Malaysia & Singapore - Sibi Pranav

                                       MALAYSIA

                    &

           SINGAPORE

18.8.14[Monday]

NOTHING MUCH. WE TOOK THE ROCKFORT EXPRESS TO TRICHY JUNCTION.

19.8.14[Tuesday]

WE REACHED TRICHY JUNCTION.WE WERE IN THE TRICHY WAITING LOUNGE FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS.THEN WE WENT TO TIRUCHIRAPALLI AIRPORT.OUR AIR ASIA PLANE WAS DUE TO 9:40.WE  WENT TO KUALALUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT[KLIA] AT 4:25[DUE TO CHANGE OF TIME ZONE[3 HOURS]. WE THEN WALKED A LONG CIRCLE DISTANCE TO OUR “MY HOTEL’’. WE WENT TO A NEARBY MALL,ATE DINNER AND WENT TO SLEEP.

20.8.14[Wednesday]

WE WENT TO PETRONAS TWIN TOWER IN  MORNING.WE WALKED IN THE LINK BRIDGE BETWEEN THE TWO TOWER[36^TH FLOOR]. THEN WE SAW KUALALUMPUR FROM THE VIEW FROM 86^TH FLOOR.ALL WENT WELL TILL 12:30,WHEN WE WERE LATE FOR BAGGAGE CHECK-IN. THEY[AIR ASIA STAFF]ASKED DAD TO BOARD THE NEXT FLIGHT AND CHECK-IN THE BAG,WHICH MEANS 150 RINGGITS EXTRA.IF WITH FAMILY MEANS 800 RINGGITS[HOW UNFAIR]. OH!I FORGOT TO TELL WHERE WE WERE GOING. WE WERE GOING TO PENANG. SO WE[I,MOM,SIS]WENT IN OUR FLIGHT AND REACHED PENANG AT 1:45 PM.DAD CAME TO PENANG AT 3:45 IN THE NEXT  FLIGHT.THEN WE WENT TO OUR HOTEL[SHERATON]. IT WAS VERY LUXURIOUS.IT'S COST 650 RINGGITS.WE THEN WENT TO A BEACH,I WENT TO THE SWIMMING POOL.THEN DAD LOST HIS PRECIOUS RING IN THE SMALL GAP IN THE LIFT DOOR.THEN WE WENT TO A ROADSIDE HOTEL,ATE WELL AND REACHED OUR ROOM AND SLEPT.PHEW!WHAT A DAY.ALMOST 20,000 RUPEES DOWN THE DRAIN.

21.8.14[Thursday]

WE HAD A HEARTY BREAKFAST.WE THEN WENT TO MONKEY BEACH.THE BEACH HAD NO MONKEYS EXCEPT US.THEN IN THE EVENING,WE WENT TO PENANG HILL.WE WENT UP IN A TRAIN.THEN CAME DOWN.WE THEN CAME TO OUR HOTEL AND RESTED OUR FEET.

22.8.14[FRIDAY]

WE THEN WENT TO CATCH OUR PLANE TO SINGAPORE AT 9:30 IN THE MORNING.WE REACHED SINGAPORE AROUND 11:20.WE WENT TO OUR ROOM.WE THEN WENT TO A MALL NEAR OUR HOTEL HAD OUR LUNCH[MEE GORENG]AND CAME BACK.WE THEN SLEPT TILL 4 IN THE EVENING.

THEN WE WENT TO THE NEARBY MRT STATION[FARRER PARK]AND WENT TO ANG MO KIO.WE CAUGHT THE BUS[138]TO THE SINGAPORE ZOO.WE REACHED THERE AT 6:00.I TOOK A PICTURE WITH AN OWL[BRRRRR…]. THEY TOOK US INTO THE PARK IN A TRAM.WE SAW ANIMALS LIKE SAMBAR DEER,TAPIRS,ELEPHANTS,ZEBRA,LION[NOT IN CAGE],HYENAS[FACE TO FACE],BUFFALOES.THEY TOLD THE TIGER WERE OUT FOR HUNTING AND THE GIRAFFES.WE THEN SAW AN ANIMAL SHOW.

 

IF YOU ASK ME HOW WAS IT,I’D TELL YOU,THEY WERE CRAZY,THEY LET A PYTHON ON THE LOOSE INTO THE AUDIENCE.BUT PHEW!WE WERE SAFE.THEN WE CAME TO OUR HOME AT 10:30 AT NIGHT.MOM AND DAD WENT TO A NEARBY HOTEL AND BROUGHT DINNER.WE ATE AND SLEPT NEARLY AT 11:35.

23.8.14[SATURDAY]

WE WOKE UP LATE IN THE MORNING.WE THEN WENT TO HARBOURFRONT.WE WALKED ON A BOARDWALK TO REACH SENTOSA.WE SAW MARVELOUS GLASS PAINTINGS.

WE THEN WENT TO THE S.E.A AQUARIUM[IN SENTOSA] HAD A NICE TIME THERE.THERE WERE MANY FISHES OF DIFFERENT SPECIES.THEY TOLD THERE WERE 200 SHARKS.BUT I WAS ABLE TO SEE ONLY A 2[I.E HAMMERHEAD & SANDTIGER]. THERE WERE MANY STINGRAYS.WE SAW A STINGRAY EATING A FISH.WE THEN WALKED ON THE BOARDWALK TO HARBOURFRONT STATION AND WENT TO BAYFRONT STATION.

WE WENT TO GARDENS BY THE BAY.DAD AND SIS SAT IN A PLACE.I AND MOM EXPLORED THE PLACE FULLY.BUT WHEN WE RETURNED,WE WERE SHOCKED TO FIND THEM MISSING.WE WENT TO SEARCH FOR THEM.FINALLY AT 7:30 WE REJOINED.I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE A FIGHT.BUT,PHEW!ALL WENT WELL.

 WE THEN WALKED ON A BRIDGE TO THE SINGAPORE FLYER.WE ENTERED AT 8:20 AND CAME OUT AT 8:40.THE VIEW WAS BEAUTIFUL.THE LIGHTS MADE IT MORE BEAUTIFUL.WE THEN CAME TO THE HOTEL AT 9:55.THIS TIME,I AND DAD WENT TO BUY DINNER.WE ATE AND SLEPT AROUND 10:25.

24.8.14[SUNDAY]

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY MOST LOVED PARENTS.IT WAS A GREAT DAY[THEIR ANNIVERSARY AND THE PLACE WE WENT]. WE WENT TO HARBOURFRONT AND WALKED ON THE SAME BOARDWALK WHICH WE USED TO GO TO SENTOSA.THERE WE WENT TO UNIVERSAL STUDIOS.THERE WERE SIX PARTS[i.e MADAGASCAR,FAR FAR AWAY,LOST WORLD,ANCIENT EGYPT,SCI-FI CITY,NEW YORK AND HOLLYWOOD]. LET'S SEE IT ONE BY ONE.

1.MADAGASCAR

 WE FIRST WENT TO CRATE ADVENTURE,IT WAS LIKE SEEING THE MADAGASCAR MOVIE IN 8 MINUTES[YES,IT WAS NICE].WE THEN WENT TO KING JULIENS PARTY GO ROUND.IT WAS LIKE MERRY-GO-ROUND.ITS SEATS WERE DESIGNED WITH MADAGASCAR CHARACTERS[ALEX,MELMAN,GLORIA,MARTY,PENGUINS,MORT,FOOSA ETC].

2.FAR FAR AWAY

WE ALL KNOW THAT FAR FAR AWAY MEANS SHREK.YUP,IT WAS ALSO NICE.WE WENT TO A 4-D SHORT MOVIE ON HOW SHREK SAVES FIONA FROM THE BAD KING S GHOST[YEAH, GHOST]. THEN, THERE WAS A ROLLER COASTER WITH DRAGON CARRIAGES.WE THEN WENT TO A MUSICAL SHOW IN WHICH THE DONKEY WILL BE SINGING.WE WENT TO THE LOST WORLD NEXT.BUT THERE RIDE'S WAITING TIME WAS 70 MINUTES.SO WE CAME BACK TO FAR FAR AWAY AND HAD OUR LUNCH THERE.

3.LOST WORLD.

WHEN WE CAME AFTER LUNCH,WE SAW THE WAITING TIME WAS 35 MINUTES FOR A WATER RIDE.WE WENT TO THE RIDE  AND GOT INTO A HOVERBOAT-LIKE THING.WHEN THE RIDE BEGAN,RAIN CAME.IT WAS A NICE RIDE.WE WENT INTO DARKNESS,SUDDENLY SOMETHING PUSHED US,A MACHINE TOOK US UP AND THE BOAT CAME DOWN FAST AND DASHED INTO WATER. DADS CAMERA  GOT INTO WATER IN THIS INCIDENT. WE WERE BACK WHERE WE STARTED AND THE RAIN STOPPED. I THINK THE RAIN FELL SPECIALLY FOR US. WE THEN WENT TO A RIDE IN WHICH WE CAN FLY IN THE DINOSAUR.THEN WE WENT TO THE NEXT PART.

4.ANCIENT EGYPT

HERE A JEEP RIDE WAS THERE FOR A WAITING TIME OF 40 MINUTES.WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE FUN AND WENT INSIDE.BUT THERE WAS NOTHING.ONLY A CIRCLE TRACK AND WE’RE BACK.HEY, WHAT IS THIS,AN HOUR WASTED FOR THIS NO GOOD RIDE. I AND MOM WENT TO A ROLLER COASTER NAMED THE CURSE Of THE MUMMY.I SHOUTED ‘MUMMMMMYYYYY’[THAT’S A LIE]

 5.SCI-FI CITY

IT HAD THE BIGGER ROLLER COASTER SHUT DOWN FOR MAINTENANCE. AND THERE WAS ANOTHER ROLLER COASTER IN HERE WHERE WE WERE IN A CAR IN CHICAGO[DURING THE WAR] and MEGATRON TRIES TO KILL US. AND OPTIMUS PRIME AND BUMBLEBEE SAVED US FROM THE RUTHLESS MONSTER. IT WAS THE TRANSFORMERS 4-D RIDE. IT HAD AN HOUR WAIT TIME AS WELL. BUT IT WAS WORTH TO RIDE THIS COASTER.

6.NEW YORK

IT WAS SESAME STREET. YAHOOOOOOO!ELMO,ERNIE,BIG BIRD ETC…. .WE WENT IN THE SPAGETTI SPACE RIDE TWICE.AND WE HAD TEA AND NACHOS AT THE SESAME STREET.

7.HOLLYWOOD

WELL,IT WAS A STUDIO,IN WHICH THEY SHOWED HOW THEY FILMED TORNADOES IN MOVIES.WE THEN WENT TO MADAGASCAR TO THE CRATE RIDE FOR SECOND TIME.THEN WE WENT TO SHOPS AND CAME OUT.NOW WE CAME TO HARBOURFRONT TAXI STAND.WE WAITED FOR A HOUR FOR A TAXI AND FINALLY CAME ONE.

WE WENT TO MERLION PARK,TOOK PHOTOS WITH THE PAPA MERLION[YES THE GRAMP MERLION WAS AT SENTOSA (WE SAW IT TOO) AND THE SON MERLION IS IN A

BUILDING.WE THEN CAME TO OUR ROOM,WENT TO A NEARBY THAI HOTEL.TELL YOU WHAT,I ATE AN  OCTOPUS’S TENTACLE.IT WAS HARD.THEN IT WAS MIDNIGHT[12:00],SO HAPPY BIRTHDAY, VANATHY!!

25.8.14[MONDAY]

 WE,AS USUAL WENT TO MCDONALDS,BUT I HAD AN DIFFERENT BREAKFAST OF DONUTS AND TEA AT DUNKIN DONUTS.

   

WE THEN WENT TO THE SINGAPORE ZOO AGAIN FOR THE RIVER SAFARI.WE THERE SAW THAT THEY HAVE CLASSIFIED THE RIVER ANIMALS BASED ON THE RIVER THEY ARE FOUND. LIKE THE RIVERS MISSISSIPPI,GANGES,YANGTZE ETC…WE THEN SAW GIANT PANDAS RED PANDAS ETC… .WE THEN WENT ON A RIDE CALLED AMAZON RIVER QUEST.IN THIS WE SAW ANIMALS LIKE IGUANA,SPIDER MONKEY,CAPYBARAS,JAGUARS ETC… .WE ALSO SAW A GREEN ANACONDA,RED BELLIED PIRANHA,STINGRAYS,DUGONGS ETC… .

WE THEN TOOK A TAXI.THE DRIVER SUDDENLY ASKED TO ME’’YENGE POHANNUM’’. WHEN ASKED HE TOLD ME HE KNEW SOME TAMIL WORDS. WE THEN WENT TO PIZZAHUT.THE BIRTHDAY GIRL GOT A FREE ICE CREAM FROM THE MANAGER. 

THEN WE WENT TO QUEEN MARY S STREET.FROM THERE WE TOOK A TAXI TO JOHOR BAHRU[MALAYSIA]. DON’T GET CONFUSED,WE WENT THROUGH A LINK BRIDGE CONNECTING THE TWO COUNTRIES.WE THEN WENT TO A OFFICE-HOTEL BUILDING I.E HILTON.WE HAD OUR ROOM ON THE 25^TH FLOOR.WE CHECKED IN AND WENT TO OUR ROOM.2-10 FLOORS WERE for OFFICE.IT HAD SEPARATE LIFT.11-30 WERE THE ROOMS.WE HAD OUR DINNER AND WENT TO SLEEP.

26.8.14[TUESDAY]

WE WOKE UP.WE HAD OUR BREAKFAST.THE SAME DRIVER OF YESTERDAY DROVE US T0 LEGOLAND.WE HAD A MARVELOUS TIME THERE.WE BEGAN WITH A  ROLLER COASTER.THEN WE WENT TO A WATER RIDE. IN THIS THOSE WHO ARE OUTSIDE THE RIDE CAN SET WATER BOMBS AND SHOOT WATER OUT OF WATER GUNS.WE WENT TWO TIMES ON THIS RIDE. THEN WE WENT TO A MINI COASTER. AS THERE WAS LESS CROWD, WE RODE IT TWO TIMES. 

AFTER THE RIDE WE WENT AND ENROLLED IN A BLOCKS ROBOTICS CLASS.THERE WERE TWO TYPES, TREASUREBOT AND DOCTORBOT. I CHOSE TREASUREBOT AND SIS CHOSE DOCTORBOT.OUR CLASS WAS DUE AT 3:30 AND THE TIME WAS ONLY 11.3O, WE DECIDED TO GO TO OTHER RIDES AND COME BACK FOR THIS . 

 

WE THEN WENT TO A RIDE.IN THIS,WE HAVE TO PULL A ROPE TO GO UP AND LOOSEN IT TO GO DOWN.WE HAVE TO DO LIKE THAT 4 TIMES.THE WE WENT NEXT TO MAKE CARS USING LEGO BLOCKS AND MAKE THEM RACE AND SEE WHETER THEY RUN WITHOUT BREAKING.THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER CONTEST.IN THIS WE CAN BUILD LEGO TOWERS AND SEE THAT IT DOESN’T FALL DUE TO SHAKING. 

 

THEN WE WENT TO A 4-D SHORT MOVIE ON LEGO CHIMA.THEN WE WENT TO A RESTAURANT AND ATE PIZZA,A POTATO SOUP AND EVERYONE CHOSE THE DRINK THEY WANT.I CHOSE HEAVEN AND EARTH.IT WAS DIFFERENT SO I CHOSE IT.

AFTER LUNCH WE WATCHED A MUSICAL FOUNTAIN.THEN WE WENT ON A RIDE WHICH THEY CALLED MUMMY RIDE.THEN WE WENT TO RIDE IN A JUMPIN HORSE FOR TWO TIMES.THEN WE WENT ON A TRAIN RIDE AROUND THE PARK.

THEN WE WENT TO A PART CALLED MINILAND.HERE THERE WERE MODELS OF ALL IMPORTANT PLACES IN ASIA LIKE TAJ MAHAL,GREAT WALL OF CHINA, PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS,ANGKOR WAT,KLIA[KUALA LUMPUR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT]ETC… MADE OUT OF LEGO BLOCKS.

IT WAS 3.THE CLASS WILL BEGIN AT 3:30[YEAH,REMEMBER]AND THE PLACE WAS NEAR.SO WE WENT THERE.I WENT IN.WE SHOULD CONTROL THE LEGO BLOCK MADE ROBOT THROUGH A COMPUTER.THE TASKS WERE.

1.OPEN THE GOLD

2.TAKE THE GOLD

3.PARALYZE A MONSTER THAT HAS SEEN YOU TAKING THE GOLD.

4.PUT WASTE IN THE PLACE OF GOLD.

I FINISHED 1^ST IN THE COMPETITION.

THEN WE WENT TO THE DRIVING SCHOOL. HERE WE CAN DRIVE ANYTHING.WE WENT TO THE BOAT SCHOOL FIRST.WE THEN WENT TO THE ’’ PUT OUT  FIRE GAME’’. WE THEN WENT TO THE FLYING SCHOOL.HERE WE CAN FLY THE ATTACHED PLANE WHEN WE PRESS A BUTTON.

WE THEN WENT TO THE DRIVING SCHOOL.AFTER THIS WE WENT TO THE BIG LEGO SHOP.THIS SHOP HAS THE LARGEST COLLECTION OF LEGO TOYS.THEN WE CAME TO OUR HOTEL, HAD DINNER AND WENT TO SLEEP.

27.8.14[WEDNESDAY]

IT WAS 4:30 IN THE MORNING BUT WHAT TO DO,WE HAD TO GO TO THE JOHOR BAHRU AIRPORT TO CATCH OUR PLANE,WHICH WILL TAKE US TO KUALA LUMPUR.THE PLANE WAS TO LEAVE AT 7:10 IN THE MORNING AND IT WAS RAINING.BUT WE WENT AND BOARDED OUR PLANE ON TIME.WE WENT TO KLIA AT 7:45.

  

WE HAD OUR BREAKFAST AT KLIA  AND WE RODE A TRAIN TO BATU CAVES.IT WAS A MURUGAN TEMPLE AND WE HAD TO CLIMB STEPS  AND ANOTHER BATCH OF STEPS TO REACH THE TEMPLE.WE THEN CAME BACK TO KL CENTRAL.THEN WE HAD OUR LUNCH AND WE WENT TO SHOPPING.

I BOUGHT MYSELF A COOL DRINK AND BOUGHT SOME CANDIES AND CHOCOLATES.WE THEN TOOK A SKYBUS TO KLIA.THEN WE WENT TO ALL THE RESTAURANTS AND FINALLY SETTLED AT NANDO’s FOR DINNER. I AND MOM ATE WRAPS,SIS HAD A SATAY AND DAD ATE BURGER. 

WE THEN WENT AND HAD OUR PASSPORTS CHECKED AND WENT AND WAITED FOR OUR PLANE.OUR PLANE ARRIVED AND WE WENT IN AND SAT ON OUR SEATS.PLANE DEPARTED AT 10:10 AND I BEGAN TO SLEEP.BYE BYE MALAYSIA.

 

WHEN I WOKE UP THE  TIME WAS 11:29.NO,DON’T THINK THE PLANE TOOK ONLY AN HOUR.BECAUSE IT WAS DUE TO TIME ZONE[WE SAW THAT EARLIER,DIDN’T WE] AND WE REACHED TIRUCHIRAPALLI AIRPORT.WE WERE IN INDIA AGAIN.WE THEN TOOK OUR BAGS FROM THE BAGGAGE BELT.WE THEN CHECKED OUR PASSPORTS AGAIN.AND WE CAUGHT A TAXI AND WE WENT TO TIRUCHIRAPALLI JUNCTION.WE WENT THERE AT NEARLY 11:57 SO IT WAS ALMOST THE NEXT DAY.

28.8.14[THURSDAY]

WE WAITED IN THE WAITING ROOM FOR OUR TRAIN THIRUKKURAL EXPRESS.IT WAS COMING FROM KANNIYAKUMARI AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO DELHI[OR I MEAN HAZRAT NIZAMUDDIN] WE WAITED FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS IN THE WAITING ROOM AND I SAW ALL SORTS OF TRAINS LIKE PANDIAN,NELLAI ETC… .WE THEN WENT TO OUR PLATFORM NO:1 AND WAITED FOR OUR TRAIN.OUR TRAIN ARRIVED AT 3:00 AND WE GOT IN OUR COACH A1.WE THEN SLEPT. 

WE ARRIVED AT CHENGALPET AT 7:50 AND REACHED EGMORE AT 8:50.WE WENT TO EGMORE BECAUSE WE NEED TO BUY BREAKFAST AND WE CAME TO OUR HOUSE AT 10:50AM.AND SO OUR TRIP ENDED.OF COURSE IT HAD TO END SO THAT WE CAN GO TO ANOTHER COUNTRY.

WHAT I LEARNT IN THE TRIP

TO FOLLOW TRAFFIC RULES

OUR TRAVEL TIME CALCULATION

TRAIN/PLANE NAME	FROM	TO	DEPART	ARRIVE
ROCKFORT	CHENNAI	TRICHY	10:30	5:00
AIRASIA	TRICHY	KLIA	9:40	4:25
AIRASIA	KLIA	PENANG	12:35	1:25
AIRASIA	PENANG	CHANGI[SINGAPORE]	9:35	11:15
AIRASIA	JOHOR BAHRU	KLIA	7:10	7:45
AIRASIA	KLIA	TRICHY	10:10	11:29
THIRUKKURAL EXPRESS	TRICHY	CHENNAI	3:00	8:50

WE TRAVELED FOR 23 HOURS 29 MINUTES. 

[Written by Sibi Pranav after the trip.]

MYSIN Trip 6 - Legoland and back

One of the joys of traveling for me is the chance to sample the different fares of food that is available in those places. Be it Goa or Shimoga or whatever place we've been to, I make it a point to find some local places and try it out. As it turned out, I was not alone here in that.

That is one of the reasons why we endlessly searched for the local stalls or places we can sample the local food than going for the more fancier fare or the fast food.

Viva Food Haven, Tanjung Bungah

Sibi learns to eat with Chopsticks

When we walked down the road in Tanjung Bungah, looking for some place to sample the Penang cuisine, we had absolutely no idea where we were going. It was raining so lightly, the roads were deserted, it was beautiful to just walk around. That's how we ended up in the Viva food haven, a local hawker stalls area with a multitude of shops to sample all we want for a fair price.

 Thus we ended up eating through thin, crispy Apoms, the delicious Penang Laksa, Mee Goreng mamak, the local Fried rice, a make-your-own Tom Yum shop and much more. The Apoms are nothing but our own Appams but more thinner and crispier and sweeter. No need to add any coconut milk or sugar, you can eat six in one go (for 3RM!). Mani Annan, who was making it here also offers some local insights at free of cost as well. The Laksa lady was charming, helpfully explaining the ingredients and the Tom Yum had some fancier items in it as well.

Mee Goreng

Of course, the most reliable part of Malay Cuisine for the Indian palate is the Roti Canai and Nasi Lemak with Sambal. We had them in the breakfasts in the hotel and in a local food stall in KL Brickfields, where the owner helpfully made some pooris for Vanathy as well.

It is a little tougher to find the stalls in Singapore, distance and that we were constantly running around the city made it a little difficult. But we managed to do some sampling. The Food republic in the City square mall is an excellent place. Kimchis and Bee Hoon were excellent here.

Claypot Rice

The Malaysian food street in Sentosa is a must visit place. We ran through some excellent Clay pot rice, Char kway teow and soups. It's a pity that the Korean food street is yet to open. The anniversary dinner in the SukhoThai restaurant threw up some interesting Thai food, including an excellent Tom Yum soup with little purple Octopus arms and squids.

Lunch!!

As it tuned out, Sibi became my partner in searching for these places and also in trying out the various dishes around.

Day 8

There are places you go with low expectation and they turn out alright. We decided to go to Legoland only because of the kids fascination with all things Lego. I had no idea what was in store but it turned out to be a charming little park.

Racing..

Though it has its own rides around, where Legoland differentiates is the activity areas it has. There is the Imaginarium, the different academies, all of which were super fun for the kids, the Miniland which was another interesting place and the Build and test areas were all activity areas, which combine expertly learning and fun together.

Robotics Class..

Imaginarium with its program and build activity was the most fun for the kids (and the wife!). Its simple programming combined with a little robotics to ensure that it is fun and also a little learning on the basics of the programming.

Build & Test

The Doctor!

There was less crowd, being a weekday and so there was barely any queues at all and it suited us well. It ensured that we covered all the rides and could come out on time. Since the Legoland closes by 6PM it becomes a little tight to ensure that all the places are covered.

Miniland

Driving School

After a tiring ride back to the hotel, we flew back to KL the next day. This is the final day of the trip and we were tired and Chennai was calling. We had one more place to go.

Batu caves has been the place I've visited every time I was in KL but has never seen. Though I've been to Batu, I never felt the urge to take the stairs to the cave. This time I wanted to fix that.

KTM Komuter

The brand-new KTM Komuter service to Batu is the cheapest way to get here. and the large Muruga statue looks at you intently once you get out of the train. The 300 stairs to the cave were real steep and small. With the kids running fast, we climbed to the cave pretty fast and then into the cave system.



The temple in the cave itself is small and after giving thanks for making the trip fun and success, we checked around the caves. There were unruly monkeys all around, the caves look like some artificial movie set in the mountains. It does give the same feel as visiting any Muruga temple here with the road side shops all around which sells trinkets for a premium and look for the culpable tourists.

In the cave

After the afternoon was spent in the shopping malls and in the KLIA shopping areas, we boarded our flight back without incident and reached Chennai.

MYSIN Trip 5 - Singapore - The Crossing

Somehow some of those days we look forward to happens to be together and doubles the joy of it. It was so with the 24th and 25th of August. While the first one is the day we got hitched, the second one is the day the live wire of our family, Vanathy was born. It is always a joy to have a daughter in the house and it is double the joy to have one like ours.

There are somethings that makes a place enduring enough to keep talking about it. Singapore is one such place. There are a lot of things that are good and a few that are bad as well. The uniformity of the place is one such thing. But the good ones first.

When you travel with a family of four, you find out, pretty fast that traveling around in taxis cost about as much as the public transportation. This is at least true in Singapore (definitely not in Malaysia!). This we found out on our first day and ever since, took taxis more times than the MRT or bus. And chatting up the taxi drivers reveal things about the place more than anything else.

Almost all the taxi drivers we came across, all of them Chinese, were courteous and were willing to talk about Singapore and the happenings in the city. That's how we ended up riding through the Singapore night life festival and at least had a glimpse of it. That is how we also ended in going to the Chinatown and had a quick look at the beautiful decorations done for the Mid-Autumn festival celebrations.

Almost every one of the drivers were trying to tell how the different races, the Chinese, Malays and Indians, live happily together and how they have many Indian friends or the Dosas they've eaten etc. Without the specter of the race riots that happened a few months ago, I wouldn't have given second thought to it. But knowing that, I was always thinking whether they are trying to talk about the riots without really talking about it.

And there was a one old Chinese driver, who kept muttering during the ride, jumped a couple of signals (it was late in the night) and was not really willing to talk. So there is always an exception to the rule.

But once you start looking at the other side of the straits, you understand the difference.

Day  7

Birthday Cake

Today  (August 25) was Vanathy's birthday. So myself and Sibi got up early and went around to find a good cake to celebrate. We found it in the nearby departmental store. A Marble cake for the Mid-Autumn festival. It is a nice way to celebrate the birthday as well as the festival. So the new dresses were put on, cake cut and ready for the River Safari day.

If you've time to go to only one place in your Singapore visit, River Safari should be in the top of the list.  Not because it is fun or anything but that it is educative, it has beautiful exhibits covering the different river systems of the world and for kids, it has a couple of fantastic river rides.

And instead of the 2 hours we planned, we ended up spending twice the amount of time there. The other attraction of the River safari are the two Giant Pandas. Though we've seen the Giant Panda's in an exhibit in the Atlanta Zoo some time back, here it it more closer and with no glass wall in between, it was fun to watch. Again, the kids had loads of fun here with not much crowd, we could hang around for whatever time we wished to be around.

Rain started coming down in force for 15 minutes now and we started back for our crossing back into Malaysia. This time, it will be by road.

To cross into Malaysia, by road, via the Woodlands CIQ and the Causeway, you can take a bus, get down and walk through the immigration and then hop onto another bus. Given that we've had our luggage to  carry around, we chose the taxi. Again, you can take the Malaysian taxi in the Johor taxi stand in Queen's street and drive right through the immigration, without having to get down at all and get dropped in the Johor taxi stand. For a little extra, the driver was willing to drop us in the hotel itself.

But it was a wet day and with heavy traffic at the border, it was tiring as well. But everything went well and we got dropped in our hotel. Checking into the room at the 25th floor of the hotel brought some sanity into the day of border crossings and incessant rain.

Doubletree hotel

Opposite to the Doubletree hotel we've stayed in Johor, there is a Restoran Amma, written in Tamil as well as 'அம்மா உணவகம்'. Turned out the owner of the place was a die-hard MGR fan with special reverence for Amma. Hence the name and the food was excellent eating as we did listening to old MGR songs.

The Menu card

While inside, it was hard to feel that you are in a forsaken corner of Malaysia. For that was what Johor amounted to. At least the places we went around. It was run-down, looking like a cheaper version on Singapore with none of the neatness or the glitz associated with Singapore.

So, the next day dawned.

MYSIN Trip 4 - Singapore - 2

There are a few days in everyone's life that becomes memorable for one reason or other. For me, there are few such days that remain etched in my mind. The days of my kid's birthdays. The sequence of events on those two days is still in mind.

Our wedding anniversary is another one. I do not remember all the things that happened on that day or the order in which it happened. But it remains the most important day in that I married a girl who made a profound impact on our life for the past 13 years and counting. 

Since then, it has become some sort of a ritual for us to celebrate the anniversary in some place exotic or have a quiet dinner or do something or nothing depending on the mood in that year. Every anniversary has its own set of memories and whenever we look at the month August every year, there is always something we find to remember about.

So it was this year. This year it was in Singapore and we've planned nothing for that day except to visit Universal studios and nothing more.

 

Amusement parks as a rule do not amuse me much. I am more a guy who prefers to be left alone with a book and good food rather than the excitement of roller coasters. But it was for the kids and at some level, being a fan of Madagascar and  Shrek, I've also wanted to see what fun it can bring.

So the day started with all the excitement that accompanies the visit to amusement parks. Only that J wanted to check on the date and confirm that it was our anniversary. So we did the mandatory anniversary shoot and started.

Universal Studios Singapore is probably the smallest one of all the Universal studios out there and we realized that once inside. Though we rushed into the rides and other fun, there was not much crowd and hence the queues were shorter and quicker, half way through we relaxed a little knowing that we aren't going to miss anything.

One of the things you notice in various places in Singapore is the amount to Chinese tourists that come through. You can find them wearing a similar color hat with the tour/travels name etched in it or following a guy with a flag like we used to do when we go for school tours. It is amazing when you realize that about 70-80% of the crowd in all the attractions is people from China. And they buy like crazy in the gift shops of these places as well. Shows who the next superpower is going to be.

Universal Studios, though with lesser number of rides than in California or Florida, matches them in terms of its overpriced foods, road shows and in the fun quotient. 

 

  The kids managed to go for a second serving in most of the rides and enjoyed the day.

We wanted to cover the Merlion park in the night to finish the day off. The taxi driver explained about the Grandfather, Father and Son Merlion's in Singapore and helpfully, showed us the locations. We managed to catch the grand father and father.

The river front 'Father Merlion' is a beautiful place, more beautiful to see it late in night. There is less crowd (it being Sunday evening) and with the fantastic views, it is the kind of place you want to spend your anniversary evening.

We reluctantly took off from there for dinner in a Thai restaurant (the Tom Yum was fantastic!) and realized that the anniversary is over for this year.

MYSIN Trip 3 - Singapore - 1

August is a good month to travel through South Asia. It is the in-between month. The South-West monsoon aka the Summer monsoon is at an end and the North East monsoon is yet to start. The in-between months are not hot and not wet as well. The weather is humid to rainy at times and if you can understand the vagaries of weather during this time, it is much more pleasanter to travel around.

Throughout our trip, we carried one umbrella. Though the monsoon was at an end, it still can bring surprise thunderstorms and rains at will. The umbrella (one for four of us) is just to make sure that the kids are not caught in the rain and depending on the strength of the rain fall, all of get to play a bit in it as well.

The forecast for Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Singapore for all the days we traveled predicted rains in the evenings. Though we didn't see any in Kuala Lumpur, we did experience mild-strong rainfall in Penang and Singapore, in the nights and sometimes, drizzled in the mornings. We managed to get wet in couple of occasions as well.

So it was that while walking back to hotel after having dinner in Penang, the rain started. It was not heavy or even a thunderstorm. It was just a slow and silent fall of rain drops which makes you want to get wet. The sea deck in the lobby of the hotel was washed in the rain and was looking beautiful.

The next morning, when we boarded our plane in Penang for Singapore, I have caught a terrible cold. While I was happy that the kids managed to stay out of it, cold and the travel caused some terrible aches in the head. I was almost sure, the only thing I will manage to do that day would be to sleep.

Days 4-5

When we landed in Changi for the next leg of the trip, I was running a slight fever with cold. The only thing I wanted to do was to check-in and sleep.

After suffering through the hands of the taxi drivers of Penang, it was something of a surprise to see a metered taxi in Changi. All the taxi drivers we've got in Singapore (with the exception of one) exemplified what is good about this country. Talking to the drivers help in understanding what is going on, where to go and what to do easily.

As planned, after checking in and a quick lunch, I slept for an hour. Though not fully recovered, decided to do the MRT hops to get to the night safari.

Of all the places we went around in Singapore, the one place that disappointed everyone was the night safari. Not that it was bad, its just that the crowd that day, the wait for the trams, the fight with the queue-jumping idiots and the persistent sneezing and cold made me want to go to the hotel and sleep.

Crowd!!

And above all, the endless procession of deers, peccary, buffaloes in the exhibit made me think of the Vandalur with a fondness I've never felt before. Except for the uniqueness of going around in the night, there is nothing worthwhile here. The 'creatures of the night' show was good but that is just trained animals running through the hoop. Overall, when we reached the room by midnight, I took in the tablets, the cough syrup etc and slept like a stone.

Next day I was feeling better and started for the S.E.A aquarium. I purchased all the tickets online beforehand to avoid standing in lines and felt that it was a good decision. We could focus on getting in and out of the attractions without waiting for the ticket queues. After a short hop in the MRT to Harbourfront, we decided to skip the mono rail and take the boardwalk.

 

Ibn-Battuta and Zheng He

The aquarium is probably worth spending your entire day on and we did spend about 4 hours. The exhibits are educative, the awesomeness it inspires in the kids is a sight to be seen and watching schools of fish swimming around brings a zen-like peace to the mind which is hard to get out of. There is a lot of history exhibits on the silk route and the trade through Singapore. A must-see place if there is one.

After a late lunch, we started for the Gardens by the bay. If there is something that can sustain the zen-like peach brought on by the fishes, it is the gardens. We didn't get into the paid areas, but walked around the excellent gardens in the other areas.

Mushroom Garden

 The super tree grove was the best (though it is only an exhibit of Ferns and the trees there are not actually trees!). I did manage to lose the wife and the son here, before long finding them again. The gardens become lovely when the lights come on and it was difficult to walk out.

Walked to the Singapore Flyer through the Helix bridge and the Singapore Flyer experience was only average. Probably because we were exhausted to see the sights and used the 20-minute ride as relaxing time.

View from the Flyer

After a quick dinner in the road side stalls of the Kitchener road, hit the bed by midnight.