New Zealand: Motueka - The Blogger's birthday celebration

4th of December always a special day.

Because its MY BIRTHDAY! =)

But well, i don't tend to spread out that 4th of dec is my birthday, but people just know, well, facebook =)

The special thing of this year is, i met someone that share a same birthday with me! I only met 3 in my whole life, 2 of the 3 i met in NZ!

One of them is Frankie from Hong Kong, he invited me for dinner a week before our birthday, and i asked him stupid question what is the dinner for? Someone leaving?

And Frankie answered stupidly, he said just dinner.

Till the day before dinner i just realised the next day is our birthday!

Love the simply but cozy birthday dinner from everyone!

Heart the little photo that made by Evita and Yuan Ting, also the wine!

Love you all! You guys has gave me an unforgettable birthday!

Motueka, NZ

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Rach in preparing for travel mood.

New Zealand: Motueka - Cat birthday celebration

Its all about birthday celebration!

Well its not mine, but my ex-travelmate, Cat, birthday in 25th of November.

The first one before her actual birthday. Well we went to Nelson for walky walky and we met Marcus on the street, he invited us to go to his home for BBQ dinner and of course! We say big yes and invite Dino and Alice come over too!

Below video was how 4 of us "shopping" for the dinner in the supermarket, well errr... good kids don't learn what Cat did =P.

Of course we do have photos of the BBQ, but some with Marcus and i havent got a chance to get from him yet, and some from Cat, and those photos are really ugly (I mean myself, not her skill!), i decided not to post anyone of them!

But yea i was suddenly recalled Cat's birthday was just few day away and i asked permission of Marcus if we can celebrate her birthday on the dinner, so there the first surprise birthday celebration for her.

And she still cant believe meeting with Marcus on the street was just a coincident, she told this is my plan!

And the second celebration was in Motueka, where we're staying.

Her actual birthday was a working day, she decided to take a birthday off and i went to work at that day, but of course, i pre-baked her favourite chocolate muffin in the afternoon and ask Kinna to come over and help, make a video and present to her as birthday present.

And don't look for the video, Kinno skill of recording is bad, i'm not goin to post this here!

3rd celebration was from Johanan and Bill, they made Cat a mini birthday party and invite all of us to go over.

They're so lovely and Cat was happy like a bird in the party.

Right after party in Johanan house, we went back to our little cabin and had another birthday dinner.

Well just simply KFC dinner with fantastic movie. Kinna came and join us half way he worked. XD.

(Oh yea, WE skip from work AGAIN that day!)

Well i know its far too late, but happy birthday Cat, thanks for being here for me =)

Motueka, NZ

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Rach in pray for Kinna to come back to nz successfully mood.

New Zealand: Christchurch and Hanmer Spring - Weekend runaway trip

View back the post about Nelson Lakes National Park, i suppose to continue the following blog after Nelson Lakes, because both trip happened in same day.

But i just separate the photos in 2 different albums and confuse me this is happened in 2 different days.

Well anyway. We weren't plan to go to Christchurch at all when we decided to visit Nelson Lakes, just that we found out Christchurch is not as far as we're imagine, and we decided to drove to Christchurch at the same day!

There i came to the city i want to go to the most in NZ, finally, the first time in all 8 months i has been in NZ.

Was lucky because we met some event organizing in front of the famous Cathedral Church, and don't ask me what's the event about, i have no idea, all i know was i saw the traditional Moari Dance in the beginning of the event.

So spiritual, so inspiring!

And right after the dance, i skip the main event, went into Cathedral Church, the place i wanted to visit the most in Christchurch.

Of course the inner of the church is beautiful, but its not as beautiful as i imagine.

After the visited, my conclusion is, i prefer the feeling and the inner design of Nelson church.

Oh well, this church is still beautiful..

And later we walked to Avon river, a surprise for me in Christchurch.

I just love this little river, punting is available, but isn't cheap though.

Walked through the street, we saw nice building, and crack building!

Remember a great earthquake happened in the earlier of September in Christchurch this year? The government still working on the destroy in Christchurch city center.

We stay a night in Christchurch, and went back Motueka in the next day. We pass by a small town called Hanmer Spring, the town famous with the hot pool.

I read from tourist guide, the most beautiful season to come to Hanmer Spring should be in autumn, its stunning when the leave of roll of tree falls, i came in wrong time, but doesn't matter, this is place not the place of must visit in my plan.

So next post, some celebration. =)

Motueka, NZ

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Rach in hungry mood.

New Zealand: NZ holiday working visa holder tax return application

I suppose to post bout Christchurch in this post, but forgive me i have to post this breaking news before my trip.

Oh well, working holiday in nz can earn big money, in fact it is, i earn bout $600 per week, after tax deduction.

Yea you gonna pay tax if you want to earn nz dollar, i forgot how exactly the tax calculate, but every week i pay about $100 tax.

No worry, you can request a tax refund before you left nz.

NZ tax department (IRD) open for tax refund application in April every year, if you want to request a tax return before or after April, you have to fill in 2 form, one is IR50 and IR3.

IR 50 is the extra form for those who want to apply tax refund earlier. If you applying your tax return in April, you can skip the IR 50 form.

So what do you need for your tax return?

1. Form IR 3 (Individual Tax Return Form, can be download from IRD website)

2. Form IR50 (Refund application - people leaving NZ form, can be download from IRD website)

3. Photocopy of your airline ticket that clearly showing your departure date.

4. Attach the final payslip from each job you had in NZ.

The item no. 4 which mean, you have to keep the LAST payslip of each of your job you had in NZ, if you had 3 different jobs in NZ, you should attach 3 final payslips of 3 each of job in the form for tax return processing.

Lastly, if you will close your local bank account in NZ, please provide the correct and clear postal address, IRD will issue cheque and post to your homeland.

Well, if you ask if you can get all this done thru online, yes you may, but you have to call to IRD department and get a DLN number to process the tax return. If you're in nz and has been call to any government department before, trust me you would want to try to call to any of them, you might spend whole holy day in waiting someone picking your call.

IRD departments can be found in big city like AUckland, Nelson, Christchurch. If you got a car, drove to their department and get the form, bring your payslips and photocopy of your flight ticket, spent 5 minute get the form all filled, thrown into the application box, this is much more easy than get this done online.

Hmmm... i think i left out nothing, well if you wanna know more just drop me comment! Will reply as soon as i free.

Little update bout myself, getting ready for my trip to down south island! yuuuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuuuuu!

And this is the reason why i slack out alot in my blog =P.

Motueka, NZ

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Rach in Blogspot new interface is weird!!!!! mood

New Zealand: Nelson - Nelson Lakes National Park

Alright i gotta finish this post within 10 minutes, i got my char siew cooking!

I'm serious, i feel like i'm professional chef or some shit like this in NZ, what i'm curving, i made it! WTF.

Oh yea the char siew today for potluck aka bday celebration later. Whose b'day? *shy shy* Meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee la! Shut happy birthday people!

OKIES i super high today, sorry for annoying.

Alright, campur post. Got invitation from Johanan and Bill, my neighbor to go over for dinner. Very nice old couple staying NZ for 48 years from Netherlands, one of my favor country i have been.

I must say Johanan is good cook, she prepared all Asian food for us and most of the dishes were her first time! Brilliant and i love her so much!

Bill looks serious but actually he is golf ball! Very nice to talk to him and i just so in love with their living style. How good if i can found someone to have this kind of life in the future...

Looks yummy, tastes yummy too!

Johanna and Bill, and us.

Another post, went to Nelson Lakes National Park in the weekend with Julien aka Si Kinna and Cat.

Once i saw the photos of this lakes from nowhere and i so fall in love with this place. Thanks for the great weather and i love every single photos that i took! Except one... scroll down and found out that one.

Beautiful like a painting.

Lakes and sea water in NZ is clear like crystal

The Blogger, sitting everywhere like a hippies nowadays

Jullien is even more hippies, he lay. And Cat kick him hard.

Jullien is still alive.

My travel mates. Cheers

Duckie duckie

Love this.

The lakes view

Found a weird sign in the port, we wonder why.

And we found out in the next second. Hell big ell!

I was like "damn it sooooooo hell geli!"

And the next second, my Xiao P case drop into the water which full of ells!!

This is the photo i dislike the most yet i cant do anything on it.

Farewell Xiao P clothes =(

The hippies, the blogger

And i cant stand to took off my shoes and step into the water

How beautiful

Great to spend a afternoon here

Duckling

And later we drove to the peak for the full view.

This lakes is horribly big

Blogger, in the peak, again.

Next post, Chrischurch! WUUUUUUUUUUHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

Motueka, NZ

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Rach in goin to party later wei! mood