 and half hours layover in Singapore and we missed a free tour provided by the tourist bureau for the lay over passengers. The first one was fully booked and the second one hour later was too late. We were sitting by a small yet busy chips shop to be witness of its wonderful business. Two kinds of chips, potato and fish, mixed with a raw salted egg then deep fry with a very nice taste. Singaporean love them even with a label warning Danger in addictive. The clerk gave us two pieces sample and her manager explained to us.

We continued our flight to Bangkok BKK, the new airport for the city, and then took a free shuttle provided by the city tourists bureau to the old airport DMK to stay over night and took an early flight to Hong Kong. I was very careful to go through an airport taxi hub desk to get our taxi and double check with the cost. The clerk speaks good English and command the driver in details. It is up to the meter's reading plus a $50 Thai money for fee which is very reasonable.

Putting off our luggage, we walked back to the local street and got our dinner. It's like a small village in the old Taiwan with no high rises. Our noodle stand is on the street side while several non-Thai foreigners had taken foods from the operator. It's was a bowl of rice noodle for me and regular noodle for Amy plus an boiled egg, fish balls, and two or three pieces of pork intestines. It's about two US dollar and I like it very much. The next morning, the hotel provided a nice breakfast with dragon fruit, orange, and banana, etc. We got it done to Bangkok.

飛抵泰國曼谷2020/莊峻華

飛抵泰國曼谷2020/莊峻華

去年底，星航廣告，招攬生意，我們訂下一19日旅行計劃，從休士頓飛經英國曼徹斯特市，再飛星加坡，換機後，再奔泰國曼谷，因為是自助旅行，我藝高膽大，吃下這段苦楚，愛美也咬緊牙關，苦撐完成，光是航程時間，約需26小時，有兩處停留過關，最後飛抵曼谷終站，還需要搭接駁車，到舊機場，以便14小時後，換機飛往香港，這是此東南亞三大城市旅行之開始。

因為是國際航線，星航提供餐點飲料，而且非常勤快有序，難怪連續五年，全球航空，排名第一，這些美女，真能做事，而且親切和藹，我終於找到一位來自宜蘭之申姑娘，能台語，經她同意，我們在抵星城機場時，就認她位義女，真是三生有幸，這是我首位航空小姐義女，第二位王姑娘，在回程認識，第三代星國移民，也能廈門語，只是無暇拍照留念，還有一位英國女士，來自利物浦，與我相談甚久，她朋友美國人，幫我們拍照，而且留下電郵地址，未成義女，與年紀有關。

我喜歡素食，但又未事先預訂，僅一短程無法提供，其餘兩長途四次，都能提供，甚為感謝，有一次約是熱一剩餘便當，就是在機尾廚房加熱，一般預約餐廳，將食物送到機上，空服少爺小姐，將其加熱，然後依時間，送達座位，星城到曼谷，僅不到兩小時，飛機仍舊提供午餐，從起飛忙到降落。

曼谷新機場，是給國際長途線使用，短程或是經濟班機，需要在舊機場登機，新機場和舊機場，有免費接駁巴士接送，需要出示收據或機票，非常順利，舊機場到機場附近旅社，則需搭計程車，有一計程車站，統籌調度，而且可以姑價，以免誤會，泰國服務業，有一定之水平，我無困難。

旅社似為泰國華僑所經營，頗具規模，早晨有專人敲門喚醒，提供早餐，有交費專車，送到機場，非常方便，這一帶之曼谷，很像早期之台灣鄕下，我們找了整條街，終於隨眾坐在街頭小攤，吃上一小碗魚丸肉雜河粉，當作晚餐，沒看到水果攤。

Visiting Napier, on the east of North Island, New Zealand/Carlos Pueblo

Visiting Napier, on the east of North Island, New Zealand/Carlos Pueblo
After Wellington, we continue sail north along the east coastal line of the north island of New Zealand to another lovely city of Napier. The port authority provides shuttle bus service for passengers to the city center. The first stop is by a beautiful garden in front of the city center, several blocks square like some of the ports we have passed by. I had had a leisure march toward the direction of the National Aquarium of New Zealand. The beach is dark color sand very unique than most white color sand beach, in between the Marina Parade Boulevard
and the beach, the city has arranged several facilities to serve the beach goers, like parking for the recreation vehicles with full set up. Small parks and gardens to beautify the scenery.

I chatted with the RV owners and they displayed and explained how they designed the vehicle. They are actually several kinds of Toyota minivan or utility vehicles with logical divisions of bed or beds, water tank shelf, food pantry, and folding furniture area, etc. It's very much compact than what I have seen in the United States camping area. A young man came to the port to join a group of 9 to operate an old sail boat for some multi purpose journey. He showed me how to make a second bed in that small van. If the boat is not at the sea, he would stay in his RV to save the cost of a motel on the Marina Parade. Another RV owner is a young lady sitting on the back of her utility Toyota with the trunk open and a small table also served as a desk. She was doing some lab top reading while the city park provides a free WiFi connection all over the beach and the park, as a matter of the fact, the entire city.

Stopping by the National Aquarium, I found a seat to use it's free WiFi offered by a city office on the next door for my i-phone to send my daily e-mail home. It's very nice and considerate of the locals to provide rest room free service for the visitors. I kept on marching along the beach toward another rock end not far away. There were few appeared on the lovely beach and might be the reason of not on the summer vacation yet. On the way back, I changed my route to the Marina Parade Blvd. to have a different view and I could approach to all the attractive home gardens to collect photos. This landscape reminds me some of the scenery of my Panama Canal Transit route last year on several central American ports, the same set up like fruits trees on the yards, motels for vehicles cruisers, small shops of all needs, etc.

I passed the 2nd shuttle stop and kept on marching toward the city center. A nice lady sport figure statue is on site to celebrate something significance which I forget. The city center is very attractive with antique cars drivers soliciting business. It is very lovely to walk at the small downtown and I shall describe more on my return visit. Of course, I did make it to the Clive Square and took a seat to rest and have some blooming magnolia photos.

Touring through 3 cities and a cruise in the Southeast Asia 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Touring through 3 cities and a cruise in the Southeast Asia 2020/Carlos Pueblo

Singapore Air offered a promotional fare for a round trip from Houston to Bangkok last year and I made it to be a tour of three Asian cities and a seven days cruise along the Vietnamese coastal line in the winter of 2020. It has been quite an experience during the outbreak of Wuhan coronavirus scaring among China, Honk Kong, Vietnam, Singapore, and Thailand where I have been in this 3 weeks tour.

First, this is a long haul of flight from Houston to Manchester, England, then to Singapore, Bangkok for a brief layover night to Hong Kong in order to hop on a cruise ship for a seven days cruise to Singapore for two nights, then flew to Bangkok again for three nights, and finally flew back to Houston. I shall describe in details how my impression is for this voyage in details.

I was very comfortable to locate all hotels and scenery significant to me on public transportation, light rails and buses, with minimum costs. I don't see any problems as I find my way and get around. I can command easily in several languages locally use like coming home. I like the weather, foods, and the hospitality of the locals.

I visited the Stanley Pier, the Central Station, Hong Kong University campus, etc. in Hong Kong and ate roasted goose and Chiao Chou rice noodle twice. I visited the Chinatown, the Orchard, and the Marina Bay garden in Singapore. I have had two days guided tours in Bangkok, a tour of four Buddhist Temples and a tour of floating market on canals, and a visit of the famous Chulalongkorn University campus.

東南亞三城行2020/莊峻華

東南亞三城行2020/莊峻華

星航提供特價，優待旅行東南亞洲，我安排從休市，飛經英國曼徹斯特，抵星加坡，再飛曼谷過夜，再購機票飛抵香港，停留三夜，從舊啟德機場跑道碼頭上郵輪，沿越南海岸七日四港到星加坡，住兩夜，再飛曼谷停留三夜，再搭機返回美國，途中飽受武漢病毒威脅，但卻也精彩無比，我將詳細描述。

雖是長途飛行，但星航服務第一，非常愉快，而且我是五短身材，經濟艙剛好，省下之錢，可以多次旅行，我們是搭免費接駁巴士，從曼谷新機場到舊機場，以便搭機到香港，僅在舊機場搭計程車到旅店，翌晨旅店有專車到機場。

抵香港後，我仍舊採用輕軌運輸和巴士，非常方便，第一天，我們就逛中環，吃到深井燒鵝，翌日宇正來當導遊，搭巴士逛赤岩和些美景，我需要查看相片，都是電影舊熟香港，第三日，我帶愛美參觀香港大學，許多感觸。

七日郵輪行，越南尚未完全復原，但此艘郵輪，我搭乘六次，雖然人事變遷，但仍然有很多關係可連繫，十分愉快。船在星港上岸，也是輕軌巴士到旅店，當然也需要行軍問道，我們兩次逛華埠，逛蘭花區百貨店，和遊艇區賭場花園，這也是郵輪碼頭，華埠食物價廉，台語可通，像是台灣老鄕村氣氛，但 星城是世界美麗大埠。

我們住曼谷海耶特大飯店，感謝琳兒招待，參觀四大佛寺一日，運河市場一日，第三日參觀旅店附近之朱拉隆功大學。