Day Trip to Malacca

1 September is a designated Teacher's Day in Singapore and most of the pre-schools are closed. Papa and Mama took leave to be with Gwendolyn and have decided to do something different...instead of wandering around the shopping centres wasting money, we've agreed to make a day trip to Malacca. Not too far away, about 2-3 hours from Singapore, depending on the traffic. Since we are going to Malaysia, we agreed that it is not appropriate to bring Geraldine along, due to the fact that it's a long car ride and the hygiene condition, she is to stay at grandma's place with maid jie jie for the day! We set off by packing our essential items: cold drinks, tidbits, portable DVD, etc etc...

Unfortunately, the weather was not perfect. It was drizzling when we arrived :( Less than perfect, but surprisingly, the town was very quiet, Mama would have thought that some Singaporean parents would have taken leave for some short trips as well. First stop is our lunch stop : Chicken Ball Ball Rice, something special in Malacca! Initially, Papa and Mama wanted to go back to the "original" chicken ball ball rice, which they have tried before. However, there were so many new ones that looks so attractive, we've decided to try one with "choi-san's" face, as a recommended location...but that was the worst mistake, as the food does not live up to standard...

We ordered chicken (misture of white and roasted), 10 pieces of "ball ball rice", beansprouts and asam fish...all were disappointing, except for the condition of the beansprouts~! We swear we've never seen such short and fat beansprout before...that was an interesting one. Other than that, the food was horrible...

At the back of this restaurant, it had a little exhibition on China Qing history (weird...can't understand why this historical display was up in a Malaysian restaurant. anyway), with costume rental for photo taking. However, since this is a weekday and no one was manning the "site", Lyn Lyn just put on the costumes and tool a couple of pictures to pretend to be a Qing dynasty princess! Her modern look betrayed her, as she didn't look as "cute" as wearing her original Hellot Kitty outfit!

After the not-so-impressive meal, we went for some typical sightseeing : the infamous red church, the windmill, the "river", which are places that you must take picture at, to proof that you have really been to Malacca!

Since we don't think Lyn Lyn would understand the special war sites and why Malacca managed to qualify as an UNESCO World Heritage site, We've decided to drop the idea of visiting the "museums", war sites, etc and jumped striaight into the big shopping complex! Lyn Lyn had the most, as she bought a pretty dress, which is half of what we would pay in Singapore, some towel sets, snacks, etc. All Malaysia trips will not be complete, until we've purchased the handy-pack of Lyn Lyn's milk. This time round, Papa and Mama grabbed 10 boxes and that was truly value-for-money!

The shopping was rather short, as we still need to drive back to JB for Bah Kut Teh and return to Singapore, to prepare for work and school the following day! As expected, Lyn Lyn fell asleep on the return trip and almost skipped dinner. Luckily, she managed to wake up and tasted this special Bah Kut Teh that we liked!

It was such a tiring trip, espcially for Papa, as he was the sole driver along the way. But Papa and Mama are very sure that Lyn Lyn had the best Teacher's Day ever!

4D3N @ Club Med Cherating Beach

We didn't really plan for any trips for the Deepavali long weekend (8 Nov was Deepavali and the adults only need to take 9 Nov to make a 4-day holiday), but so happened that Uncle Don was organising a short trip and we joined in. It took us a long time to decide on where to go, as we were quite late in starting the process. After a long discussion, the adults (8 adults and 2 kids) have decided to head to Club Med Cherating Beach in Malaysia. Both Gwendolyn and Summer were excited about the trip and kept asking whether it's Thursday already!

Day 1 Departure from Singapore, Newton Food Centre Carpark @ 0600

As the coach to Cherating Beach leaves at 6am in the morning, Papa and Mama woke up at 04:30 to get ready. Lyn Lyn was still asleep when we setoff to catch the cab. But once we reached Level 1, she remembered that we're going on holiday and quickly woke up and asked about the beach! She was all determined to stay awake until we board the coach!

Still in her pyjamas, but all set to go!

At first, Lyn Lyn was sitting with Papa, whilst Summer was sitting with Auntie Lena. However, after crossing the Second Link into JB, Lyn Lyn and Summer sat together, having snacks and napping as well!

So tired...

Day 1 Arrival at Club Med @ 1300 - Asian Night

Finally, after a 7-hour journey, with 3 stops, we've arrived at Club Med, Cherating Beach! We were greeted by ALL the staff, where we alight from the coach and all the way to the lobby check-in area! Room keys were distributed on the coach and no additional check-in procedure was required. We're given a cold welcome drink and a cold towel, whilst listening to the welcome speeches by the staff! Frankly speaking, we can't really make out of what they're trying to say! Why? As Club Med uses staff from all around the world and their spoken English wasn't so clear at all!

On the way to our rooms

The key cards are kind of "old-fashioned" and we need another "Club Med Credit Card" to charge our expenses to

Once we reached the room, Lyn Lyn asked: how come there are flowers on the bed? How come there are 3 beds? So that we have a bed for each of us? Whilst she was exploring the room...but Papa and Mama, Uncle Don and Auntie Lena were kind of disappointed with the rooms, as they were not fantastic at all, comparing it to Sheraton @ Krabi, where we've just been about 2 months ago!

After checking into the rooms and had our quick lunch (food was also another area that we're disappointed with! We knew that food was all-inclusive, but we thought that it would be free-flow all day with high quality...but it wasn't really that fantastic at all. Anyways, Lyn Lyn still managed to have things to eat and she enjoyed herself a lot!), Auntie Lena went to "deposit" Lyn Lyn and Summer at the Petit Club Med, where it provides full "child-care-like" facilities to provide activities for kids between 2-3 years old, whilst the adults can enjoy themselves!

So what did the adults do whilst the kids were at their own club?

Archery...

Beach Volleyball @ the private beach...

Monkeys are inhabitants of the resort and they're everywhere!

At 5:30pm, we went to pick up the kids, as the Petit Club Med will be closed, before resuming service again at 7:30-9:30pm. But during our stay, we only deposited them until 5:30pm...

Swing outside the Petit Club Med!

We went for a swim in the pool, before washing up and prepare for a busy night, starting with dinner...

Notice Summer? She just removed her clothings and jumped into the pool in her panties!

Before dinner, Lyn Lyn and Summer noticed there were music playing round the stage area and both were not shy and hopped onto the stage and "performed" in front of everyone sitting at the open bar!

After their pre-dinner performance, we went for dinner before returning to the bar area for a juggling session...there are night activities around the bar area every night, with a special theme! Lyn Lyn, seeing the bigger Gor Gor and Jie Jies playing with the jugglers, joined in and requested to play with the "roller"...

A future juggler? Nah...

When the juggling activity was over, it was disco time! Both kids, acted as if they were adults, were braver than the adults and joined in the "train" and danced their night away...standing right in front of the stage, following the performer in every move!

Future disco-go-ers!

Immediately after the disco time was SHOW TIME! Tonight is Asian Night and there was Dragon Dance. Lyn Lyn was seated at the front row in the middle and she was being scared off by the loud drums and was crying away during the show! She kept crying: it's too loud!

After the show, the kids continued to disco the night away...




Whilst the kids were dancing, the adults queued for the free hand massage being offered by the resort! Both Lyn Lyn and Summer had a go as well and surprisingly, Lyn Lyn liked it a lot!

Finally, the kids were tired and we all retreated back to the room for a good night's sleep before starting afresh again the next morning! Good night!

Day 2 Indian Night

For those who remembered about the Krabi trip would know that Lyn Lyn's been the one waking Summer every morning! This time round, it was Summer who kept coming to wake Lyn Lyn, as she woke up earlier than Lyn Lyn. Even when Summer came over and hopped on the bed, Lyn Lyn would say: Summer, don't disturb me! I am so tired! Surprise Surprise! Summer said: Gwendolyn, wake up and let's go to the club! Lyn Lyn would reply: why do we need to go to the club? I am still sleepy!

After some struggling, Lyn Lyn finally woke up and got changed! All of us went for breakfast and see how the 2 kids enjoyed their breakfast by the poolside!

After breakfast, the adults deposited the kids at the Petit Club Med again, before going off for activities again! Today was very hectic, as the adults went for a string of events, including Archery tournament, where Auntie Eunice has won a medal, football, trapeze, rock climbing, etc...where Mama was only able to participate in Archery!

Night entertainment was dancing at the bar area, together with an Indian dance! We noticed that the staff at Club Med are multi-talented, as the coach for rock-climbing was doing a fantastic Indian dance as the lead dancer! The rests are all employees of Club Med! However, the kids were unable to appreciate the dance and Lyn Lyn was rather tired...but she endured until the end. And do you know why she managed to endure? Once we walked out from the theatre performance area, she said: I want to do hand massage! That was what she was looking forward to...she thought there would be hand massage every night. It took Papa and Mama a while to explain to her regarding different activites...and Mama told her that instead of getting the masseuse to do, Mama would do it back in the room!

Day 3 Circus Day

Same thing happened this morning when Summer came over to wake Lyn Lyn up...apparently, Lyn Lyn really tired herself up by playing hard at Club Med...she couldn't wake up again! It took a lot of persuading and dragging before she finally got out of bed...

As the theme for today was Circus Day, there was a fun fair for the kids at the open bar area...the kids were brought there to play basketball, throwing dart, snacks, etc...and guess what? Lyn Lyn and Summer have both won themselves a medal each, stating that it's from the Petit Club Med! How nice!

I want the ball...I want to show my Papa Mama that I can throw!

Yay! I've won a medal!

Magic and clown performance for the kids!

Hand-painting for the kids! Lyn Lyn refused to wash them off, until we've taken a nice picture of them!

The final performance before we leave tomorrow was great! It was really breathtaking, as it was really of a high standard! Once again, performed by their own staff...it was even more impressive when we got to know that the lady performer works at the Shop at Club Med! We joked that none of us were even qualified to be interviewed as their employees!

Watching attentively

Hold your breath! It was really well done!

All of us cheered for the performers before we head off to our rooms for the last night of stay! So tired after 3 days of intensive play, as the adults had another badminton tournament in the afternoon again!

Before Lyn Lyn slept, she asked to take one last picture with her hand paintings before washing them clean off her hands to sleep!

Day 4 Departure @ 1400

Initially, we planned to wake up earlier to maximise the last day before our final departure at 2pm. However, all of us were really too tired for further strenuous activities...we didn't deposit the kids at the Petit Club Med, but brought them to the Trapeze to let them jump like a trampoline (only 4 and above can try this!). We had another dip in the pool before finally clean up for lunch and board the coach to return to Singapore!

The kids enjoyed the trip so much! No doubt it's a good place for family activities! But we were all disappointed with the food and been put off by the long coach journey! The other possible Club Med that we may want to try maybe Hokkaido, where the kids can learn how to ski?! Let's wait and see!

4D3N Trip to Krabi, Thailand

Finally, the much talked about trip is happening...the Krabi trip for Gwendolyn...happened between 8-11 September 2007! Both Lyn Lyn and Summer couldn't wait to go on their first overseas trip together!

Day 1: Depart Singapore

Flight schedule was 18:05 in the evening, departing from the Budget Terminal (coz we're taking Tiger Airways), we met up with Uncle Don, Auntie Lena and Summer at around 16:15 to check-in and have a quick snack before boarding the flight.

Lyn Lyn is all ready to go

Bye Singapore, I'm boarding my flight now

This was the aeroplane that I took to Krabi

Arrival at the Krabi International Airport

After clearing the Thai Immigration, we proceeded to the exit and look for our airport transfer transportation arranged by the hotel...they have prepared 2 separate cars for our 2 families. The journey took around 35 minutes from the airport to the resort. Upon arrival, we're given a welcome drink and a cold towel...

Registering at the hotel, with welcome drinks and cold towel!

So cold...

After checking in, we went to the hotel coffee shop, Mangosteen, to settle our dinner. Since Krabi is one hour behind, by the time we had dinner, it was almost 8:30pm Singapore time!

Mama ordered spaghetti with tomato sauce for Lyn Lyn from the kid's menu - yum!

After dinner, we went back to our respective hotel rooms, which ours was room 134 and Summer's was 133...

Wow...the bed is sooooooo big!

Brushing teeth before going to bed...

Enjoying her milk before going to bed!

Night night...a lot of activities ahead in the next few days!

Day 2: Elephant Ride and Swimming in the Pool

Good morning! All of us woke up bright and fresh and went for breakfast at Mangosteen (again) at 8am and Lyn Lyn asked for porridge as her breakfast!

Uncle Don checked out at the activity desk that there was a "Meet Baby Elephant" session at 8:30am and both kids were excited about it and finished their breakfasts as fast as they could before rushing off to the main lobby to wait for the baby elephant! Initially, both were scared to go near and Summer refused to walk by herself. When Mama told Lyn Lyn that she can try feeding the elephant, she actively approached the hotel staff to ask for bananas and started walking nearer and nearer to the baby elephant, in order to feed it! She loved it so much, she kept "haunting" the hotel staff for more bananas!

After meeting the baby elephant, the adults went to the activity desk to look for activities for the next few days...Mama spotted an Elephant ride trip, which is available few times a day and then another half-day island hopping trip to the nearby islands. We adults concluded that we would head for the elephant riding trip at 10am in the morning and island hopping trip for tomorrow. Both Mamas did the bookings, whilst the Papas took care of the 2 kids.

Getting ready for the elephant ride...

The van for the elephant ride trip arrived at 10am sharp to bring us to the "elephant jungle", which is only 10 minutes away from our resort. When seen the big elephants that we're about to board, both kids started to worry and wonder how are we going to get onto the high backs??? Then later found out that there was actually a platform to do so!

At the beginning when the elephant first started to move, Lyn Lyn was a bit scared, Papa was hugging her tight in order to give her some assurance. However, as we ride along, she started to let her guards down and started making sounds, touching leaves along the way and enjoying herself! Papa Mama said that this elephant ride was much better than the one they had in Phuket, as this was less commercialised and the "elephant man" helped us to take many pictures without extra charge!

After the ride, we were given long beans to feed the elephants and Lyn Lyn kept feeing and feeding until her hands were all dirty! She enjoyed it sooooooooooooooooo much!

Can I have more please? I like to feed...

After the fun elephant ride, we went back to the hotel and prepared the kids for a swim in the pool! Both kids couldn't wait, but jumped into the pool immediately after arriving and both Papas quickly ran in with them!

Since both were so happy in the waters...the adults have decided to have lunch at the poolside and let them have fun and tire them out to prepare them for a nap in the afternoon!

Not forgetting her sunblock under the strong hot sun!

Activities at the pool did the trick and soon, both dozed off for a nap before washing up again for dinner at night!

Photo outside the lobby whilst waiting for our cab to Krabi town (which turned out to be a seriously dead town with only ONE restaurant - FLOATING RESTAURANT)

This was the FLOATING RESTAURANT the we had our dinner...

After dinner, we all went back to sleep to prepare for the early island hopping trip tomorrow morning! Good night!

Day 3: Island Hopping - The Hong Islands

Good morning! We had a good night's sleep and woke up fresh in the morning for breakfast at 7:15am, as the pick-up for the island hopping trip was at 8:15am! We had a big breakfast before setting off to the ferry pier to board the speedboat! The adults have asked for extra towels, so as to keep some for laying on the beach for resting...Lyn Lyn was enthusiastic in helping with the TEN towels that we've requisited and setoff happily for the trip!

The weather was great for the trip...hence we put many layers of sunblock for the kids to protect their delicate skin and Lyn Lyn, showing her vain character, didn't want her skin to become "dark dark", kept rubbing sunblock on her face and body and ensuring that everyone did the same as well!

The speedboat ride was fun and Lyn Lyn was not scared at all!

The speedboat ride wasn't very long before we reach our first destination...somewhere just for us to test water before heading to the Hong Island!

Walking on the sand strip that split the sea into 2 sectors...Lyn Lyn wasn't afrain in the open sea!

After a 10 minute stop at this "test water" place, we headed for the Paradise Island for a bit of snorkelling and feeding of fish before heading for our lunch destination and the actual Hong Island for the next 2 hours! Scarily enough, this was actually a place being hit by the 24 Dec 2004 Tsunami and have a Ranger Station, indicating a Tsunami Escape Route to some highland of 700m high and a memorial for those whose life was lost back then! But it was a beautiful island with lots of fishes!

Since it's lunchtime with very strong sun and we'll be staying her for very long, Mama quickly apply another thick layer of sunblock before allowing Lyn Lyn to submerge into the waters again! She's so brave nowadays that she's confident in the waters as long as she has her armbands on!

One thing that Lyn Lyn loves doing is feeding the fishes! She kept asking for bread and dipped the whole slice of bread into the waters for the fishes to bite, not afraid of the fishes biting her fingers...see how close she was with the fishes!


Lunch was served near to the Ranger Station with proper table and benches and Lyn Lyn ate very quickly, as she wanted to go back into the waters! Whilst Mama finish her lunch, Papa brought Lyn Lyn to pick some seashells as souvenirs (Krabi is really not very commercialised, as it was almost impossible to find souvenir shops!!!)...along the way, Lyn Lyn kept saying: Krabi is so much fun! I'd like to come back again!

Before we depart the island, we noticed that the iguana living on the island has made it's grand entrance from the bushes...Papa brought Lyn Lyn to see and she was afraid...

Did you notice the BIG iguana behind, next to Lyn Lyn's armbands?

It's actually quite long, measuring longer than Lyn Lyn!

Out island hopping trip has come to an end and it was so much fun! The speedboat dropped us at the beach of our hotel and Lyn Lyn fell asleep on the way back...Papa Mama had to wake her up to wash up before laying her down in bed for her afternoon nap...

After a nice long nap, we're ready to head for our dinner just outside of the resort compound! This is the first time that we walk out on foot and be able to take a picture of the entrance of the resort...both kids posing so adorably for the pictures!

We strolled out next door to the "plaza" next door and noticed many massage parlours there, offering very reasonable services. However, both mums were concerned with the hygiene level and dismissed the idea of giving a go...along the way, there were chickens reared by people living around that area and both kids were amazed and started chasing after them!

The "plaza" actually looks very nice, but nothing much was in there!

We settled dinner at the restaurant directly opposite to our hotel and the food offering was amazing! Chicken soup noodles for the kids, with Tom Yam Goong soup (every night), tofu fried with bean sprouts, sweet and sour fish fillet, baked mussels (super tiny in size), green curry fried rice and banana split afterwards! Yum Yum...

We had a satisfying dinner before walking back to our rooms to pack up for our departure tomorrow!

Day 4: Departure

Our 4D3N trip has come to an end, but our flight is only at 19:20 in the evening. We still have some time to hang out in the resort. Initially, the adults thought that they could deposit the kids at Kid's Club, so that both mothers can go for a massage, whilst the fathers can go for sailing. However, as both kids are under the age of 4, parental supervision at the Kid's club us required. Hence, there was a change of plan to have the parents take turns in doing their activities.

Balloon sculpting at the Kid's Club

Dipping in the pool for the last time, whilst the fathers wait for their turn for a sailing trip (unfortunately, there was no wind for the day and they can't proceed with their plan!). In the end, both mothers had their massages at the pavillion quite near to the pool, whilst the fathers took care of the kids and ordered lunch at the poolside again! This final dip in the pool ended our stay at the Sheraton Krabi Beach Resort!

Before we head to the airport, we made a stop at Tesco Lotus, a new shopping centre near to the Krabi International Airport for a walk and buy some dinner, before arriving at the airport. It's proven to be a good move as there was only 1 eating place at the airport, with predominantly spicy food!

After our last Thai dinner at the airport, we boarded our return flight to Singapore...and ended our fun trip!

Bye Krabi...see you next time!