Sep 25: home coming and last trip before leaving NZ

9 months passed too fast, I m back to Malaysia for good.

Take bus and ferry instead of flying directly- From Tasman Bay Backpackers to Picton, interisland ferry from Picton to Wellington, stop overnight at Wellington then the next evening took overnight bus from Wellington to Auckland (2 hours bus, 3.5 hours ferry and 12 hours bus). From Auckland to Kuala Lumpur should take 11 hours, but due to the insufficient of petrol in Auckland it took extra 4 hours in order to stop at Melbourne to get refuel.

Not totally is for cost saving, but more like I was too lazy to make my way to Nelson airport from the city then go to Auckland airport and transfer to city and back airport to fly back.

And there is also a bit of risky if I take the exact same date to fly from Nelson airport to Auckland then back to Malaysia due to the past experiences of flight/ferry got cancelled due to weather or simply no reason.

Yesterday was a bit out of control. I thought to go to KL to visit my friends, so  drive my way up after lunch and had my SIM card changed. The mobile service told me to wait for 2 hours for my line to be activated. So I thought by the time I reached KL my phone shall be ready for GPS. But count too accurate and then not everything is as planned.

No GPS in KL means I can go no where. So found a mall and decided to enter to steal some WIFI before I gone too far. Inform Sue Anne and we decided to meet there.

After that I decided to go home directly as at least I can follow the signboard to go home. Reach home at 12am (NZ time 5am!). Sleep straight without inform my dearest friends. Sorry for making them worry.

Anyway, good to be home to do cleaning for my stuffs as I left a big mess when come to NZ. More cleaning to be done. But just out for lunch and settle for my mobile phone. - they thought to help me to switch to 4G but my previous one already does that. So it was supposed to be 2 min task to cut my SIM card to nano size.

Phew! Settled. Thanks to that one mistakes I been left out to all the previous group chat. Good for moving forward without keep looking at the past? As all my contacts were also missing.

Chose Wellington as the last stop it was not bad at all! Thanks to the good timing for Spring! Tulips festival at the Botanic Garden, Sunday Market, Wellington Underground Market open on Sun during the World of Wearable Art show (WOW) and visited Wellington Museum. Fully utilized my last day in NZ.


1. Wellington Botanic Garden: I recalled before I come NZ for he flower blooming season in NZ. Sometimes the surprise came without planning!

I was able to witness the Lupine in Feb (season from Oct to Dec) without going to Lake Tekapo at Arrowtown when we go for a small walk after the cherry season ends.

And then this one! LED Tulips were quite famous sometime ago in Malaysia but I never go as for me they were not real. Really excited when I saw the brochure introducing the festival before take the interisland ferry!

2. Wellington Underground Market was there to support the local art, thanks to my full luggage I have to stop buying stuff!

There is one cute stall doing all things in a mini size. And one weird Barbie's hand earrings.

3. Wellington Sunday Market: Eat my breakfast there and feel the wind at the waterfront. Thousands of thoughts passed through my mind for the short time frame.

4. Some designs for the WOW that show cast in different areas (WOW entrance, Art Gallery, and Te Papa Museum).

I did not enter to see the show as it needs to pay.

5. The Wellington Museum- what make me feel interesting was there is a few pieces without knowing the true version of history, so they have make people to vote for the versions.

Only one down side for this trip , the overnight bus need to be upgraded to a more comfort seat! I was expecting a flat seat but end up in the common double deck and surprisingly a lot of people taking it so someone was sitting next to me. Big guy, so less space for me. >.<

So, tell Papa that I am coming home! And I am glad the old man ( my car) survived through the period of 9 months, thanks to the student who stay at my sis house! Old man is still handsome and run smooth from my way going from Melaka to KL and return! Need some service and a clean wash though.

July to Sep: Wet Fish Processing, Work Exchange and Farewell

I was quite surprised for my last 3 months in NZ, I thought I will have no idea how to end my working holiday. But it ended up just perfectly occupied, with all the new experiences and good time.

After the kiwi fruit season, it was already 6 months of me in NZ, there is only 3 months left for me to try it here.

I have thoughts of all different ways: working in a restaurant, work exchange accommodation to keep traveling, and even found a job advertisements looking for Chinese speakers for a wine attendant.

I ended up come to Nelson with my other two roommates for the job interview in a fish company. I was lucky though, they need people to do the process monitor, so I got the job quite early compared to the others waiting for weeks or months after the interview.

Things get easier than the first time work as QC in the cherry packhouse, it only takes 1-2 days for the training and then started the daily routines checking all the fish fillets and mince.

But there comes another challenge, after a month working, my other two friends left Nelson for different interests. I decided to stay as I quite like the people at the job, and I have quite a freedom at work. I can walk around, have my own planning on the task given and help around when I feel needed.

Only that I need to find a new accommodation after leaving our lovely home for a month.

It is when there is door closed up, another one will be open for you. I found a backpackers hostel is looking for work exchange worker and the one highly recommended by the others. My friend ask me to contact them right away before everyone else does.

And then I moved into the hostel before my friends leave the city. It was really cool experience, meeting the 3 woofers, Jade, Zane and Claire, before they leave the hostel. And also their 3-month old baby, the handmade CATAN!

And as soon as they leave, new people come and go, Liz, Ricardo, Megumi, Yu Jung, and Ayska.

Another farewell was with my little baby, the car. It was name after Sofiah as agreed by her, so her name is Che Kiah. Bought her in Apr using the money I earned from the Kiwi Berries. I was quite worry I can't get a good price letting her go but yeah, the lucky stars are always around, from getting the visa, got my first job even before I came to NZ, got the kiwi berries job before the kiwi fruit season, got a good handy car that drove me from the north island to south island, met awesome people along the ways, and sold my car just the right timing after I decided to come back again if I am not able to sell it.

After sold my car, I still have to go to work! I thought of to take bicycle to work but my friends advised not to as the weather is still quite cold and we are working till late night. Lucky me, one friend has offer a ride!

Last Fri, I finally told my supervisor that it will be my last day, all them give me a big hug. Erica, Lisa and Siang.

I never really deal with Erica directly except for the overtime or resignation, but appreciate her not getting mad of me keep changing my last day of work and still give me a big hug and appreciate my work. I will miss the fun with Lisa and Siang, both always tease one another while at work, as one have to make sure all the compliance and another one work on the line. The two parties will be always against each other similar to the previous company that I work for, the target on quality and another one on the yield. With my little corner here, I would like to thank them for all the fun and also opportunities given.

Had enough of time working at the factory this time in NZ, I might be only seeing a little part of it, but trust that it will be more handy when I go back to my work in the future.

And here left my last week in NZ before I go back to my home country, at the end of the trip, I decided not to travel much but just continue doing the work exchange at the backpackers hostel and then take the long journey back to north as my common way in Malaysia (Johor -> Melaka -> Kuala Lumpur --> Penang) and now Nelson to Picton to Wellington and lastly take the flight from Auckland.

 

July 7th: Wine Tasting at Blenheim

One of the wish list in NZ was to have chance work in the winery. But no luck.

I applied a few posts, from laboratory technician to a few other post but no reply. Until recently, I found a Mandarin Speaking Wine Attendant job, but still no luck, it needs people from Aug to next year Feb as their peak season to the tourists come during Spring and Summer.

So, I end up come to Nelson after the kiwi fruit season, as the Hoki Fish season will be just fit my working visa well. The journey to Nelson was a bit of obstacles: our flight got cancelled in Apr, our ferry also got reschedule due to the weather. It make me really feels that I should not come.

But we finally made it, took the ferry at midnight and managed to attend the interview a Sealord, and got offer a job as a Quality Controller.

Huei suggested that we should visit Blenheim for the wine tasting tour before we start working, else we will not have any time to visit during the weekdays. So we made it, the Fri before we started working, after I done my work exchange.

There is a wine trail map that you can grab one at the I-sites and get the relevant information.

We went to only four places for the wine tasting, and my face has turned red after the second one. So we went to stop for lunch for the famous pies.

Lawson Dry Hill -> Wither Hills -> The Burleigh (Pies) ->Villa Maria -> Framingham -> Chocolate Factory

 

Each one we try about four types of wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grit, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

 

At there, learn a bit about NZ wine and history, and some science about wine: higher alcohol, less sweetness; higher acidity, drier and strong after taste.

I didn't buy any of them during the tour but now I have one bottle of Villa Maria's Sauvignon Blanc at home as it felts warmer after drinking, especially the weather is too cold this few days.

 

Forget to take photo for the Lawson, the wine is really drier compared to the latter one we tired.

 

2nd Stop: Wither Hill, the only one that we paid $5 for the wine tasting session

 

The Burleigh:

 

 

Villa Maria: At Villa Maria, they introduce us a dessert wine, sweetness is 20 times than the normal wine and the alcohol content is slightly lower, called the Noble Riesling.

 

Framingham:

At night, we met up with Echo for dinner before depart back to Nelson. And from talking to the wine attendant at Villa Maria, I realised the reason why I don't get any response from the job application.

One common question asked during the application:
Do you drink? If you answer NO, means they will not look further at your application. XD

 

 

 

Traveling In the North Island: Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Auckland

I am not the type of person who really plan for a trip, I came here without really plan on where to go. So basically, I travel either due to there is work, or to vist a friend of mine, or there is someone else plan and I join in.

I spend 4 months in the north island for the kiwi fruits, staying at the Bay of Plenty. I did not buy a car yet until end of March. So, my life was taking my sweet time watcing Youtubes and get sme chance to learn cooking simple dishes.

It was my new housemate, Huei and Nisha bring me to Mt. Manganui and Papamoa Beach, nd some places around here.

Mt Manganui

 

Papamoa Beach

Maketu Beach for pipi

 

 

 

 

McLarren Falls

I haven't really visited Auckland but went there 3 times between these month:

1. While waiting for the work to start, I travel to Auckland to meet up with Daniela and stay at her place. She is my ex colleague from Chile. She has been a good host and bring me around.

I stopped by at Rotorua and walk in the city, thought to visit the museum but it was closed due to the earthquake last year.

I thought it shall be a longer holiday so I have booked my trip to Wellington, but I have cancelled the plan after visit Daniela after receive some calls for interview back at Te Puke.

2. Then, after I finished the kiwi berries and wait for kiwi fruits, Debera has come back to her home. I took bus to visit her in Auckland. It was a few days of raining day so I just wet and visit my lovely buddy at her house. Meet her parents, ate the famous pies, and not forget to play Catan at her house. Finally see her with her piano and also drum set.

Lastly, finally the weather got better, she brought me to jogging, There is when you realized your stamina all gone. XD

3. Our flight to Nelson for interview was cancelled, so we end up went for a day trip in Auckland and visited the One Tree Hill.

 

Apr to Jun 2017 Kiwi Fruit

I have been a bit lazy to open up this blog and update.

I have to admit that I migh have fall into the tricks that other people might also fall into when come to NZ for working holiday, whether we came here for a holiday or for working. Most of us we cannot really have the opportuniy of working our profession due to the visa restriction. This make me feels really lucky to get the Quality Control job in the cherry packhouse when I first come in.

After that I come back to north island to try catch the opportunity to work for the QC for kiwi fruit main season. It was out of my expectations though, I have tried walk in to the kiwi fruit pack house and trying to ge the job but the QC job so call needed a PR status and also two yrs of working experience.

Suddenly, my educational background and working experience all become invisible and I have to fight to get a space like others. Fair and not fair, there are of course some other people I met here have a higher qualification than me and also doing similar job. We are all become the "cheap labour" getting the minimum wages.

I never thought kiwi fruits were actually native from China. The green kiwi fruit was from China if you check from the Wikipedia. Then there are some research in NZ to produce golden kiwi fruit which is sweeter, I would need more time to dig the information about the gold kiwi though, whether it is a native plant or how is it being transform. I do hope it is not another story like the corn.

Mar 2017 Kiwi Berries Grading

Mar, I have got my second job as a grader in a pack house and coolstores, named Seeka.

I have been travel from the south island, come back to north island, here in Te Puke, I get to know a few new fruits only when I am in New Zealand: Kiwi Berries, Feijoa and Horned Melon.

Let's talk about Kiwi Berries.

I was lucky to get the job before Kiwi fruit main season thanks to this fruit.

I have faith with it, when I first hear it was at the bus stop at Cromwell, a Malaysian girl told me about her friend in Te Puke, talked about kiwi berries season will be starting soon. Then, when I came to here, my housemates mentioned it again and we asked about the job availability when we submitted form for Seeka.

There was a fierce Kiwi on the desk, but soon after introduced, she has become very helpful and nice to us. Due to day shift have been filled up, we accepted the offer to work night shift. There goes my healthy habits of sleeping before 12 am since 2013.

Not much people know about kiwi berries, I thought it was a new species of kiwi developed in this kiwi land. But Wikipedia results show that it is native to Japan, Korea, Northern China and Russia.
Source: http://www.5aday.co.nz/facts-and-tips/fruit-vegetable-info/kiwiberries.aspx

Well, it maybe similar to kiwi fruits, which the seeds were brought from Northern China. Source: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/kiwifruit/page-2

in short and brief description on its appearance: it look like berries, but inside look like kiwi. You can eat it like a berry, with the skin.

it is quite an expensive fruit to me, picture above is about a box of it, price at NZD$3.99.

It was a short season, starting at early Mar and last about a month.

The process of packing kiwi berries is similar to the cherry pack house that I have work before, but cherry pack house I worked before is using more machine sorting and grading:

1. Fresh fruits will be kept in the cool room upon arrival at the pack house
2. Washing with clear water to remove the soil and dusts
3. Sorting according to size of the fruits: here we have got XL and normal size
4. Grading by human: surface blemishes will be taken out to the local line, if there is too much blemishes, or if any sooty mould/ soft fruit/ miss-shaped, then it will be into the dustbin
5. Weighing to enter a container: it was about 140 g per box which is ~ 10 fruits
6. Packing and Labelling before entering a box

My job as a grader is pretty simple and boring, what make it fun, is the people that I met in the pack house,
Nishi and Jessie, my current and ex housemates, that we will be playing phones together during smoko.
Bella, a local Māori who stands next to me when doing grading, sharing a lot to me, as a Māori, as a mother and as a citizen, she travel almost 2 hours to work on a daily basis during the main season.
Naomi, our line manager for the kiwi berries night shift.
Audrey, a Malaysian, NZ PR that came to NZ about 15- 20 years.
Chloe and Felix, Malaysian WHers, who drives Nisha and myself to work.
Anita, Puva and etc local Māori that are mostly nice and friendly.

They make me decided to stay in this pack house for the main season and working night shift. But only left me alone as the others decided to go for morning shifts.

Well, let the story continues with one people working later.