Charming Devonport

On the last day of the conference in Auckland which ended at noon, I left Sky Tower and took a ferry to Devonport. Devonport is a historic seaside village and apparently is the city's oldest suburbs. I figured after spending one week in downtown Auckland, I would like to see another side of Auckland.

Just barely 15 mins ferry ride from Auckland Harbour, Devonport provides a very relax atmosphere. There is a lot of quaint little shops selling arts and sculptures and hot cocoa (perfect for the weather). 

At Victoria Road. Very charming little town

At King Edward Parade. Simply simply beautiful

Cool wind, warm sun, hot cocoa ... life is beautiful

Devonport has an interesting history from both its Maori inhabitants and colonial European settlers. Three small volcanoes are situated in Devonport, which are believed to have been occupied by Maori since 1350. The remaining volcanic cones, North Head and Mount Victoria are popular visitor spots where evidence of Maori occupation can still be seen and explored today.

So, we climb our way up the Mt. Victoria (known as Takarunga in Maori). Dejavu (http://jess-yap.blogspot.com/2010/01/cape-schanck-red-hill-arthurs-seat.html) … rain starts falling, wind starts howling … but we managed to stay on track and reach the summit. The view is just so spectacular and worth it all.

View of Auckland City from Mt. Victoria

View of Torpedo Bay

View of North Head

Due to the extremely cold weather, we did not stay long at Mt. Victoria but heads back to the village.

Latte in a bowl

Something worth mentioning is that the houses and buildings in Devonport is just unbelievably beautiful. Old world charm and new world simplicity. Simply gorgeous.

A Victorian villa

A Meditteranean restaurant

Ahhh, this is such a beautiful place

This pix taken near the wharf with a huge rainbow after the rain. After spending the whole afternoon in Devonport, we took the ferry and head back to downtown Auckland.

We flew back to KL the next day for 11 hrs. That’s what I dread most … but I’m home now with lovely memories of Auckland, New Zealand.

Location : Auckland, New Zealand
Date of travel : Jun 2007, Winter

My one week winter experience

Did I mentioned I was in Auckland mainly for work? Ok, I need to keep writing this to make myself believe that my mind was more on working and not holidaying here. Anyway, most of the day I managed to attend the conference in time but one fine morning, I just have to go to the Victoria Park Market to buy some souvenir.


OK, this Victoria Park Market is nothing to shout about, but that's probably because I have been to Chatuchak in Bangkok and it is therefore very difficult to outbeat the expectation. Anyway I managed to grab some 'bloody' (this is what the Kiwi say all the time) expensive fridge magnets after having myself soaking wet in the rain in the middle of a six degrees freezing morning.

A blur picture of Victoria Park Market from the bus window to remind myself how cold it was ... ggggrrrrr

You know what is good during winter?

It is that I can wear the coolest trench coat, turtle neck and boots (something that will be totally silly at home) to go to work. This is like so so cool. Plus point for winter!

The negative point for winter? I think it is not very good to the skin because no matter how thick I wear, if possible I would like to have the heater blast to the max and as close to me as possible.

Can you see the heater right next to me?

OK, rest of my stay in Auckland is mostly filled with works and meeting. But once I told myself I'm gonna go do a market survey which means I get to walk around town looking at pharmacies. Hence I managed to buy a pair of Fisher Price shoe for Bryan.

Don't think I can find it in KL. Cute and only cost NZD15

22 June - apparently today is the shortest day of the year in NZ. How lucky of me to be here? I left the conference at about 5pm and it looks like 8pm. And to think that it’s only 1pm back home, I’m feeling tired and wanted to go back and bath and sleep. Arghhhh, but I still need to go out for dinner with my customers. Winter is no fun after all.

5pm downtown

6pn at Ponsonby

Location : Auckland, New Zealand
Next, Charming Devonport

Kelly Tarlton Antartic Encounter & Underwater World

While in Auckland for the conference, I took the opportunity to visit the ‘Kelly Tarlton Antartic Encounter & Underwater World.’ Not that it sounds exciting but since it’s about the only place where we could pay an entrance fee (NZD28), we decided to just be tourists and go for it.

This is Mr Kelly Tarlton

This so called themepark / aquarium in Auckland is inspired by Mr Kelly Tarlton's expedition to the Antartic. The first part as you enter the place, they build the house/hut/room to depict how Kelly live in Antartic complete with the sound of the wind or storm and all. I know it sounds like boring but it is not. I sit there for quite awhile just to imagine living there. Harsh, harsh, harsh even if I get to see a polar bear.

Other than visiting Kelly's crib, I have to say that it is quite a pleasant surprise that we get to see some exciting stuff we don’t see in other similar aquarium place, like shark and stingray feeding just inches away from us and entering the penguin tank sitting in a ‘snow cab’. That’s really cool.

I know it doesn't look scary but this stingray is about 2 metres in diameter. It is huge!

This is the cliche underwater tunnel ride

The Kelly Tarlton's free shuttle

Just across from Kelly Tarlton, we walked to Tamaki Drive in Omahu to get a good view of Auckland City from another side. There must be at least a hundred yachts here as well. Obviously Auckland is not named ‘The City of Sails’ for nothing.

The jetty

Beautiful yachts at the sea

View of Auckland City and the Sky Tower

Location : Auckland, New Zealand
Next, My one week winter experience

Asians in Auckland

One thing that I only learned while in Auckland in utter surprise is the amount of Asian immigrants in Auckland. Apart from the conference that I attended that is full of caucasians, the rest of the places that I visited are full of Asians from China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Japan and the other South East Asia countries. In fact, we can safely say that the Asian immigrants made up 1/3 if not more of the Auckland populations. Everywhere I walk, there's Asians walking beside me. All the food courts are run or belongs to Asian immigrants. Cabs are all driven by Asian immigrants. We walked into the food court and find it exactly the same of what you can find in KL or Singapore.

Look familiar? Yes, this is Auckland, I kid you not.

Location : Auckland, New Zealand
Next, Kelly Tarlton Antartic Encounter & Underwater World

Mecca of Sail

Do you know that Auckland is named the City of Sail? Well, because almost everyone has a yacht and sails. So, while we're in Auckland, we just have to visit the Mecca of Sail which is at the 'Princes Wharf and Viaduct Quay'. Why did I named it the Mecca of Sail? Because the most prestigious match race in the sailing sport, the America Cup takes place right here!

During my short stay in Auckland, which is less than one week, I have been to this place for 4 times, yes 4 times!

1st time - I came here because I simply have to come here

2nd time - My customer in Auckland brought me here for dinner

3rd time - My other customer in Auckland brought me here for dinner

4th time - The conference organiser brought me here for dinner

And guess what, for the 3 times I have dinners here, we went to the same restaurant, the Kermadec Ocean Restaurant although there is an array of other restaurants and cafes at the waterfront. Apparently Kermadec is one of the best seafood restaurant in Auckland and that during America's cup, this restaurant is booked weeks in advance as it offers a spectacular view of the ocean where the match took place. Two things I learnt here

1. The Aucklanders are very passionate about sailing

2. The Kermadec restaurant got to be really good, right?

Below are some picture I took at the Viaduct Quay during my first visit there. I simply couldn't bring my hand out from the pocket at night to press the camera during my 3 other visits because the temperature at night plus the cut-to-your-spine-cold-wind from the ocean has way exceeded the cold limit that I can take.

So, if you're in Auckland, you just got to come here.



Location : Auckland, New Zealand
Next, Asians in Auckland

One cold freezing June in Auckland

One fine day in June, I flew almost 10 hours down south to Auckland in New Zealand. The main reason for the trip is to attend my product launch at the Pharmex conference and tradeshow. Obviously it would have been a waste if I didn’t take the chance to visit the place. The reason why I explained the product launch is because, if I have the choice, I wouldn't be choosing a freezing June to visit New Zealand. But all is well, since air ticket is paid for anyway.

I stayed at the Elliott Street Apartments Hotel. Reasonably priced, superbly located in the middle of CBD area and very quaint, almost English. Surprisingly good for the price we paid.

Isn't this lovely?

After recuperating from the little jet-lag of 4 hours difference plus the all night cramping in the cattle class onboard, I managed to walk around Auckland City Centre.

This is the SkyTower, where crazy people do bungy jumping for some adrenalin rush. This 328 metres tower is the tallest structure in Auckland

Auckland Townhall. This is supposed to be a historic building of some sort but I just simply loves its facade.

One of only seven surviving atmospheric theatres in the world is the Auckland Civic Centre. First opened in 1929, apparently its dome ceiling of stars is really beautiful. Ok, I didn't get to go in.

Below are a few pictures taken at the end of Queen Street. This area is called the Britomart where all the buses and trains stop and where all the cruises docks. If you realised, we posed the same way with our arms folded because it’s freezing cold, less than ten degrees on day time, it’s winter now by the way.

My favourite bank is in Auckland!

QE II Square looking across Britomart Station

The Ferry Building at Quay Street

Another picture of the Ferry Building, because apparently this is a very important building in Auckland.

Location : Auckland, New Zealand

Next, Mecca of Sail

My Dream Home

Wading in the clear blue water
beneath the big orange sky
is where it all begins.

A place I called dream,
A dream to called it home,
Home by the lake edge.

Greens in the room
Fishes in the pond
Laughters on top of it all

I yearn to make it mine
a place to come home by
for a very long time.

I wrote this poem approximately about 2 years ago when I first visited Lake Edge. Today is the 1st anniversary of moving into my dream home.