At Snow World Genting

After settling down in the hotel, we took a walk to the First World Plaza where the SnowWorld is situated. It was still raining, the walk way leading to the Plaza is wet and not well lighted. Much prefer to have a more pleasant walk with well constructed indoor walk way throughout, more convenient for the children and elderly especially under wet weather condition, they could easily slip.

We arrived at SnowWorld at 7.30pm, bought the tickets, the entry time was at 9.30pm, we have got ample time to walk around the plaza and find a restaurant to have our dinner.

check on the SnowWorld from the outside, couldn't wait to go in actually.

 our tickets

 took a photo as rememberance

 We finally decided to have our dinner at the Noodle House, there is a number stated on each meal, dish and drinks

 take the number according to the meal, dish or drinks you have choosen and pay at the counter

 2 juices, 3 noodles cost us RM55.70 (approx. USD18.00)

After dinner, we started to take the queue to the SnowWorld.  The queue getting longer approaching to the entry time. When it's time to go in, people started to rush in to get the winter attires, it was in a jammed packed and chaotic situation at this point. Though we were much ahead from the rest, we were the later ones to enter into the SnowWorld due to the delay in getting the right size boots, winter jackets and gloves.  Even though there were staff giving out the boots and gloves, they gave us the wrong sizes.  We were unable to walk with the over sized shoes; The zipper is broken for Pearl's jacket, all our gloves are much too big.  Basically we took about 15 minutes to get ourselves properly geared to enter into the freezing cold SnowWorld. 

During the short stay in the winter land, both our girls experienced the snow slide which they find it's thrilled.  Crystal were trying to make a snowman but there definitely isn't enough snow for her to do so.   

Though we are not allowed to bring in camera or handphone to take photos in there, there were still plenty of them taking photos with the own cameras and handphones without abiding to the rule.  In order to have photos taken, I went out to take Clet's Samsung handphone for him to take our photos, the effect of the photos are not as clear under the dim light but still better than none.  The professional photographers were too busy taking photos for others, by the time I asked him to take a photo for us, it's already time up for us to leave this huge "ice box". :D

look like we are really in the winter wonderland ;)

After the SnowWorld, we quickly walked back to Theme Park Hotel.  To warm our kids up a bit, we ordered a cup of hot milo at the hotel's lobby cafe.  

It was a good experience for our kids to get a feel of what winter is like.  In SnowWorld, I couldn't not find the smell of snow and the freezing cold winter breeze that we are having in the real winter atmosphere. Can't expect too much as it is an indoor and man made one. '.'  

Trip to Sandakan by road

Over the Harvest Festival holiday, we took the opportunity to visit Sandakan by road. Clet was on work assignment and we tagged along. He has been travelling frequently by road to the east coast of Sabah for the past few months but we were unable to go with him, only when it's school holiday that we can arrange some outing(s).

I can't remember when was my first visit to Sandakan, or if I ever been there, need to ask my parents if I ever stepped foot on Sandakan's ground :DDD. It was a long journal of 227km from Kota Kinabalu, the west coast, to Sandakan, at the east coast of Sabah. Half way through our journey, our girls gotten impatient and kept asking whether we have arrived yet. This was the furthest journal they have traveled by road so far.

Sandakan is the 2nd largest city in Sabah, it was given a nickname of City of Nature, Little Hong Kong. After driving around, I realised that the city is bigger than I expected.

The hotels in the city were basically fully booked over the festive holidays, we were just lucky to get a place to stay at Nak Hotel, if not, Clet will have to travel without us tagging along. Our girls will be very disappointed. To make sure the hotel reserved our booking, I called them three times to ascertained to them that we are on our way and will only be checking in by sunset.

The family room is very spacious, with a queen size bed and 2 single beds just right for us. A welcome drinks and breakfast for 4 of us are included in the room rates.

Nak Hotel is a very old hotel, you can find an ancient China washing basin in the wash room

our welcome drinks, icy cold mango flavoured cocktail

As we arrived late in the afternoon, there was nothing much we could see except driving around the city at night.

The next day morning we were served with breakfast in the hotel which we find something different from the normal sausages, baked bean and toasted bread.

Banana pancake

Beef bacon

and scrambled eggs set

After breakfast we went up to the hotel rooftop to have a view of Sulu sea and Sandakan City

Before our departure on the 2nd day, we had our lunch at the famous and most talked about restaurant on stilt at the sea village. The sea food are extremely fresh, when having lunch at the restaurant deck, we can see fresh fishes, prawns and squids sent up by one fisherman after another.


We also took the opportunity to visit the Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation Centre on our way out from Sandakan, we were there just in time for the 3.00pm feeding time. It took about 15 minutes past the feeding time for 2 little Orang Utans to appear, at least the orang utans did not let us down. They are very cute, swinging and posing for us to take their photos. Though there are lots of bananas and water melons, these orang utans did not eat much of them, obviously they are not being deprived from food, I believe they are well fed and well taken care of.

Is this orang utan cute??

Just after sunset, we arrived at the Sabah Tea Garden to have a look. We only managed to see their restaurant which is closed for walk in guest at that hour.


Our next stop was at the Nabalu Restaurant at Kundasang, for dinner. They have got nice looking slices of cakes display at the chiller which Crystal has been wanting to buy a piece of the chocolate cheese cake, at a second look, the price is at RM11.80 per slice, extremely overpriced. I told Crystal that we could have 2 slices for that price in KK.


It was a nice short outing. A shoestring trip that was unplanned for.

Last Borneo Paradise (LABOPA)

We came to know about Utan Paradise Jungle Lodge, Kimanis, Sabah through our nephew, Clement. It provides one of its kind homestyle concept at the Crocker Range of Sabah. There you will experience true Borneo rainforest environment. Monkeys, orang utan, hornbills and countless of Borneo flora can be seen here. It would be a perfect place for a hide away from the busy and stressful city as well as being near to the nature to freshen up our mind and soul. You can catch up more information at LABOPA, Kinabalu, kinolosodonhomestay

Wordless Wednesday - At the Beach

One of those many days at the beach. The girls are allowed to take off their shoes for the first time.