Archive | December, 2017

HK Day 4: Tsim Sha Tsui 

16 Dec

Time flies when you are having fun. It is our fourth day already and I feel like we’ve done so much yet not enough. Today we will go across to Kowloon to do some serious eating and shopping. After yesterday’s 6.7km effort, look out Tsim Sha Tsui!

The last two days, out of the blue, my iPhone5S acted up. Frozed several times whilst I was taking pictures. Aargh. Why? Why now? I noticed the camera app has been a wee bit slower than normal. Maybe it can’t take the holiday stress with so many pictures? Hmm… I hope nothing serious. I don’t need to change to a new phone although the huge Apple stores here have been very enticing.

Multi levelled and so brightly lit, the Apple stores were also packed with customers. Yesterday at IFC, a lady stood outside the store offering to sell an iPhoneX that she just bought. And of course one would pay for it at a much higher price. No, I don’t need this. So my phone better behave so that I can take more memorable pictures for today’s outing.

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HK Day 3: Lantau Island, Part 2

15 Dec

From Ngong Ping Village, we took Bus no. 2 down to Mui Wo and met up with my high school friend and her hubby for a late lunch. It was good to catch up and they treated us to a really sumptuous seafood lunch. The chatter was so rib-tickling and entertaining, just like the good old days.

I am glad we made the effort to meet up as it’s not often we see each other so much, with her residing here in Hong Kong and me in Kuala Lumpur.

After the meal and goodbye, we took the ferry across back to Hong Kong island. What a day with subway rides, cable car, bus and now the ferry. It was only 5.30pm when we were at the IFC area. We wandered a bit before making our way back to our familiar territory, bought dinner to bring back to the apartment to eat in the comforts of ‘home’.

I thought I would cover 6.0km today but no, I actually did 6.7km or 10,965 steps. Yes, we are all tired to the core but it’s a good tired.

Tomorrow it will be another day of walking and more walking! Kowloon on the agenda.

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HK Day 3: Lantau Island, Part 1

15 Dec

The queue for the Ngong Ping cable car ride was longer than those at Disneyland. We got to the Tung Chung Cable Car Terminal by 10.30am after breakfast. As we opted for a one-way instead of a round trip, we could not pre-book the tickets on klook.com. So we had to stand in line, for half an hour, to buy tickets and another half an hour to wait for our turn to board the cable car.

The cable car ride was very breath-taking. And for the first time, we saw the whole layout of the airport, HKIA. Rather bland looking (all brown) but busy and practical. It took 25 minutes from the starting point to reach the other end, the Ngong Ping Cable Car Terminal. Weather was lovely again, a bit on the cool side.

We had a quick bite at Ngong Ping Village before having a leisurely walk through the village to Po Lin Monastery. The atmosphere was rather serene. There were cows everywhere, grazing and chilling amidst the crowd. Interesting. Heading towards the Temple of Ten Thousand Buddhas, the burning incense was enough to make our eyes sting in a nice way, I guess.

After admiring all the architecture, colors and statues, we made our way to the bus stop to catch the bus to Mui Wo.

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HK Day 3: Ngong Ping 360

15 Dec

Woke up with a splitting headache. The pillow is simply horrible. It’s so flat and worst than a fluffy pancake. Ugh… But I won’t let this spoil my day. We are heading out to Lantau Island again to take the Ngong Ping cable car and visit the other interesting sites there.

Maybe another 6.0km on the MiBand? We shall see…

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HK Day 2: Disneyland

14 Dec

I must say Hong Kong Disneyland was rather enjoyable this time! We bought our tickets from klook.com at a discounted rate (HKD70 less per ticket) from the published rate. And the weather was cool without any sun, the queue lines were minimal, plus the crowd not too overwhelming, it was excellent to be outdoors.

Most rides we waited in line was a mere ten minutes, with the longest being 20 minutes. Despite getting to the park at 10.30am and not staying for the night fireworks, we managed to do nine rides plus the Lion King musical.

I thought Iron Man was neat, so was Toy Story but we all chickened out on the RC Racer ride, it looked too scary.

The day ended with each having a bowl of hearty noodles after we got back to Jaffe Road. I clocked in 5.8km and 9,625 steps today. Long day. Well calling it a night soon because tomorrow is another activity filled day!

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HK Day 2: To Disneyland

14 Dec

The decision to visit Disneyland is solely for M2. She requested that this is a must do when we mooted this family trip. Our last Disney visit was to the California one back in 2012, so it’s apt to revisit another Disney park although a much smaller one. It will be a long day ahead…

We all woke up to a freezing cold apartment. Dang! It’s cold, I had to sleep with socks on. Quickly we got ready and headed out for breakfast.

The morning meal was typical Hong Kong style before we took the MTR to Disneyland. What fun we had!

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HK Day 1: To the Airport

13 Dec

Everyone woke up by 3.00am and got ready without being pushed. Our pick up came at 4.30am and got us to the airport by 5.15am, way too early to check in. But it’s okay, better to be early than late for the 8.45am departure because KLIA2 is huge and the place was packed with travellers. By the time we walked to the gate, I have walked 1.8km already and the day has not even started!

The AirAsia flight was on schedule and we took our time, not rushing with the crowd at HKIA. We even ate at the airport before taking an Urban Taxi into Hong Kong island. This trip, we are staying at an AirBnB instead of a hotel. A cosy two room with a little kitchenette, it is located on Jaffe Road at Causeway Bay, very central to food and shopping.

After checking in, a short rest and we were out again. By the end of the day, a good one I must say, I have done more than ten thousand steps or 6.0km. By 9.30pm, we were all dead tired, so best to call it a day as tomorrow, it will be another fun day ahead.

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The Blundstone Travels Again!

12 Dec

Now that M1 is back, we will go off for a family vacation. Last year, we did Ho Chi Minh City and boots or warm clothes were not necessary. This year, we opted for Hong Kong, definitely colder and certainly boots, jackets and sweaters are required.

So my Blundstone boots will travel again. Yay! Looking forward to this trip but not the wake up call and ride to the airport. The 8.45am flight means waking up at 3.30am for a 4.30am pick up. Ugh. It’s an hour’s journey to KLIA2 and travellers are advised to be at the airport three hours before departure. Ugh.

It will be a long day ahead tomorrow.

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Together Again

11 Dec

As one would know, coming home from the US would take over two days, and with one day having never occurred in your life when you cross the International Date Line. And depending on the flight’s origin, time and connections, it may take even longer.

M1 actually left campus on the evening of 7 December after the last exam paper. She had a ten-hour layover at LAX before the long journey began the next day. Throughout the day, I was tracking the flight path on Flightaware.com.

Everything was on track and it was reassuring. I could even carve up a Citizen to while away the time. But coming into the last stretch of the flight, the aircraft approaching HKIA went off track. It looked like a time-wasting ten minutes diversion. Maybe CX 885 was early and there’s no landing rights, nothing major. It was scheduled to arrive after 14 hours 39 minutes but in the end, it was captured at 15 hours, still an hour ahead.

This then gave the layover an additional hour to two and a half hours before the final leg to KLIA. Unlike a previous trip, she had only a 50-minute layover and she had to run the length of the airport to the gates before they closed for boarding! Nothing of that sort this time. Phew.

The flight arrived ten minutes early at 12.27am on 10 December but knowing her, she’d be the last one out. Sure enough one hour later, she strolled out from the Departure Hall. And in a blink of an eye, another year has gone by, my firstborn is back and the family unit is complete again.

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A Charitable Cause

8 Dec

I must say that Graphic Design is a wonderful profession to be in. For me, it’s more fun than work because it challenges the creativity and it’s not mundane because every project is different. And when you know what the end result is used for, it’s satisfaction guaranteed.

Last night we attended Marche de Noel, a charitable cause organized by the French community in Malaysia. Roped in by a French friend three years ago, we have been supporting this event since 2015. Our role is to provide pro bono design work for the marketing of the event. From flyers, posters to social media call-outs and stage backdrop, we do our part.

The Christmas party was held after a successful day bazaar where funds were collected for two foundations that they support, A Heart for A Heart and Make a Wish Malaysia. And when one sees what the funds are used for—fulfilling sick and needy children’s wishes to come true— satisfaction is simply priceless.

I’m glad we play our part. And this year, a little more than priceless satisfaction, I won a Lucky Draw prize, having bought some tickets. What a nice reward.

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