Archive | Travel RSS feed for this section
Chat

What to Do in Singapore

15 Dec

It has been a precious family time together in Singapore doing what we normally do: eat, shop and enjoy the attractions. 

It used to be we would take in the zoo or Night Safari (when the girls were much younger) or simply enjoying Orchard Road for its shopping and Christmas decor, this time it’s different. With the new Gardens by the Bay, we spent quite a fair bit of time at this new attraction.

Not to mention, the food that we savored, all for M1’s sake, nothing was holding us back. Not even the daily rain. I remember when I first came back from college for my holidays, Mom and Dad would indulge me when it came to food. Likewise, we are doing the same now as parents for my firstborn.

The list is rather long to check off but we are managing. Although we leave Singapore today, it is with fond memories that the last three days has been wonderful as far as food was concerned.

 

Food court in Bugis Junction for dinner

      

Gardens by the Bay

 

 

Parma Ham pizza and Bento box dessert for lunch

 

Choices for dinner at Satay by the Bay

   

Mee Hoon Koay and Singapore Laksa for breakfast

 
    
 

Tags: , ,

Chat

A Long Day

14 Dec

Saturday had never felt like such a long day. We had a hearty Indian breakfast before leaving home, taking a leisure drive to Singapore to meet M1, due to touchdown pass midnight at Changi Airport.

Along the way, it rained making the drive not so pleasant but we prevailed and got to the hotel by mid-afternoon. After checking in, we rested a bit but then decided to head out to kill time. Can’t be cooped up in the room twiddling our thumbs while tracking her flight path. She was delayed at Narita. This was what I had feared earlier. The 50 minute gap is just insufficient but thankfully, her ETA stated half an hour late.

It was only six o’clock and we still had seven hours to kill. We had local food at the food court in Albert Centre, close to where we opted to stay this time, Ibis Bencoolen. Away from our usual choice of Shangri-la, Bugis Street was a new place to explore.

The shops along this tourist attraction reminded me of Chatuchak in Bangkok. The only difference being here, the overall place is smaller and most stalls have air-conditioning. We explored as much as possible but there was only so much walking we could do and decided to head back to the hotel. 

By nine, hubby and M2 were sleepy but we had to stay awake. One decided to watch a movie, the other gave in to forty winks.

In the end, the anxiousness got the better of us and we left Ibis at 10.15pm. We decided to take the SMRT to the airport and then later, catch a cab back. By 11.15pm, after one train change at EW4, we arrived at the airport.

Changi is huge. We had to walk quite a distance to get to T1. In the process, all three of us got hungry! Well, dinner was at 6.30pm earlier so that can’t hold the tummy with all this extra walking and anxiety.

ETA showed 0057am, Sunday morning. We still had time to kill. Gosh… It’s rather excruciating when every minute stretched and felt like an eternity. We found a great spot at Starbucks, overlooking Belt 20 where the flight’s bags would come out. Tick… Tock…

By 0056am, her flight from Narita touched down! Yay… finally. It took a while before we spotted M1, sauntering cooly towards Belt 20. She didn’t look tired or zombied after that 24-hour journey. Phew. After lugging her bag off the conveyor belt, and in a blink of an eye, all that waiting and worried thoughts (especially on the delay) vanished when she came through the doors and we hugged her. Relief and happiness set in but the day was not done yet!

We took a cab back to the hotel and with all this excitement, it was hard to wind down. But when it finally did, it was 3.45am when I hit the pillows.

What a long day.

Together again!

Tags: , ,

I’m So Excited

11 Dec

It’s so cliché to say how fast time flies but it’s true. Tomorrow my M1 returns from the USA for her Christmas holidays! Whee… and when she comes back, she has gotten this whole lot of Oreos for us! Double whee…

We will of course be tracking her flight and arrival. It will be an anxious time especially when she has that connecting flight to take at Narita International Airport with just a 50 minute gap. I don’t want to dwell on this and just hope no delays in between.

Can’t wait for the moment when the family gets to hug her again. And all that glorious Oreo… Wheee…. 

 

Tags: , ,

Can’t Have It All

23 Nov

Kuching was enjoyable but one can’t have it all nice and comfy. On Day 1, we had rain and soggy conditions on the fairways when we played at Kelab Golf Sarawak (KGS); on Day 2, we had lovely cloudy conditions at Damai Golf and Country Club and beautiful seaside surrounding to bask in and on the last day, it was scorching hot at Samarahan Country Club. And during the trip, we have to wake up at the usual 5.00am every morning; in fact on the day when we departed, I had only two hours of sleep while some of the others did not even sleep!

All three days, the hosts from all the three clubs were amazing. They took care of all of us and made the golf outings most enjoyable. Each of the courses had their own challenges and we also had the weather factor. The camaraderie was good and the golf fun.

Amazingly, I came back a nett winner on the first day. Our host was most gracious to give prizes to both clubs, for men and women categories – gross and nett best players. I seem to do well when I am in KGS as this is my second win on my second visit. But the same can’t be said for my game on day two and three. Put it this way, with three different weather conditions, I played as varied as the weather. 

Food wise, I ate so much, I could feel my waistline expanding and true enough when I got home last night, it was a horrible moment standing on the scale. Super sigh. When you think you cannot eat anymore, something nice is served up and it’s not nice to decline.

Well, it’s back to reality. Can’t have it all.

 

Day 1 at KGS


 

Day 2 at Damai


 

Day 2 dinner

 

Day 2 supper

  
 

Day 3 at Samarahan

 
  

Tags: ,

Chat

It Rained

20 Nov

We touchdown on time despite departing half an hour late and made our way to Kelab Golf Sarawak. Our entourage was early and lunch has yet to be served.

So we took our time to unload, settle in and rested before lunch was finally served. After that, we waited for our hosts to arrive before a slight drizzle came down. Haish… All the way here to escape the rain back home only to be greeted by more rain here. Not promising.

Finally, we managed to play some good golf. But as we were about to complete the 9th hole, the siren went off. Oh no…

For everyone’s safety, all buggies returned to the Clubhouse. Within a short time, the skies opened up and it rained heavily but only for a short while, making the already long day stretch even longer.

After the quick downpour, the sky cleared for golf to be resumed. But the grounds were soggy, the balls could not run, often plugged and my Skechers were wet. Plus it was getting dark. By the time we completed 18 holes, it was close to 6.30pm. What a long tiring day.

On the bright side of the situation, I walked 21,412 steps, burnt 652 calories and several grams of fat! This is according to my MiFit band.

I am so tired now and better get some sleep because wake-up call tomorrow is 5.00am. Groan…

Hopefully no rain to disrupt the timing and let us have an enjoyable time.

  

Tags: , ,

Chat

Now We Wait

20 Nov

It was 2.00am when I got to the Club. Hubby wasn’t sure if I should be there alone because no one was there yet but I reassured him and told him to go home. Pretty soon the other players came along. By 3.15am the bus departed for the airport.

We arrived in the wee hours to a bustling hub, packed with travelers and efficiently checked in and had our oversized golf bags settled too. And now, we wait. Another hour to boarding. Yawn…

Tags: , ,

Chat

My Goodness!

20 Nov

The last time I traveled at an ungodly hour was when I was flying off to Paris with hubby and my older sibling. They were going for a meeting and I was going to see Mona Lisa. It was 2013. Since then, we’ve avoided such horrid timing where we have to leave for the airport in the wee hours of the morning.

Even my golf trips with my regular group is not at such an inconvenient hour. It is because this time, I am going with the Club to Kuching, East Malaysia and the whole group is taking a chartered bus from the Club to KLIA2. Such an ungodly hour has to be adhered to. Sigh.

What to do? I really don’t want to take a cab by myself at 4.00am in the morning to the airport, nor do I want to make hubby send me to the airport. But he’s nice enough to send me to the Club by 2.30am to hop on the bus, scheduled to depart at 3.00am, I cannot complain.

The group is scheduled to fly by 7.10am for three Interclub games. It will be a tiring but interesting weekend.

Tags: , , , , ,

My Uneven Tan Lines

3 Sep

It’s amazing what a great getaway can do for a person. However my shoulder still ached but slowly and surely recovering, thanks to the comforts of my bed and pillow. I am definitely one of those who does not appreciate down pillows of five-star hotels and resorts.

The getaway also saw my uneven tan lines become even more pronounced. Although under cloudy skies, three rounds of golf while donning Bermuda shorts outdoors can lead to various shades. I cringe every time I look in the mirror and see the unevenness. 

Initially, I thought I could even them out, vegetating by the poolside after each game. But alas, we never had the opportunity. And although our private little plunge pool was nice, it was shaded and no sun even peeked through the covers of the patio. How to work on the tan?

I think the next vacation should not be a golf outing but one to the beach to really work on the tan. 

Tags: , ,

Mountain Creek Golf Club

1 Sep

Mountain Creek is tough. I think among the three we played during this trip, this course is by far the most challenging. 

Narrow and a lot of blind holes, it didn’t help that my caddy was inexperienced as well. To the point of useless, I found myself in several dire situations upon tee off and she was incapable in every aspect. Oh well…

Can’t have it good all the time I guess. But overall, we had a good time. Will be doing lunch at the clubhouse before the three hour plus journey to the airport.

Thanks for the memories, Khao Yai. I think we can come back again.

   
   

Tags: , ,

An Early Day

1 Sep

It’s a first to wake up at 5.15am for this trip. We check out of the lovely Botanica this morning and will play our last game at Mountain Creek Golf Club. The hotel has been excellent and very attentive to details; they will provide our breakfast box-to-go without us requesting for it.

Looking forward to the rest of the day.

  

Tags: , , ,

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →