BEFORE my husband and I starting driving in South Island, New Zealand, we had targeted Invercargill as one of the stops. We were told that one could find the famous local Bluff oysters here. While in a Chinese restaurant, we did see fried oysters on their menu but we were keen to savour the fresh ones directly from the shell, the way we usually do.

We decided to drive a bit south into the town of Bluff itself. We drove around looking for some signboard that would announce the food outlet serving Bluff oysters.

No such luck so we stopped somewhere by the sea to enquire at a café there. Alas, we were informed they were not in season!

Disappointed, we just drove to the lookout for a panoramic view. Then back to Invercargill we went, thinking we had missed tasting the oysters.

But, in less than two weeks, they caught up with us – when the oyster season had just begun! While we were staying in Palmerston North with my sister, we heard that one of her friends had bought some from the supermart.

So we headed there to get some – we paid a pricey NZ$24 for a dozen freshly packed in a box. Yes, they were slightly crunchier and firmer than most of those we had tasted before.

Now, we can say that the “bluffing’”oysters have redeemed themselves!

S.Leong, Ampang, Selangor

• Dr Latifah Saiful kick-starts anti-cancer research
• A celebration of words
• Moschino makes detour to Shanghai
• Jaeger-LeCoultre concentrates on intricacies of fine watch-making
• Fuchsia Lane inspired by The Silk Road
• An Exception-al envoy
• Actor Clive Owen discovers Jaeger-LeCoultre's Jubilee collection
• Root-carving industry still thriving in Sichuan
• Lily Cole: Beauty on a mission
• Clinique offers customised advice