Townmates in the Land of Kiwi (New Zealand)

by Odulino O. Tomaneng
(as published 4 years ago in MVP)

MARCH 21, 2008 / 0600 HRS

AUCKLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

NEW ZEALAND

M/T LPG Maersk Qatar in Galveston, Texas

Arrived at the Auckland International Airport in the early morning of March 21, going straight to the immigration counter to present my passport for formalities.  The staff are very courteous and nice as usual...after stamping my passport she greeted me, “Happy Easter” and “Welcome to New Zealand”, with a smile and I greeted her back,  “Happy Easter too, nice to be here again, thanks”.

I went directly to the MAF station (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) to declare if I have any plants, food or animal with me.  I declared none but still they put my luggage in the x-ray machine to be sure if my declaration is true, dahil malaki ang multa kung hindi tama ng declaration.

New Zealand has a very strict quarantine rules and regulation.  Siguro sila ang pinakamahigpit sa buong mundo kasama ang Australia.  Dahil ang pangunahin na pruducto nila ay agriculture at forestry kasama na din sa pangingisda kaya mahigpit sila sa mga pumapasok na pagkain, halaman or mga animal para ma-kontrol ang ano mang sakit or peste na sisira sa kanilang pangunahin na kabuhayan.

Our Maersk agent met me in the airport to take me to the hotel dahil kinabukasan pa darating ang barko at may panahon pang makapagpahinga dahil halos 12 hours din ang biyahe via Cathay Pacific.  At noon time ay na-alala ko na ang kumare/classmate ko (Batch 80 in SWI) na si Magdalena Udani-Domingo ay andito sa Auckland.  She just joined her husband who is working as an engineer in New Zealand Telecom with her 3 kids.  The last time i saw her was during the christening of my second child Donica Myrrh 15 years ago, as one of her godmothers, kasama si kumareng Alie Taal who is presently employed in a TV station ABS CBN in Manila.  I called her up at nagkakumustahan.  Hindi nga makapaniwala na nasa Auckland ako kaya nag-set kami ng oras  kinabukasan ng hapon para sunduin ako ng mister niya sa gate ng port.

MARCH 22, 2008/0830 HRS

PERGUSON WHARF,

MAERSK CONTAINER PORT

AUCKLAND, NZ

M/V NELE MAERSK

Satellite ball at the upper deck

Maersk agent came to fetch me up to bring me to the ship.  At 0830 hrs I am already in the gangway at nakikita ko yong mga crew na kumakaway sa akin at nakangiti silang lahat....halos silang lahat ay dati ko ng kasama sa ibang barko ng Maersk.  Ang unang sumalubong sa akin ay si third officer (from Gen. Santos) at nakipagkamayan.  Ang unang tanong niya ay kumusta ang buhay sa Pilipinas?  At tinanong agad kung may dala akong VCD ni Paquiao sa laban nila ni Marquez.  Buti lang at may dala ako at ayon yong mga walang duty ay nagpunta agad sa TV room at pinanood ang laban.

0930 HRS TO 1400 HRS

OFFICIAL TURN OVER OF MY  DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ON BOARD

1900 HRS

With Magdalena Udani and family in Henderson, Auckland

Magdalena’s husband came to fetch me at the gate.  It’s my first time to meet my kumpare from San Fernando, La Union.  I am glad to know that he is an FBI too (full blooded Ilocano ), who used to work in PLDT before he migrated  to New Zealand.  Bale nagsama ako ng dalawang crewmates ko na taga-Bulacan na motorman at Ozamis Oriental na repairman.  It’s a 15 minutes drive to their home which is in the Henderson suburb at malapit din sila sa dagat at natatanaw din nila ang aming barko.  

Dumating kami sa kanilang bahay after 15 minutes at ayon nagkakumustahan ng buhay-buhay lalo tungkol sa ating mahal na bayan sa Magsingal.  She prepared lots of pulutan and a hearty dinner.  Siyempre agua de pataranta para mas masayang ituloy ang istoryahan at kumustahan at hayon pati yong aso ni Sister Edmund na si Shalom noon sa Saint Williams ay na-alala namin at napag-usapan din ang sitwasyon ng ating mahal na bansang Pilipinas lalo sa tungkol doon sa broadband deal scam at mga magagaling nating pulitiko na namumuno sa ating bansa.  Yes I know well that Magda came from a family of musician (uliteg Hutor and ikit nga Sebya so with her sisters Manang Tina, Dely and Belinda) lalo noong high school kami dahil siya ang taga guitara sa simbahan kung misa ng Linggo at marunong din mag-violin, piano, bandoria at mag-lyre sa Drum & Bugle Corps noong fourth year kami sa Citizen Army Training (CAT) namin noon which happend to be na ako ang band officer as a Cadet Captain of the Alpha Company under the command of Cadet Colonel Mario Tomaneng Tongson of the SWI CAT Corps (class 1980).  Kaya noong nakita ko yong piano nila ay kinantiyawan ko na tumogtog siya pero medyo malalim na ang gabi at baka maistorbo daw ang mga kapitbahay at natutulog na ang kanilang mga anak, lalo na ay medyo natamaan na ako ng agua de pataranta ..

Alas dosen iti rabii idi ingkami nagpakada ken nag-dios ti ag-ngina iti nairot ken nabara nga panang-sangaili da kadakami ket naiyebkas ko nga sapay koma ta tarabayen ken ikkan da koma ni apo tayo nga Dios ti ad-adu nga parabor ken naimbag nga salun-at bayat iti inda panagtrabaho ti inaldaw-aldaw iti baro nga lugar nga inda sinangpetan nga pangbirokan da ti naimbag nga gasat ken tariged-ged nga buyugan ti adu nga nam-nama.  Hating gabi na noong ihatid na kami ni Abe sa barko at bago ako bumba sa sasakyan ay inulit ko ang taos pusong pasasalamat sa kanilang mainit na pagtanggap sa amin.....gracie mille.....Abe and Magda sa uulitin na pagbisita ko sa inyo kung makadaan ulit sa magandang siyudad ng Auckland......

MARCH 28, 2008/ 0300 HRS

ARRIVED AT PORT OF NAPIER

Arrived very early in the morning loading 850 containers.

Stop operation at 1200 hrs...sailing at 1400 hrs

The number one product of this area is forestry which they export - lots of logs and wood chips to Japan and Korea.  Their secondary products are meat and dairy.  It’s a small city with lots of tourists.

MARCH 31, 2008  0300 HRS (ANCHORAGE AREA)

ARRIVED AT PORT OF NEW PLYMOUTH

TARANAKI, REGION

FELY UNCIANO UDARBE’S PLACE

The harbor pilot came on board at 0400 hrs to take our ship inside the port, kahit masama ang panahon at malakas ang ulan ay ma-ayos din na naitabi ng piloto ang aming barko sa puerto.  

Wen, adda met kaillian tayo ditoy,si Mr & Mrs Fely Unciano-Udarbe.  She graduated in UP Los Banos in Laguna.  Both of them are working in a dairy company here in Taranaki.  Kasama na nila ang kanilang isang anak at pati nanay ni Fely ay andito na din.  Fely used to work in the Ministry of Agriculture in Magsingal before she migrated to New Zealand.

Most of the sheep and beef products for export come from this area especially dairy products because of the good pastureland around the Taranaki Mountains.  The film of Tom Cruise, The Last Samurai, was shoot in this mountain.  Napakagandang lugar at napakalinis. 

Tinawagan ko si Fely na hindi matuloy ang pagkikita namin dahil aalis na kami at isa pa ay malakas ang ulan at malakas ang hangin lalo pa ay 45 minutes pa ang tatakbuhin ng sasakyan nila bago makarating sa port.  Kaya biniro ko na lang na sa susunod na lang na katayin yong kambing na handa nila total ay babalik pa naman kami.

MARCH 31, 2008 1500 HRS

SECOND CALL PORT OF AUCKLAND, N.Z.

BEFORE SAILING TO SINGAPORE

Sailing back to Auckland to pick up some containers bound for Tanjung Pelepas, Malaysia and some ship’s stores.

APRIL 06,2008

SAILING AT THE TORRES STRAIT

(THE GREAT BARRIER REEF AREA )

Transit Pilot On Board

With A Sunny Weather But Humid....

APRIL 09, 2008

Timor Sea (East Timor ) And Flores Sea (Indonesia)

Barbeque Party On Deck In The Swimming Pool

Napudot Latta Ti Panawen

APRIL 11, 2008

Java Sea

APRIL 13,2008

0500 HRS

Arrived At Singapore/Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas

Maersk International Container Port

End Of Voyage 0807 - M/V Nele Maersk

Thank you sa inyong lahat.