The Best Chip Shop in NZ - Oppie's

Another leisure shopping day in this city (Rotorua). Still, not gonna show you how does this city looks like because I myself haven’t start to explore it well. But, allowed me to introduce you the so-called famous-popular-tasty-healthiest Fish n Chips of this City – Oppie’s.

Oppie’s ( 川粤美食 ) is a very-chinese-style restaurant that served western-fusion-food which ran by a Chinese family. Please don’t ask me the history behind in details because I have no intention to know but just to try their food. However, Micheal Huang, the owner of Oppie’s, had this struck in his head back on 1990s, where he decided to open a restaurant that sell fish n chips which everybody likes it. And since then with so much trials and efforts, Oppie’s won so many The Best Awards that you can actually have a look from their gallery wall.

Isn't it fantastic?

 2011 – The Chip Group – Best Chip Shop in New Zealand 

goes to Oppie's!

Oppssss and I snapped the whole menu for you.

We ordered Mix Seafood Platter and Fish Snack Box.

Oppie’s offered Takeaway services, but wait. Waiting for 30 minutes in fine-dine restaurant would not be a problem but 30 minutes in fast food restaurant is torturing, especially when we’re so starving.

Anyway, you can visit their gallery while waiting like me, snap here and there XD

Finally, It’s served! Wow!

Maybe I’m too hungry-already, I think this is quite simple but nice? Okay, at least the chips are big n fat n crunchy n tasty.

Personally I don’t like fish n chips, at all. My first trial on fish n chips was so painful that my mouth was full with fishy smell and I had to give it away to the little stray kittens outside my house. But this fish Hoki was just – nice. I couldn’t give much words on this fish Hoki because I think McDonald’s Fish n Chips burger served the same taste as this…it’s just nothing special but big n fat n juicy n hot n not fishy n CHEAP with the price of only $20.80 for 3 persons (Okay, I know this is a little bit pricey when I can get 2kgs Royal Gala Apple with only $2.99) 

Anyway, we're so blurp after this meal. CARBS & CARBS & CARBS.

You'll never know, finding something cheap and tasty to eat at here is like playing treasure hunting.

It’s luxurious for a damn broke person like me but hey, once in a blue moon okay?

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After-Job-Review as Cheap Farmer

It's 22nd day since I've been in New Zealand and by the time i write this post, I am at Rotorua, a city which is famous for its natural hotspring and breathtaking scenery.

Before I start talking about how beautiful is this city, let's have a quick review about my cheap farmer life.

Basically it was really fun, I have a bunch of funny housemate who also as cheap as me (LMAO) but please don't mind that I posted your precious photo at here.

Hey you, it's P&C and you know it.

Although it's just a very short time memory but I do enjoy the time spending with you guys....I miss you already :'( and I feel like I won't be able to see you guys in the rest of my life which makes me LAGI SAD :'(((((

Ellie, Jerick, Mika, Tatsuya, please do keep in touch ya ^^

Nah just to show you-hor, even when we're cheap farmer we still have our style one ~

And the life of cheap farmer is pretty simple, wake up, prepare for breakfast, start work, lunch time, finish work, take bath, prepare dinner, online, chitchat, sleep.

As you can see, despite cutting the Zucchini, we actually spent a lot of time preparing meals.
Yea, the only entertainment available at here.

(Erghhh I don't know why this stupid uploader just couldn't make my photo in a upright position.)
Anyway, I think I really got talented XD
Bell popo can cook! and You Know What?
My philosophy is "You can cook, as long as it's cooked"

Hey don't judge okay? It's nice to see and nice to eat also ( Analysis from the testimonials I've got )

My current trials are Mozzarella Pizza, Devil's Choc, Fried Rice with XYZ veges, mashed potatoes, Cheesy Broccoli,...(to be added on soon).

Oh ya, this is a job review isn't it?
Let me show you a sneak peek of something.

This is what I get after 12 days of working at Zucchini Farm. Bruises everywhere. And I seriously suspected that I've got some weird disease or something.

This is too much isn't it?!
You probably asking me why and what the hell was happening and now I can tell you.
Each of us get these bruises and please don't be surprised when I said so.

We ran with a bucket with us to put in the Zucchini and when it's too heavy loaded with Zucchini and the bucket knock on our leg, this is what happened next.

Anyway, the job is tough as I said before, but it was fun. Real fun especially you have funny "colleagues" with you.

Please, my "colleagues" are actually very pretty and handsome when we're not farmer okay?
(I said "we", which including me XD Hao Lian Dao!!!!! BEH TAHAN!!)

 Oh Gosh I'm Sorry for my other new friends that I don't have your non-farmer-photos!
(We gonna meet soon in Motueka right so....hehe)

But still, the money cannot support our luxurious life lar so we choose to ciao XD

Officially . <- FULLSTOP of my life as cheap farmer (but still is cheap labor)

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Have you seen Galaxy before?

Something happened in the farm and there’s a decision to made, whether to stay or to leave. It’s glad to hear that when we’re actually decided to leave (if possible) course we really can’t save much, okay, can’t earn at all with this job. There’re not much Zucchini in this season. Well, part of me wish to stay but another bigger part of me wish to leave; it’s unknown circumstances out there, again, and I’m quite fed up already (LOL why am I repeating the same thing again and again? Job seeking no matter at Malaysia or NZ, pity me)

Anyway, can’t tell what my next job is until everything settled down. So one week past, and I’m here to share you one amazing photo. One really amazing that I bet we can’t see this in our whole life (if we stuck in Malaysia for the whole life I mean, okay I’m mean now).

Here comes the one, the starry night of my place, it’s just Levin.

Can’t see clearly? Click on that picture for large view.

Can you see that?!

It’s awesome isn’t it? I called it Galaxy. Can you find some constellations in this photo? 

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Tough Job I would Say

You’ll never feel the ground with your shoes on.

Teachers, parents, the senior one always tell us, “Don’t waste a single rice on your plate, as the farmers working so hard to get it harvested.”

Now I know this was so true.

Nah, see my cheap farmer look.

Urgh I'm so exhausted.

First day of working as a cheap labor a.k.a cheap farmer brings me to hell. From 8am – 4pm (overtime sometimes if we can’t finished the lanes) what we doing are pretty simples: bend down, find a mature Zucchini which must be in a perfect shape (or else it won’t brings me money but I’ll be called to front and get some questions), stand up, walk one step further, bend down, find a mature Zucchini which must be in a perfect shape, stand up, walk one step further….repeatedly until all the lanes are finished. It’s like we are pumping from 8am onwards until the minute we stop working.

Hohohoho, this reminds me of my old time, where my mum used to punish me when I’ve did something wrong. Yea, the best way is pumping.

“100 times pumping and counted it out loud!”

“1…2…3…4…5…100, MUM FINISHED!”

“REDO! I did’t see!”

“WHAT?!!!!!!......1…2…3…4…5…MUM LOOK AT ME I’M DOING! 6…7…8…9…100 MUM FINISHED!”

“If you repeat the same mistakes again you know what you deserved.”

“Yes mum…”

And if you think the steps above already tough enough, then you’re wrong.

I’m wrong.

Second day of working makes it better, (practice makes perfect I guess?) I barely feel my feet, my waist, my back, my everything but we are doing fine, probably perhaps we’re numb? Anyway, second day we are doing good so I make a conclusion that days gonna be better and better and Imma gonna be faster and faster…

But I was wrong again.

Third day of working not just brings me to hell but the hell of the hell.

We’ve been asked to go to a new farm to cut the very young Zucchini (you know we gotta cut a few times of young Zucchini in order to let it grow in a better shape. Guess Zucchini is trying to “practice” to grow in a good shape too) while taking good care of it by cutting the grass (no grass allowed).

So this small breed, with even smaller leaves and shorter stems and lower in height, makes us bend down even further to get it cutted. Call yourself lucky if your lane has no grass.

Can you imagine we have to get this done within 2 days? Yes and we did it.

We spent 2 hours to clear one lane.

And wtf the last few lanes was really a mess. Grass grown high even covered the plant and I have no idea but to squad down to get the grass out of its way. Try and squad yourself in home for 10 minutes and see what happened. Legs are numbed, feeling dizzy, can’t get yourself standing straight? And we’ve spent 4 hours doing this!! 4 hours of not being able to stand up but just SQUAD DOWN!! I ended up crawling on ground and I couldn’t stand to bend down anyway and I couldn't stand to squad.

Thank god it’s finished. All of us are crying. And tomorrow gonna be a long day to repeat this until this is done.

Thanks for reading.

Good Luck.

P/S: Sorry-lar, not a professional writer so please bare with me with the grammar mistakes or whatever words that makes you wonder, I'm trying my best already-lar ~~

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Working at Levin

Ain’t gonna be a where-to-play post, but this entry is about my job at Levin, still a sharing huh?

Basically we are hired by a company named Kapiti Green Ltd to harvest the mature vege, Zucchini.
I’m totally unsure about what is a Zucchini (Was it a Japanese food or something?) until I saw it…
No! Should I say until I tasted it?

First of all, let me show you, what is a farm.

See? Say me a kampong girl, but this is actually my first time seeing such a HUGE vegetable farm.
And this is just a SMALL corner of the farm
If you count this as 10 rows, I bet you, there're 100 of them in total.

My granny used to have a small corner to grow some organic vegetables for homey used, but it’s not a thing to compare with this hahahaha

Next question, what is Zucchini?

[Photo from Google Image]

It’s a small cucumber-shaped vegetable marrow; typically dark green, whose fruit are eaten when small.

Gosh you know how much I hate and love Zucchini now?

The picture you see above is a new farm where my beloved Zucchini whose suppose to bring me money is still a small breed. When it’s fully grown, well, not much different with the pictures below.

Just the leaves are bigger, the stems getting stronger, and the Zucchini grows longer and fatter.

And to my surprise, this vege was really a …. Weirdo course it can grows SOOOOO BIG within one day.

[Photo from Google Image]


It’s like today you see a small baby cucumber, tomorrow you’ll see a huge, really HUGE melon. And this huge melon is useless so we normally just cut and throw it away.

And I was telling my boss, “If you don’t mind, I can take this HUGE MELON go back home and make dong gua long ngan (Melon Longan)” But of course, it’s not a melon but Zucchini @@

Okay, here’s a stop.

See you again. More farmer life is to be expected.

Good Luck.

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Life at Levin

It's true. There's no free lunch in this world.
People says: The more you get, the more you gotta pay to get it.

Think in this way, you go and interview, the boss tell you: Your monthly salary will be RM10,000.
You think it's so easy to get that RM10,000?
Then you're wrong.

Same case goes here.
After we got the job, it's so suspicious as I told you, too good to be true.

Nah, let's talk about the toilsome part later.
Share you some pics of my current living place.

It's a small town call Levin.

And I'm staying in Tatum Park, the owner rent it to the Company (Kapiti Green) that I worked for people like us.
(Cheap Labor? LOL)

Oh please don't judge. This is the Reception Area of Tatum Park. I'm not staying inside okay XD

Instead, I'm staying at the block beside the park. There's a large garden-without-flowers-but-grass in between us but it's fine. Green environment I'd say.

The corner of my Living Hall. It's comfy looking right? I know XD

Sneak peek inside my room. 

Nah the bed in right cover with Blue blanket and hide all my stuffs under my bed hope nobody can see the messiness -- is mine :)

Wanna know what I actually see from the window of my place?

Okay, share you another sneak peek of another side of my window.

You know what? There's actually a huge garden beside our house!
It's like a little maze inside there :)

Last but not least, the signboard of this lovely place.

That's all for today, share my job to you next time.
Thanks for reading.

Good Luck.

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Walking around Christchurch

What are we doing in the second day?

Still, staying in Christchurch, it’s time to kick a start.

So we decided to go to the South City Mall, where the only IRD branch in Christchurch was located. 

Frankly speaking, it’s quite enjoyable when you walked on the street in such a cooling weather, but it’s not fun, not at all, when it’s windy, and all you have is only a cotton jacket.

After the IRD, it’s time to open a bank account. 

Not sure what are the differences between banks at NZ, but we chose ASB simply because it’s hard to find a bank after the massive damage of the City Centre, and ASB is the first bank we met. 

(Of course, we listed some banks like Kiwibank, BNZ but gave up all when we saw ASB, finally, in one of the container of Re:START. And it said “Temporary Bank of ASB”, HURRAY!)

Yay, everything’s done! Let’s have a look around the city.

The Re:START city.

It’s a temporary city after the earthquake. Like what you see from my previous post, the heart of Christchurch is a mess. Life goes on. Re:START means a lot to the Kiwis, hopes and revive, it’s like a button to click start for the whole rebuilding project.

Unique huh? Containers as shops.

Bridge of Remembrance

Every city has its own story. This bridge is to commemorate those who sacrificed during WW1.

Sergeant Henry James Nicholas VC MM

Sergeant Nicholas was awarded the Victoria Cross after leading an assault on a German strongpoint at Polderhock, Belgium on 3 December 1917 during World War 1.

He was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field in a separate action in 1918.

Sergeant Nicholas was killed in action 19 days before Armistice Day on a bridge at Beaudignies Village, near Le Quesney, France. He is buried in the Vertigurul Churchyard, Romeries, France.

Urgh, another photo to show how melancholy the city was after the incident.

See the collapsed roof of this tower?

I guess every major city has this…directional signboard?

Here’s the one in Christchurch, oh yay, don’t overlook the Casino behind, where we really did pay a visit without trying any single game inside. It’s small, really small, with only 4 games available: Baccarat, Blackjack, Roulette, and Slotting machines. BORING

Christchurch Art Gallery

Canterbury Museum

“Lo These Are Parts of HIS Ways But How Little A Portion Is Heard of HIM”

How much you inspired from this quote?

Armstrong Lawn of Christchurch Botanic Gardens

See how colorful the flowers are?

Making calls in this Garden, try our luck to get a job in our second arrival day. 

Guess what? Thanks to Facebook we actually get one. But wait, it’s suspicious I have to say, it’s too good to be true. It sounds pathetic that I don’t really believe in luck but I always have a good one, God I Love you, whoever you are.

We actually heading to the Central Library Peterborough but it closed at 6pm.

Argh, it’s 6:20 pm now :’(

And we really wish to settle things down since we got a job at Levin, a small town located in the South part of North Island. Things like flight tickets and bus transfers really getting my head cracks but thanks to my dear team mates, they are really good in making deals. 

Okay I contributed nothing but I support without making any objection. This is seriously the best I could do ß says to my dear team mates, TQVM J

(I have to say, I hate objections and too much suggestions sometimes when I don’t asked for it. Too many choices bring chaos and it never comes to a perfect solution. Says I’m dictated whatever.)

Guess what? We ended up stealing the internet line outside the library. 

It is freezing cold as I always said and we couldn’t felt our feet and hands. 

And I noticed that it’s really bad when you couldn’t touch your touch-screen-mobile with gloves on. 

When we settled, it’s 8pm. 

Let’s call it a day.

Bell popo's Handy Tips:

1 – The only IRD Branch in Christchurch located at South City Mall. And there’s a library inside where you can have free Wi-Fi. Library is always the best place to get free access to internet.

2 – There are banks in Re:START city. Consider it if you wish to get an account of ASB or KiwiBanks. Not sure the others but you can try.

3 – There’s an I-Site counter in the Christchurch Botanic Garden, besides Canterbury Museum.

Good Luck.

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I found you!! CREME!!

LMAO i never know there's magazine named after me! Eventhough it's just part of my blog address but it's cool enough to see this while I'm wandering around the Central Library .

Especially with the cute One Direction on its cover! Have you heard their latest hit?

'What Makes You Beautiful'

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4

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纽西兰 - 基督城 - Day 1

29/2/2012

终于到了这天，等待了一整年的计划终于实现。

纽西兰打工度假，有着太多的憧憬，太多的顾虑，太多的计划…

却保持一种心态-既来之，则安之

直到飞机起飞的这天，我仍然没有太多的想法。

没他啦，计划永远比不上变化不是吗？

况且随行的两位朋友，一位超有主见，一位随遇而安，这样的组合，没什么是解决不了的 J

在程搭巴士前往机场的当儿，巴士突然冒烟。

你知道，想象力超丰富的 Bell 婆婆立即想到 Final Destination 的情景，恐慌啊！

原来行李摆放处的灯泡烧着了，巴士司机随手往旁边的草丛一丢，巴士继续行驶 @@

(其实个人觉得很危险咯又没有公德心！)

好不容易提心吊胆来到机场，闷闷地上网晃时间，就到了2230 pm, 是时候 check in 了

好不容易又到了登机时间，好不容易飞机开始起飞，好不容易在飞机上过了超级难熬的10小时，终于在纽西兰时间下午2时到达啦！

1/3/2012

天啊！

你看这蓝边，才深深觉得大马的光害多严重啊！

渐渐的看到雪白的海岸线，一望无际的山川，顶端似乎还是白茫茫一片的“雪山”，远处还有褐色的山丘。

心里是兴奋莫名。

不怕你笑酱紫套句话，Bell 婆婆这么大个人没见过这等情景啊！还和友人说，哇！这世人在飞机上度过的时间都不比这次漫长。天啊！我差一点点就到南极了！实在难以相信～

一下机，不得了！这是夏天啊？这是夏天吧？

怎么温度只有区区的…..15度？呢？冷风兮兮，衣着单薄如我人者不太能经得起风的考验啊！

拿了行李，一路上笑脸迎人（人说伸手不到笑脸人）过关斩将～

终于过关了！这里的人超好哦！有礼貌到！

一出境边看见传说中背包客的救星 – I-site, 过去问了两问大约知道个什么东东后，想说到申请BBH Membership Card so待会 check in 能享有会员优惠价，谁知，机场没有 BBH Counter L

随即出闸准备搭 shuttle van 到预定的 BBH – Foley Towers。

转个身，遇到个马来西亚人来问“咦，你们也是 working holiday 哦？我一个人，能 join你们吗？”

就这样我们这组暂时又多了一位大佬～为何说暂时？因为大佬第二天便回马来西亚了～

大佬！你说一个月后回来的！放长双眼看你会回来不～

好啦，终于到达目的的咯～哇！怎么人家的 BBH 都比家里干净漂亮 =.= 用 $45申请了 Membership Card 后就能入房间咯！有美到咯！有舒服到咯！Receptionist 有帅到咯！

基于心急又赶时间的原因，我们也不敢怠慢，一直烦着Receptionist 帅哥问个不停，又大约知道方向后就出去走走逛逛买日常用品了。

一路上经过地震区，现变成废墟。

说真的，地震后，基督城便犹如死城…寂寂无人的街道显得更加冷清

像是把一整年的路都走光后，终于到了超市，随口问问后就买了张电话卡，超精打细算的买了最便宜的食材与日常用品后，又随路走了回去。

别看天空晴朗，其实已是晚上八时，本来就冷清的街道刮起了风，还下起毛毛雨！

第一天，      宽待自己，经过Subway就来个晚餐吧！

这才知道，英文虽是国际语言，每个国家的音却大不同啊！

这一天，漫长疲惫却满足。

洗了个热水澡，上床回温兼充电，真的，太冷了。

Bell 婆婆温馨提示

1.   

1.   1.  未出发前，请再三准备好至少两份 Passport, Driving License (English), Working Holiday Visa –> Original & Photocopy 各一份。还有，请携带你在大马的银行卡/ Credit Card…任何有你名字在上面的“有力量的卡”。在这里大马身份证变得很没价值。

2.    2. 虽说要show proof 你至少需拥有 NZD 2250 才能过关。但除非你样衰或执行人员心血来潮，否则应该没多大问题。 However, 有能力的话还是准备一下比较好。 Bell 婆婆带现金 NZD 1000 与 Bank draft NZD 1250。随即便能 bank in 进你在 NZ 的户口。

3.   3.       在纽西兰， 2 Degree / Vodaphone 是两家比较有信誉的电讯公司。2 Degree 收费较便宜， Vodaphone 在郊区线路较广。在这里别想拿 data plan 除非你超有钱，这是奢侈。而且你会想念大马随时都在线上的感觉，因为这里 wifi 不是免费。

4.   4.       地震后，市中心重新规划。拿到地图时请工作人员为你画上 Red Zone， 行走时便不会走冤枉路了。

 Good Luck !

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