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In Franz Josef for our glacier walk -
Group photo: from left: Helen,
Katherine, Henrita (navigator), Sio Kuan, Hui Ching (flight tickets), Sita and Hooi Choo/Margaret (driver).
WHEN I’m 64, a Beatles number back in the 1960s, was a favourite
among my schoolmates in secondary school. Now that we’re at this iconic age,
whither are we?
Well, at 64 last year, seven of us from Klang Convent (class of 1965) were
having a whale of a time in the South Island of New Zealand (NZ), a country we
had studied about in geography lessons 46 years ago.
We talked and talked about doing it at 55, then 60, but nothing ever
materialised until someone said,
“We are getting on in years. It’s now or
never, at 64! Let’s go to NZ!”
That got us - six of us from Malaysia and one from Australia - all fired up.
Luck was on our side – a budget airline launched its inaugural flight to
Christchurch and offered a low price for tickets, which we booked instantly.
There was no turning back, not even when we heard about the earthquake in
Christchurch in February last year!
Planning an overseas trip is not easy - we took one year to draw up an itinerary. Being senior ladies, we'd initially decided to join a guided tour from Malaysia. But we were unable to find a package that fitted our time and budget.
Next we checked local tours in NZ, but the exorbitant price was a great dampener. Finally, someone in the team who had been to NZ before, suggested that we travel on our own. Experienced at the wheels, she also volunteered to be our driver.
We did online research on places of interest and accommodation. After a flurry of emails, we agreed on a workable itinerary that was easy on the knees, without the country's famed adrenalin-pumping activities.
Our 12-day senior-friendly holiday would start from Christchurch, with a Trans-Scenic train ride to Greymouth. From there, an eight-seater Toyota Previa MPV would take us to Franz Josef for a glacier walk, before we headed onwards to Wanaka, Queenstown, Te Anau and an overnight cruise in Milford Sound. After that, it was a free and easy journey to Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch.
Bookings were made for the train ride, the cruise in Milford Sound and the guided glacier walk. We arranged accommodation for Christchurch, Greymouth and Franz Josef; as for the other places, we would book our lodging upon arrival.
All of us had travelled in organised group tours before, with our husbands. The thought of being on our own for the first time made us a little apprehensive about encountering problems on the way. We met up to discuss what to bring along and what precautions to take in case of emergencies.
Finally we were in NZ, a truly scenic country, and we found it an easy place to travel on our own.
Language was no problem. The roads were excellent, although the west coast was a little mountainous, which required skilled driving. Our driver drove confidently and our navigator, with the help of maps, guided well. Thankfully, we managed to tour South Island and enjoyed its many attractions without any mishap.
We managed to get accommodation for those places where we didn't have prior bookings quite easily. We stayed mostly in motels that were equipped with all the basic amenities. Although it was summer, the weather was comfortable cool, with occasional light showers. The cold nights were bearable with central heating at the motels. One evening, I was thrilled to experience my first hailstorm.
 The journey on the Trans Scenic train was relaxing. Looking out the window, we saw natural landscapes, snow-capped mountains, turquoise lakes, brilliantly coloured flowers and of course lots of sheep and cattle.We made a brief stop at Arthur's Pass, to stretch our legs and to take some scenic shots.  Snow-capped mountains  Clear skies, clean air, abundant sheep     with driver and navigator On the way to Franz Josef, we visited Hokitika where we were wowed over by the greenstone, New Zealand's nephrite jade (also known as pounamu), and the exquisite works of art of a glass factory.     Glass display: bottles, penguins, jewellery We arrived at Shanty town, hoping to have fun there. It started to drizzle so we gave it a miss, but not before taking a memorable picture.   The Glacial Walk did not disappoint.We had a good jovial guide who briefed us on what to wear, what to expect and safety features to look out for. It was very cold, but the thick blue jackets and black boots loaned to us kept us warm, although it was not easy to move with such bulky clothes. We tread along lightly and carefully over the slippery icy path, and learnt how glaciers were formed. The walk was invigorating and we managed to view many significant waterfalls along the way.  Franz Josef: significant waterfalls  after the invigorating walk
We had great fun in the Puzzling World in Wanaka : the World's first 3D Maze: There were challenging mazes, incredible rooms and buildings with amazing illusions.
   
Toilets with illusions
We had only a brief stop in Queenstown, as we were behind schedule to go Te Anau before it got dark. However, we managed to taste the best Indian food (curry chicken/fish, basmati rice, naan bread with cheese) in a restaurant there.  Curry chicken, curry fish, basmati rice  The overnight cruise on the "Milford Wanderer" in Milford Sound was an unforgettable experience. We cruised along tranquil waters between sheer cliffs carved out by centuries of ice erosion. We watched cascading waterfalls, glorious sunrise and spectacular landscapes. Simply magnificent! 
Cascading waterfalls
 onto the deep green-blue waters below     While on the cruise, four of us took a boat trip to see penguins. Amidst the freezing and drizzling weather; with our body shivering and our teeth chattering, we managed to spot only two little penguins from afar!
We also visited the Milford Discovery Centre and
Underwater Observatory, NZ's only floating underwater observatory, where
we viewed many extraordinary colourful sea creatures in their natural
environment.
 next to the Discovery Centre's platform 
As we alighted on Discovery Centre's platform,
our Milford Wanderer moved away
On board the ship, Milford Wanderer, we were feted with warm western meals, which were most welcoming in the cold environment.
Warm nourishing pumpkin soup with sweet potato
 In Dunedin, we visited Larnach Castle: beautiful gardens, impressive interiors and interesting history. 
Larnach Castle
Then it was back to Christchurch. Christchurch was grey and dusty as it was still recovering from the recent earthquake. We saw the church being cordoned off for renovation and repair.
Travelling leisurely on our own gave us the flexibility to choose our
accommodation, to visit what interested us most, and to extend or cut short our
stay as we liked. The New Zealanders were friendly and helpful and many were
surprised at our courage.
Shopping together was fun, especially without our husbands bugging us to hurry up. As doting mothers and grandmothers, we bought gifts like paua shells, NZ jade, chocolates and manuka honey for our families. How did we fare in close proximity for 12 whole days?
Well, most of us spent a sleepless first night in Christchurch. The cold, a new sleeping partner, a strange environment and our individual bedtimes and early morning rituals kept us awake. However, once we had adapted to one another, we slept like logs thereafter.
Touring together in a small group was enjoyable. There was a sense of freedom, especially from family responsibilities! We ate healthily, but occasionally could not resist indulging in the NZ creamy ice cream and delectable chocolates!   Chocolate-coated ice-cream on sticks On our last night together in Christchurch, we had a memorable birthday party for Margaret who had just turned 64. 
Food was no problem. We ate out all the time, except for one night when we
had home-cooked curry chicken with roti prata.
 Home-cooked curry chicken with prata bread
Every evening, we shopped for the following day’s breakfast (yoghurt,
croissant, ham, sandwich or cakes). We savoured Western (pie, fish and chips, lamb, beef or chicken) as well as Asian (Chinese, Indian, Cambodian or Thai) cuisine.
 Carrot cake
Fish and chips
Pasta
   
Steam cod
When was our last trip together? I recall fondly that in 1965, our last year in school, we went as a class of 40 to Cameron Highlands, Pahang, after our examinations. Young and carefree, we were thrilled about our first trip away from home. Propped up on simple canvas beds in barracks, we chatted all night long - about boys, ghosts, idols and our hopes and aspirations for the future.
Now, 46 years later, we were re-living those happy times. Although each of us has gone our separate ways in career, marriage and family, we were still the same in character and behaviour, giggling over little jokes. In the comfortable motels, we chatted way into the night about the past, the present and the future.
We shared thoughts and feelings on how we met our husbands, looking after
elderly parents, in-laws, grandchildren, as well hair dyes, cataract
operations, anti-ageing creams,
knee-replacements, and more.
Travelling together at 64 was an achievement. It also brought out the best
in us: our caring, sharing and generous nature. We bonded well and we hope to
enjoy many more trips together.
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This article was published in the Star on April 4, 2012. Details on some tour sites and more photographs are added here.
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Wednesday, 12 August 2015
New Zealand - an Unforgettable Summer Holiday
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