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!

Soccer Game

Recently, Gwendolyn has taken special interests in football (she calls it soccer as this is what is being referred to by Dora - American)! She has been looking for opportunities to buy a soccer ball, so that she can have a soccer game! Finally, whilst we were shopping for her concert red t-shirt, she found a mini soccer set and asked Papa to buy for her! She was all game in playing soccer at the corridor!

Let's kick the ball towards the cones

I can even wiggle sideways!

Trying with my left foot too!

Jibbitz Decorations on Crocs

Gwendolyn has a pair of fake Crocs. Initially, Papa Mama refused to buy her a pair, as neither of them liked it. However, when she start to see everyone around her having a pair, except herself, she became very upset. Hence, Papa Mama bought a pair from the neighbourhood store for that. Subsequently, Papa Mama noticed that apart from the danger from wearing it when taking the escalators, it's actually very convenient for her to wear to school. So recently, Papa Mama are looking into buying a real pair for her and what's more, there will be a pair of Dora design coming this December! So before the actual ones arrive, Mama bought the Dora and Boots studs for her to be attached to the current pair for the time-being. When Lyn Lyn saw the studs, she was so excited! Unfortunately, after having the studs for less than a week, she's already dropped her Dora...sigh...So now, the only thing that we're all waiting for is the pair of Dora Crocs to arrive in December!

Dora Crocs - http://shop.crocs.com/pc-628-4-kids-cayman-dora-the-explorer.aspx?reqid=628&reqProdTypeId=41p&subsectionname=footwear&section=products

Labrador Park

Not sure why Gwendolyn has been asking to go to the beach, but the weather hasn't been good, so Papa Mama have been discouraging her from thinking of going to the beach in Singapore, and informed her that she's actually going to the beach with Summer in a few days' time! To supplement this request, Papa Mama have decided to bring her to the Labrador Park instead (not that Papa Mama know of anything fun there, but at least, it's a park that she hasn't been to before!)

Surprisingly, it was quite fun! At first, we parked at Car Park A, which was nearer to the Olivetree Restaurant. What more interesting was that Papa Mama have actually wanted to bring Lyn Lyn to play her scooter, but to find that there was a "no scooter" sign at the park! In the end, Papa has to carry her scooter all the way, walking from one side of the park to the other side of the park!

No Scooter!

As everyone knows that Lyn Lyn always equate herself as Dora, wherever she goes, she's very excited when she sees a map! Yes, Dora always asks the map for direction when she doesn't know which way to go!

We are here!

Once we reached the other side of the park, there was no longer any "no scooter" sign and Mama helped Lyn Lyn to put on her helmet to take a ride on her scooter!

Not a season player yet, but acted as if she is!

Nothing was more attractive than to see a huge playground!

Playground, here I come!

This was such a huge playground that Lyn Lyn felt excited about every bit of it. Whilst Papa helped Lyn Lyn with the climbing, Mama went back to Car Park A to drive the car back to Car Park B, a nearer car park! No doubt Lyn Lyn was born in the year of the monkey. Look at the way she climbs! She IS the monkey!

Lyn Lyn played for an easy hour and still didn't want to go! Kids are really full of energy. She finished a bottle of green tea and used the bottle to make her own maracus with the sand at the playground!

I dig, I dig, I dig dig dig!

WaRaKu

Recently, we're in love with dining at the WaRaKu Japanese Restaurant! Not sure whether it's coincidental or it really suits our tastes, we've been going to either the Japanese Restaurant or the recently discovered Pasta de WaRaKu at Marina Square!

Saturday was a shopping day: first, we went to Takashimaya to look for Gwendolyn's Year End Concert costumes: a red t-shirt and a pair of white pants. Why red? As her class will be performing the Rainbow song and she's representing the red colour! After that, we went for the Sanria Fair at Level B1 and Lyn Lyn and Mama bought a lot of Hello Kitty and My Melody pyjamas! After that, we head down to Marina Square to continue with the costume hunt, as it is not easy to find a plain red round-neck t-shirt with no pattern! Finally, Papa and Mama found one at John Little. Mission accomplished and we were all very tired! Why? Lyn Lyn didn't have her afternoon nap. So we quickly looked for the pasta restaurant that Mama discovered few weeks ago to find a table - so happened that this is one of the WaRaKu restaurants! We ordered 1 spaghetti each and an additional portion of grilled chicken! All three of us were so hungry that we ate everything up in no time!

Lyn Lyn ordered the Neapolitan (sausage with tomato sauce), Mama ordered Salmon and Spinach and Papa ordered Pork Bacon, Asparagus and Potato!

It's dessert time: the desserts were so attractive that even Papa doesn't normally ask for desserts have requested to order the Tiramisu Parfait! Yum Yum! Lyn Lyn got a special ice-cream for herself as well, whilst Papa and Mama gulped down the yummy parfait!

Lyn Lyn requested to take a picture of each with the dessert!

More on Waraku: http://www.waraku.com.sg/

Meeting with Uncle Peter

Papa Mama's friend, Uncle Peter, came back to Singapore for a home visit from UK and we went for lunch together! Mama brought Gwendolyn to look for a table and eventually settled at Imperial Treasure Teo Chew Restaurant! Lyn Lyn asked for a table for 4 and left her name at the counter. When Papa arrived, he was about to say in the name of "Paul...", then the lady at the counter asked: Is it Gwendolyn? Papa was shocked, but followed and found Mama and Lyn Lyn! When Uncle Peter arrived, he couldn't find us and haven't even thought of the table being reserved under "Gwendolyn"???!!! We had a good lunch and Lyn Lyn served Uncle Peter with some food! Uncle Peter was amazed at how Lyn Lyn could talk-back to him!

Say 'cheese'...

Nice picture taken by Lyn Lyn

Exercise Day!

Gwendolyn heard that Papa was going for his weekly Sunday morning jog, and was inspired to wake up early for her new exercise regime! In her conversations throughout the day, she can't stop, but kept relating to "jogging". Papa Mama knew that they had no choice, but to bring her for a "jog"! We set off in the afternoon, fully dressed into trainers, shorts and t-shirts, before setting off downstairs for some warm-up exercise:

Stretch right

Stretch left

Let's go!

Jog...jog...jog...jog

Stop by the pond to feed the fish

Let's jog to the swimming pool for a dip in the pool


I'm swimming with my life-jacket

Riding on Papa...

Final relaxation at the jacuzzi after exercising for 2 hours!

Lyn Lyn and Snoopy

13 October 2007 was a busy day...after visiting Mama's colleague for Hari Raya, we went on to Auntie Evanda's house for a visit, mainly to go and see her doggy, Snoopy! Gwendolyn fell asleep on the way and Papa Mama had a chat with Auntie Evanda before she finally wake up and took notice of Snoopy! Initially, she was a bit sceptical and asked Papa to carry her, whilst Snoopy was very excited about meeting a child! She kept crawling and trying to touch Lyn Lyn's feet, but Lyn Lyn was shy. Eventually, she let her guards down and started stroking Snoopy with Auntie Evanda! Slowly, after warming up, she offered to hold the leech and feed her with doggy snack as well!

After the home visit, we all set-off to Katong Village for dinner! Wow...Papa and Mama didn't know that there were so many eating places over there. We settled at Waruku Japanese Restaurant and after that, we bought chocolate ice-cream from awfully chocolate! Yum Yum!

Selamat Hari Raya

Mama's colleague invited us for a Hari Raya (Muslim New Year) open house. To give Gwendolyn a new cultural exposure, Mama decided to bring Lyn Lyn along for the experience. Lyn Lyn made herself at home once she's arrived and kept asking questions to Mama's colleague and her dad! We sat at the sofa and were offered cookies, crackers, etc, but Lyn Lyn didn't seem to appreciate those (she's not a snack person anyway)! Until we're invited to the dining table for some lunch, Lyn Lyn was exposed to eating with her right-hand and she enjoyed rubbing rice into her mouth and all over her face! What an experience!

My New Scooter

Gwendolyn's been asking for a scooter for quite a while. She took the chance to try it out at one of the shops at IMM, kept showing Mama that she can play very well and can balance herself. She waited for the chance to show Papa and make Papa buy for her. For safety's sake, she's asked for a helmet as well. Mama thinks that why she was so keen in the scooter was because Isa the Iguana from Dora's show has a similar "look" below:

Domesticated

Recently, Gwendolyn is addicted to helping out with washing up. She'll take all the time she need to brush and wash her utensils, bowls & plates and milk bottles, etc...making sure that they're really cleaned from inside out! Not only that, she even cleaned the basin after cleaning the above!

Lyn Lyn at work!

Jacob Ballas Children's Garden

Gwendolyn hasn't been to the Singapore Botanic Gardens after she's learnt how to walk and in view of the opening of the new Jacob Ballas Children's Garden, Papa and Mama thought that it will be good to bring her for a walk, especially when Mama read in the newspapers that there's a treehouse and a waterplay area! We entered via the main gate and realised that it's a wrong move, as the Children's Garden is actually on the other end of the Botanic Gardens. We then drove behind the Botanic Gardens and entered via Cluny side! Luckily we did that...it was a very long walk...

Started off from the main entrance...

Once we've reached the Children's Garden, it was like a kid's land...since it's new, there were a lot of visitors as well! Lyn Lyn, acted as if she were Dora, went through the garden by saying: Bridge, Treehouse, Waterplay! Summarising the places of interests which she needs to go through before finally settling down at the waterplay area!

The hanging bridge was sooooooo wobbly!

Treehouse!

Kid's all time favourite...toy house!

Waterplay!

Me and my hula hoop!

Gwendolyn has fallen in love with her new hula hoop and kept asking Papa and Mama to take pictures and videos of her playing it...

Look at my stylish moves!

I can keep the hula on mywaist!

So tired after playing for soooooooo long...let me rest for a while before I start again!

Not forgetting to drink some water!

Cycling

Saturday afternoon, after returning home from lunch, Gwendolyn saw our neighbour preparing to bring the kids downstairs for cycling. Haven't cycled on her bike for long, she immediately went into the house and looked for her bike and said she wanted to cycle. Mama brought her downstairs for a short cycling session...during the 30 minutes session, 10 minutes was spent on the bike, whilst 20 minutes was spent at the playground, with her learning how to come down from the vertical pole and pretending to be the "grumpy old troll" from Dora's show. She's a true blue Dora addict: this moment pretending to be "Swiper the Fox" and the next moment pretending to be the "Grumpy old troll", with most of time, insisting that she's "Dora the Explorer"!

Lyn Lyn was trying to cycle "up the slope", but she didn't have enough strength and keep rolling backwards

Look at me! Smile!

This is my favourtie playground!

See! I can climb down the pole all by myself!

Climbing down

Pretending to be Grumpy Old Troll and jumping out from under the bridge