2nd Family Trip: Hong Kong (Day 2 morning - Ocean Park)

Hong Kong: 23 - 30 January 2013

Good Morning HK, we're heading to Ocean Park!

Yummy Breakfast

Clear directions are very important for tourist!

Bought a 2-way bus tickets to Ocean park upon exiting the subway.

(HK$10.60 for an adult and HK$5.30 for kids below 3 years old)

Many tour guide are selling Ocean Park tickets once you got off from the station at a slightly cheaper rate but we did not purchase from them nor from the ticketing booth as I've got the redemption coupon from the facebook promotion. It is valid for purchase at the Ocean Park main entrance booth. My effort is paid off for the homework done before traveling and saved quite a bit as it's still cheaper then the tour guide's prices.

  

Now that we're in, photos will be required more than words. In a summary, ocean park is too big and it's not possible to visit every attraction points.

  

XXD is sleeping and hence not in the group photo, peek-a-boo!

Very neat 'flower' fish

Baby's awake!

Great to be here during CNY period

The Panda Place

Lazy panda that sleeps like a human o.0'

The Aquarium

 

 

The Birds Show

These birds are really well trained, they flew out on their own and followed the trainer's cues without mistakes. They are allowed to fly in and out, up and down freely like a free-bird.

The Sealion Show

Every animal can be trained and performed at their best I believed. Same goes for the Sealion. It is able to spin on its own, lay down and get up as per cues that the trainer offers with the training stick.



A mammal breathe like humans, bubbles are blown through its breathes.



Merry go around and round

There are other rides that are suitable for adults but we gave all a missed as no one dares to try on it and the queue were too long to join. Too bad, i can't play this time round or I'll be up there screaming on one of the rides too. We literally just passed by this section of Ocean park.

 

Photo of the day

This photo is damn funny! Well done guys.

Traditional shophouse converted to game station

Took a long queue to take the cable car ride

Whoever created cable car, is such a genius.
Whoever built it, is a talent.

The boys certainly enjoyed the ride up

This pretty is very huge, and is the only one in the big pool i think.

Penguins

Where is Baby!!!

Times passes so fast, it's sunset.

Favorite: DRUMS!

Goodbye Ocean Park, we need to go off as we're running late to Madame Tussauds already!

2nd Family Trip: Hong Kong (Day 1)

Hong Kong: 23 - 30 January 2013

Airfare: S$1,250
Accommodation: S$1,200

A trip with filled with many 'first time' experiences

It's the first time that we're traveling to a cold country with the kids and preparations were done way in advance to make sure that they will be kept warm. Jackets, long john, gloves and on and on and on...

It's was a family trip again with an additional headcount and yes, we're going with the little baby to HK! Needless to say, we flying off with Jetstar again.

XXD 1st flight experience

Since it's a group of us, we booked an apartment from Airbnb instead of staying in a hotel. First booking made with Airbnb after much researches and we're glad that it turned out well although it wasn't 100% of what we expected of the apartment. 

Great location at Mongkok with basic amenities and good for tourist who will be out most of the times and only need a place to rest and keep their personal belongings. Gigi is a great host and responded quickly to messages and calls. Click here to find out more information about this apartment. Gigi will be able to give you a discount if you quote my screen name: dreamychris. 

Living Room

Kitchen on the right

Took the airport express bus from airport to Mongkok to meet Angie's assistant who will bring us to our residential place. Missed a station even after much focus and walked our way back. Phew~

10mins before

10mins after: both slept really comfortably throughout the whole journey!

Can't recall when was the last time we used a public phone, dialing NaiNai to tell her we have REACHED HK!

Took our 1st public transport via bus to meet NaiNai for dinner from Mongkok to the ferry terminal. It actually feels like taking bus 88 from in SG from one end to another but the whole journey felt so insecure as we were worried that we might be heading towards the wrong direction or wrong ferry terminal.

Like HK soap drama

It's CNY, dong dong dong dong qiang.

 Had our first steamboat dinner in a restaurant and visited NaiNai's place.

This mess do not come cheap

 Photo of the day

As part of the population in Singapore, we always complained that HDB has built our far too small. After viewing NaiNai's place, we realized that it is even smaller then expected. It's impossible to do a group celebration for festive like Chinese New Year or even, a birthday gathering in a 3 room flat.

Now we understand why HK families seldom eat at home for Chinese New Year, and tend to queue up at restaurants instead.

The flat is good for basic living such as having a comfort place to sleep in, eat and watch TV. When asked about the cost, the price of a HDB flat in SG is almost comparable to a flat in HK.

Although flats are really getting smaller in SG, but I'm stilll happy with our houses. At least, we are able to gather for Chinese New Year, Christmas and even birthdays.

Handsome Travis

A wish that came true

Hubby wished for a 'made in Australia' - "it's OK mate" baby but got disappointed when it didn't came true. His motto after that was "It's OK, I will try again!" Good spirit, i like. Ha-ha.

Menses got delayed for a while after our honeymoon trip, most likely due to weather differences. Hence I thought it was normal to be late again for the 2nd time. Didn't think too much about it but still, paying close to the number of days it was delayed.

Anxious Hubby couldn't be put on suspension after 1 month has passed and got the pregnancy test stick secretly. We reached home at midnight and I thought we should do it the next morning but he refuses to wait till the next day and hurried me to the washroom!

Even though it's common knowledge that you need to pee on the stick for a while but when it's 'action time', you'll still hesitate. Read the instructions clearly before I took action, ha-ha. Just in case right? Besides, Clearblue don't come very cheap so I better make sure I don't ruin it!

Came out from the washroom, waited patiently for the result to be out and within a few minutes, the screen indicated PREGNANT. 3+ weeks!!! 

Woooo-hooo... We have a new member in the house. 

Obviously, baby preferred to be made in Singapore. I'm pretty amazed by how precise a test stick can detect the number of pregnancy weeks. All along, I thought it will only be a line or double line to show positive or negative! 

Clearblue test stick can actually tell you how many weeks you are into the pregnancy! Cool! Since it's positive now, I have to continue to read the whole guide page and still amazed by how pregnancy hormones can differentiate and reflect the weeks on the screen.

I'm preparing for motherhood, officially! 

No wonder I've been feeling lethargic lately, yawns. I thought I was just being lazy and tired. 

Congratulations father-to-be (FTB), you have just upgraded your title again. From Husband to FTB! 

Thank you for getting ready to be a father;
Thank you for being excited over my pregnancy;
Thank you for taking on a whole new set of responsibility;
Thank you for loving me!


I love you.