NZ FunTAsea 2010

My April 2010 - 20 days vacation in NZ is full of FUN, THRILL and ADVENTURE in the sea. The best trip so far since 2000. Able to meet two former classmates after 39 years and the feeling of getting together again in a strange land is really wonderful.

My university lecturer friend Si Eng likes to fish. He owns 3 kayaks. To me, the kayak is just too flimsy to go out in the sea, Further more I am too old to paddle.

So we look for bigger toys ...........rubber dinghies powered by outboard engines.

During the week ends, I spend some fun time with my grand daughter Baby Tifa at Auckland Sunday Market.

Visiting authentic cuisines outlets together with old buddies after the fishing trips almost become a daily routine .

And then what a day to remember !

24 April 2010 Auckland : On this very day, I pulled out 5 snappers from the sea. 4 under size and one went into my wok.The 1st time ever I caught a fish with legal size in NZ waters.

When the day is done, take a leisure stroll around the Mission Bay, Auckland's millionaire suburb

Now I believe that the worst day fishing is better than the best day at work !

KIA ORA - AUCKLAND NZ

Arrived in Auckland on the 13 April for a 20 days vacation. Family reunion, fishing, meeting old friends and sights seeing are my main agenda in NZ.

People always ask what is the most effective way to create and sustain great relationships with others? It's The 100/0 Principle: You take full responsibility (the 100) for the relationship, expecting nothing (the 0) in return. Implementing The 100/0 Principle is not natural for most of us. It takes real commitment to the relationship and a good dose of self-discipline to think, act and give 100 percent.

Without a doubt, the 403 reunion of 1971 classmates at Sibu have somehow created a sort of synergistically theraputic effect which.spices up our lives where the relationships are too important to react automatically or judgmentally. The NZ FunTAsea reunion demonstrates how determination of what one can do to make the relationship work.

To James and me, we admire the sincerity and hospitality of our senior mentor Si Eng here in Auckland. He has invested a huge sum of money to make sure that his old classmates enjoy their stay in NZ. We really thank him for the so many first hand kiwi encounters during these few days. The programme code named FUNTAsea – FUNS, THRILLS & ADVENTURES ON THE SEA pushed us to the climax. We were shouting with joys.because of the kind of feeling, sensation, satisfaction and achievements that we have never experienced before.

We went out to the sea twice. Boating and fishing at different localities, 120 km and 50 km away from Si Eng’s residence respectively during the two days. The first trip is more experimental and trial orientated, being new to everything including Si Eng. It took us almost an hour to assemble the dinghy. The outboard engine did not cooperate well with us cos we choked it with too much petrol. Eventually we were out on the sea. The snappers really gave a warm welcome to Hua Kiong and made friends with him. He has to let go so many under sized catches. However, two of them eventually ended up in my wok. I had no luck but busy putting on new baits. Si Eng supervised us with respect and gave expertise demonstration from time to time.

We moved out to the sea in the dark the next morning. Sitting at the bow, James was wondering why all in a sudden he was in this part of the world, cruising in a flimsy but stable dinghy. He began to realize how difficult for Si Eng to paddle his kayak across these stretches of waters during his fishing trip. Anyway, it was my day. I caught 5 snappers but only one with legal size 29 cm (min 27 cm ). Again James had the biggest catch measuring 34 cm. It seemed that the snappersare trying to avoid Si Eng, knowing very well he is not a good playmate

As hungry Sinners, James insisted that we went for oysters. Si Eng was too holy to join us. The package was foreigners. The course is so nice and the tastes were beyond description.