Rotorua-Wellington Family Trip Winter 2014

Hi all!

It's been two weeks since I came back to school for my second term. I've been so stumped up with schoolwork (the struggles of being in fast-track) that I haven't been able to post here for the past two months :(

My family came to visit nearing the beginning of my winter break. They spent two weeks here while I was still in school, and got to spend one out of three weeks of winter break with me. In that one week, we went to Rotorua and Wellington (to extend my passport but was promptly declined because it was too early to do so :P)

Mt Ruapehu! We didn't go skiing there this time due to lack of time :P

 

The Luge ride at Rotorua! Absolutely loved it! As they said, once is NEVER enough. My brother and I got to get on it twice, first time in the beginner's track, and second in the intermediate track (it started raining then!). The second ride, coupled with the rain, was definitely the more exhilarating experience! <3

Going up after the second ride!

Hobbiton! We got really lucky that it didn't rain during our tour. It started raining after we returned to the starting point. We got to know some tricks they used in the movies, and got some drinks at the Green Dragon Inn.

Welcoming the Year of the Horse

To everyone who celebrates, happy Chinese new year! May the Year of the Horse bring joy, good fortune and health to us all :)

Although somewhat losing in terms of celebrants and "grandness" of festivity compared to the solar new year, virtually every Chindo* family celebrates Chinese new year (lunar new year). It's the one event where us Chindos become more "Chinese" and "in touch with our roots". No sarcasm there. I'm all for cultural things. And anything that comes in a red (or any colour within that spectrum, etc) paper packet ;)

My CNY was celebrated in the same way as previous years, with the CNY Eve spent at my grandma's house, and the other day spent spreading kionghi's and receiving hong bao's (or angpao as we call it) at my other grandma's house.

One thing I am always excited about CNY (other than the angpao's) is the food :D

 

Above is the picture of the awesome potluck that is dimensions apart from the Chinese food of Panda Express and the like. Okay so maybe not every single one of the dishes were of Chinese origin, but yeah. Any attempts of dieting during Sincia (the Chindo name of CNY) is bound to fail.