Wanaka Lavender Farm (New Zealand)

I always had a soft spot for lavender. Not lavender oil or lavender essence, just lavender in its original state. It never fails to bring a sense of peace and calm and I enjoy looking at beautiful lavender fields. The last time I visited a lavender field was in Furano, Hokkaido. This time, it is in Wanaka, New Zealand. Next stop will hopefully be Provence, France.  While we were walking around the lavender fields, my mum asked, "Why...

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Hotel Michael

Described as an "art lover's dream come true", we went to Hotel Michael a couple of months back for a staycation.  1) Room  When checking in, we specifically told the lady at the reception that we wanted a non-smoking room. The moment we exited the lift, we could smell smoke and the smell intensified as we walked into the room. It was not a light whiff of smoke but as though someone had spent a couple of hours smoking in the room....

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Snake Bite Brewery (New Zealand)

Due to a fire a couple of months ago, the original 88 Asian Fusion was closed for a while. They have now reopened as Snake Bite. Snake Bite offers both Western and Asian fare on their menu so there's no need to worry that someone in the party does not eat a particular type of cuisine. It was a cold day and I craved for some warm noodles. I ordered the Duck Noodle Soup ($18). The duck was tender and the portion was generous. The soup...

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Fergburger (New Zealand)

I would have kicked myself in the foot if I went to Queenstown and did not get myself a burger from Fergburger. It's like stepping into Singapore and not getting yourself a plate of nasi lemak or chicken rice- it's a culinary crime. No matter what time of the day it is, the queues outside are long and at dinner time, it took us a good 45 minutes before we managed to take away our food. There are limited seats and I wouldn't count on waiting...

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