Abel Tasman National Park NZ

January 27, 2025

We kept laughing because we were going to Te Kaiteriteri (to us proounced Kay titititi).  Sounds funny to us but in Maori it means Lake.

We had to be ready at 7:45 to drive from Nelson to Te Kaiteriteri where we'd get the ferry to Anchorage and walk the Te Pukatea (tree) loop.  It was a one and a half hour walk and was really fun.

Ferry to Anchorage

Split Apple Rock

We did the 1Hr 15 min loop

This is the shot used to promote Abel Tasman!

& here I am in it!

We tried to swim but it was too cold

& of course couldn't resist a pose

We kept telling our guide Sonia we wanted to spend more time at Abel Tasman (after all it took almost two hours to get there) and timing there was just the morning (caught a 12:30 ferry back).  She encouraged us to swim after our hike, which we wanted to hang on the beach and relax but the water was too cold.  Tour guides are usually right----timing was perfect.

Along the way we saw a lady selling peaches on the roadside and bought a bag on the way home.  So excited to eat fresh summer peaches since it was winter at home.  Unfortunately, they tasted terrible.  The apples in the supermarket that had been stored for nine + months were better.  We saw a lot of apple orchards.

Next we went to lunch & wine tasting at Heaphy's - known for Pinot Noir Rose.  Also had Montepulciano and Riesling

Venison Kafke very very good!

Last stop Seifried.  Was happy to go there because on night one in Nelson I randomly chose a Gewurztraminer from Seifried's and it became an instant favorite!

Vineyards covered by nets (pronounced neeets by New Zealanders) so birds can't get grapes

I had heard so much about Abel Tasman and even wanted to stay at the inn there but in hindsight just a morning hike/visit was perfect.

Welcome to Picton, Home of Green Shell Mussels

We never meant to stay in Picton but it seemed like a good mid-way point between Nelson and Blenheim (Marlborough).  Oh wait a minute yes, I did plan on staying in Picton for two reasons.  1)  Queen Charlotte Sound 2)  Mussels!  Technically Havelock is the HOME OF GREENSHELL MUSSELS and we stopped there, at Mills Bay for a snack on the way.  One of the best dishes was broiled mussels with a ton of butter and breadcrumbs.  We kept saying we were going to buy mussels in the store and make them as my sister-in-law was carrying around a stick of butter throughout each city.

We arrived at our apartment and couldn't believe our eyes.  We knew there was an upstairs loft & kitchen but we didn't know there'd be a huge (+ I mean huge) balcony overlooking Queen Charlotte Sound.  No need to go out and eat if we could cook in this luxurious apartment but after 30 minutes on the windy balcony we gave up and ate in the kitchen.

We threw our bags down and ran across the street to the Greenshell Mussel boat tour.  God was it beautiful, a 3 hour tour.  We saw how the mussels are harvested ( on ropes vertically) and got to eat some fresh mussels (learned the difference between male and female--females are the paler ones, now I know) + salmon.  Tons of jellyfish in the water but they were harmless (so they say).

View from our Balcony!

Read The Women on this trip & loved it!  Along with the Marlborough Sea salt potato chips

A lesson in mussels along with Framingham Sauv Blanc

Sheeeesh could we be happier?

Jellyfish

It was windy on the deck but of course that's where the best view is.  We met two young ladies, one from Auckland, one from Chicago and I couldn't help but notice all the mosquito bites on the Chicago girl's leg.  Poor girl.  We were also swamped by sand flys in Te Anu & Queenstown so we could empathize with her.

Check out our huge balcony, taken by by brother/S-I-L on the bridge across the way, leading to the hike

We saw a cormorant dive and catch/swallow a fish

Mussel farm harvest

Marlborough Sound is comprised of Queen Charlotte Sound, Pelorus Sound + Kenepuru Sound.  I'd read about the famous walking trail (they call them tracks) in Queen Charlotte Sound which was highly rated on Trip Advisor and "things to do".  I really wanted to bike the Queen Charlotte Sound Track but when I called a bike company they said it was really for advanced bikers.  I was bummed about that and wondered if we should still go to Picton--you still had to take a boat to Queen Charlotte Sound from Picton.  They sent me a bike map for Picton itself and I decided it was worth a two night stay as we planned the kayak tour on day 2 [& you know how that went].  We really enjoyed Picton and it was only a half an hour drive to our next destination Blenheim.

Half-day see kayaking, adventure, Picton New Zealand

My husband refused to kayak with me because he said the last time we went we tried to kill each other.  Friends said a double kayak is called a divorce double because all the spouses do is yell at each other, "you're not paddling deep enough, you're not steering the right way".  I was excited to go kayaking and luckily my brother wanted to go too.  So off we went.  Three kayaks all with two people and a guide, headed out for a fun morning of sea kayaking. It was hard work, and I kept trying to think of rotating your core as the guide said, think of push, pushing not pulling the oars.

Here's our Guide

The kayaks were really good with a skirt to protect your legs from water that sealed you into the boat. It was hard work to paddle, the waters were not calm. As we rounded one corner, a strange, huge gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew us right back into the rocks. One of the experienced young couples capsized, and we all huddled against the rocks for 15 minutes to wait out the wind.

I thought it was so dangerous, not because of drowning and falling into the water, but because the wind could carry us up into the rocks and I had visions of my head being slammed open. Luckily, none of that happened.  I was in front and my brother was in the back.  I was afraid to turn around & look at the others for fear of tipping over but I knew from the wind and salty water hitting my face, running in to my eyes, the wind was still going full force. The young couple held on to both a branch and the other couples' kayak to stay still.  Our canoe was wedged in to the rocks.  After about half an hour, we paddled back to a different destination, because the wind was just too much to get us back to Picton.

There was someone to pick us up, who told us in the 15 years that they have owned this company they have never had a capsize. Sometimes the wind just does funny things. Luckily, it was a young couple who capsized and were able to climb back into the kayak. I don’t think I will be going kayaking again. It is a day I won’t forget. 

Welcome to Melbourne. It’s pouring rain.

Day one January 12, 2025

Free walking tour led by a college student. College students are Melbourne‘s biggest source of revenue. We learned about the different famous sites. There are none, only Findlay’s train station shown below. We waled down HOSIER Lame to see the street art was wonderful!

Then the heavens opened up and it poured like it has never poured before. I was wearing sandals and walking through one foot deep swarms of rain. The guy took us in and out of shopping arcades just to get out of the rain and I felt sorry for people with no umbrellas. Arcades really were part of the tour though with elaborate clocks and statues just like the famous Paris 

The next day we took another free, cultural art walking tour and it was 100% different which I was so happy about.

We walked through AC/DC Lane and the guide said has everyone heard of AC/DC? I rolled my eyeballs of course! Have you seen the famous video? It is it was produced here. OK never saw it, only know a few of their songs. There was a famous bar, the Cherry Bar, threatened to be closed due to excessive noise. They took up a collection to buy soundproof walls and have the names of the contributors plaque here. Look who contributed, bottom left. .

We even saw an artist painting an Australian Open mural  

Wanted very much to eat baby abalone because it is a delicacy in a Chinese banquet and we cannot get it fresh in NYC. Only canned , a friend recommended two Chinese restaurants and we thoroughly enjoyed baby abalone and some fresh fish. We met my cousin Sharon who coincidentally was in Melbourne and her local friends were really helpful  

Wormoot. Ocean caught. Was dense/somewhat chewy

I Love to Pike

My favorite Pilates exercise is the pike.  Over the years I've realized I have countless videos of me piking & I've included two below.  If the below videos don't work, click here Piking on the Stirrup & Here Ta Da... Piking on the Ball

I recently wrote this post for Pure Pilates where I am instructor. Click for full post if you cant view "Read More" below.

Julie's Most Challenging Exercise

Julie's Challenging Exercise The Pike

I absolutely love piking! My first introduction to it was on the TRX and what a thrill it was to lift my body upside down and reach such height. Then I discovered that you can pike on just about any apparatus—whether it’s the reformer, tower, stability ball, and especially the chair. It’s such an exhilarating movement! My ultimate goal is to master the pike on the chair, and eventually progress to doing it on one foot!

Read More

Try Pilates!  You'll love it.

Americans Have Revealed Who They Really Are

 Its November 6, 2024, the day after the US elections.  Americans have revealed who they really are.

• 50% of Americans think its ok to grab women by the p*__y
• many Americans look up to a convicted criminal
• Americans would rather watch a woman die than help her in her time of need in getting medical attention/necessary abortion.................Even though she so desperately desperately wants that baby
• Why is it ok for Chinese children to get beat up or even killed while being called "kung flu" and told to go back to their country.  Even though this is their country

I won't let this get me down.  Americans are resilient.  Parents teach your children its not ok to lie, steal or cheat nor put others down.  No humans are garbage.

I fear for the young children and their future.  I don't want anyone to grab my grandchildren by the p*__y.  I'll keep striving for freedom.

Will You Life to be 90?

 Our generation will likely to be 90+.  Will we be financially stable?  Will we be healthy?  Will we be able to afford medical and nursing care if we become ill?  Most importantly-will we be bored if we don't find something fun and meaningful to do?

Recently I was profiled in ROAR.  A group devoted to re-imagining our second half of life and dispelling the stereotypes of the retired.

https://roarforward.com/re-imagineers-julie-chan/

Feb 23, 2024

Re-Imagineers: Julie Chan

At the age of 60, you made a big career move to Switzerland with your company, GSK Consumer (now Haleon), to be their Global Media Director. What was that like and what advice would you give to people who want to work longer and take a big leap in their company or to another company?

As the song says, Hold on Tight to Your Dreams. I always knew I wanted to travel and work abroad but my gut told me not to do that when my kids were growing up. With kids out of the house, it’s the perfect time to experiment and go for your dreams. My job was eliminated and a Switzerland opportunity came up. Although it may have been a “step down” it was a step up in terms of lifestyle, experience, and happiness. Don’t let titles and egos get in the way of trying something new. Don’t just work for the sake of “working”; you have to love what you do, or don’t do it. I’ve found I had to “zig-zag” in my career to get where I wanted. I’ve made so many life-long friends along the way. 

After a nearly 40-year advertising, and media career, you have signed off, returned to New Jersey, and are about to ROAR into a new career as a Pilates instructor. When did you get your Pilates Teacher Training Certificate? Tell us about this new “rewire.”

I love working with people and all those years of presentations prepared me to teach Pilates both in group classes and in private client 1:1s. I got my Instructor certification in 2018. In 2019, I had a total knee replacement and used Pilates to heal. It helped me so much that I took an additional teacher certification in Pilates for hip and knee replacement as I know many of us are headed for hip and knee replacements. Don’t be fooled; you are never too young to get a knee replacement. It allowed me to jump and run higher and faster than before. I want to spread that knowledge and joy and know there’s a growing demand for hip and knee replacement rehabilitation, so I’m positioning myself in this specialty of Pilates.

You also have a blog to help people travel, and you share the Chinese-American experience and issues. Your goal is to build on that by taking writing classes as well as learning more about the technical side of the blogging world. What’s your aspiration for this evolving life layer and how can people access your blog? 

I started my blog, Modern Chinese-American Woman, in 2008 as a way to keep in touch with my aunt and share my travels with her on the road. Over the years, I chronicled my global travels and found myself easily sharing hotels, restaurants, and activities with friends. As anti-Asian sentiment began to grow, I started to write about my experiences in an effort to educate and fight hatred. Along the way, I share funny New York stories and recent Swiss travels. Here are links to two of my favorite posts:

• Chocolate in my Ears
• The Red Cardinal

Additionally, my passion for historical fiction has inspired me to pursue a course on profiling and biographies. Through this course, I hope to uncover and share my grandmother’s remarkable immigration story to New York. Here’s a glimpse into my latest endeavors.

Figuring out your "next" after retirement -- find out more about Michael Clinton's group ROAR Forward