Back on Track...

Hello all, welcome back to the adventures of ezaghaza. Before we continue, I must apologize for my absence with my writing. I have been rather lax about updating you all on the incredible food I have been eating and experiences I have encountered. Here is a quick catch up on currently past events. 

For my remaining time spent at Pure South Dining, all the cooks were able to collaborate on lunch menu items. From appetizers to desserts, each of us stretcher our creative capabilities. I was lucky enough to work with a partner who was just as excited about this as me. We had some amazing flavor combinations together; and of course some failures. 

The last two weeks of January was jam packed with avid tennis enthusiasts. It turns out that Melbourne is home to the Australian open. Being a sport addict myself, a few fellow cooks and I headed to the matches to watch some of the first matches in the tournament. What a day that was. Watching tennis on tv as opposed to being in the audience is so incredibly different. And yes, you get rather dizzy watching the ball go back and forth. Especially with serves up to 237 km/h. (That's 148 mph!!!)

Now, the last day of the open, my parents landed in Melbourne. We are going to be traveling together until the 18th of February. Up until now, we have trekked through the wild jungle of Daintree, swam with Nemo and friends, celebrated the life of Steve Erwin at the Australia zoo and learned about Aboriginal tribes indigenous to the Queensland region. Such an informative and expansive exploration of the north eastern territories has broadened my appreciation for Australia two fold. 

 

As we round the corner over to New Zealand, we plan our stays at sheep farms, sailing through harbors and drinking at amazing vineyards. The landscape in New Zealand is by far one of the most stunning I have encountered on this adventure. In one direction, you see beautiful fields of grapevines. If you look slightly to the left, a monstrously beautiful valley unfold itself from the mountains. We are in total amazement. 

New Zealand, having a strong history of Maori tribes, never gave in to the European settlers. They fought back and didn't let themselves get killed off. This was absolutely amazing because now, their culture runs rich throughout the modern lands. Children grow up speaking the language and practicing the ancient traditions. With the mixture of modern technology and ancient knowledge, there is a beautiful harmony. Now, it is up to us to learn from them. To have harmony and peace, we need to take the blinders off our eyes. 

Now, I know that was rushed and a bit out of the ordinary for a blog post, but, I would like you all to be caught up with what's happening now. It's important that I continue to share with you what is going on around the world. So now that we are in the now, this won't happen again. So please stay tuned. There is much more to come. Kia Ora!!