Staycations and Vacations. 2011

I'm post dating this. My list of staycations & vacations for the year 2011. We actually did get out A LOT this year.

• January-Photography conference at Kuala Lumpur, Gardens Residences
• June-Church Family Camp at Kuala Lumpur
•         School holiday Vacation at the Movenpick hotel Sentosa
• August- My Birthday Treat at the Ritz Carlton
• September- Grandpa gives us a free stay at Fraser Suites. We pretend to be expats in out own country in a out of town serviced apartment
•                   Alpha Weekend at Nanyang Executive Centre
• October- K  &; M's Wedding at Bali. Ellie, Cait and Kristen are the flower girls.
• December- Family holiday at the Marriott Phuket

A (very) short break

With three under-sixes, its a lot more tiring going on holiday than just staying in. A break is never a real break. The change of environment helps and the girls LOVE hotels. But at the end of it we (the adults) feel more tired than before we left. Tiredness aside, it is always nice to get away, even if it is just a half and hour drive away to rediscover parts of our tiny island. Sentosa, for all its tourist tackiness, can be enjoyable. I like exploring new cities or enjoying good weather with a mountain as a backdrop or some mongolian plain but I think those sort of holidays will have to be on hold for now. So we made last minute holiday plans for Sentosa at the newly, and half-opened Movenpick Heritage Hotel. For just one night.

Kristen enjoying with room.

Buffet Breakfasts are the best. The girls love the choice of food. There is always something to eat. KM takes this as a chance to introduce the contraband BACON!! to Caitlin. Love the decor.

10 Month old Kristen gets to pick at the food too.

Peas in a pod.

A tired momma

Picking shells on the beach

Monkeying around

Lunch at Palio. Just across our hotel. Great pizza. Ellie and Caitlin chomp up almost half a Margherita.

The Enchanted Garden

The Enchanted Garden children's season at the Singapore Art Museum is such a great idea, it is a pity it is only running for 2 months. If I were living in a space this big this is what I would design for the girls. Concept driven play spaces, that a two and four year old can enjoy for hours. Even KM said he was inspired after the outing.

We travel light these days and hardly bring our SLR. These were taken with my iphone. The problem with using the iphone as a camera is that you just can't get enough light or enough speed to capture 2 girls going gaga over the spaces at the museum. These are two of the spaces.

All you need is some turf, green bean bags, space and lots of imagination. Ellie and Cait making themselves feel at home at Walter the Rabbit's garden.

Caitlin falling asleep in the Enchanted Garden.

Day 8-9. Oct 15-16. Friday to Saturday

I can't believe I am still writing about our trip. Here goes, my last entry about our Aussie Drive Trip.

We drive 6 hours back from Albany to Perth, making 3 stops-the first at a supermarket just 2 minutes from our apartment in Albany to stock up on treats, a midday lunch break at Kooljanup and another at some random bush area. It is hot. It almost feels like Singapore. We have left the cool weather behind. We arrive at the Peninsula Serviced Apartments by 4 in the afternoon. The apartment is basic. Too basic. Our standards are now much higher after the luxurious Rembrant at Foreshore Apartments. We unload and make our way to KM's cousins place. I didn't realise we had so much family in Perth. The kids have a great time playing and making new friends and we catch up with cousins KM has not seen in years.

Here are Ellie and Caitlin feeling very at home with their new friends. Caitlin is busy as usual on the phone.

This is our last night in Australia what we thought was a long trip wasn't that long after all. The girls got better at travelling and the long car rides. "Can we just stay in one hotel the next time we come to Australia?" Ellie remarks. Yes maybe.
  

Day 7. 15 Oct 2009 . Thursday

Still updating the travelblog one month later. Sigh. Been spending time after the girls sleep preparing for my "little architecture" class which I teach twice a week to a bunch of high energy 5-6 year olds.

We drive back towards Denmark to Fonti Farm. Picturesque "farm" setting, actually a large petting zoo for kids. Ellie and Cait absolutely love the animals. Ellie's favourite animals are the kangaroos. "I want to take one home". Caitlin loves her "Babbits" (rabbits). I love the Alpacas- so furry and adorable and as soft as a soft toy. The animals are all slobbery eaters and we get animal spit all over our hands.

Next, lunch at Bucketts Hill Wines/Denmark Farmhouse Cheese overlooking hilly vineyards. We have crackers, bread and cheese for lunch. Ellie and Caitlin's favourites. We never make this sort of lunch at home and they gobble it down. The award-winning cheese is amazingly fragrant, woody, rich and creamy. Ellie and Cait make new friends after lunch and play "What is the time Mr Wolf".
Here is Caitlin with pampering herself with sunscreen.

Then a long detour to Green's Pool. We didn't know that it was only 5mins from the Fonti Farm turn off, and drive 20mins down to the tourist bureau in Denmark Town to get directions only to have to drive back down again. So much for (not) planning. Green's Pool is as beautiful as the tourist guide makes it out to be. Although the water is crystal clear and icy cold (to me at least) there are people (children included) swimming in the lagoon.  This is where we should have spent the longer part of the holiday. In the vicinity of Albany-Denmark-Walpole.

And this is us. Chilling out in one our last night in our new little "home". KM got the camera linked up to the TV. The girls are thrilled to see themselves live on TV.

Day 6. 14 Oct 2009 . Wednesday

We head to the Tourist Bureau first thing in the morning. I ask the lady at the counter what we should see if we have only 2 days in Albany. She marks the scenic routes and spots we should head to in a green highlighter and we head off. Before that, a trip to a shoe shop for a pair of walking shoes to replace my addidas whose soles are peeling off. We drive to Mount Clarence (for a view across Albany), Princess Royal Fort (an old fort-we missed the views if there were any because it was just too much trouble getting the girls in and out of the car again) then head down to Emu Point, where we stopped for a yummy fish and chip lunch at the (another)beach. Although we find ourselves visiting beaches everyday, we never tire of them- the spectacular views, crashing waves, chilly winds, white powder fine sand.
 

After lunch and more shell picking we head for the Albany Wind Farm. Didn't think I would be interested in looking at man-made wind turbines,  but these giant pinwheel-looking structures are awe-inspiring up close, and the views across the bay pretty amazing. The girls are fast asleep by the time we get there so KM and I take turns with the camera to get pictures from the look out points.

We drive back to our little apartment for dinner. Two days in this apartment and it already feels like home.

Day 6. 13 Oct 2009 . Tuesday

 We feed the animals in our Margaret River farmstay for the last time before heading down south. Wasn't such a good idea to stay at a place with animals in the end. I thought the girls would love the animals and would be kept busy. Well they were; but a one and three year old just don't understand that you need to leave shoes with the animal and peacock (frequent visitors) poo all crusted underneath outside the cottage, not inside. And you just don't eat off the same floor you step all over in. Maybe we are more particular than others about keeping the floor clean enough to lie on (which Ellie and Cait do all the time). But the dirt management was driving us crazy.

We stock up on treats (you absolutely need these for long drive trips with kids) before we head south. The landscape changes as we make our way through the forests. We realise that Western Australia is more beautiful beyond Margaret River which is touristy and overpriced compared to the other regions. We drive through Kari forests and stop at the Hidden River Estate near Pemberton for lunch. Again the highlight of the stop for Ellie and Cait is the playground and flowers. It is becomining a ritual, this flower picking.

We reach Albany after a four hour drive.  Our service apartment, The Rembrant at Foreshore Apartments is pure luxury. It is one of two apartments owned by a couple for short term stay. We feel like we are guests in a tasteful and well-appointed home. Ellie jumps onto what she calls "the princess bed" and sinks into pillows. The kitchen has everything a cook needs- olive oil, a selection of spices, gourmet coffee, and gloves for the dishes (hooray-by now my hands are rough and cracked from all the washing). 

Day 5. 12 Oct 2009 . Monday

By now a daily routine takes shape. We plan an activity in the morning, then lunch, and then a drive, by which time Ellie and Caitlin are asleep and we get a chance to enjoy a quiet drive somewhere. 

We are less ambitious today. Half way into the trip and KM and I are already tired. The girls are still snotty and coughing but well otherwise. We drive to the Berry Farm for lunch. Not berry season but a beautiful place for lunch, brunch or tea. Ellie and Caitlin pick flowers, play at the playground while we take turns keeping an eye on them both and have hot beef pie, sausage rolls, carrot cake and homemade scones for lunch.

It is spring and the flowers are in full bloom. For the first time KM understands the fascination of birdwatching. There are just so many pretty little birds around he can't help test out his macro lens. I had to include KM's picture of the bird on our bottle. It was only later in the night that KM told me that he forgot to mention that a bird had perched on our bottle, and by the way, did you (I) drink water out of it?  To which I replied, Why didn't you tell me earlier!

Day 4. 11 Oct 2009 . Sunday

I can't believe I am blogging about something that happened more than a week a ago. Just need to get this whole trip into this blog. I am looking through the photos and already am forgetting where exactly we went. Now which beach was that again?

Spend the morning visiting Margaret River Chocolate Factory (expensive chocolates but ooh so lovely; the kids get handfuls of chocolate pearls for brunch), Fonti Farm Cheese Factory (we buy a block of cheddar and later discover it is 30% cheaper in the supermarket, sigh).  Then lunch at the The Colonial Brewery. It is called Colonial but looks like it was just set up a month ago. We choose the Brewery not because we drink (we don't) but because there is a children's playground on the premise. 

Then, after lunch, a drive up north to Dunsborough where we spend about an hour picking shells and playing in the powder-fine sand. The beaches here are gorgeous. Clean. Picture perfect. The air crisp and the sea breeze chilly. We take a scenic drive back and stop by Yallingup (more pictures). The vineyards north of Magaret River Town are by far the most scenic in this area.

 

Day 3. 10 Oct 2009 . Saturday

After a very cold night in our cottage, we spend the morning feeding animals on the farm. The rain is intermittent and the weather blustery.  But it is our first time feeding any of these animals so we "weather" the cold weather. If only we had known that Ellie and Caitlin would develop full blown colds. Then off to the farmer's market in Margaret River town.

This is a lot smaller and queiter than I expected. Maybe it is too cold for most of the produce to be in season. Or is the town always this quiet? We have lunch in a little pizza restaurant in town. Woodfired pizza's (yum) on a cold day. We are the only people in the restaurant. Where is everybody else? Caitlin loves the crust. The only children's food on the menu in most places is nuggets and chips or fish and chips or ham and cheese sandwiches. I have to let convenience override and let the children have chips and nuggets and ham for more than a few lunches in a row. At least I know we will have homemade dinners.

After lunch we drive to Gracetown; a little town along the coast. And spend the afternoon hunting for seashells and hiding behind the rocks to get some reprieve from the cold wind. It is supposed to be spring but feels wintry.

We head back to our cottage for a onion chicken soup dinner by our gourmet chef KM.

Day 2. 9 Oct 2009 . Friday

We have breakfast on the balcony, check out of our apartment and spend the rest of the morning in King's Park which is just at the end of Mount Street. The parks in Singapore are tiny in comparison. King's park stretches for acres and acres. Ellie and Cait love the open space. And the flowers. Everyone stops to smell the flowers, and we have lunch a little cafe in the park before we head off for our 3 hour trip down south.

We arrive at Margaret River Hideaway in Margaret River. This is "farmstay" type accomodation. Not a working farm but with enough animals to keep the young guests busy. Our cottage is the smallest. A studio with just one bedroom and an area that doubles up as a living and dining area. KM makes a Carbonara and drizzles some olive oil on steamed asparaus for a restaurant-worthy dinner.

Day 1. 8 Oct 2009. Thursday

We arrive in Perth after a long flight. (it always seems longer with the kids) Ellie has definitely grown up since our lost trip. Our little three year old traveller spends half the flight watching the in-flight TV shows, headphones and all, and the other half playing with the Qantas kids pack. (Lots of stuff in those). The girls only start to fret during the descent when their ears hurt.

We pick up our rental car then lose our way trying to find our way to our service apartment. Riverview on Mount Street. Because Mount Street has been sawn in half by a freeway. We circle the book many times before finding the other half.

Riverview on Mount Street is a block of converted "Bachelor Apartments" (I guess they were old inner city tenements for immigrants) in a gentrified neighbourhood. The new apartments along Mount Street are all very posh. Ours is probably the most modest. Simple, modern; with touches of the original building in place. Fully equipped and at a last minute price of A$89. What a steal! hotels in Perth are so expensive we were so happy to find this one.

We meet old friends WK and P for dinner. The girls are exhausted by then. Caitlin won't sit down at the table and keeps sitting on the floor; taking of her socks and shoes. Both girls decided to poo at dinnertime. HC and R come by for dessert with their 3 year old and the 3 girls start doing their colouring at the table giving us adults some time to catch up on conversation.

All in a days work

We survived our first Church Camp. Boy was it tiring; with Caitlin sick and Ellie wanting us to accompany her to the children's programme. KM and I took turns to babysit and between as managed to go to most of the talks. I am glad we did it. Both girls were really good in the car- even on the five and a half hour (Phew!!) trip back from Malacca. Ellie also performed on stage for the first time. She almost didn't make it up that stage-clinging onto me and holding KM's hand until the very last minute.

Ellie, as we were heading back to Singapore along the causeway "We have this toy bridge."

Oh yes, and this is funny too. I was trying the other day to explain to Ellie why her colouring printouts were not coming out, "The printer is 'not responding'- which is what happens when I call you, Ellie and I do not get an answer." Just the other night KM fell asleep on the couch only to wake to hear Ellie say "Papa, you are like a statue, you are not responding. "

Ellie at Ashley's baking party.

Photo Weekend

KM has been absolutely shutter crazy with his new Olympus SLR. We still have our trusty Nikon but this new Olympus takes photo taking to new heights. We’ve been bringing it almost everywhere with us. There has always been a bit of competition between us both when it comes to photos. But this time KM with his new toy had his field day. Needless to say, I too had a go with the camera.

Friday May Day. Animal Resort and Summer Koi Farm

Saturday 2 May. Exploring our neighbourhood Fire Station

We discover that Fire Stations are on of Singapore’s best kept attractions. It doesn’t cost anything to enter them, you get a personalised guided tour and a chance to try out various fire fighting equipment, and go home with gifts for the children. Unfortunately, Ellie was not too keen on firemen and fire engines- she really would have rather spent a morning visiting princesses or fairies.

Sunday 3 May. A morning at the Park

We go to the Park instead of church because both Ellie and Cait have coughs and colds. We seem to always end up at parks or anywhere with a bit of sand to dig around in. At least it keeps them both in one spot and lets us have some sit down time.

..And lots and lots of playground time downstairs

Sun and sand

We haven’t brought our camera out in a while. Despite trying to travel light, we always have our hands full and end up leaving our camera at home. And after putting this all together it suddenly struck me that Caitlin hardly has any pictures taken outdoors.

KM was on leave and we spent the morning at the beach at East Coast Park. Usually the sand keeps the Ellie busy so we get sometime just to chill out. The weather was great and the beach was relatively quiet. But with Caitlin all grown up she kept us busy by continually stuffing sand and shells into her mouth. The beach could also have been cleaner. Why don’t people pick up after themselves. I just hope she doesn’t come down with something nasty.

Ellie's first "Princess Pedicure"

For a while Ellie had this thing about going everywhere with me. She actually behaves pretty well when we are out alone (without having to compete with Caitlin for attention) so I sometimes bring her along for my girly outings. This time it was a pedicure with my good friends PS and J.*

Gong Xi Gong Xi

Ellie clasps her hands, brings them up and down again. Then up and down again.  ”Gong xi gong xi”. Another Ellie Action in time for the New Year. New Year is fun when you have a little someone to bring around. You don’t get the knowing looks. When are you going to have children? or the more direct “When is your turn?”

Ellie swung into the new year with a full chinese wardrobe. (Grandma did all the new year shopping this year. I’ve barely had time to get out of the house, let alone shop for something new) A Samfoo Romper for the reunion dinner, bright red 2 piece for the 1st day and then a white 2 piece tunic for tomorrow.