I like to share my travel experiences with others, especially my family. That was why, I suggested to hubby to bring my parents along this trip to introduce them to our most preferred way of travelling: self-drive! In addition, I also wanted to introduce them to staying at Airbnb apartments, instead of hotels!

We picked up our car from the car rental at the airport. I was really excited to introduce my parents to self-drive. As usual, I was the navigator for hubby during the 1st leg of the drive where he would test the car and highlight to me things to note. Haha! Afterall, every car is different no matter how much we’ve driven in Singapore.

From the airport, it was less than 30mins to Bondi Market. As it was a Sunday, stalls were opened by locals selling food, fresh flowers, handmade crafts etc. It was not easy to find a parking space. We were lucky to find one near the beach. Feeling hungry, we decided to have lunch first at 1 of the restaurants facing the sea! Rule of thumb: Never let anyone in your group get hungry because a hungry man is an angry man!!! After dinner, we chanced upon a popular ice-cream stall with very long queue!

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The Bondi Beach was actually much more appealing to me than the shops and food. We went back to car where I quickly changed to slippers for a stroll on the beach! The sand was cold and super soft. Erase the memory of those sand we have in Singapore!

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From there, we drove slightly further down to Notts Ave where we took the Bondi to Bronte Coastal Walk. The interesting thing about this is there are actually a number of such coastal walks which link beaches along this side of the coast. Each of the walk is actually quite long. But because we drive, we did not take the walks because it will mean walking back the same route to pick up our car! (I admit, it’s one downside of driving) We only took a short stretch which provides a good view of the Bondi Beach.

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Finally, we decided to head to our hotel for check in. We booked the Rendezvous Hotel Sydney Central as our accommodation for these 3 nights at Sydney. It was centrally located, right opposite the Central Station. Rooms had the basic amenities. Nothing much to complain given the amount we paid for the rooms as compared to the others in the area. However, do note that you will have to pay for the parking fee as it does not provide free parking to hotel guests. That itself costs us around AUD100 (OMG?!). It was something we had not expected, honestly.

After a short rest, we decided to head out for dinner. The Paddy’s Market was closed by 6pm. Hence, we decided to take a 20min stroll to Darling Harbour. There were performances by the harbour. The place actually felt like Singapore’s Clarke Quay, with a nicer weather and a more sporting group of audience of course.

There were alot of good reviews for Hurricane Grill. We quickly went to check out the queue. Luckily, they allowed us to leave our numbers there without having to stay in the queue. Just as we were about to enter another restaurant, we found out that it was already our turn to be seated, about 45mins later. Food portion was huge! Even my dad who has big appetite was shocked by the portion. I would say it was really worth the wait though.

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After a satisfying dinner, we continued walking to The Star casino some 5mins away. It was quite big. Hubby was even asked to show his passport to show he was above 18 (I can’t believe that!). That gave him something to gloat about the whole night. After about an hour, we took a taxi back to hotel as it was too late to walk back.

Perhaps because of my nausea, my impression of the hotel was not-too-good either. There were only 3 lifts servicing close to 20 storeys. During peak hours like the check-in and check-out time, it took very long to take the lift. Had it not been for the luggage, I would have chosen to take the stairs. I also almost puked in the lift as it stopped at almost every floor because everyone was trying to squeeze into the lift. That was partly why I chose to stay in my room instead of even trying to go down to the lobby.

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It was my first trip to Bangkok. It did not turn out as enjoyable as I hoped it would be as I spent most of the time sleeping in the room. Perhaps it was the weather at Bangkok, or the congestion outside the hotel, or even the human congestion at the malls. I actually returned from this trip with a fear of Thai food for a good 9 months. The sight of it on signboards were enough to make me nauseous.

On the other hand, Khao Yai was great. It’s no wonder why many Singaporeans chose to visit the place for family trips as there were activities suitable for all ages. However, attractions were rather far apart, like Cameron Highlands. Hence, I would strongly recommended that you cater transport around the place. It would be even greater if the weather was cooler.

And finally, it was a really amazing family trip! Till the next one!

Merry Christmas! Having spent 2 nights in this resort, we have figured the way to the breakfast area! This morning, we decided to walk to breakfast instead of calling for the buggy. This resort area feels cooler than other attractions at Khao Yai.

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Once we were done, we said goodbye to this beautiful and comfortable resort and headed back to Bangkok. Our journey took about 3 hours. And having learnt our lesson on Day 1, we made sure we emptied our bladders before leaving! One last look at our rooms!

As our bus started to slow down, we knew that we had reached Bangkok. There were car and more cars everywhere. I think I would have reached hotel by foot even faster than our bus! Oh, did I mention, it was my first time in Bangkok. Yes, I have gotten those looks from my friends before. Singaporean not being to Bangkok before was like weirddddd. But I never felt the urge to travel to Bangkok previously. Maybe it was because I prefer scenary while Bangkok is a haven for shoppers.

We checked in to the Centre Point Hotel Pratunam. Our rooms were not yet ready, so we left our luggage in rooms that were ready and headed out for shopping. From now on, it was free and easy and we broke into smaller groups. We headed to Central World as we wanted to buy Naraya bags. The Naraya shop was much larger than I had imagined. There were also many types of products on top of bags! I bought a pair of house slippers and fell in love with them.

Thereafter, hubby and I continued shopping at the Platinum Fashion Mall. Central World felt like our shopping malls in Orchard while Platinum Fashion Mall felt like the Bugis Street. I felt a little claustrophobic there actually. It was also where my nightmare began.

Before this trip, I was actually suffering from rather bad morning sickness. All was well at Khao Yai, perhaps because of the fresher air there. But after going a few rounds in the mall, I started to have those feelings again. Yes, it’s those awful feelings of wanting to throw up. I was so unwell and hence there was no photos of Bangkok! Dang!

Hubby accompanied me back to the room and from then on, I spent the night sleeping in the room while everyone else went for massages and nice food in the area.

This morning, we had a good view of our surrounding. All our rooms face a lake (and hence the name of our resort). As we woke up, we were greeted by the spectacular sunrise view at our balconies. Yes, all our rooms came with a living room and balcony! We occupied more than 10 rooms so we were all in the same block (there were 9 blocks in total) spread across different levels. Hubby and I had a room at Level 4. My sis who took a Level 1 room had a patio that led to a path right in front of the lake! It was a fun morning greeting one another by sticking our heads out from the balcony and then comparing our sunrise photos from different levels of the block.

There are 2 main breakfast areas in the resort, 1 near the golf area and the other near their pool which was near the reception. Most of us called the buggy and ended up at the golf area which was quieter and more spacious. We only found out about the other area near the swimming pool when some of our members went ‘missing’ and said that they were already eating even though they were nowhere in sight!

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After breakfast, we continued our tour of Khao Yai. Khao Yai’s climate was suitable for making wines. We visited the PB Winery where we went on a winery and tasting tour. While waiting for the tour, kids could play with and feed rabbits right next to the reception lobby.

All our members boarded 1 vehicle which brought us around the winery. There were a few stops where we could alight to look at the grapes and take photos. We also went to the room where wine was stored. Finally, there was a wine tasting station. Well, while everyone was sampling wine, I could only have grape juice!

Lunch was at the winery restaurant. As it was the day of my dad’s birthday, we held a simple celebration for him around his loved ones. Look at the food. Portion was huge!

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Next we headed to Primo Piazza. It is an European style architecture. Area was not big. Entrance fee was 100 baht for adults and 50baht for kids which includes animal feeding in the farm. That afternoon, the weather was really hot. After a few pretty shots, we went into hiding and bought ice creams instead. The benefit of planning our own itinerary was the flexibility it offered. Once everyone was done, we decided to leave early and head for the chocolate factory as everyone was melting.

Khao Yai’s Chocolate Factory has a retail area at level 1 and a cafe at level 2. Chocolate is my love. After buying some for myself and for friends, we headed to the cafe for a rest and of course, chocolate fondue!

We then headed back to our resort early as we wanted to make use of the facilities, the swimming pool! It faced the lake. It was nice to just soak myself in the water in the hot weather.

Dinner was at another famous restaurant Kuakampankhoyai which was just opposite the main entrance of our resort. After taking the buggies to the entrance, we had to cross a 2 lane road to the restaurant. What made it dangerous was the bend of the road. Hence, we walked slightly further, so that we could have a good view of the road before crossing. Food was authentic and yummy. After dinner, we strolled back to our rooms!

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Today, we woke up early to have our breakfast together at a specially set up area outside our rooms (thanks to our big number)! And we also had the time to explore the area in light! What makes this accommodation special was also the opportunity to cosplay! They had a whole room of costumes with props and changing rooms. Outside the room, there were nice backdrops for photo-taking! It was really fun having over 20 people dressing up and taking photos at the same time! For me, my biggest issue was to find a dress that could fit my bulging tummy!

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After which, we checked out and headed for the Suwan Corn Farm that was about 50mins away. Here, they had a garden with flowers (such as sunflowers) and of course corns! Since we were there, we had to get their freshly harvested corns (60 baht/8pcs) and corn milk (20baht per bottle). It was very sunny. It was nothing like what we expected according to online information. Umbrellas were out to provide shade!

We then quickly left the farm and headed for the Chokchai Farm which is only 10mins away. However, we arrived late and missed the farm tour which supposedly included the milking of cow as well as a cowboy and dog show. Nonetheless, the kids managed to feed other animals such as goats and cow outside the farm. There were also pony rides which my nieces and nephews loved.

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Our final stop for the day was the Ban Mai Chay Nam Museum and Restaurant. This is an interesting vintage-themed museum and restaurant in the area. As the museum was located in a rather hidden location that only smaller vehicles could enter, our bus had to drop us off along the main road. There, we boarded their open bus to the restaurant some 5mins away.

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The first thing that greeted us were the vintage collections! There were mickey mouse phone which I remember I took a photo with when I was a kid, life sized super hero figurines and also vintage arcade games! Our admission tickets also came along with a free drink from the restaurant. With a drink in hand, we explored the museum further and came across a suspension bridge. Of course, more phototaking for us!

Restaurant was rather crowded. We had 3 long tables to ourselves and began our sumptuous dinner!

Finally, we made our way to our next accommodation – Atta Lakeside Resort which was 40mins away. As we drove into the resort, our bus had to make a big round before we alighted at the reception. But as the sky was already dark, I could not really see my surroundings. After we got our rooms, we went to our block in different buggies. All of us were allocated rooms in the same block! This must be a really big resort! I couldn’t wait to explore the resort tomorrow!

On this last day, we decided to go chill chill under the hot weather. Pak Wawan picked us up after we said goodbye to our villa and drove us to Tanah Lot temple. It was really very warm that day. We took a few photos around the area with the famous temple in the sea and then headed to another place 2hrs away.

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It was a terrace plantation with many photogenic spots! We had a great time taking photographs around the area. There are several tracks we could take. However, as we had a flight to catch later that day, we decided to head back.

It was a really right choice to head back early. Bali’s roads are narrow and congested. We had a super late lunch after we finally reached back at Kuta more than 2hrs later!

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After a 4-day adventure, we bade farewell to Bali with many fond memories. Many friends shared that they had a chill time at Bali beaches etc. For us, we had a adventurous time instead. It will also be a special trip for me as this would be my last trip before I had my baby…

Today, we decided to try out other adventures in Bali. As the adventure company we booked provided transport, we did not engage Pak Wawan for the day.

First up was white water rafting along a river near Ubud. So there was abit of drive from Seminyak. After we collected our life jackets and deposited our bags at the counter, we boarded a jeep to the river. There were several companies running white water rafting activities along the same river. And according to our guide, as long as the other group of visitors wear a different colour life jacket, we splash them in the river!

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Interestingly, there was a small stall along the river run by locals. We made a pit stop there and bought some drinks. We also stopped by some waterfalls. The current was quite strong and the water was quite deep. As the shortest in my group, I had to hold on to the guys or else I would be washed away! To be honest, the entire experience was not as thrilling as I thought it would be. It was more of a leisurely ride on the river!

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Once we were done, we took a jeep back to the counter to wash up and have lunch. Our guide then drove us further up for our next activity: ATV ride!

It was my first time on the ATV! And as the only girl around, the instructor put me first in line, likely worried that I might get left behind! I was quite afraid of the giant actually. The roads were muddy and rocky. I was so scared I could not control the giant and topple over! In fact, my arms and legs were already starting to ache after 2 days of mountain/water activities. Actually, I secretly hoped that my ATV would break down so that the instructor would give me a ride back… But of course, it didn’t! We completed the ride safe and sound.

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That night, we decided to reward ourselves with a good massage. Colleagues recommended us to Jari Menari (meaning ‘dancing hands’). It is a place with male masseuses. It was definitely my first time being massaged by a man, quite daunting really. I was a little hesitate initially. Sensing that, the staff arranged me and hubby to be in the same room. I felt safer. Frankly, a male masseuse’s hand is warmer and his strokes were stronger. I would say it was very professionally done.

On the last night at Bali, we decided to try the other famous dishes in Bali by ordering through Gojek! Feast time and pool time!

With barely 3 hours of sleep, we clambered into Pak Wawan’s car at 1.30am. I took the last row of the 8-seater and laid down on the bags to continue my sleep. Pak Wawan said that the drive to the foot of Mount Batur would take 2hrs and we are expected to reach there at 3.30am. Factoring in the time to hike up, we would be just in time to catch the sunrise.

While drifting in and out of my sleep, I could feel the the speed of the car and the coldness of the air. When the car finally came to a stop, I checked my watch and saw that it was only 2.30am. Hmm, 1 more hour of sleep (or so I thought)… Pak Wawan announced that we have arrived!!

Finally we have reached. We were 1 hour early. Interestingly, there are benches on mountain. Since we were early, we had the privilege to choose a nice spot! Our guide then left us there to go to a ‘store’ (little hut) to prepare us hot drinks and eggs for breakfast. For us, we started taking random photos until we started dozing off 1 by 1 while more people started to arrive.

Finally, we started to see light! The egg yolk slowly rose up. The clear sky made phototaking easy! We could also see Mount Agung (an active volcano in Bali) clearly. Once the sun was fully up, we followed our guide to look at other landscapes around the area. As other hikers started their descent, our guide brought us to another path and continued upwards. It was a beautiful sight! That’s why hubby and I like climbing mountains! Photos don’t do justice to the place! Some parts of the path did not even look like a proper route! At around 7.30am, we finally started our descent down a very slippery path filled with ashes and loose rocks.

Instead of walking down to the carpark where we first alighted, our driver drove up to another carpark at mid-point (play cheat abit). We were really glad to hop back into the car!

Thereafter, Pak Wawan brought us to Batur Natural Hot Spring for a dip into the hot spring pools. The pool is by the side of the lake Danau Batur. We also had a satisfying buffet breakfast at the restaurant. As we dipped ourselves in the pool, we dozed off one by one once again. Frankly, as the only girl, I was a little afraid to go into the old and creepy-looking changing room alone. Luckily, hubby waited for me outside. Toilet facilities were rather dated. And there were not much hangers in the cubicle.

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Our next stop was the Bali giant swing. We were brought on a tour of the place where they sold coffee. Our friends ordered some tea and coffee to share (and to keep us awake!) while I queued for the swing and took photos at the different installations. It’s really good to have our friends around to help us take more pictures. And it was really thrilling to be on the swing because the staff really used all their might and strength to ‘throw’ me further! It costs about 20sgd to be on that swing, facing front and back. I would say it was good fun with the staff using all his might (and body weight) to swing me further!

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We also decided to drop by the Pomegranate Cafe that is a popular recommendation in Ubud. It is not that easy to locate. We alighted along Jalan Raja Ubud in front of the Monkey Forest Sanctuary and started following our GPS. The beginning of the path is a narrow road which leads to a row of houses, unique cafes and plantations. The path is shared with bikes. So we had to be very careful and alert!

Finally, we found the cafe! We ordered some finger food and dessert while waiting for the sunset. This cafe is rather environmentally friendly as they use metal straws for the drinks. Of course, I hope they washed it well! If you intend to walk down the terraces, do be careful as the mud paths are slippery. 2 of my friends sacrificed their shorts and slippers respectively! Haha!

After catching both the sunrise and sunset in 1 day, we were all exhausted, really exhausted. By the time we reached our villa, we decided to call it a day.

Before I started my new posting at work, I told hubby that I wanted to have a short break. After researching on resorts nearby, we decided on Montigo Resort (Nongsa) at Batam.

Montigo Resort (Nongsa) is a mere 30min ferry ride away from Singapore. Before we realised it, we had reached the Nongsa ferry terminal. Compared to other ferry terminals in Batam, this was certainly alot less crowded. Within minutes, we cleared the immigration.

At the terminal, there was a counter for guests staying at Montigo Resort. Friendly staff swiftly ushered us into the bus that was waiting at the carpark.

Within minutes, we arrived at the resort and was welcomed by the airy and bright reception area. The resort spanned a rather large area. While walking from 1 end of the resort to the other was possible, buggy services were available. As hubby was doing the check-in, I was already looking at the area map and planning activities for the stay. Since we were only here for the weekend, we decided not to go to the towns and to stay in the resort to enjoy the facilities to the fullest!

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As we were early, our rooms were not yet ready. With the area map in mind, I suggested to hubby that we go to the restaurant for lunch first. The restaurant was also where the jetty, bar and swimming pools were located.

After some Indonesian cuisine, we strolled out to the jetty, with some hope to stroll on the sandy beach and feel the sea. However, if you are expecting to go into the sea like me, you would be disappointed. There was only a narrow stretch of beach next to the not-so-clean looking water, not quite the same as those I experienced at Desaru where I could even sit down to build a sandcastle. There were also no one else doing water sports, so we decided to give it a miss too. Instead, we found our way to the pool next to the bar. We dipped ourselves into the pool and enjoyed a drink while waiting for our room. Although it was quite an aimless morning, it was really relaxing. The point about relaxing is to do nothing, isn’t it?

Very soon, we were on the buggy on our way to our 1-bedroom suite with private pool! I had seen so many nice photos of the room before I came, I couldn’t wait to jump into the pool in our own room!

Our room was not that far away from reception. It appeared to be at the newer area where other rooms were still undergoing light construction. Fortunately, those were not noisy or disturbing. We were glad that our rooms appeared to be newer too!

Unlike most hotels or resorts we’ve been to where the beds usually are on 1 side of the wall. The special thing about this room is the double bed that was parked right in the middle of the room facing the sliding glass doors and the pool! The toilet was spacious with a standalone bathtub and separate shower area. I love the bathtub!

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Of course, the other highlight of the room was the pool. It was designed like a mini infinity pool overlooking the sea. I borrowed a donut float from my friend for this purpose and couldn’t wait to inflate it so that I can float around in the pool!

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That night, we had our dinner at another restaurant just below the reception before turning in for the day.

Breakfast was included in our booking. We had a light breakfast before quickly returning to our room for some more pool time. I really couldn’t bear to leave this beautiful room. To make it less painful to bid goodbye, we decided to go for a spa in the resort before taking a ferry back.

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Montigo Spa offered services from head to toe, from adults to kids. It was held at villas down a slope from our room. We had our very 1st couple massage, followed by manicure and pedicure. With a relaxed mind and body, we said goodbye to the resort.

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The trip to Montigo Resort (Nongsa) was really a good respite for busy city-dwellers like us. It was convenient and fuss-free, to say the least. The time taken to travel there could be even shorter than the time we take to reach JB at times where there are long queues! The rooms may not be the most-budget option, but the services, facilities and amenities in the room were really worth every cent in my opinion!