Trip to Universal Studio Singapore and Legoland Johor

This is a backdated post.  Our trip to Universal Studio Singapore and Legoland Johor was in May 2013.  One of the reasons for delay in posting is because there are too many photos that I wouldn't know which one to post them here.  My girl has been reminding me that I am slacking in updating my blog lately.  She is right.  So I make a point to do some updating.

Our initial plan was to go to the much talked about Legoland in Johor Bahru, never did in our plan to go to Singapore until our nephew, Bryan and family, suggested that Singapore is just across the Strait, why not go to Singapore as well?  As they reside in KL, they had been to Legoland during the last school holiday.  

Singapore is the 2nd overseas trip for our girls. At first they were a bit reluctant to go Universal Studio because their focus is to go to Legoland.  It turned out the our girls enjoyed Universal Studio more than Legoland.  I would sum up that Legoland is more suitable for smaller children. It is much too hot to walk around under the bright sun light, there is just too little shades to hide away from the sun.  Be ready to bring along your hat, umbrella, sun cream and rain coat (in case of rainy day) and wear comfortable shoes if you plan to visit Legoland Malaysia.  

 view of Singapore

 our group photo at Marina Bay Singapore

 Bought some souvenirs before leaving Universal Studio Singapore, it is a nice place to visit

at the entrance of Legoland's ticketing counter. 

Choice of budget hotels

It’s the time of the year many of us are planning for vacation or short holiday either to overseas or within Malaysia. 

After about a year of hard work and stress of coping with study for our children, going for a holiday would be the best way to relax our mind and for our children to see new things outside their text books. 

We had a short trip to Kuala Lumpur and Genting last month, we are planning for a trip in December. After our trip to KL, our kids were not very pleased with the time we have to spent on waiting to board and the flying time on the air craft, even so, they are still all excited about our next trip, they are very particular on the choice of our hotel room, they truly want to have a comfortable place to have an enjoyable stay, knowing that they will have to follow mummy and daddy to shop around, their little legs are going to be tired at the end of the day.

Travelling with kids is not easy. They get bored and tired easily especially when we go to a place where nothing of their interests. To overcome this kind of stressfulness, we actually booked our hotel room even before we bought our air tickets just to ensure that our stay is nearby to where we want to shop, work and have aplenty of eating places to choose from. 

In order to watch our budget for our second trip, we search through JB budget hotels where we could have more rooms to choose from for the locations we wanted for our stay. The strategic location of the hotel would help to save a lot on transportation costs. 

Before making a booking, you may want to look out for certain facilities provided in the room, like internet service, air-con, washing machine, and also the distance to the nearest KTM/LRT. While checking through their website, I noticed that there are rooms that suitable for single, double and triple occupancies with reasonable charges. For us, we go for the family room for a more comfortable stay.

School Holiday Activities - Rock Climbing

Only during school holidays that our kids can allocate time to explore more activities in sports and other areas of their interests.  Besides Archery, they chose Rock Climbing which they have been wanting to try.  Our friend told us about Sabah Indoor Climbing Centre at Likas Sports Complex  where all three of his children are doing great in rock climbing and have built up strong arms through this activities. 

After observed other climbers,  our girls would like to have a go for it.  Only members are allowed to take part.  We have no choice but to register both of them.

Now they hold a card to learn how to climb like a lizard..*.*  10 lessons to practice their climbing at any time they want at this 8 meters high man made rocks walls.

 pearl took the challenge first.

 the 1st stage was pretty easy for her

she has climbed all the way to the top.  well done!! 

Crystal has no problem climbing to the top too on stage 1.  After few rounds at stage 1.  They proceeded to a more challenging stage 2.  The stepping rocks are much wider apart.

 crystal trying on stage 2 where the surface are uneven with less rocks to step and grab.  Almost climbed to the top.

Pearl did the same too on stage 2, near to the top.

They did pretty well considering the first time on rock climbing.  This activity not just build up muscles also build up their determinations.

At Theme Park Hotel, Genting

Not long after touching down in KL, we took a pre-booked 12-seater van to Genting after dropping our Nephew & wife at Petaling Street.  Crystal had a car sick during the 1 hour plus car ride to Genting, she could have thrown up in the van had it been a longer journey. 

We checked in to Theme Park Hotel which we made a reservation 3 months ago together with discounted Indoor Theme Park tickets for 4 of us.

The Theme Park Hotel's family room is very spacious and clean.  

spacious room area with dinner table near the window overlooking the out door theme park & First World Hotel

 Wordrobe and settee near the entrance

 two queen size beds.  We later added on 2 extra mattresses for our nephew, Bryan and family to join us for the night.    

the bathroom

 complete with toiletries 

 the view of the outdoor theme park from our room, the weather has been wet during our stay in the resort but that did not deter visitors going to the theme park.  We could hear noises coming from the theme park as soon as it opens.

 The colourful First World Hotel view from our hotel room.  It is often covers by the fog, can hardly been seen.  I quickly took a photo of it when the fog started to clear a little. 

beautiful flowers in the room

Hotel Booking Websites

With airlines periodical promotions nowadays, it has made travelling more affordable to many people.  Once we have booked our tickets to our chosen destination, next will be to look for hotel accommodation.  

Instead of flipping through the Yellow Pages like what we used to, now we can just go online to search for hotels around the world, compare prices, check on the room availability, their localities and make reservation within minutes.  

I was told that making reservation on hotel accommodation on line can be cheaper in many cases, some offer reward points in monetary value for next booking through their websites.  Here are a list of websites that we can browse through to shop for hotel accommodation at our convenience.  

1. Booking.com
2. Hotels.com
3. Zuji.com
4. Wotif.com
5. Pyotravel.com
6. Tripadvisor.com
7. Asiarooms.com
8. Agoda.com
9. Expedia.com
10. Asiatravel.com

We are already in the 2nd half of the year. Soon it will be a long school holiday starting from mid-November till January 2013.   Year end school holiday is the time where parents take the opportunities to go for family vacation.  A lot of planning needed to make the vacation a memorable one.  50% job is done when we secured the hotel reservation.   Which website do you normally go for to make your hotel reservations?  Please share your experiences with us.

   

A trip to Desa Cattle Farm at Kundasang

During the school holiday in December last year, we made a day trip to Desa Cattle Farm in Kundasang.  The last time I went there was in my high school year, it was a school outing. As far as I can remember the place has not changed much in the last 20 over years except having a bigger building now. 

On a uphill not far from Tamparuli town, we stopped by an orchid farm. The orchids are well grown, looking at those orchids, I can't believe they are all real, just too perfectly grown to my eyes.  The price are very reasonable too, but I did not buy any because I don't think I have got the time to care for it.  

We have taken a lot of photos so let the photos do the talking.

 the owner of the orchid farm serving tea 

 entrance fees needed to enter to Desa Cattle farm, this is the little pondok collecting entrance fee

 It was a public holiday, the farm was very crowded with people and traffic was congested 

 The milking area

 The milking cows look skinny

 Fresh cow's milk for sale.  Exactly what we get from the supermarket, there are only two flavours, plain & chocolate

 we bought 2 cartons

 souvenirs are sold here 

 the road leading to the farm from the pondok entrance

 the place is cool and refreshing