There wasn’t much to do within Auckland City itself, so I decided to return to my sister’s place in Hamilton after two days of dilly-dallying around.
I matamata you then you know!
It’s a scenic 1.5 hour drive from Auckland down to Hamilton. I have to say again, it’s such a joy driving around in New Zealand. The roads are smooth and there are no traffic jams. When I’m driving, I feel like I’m in one of those TV car ads.
I don’t know how the Kiwis do it, but everything in New Zealand just seems to look so much better compared to what we have back home. Even their graveyards look better than ours.
See? Got eerie fog some more.
Hamilton is supposedly New Zealand’s 4th largest city, but I reckon it’s still really kinda small. There isn’t a single high-rise building and the city centre is just one simple street through. Even Kuching itself is much bigger than Hamilton.
The little city itself doesn’t have much in terms of tourist attractions. Then again, what it lacks in quantity, it certainly makes up for in quality.
The only interesting place we visited there was Hamilton Garden, which is the location where I took the photo in the Microsoft-Windows-NZ-desktop-turned-racist-Malaysian-political-discussion entry.
It would’ve been a pretty ordinary trip for me if it weren’t for my sister’s two kids who went with us that day.
My sister’s kids are three-year-old Jayden…
And two-year-old Kirsten…
Those two angels are truly the life of the party.
The main attraction of the Hamilton Gardens is the six gardens designed and landscaped to reflect the different cultures of the world. Our first stop was the Japanese Garden of Contemplation.
Those angmohs did a pretty good job creating a garden with Japanese influences, right down to this huge ass stone lamp on the path.
I pointed the lamp out to Jayden and asked, “what is this?”.
He took one look at it and proudly declared “THAT IS A MUSHROOM HOUSE!”
“No Jayden, it’s a lamp.”
“IT’S A MUSHROOM HOUSE!”
A short walk away is the Chinese Scholar’s Garden.
This is the coolest garden ever. Walking along the Chinese garden, I can’t help but to act like I’m one of those typical master you see in ancient Chinese movies.
Like I’m supposed to sit on a bench, recite a poem, laugh heartily, then stroke my imaginary beard while staring wisely into the distance.
We took a short break at the American Modernist Garden. This garden pales in comparison with the other. It just looks like someone’s backyard with a swimming pool and a potrait of Marilyn Monroe.
By this time, Kirsten’s hair was beginning to get messy. She’s now looking like some Tarzan girl who just came out from the wild jungles.
I still love her though.
Kirsten doesn’t smile a lot, but when she does she has a smile that makes my heart melt. Like when she sees a furry puppy.
Or when she gets to play with water.
Her elder brother Jayden smiles too, but he’s a lot cheekier when he does that.
At the Indian Char Bagh Garden.
The most impressive garden by far at the Hamilton Gardens is the Italian Renaissance Garden.
There’s this scary-looking water outlet at the garden.
Jayden wasn’t quite sure what to make of it.
Kirsten is just happy there’s water to play with.
Kirsten Corleone. Heh.
I like this photo of Kirsten looking like a serial killer.
Anyway, this entry is only meant to be a photo album of sorts instead of one filled with lame one-liners. So I shall end this entry with my favourite photo of my favourite baby girl.
There’s no reason why she shouldn’t be the cover girl of my desktop wallpaper! 😉
Last Friday evening, I met up with a blog reader of mine. Sue is amother of three originally from Kuching, now living in the US. She was diagnosed with breast cancer a while back, but the brave lady went through chemotherapy and thank God she survived.
Sue said something to me that touched my heart. She told me how depressed she was during the treatment process, but reading this website helped her get through that difficult period of time.
I never knew my blog has this kind of effect on people.
Lovely shots :D.
On your short talk >>> Now you realized the ‘power’ of your voice. Get more health-conscious messages going, hehe…
awww.. i went there and it was so beautiful! your niece is so adorable!
Such a nice one;)
awwwww. shoooo cuteeeeeeeeeee!
It won’t be long before some disgusting old man copies that picture of your niece and saves it on his desktop. With all the buzz about paedophiles nowadays, I guess you gotta be a bit more cautious about placing 10 pictures of your sister’s little kids on your blog.
You may be endangering their safety.
Just a thought… And now because of the unbiased nature of online blogs, some commentator(s) below me will start disagreeing with everything I’ve just said.
Nice~ you have nice niece and nephew =D
yo kenny, cute kid. any intentions to have your OWN baby girl?
start early, then you won’t be too old when she’s growing up 🙂
absolutely beautiful pictures =D
especially the renaissance one; amazingly sharp detail.
Awwww….Kenny! I think you are the cute one here! Capturing so many photos of the children in their most adorable moments!
nice once kenny
cute pics esp of kirsten!!
keep up the good job!
=)
Comments on Short Talk. It did lah, your blog do give such effect to other people. It did to me.. when i was low, I’ll read your farni stuff.. and it will cheer me up. Some people just dont like it when you make fun of something/someone, but heck, exit button is just a click away, no?
You have the talents, why waste it? Keep it up (the jokes/the musing and all the ‘craps’).. It makes someone’s day, somewhere, somehow..
Hmm… that Italian garden scene looks hauntingly familiar… from Hitman, perhaps? Heh…
Wah~
I gotta visit that place.
the last photo was PRETTY! absoulutely love that photo. everything blends well inside. ur niece is really photogenic for a kid. the photo reminds me of the wu xia movies~ heheks
Very cute! 😉
the last pic was my favourite. it had a really good.. i dunno.. kind of reminded me of those little angmoh kids prancing about the gardens available on gettyimages. but your pic is WAY nicer man. =)
Kirsten is GORGEOUS & Jayden is adorable!!!
someone’s maternal instinct is kicking in 😉
the second last picture kinda reminds me of…. Child’s Play
Looks like she’s quite photogenic, as seen from the previous post about her 😀
the last pic is really nice.
Kirsten looks like you! Especially the photo that she was standing beside the white flowers. Your sister and you are looks alike?
OMG the children are SO ADORABLE!!
Kirsten so sooo cuteee~!!!
she’s so lovely!
Hahaha! You shouldn’t have “kill” your nephew’s imaginative brain by insisting it’s a lamp and not a “Mushroom House”.
So cute lah your nephew and niece.
Your niece does look a lot like you!
i love the MUSHROOM HOUSE !!!
and the two children are cute !
Can I eat her?
ooohhh. sooo adorable! feel like pinching their cheeks (= and btw, i love their names. hehe.
🙂 I met Sue on Saturday afternoon for lunch. She did mention to me about you and helpede her set up her internet connection and you are the only non-food blog she read. She’s kinda surprised that I had never met you in person LOL… Had a great time with her.
hey kenny, you really are a wonder, you know. A wonder with the power to lift spirits even from the most horrible-shmorrible days.
🙂
No, there is no such word as horrible-shmorrible.
Get a life people!
awww. super cute la wei!
SHUT the fuck up GEORGE LING. go suck your ass.
we love kenny and his little rascals!
Your niece is so so cute. I want to pinch her cheeks!
People keep saying they want to pinch yr Little Kirsten’s cheeks. I pity her. Next time she’ll end up having swollen cheeks for being too cute. O.O i didn’t know being cute have its own consequences. LOL!
I for one, prefer to hug her instead. hehehe! She’s adorable.
Your blog does do that to everyone. When i’m down, i just search for the ‘funny’ post u wrote. Never fails to make me laugh all over again. 🙂 TQ!
Hey, Quick kenny! Get married and have a ‘Kirsten’ of your own.
Kenny, I just luv this blog. Got gardens, got plants, got flowers. My favourite.
kirsten has gon on your side of thefamily – she looks a bit like you! very sweet to see the ‘uncle kenny’ side!
Both your nephew and niece is very cute wei!!!
wow, thus pictures are really nice
i wonder what camera is kenny using?
yah…im really impressed of yr blog..very interesting..in evrything..topic,picture,description or each piece of photo..n some of yr sense of humour..n also you r really knowledgeable person..yeah..will..chk out yr blog..again..n again..aha…k tkns
btw..im karen here..(^.
Wow, the last photo of her is definitely THE WALLPAPER OF THE YEAR.
This entry is so sweet.
It made me go awww… damn kenny. Dont make me fall any harder for you. Haha.
I do hope you realize how much your blog entries mean to ppl except to some fags who can’t stop complaining. Like what you said, if you stay in kuching you’re somebody and always have something to write about since you have alot of things to do and places to visit. But if you’re to move back to perth, just like what you said you will earn more money but can’t be that flexible.
oh wth…money comes first isn’t it
SYL, you sound like an SYL I know!
so cute, so pretty!
You’re neice is so cute!
You know, most people would just post the cutest* picture of their nieces immediately.
You, on the other hand, posted the picture of that lil girl munching off a banana with messy hair, and posing like a serial killer.
But then you finish the blog post off with her gracefully examining a flower, with beautiful pink flowers in the background.
Talk about maximizing cuteness*. 😀
You hassle our accent and make fun of our cities then you talk the place up so tell me what do you realy think of my country?
awww….they’re so cute…i like the last pic and one of you with her on ur shoulders…remember the feeling…it’s like being ontop of the world…
awww! Kenny Sia, unker.
u are making me falling in love with New Zealand!!!
hi, really pretty photographs! ;D btw, which camera did you use to capture those beautiful moments? was it the sony t10?
Hey Kenny!
Just wanted to drop by to let you know that I like what you do with ur blog! =) I first visited ur blog about a year and a half ago, and have been checking your blog for updates every 2 days or so ever since.
I’ve been getting a lot of bad luck in the 1 year or so.. but every time when I’m feeling down, your entries always manage to cheer me up. =) I would hv told u earlier but didn’t want u to feel pressured to write funny articles all the time. Lol Just write whatever you want to. Take care n keep blogging!
Kirsten and Jayden are simple gorgeous and guess the Sia family genes must be the dominant ones. Those are terrific shots, capturing the kids in their most innocent and happy times. Really liked the one with Kirsten eating banana with messy hair. She can look back after many many years and thank her Uncle Kenny for taking that shot!
Thanks Kenny for sharing those lovely photos of your precious gems!
i saw a potential beauty queen!
no, not you.
i meant your niece.
but you’ll be a nice candidate too.
😀
Kirsten and Jayden are simple gorgeous and guess the Sia family genes must be the dominant ones. Those are terrific shots, capturing the kids in their most innocent and happy times. Really liked the one with Kirsten eating banana with messy hair. She can look back after many many years and thank her Uncle Kenny for taking that shot!
Thanks Kenny for sharing those lovely photos of your precious gems!
The images are so sharp. Your photography skill improved oredi haha…. The last pic is taken by dslr?
your entry made my day kenny. your niece and nephew are really cute!!
Hey great pictures , Kenny. Lucky you for having siblings in NZ. And about lifting spirits with your blog, it’s true man, so don’t deny it 🙂 Maybe I can share my China pics wit u…
Hello Kenny Sia
You seem like such a nice person on your blog. I really enjoy reading your entries because you are always so positive and mature-sounding in your comments.
NZ looks like a really beautiful country.
Your niece reminds me of my own daughter.
Angeline
the pic of ur niece in which you think she looks like a serial killer, did u mean chucky or chucky’s bride? cos the shape looks that way to me
kenny, when u gonna marry? its fun to have children, maybe..
Nice post, hope you have better luck with your new camera. Keep up the nice post
You are soooooooo sweet!
You know what? I think your niece looks like you..
Comments on your short talk.
Reading helps relieve stress and alleviate worries. Your blog is genuine, interesting and yet entertaining. Great eye for photos too.
Little act that makes a difference !
just me
May Leng
http://doink-justme.blogspot.com/
they are so cute … but not you kenny 🙂 sweat post 🙂 like the last picture too
nice nice…
i like the way u compliment kuching no matter where u go. kuching is certainly the best town on earth.
and i love you as much as i love kuching.
amen.
hahahahaha.
Your niece is so adorable 🙂 The pinkness of the last picture makes it the sweetest picture.
Write on, Kenny.
Paternal instinct kicking in Kenny?
great job on the photos tho!
Very cute. You had all the fun bungee jumping and didn’t even take them along.
Hey, did you find any hobbits there? I swear to god, some of the pics up there I saw ’em in Lord of the Rings.
I totally agree with Hamil, whenever I was down, your blog will never fail to cheer me up! Way to go, Kenny!!!
Oh.. so sweet! I like the last picture the best! =)
what camera are u using? a sony T10 ? the pictures are well taken!
Great closing photo!
kris is so pretty lar!!! So cutee!! pink!
Kristen =) very cute.
Honestly, even the photos alone are good enough to make me melt =D wonder how it is like to actually meet her.
Kirsten is so cute! Post more pictures of her please..
SWEETTTTTT….
Mi reali luv ur fotos… berly well taken ^_^
Kristen so cute~ pinky babe.. especially the last pic. She’s so adorable. =)
WOW NICE PIC U GOT ON THE LAST ONE.THOSE MAGENTA/PINK COLOR R SO NICE
Kirsten looks like you!!!!!!
so cuteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
kirsten and u look alike la….
The picture of Kirsten posing with the white flowers is so angelic! Extremely adorable. But the last picture is a full burst of colours. Love it
i loveee the serial killer picture! LOL. and kirsten is so photogenic 🙂
i loveee the serial killer picture! LOL. and kirsten is so photogenic 🙂
that garden with the house somehow reminds me back of old days playing Counter Strike mansion map
Wah. u pilih kasih ur niece ahh.. tak baik tau. =P
or atleast, janganlah bagitau ya? =P
kirsten looks like chucky in the serial killer picture! haha but she’s damn cute (:
and their names are so beautiful!
Haha she looks so cute…. oh no my horny little brother becomes agitated.
Haha great photos and can u get more horny pics to be my wallpapers. 😛
Hey Kenny, I stumbled upon your blog a week ago, and saw this post, and I was like…. wait, I LIVE here! I’ve been living in Hamilton, NZ for 12 years now, and grew up watching this garden being slowly built/modified. But Rose Gardens and Hamilton Garden are def very pretty indeed 🙂
Kids are best when they’re not yours, especially sister’s. =)
Haha. Cool. I’ve been in Hamilton since 2005. Should’ve dropped by. HEY! Bring some Msian food next time please…PLEASE…
ADORABLE! *ARK*