Temasek : Day Two

Don't you just wish you could join them for a skinny dippy? LOL

A host of things happened to us for the past week and a half.

My dad was admitted for dengue fever after he got back from Batam (for a holiday with my brother, who was on a working trip, sister) and Pulau Karimun (to attend his cousin's daughter's wedding). Admitted the Monday after we got back from Singapore. But his platelet countl dipped to 15 last Thursday....We panicked and took last Thursday afternoon and Friday off to be with him and we stayed on till Sunday. He was discharged yesterday, Alhamdulillah! And they are off to Bandung this weekend....!

Brother is now hospitalised; initially he was suspected to have dengue but blood results showed that he has Malaria.....He's been travelling to places like Jakarta, Abu Dhabi, Batam etc for his work and could have gotten from one of those places.

Wifey's away in Singapore for work and I have to juggle being dad, mom and Project Manager (supervising my office renovation) which I find it just a wee bit tough......

Just to update on our trip to Singapore, as promised......

Day two in Singapore started with a visit to the much talked-about "Durian" (for the uninitiated, the Esplanade)....! We parked the car there and strolled down to the Merlion Park....My kids had fun there posing "with" Merlion. The weather was sunny and we decided to go on the bumboat riverside cruise. We had hoped to board the boat near the Merlion Park. Unfortunately, the Singapore Army had their National Day practice at Marina Bay and we had to walk all the way to Asian Civilisation Museum instead to go on the boat! It was a nice cruise....and the recorded commentary played throughout the ride was excellent....The wait for a boat was a bit long though. Picture this - four kids complaining of hunger, thirst and heat....I almost gave up waiting for the boat! They enjoyed the boat ride, luckily and behaved very well throughout!

Took a stroll through the park back to the Esplanade this time rather than the Fullerton way which was a delight....Parking was reasonable - $3 for almost three hours. Kids were terribly famished by then and we adjourned to Arab Street for lunch (*I was looking forward to Zam Zam [my grandad and my dad used to bring us to this place during our frequent visits to Singapore - we used to go to Singapore once a week up till I was about 8 years of age] for its briyani and murtabak). Another issue cropped up.....Yusof and Khadijah wanted Lebanese food, Ibraheem and Dad wanted murtabak......wifey, Umar and the maid were indifferent....! Went to a Lebanese restaurant for take-away; lockily their grills and kebab were not ready. Zam Zam restaurant we went! For a meal of 5 adults (Yusof and Khadijah have appetites the size of adults, you see) and 2 kids surprisingly cost us about $55 which was below my estimate!

We prayed at Mesjid Sultan and were very impressed at how the place is well maintained! Walking back to the car, wifey stopped at two fabric shops which she took close to two hours and came back with fabrics enough to last her three years (well it's an exaggeration but she bought a lot.....!).

We adjourned to the DHL balloon ride area whch was less than 5 minutes' drive from Mesjid Sultan. It was about a ten-minute ride up to 150m in height....Only Ibraheem, Umar, Yusof and I took the ride coz the rest chickened out last minute. Fantastic overview of Singapore! I wouldn't have gone on the ride but for the offer to Malaysians during that time...The tickets are priced $23 for an adult and $13 for a child..We paid RM23 for adult and RM13 for a child which I thought was more reasonable!

Last stop was Orchard since the kids wanted to visit Borders at Wheelock Place (I went in December last year - their collection slightly differs from the one here)...It was chaotic in there....kids were all over the place READING (yes you can see this scene at Borders, MPH or Kino here - but not as many...) That indicates the intellectual level of a society, don't you think? We bought about 10 books in total and Yusof started reading his whilst I took a browse at M&S. Wifey concluded the trip by buying a pair of shoes!

We will definitely be back may be for a museum trip/theatre trip..But the kids want to visit the Zoo, Science Centre, Bird Park and Sentosa! We'll see!

Posing at the "Durian"

Dad strolling at Merlion Park. Nice shot by Khadijah...I like the shadow bit!

Not quite...Yusof!

Ib's lion impersonation - he was thrilled he saw the loin roared at the Night Safari the night before.

Umar the docile lion

The Fullerton and tyhe financial district as seen from our boat @ Marina Bay

Nice pre-war shophouses restored at Kampung Glam area

Our Murtabak take-away

The murtabak which tastes the same 10 years back

The poster

Arab Street shops

The helium balloon

During the balloon ride

Mesjid Sultan - a bird's eye view

Waiting for dad and mom

Knackerd after the trip

Temasek : Day One

The causeway - hints of grey clouds got us worried

Firstly, this overdue entry is due to my absolute chaotic life at the moment!!! Posting this entry in between drafting an Agreement which is due first thing tomorrow or rather today since it's past mid night.....is definietly a good break and therapeutic, I can tell you!

Temasek or Singapore as it is known since the 14th Century, was our mid-year school break destination this year. Wifey and I used to visit this slightly nearer than Down Under over X-mas/New Year break regularly...It stopped when our second child arrived since we couldn't cope with two kids over shopping trips!

We braced ourselves this time and thought it'd be easier since our main goal was to get the kids entertained with the attractions which Singapore boasts sans shopping! It was madness for the both of us but worthwhile indeed!!!!

The night before the trip....rushed to Kino, KLCC to get the latest Singapore streetmap since all I knew (I'm wiser now.....) was how to get to Orchard Road/Mandai/Toa Payoh/Arab Street/Woodlands. In fact, being the kiasu me, I got the streetmap plus a Lonely Planet one pager big map of an overview of Singapore ! We had to drive around Singapore - I just couldn't see how we could survive with public transport in Singapore with 4 kids in tow despite the super efficient service!

Traffic was not bad at all...Our trip down was slightly delayed because I only packed our bags about 5.40 am on the day itself. Stopped at McD for breakfast at Sungai Besi and headed down non-stop! Crossed the causeway (quite smooth) at about 11 am after a 45 minute break in JB to drop by my Uncle's.

Started off the day with Orchard Road - managed to do only Paragon and Centrepoint in 5 hours.....It poured cats and dogs when we finished Orchard and headed to Arab Street....- no parking and wifey had to give textile shopping a miss...We decided to head to Night Safari. We were keeping our fingers crossed for good weather as it was still raining heavily.

Got slightly lost as I had made a wrong turn at Upper Thompson and took Moulmein instead which brought us back towards the City....(this was when we received the news that our close friend's mom passed on). BTW....wifey for the life of her can't read maps (Alan Pease is right!) and I had to drive whilst reading the map.

Reached Mandai at about 6.30......queues for the tickets were not long....In fact I was no. 2 in one of the queues. $28 for adults and $14 for kids (inclusive of tram rides - which is highly recommended!). Watched the tribal performance for a bit and rushed to the ampitheatre to get good setas for the 7.30 pm night creature show......! Excellent show..well organised! The scary bit was when they announced......mmm I shall not spoil it for you; you go and experience it yourselves!

Ibraheem really enjoyed himself especially the part when he went face to face (of course tampered glass in between) with a leopard and the part when the lion got up after his nap and roared and roared for a good 10 minutes which we saw from the lion lookout! Fantastic! I don't mind going back there again!

The traffic at Singapore checkpoint - clearnace was a breeze


Khadijah spotted this advert and was persuading me to bring her watch this play....May be next time when the theme is Arts and Culture Holiday....This time is a fun holiday!


Umar knackered...after he got his TMNT figure! I couldn't buy anything for myself although the M&S shirts were going for a steal!

Nursing blistered toes in between shopping......Wifey had her share too!

BREAK time!

Khadijah's ballerina flats purchase

Yusof satisfied with his purchase - find out in the next pic

A Nike ball which cost less in Singapore (after discount, that is)

The tribal performance at Night Safari

Creatures of the night show - featuring a boa, binturong, otters, barn owls etc....Excellent!

Short Break

Kids have been making a lot of noise since they are stuck at home over the school holidays. I have been busy; clocking out 9pm on average and wifey too.....

Planned to go up the highlands in Perak from tomorrow till Sunday but the procrastinator in me took the toll on the supposed trip!

Been wanting to bring the kiddos to the Singapore Zoo and the Night Safari and Orchard Road (What a perfect timing - the GSS is on!) for mumsie since eons ago and I have decided to take the day off tomorrow!! Yaeyyy for the kids (and mumsie?).

We are off to Sunny (not what the weather forecast for the weekend though) Singapore early tomorrow. Yup we are driving down. It's no joke travelling with four kids....Definitely not travelling in tow on public transports in Singapore!! H**k, I only know how to get to the Zoo and Orchard Road...Definitely need to buy A-Z Singapore tonight!

A Picinic

Yesterday, I woke everybody up at about 6.15 but Yusof and Khadijah slept back right after performing dawn prayers. Whilst reading my daily dose of news and blogs, the word "picnic" sprang in my head!

Thought quickly and decided Kg Kemensah stream. Although it's 5 minutes' drive from home I have never brought the brood for a dip in the stream and a picnic. Had a quick word with wifey and she called Kak Jie about quarter past seven to order 10 packets of nasi lemak and a few packets of teh tarik (tea with condensed milk) and Milo.

We drove almost right till the very end of the tarmac road and found that they are a few basic "eco resorts" which offer really spartan chalets for rent either overnight or day use. Decided on Jinbara Chalet Rimba and they charged us RM30 for day use (i.e. until 3 p.m).

It was horribly cold, the water.....My two boys , Yusof and Ib kept splashing me with the icy cold water! Umar decided to retire just after 15 minutes in the water because there were loads of spideys and froggies...What do you expect from these kind of places....! A while later, a frog leapt towards me which startled me and then, I understood why Umar left us in the stream.

We were there for 1.5 hours because that was my kids' promise...Had things to do at home.




The chalet or hut rather....

My boys splashing water.

Shampooing Umar's hair ala bathing a baby.

NB : PICTURES COURTESY OF KHADIJAH

Potpourri

It's going to be a slightly longish post, to my standard at least, as I'm trying to cramp everything in one posting - the holiday/festive mood has sunk in (feeling lazy in other words) and why not do it in one shot - a potpourri post!

Firtsly, lemme wish all of you out there celebrating Lunar New Year a very happy and prosperous New Year and may great things in abundance await all of you out there (I need that wish too.....LOL).

Got a text message from a friend, this morning, whom we are supposed to visit today (our yearly ritual during Lunar New Year) that her first child got infected with HFMD. Oh dear, what a way to celebrate Lunar New Year - cooped up at home; less hong bao to collect! He obviously did not contract it from Ib and Umar as they were not in contact when my kids got it. Apparently there is an outbreak of HFMD here. It was reported that a kindy in Shah Alam had to be closed temporarily because of HFMD. And my friend's sister in Johor Bahru told her that there are some kids in the school where her sister is teaching are also down with HFMD. My advice is, if you have kids, try to reduce their exposure to the public at large at times like this......!

It's my sister's birthday today. She's 30! By jolly....how time flies. I still remember the day she was born 30 years ago (I was in primary three). It was also First day of Lunar New Year then (year of snake).

The delivery was at home (we were all born at home btw....) assisted by a mid-wife. Geez....I don't think I'd be able to cope if I was in my dad's shoes..Giving birth at home? Thank you very much, not my cuppa tea! The labour pain was more than 24 hours... She's the rose among the thorns in our family and naturally the centre of attention!

I wasn't a good brother (I'd like to think I'm a much better brother now but this you have to ask her! LOL!)..... almost killed her twice!

The first incident was when she was about three or four month old. I was carrying her behind our house going to our next door neighbour's. There lies a one metre (in depth) drain behind our house.....I accidentally lost balance and dropped her in the drain....She got stuck half way at the bottom of the drain. A few days later she was hospitalised because she was constantly crying. The doc did not know what was wrong with her and scheduled her for an op. An old lady who was visiting her grandchild next to my sis' bed offerred to "examine" her. She's a traditional masseuse/healer. I don't kn0w what she did but my sister stopped crying after she massaged/caressed her tummy. Apparently her intestine was a bit misplaced/entangled (must be due to the fall...right?). A close call for an op all due to my clumsiness.

Second incident was when we were on holiday in Desaru when she was about 1 +/2 y.o. She was already walking, I'm quite sure. My brother, my cousins and I were playing with a reclining chair (the ones in the 70s you'd buy from Padang Besar, Thailand) brought by my parents. I was happily pushing the back seat of the chair back and forth without realising that she inserted one of her fingers into the gear (which controls the angle of inclination) and I almost got her finger severed! I was so scared (scared to be reprimanded or scared for her life - I'm sure it's more of the latter) that I cried.....! Luckily she didn't need stitches.....

Well, after those two incidents I was away in a boarding school and hence no near-death- incidents after that! (I'm sure she was thanking her luck star like crazy! LOL!) She's 30 today.....and for you, dear sis, enjoy this poem (lifted from the net) & HAPPY BIRTHDAY :-

From where love came, we cannot see: Perhaps, within us, born and bred

Or taught to us at parent's knee

Or instilled by God in heart and head.Perhaps it sprang from some kind deed

Which, long forgotten,yet has grown

To dazzling heights from one small seed

In the fertile soil of distress sown

Respect rises up so far above

The pettiness of separate viewDifferences bow before a love

And friendship that is blood-bound, too

May the bond between us stronger grow

May I prove the fondness I confess

Which my hand's service cannot

Nor my simple words ever express

by : FLORENCE SHERRILL FERREL

We drove all the way to Pelong in Jempol, Negeri Sembilan yesterday for wifey's brother's (Mus) engagement ceremony to Ain. It was a loooong (but interesting) drive of about 3 hours from Kuala Lumpur. The tranquil and serene sceneries along the way (especially at Kampung Terachi and Tanjong Ipoh in Kuala Pilah) evoked many of my chilhood memories - I felt like I was in a time warp! What was interesting along the way - the stalls selling local produce ranging from dragon fruits, honey, palm sugar, smoked catfish and beef etc etc. There were many dragon fruits farms as well! The traffic was thankfully kind to us as we headed down south at about half eight a.m.

Mus has really grown in to a very fine gentleman. When I first got married to wifey. I almost became a victim of his temper. He was probably about 12/13 then. I was about to leave my father in law's house and was at the front door when Mus and Boy (Mus' older brother) had a tiff. The next thing I knew - one of Mus' sneakers came flying in my direction from his....! Lucklily I ducked and missed the flying sneakers. Boarding school made him more sedate and obviously a good training ground for him in anger management! He's now a chef (his interest was glaringly obvious since he was in Primary school) at KL Convention Centre (BTW he was the one who carved the ice platter on which the strawberry and choc dessert was placed on for Datuk Siti's wedding) and specialises in food and ice carvings. He just returned from China recently for an ice carving competiotion and Malaysia won 3rd place!

Hey, you can order from him ice and fruit carvings which he does freelance! Give me a shout if you are interested!

Anyway, it was his engagement yesterday and glad that he decided, finally, to get hitched.

One of the hantaran (gift) to Ain accompanying the engagement ring which is a telekong (Muslim women prayer garb) with wifey's floral arrangement.

Three of the hantaran all done up nicely by wifey (Yusof looking bored and hungry in the background).

Our divine lunch - traditional malay food (Yusof ate three plates of rice)
Our dessert - traditional kueh-mueh (cakes).

For an update on my parents' ruby anniversary and our visit to Riverstone Eco Resort - please read here. I'll probably expand, if the holiday bug doesn't get me!

No not Batang Kali!

We ended up in Janda Baik this morning, instead of Batang Kali as planned, until late afternoon, after wifey invited herself, us and L** and her two kids to this magical hideout! Our good friend Li*a (who happens to be half proprietor and the principal of the kindy which Ib and Umar attend) has a twice removed (if I'm not wrong) cousin who owns a weekend home in Janda Baik. A lovely house with two rooms, two bathrooms, a huge kitchen and a verandah overlooking a humongous (to our standard) fish pond. The bonus is that a stream passes through at the back of the house!

We arrived about quarter to ten and immediately filled our empty tanks with nasi lemak (wifey cooked) and tuna sandwiches and fried rice (courtesy of Li*a and Isk) before we headed for the stream. It was the first time for L** and her two kids in Janda Baik (our fourth visit) and they absolutely fell in love with the serenity and calmness of the place. Crispy and salubrious air, no traffic, laidback lifestyle etc..one can never ask for more! Spent about two and a half hours soaking ourselves in the cool water. This may sound cliche - time really flies when you are having a lot of fun but this is really how we felt when the time showed 1 pm!

The suspension bridge made of bamboo and wood planks to get us across to a flatter land from the house.

The kids (a total of10) dipping in the stream and gathering rocks to make a mini dam.

The boys

The boys again....fishing. Yusof caught three fishes ( a tilapia, an unknown specie and a puyu) of what was our lunch - tilapia deep fried, the unknown specie - masak lemak and the puyu - life was saved and released back to the pond! Wifey and I drove out to a nearby shop to buy grated coconut, onions and cili padi for the ikan masak lemak.

Isk releasing the hook

Our lunch before cleaning them.


Masak lemak whipped by Li*a

Deep fried tilapia

Before leaving, Li*a and Isk gave us a tour of other properties in the vicinity. This one is called Sailor's Rest which belongs to a couple whose husband was a naval officer. They do rent out their place which consists of the main house and a house boat (pictured above). The garden is huge and very well kept!

Another property which belongs to a judge.


This one belongs to the current Menteri Besar of Selangor.

Well, another short break for us and a fulfilling day forging friendship ties! We are definitely gong back to Janda Baik........