This morning, we took a drive to the Gold Coast and spent the morning at the beach. As usual, it was an easy and relaxing time for everyone. I've always been thankful that we live in a place with such beautiful and thoughtful parks. Today, there was a new addition to the park and its something that even the parents can go crazy on.
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Day 2 of a Long Weekend
Would you believe it if I said I forgot that this would be a four day weekend? Well, I really did. All I had on my mind was that Aaron would be on holidays for two weeks. So, we didn't make any big plans to go away. Instead, we'll be having little mini trips around Brisbane, and a bit further.
This morning, we took a drive to the Gold Coast and spent the morning at the beach. As usual, it was an easy and relaxing time for everyone. I've always been thankful that we live in a place with such beautiful and thoughtful parks. Today, there was a new addition to the park and its something that even the parents can go crazy on.
This morning, we took a drive to the Gold Coast and spent the morning at the beach. As usual, it was an easy and relaxing time for everyone. I've always been thankful that we live in a place with such beautiful and thoughtful parks. Today, there was a new addition to the park and its something that even the parents can go crazy on.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Forgotten Photos From Malaysia
I didn't use my own camera much during the holidays because my brother was around and I just let him be the photographer. So, it was a pleasant surprise today when uploaded whatever I had to my computer.
Aaron's hair is still quite short now but this was the shocking cut that he came back with after my father took him to the barber. I remember not knowing what to say because I didn't want to make him feel bad but looking back at it now, it looks quite cute.
This was my breakfast for almost half the days that we were there. That long, crispy looking loop is Tosai and is made from rice batter and black lentils. My father and I always have that while my mother and Aaron always ordered the Roti Canai. The total cost of our breakfast each time was always around USD3.50.
And finally, here is my personal lion dance troupe. The neighbors must have loved us! One of my friends gave this 'lion' and drum set to the boys. I loved it and enjoyed the drum myself but it was definitely a controlled toy in the house. We played with it often but only when I brought it out. Unfortunately, we weren't able to bring the set back to Brisbane. At least there will be something exciting to look forward to playing next year.
I'm very happy that Aaron enjoyed the six weeks in Malaysia as much as he did. I don't think Adrian appreciates it yet. If only it was a car ride away.
Aaron's hair is still quite short now but this was the shocking cut that he came back with after my father took him to the barber. I remember not knowing what to say because I didn't want to make him feel bad but looking back at it now, it looks quite cute.
This was my breakfast for almost half the days that we were there. That long, crispy looking loop is Tosai and is made from rice batter and black lentils. My father and I always have that while my mother and Aaron always ordered the Roti Canai. The total cost of our breakfast each time was always around USD3.50.
And finally, here is my personal lion dance troupe. The neighbors must have loved us! One of my friends gave this 'lion' and drum set to the boys. I loved it and enjoyed the drum myself but it was definitely a controlled toy in the house. We played with it often but only when I brought it out. Unfortunately, we weren't able to bring the set back to Brisbane. At least there will be something exciting to look forward to playing next year.
I'm very happy that Aaron enjoyed the six weeks in Malaysia as much as he did. I don't think Adrian appreciates it yet. If only it was a car ride away.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Fun in Sydney
Hey! Where did my two weeks go? I wish I could say that we were in Sydney the whole time but we actually got back on Sunday. The time in Brisbane seems to have been swallowed up by children with fevers!
The main reason we were in Sydney was to visit my brother and his wife. They both had to work so we used the mornings and afternoons to do all the touristy things. Here are some of the photos from our trip.
I never imagined that my first meal in Sydney would be a huge plate of Nasi Goreng Spesial (Special Fried Rice). We were in a food court in Chinatown that had too many things to pick from. The Indonesian stall caught my eye and I jumped for my old favorite. It was oiliness of it definitely reminded me of the fried rice we used to get in Palembang - TASTY STUFF!
The Sydney Tower
Up in the tower, Aaron couldn't see anything through the correct end of the binoculars and insisted that this bigger end was the way to go.
It wasn't our first trip to Sydney and is obvious as I look through the photos - No good ones of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge or the Opera House!
It was the Queen Victoria Building that provided us with a couple of good laughs. Here is a photo of the men's bathrooms:
And the ladies bathroom with the biggest bathroom mirror I've ever seen!
It is a beautiful building that was completely in 1898. As we were walking around, admiring it, we noticed something interesting on this clock.
Here's a close up. It didn't come out clearly in the photo but printed on the clock is 'Ipoh Limited, Sydney'. Wikipedia says that the QVB was restored from 1984-1986 by Ipoh Limited at a cost of $86Million.
The few days in Sydney went past too quickly. I do wish that we had more time there but I'm definitely glad that we live here in Brisbane instead. It may be smaller but its also much cleaner and more organised.
The main reason we were in Sydney was to visit my brother and his wife. They both had to work so we used the mornings and afternoons to do all the touristy things. Here are some of the photos from our trip.
I never imagined that my first meal in Sydney would be a huge plate of Nasi Goreng Spesial (Special Fried Rice). We were in a food court in Chinatown that had too many things to pick from. The Indonesian stall caught my eye and I jumped for my old favorite. It was oiliness of it definitely reminded me of the fried rice we used to get in Palembang - TASTY STUFF!
The Sydney Tower
Up in the tower, Aaron couldn't see anything through the correct end of the binoculars and insisted that this bigger end was the way to go.
It wasn't our first trip to Sydney and is obvious as I look through the photos - No good ones of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge or the Opera House!
It was the Queen Victoria Building that provided us with a couple of good laughs. Here is a photo of the men's bathrooms:
And the ladies bathroom with the biggest bathroom mirror I've ever seen!
It is a beautiful building that was completely in 1898. As we were walking around, admiring it, we noticed something interesting on this clock.
Here's a close up. It didn't come out clearly in the photo but printed on the clock is 'Ipoh Limited, Sydney'. Wikipedia says that the QVB was restored from 1984-1986 by Ipoh Limited at a cost of $86Million.
The few days in Sydney went past too quickly. I do wish that we had more time there but I'm definitely glad that we live here in Brisbane instead. It may be smaller but its also much cleaner and more organised.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Back From The Beach
Why do we not live nearer the beach? Why? Why? Why? I guess I shouldn't complain. It was only a 90 minute drive there and both boys did well in the car.
The beach must be the easiest place to keep children entertained. All that sand keeps them occupied for hours and hours. And running back and forth, getting bucket after bucket of water for the moat of the sand castle - well, that alone lasts a good 20 minutes before they realize its futile. Aaron made friends with this family with four kids and they played every morning and afternoon for the entire time we
were there.
Adrian also had a lot of fun with the sand. When he first saw the waves, he was completely enthralled and crawled straight towards them but then got a face full of water. Oops! That gave him a bit of a shock and we had to take it slowly for awhile until he got used to it.
And guess what? Adrian took his first unassisted steps while we were there. It wasn't when this particular photo was taken but he seemed to do a lot of standing on the sand in the lead up to those first steps.
Here's one final photo of the both of them.
I'm already planning our next trip there. Maybe I should just plan on going there on a monthly basis.....if only...
The beach must be the easiest place to keep children entertained. All that sand keeps them occupied for hours and hours. And running back and forth, getting bucket after bucket of water for the moat of the sand castle - well, that alone lasts a good 20 minutes before they realize its futile. Aaron made friends with this family with four kids and they played every morning and afternoon for the entire time we
were there.
Adrian also had a lot of fun with the sand. When he first saw the waves, he was completely enthralled and crawled straight towards them but then got a face full of water. Oops! That gave him a bit of a shock and we had to take it slowly for awhile until he got used to it.
And guess what? Adrian took his first unassisted steps while we were there. It wasn't when this particular photo was taken but he seemed to do a lot of standing on the sand in the lead up to those first steps.
Here's one final photo of the both of them.
I'm already planning our next trip there. Maybe I should just plan on going there on a monthly basis.....if only...
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Penang
We visited the Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Penang back in early July but I never had time to post any of the pictures here. This was definitely a highlight of our trip to Malaysia. It was also during the time that Richard was also visiting so my workload was a lot less!
"Peranakan" is a term used to describe the descendants of Chinese immigrants who married the local women in South East Asia. The immigrants were often rich businessmen who already had wives back in China so, many houses, like the one we visited, were for their second and subsequent wives. In Malaysia, these wives were often Malay so the children usually spoke Malay. However, their immigrant fathers held tight to many of the Chinese customs and they lived by many of the traditional Chinese ways. They had a fascinating culture but it was inherently too chauvinistic to last. Today, Peranakan food and clothing is popular but little of the other characteristics survive. I am of Peranakan descent and enjoy the whole fairytale of that era but am thankful not to be a female confined to the home and forced to do embroidery and cooking all day long. You can read more about the Peranakan culture here.
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion we visited had none of the original furniture remaining but the current owner has decorated it with his own set of antiques. I think the only original items mentioned by the tour guide were the tiles, from somewhere in the UK and the iron poles around the center courtyard, from Glasgow.
This center courtyard originally didn't have a roof over it so that rainwater could be collected. As a tourist attraction, this house has the area covered to protect the furniture that is now in the house. The door you see is the side entrance that is used only by family members. Guests enter from another door that fronts onto the road.
This is the women's room where wives and daughters would chat and play card games while the men sat in a different room. I think the West had this practice too with the women going to the drawing room while the men went to the parlor...or something like that.
The Nyonya women did not have bound feet but this display of shoes (for tiny bound feet) from China was still interesting!
The wooden carvings, painted gold, were shipped from China.
These Peranakan families ate from a different set of plates and bowls each night of the week! And there were special sets for special occasions too.
Opium smoking bed.
I think this was the wedding bed.
And finally, here is the kitchen where the wives supposedly toiled in their beautiful kebayas.
And thats all from the Peranakan Mansion. We spent nearly three hours wondering around this house, trying to feel what it was like if it was our home.
"Peranakan" is a term used to describe the descendants of Chinese immigrants who married the local women in South East Asia. The immigrants were often rich businessmen who already had wives back in China so, many houses, like the one we visited, were for their second and subsequent wives. In Malaysia, these wives were often Malay so the children usually spoke Malay. However, their immigrant fathers held tight to many of the Chinese customs and they lived by many of the traditional Chinese ways. They had a fascinating culture but it was inherently too chauvinistic to last. Today, Peranakan food and clothing is popular but little of the other characteristics survive. I am of Peranakan descent and enjoy the whole fairytale of that era but am thankful not to be a female confined to the home and forced to do embroidery and cooking all day long. You can read more about the Peranakan culture here.
The Pinang Peranakan Mansion we visited had none of the original furniture remaining but the current owner has decorated it with his own set of antiques. I think the only original items mentioned by the tour guide were the tiles, from somewhere in the UK and the iron poles around the center courtyard, from Glasgow.
This center courtyard originally didn't have a roof over it so that rainwater could be collected. As a tourist attraction, this house has the area covered to protect the furniture that is now in the house. The door you see is the side entrance that is used only by family members. Guests enter from another door that fronts onto the road.
This is the women's room where wives and daughters would chat and play card games while the men sat in a different room. I think the West had this practice too with the women going to the drawing room while the men went to the parlor...or something like that.
The Nyonya women did not have bound feet but this display of shoes (for tiny bound feet) from China was still interesting!
The wooden carvings, painted gold, were shipped from China.
These Peranakan families ate from a different set of plates and bowls each night of the week! And there were special sets for special occasions too.
Opium smoking bed.
I think this was the wedding bed.
And finally, here is the kitchen where the wives supposedly toiled in their beautiful kebayas.
And thats all from the Peranakan Mansion. We spent nearly three hours wondering around this house, trying to feel what it was like if it was our home.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Jakarta was exhausting!
The weekend was a blast! We left early on Saturday morning and didn't get home till 9pm on Monday night. Three very exhausting days! We walked, and walked and walked the malls. And since we didn't want to waste any time on naps, we took turns carrying Aaron, now 15kgs, while walking whenever he needed a nap. WHY did I leave his stroller in Brisbane???
I'd call the weekend a "shallow getaway" because we did no research on Jakarta and didn't really plan to visit much (or any) of the city. The only plan we had was the vague idea that we wanted to spend the weekend shopping and eating.
I read in the papers recently that Jakarta was home to some mega malls. I wanted to see what that was all about. They were big and shiny but very similar to the malls in Kuala Lumpur. The first couple of deserted floors are full of luxury brands, then as you move upwards, you have your more affordable ones. We ended up focusing on the top two floors where all the food was. Believe it or not, we had 9 meals (medium sized ones) between 10am Saturday to 8pm Sunday! The only thing that disappointed me was that the famous line "We're out of the xxx" was as frequently used in Jakarta as it is in Palembang. Almost every time we go to a restaurant, we inevitably pick something on the menu that they don't have. I thought this was just a Palembang "specialty" but I'm now wondering if its something that afflicts all Indonesian restaurants.
This isn't the best photo of Aaron and I but it shows you just how shiny the place was. All the photos were full of reflections.
We window shopped at the mega malls but we did our actual shopping at a very different place. It was more of a bazaar than a mall and that is where we found plenty of bargains. I think there were 6 packed floors of clothes, shoes, bags, watches, DVDs and some electronic stuff. The clothes and shoes were mostly "normal" goods but the bags and DVDs were all fakes and pirated versions.
And here's a photo of the "bazaar". In the background, there is a man in a blue shirt. Behind him, you'll see a pile of "stuff". Those were all bottles of perfumes. I don't know if they were real or imitation ones but they were all the "branded" perfumes and there were 4 little hills of them there. The people started yelling at us not to take any photos as soon as Richard got the camera out so, this was the best we could manage.
Contrary to all the warnings of horrendous traffic jams in Jakarta, we were lucky. Even on Monday afternoon, when it was raining heavily, we managed to get to the airport without any delays. The delay came after we got to the airport with our flight delayed an hour.
So in the end, we had a fun weekend. Jakarta is definitely a diverse place that I'd like to explore more of in the future but I'm glad that we live in a smaller city like Palembang, even if there is nothing to do on weekends here.
I'd call the weekend a "shallow getaway" because we did no research on Jakarta and didn't really plan to visit much (or any) of the city. The only plan we had was the vague idea that we wanted to spend the weekend shopping and eating.
I read in the papers recently that Jakarta was home to some mega malls. I wanted to see what that was all about. They were big and shiny but very similar to the malls in Kuala Lumpur. The first couple of deserted floors are full of luxury brands, then as you move upwards, you have your more affordable ones. We ended up focusing on the top two floors where all the food was. Believe it or not, we had 9 meals (medium sized ones) between 10am Saturday to 8pm Sunday! The only thing that disappointed me was that the famous line "We're out of the xxx" was as frequently used in Jakarta as it is in Palembang. Almost every time we go to a restaurant, we inevitably pick something on the menu that they don't have. I thought this was just a Palembang "specialty" but I'm now wondering if its something that afflicts all Indonesian restaurants.
This isn't the best photo of Aaron and I but it shows you just how shiny the place was. All the photos were full of reflections.
We window shopped at the mega malls but we did our actual shopping at a very different place. It was more of a bazaar than a mall and that is where we found plenty of bargains. I think there were 6 packed floors of clothes, shoes, bags, watches, DVDs and some electronic stuff. The clothes and shoes were mostly "normal" goods but the bags and DVDs were all fakes and pirated versions.
And here's a photo of the "bazaar". In the background, there is a man in a blue shirt. Behind him, you'll see a pile of "stuff". Those were all bottles of perfumes. I don't know if they were real or imitation ones but they were all the "branded" perfumes and there were 4 little hills of them there. The people started yelling at us not to take any photos as soon as Richard got the camera out so, this was the best we could manage.
Contrary to all the warnings of horrendous traffic jams in Jakarta, we were lucky. Even on Monday afternoon, when it was raining heavily, we managed to get to the airport without any delays. The delay came after we got to the airport with our flight delayed an hour.
So in the end, we had a fun weekend. Jakarta is definitely a diverse place that I'd like to explore more of in the future but I'm glad that we live in a smaller city like Palembang, even if there is nothing to do on weekends here.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
We're Off Again
We've been back exactly 3 weeks and we're off again tomorrow. To be honest, I really don't need a break from Palembang yet. We were just getting into the swing of the daily routine and Aaron had finally accepted that there are no beaches or parks here.
However, Chinese New Year is a week away and we're heading back to Ipoh for the annual family reunion. This get-together is extremely important to the older generation. My grandparents will probably understand if I can't make it back but at the same time, I know they will be disappointed. In a way, they rate how much they are loved and respected by how many of their children, grandchildren, extended family and friends show up at their house for the reunion dinner on the eve of the new year. Or maybe, it is the one time in the year that their house is filled with people who are there to pay attention to them. In any case, it is a tradition that I would like to protect.
Ipoh is normally a small city but swells tremendously during Chinese New Year. There aren't too many attractive jobs there so many (if not most) of the younger generation have moved elsewhere, leaving parents and grandparents behind. So guess what?! They'll all be back this coming week and the traffic is going to be horrendous. To give you an idea of the traffic that will be on the roads, last year, when we were leaving Ipoh on the return journey, it took us 5 hrs to get from Ipoh to KL when it normally takes 2.5hrs. There were others that claimed 6 hrs and I believe them!
Its not only the roads that will be crowded. Many of the families today no longer cook their own meals during these festive times. There are too many people to feed and they have grown used to the convenience of eating out. So, ALL the restaurants will be bursting with people. In the past, the restaurants close for their own family get togethers but these days, there is just too much money to be made.
My mom is already starting to cook and freeze food because she's not one to face the crowds. I'll eat her food for lunch and dinner but I'm prepared to brave the crowds for some of my favourite breakfast foods.
I make it sound like a horrible holiday, don't I? Its not really. When I get back, meeting up with family and friends will undoubtedly erase any of the frustrations I may encounter.
OK. Stay tuned for the occasional post from Ipoh, Malaysia.
However, Chinese New Year is a week away and we're heading back to Ipoh for the annual family reunion. This get-together is extremely important to the older generation. My grandparents will probably understand if I can't make it back but at the same time, I know they will be disappointed. In a way, they rate how much they are loved and respected by how many of their children, grandchildren, extended family and friends show up at their house for the reunion dinner on the eve of the new year. Or maybe, it is the one time in the year that their house is filled with people who are there to pay attention to them. In any case, it is a tradition that I would like to protect.
Ipoh is normally a small city but swells tremendously during Chinese New Year. There aren't too many attractive jobs there so many (if not most) of the younger generation have moved elsewhere, leaving parents and grandparents behind. So guess what?! They'll all be back this coming week and the traffic is going to be horrendous. To give you an idea of the traffic that will be on the roads, last year, when we were leaving Ipoh on the return journey, it took us 5 hrs to get from Ipoh to KL when it normally takes 2.5hrs. There were others that claimed 6 hrs and I believe them!
Its not only the roads that will be crowded. Many of the families today no longer cook their own meals during these festive times. There are too many people to feed and they have grown used to the convenience of eating out. So, ALL the restaurants will be bursting with people. In the past, the restaurants close for their own family get togethers but these days, there is just too much money to be made.
My mom is already starting to cook and freeze food because she's not one to face the crowds. I'll eat her food for lunch and dinner but I'm prepared to brave the crowds for some of my favourite breakfast foods.
I make it sound like a horrible holiday, don't I? Its not really. When I get back, meeting up with family and friends will undoubtedly erase any of the frustrations I may encounter.
OK. Stay tuned for the occasional post from Ipoh, Malaysia.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Fathers Guest House
We spent the weekend at Cameron Highlands (about 1hr drive from Ipoh, up in the mountains) and stayed at the Fathers Guest House. This place was built by a French priest and has been used as the residence of Catholic priests in the area. Sometime during the past ten years, the last priest of that order retired and there are now no priests left in Cameron Highlands so the church leased the place out to an enterprising couple who have converted it into this guest house. Occasionally, visiting priests will still spend the night here but they usually just come up to say a single mass and then go back to their own parishes.
My photo is of the ex-chapel area, where our rooms were. There is a much nicer photo of the entire are here.
Just like Pangkor, this place also brings back memories from my childhood. We stayed in this house a couple of times when I was about 8 or 9 years old because my father is friends with the last priest, Fr Surmon. It was here that I first watched Raiders of the Lost Ark and was so scared I couldn't sleep for nights. It was that scene when the priest pulled the beating heart out of the man that kept replaying in my mind. It was also here that I first heard of Nostradamus, thanks to Fr Surmon. Something else, that kept me awake at night. In fact, the 'stories' that he told about Nostradamus gives me the shivers till this day and I avoid hearing anything about that topic.
So, last weekend we were at the beach and this week we were in the mountains. I wonder where we'll be next weekend?
My photo is of the ex-chapel area, where our rooms were. There is a much nicer photo of the entire are here.
Just like Pangkor, this place also brings back memories from my childhood. We stayed in this house a couple of times when I was about 8 or 9 years old because my father is friends with the last priest, Fr Surmon. It was here that I first watched Raiders of the Lost Ark and was so scared I couldn't sleep for nights. It was that scene when the priest pulled the beating heart out of the man that kept replaying in my mind. It was also here that I first heard of Nostradamus, thanks to Fr Surmon. Something else, that kept me awake at night. In fact, the 'stories' that he told about Nostradamus gives me the shivers till this day and I avoid hearing anything about that topic.
So, last weekend we were at the beach and this week we were in the mountains. I wonder where we'll be next weekend?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
1 Wedding, 2 Birthdays and 5 serves of Calamari
Has it really been 1 week since we got back to Malaysia? This holiday zoomed past even faster than usual. We've been to Ipoh, Penang, Pangkor and then back to Ipoh again. I've decided to spend an extra two weeks in Ipoh but Richard is already back at work in Palembang. My brother and his wife were back for the wedding but they too have headed off to Philippines already. It has been HECTIC!
We went to Penang for my cousin's wedding. He's half Greek/half Chinese and his wife is a Chinese from China. So, there was a church wedding, followed by the traditional Chinese tea ceremony and then the reception at night. There was Greek dancing, disco, weird wannabe ancient Egyptian struts, and just your 'normal' dancing that night. The youngest there was about 1 and the oldest (my grandmother) was 92. EVERYBODY had fun. Here's a photo of the bride's beautiful dress. This was at the room where we had the tea ceremony.
The day after the wedding, we had a surprise birthday brunch for my father and Aaron. My father didn't expect it at all and was so confused he said "I forgot it was my birthday" when in fact, his birthday isn't until September. We were doing it early because all his siblings were back for the wedding. I wish I had a better photo but there was just too much excitement with the two of them blowing the cake.
After all the celebrations, we went to Pangkor Island for a couple of days by the beach. The beach was more for Aaron. The rest of us enjoyed the food they had there. We had this deep fried calamari dish a total of 5 times in the 3 days/2 nights we were there!
The rest of my time here is mainly going to be spent with my grandparents. They are old and not as healthy as they used to be. Time is precious.
We went to Penang for my cousin's wedding. He's half Greek/half Chinese and his wife is a Chinese from China. So, there was a church wedding, followed by the traditional Chinese tea ceremony and then the reception at night. There was Greek dancing, disco, weird wannabe ancient Egyptian struts, and just your 'normal' dancing that night. The youngest there was about 1 and the oldest (my grandmother) was 92. EVERYBODY had fun. Here's a photo of the bride's beautiful dress. This was at the room where we had the tea ceremony.
The day after the wedding, we had a surprise birthday brunch for my father and Aaron. My father didn't expect it at all and was so confused he said "I forgot it was my birthday" when in fact, his birthday isn't until September. We were doing it early because all his siblings were back for the wedding. I wish I had a better photo but there was just too much excitement with the two of them blowing the cake.
After all the celebrations, we went to Pangkor Island for a couple of days by the beach. The beach was more for Aaron. The rest of us enjoyed the food they had there. We had this deep fried calamari dish a total of 5 times in the 3 days/2 nights we were there!
The rest of my time here is mainly going to be spent with my grandparents. They are old and not as healthy as they used to be. Time is precious.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
I'm Packing My Bags
Very often, people pride themselves for being very light travelers. They carefully select each outfit so that it can be mixed and match as efficiently as possible.
I'm quite the opposite. My last job required a lot of traveling and yet, I was still known for my big bags. Nobody can forget how much I carried with me when I went on a trip. Am I proud of this? Yes. I had more than enough of anything and never once got charged for overweight baggage. I could try on one outfit, decide I didn't like it and try on something else.
I still have the same style of packing now except that I pack Aaron's stuff before my own. So, he's getting the benefit. He's such a little guy but we need double or triple of everything just because he gets them dirty so quickly. Then, there is always the need to pack the most likely books or toys that will keep him entertained while away from all his other toys. So in the end, I just throw in more than enough for him just in case I picked the wrong things. I'm always left with just a small corner of the bag to fit my now efficiently selected clothing.
So, I'd better get back to the packing. We're leaving for Malaysia tomorrow morning and there are some tough decisions to be made.
Its going to be a big family get together week with a wedding and a birthday party thrown in so I probably won't get a chance to blog till next week. Till then, have a good week!
I'm quite the opposite. My last job required a lot of traveling and yet, I was still known for my big bags. Nobody can forget how much I carried with me when I went on a trip. Am I proud of this? Yes. I had more than enough of anything and never once got charged for overweight baggage. I could try on one outfit, decide I didn't like it and try on something else.
I still have the same style of packing now except that I pack Aaron's stuff before my own. So, he's getting the benefit. He's such a little guy but we need double or triple of everything just because he gets them dirty so quickly. Then, there is always the need to pack the most likely books or toys that will keep him entertained while away from all his other toys. So in the end, I just throw in more than enough for him just in case I picked the wrong things. I'm always left with just a small corner of the bag to fit my now efficiently selected clothing.
So, I'd better get back to the packing. We're leaving for Malaysia tomorrow morning and there are some tough decisions to be made.
Its going to be a big family get together week with a wedding and a birthday party thrown in so I probably won't get a chance to blog till next week. Till then, have a good week!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Torture by Bedbugs at Avillion
I wonder if there is such a torture technique in use. If not, they really should try it out because I WILL TELL YOU ANYTHING right now if you can stop the itch from my 52 bites. Yes. Fifty Two. They are driving me c r a z y ! ! ! (Yesterday I posted fleas/ticks but after looking at bites on the internet, they look like bedbug bites)
I remember watching an episode of the Mythbusters that investigated the Chinese Water Torture. The conclusion was that the water droplets weren't all that stressful but the immobilization and inability to do anything about the water flowing down your face and the itch it caused was what caused this form of torture to be effective.
Since I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be scratching, I see it as a form of immobilization. I can't have anything brush up against any of the bites or the incessant itching kicks up a notch to an intense feeling of something wriggling around in the bite. This of course means that nights and Aaron's nap times are the worst because most of the bites are on my legs and laying down is torture!
The second part to this torture is when I do mobilize and succumb to a few seconds of intense scratching. Ah....a few moments of satisfaction but right after that, the itch comes back worse.
Alright, after the first day, I told Richard that I would definitely go back to that resort. That was before I was attacked. Now, I'm so disappointed. It was a lovely resort that is convenient to get to and fantastic for families with little kids. But, how can I willingly return to this place.
So, this post is my warning to any would be visitors of Avillion Port Dickson. By the way, I don't think I got the bites from the bed but from the beach deck chair instead. So next time, just remember to sit on towels? Who knows? Bedbugs really are everywhere when you travel....
I remember watching an episode of the Mythbusters that investigated the Chinese Water Torture. The conclusion was that the water droplets weren't all that stressful but the immobilization and inability to do anything about the water flowing down your face and the itch it caused was what caused this form of torture to be effective.
Since I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to be scratching, I see it as a form of immobilization. I can't have anything brush up against any of the bites or the incessant itching kicks up a notch to an intense feeling of something wriggling around in the bite. This of course means that nights and Aaron's nap times are the worst because most of the bites are on my legs and laying down is torture!
The second part to this torture is when I do mobilize and succumb to a few seconds of intense scratching. Ah....a few moments of satisfaction but right after that, the itch comes back worse.
Alright, after the first day, I told Richard that I would definitely go back to that resort. That was before I was attacked. Now, I'm so disappointed. It was a lovely resort that is convenient to get to and fantastic for families with little kids. But, how can I willingly return to this place.
So, this post is my warning to any would be visitors of Avillion Port Dickson. By the way, I don't think I got the bites from the bed but from the beach deck chair instead. So next time, just remember to sit on towels? Who knows? Bedbugs really are everywhere when you travel....
Monday, May 19, 2008
Bits and 30+ Bites
As usual, our holiday was over much too quickly. We've only been back a day and yet all the images from the break are fading already. Here are some of the fragments that are left floating in my mind.
Aaron enjoyed all the talk of planes and looking at them. Funnily, he wasn't so interested in being INSIDE one. After take off and the first few minutes of looking out the window, he kept asking to go outside. We were flying above some clouds and he got the idea in his head that he could walk on them.
The most memorable line from the entire holiday came from Aaron. "Papa, wear your glasses! Its so loud!!". This was when we landed in KL and had to walk across the tarmac to get to the terminal. It really was noisy with several planes around. I already had my sunglasses on so I was safe.
Aaron really couldn't get enough of the beach. We were there...
...after breakfast,...
...after lunch (where he soon realized that the sunny parts were too hot to walk over)...
...and even after dinner.
My favorite of all his beach shots is this one:
Unavoidably, much of our attention was focused on Aaron. However, all three of us did get a say in what we did. We had time for the beach, swimming, lazing, the petting zoo and the playground. After all that playing around, both Richard and I got haircuts and facials. I was really surprised at how clean Richard's face ended up.
I have been unlucky enough to pick up 30+ bites from I-don't-know-what. At first I thought they were sand fly bites, but Richard and Aaron had them too and theirs faded within the hour. Now I'm thinking either fleas or ticks. WHY ME? Its actually my third time picking up bites on my travels. They itch all day long and as if thats not enough, they wake me up in the middle of the night for more scratching.
Amidst all the fun and food we had, each time we watched the news, we were faced with the sad images of the victims in Burma and China. It was a pleasant week away for us but the weekly news roundup we watched on BBC last night painted such a grim picture of the same week in different parts of the world.
Aaron enjoyed all the talk of planes and looking at them. Funnily, he wasn't so interested in being INSIDE one. After take off and the first few minutes of looking out the window, he kept asking to go outside. We were flying above some clouds and he got the idea in his head that he could walk on them.
The most memorable line from the entire holiday came from Aaron. "Papa, wear your glasses! Its so loud!!". This was when we landed in KL and had to walk across the tarmac to get to the terminal. It really was noisy with several planes around. I already had my sunglasses on so I was safe.
Aaron really couldn't get enough of the beach. We were there...
...after breakfast,...
...after lunch (where he soon realized that the sunny parts were too hot to walk over)...
...and even after dinner.
My favorite of all his beach shots is this one:
Unavoidably, much of our attention was focused on Aaron. However, all three of us did get a say in what we did. We had time for the beach, swimming, lazing, the petting zoo and the playground. After all that playing around, both Richard and I got haircuts and facials. I was really surprised at how clean Richard's face ended up.
I have been unlucky enough to pick up 30+ bites from I-don't-know-what. At first I thought they were sand fly bites, but Richard and Aaron had them too and theirs faded within the hour. Now I'm thinking either fleas or ticks. WHY ME? Its actually my third time picking up bites on my travels. They itch all day long and as if thats not enough, they wake me up in the middle of the night for more scratching.
Amidst all the fun and food we had, each time we watched the news, we were faced with the sad images of the victims in Burma and China. It was a pleasant week away for us but the weekly news roundup we watched on BBC last night painted such a grim picture of the same week in different parts of the world.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Would you believe it? My first outing with another mom!
OK. We're back in Palembang now and its as if we never left. Aaron is as happy as he always is and I'm back to my same old routines.
We were in Kuala Lumpur the day before returning to Palembang. I spent most of the day with an old friend who has a beautiful 10 month old girl. Aaron is already 18 months yet this was my first time going out with a friend who also had a baby in tow. Finally, somebody else who understands completely what its like to constantly split your attention between the adult conversation and the baby. Another person who understands why you have to keep taking the baby out for a walk during meals. Well, for this meeting, the dads did a great job taking the babies out whenever they got restless while we ate.
Aaron was very interested in the other person his size and kept trying to engage her. I think he tried to pull her along to walk with him too without realizing that she doesn't know how to walk yet. They were SO CUTE!
We went to the Aquaria KLCC for some air conditioned activity. I think the babies must have enjoyed it but it really wasn't anything to rave about except for the several large fish to be amazed at and this incredibly slimy frog that I couldn't take my eyes off. I don't usually use this word but it was JUST. SO. UGLY.
We were in Kuala Lumpur the day before returning to Palembang. I spent most of the day with an old friend who has a beautiful 10 month old girl. Aaron is already 18 months yet this was my first time going out with a friend who also had a baby in tow. Finally, somebody else who understands completely what its like to constantly split your attention between the adult conversation and the baby. Another person who understands why you have to keep taking the baby out for a walk during meals. Well, for this meeting, the dads did a great job taking the babies out whenever they got restless while we ate.
Aaron was very interested in the other person his size and kept trying to engage her. I think he tried to pull her along to walk with him too without realizing that she doesn't know how to walk yet. They were SO CUTE!
We went to the Aquaria KLCC for some air conditioned activity. I think the babies must have enjoyed it but it really wasn't anything to rave about except for the several large fish to be amazed at and this incredibly slimy frog that I couldn't take my eyes off. I don't usually use this word but it was JUST. SO. UGLY.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Its going to be a hectic week
Wow, I've been back in Ipoh for a whole month now. It has been an extremely enjoyable time with my family and also one of my closest friends. The time has zoomed by and is just going to accelerate from now on.
Tomorrow, we go to Kuala Lumpur to do some shopping and pick Richard up. Then on Tuesday, we'll stop by Klang on the way back to Ipoh. We'll be here on Wednesday and Thursday for the Chinese New Year Reunion dinner and also the first day of the new year. Then, its off to Penang for a couple of days before returning to Ipoh for one final night on Sunday. On Monday, we'll be heading back to Kuala Lumpur again for two nights before flying back to Palembang.
I'll try my best to keep Aaron on his nap schedules but I think he'll be worn out with all the travel back and forth. So will I!
Being back in Palembang will be restful but I'm not looking forward to the sudden absence of activity. It always takes awhile to get back into the routine of being at home for most of the day with nowhere to go. I think Aaron gets bored of seeing only me as well.
No point thinking of the boredom now. We're going to have a fantastically busy but fun week full of family, friends and food.
Tomorrow, we go to Kuala Lumpur to do some shopping and pick Richard up. Then on Tuesday, we'll stop by Klang on the way back to Ipoh. We'll be here on Wednesday and Thursday for the Chinese New Year Reunion dinner and also the first day of the new year. Then, its off to Penang for a couple of days before returning to Ipoh for one final night on Sunday. On Monday, we'll be heading back to Kuala Lumpur again for two nights before flying back to Palembang.
I'll try my best to keep Aaron on his nap schedules but I think he'll be worn out with all the travel back and forth. So will I!
Being back in Palembang will be restful but I'm not looking forward to the sudden absence of activity. It always takes awhile to get back into the routine of being at home for most of the day with nowhere to go. I think Aaron gets bored of seeing only me as well.
No point thinking of the boredom now. We're going to have a fantastically busy but fun week full of family, friends and food.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
4 straight days of Christmas Shopping
I can't believe we're back home again. The past few days in Kuala Lumpur went by so quickly because we had an AMAZING time. The bad news was that it rained for most of our time there so we didn't go anywhere outdoors and I have no photos of the real Kuala Lumpur to share. (Bilbo, you'll have to keep imagining it for now.)
Instead, we spent almost the whole trip in the malls, shopping, shopping shopping. There was so much to see and so many play areas that even Aaron didn't complain. The Christmas decorations were more elaborate this year than in previous years. I did feel they were a little too 'Western' but I guess thats what happens when all the movies, cards and other images of Christmas comes from the west. Still, they were wonderful to look at and Aaron hardly blinked when he first saw the displays.
We did make a trip to Klang (30mins from Kuala Lumpur) to visit our old neighbors. Our 2.5yrs there are filled with memories of these good friends. So far, this is the only place where I have lived and gotten to know the neighbors so well. Seeing them makes me realize how much I miss living there. Here are the two girls that I taught piano to and played with almost every day. They were so little when I first met them!
Here we are having dinner with all of them at a local restaurant. Kids are on the table in the foreground and adults in the background. I wish I could have spent some time with the kids, they've always made me laugh!
So its back to the routine life for now until our next trip at the end of January for the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Instead, we spent almost the whole trip in the malls, shopping, shopping shopping. There was so much to see and so many play areas that even Aaron didn't complain. The Christmas decorations were more elaborate this year than in previous years. I did feel they were a little too 'Western' but I guess thats what happens when all the movies, cards and other images of Christmas comes from the west. Still, they were wonderful to look at and Aaron hardly blinked when he first saw the displays.
We did make a trip to Klang (30mins from Kuala Lumpur) to visit our old neighbors. Our 2.5yrs there are filled with memories of these good friends. So far, this is the only place where I have lived and gotten to know the neighbors so well. Seeing them makes me realize how much I miss living there. Here are the two girls that I taught piano to and played with almost every day. They were so little when I first met them!
Here we are having dinner with all of them at a local restaurant. Kids are on the table in the foreground and adults in the background. I wish I could have spent some time with the kids, they've always made me laugh!
So its back to the routine life for now until our next trip at the end of January for the Chinese New Year celebrations.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Vacations across the globe
Although the northern hemisphere may be in summer time now, its either winter or 'normal season' at the places I'll be at in the next month. No matter, all the buzz on summertime going around has made me start planning ahead for my sunny vacation. While I'll be going to Australia at the end of this month, Richard won't be joining me until mid October, the start of summer over there. We're planning to spend some time at the Gold Coast and will probably end up renting a place in Surfers Paradise. It will be fun to take Aaron down to the beautiful white beaches. I know there is a photo of me playing in the surf from when I was around 12 months old and I'd like to get a similar one of Aaron so we can put them side by side.
We seem to end up at vacation rental places quite often. I know each time we go to the Gold Coast it will be rental apartment. Once, we went up the coast to Noosa and ended up renting the downstairs of somebody's Queenslander for a few days. In Malaysia too, we often rent bungalows in Cameron Highlands. Its a really relaxing way to vacation and with a curious toddler, the rentals usually offer much more space.
Who knows? Maybe I'll be checking out Kauai vacation rentals next. Hawaii is on my list of places to visit someday but that 'someday' has been pushed further away since I'd like to wait till Aaron is a little older before attempting to spend 30 or 40 hours traveling!
We seem to end up at vacation rental places quite often. I know each time we go to the Gold Coast it will be rental apartment. Once, we went up the coast to Noosa and ended up renting the downstairs of somebody's Queenslander for a few days. In Malaysia too, we often rent bungalows in Cameron Highlands. Its a really relaxing way to vacation and with a curious toddler, the rentals usually offer much more space.
Who knows? Maybe I'll be checking out Kauai vacation rentals next. Hawaii is on my list of places to visit someday but that 'someday' has been pushed further away since I'd like to wait till Aaron is a little older before attempting to spend 30 or 40 hours traveling!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Where will Aaron go camping?
Some of the best memories of my childhood in Malaysia are of camping by the beach in and around Pangkor Island. My parents were avid divers and we used to go out to the sea almost every weekend. Every so often, they would have camping trips and of course we were included. This was before there were any hotels on the island and hardly any tourists. The surrounding islands too were literally 'deserted islands'. I remember the smell of the old fishing boats we used to take to get there. You'd think that I'd remember the smell of fish but its the leaking engine oil stink that I remember. When the boats arrived at the island, we would dive right off the boat to swim ashore. Lunch on the island was ALWAYS Roti Chanai takeaway from the mainland. I don't really remember what the dinners were.....mustn't have been that good.
The days were just filled with doing anything we wanted on that island. We were FREE, completely! My brother and I were the only two children most of the time so there was never any shortage of babysitters to keep an eye on us. They always did this from a distance so we could pretty much pretend we were Robinson Crusoe and Friday.
Night times were especially fun. Only children would think that a hot tent with lumpy ground underneath made the perfect place to sleep. Sometimes it would even leak into our tent but we enjoyed it anyway.
Where can I go to give Aaron the same carefree memories that I have of camping? Pangkor is out of the question now with the many hotels and tourists. I'm not sure that we'll be able to find another uninhabited island to camp on. While Richard and I are also divers, we are not the weekly divers my parents were and we don't have a group of diving buddies. Perhaps I'll take him to Redang Island on the east coast of Malaysia even though it will be hotel/motel instead of camping. At least the beach and reef were still pristine the last time I was there 4 years ago.
Go to the Crazy Hip Blog Mama's carnival page for more camping stories.
The days were just filled with doing anything we wanted on that island. We were FREE, completely! My brother and I were the only two children most of the time so there was never any shortage of babysitters to keep an eye on us. They always did this from a distance so we could pretty much pretend we were Robinson Crusoe and Friday.
Night times were especially fun. Only children would think that a hot tent with lumpy ground underneath made the perfect place to sleep. Sometimes it would even leak into our tent but we enjoyed it anyway.
Where can I go to give Aaron the same carefree memories that I have of camping? Pangkor is out of the question now with the many hotels and tourists. I'm not sure that we'll be able to find another uninhabited island to camp on. While Richard and I are also divers, we are not the weekly divers my parents were and we don't have a group of diving buddies. Perhaps I'll take him to Redang Island on the east coast of Malaysia even though it will be hotel/motel instead of camping. At least the beach and reef were still pristine the last time I was there 4 years ago.
Go to the Crazy Hip Blog Mama's carnival page for more camping stories.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Walks during sunrise
I'm still dreaming of waking up and doing this....walking on the beach at sunrise.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
The Heavenly Bed
Finally, we got to go on our holiday to Bali. I've been dreaming about the Westin Heavenly Bed since we decided to spend the money on a good hotel. The mattresses here in Palembang are killing me so the decision to SPEND on a bed wasn't a difficult one.
Aaron seemed to love it too. He went for naps and was incredibly reluctant to wake up each time. Also, he slept about 4 hrs straight at night. It was AMAZING!
The bed was fabulous but my favourite memory of the holiday was lounging on one of the day beds overlooking the ocean, with Aaron playing contentedly by himself, and Richard and I pigging out on some leftover KFC. Bali is still Indonesia but there was none of the horrendous heat or humidity by the beach.
Lets see, what else did we learn on this trip....
1) Ordering room service is not much more expensive than wasting time going out to buy food from outside.
2) When staying at good hotels....complain when things AREN'T good. We had a leaky bathroom, complained and got free massages.
3) In this world, you get what you pay for. The massages were incredible. So different from any RM30 ones we have tried. Good things no cheap, cheap things no good!
4) Pampering yourself occasionally is not being indulgent.
5) There are still honest people in this world. I dropped my wedding ring somewhere around the pools. Richard went back there several hours later and found that someone had left it on one of the side tables.
Aaron seemed to love it too. He went for naps and was incredibly reluctant to wake up each time. Also, he slept about 4 hrs straight at night. It was AMAZING!
The bed was fabulous but my favourite memory of the holiday was lounging on one of the day beds overlooking the ocean, with Aaron playing contentedly by himself, and Richard and I pigging out on some leftover KFC. Bali is still Indonesia but there was none of the horrendous heat or humidity by the beach.
Lets see, what else did we learn on this trip....
1) Ordering room service is not much more expensive than wasting time going out to buy food from outside.
2) When staying at good hotels....complain when things AREN'T good. We had a leaky bathroom, complained and got free massages.
3) In this world, you get what you pay for. The massages were incredible. So different from any RM30 ones we have tried. Good things no cheap, cheap things no good!
4) Pampering yourself occasionally is not being indulgent.
5) There are still honest people in this world. I dropped my wedding ring somewhere around the pools. Richard went back there several hours later and found that someone had left it on one of the side tables.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
5 more days to go!
Things have settled down now and we are getting a little bit more used to being on our own. Still, I can't wait for these 5 days to pass so that we can be on our HOLIDAY!!!!
Now here's the weird thing. Lately, I have noticed that perhaps I like the anticipation of the holiday MORE than the actual holiday. I have this BAD BAD habit of counting down till the end of a holiday once a holiday starts. I'd say things like 'Oh, our holiday is one quarter over' Its HORRIBLE, I know......I must stop all this counting down.
Now here's the weird thing. Lately, I have noticed that perhaps I like the anticipation of the holiday MORE than the actual holiday. I have this BAD BAD habit of counting down till the end of a holiday once a holiday starts. I'd say things like 'Oh, our holiday is one quarter over' Its HORRIBLE, I know......I must stop all this counting down.
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