Japan, Tokyo trip! 9 March – 15 March 2011

*Super boring long post of my bad experience in Japan! Please do not read on if you have no time, wahaha… super detailed experience which i would to jot it down…

Our 1st to Tokyo… my parents came along for this holiday… It was really an experience I wouldnt want to have it again… Yes, it’s that bad! Can you imagined being stranded up in the mountain, encounter earthquake… gosh I have lotsa stuffs to yak manz…

It’s an F&E trip we had plan for 6d5n…. well before our trip, hubby and I were so excited as we have never been there and we are bringing Cleo to Tokyo Disneyland… much raves about it when people talk about Japan right, well we have only been to the one in Hong Kong…so small and boring… but sadly we didnt had any chance to go there… so sad right? … only see brochure

So what happened was, on our 2nd day of our trip, we went for a 1 day Mount Fuji & Hakone tour… left the hotel early and transfer to a coach which took us to Mount Fuji… and at around 1+pm after our sumptuous lunch, our tour includes a cablecar ride up to Mount Komagatake in Hakone… Shortly after we arrived at the top of the mountain, the building started to shake a little… We thought its was the cablecar ride that made us a little giddy but NO… we were all wrong, just mins later, it shooked again and it was getting stronger… cablecar personnel started to run out of the office looking panic… Gosh, scary rite, we have not encounter this before! …. So it was confirmed that there’s a sudden magnitude of 9.0 earthquake that hit Japan!  During the frightful few minutes, the stress and fear that we had, was unexplainable… At that very moment, I was worry for Cleo… and gosh I am in my 13weeks… well these are my first thoughts… There were around 80 tourists at the cablecar point… every faces shows “worries”, “lost”…  We were asked to vacate the building, as we told that this 4 storey high building that we were in is a very old building and building structure might not be safe… Well, after listening to these, made us even more worry right? The only place for us to hold us temporary is the open mountain filled with snow out there… GOSH! its freaking cold out there, many were not prepared with proper clothing… though we had our bubbled, warm cold wear… it’s seriously not enough… the workers started bringing out some jackets for those people with little ones… the japanese are very caring and thoughtful hor … 

So after the long wait of an hour (which felt like hours)… they finally came to a conclusion that all of us are required to vacate this place and the only way was to walk down the freaking cold, scary, high, tall, huge mountain by FOOT! yes, u r right! to walk down by your FOOT! I seriously thought I was going to faint!!!! They had to turned off the main cablecar power as it’s not safe to take the ride down… So no way they gonna turn it on! There were so much of commotions… so there were tour guides around that assisted with breaking all into groups… and this will make sure going down the freaking mountain will be easier… BUT i can tell you its not gonna be easy… I am not a mountain treaker, am sure many do not have the experience as well. BUT in order to be alive and be safe… just go down… its like you have doesn’t have a choice? …. Frankly, we were the last batch and we tried, we went down a few (10 over) steps without any proper track, no rope etc… and its so damn slippery cos normal footwear do not have proper gripping… We gave up at the point where we seriously saw the scary steps down, those kind that once you missed it, that’s it and there you go kind!!… Hubby says: Lets turn back… He went up carrying Cleo who was sleeping soundly… me following behind and my parents behind me… We were the only “clowns” who went back to the building… oh no… the main building has a shutter and its down… the last personnel who came down had already locked it.  We were standing for a few seconds in the open area and its freaking cold with the wind blowing! …. Tadah!!! an old man… the worker came back for us… He doesn’t speaks english, we had a hard time communicating, only after some time, he contacted the control room, managed to get the shutter on… we went into the control room office building, the place we were held before walking the mountain. I think he kept wanting to tell us that its not safe to stay but we had no choice… I am not gonna risk my life down the mountain… with a baby!

Our hearts were all together, we are just gonna stay and see what we can do to get help. Thank god, the phone are working in the office as all out mobiles had no reception. I tried calling my hotel thinking I could get people to assist in translation but they are bums! …. 2nd thought, called the Spore embassy in Tokyo… Like Oh finally, i got someone who can speak the same language… fluent english… Firstly they got all names in detailed of everyone there, 5 of us including Cleo… and I explained what happened, where am I now.. etc… He spoke to the Japanese guy, and back to me… told me there are people coming up from the cablecar office, and we were asked to update whenever possible. time passes fast, and 2 guys walked up from the bottom of the mountain, to them is easy peasy as they are trained! Again, cannot communicate… try and error, and finally they told us firemen coming up to pick us?!! We were like huh?! Daylight was short in Japan, 5pm looks like 8pm darkness… 4 superheros firemen in their hero attire came up by FOOT… after much discussion… 1-2hours had passed… They mentioned something like to get down via cable “ropeway”.. It’s actually to get a hook and to make use of the cablecar cableway to get us down… I think like “tarzan” in the jungle… you have to swing down… my eyes were watery when I heard that, heart pumping x 100… cannot imagine I have to ”swing down”… with the help of experienced firemen doesn’t help to calm me… On 2nd thought, 1 guy who can speak a little half past 10 english, asked me how many months pregnant, I signal 3months, and all 4 of them, shows a little worry look… Well.. I guessed no ones wanna take such risk and huge responsibilities right… What if something happened while going down etc… Few mins passed, finally, they says you guys are gonna stay here for a night, and my colleagues will be here to assist tomorrow, as they also received an message from I think the cablecar control that there are people who got stucked at the mid-way of the mountain… And there people were those who went down by foot earlier, can you imagined being stucked at the bottom of the mountain, cold, wet, hungry, darkness… damn scary!  And so, just us, 3 cablecar personnel all 8 of us to spend a night in the office, these kind Japanese got us some tatami laid in their workers rest area… old and “dirty”, but its just a night and place to rest I tell myself… At around 10+pm… we were all lying down in the room, and all of a sudden, the room shake for a second… my heart pumping x100 again… really damn scary! And my dear Cleo can asked me, Mummy: who knocked the door (she heard sounds made by the cupboard’s door which sounds like someone knocking on our door)… I can only tell her in a calm chirppy tone: there’s no one darling… rest and watch your tubbies (we brought our portable DVD player along)… so glad we had that with us…

The next morning came and We were all excited to know what’s the outcome, managed to wash up abit, went down to the office… urghh… was told we had to get down by FOOT again but this time round they will be using another route which is longer but easier.. OH well… how easier can it be… straight road… cannot be right? I was actually been asking for a Helicopter since the night before you know… so naive right… thought I could easily asked for a heli   …. and so I had no choice, but to asked so many questions to prepare myself… The guy are getting 20 over workers to clear the snow to create a better walk way for us to go down… cannot imagined but I just listen… Cool after 10mins… I can slowly see people coming up with their shover.. damn cool but they are perpiring in cold icy weather can u imagine how tiring… BUT BUT.. Hooray! I don’t know what happened and within mins… they changed their mind and the guy who was communicating with us happily came over to asked and say: The helicopter is arriving in around 15mins so please get ready! And yesh, finally there is really a helicopter!!! muahaha… hubby was guided what to expect, where the heli is gonna drop us, whose picking us up and where we are heading to etc… The people there were all excited when heli arrived, snapping of pics through their handphones… really super drama… We like majiam superstars… Cleo was crying cos she doesn’t want to sit heli… haha… it was so loud!  All well… We board the heli by the police… 15mins ride… arrived, picked up by the cablecar people, my local guide etc… asking if I needed to go to the hospital etc… In my mind, I just wanna go back to my hotel… We asked if we can go back Tokyo, and my local guide gladly send us back to the train station.

We experienced many times of aftershock when we were back in Tokyo hotel and it was no fun at all for the rest of the days… We did not venture out to many many popular places that was on my lists… We just basically roamed around our hotel everyday… Finally the day for us to leave Japan arrived and we were so anxious to get home (unlike usual holidays where we dread to go home)… Can u imagined, on the last day early morning at 4+am, you still have to encounter a “shake” on your bed while you were sleeping… i can’t explained but its damn scary! ….. What an experience we had! Glad we are safe back home!

Once again… mummy-to-be

Yes, its me! no guessing, u r right! I am gonna be a mummy once again …. and I am so loving every moment of it!

18weeks now.. and I feeling good so far except for the usual tiredness… and with a toddler in tow is no jOke… requires loads and loads of energy… i am losing my stamina sometimes… with the carrying and attention… oh i feel so punctured at the end of the day… leaving me so drained out…

as a 2nd timer mummy, i felt i am more slack, taking things easy… well maybe when baby is out, i will feel lost again  

I have been telling Cleo, the big sista! …. and I think she understands… am sure she gonna be a good doting sister and hopefully no ”biting” please

Movements of baby are getting stronger each day and I guessed as 2nd timer, I can feel baby’s movements earlier.. . and its just so wonderful feeling that I enjoyed!

And oh everyone has been asking me the so exciting question: and the answer is = it’s gonna be a BOY!!! we had our usual checkup last saturday, 9 Apr… and when the gynae started his scanning… Whoops… he went oh it’s so obvious… can see so clearly… But frankly, I can’t figured it out leh… I am not experience mah…

Slacker…

hOwdy everyone… i have been a slacker for not blogging for the longest time! why? not that i have nothing to blog about Cleo… but she’s really growing to fast for updates… ok, its just me – lazy!

i’m enjoying every single moment with Cleo… the apple of my eye! she’s getting cheeky each day and also terrible twos… oh manz… driving me a little crazy at times. AND worst of all…. she into biting = she loves biting my sis-inlaw’s daughter … Cleo goes over to MIL’s place everyday…. and they have 2 other nieces there, havoc every single day… from singing to playing to “fighting”… wahaha.. not so bad la… its just Cleo who is getting the “hang” of bullying the younger niece… but oh please, Cleo is still the youngest but yet the big bully there… feeling a little shame while typing these manz.. cos my daughter is a big bully   She gets irritated if the younger one gets her way, and refused sharing, and there she goes, a red bite on her arm, shoulder etc…   I have been trying to explain to her but she seems not to really know its wrong to do that… but whenever I drop her @mil’s, i will remind her no biting okie… well she replied “OK” … urghh.. i hope this will go over soon…

oh i do have some overdue pics taken on Cleo’s 2nd birthday…. a small celebration with families…

@hilton doubletree in KL, few days before Cleo’s actual bday

good news for us; managed to wean her off her precious pacifier after her 2nd birthday… it was really easy peasy that i couldnt believe that she can do w/o it so well! no whining… at all!!! hooray and well done BABY! you just took 1 nite and i am so proud of you… occasionally you asked for it when you see children on the streets had that in their mouth… but i know you are just fooling with mummy…

one of the few pic with your precious...

Updates!

A huge apology to those of you who have been waiting for updates…I know I’ve been sadly neglecting this blog for a very long time now.

The past few months have been so busy and Cleo has developed so fast that it’s almost impossible to keep up. Since pictures speak a thousand words, so let’s enjoy… *grin*.

She’s a really happy baby though she does throws temper tantrums for no reason. However, she is very hot-tempered when she doesn’t get her way, and one thing I’ve learned is that I can’t go head-to-head with her…if she’s holding something and doesn’t want to give it to me, prying it out of her hands will cause a full-blown waterworks scene. The trick is always to distract her with something else, although it doesn’t work every time!

At times when she’s throwing tantrums, I walked off and leave her alone! And she’s really good at getting away when she’s not doing the right thing, she called out “Mummy” with a sweet cheeky smile, hug me tightly, kiss me etc etc… Smart gal, and my heart goes with her!

My cool baby!

last lesson @ Kindermusik, Jack is so sweet, he kept wanting to hold Cleos hand!

We attended JG Hols Program in June and heres Ryan & Cleo sharing toys. They do look alike at times!

We went to the Zoo and Cleo enjoyed herself loads at the Rainforest Waterplay! She saw a elder boy doing that and right after he moved away, she followed by letting her head down the fountain!

Enjoying herself!

a good waterplay... KOed rite away after shower... shiok!

gathering & “beauty talk”

great get-together fun today which started early at 11.30am… till late night.

a big gathering which includes a short beauty product sharing by Mary Kay… www.marykay.com.sg .. Well, thanks Flo for organising!

big group...

Visit to Seoul, Korea

We went on a tour to Seoul on 28 Mar for 11days… Sad without hubby for the first 8days of our tour …But he joined us for our extension for 4days… Yay Yay!!!  

The flight was crowded and it has been a real chore packing our winter clothing. It’s freezing! Long-johns, sweater and bubble jacket…. It’s our first time in Korea, and I must say, We Love it!  

We visited the War Memorial Park, and along the way, we hand-pick local strawberries that grow in the orchard farm, hands-on to make kimchi(which I did not), and of cos not missing out the opportunity to take photos of ourselves dressed in the Korean Traditional costume called Hanbok. And alas, our first night stay at Yongpyong Dragon Valley was not bad with great view where we are able to see the ski resort from our room….    

Cleo love the strawberries...

blurry

a view from our hotel room

Us with my parents

a nice view from cable car...

Everland theme park was nice and big! We took a water ride which was fun, its flower season so we managed to see beautiful tulips in colors… We queued for the Safari styled Zoo where we hopped on a bus to view where animals roamed freely… The main attraction of the Zoo was to see “Liger”, a mixed breed of a Tiger and Lion…. Interesting!  

Liger

Beautiful Tulips...

  

There were lots of farming activities during this tour. Calf feeding,  Cow Milking, and hand-made korean ice-cream…  

 

Waiting for her breakfast

Jeju Island  

We took a domestic flight out to Jeju for 2days… the place is also known as “Honeymoon Island”.. Visits to traditional houses during the olden days.. *bleah* It rained for the whole day in Jeju which makes road very muddy, yuckzzz… Took a cruise on our 2nd day to view the spectacle Sunrise Peak by the coast, an experience… ride was a little bumpy and I was feeling a little dizzy!  I didn’t get a chance to watch “Nanta” as Cleo was napping so I give it a missed while the rest continue… what a waste as I heard they are really good! (next time then)… The Teddy Bear Museum was damn boring…  

Aiyo, damn troublesome, raincoat, umbrella... muddy ground!

olden time houses...

  

Not forgetting highlight of this trip… we enjoyed a view of whole stretch of Cherry Blossoms.  

  

  

Rapeseeds

Back to Seoul  

Visited the Ginseng Monopoly Showroom… Wow Wow… Parents spent a bomb there… Well they say it’s good for health… Majiam world ‘s best ancient tonic elixir!!! Amethyst factory la…  and one more don’t know what Cordyceps showroom… For us to spend $$$ places lah…   

Exciting part… Myongdong Street, Nandaemum, Dongdaemum Market… Lotte World – so so… Indoor/Outdoor theme park… 

Dongdaemum

LotteWorld Adventure Park... The indoor ice-skating ring

So finally Daddy arrived on the day we ended our tour with the group. We meet him at Prince Hotel where we will be staying for 3 nights… hooray!!! 

We went to have our names sewed on our “mama-san” bags, my beco… and bought quite a no. of luggage tags as souveniers… The place we did our bags is in Itaewon… a place where most crews will visit… 

Dinner at Nolboo Resturant in Myongdong where they served nice Budae Jiggae

Beef Budae Jiggae

Day 9 

We visited a temple in Insadong. 

tired me... resting our feet

Palace tour

Cleo was mesmerised by the change of guard ceremony

getting excited... like cheering for them!

and Hooray!!!

and HAPPY!

Boring la this place....

This pushcart sells nice Strawberry juice and Pancake

Day 10 

Nandaemum Market in the late morning…. followed by Namsan Park – Seoul Tower 

outside Shinsegae

I like this pic but a pity that Cleos sleeping!

I looked funny in this... Its a baby warmer apron to protect Cleo.. Cos its really cold!

Yummy churros

the city view from the top, the tower stands at 236m!

Mum & I

Its US again with "Love Locks" behind....

Hubby & I took a 2 hours off pass on our last night from my mum... Cleos sleeping under her care...

LAST DAY with Last minute shopping always…. That’s where you buy without given second thought cos NO TIME!!! 

CLEO is always HAPPY with DADDY!!! YEAH!!!

HAPPY with MUMMY TOO!!! *hee hee*

OH WELL…. We had loads of fun this trip and Daddy says WE WILL Be BACK during CNY next year, YAY YAY….

Co-Sleeping

Well… too huge a topic to talk about…

Cleo or I should say Babies are space hoggers… I’m sure most of my mummies’ friend out there would know what I mean! Cleo loves snuggling with me as I sleep in between Daddy and her… it means she love sleeping so closely till her head on my arm, my face, my “tummy”… and more…

And sometimes in the middle of the night, Cleo just sit up and look at me as if I am not giving her any space to FliP!!! urghhh….

*shy* Poor Daddy shifting as close to the edge as if anytime he is gonna fall off the bed!!! haha..

We love having Cleo on our bed as much as she love being on our bed But our back doesn’t like it so much.. Waking up in the morning with a back, neck, arms pain problem…

We gonna solve this soon…hopefully….

Considering buying an additional mattress? Another bed? Hmmm… Room are too small for another bed.

Second child…

Relax, I’m not pregnant… Although I am considering one …. Hmmm..

1. A rabbit or A dragon??? Doesn’t really matters…

2. Caregiver??? *Big headache*

3. Continue to work, Part-time or Be a SAHM (sounds coolz isn’t it, Babes out there)???

OOoooo…. not so easy as 123!!! So…

Daddy’s Girl

There’s just something about girls and their fathers… hmmm.. I know exactly what it’s like cos I was once Daddy’s girl too!

Cleo lights up when Daddy’s around, wherever she is at home, she will goes into her “where’s my Daddy mode” all day…She called out for her DAD like 200 times a day??? *bleah* the moment she hears daddy’s voice, she will rush(run) into Daddy’s arms… Wanting Daddy to carry her. Well, I don’t really mind though… Cos she does that to me too but not really calling out for me lah… sounds more like MUM MUM!!!

Bangkok Trip Feb 2010

We made a trip to Bangkok and stayed in Centara Grand World Plaza *thumbs up* together with friends Danni, Lilys’ and Serene!!! The hotel we stayed was really good location and rooms were great too!!! We stayed there during our previous firm trip too… that time, Cleo was still in Mummy’s tum tum and she was only 5months old… And now we are back again with Cleo at 13months! how nice!!!

We arrived super early at the hotel thus not able to do a check in, was asked to be back at 2PM… anyway, we expected it, and here we are in our R&R activities… eat, shop, relax… as mentioned the location was superb meaning, we need not walked out under the scorching sun of Bangkok, the hotel had a linkway all sheltered to Central shopping mall… food, shops… all, you named it…

We got an extra cot for Cleo, not that she needed a cot, its just that the cot is free and its our 1st time using a cot in a hotel room : (didn’t had a chance to have that in Hong Kong *lousy*) and of cos Cleo didn’t want to sleep in the cot !!!

us at SG departure gate... so not very awake mode for Cleo

 

so huge!

 

us @ the thai restaurant

thai fried rice (so small portion, pathetic loh)

lunch at thai restaurant - fried century egg *very different way of whipping up this dish* *slurpz*

my darling!

see what i mean, she don't liked it

Sleeping Cleo with Mummy at the busy MBK before dinner

dinner at Fuji Japanese Restaurant *good food* - see the spread

first thing in the morning: greeted by a happy smiling baby!

@ the hotel lobby after breakfast

they have nice spiral stairs.. they are both standing there while i take pics of them.

Family! going up our room to change before we start our shopping/eating again... haha

@ Siam Paragon! I love this place, they have lovely cakes... have not try it though

Gourmet Market @ Siam Paragon... there are much more varieties of fruits than here...

*BEST* from MONT in MBK shopping centre. *drooling* ... its a must eat when we are in BKK

Must be wondering why is it always food pics… Aiya what do u expect from BKK? Eat, Shop, Eat, Shop…. haha

steady lah

last day after checking out from hotel...

a group pic before leaving the hotel

coffee @ BKK departure area

*happy* cleo

It was overall a nice trip and i do look forward to the next one 

Chinese New Year

As usual, there is lots of eating, gathering and again eating non-stop.

Cleo does the sign of “Gong Xi Gong Xi”… but when the actual day arrives, she doesn’t wants to show it but nevermind, she still gets her Ang Bao la..

This is the 1st year Cleo’s celebrating CNY! Last year this time, Cleo was popped early morning of CNY 1st! What a happening day to remembered! She’s the best gift ever!

BTW, I did not mentioned in my earlier post that Cleo is walking now… She is training herself everyday… and she has been doing a great job! Hmm… She enjoyed walking too cos she will paused for a while, laughed so happily and continue again… coolz…

Anyway, CNY was a little toned down this year… A little boring too… I don’t really enjoyed it. Hope to travel next year for CNY

some pictures we took at the hub’s relative place…

us with in-laws

our family!

@great grandpa's pl

@ in-law's pl - cleo just woke up from her nap... not too happy!

DAY 2 of CNY

@cindy's pl

River Ang Pao @ Marina Promenade

Cleo is biting Mummy's lips *pain*

going home!

Oh thanks to Celia and Lily’s recipe, Mummy tried cooking the “la wei fan”…. and its NICE!!!

not cooked yet.. cooking in process

hope all had a great CNY and wishing everyone a good roaring year!!! muackszzzz…

CLEO TURNS ONE TODAY!

Cleo is ONE today! Happy Birthday to you, Daddy & Mummy loves you loads! Cleo has been a DARLING since the day she is born. 

What a milestone for our Princess, she can stand unassisted for a couple of minutes, cruise along the sofa/table, and of cos crawl, climb everywhere and anywhere. And now we are all just waiting for her 1st step and official 1st word!

Its her actual day today! Daddy & Mummy brought her to Polliwogs @East Coast. And we had a mini celebration with just the family in the evening….

Cleo loves the slide

waiting for her daddy to slide down...

its my turn now... so happy

taking a break - snack time...

blurry.... both saying *hi* to mummy!

can't sit still

CLEO’S 1ST BIRTHDAY!

We had an early celebration at California Pizza Kitchen, Forum for Cleo today!

Had been planning for quite sometime…from doing up the invitation cards, making reservation, ordering of cake, balloons etc… And the day has arrived. Am so excited about it… Just hope Cleo enjoys as much as we all does.

Pictures time:

"TWINS" - That's Cleo & Ern...

Ooo.. Cute.. This is one of the walking balloon which I have ordered for the kids... Its a DOG!!!

The COW

the 1st to arrived... Peiling, my sec sch mate

My Family

My in-laws

my frens....

my frens

my frens

regretted not engaging a photographer…   We had no time to take pics…. urghhh…

Parties fatigue for the month of January

We attended a few babies 1st birthday parties recently… Excited, Fun yet Tired… but we, both enjoyed the parties we attended… its a new and nice experience which I never had it before, of cos…

1st was our big Brother – Matthia’s 1st on 2 January. Followed by 2 parties to attend today, 8 January:

Brayden’s 1st

group pic

Attended Zethan’s 1st on 9 January at their CCK home… The next day was Caleb’s 1st on 10 January and it was held at their Condo in queensway. Party was fun and we had a great timing chilling… 

Caleb's 1st birthday cake, isn't it lovely? It tasted good!! yummy!

So after Caleb’s , we will be having Cleo’s party,  following by Ern’s on 24 January and party at home… A small group and it was a fun time…

My Bro’s Wedding @Orchard Hotel

I nearly missed this post which supposed to be posted on 6 December 2009!

It’s my Bro’s Big DAY!!!

Cleo’s still having flu…. Was kinda cranky for the day and nite event thus not much pics taken

*will upload more pics when its ready