Singapore 28-31Jan09

After thinking for so long, we decided to just go ahead and planned for this trip. We started our plan about 6-8 months ago even when Ariel was still in womb. We wanted to budget ahead but trust me, when the day came, still not enough cash but we decided just do it for this time and settle the bill later (something which we tried to avoid but ..sigh sigh…)

First time…

• It was our 1st overseas trip together as family.
• It was Jeriel 1st overseas trip (except Miri trip for Sam Yee and Sam Yee Cheong’s wedding in 2007 which is over the South China Sea...)
• It was Ariel 1st holiday trip (which was more than one day because Cameron Highlands was one-day trip) with us (Jeriel 1st holiday trip was in Genting Highlands)
• It was PaPa and Mummy 1st overseas trip as family since we had Jeriel in 2004 (of course this excluded company trip because we didn’t travel together...)
  

Hotel
Hunting for the hotel was a big headache. Some people suggested
Hotel81 which was a budget hotel. However the location which we wanted was not that cheap. After much hunting with Sam Yee (yes, Sam Yee, Sam Yee Cheong and PohPoh decided to join the trip too...), we decided to settle with YMCA at Orchard Road. We booked one double and one triple sharing room. The rooms included morning breakfast for all five adults and for Jeriel, it was free. Besides that a baby cot was also provided for free.

Itinerary
Next was planning for itinerary and also budgeting how much cash we should bring. We planned to use MRT and Bus as our means of transportation. We planned and calculated with the help of the information from the internet. The itinerary was full.

Stroller/Pram
Which one to bring? How Jeriel was going to take his nap and who was going to carry him if he was too tired to walk? At last we decided to bring Combi for Ariel and our RM20 MacLaren for Jeriel. Why 2?

Ariel would be able to take her nap for comfortable in Combi with big covered hood and total recline down... Combi was not suitable for Jeriel because Jeriel was over the weight limit. MacLaren could take up to 25kg which was the right one for Jeriel but not suitable for Ariel because it couldn’t recline total down for Ariel to sleep like Combi. Besides that, this RM20 MacLaren had no hood. Also we wanted a big basket to put bottles of water to drink and only MacLaren had the big basket. Combi had extremely small basket.

So we decided to just bring 2.

28Jan09 Wed -- Arrival, Mint Museum, Esplanade & Merlion
We booked for the earliest flight which was about 8am. Sam Yee, Sam Yee Cheong and PohPoh took a different airline which would arrive about 30 minutes earlier. So it would be just nice by the time the walk over from their Budget Terminal to the Main Terminal in Changi Airport to meet up.

First disaster, we arrived airport 2 hours before departure and found from the screen that the flight had been cancelled. We rushed to the counter and the staff said cancelled. Mummy asked why never called. Imagine with 2 kids sleeping in the strollers at the airport. Then the staff said the next flight would be 925am. OMG, we had to camp in KLIA for longer time without having anything to do. Sam Yee and the gang would have to camp longer in Changi Airport waiting for us. Our plan in the morning to go to Science Centre also was cancelled.
Since we had so much time, we took the train to another terminal to walk one round then back.

It was Ariel’s first flight and she refused to be breastfed. So, she ended up sucking her baby biscuits.

Which airlines was it? You all can make a guess lar…

By the time we arrived Changi Airport, we took MRT to Dhoby Ghaut station (the nearest station to YMCA). It was a bit early to get the room but we planned to leave our luggage at YMCA. However, our room was ready so Sam Yee, Sam Yee Cheong and PohPoh put their luggage in our room.

We walked out to a near by food court (Indo Padang Restaurant) for our lunch. After lunch we walked around Robinsons for a while buying some Avents bottles, teats and pacifier for friends.

Then we went hunting for the Mint Museum. After seeing toys in Mint Museum, we went to Esplanade and then to view Merlion. It was a long long walk with Jeriel and Ariel sleeping in their strollers.

After that, we went back to YMCA for a fast shower and then to Tony Romas in Orchard Road for our dinner. This would be our one and only most expensive dinner in Singapore. As for other meal, we would go for simple food court or hawker food.

It was our first night in hotel as a family. Ariel refused to sleep in the cot because it was just a soft board covered with bed sheet. So we ended up all sleeping on two singles bed. Mummy wondered what sleep number bed was being used in YMCA?

29Jan09 Thrus -- Sentosa Island
We had breakfast in YMCA then took MRT from Dhoby Ghaut to Harbour Front station. From there we bought our tickets before boarding the cable car. We bought the package because it was cheaper. Summary of some of the places we went in Sentosa Island because we couldn't cover the whole island:

• Underworld Water
  
  
  

Dolphin Lagoon

*CineBlast

*Luge & Skyride

Songs of the Sea

* we split ourselves into two groups so that someone could look after Ariel.

After Sentosa Island, we met Mummy’s cousin Uncle Rohan at City Hall. It was quite late and most of the eating places were either closing or no more food available. Uncle Rohan ‘belanja’ us at Mos Burger. We ate and chit chat with Uncle Rohan.

30Jan09 Fri –Zoo & Night Safari
Same routine, we had breakfast in YMCA and then took MRT to Ang Mo Kio. From Ang Mo Kio, we took bus to Zoo.

We bought tickets for both, Zoo and Night Safari which was cheaper than buying separately.

It took us one whole day to walk around the Zoo. There were quite a number of shows which we had no time to see all of the shows. We had lunch in KFC and Jeriel had a pony ride. We walked and on the last round we took the tram.

In the evening, we went to Night Safari to have our dinner. We watched a show then took a tram to round the whole safari. Since everyone was too tired to walk, we didn’t walk by foot in the Night Safari. After about 45 minutes tour the Night Safari, we took bus back to Ang Mo Kio where we took MRT back to YMCA.

31Jan09 Sat –Home
We had breakfast in YMCA, Mummy’s another cousin Uncle Ah Hwa and his wife came to have breakfast in YMCA with their little baby boy. After breakfast, Sam Yee passed their room key to us to check-out together later. Sam Yee, Sam Yee Cheong and PohPoh left early because their flight was earlier that ours.

We check-out and left our luggage in YMCA. We went to walk at the nearby shopping mall. Jeriel got a Ben-10 t-shirt and Ariel got a red dress. Then, Mummy went to the MRT with Ariel while PaPa went to collect our luggage at YMCA with Jeriel. Mummy went to buy tickets while waiting for PaPa and Jeriel.

We reached the airport early and planned to walk around Changi Airport. However, another disaster, our flight which was about 5.25pm was cancelled. Mummy rushed to the last lane to check and immediately, the check-in counter transfer us to 3.30pm flight because if we missed 3.30pm flight, we would need to wait until 9pm for our flight out to Singapore. By the time we got our boarding pass, it was already 3pm and the Immigration Counter had such a long queue. To make the matter worst, the boarding gate was very far. PaPa was pushing Jeriel in his stroller and Mummy was pushing Ariel in her pram. By the time we almost arrived the gate, they started to announce for PaPa’s name.

The flight was empty. Ariel again refused to be breastfed and she preferred to suck her baby biscuits.

We arrived home…it was very very tiring trip with so many things to unpack and also we spent quite a sum of money for this trip because our currency was quite low as compared with Singapore dollar. However, all in all, Jeriel and Ariel enjoyed themselves a lot. PaPa and Mummy were happy to see them so happy.