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Tongariro National Park New Zealand – A Bouquet of Beauty, Thrill and Activity

3/31/2015

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I was completely mesmerized the last evening at the Milford Sound. No wonder, the tourism in this part of Oceania is showing signs of steady increase. Next in our agenda was the Tongariro National Park and we had our cab ready for the travel, which would take around four and a half hours of travel. The park is situated in the Ruapehu District.

Stretching out around 80000 hectares, the park was a gift by Maori Chief Te Heuher Tukino IV in the year 1887. One of the outstanding features of the park is its active volcano mountains called Ruapehu, Ngauruhoe, and Tongariro. Amazingly, the place features the country’s contrasting landscapes and tags the UN’s World Heritage Site status.

 To share my experience, I have never witnessed a beauty of the place that features hot springs, crystal-clear lakes and alpine meadows. It offered scintillating beauty of flora and fauna. Furthermore, one of the active volcanoes, Mount Tongariro emptied recently in 2012.

The park offered a lot of adventurous activities. We were well-prepared with pairs of shoes, water, snacks and camera for a trek. We had booked for the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, which enabled us to traverse along the slopes of mountains. There wasn’t enough time to finish the activity and return, so we stayed at local huts offered by the Department of Conservation.
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Tongariro National Park Blue Lake | Image Resource : newzealandphoto.info
The hiking along the mountains, starting from Mangatepopo valley was exciting with the scenic beauty of volcanoes. The Lake Taupo was quite charming, while the lofty Mt. Taranaki enthralled us. The panoramic views around kept us engaged and made us forget the tiredness. Walking on the lava flows was by and large an experience. During the journey, we kept our eye peeled for the Soda Springs, an oasis for “Yellow butter cups and white fox gloves”.

We had a break for snacks before climbing the steep valley to reach Mangatepopo Saddle and then Mount Taranaki. I hurriedly clicked a few snaps of the scintillating view around. There wasn’t enough time to climb the summit of Mount Tongariro, and we descended to reach the Emerald Lakes, which looked like water-filled craters. Further down, we reached the Blue Lake; close by was the flanks of North Crater, and finally, we reached the forest through Tussock slopes.

We took almost ten hours for trekking. That night we stayed there and engaged in some activities. The visit to Tongariro National Park was worth experiencing.
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Destination of the Week : Jucy Hotel Auckland

3/26/2015

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Jucy Hotel Auckland
Jucy Hotel Auckland : I really thank Jucy Hotel from the core of my heart for making my Auckland trip so successful! Without any doubt, the staff of the hotel cheered me up with their warm and soothing hospitality. Transport service was excellent and the Wi-Fi connection was fast enough to help me complete my work in time. What more I could have asked for!
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Enliven Your Senses with Picturesque Beauty of Milford Sound New Zealand

3/25/2015

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With indelible memories of the Seddon Park, we returned to our room because we had to plan for a long journey the next day. It was raining for some time in the morning. Well, we had to start early as that was the day slated for us to visit Milford Sound, which was located in the southwest region of South Island in New Zealand.

I had done some research the previous day to get to the place and the best way is to reach Queenstown and book your trip there with a travel operator. It was pretty far away traveling for almost one whole day. Visiting some of the popular attractions of New Zealand was not possible on the trot. They were far apart and traveling from one place to another took some time. We were not the same like most of the travelers, who come in for a short trip to the country to mosey around on the places and move out by evening.
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Milford Sound New Zealand | Image Resource : wikimedia.org
Our joy knew no bounds when we reached Milford Sound, which offered a fusion of outstanding nature and amazing visuals at every point. It is fiord, which I had never seen in my life. The cliffs on either side rise vertically. I was told that the Mitre Peak was tall enough to rise to about 1700 meters.

At different climates in the region, Milford Sound offers different views that can make anyone exhilarated. We booked for a boat cruise, departing from the Milford Sound Terminal. The ride was overwhelming with giant mountains in front of you rising straight out of the water. It was a breathtaking view. Moving further we could view the giant waterfalls, which were so spectacular and mesmerizing.
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Waterfalls | Image Resource : wikimedia.org
We spotted a few seals basking in the sun and some dolphins in the sea. The commentary on the cruise helped us to understand more about the place and the native wildlife. I was thrilled all along the journey, soaking in the unbelievable vistas the Milford Sound offered. Admittedly, a holiday trip to New Zealand is never complete without the visit to this spectacular place. With memories and images still fresh in mind, we hesitantly returned promising to visit this place again.
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Photo of the day : Doubtful Sound New Zealand

3/23/2015

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Doubtful Sound New Zealand | Image Resource : walkinginsunlightabroad.wordpress.com
Doubtful Sound New Zealand : Never thought my New Zealand tour would end up so well and unforgettable. Thanks to the untouched and vast backwoods of the Doubtful Sound. The luxuriant rainforest, craggy peak, and secreted inlets took my breath away! For the first time in my life, I came across the view of fur seals and dolphins playing, creating an adorable sight for my eyes.
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India vs. Ireland on 10 March 2015 on Seddon Park – The Best Venue for Any Sport

3/19/2015

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The day at Silverfern Backpackers Hotel was quite peaceful. Being budget-oriented, the facilities were limited. Though Auckland is beautiful all around, we couldn’t feel it unless we were in the open, breezy walkway of the hotel. The telephones at the reception were quite busy and the rooms and dormitories were almost full.

We had a busy schedule ahead and our first visit was to the Seddon Park, where a cricket match between India and Ireland was scheduled for March 10, 2015. The Seddon Park, which is located near Hamilton, is around 125 km away from our stay. We booked a cab with the help of the receptionist, who looked smiling every time, and we were off to the destination.

The journey took us approximately one hour and thirty minutes through the State Highway 1, unfurling the sprawling landscapes of Auckland and Hamilton, which was a visual treat to our eyes. A small stadium of the capacity of 10000 people, the Seddon Park boasts of holding international cricket matches and the latest in the fixture was India vs Ireland match.
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Seddon Park | Image Resource : 3news.co.nz
Known as Trustbank Park, the Seddon Park was established in 1950 in the picturesque surroundings of Hamilton. Its lush ‘village-green’ setting with delineated grassy banks is fitted out for cricket. The ground has excellent batting tracks. Moreover, the Seddon Park is a suitable venue for any sports for its great viewing.
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India vs. Ireland Match | Image Resource : static.ibnlive.in.com
I could visualize a crowd, mostly Indians watching the India vs. Ireland match on March 10th. The embankment, which runs round the perimeter, and the hedgerow lined around to cover the park looked lovely.

The park is used for a variety of sports other than cricket. In 2001, it was used for conducting rugby home matches. We walked around the park and I could find the conveniences here improved after the development work undertaken recently. The pavilion, which was renovated to offer better facilities, looked encouraging. The outfield has a new drainage system installed and players and match officials have dressing rooms with improved facilities.

Though I wanted to be a part of the crowd watching India and Ireland competing with each other, I was helpless for my various commitments at home. With great memories of this beautiful cricket stadium, we left the place for our next destination, Milford Sound, New Zealand.
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Destination of the Week : Sky Tower New Zealand

3/17/2015

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Sky Tower New Zealand | Image Resource : factomir.ru
Sky Tower New Zealand : My spouse and I enjoyed the lift ride up to the tower the most. We saw a man bungee jump whilst we were up there! It seemed like a lot of fun but I was too chicken to even think of doing the same. We went around 6.30 pm and there was no queue for the tickets. It was a very breathtaking view from the top!
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My Journey from Ludhiana to New Zealand - A Journey Worth Remembering

3/14/2015

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I must admit that I feel lonely and distant if I don’t travel and experience new places. By the way, I am Jaspreet again with another exciting post of my recent trip. Being an optometrist is testing and demanding at times; nevertheless, my heart yearns for a break. Of course, I engage myself in yoga and aerobics and sometimes try cooking new dishes; yet I wait with bated breath for the next travel, which my hubby announces.

This time he came out with an international holiday trip, which took me by surprise. We started packing our bags and then booked our tickets - railway tickets and flight tickets - online. My journey from Ludhiana to New Zealand started on a Thursday. We had to travel to New Delhi to catch Cathay Pacific flight scheduled for 22.45 hours the same day. Nonetheless, the Hirakund Express (18508) to Delhi was expected to arrive at the Ludhiana Junction at 2.00 am.

Since it was too early in the morning, we did not sleep much. The train arrived on time and we boarded it to mark the beginning of out yet another trip. Once we got into the train, we got ready to sleep because we had good five and a half hours to reach New Delhi. The seats were quite comfortable and we dozed off until the train reached the Panipat Junction. We reached New Delhi at 8.00 in the morning and caught a cab to check into a hotel near the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
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Panipat Junction | Image Resource : wikimedia.org
After ample hours of easiness at the hotel, we reached the airport quite early to check in. After collecting our boarding pass, we were guided by a pleasant and smiling crew into the flight. Being a budget traveler, I had booked new Economy Class tickets with Cathay Pacific, which was a stop-over flight scheduled at 22.45 hours. We reached Hong Kong at 6.55 hours after almost eight hours of journey.
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Cathay Pacific Flight | Image Resource : cheapflights.com
Hong Kong is a beautiful place and the terminal offered exceptional facilities with world-class lounges. We spent over two and a half hours in the lounge before we were escorted to the Cathay Pacific flight to Auckland.

The Economy Class seats were quite comfortable with a reclining facility of six inches to help you relax and sleep well. The nine inches personal television offered a lot of entertainment. The crew was friendly and helpful all along the journey. We reached Auckland at 12.10 hours the next day.
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Italian Chicken Parmigiana Recipe for a Foodie

3/11/2015

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Apart from being a freak for yoga and aerobics, I am a great foodie too! The combination doesn’t fit together but yes, this is what Jaspreet is like! I love to keep a balance between food and health so that I get to enjoy them equally well.

Ludhiana’s authentic food has touched my core with its delight. The countryside food is also one of my top favorites. Again food from Italy has always attracted me. My wife is always complaining of my different food habits, so I decided to treat her with my handmade Italian Chicken Parmigiana one day. And surprisingly the result was superb and she couldn’t help herself from asking more. Here I pen down my wonder recipe on the special Italian Chicken Parmigiana!
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Italian Chicken Parmigiana | Image Resource : prouditaliancook.com
What You Would Need:-

4 pieces of chicken breasts
2 cups of flour marinated with salt and pepper
2 cups of bread crumbs
1 cup olive oil or vegetable oil
A pound of fresh mozzarella cheese
Tomato puree
4 eggs beaten with salt, pepper and oil
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, chili powder

You can use tomato sauce available readily in the market. In case you want to make your own tomato puree or paste, add crushed tomatoes in the mixer and put red chili, bay leaf, olive oil, finely chopped Spanish onion, Italian parsley, garlic and kosher salt to taste. Grind them well to prepare your own tomato puree at home.

Coming to the main recipe…

Season the chicken breasts with pepper and salt. Make a paste of flour powder with beaten eggs and dredge your chicken slices. Then follow the same procedure by dredging bread crumbs on both sides of the chicken pieces.

Take the help of two large sauté pans and use each of them to cook two pieces of chicken breasts. Cook them until they are golden brown and transfer them to a separate pan to add tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper and parmesan. Once the process is finished, put the chicken slices in the oven and bake it for a few minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the oven and add basil/parsley leaves for an added taste.

Your Italian Chicken Parmigiana is ready to be served!
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Destination of the Week : Gan Beach Maldives

3/8/2015

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Gan Beach Maldives | Image Resource : wandainoman.blogspot.com
Gan Beach Maldives : The next stop on our Maldives list was the beautiful Gan Beach. Visiting the beach of Gan was an amazing experience. If your trip is short (business/official trip) then at least Gan should be in your “Must Visit” list. We had a great time at this Gan Beach.
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Absolute Magic at Thinadhoo, Maldives 

3/5/2015

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Maldives, which is a cluster four cities, is popular as a tourist destination. A few of the cities I had come across are “Male, Seenu Atoll, Naifaru and Thinadhoo. There are also a bunch of other islands with extremely beautiful beaches. Thinadhoo is situated within 78 kilometres from Male. Thinadhoo, Maldives offers everything that a tourist would honest to goodness expect in a dream holiday destination.

But special mention must be made of the picturesque landscape for which Thinadhoo is renowned. Thinadhoo, Maldives can apropos be called an emerald island as it flourishes with greenery and a variety of full-grown trees and the whole zone is free from pollution. Because of the proliferation of trees the atmosphere here is totally salubrious and most places are shady. Travellers who come here will discover Thinadhoo, Maldives a definitive peaceful escape.
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Thinadhoo | Image Resource : wikimedia.org
There are many great options available for accommodation like Oceanic Village. With a group of 10 friends we have spent one week vacation at Oceanic Village and I honestly recommend 100% to everybody in search of tranquillity and a good as gold spirit. The beaches in Thinadhoo are simply perfect for strolling down or lying down to tan under the sun. You can likewise enjoy swimming and snorkelling which are the most popular activities here. Thinadhoo, Maldives is uniquely known for its brilliant marine life.

Maldives has numerous beaches, and most of the beaches are known for its pristine nature, clean sand and fresh air. Thinadhoo is prominent for a few of such beaches. Thinadhoo is also an ideal place for those fond of water adventures like snorkelling, scuba diving, undersea coral watching, water scooters, windsurfing etc. Thinadhoo is a place known for its enchanting atolls and enjoy the many exciting recreational options.
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Scuba Diving | Image Resource : adventure-life.com
Thinadhoo is also known for its abundant fruit and vegetable farms. I indulged myself tasting the some of the mangoes, pineapples etc. Thinadhoo is one heck of a place to get away from normal life and society and just let loose and relax.  I had the chance to travel extensively in many countries; I can say that I have never had this excellent experience before in my life.
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    About Author

    I’m an optometrist from a beautiful place called Ludhiana. I love my job and I’m quite passionate about it. I’m quite a friendly person and I love listening to others and interacting with like minded individuals. When I’m not working, I love to cook, shop, camp, trek etc. I love to read about fashion and its latest trends. I have many interests, hobbies and passions. In this blog, I will be sharing my ideas and experiences to readers. I hope you like it.

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