The Tracy Travels

Sunday 2nd July 2006
Weather: Winter - sunny but still bloody cold
Self: Well-rested

Kit and Michelle drove me to Maori bay and we were catching up on the happenings of our family / relatives in K.L. and Ipoh. After some intense calculation, we realised we were aunt and uncle of 18 nephews and nieces. When we’re no longer single in the future, confirm headache during Chinese New Year. Kids just seem to multiply every year during the family reunion.

Maori Bay (also known as Muriwai Beach)was amazing. It has a few lookout points and cliffs and you have to hike your way down to the beach. It is unlike the beaches I have grown accustomed to in my third home, Newcastle (the Australian one) as this was more secluded, untouched, au naturale. Like a total getaway where you half expect a hippie to strip and dive off the cliffs 12 stories down to the waters below.

Standing at the lookout points, you can’t help but be hypnotized by the sea. Sun, sea, and sky were in perfect balance. This little girl squeezed past me to have a better look at the sea below and commented, “Look, Ma! We’re so high up we can see the birds and the sea”. Then a few minutes later, “Ma, we’re so high up, we can almost reach the sky. A little higher and we can then touch God!“

Aww-factor on a scale of 1 to 10 : 11

Looking at the world through the eyes of a child : Priceless

There are also sightings of a certain species of bird - gannets that that make Maori Bay their home.

Sometimes, life’s blessings come in the form of a little girl and reminds us that the best things in life are the simplest things in life, and that it is us who complicate matters and slowly pull the proverbial veil over the eyes and senses.

Piha Beach was equally tranquil and the whole scenery just drew me in. For the first time in my life, I was walking on black sand. Remnants of the volcanic activity back then. So intrigued was I that I kept running my fingers through the sand.

You also see kids running around with magnets - the high amount of metal in the black sand allows it to stick to magnets. Fascinating.

If you walked along the beach, you notice the sunshine brings out the different shades of black / grey / opal … and the sand bloody glitters, like God threw a huge party the same day He created beaches.

So I looked at the beach and thought: 1. confetti, 2. God was a party animal.

Maori Bay and Piha Beach have their respective niche guesthouses which I managed to peek while driving by. Looking up the accommodations online, I would definitely love to explore these places further. Granted, a day trip to these gem spots are such teasers. I'm sold.

Later that night, I spent some quality time with Uncle and Aunty. Mid-conversation, Aunt decided to read my palm (she’s pretty good at it too!). I have always been fascinated by these Chinese traditions; like how on the first day of every Chinese month, we have a fat full moon in the night sky.

Probably I was brought up to believe these ideas (’programmed’ would be too harsh a word and an insult). Whichever way it turned out to be, I am proud of my roots.

She basically commented that I think too much, which I totally agree. Hmmm. I was also told that I have a strong head set firm on my shoulders, do not take advantage of people, and will never allow them to take advantage of me. After some calculation, she was pleased to find out that I will have a good marriage in the future as a loyal and loving wife and mother.

“Just don’t marry early. You still have a lot planned out for you. I’m just happy that you’ll be fine!”

I told her I haven’t been single-r in my life.

“Yeah, your earlier relationship wouldn’t work out anyway. Not the right time.”

Hmm.

Maori Bay, West Coast Auckland, North Island, New Zealand.
For more information: http://www.muriwai.com/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muriwai

Piha Beach, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand
For more information: http://www.pihabeach.co.nz/ & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piha

Saturday, 1st July 2006
Weather: Winter - bloody cold
Self: Tired

Although it can be tiring, I have always harboured a secret love of traveling - the journeys included. That said, my maiden solo adventure started at a ridiculous time of 5.30am.

The freezing 3 degrees darkness slowly gave way to one of th nicest sunrise ever - since I’m no morning person, these kind of Mother Nature specials are a rarity. You know how you get those ‘Wish you were here’ postcards with a scenic shot of the sky and mountains? It’s like that. You get a blend of pinks, blues, and purples in just the right texture, shade, and light. I’m certain Mother Nature is the original Photoshop. Wish you were here.

The whole ride was contemplatively (?) quiet, with me entertaining my own 101 thoughts of how blessed I am, what I want to do with myself in the future, the kind of person I have grown to be. Deep stuff.

I came to a realization that one is not the loneliest number - One is the sign of better things to come. Traveling alone allows me to think on my feet, rely on my instincts, meet new people, and observe my surroundings. Maybe we tend to stick to the comfort zone of the company we are traveling with and would probably fail to catch the passing world around us and say ‘hi’.

Met backpackets, had a nice stranger help chuck my luggage in the overhead compartment in the plane, chatted with an Irish girl (who was also going solo and was reading Harry Potter…love it!) who sat beside me. Regardless, I am always careful of the people I bump into.

Meeting my relatives whom I have not seen for more than a decade was such a rush of emotions for me. Aunt and Uncle definitely looked older but still recognizable. Cousin Kit, thinner, girlfriend in tow.

The first thing they mentioned was how much I looked like Mom and talked like Dad. Had the best home-cooked chinese meal since I left Malaysia. Kit and Michelle drove me around Auckland to see the night life, city lights, the works. Wound down with beer at the Pool hall where the environment is friendly, pool tables well kept.

Ponsonby Pool Hall
106 Ponsonby Road
Auckland
New Zealand

11am - 1am 7 Days
Licensed
Phone +649-360-2356