Scenes of the South: Day 2, Temasek

After a simple breakfast at our hotel, we hit the road and walked over to the spanking new Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex, a 10-minute walking distance away from our hotel.

After going through the immigration officers, we went down to the basement and took a bus across the causeway to the Woodlands Checkpoint. And we're in Singapore!! The bus ride though took about 40 minutes as there were sooo many vehicles going into Singapore. And we thought we were early!! We later realised that it was actually a public holiday in M'sia - Agong's birthday!!

Got our passports stamped at Woodlands and took another shuttle bus to the nearest MRT station at Kranji.

We manoeuvred our way around using the MRT on this trip, except for later in the night when I took a cab from Orchard to Bukit Timah (coz there is no MRT station near to where I wanted to go and mostly coz my feet has given up on me!!) haha

First stop was Chinatown. Kira macam Petaling Street lah gitu. I had planned this trip to be what I call a super-low budget trip and will only visit entrance fee-free places ;-) This is not a Sentosa Island kinda trip heheh... furthermore we've taken the girls to Sentosa Island, S'pore Zoo and Night Safari etc before, though I'm sure they wouldn't mind going again!! Actually when I mentioned going to S'pore, the first thing that they said was "night safari!!".

postcard-perfect buildings in Chinatown

Nevertheless, it was a good way to travel and the girls enjoyed each MRT ride, the walking up and down the stairs at each station (mommy took the escalator, of course!!) the figuring out where to go next etc. Kalau kat KL bilamasa nak merasa naik LRT (though we've taken them on a couple fun rides). It's something I'd definitely do again.

The girls were given USD50 each for shopping from their grandma (I think they're from the left-over notes from her Dubai trip recently). It was converted to Sing $70 and I told them that's what they're gonna use for their personal shopping (stuff that they want but not really something I'd approve of buying for them).

Misha saw a t-shirt she really liked and asked me to get it for her. I told her to use her own money to which she thought slow... and hard... and later decided she didn't like it so much to use her own money!! "Kalau pakai duit Mommy, nak..kalau pakai duit Misha tak nak..." Chewah... Pandai, eh!! I told the girls that my money is just as expensive as their money and if they don't think their money is worth for something, then mommy's money is not worth for it either. A short lesson on money there in Chinatown haha. But it so worked coz after that, they were quite careful of what they really really want... belek lama sikit la before seeing something and screaming, "Mommy...nak!!".

I guess Misha must've really liked the t-shirt coz before we left Chinatown, she asked to drop by the shop again and bought it with her own money. I made her pay for it herself at the cashier. The uncle was asking her, "dari mana?" and then "terima kasih"... and Misha was so surprised that someone in Singapore could speak Malay!! haha

Fridge magnet shopping in Chinatown. Below pic of an interesting magnet I got.

It was soon lunchtime and so we took another MRT ride to Bugis for murtabak, roti pratha and briyani at Singapore Zam Zam. This place is kinda sentimental for me and the girls as I think we had like 5 meals there on our last trip to Singapore with their late dad.

Service was slow... and soooo many people. That was how it was on our last trip too, but no one seemed to make any complaints. Everyone simply put up with it. I guess its like, if you can't stand the wait, leave. But where else to go for murtabak la?

With tummies full, we walked two blocks to Bugis Junction Mall. The Seiyu department store was where we were heading. We were dissapointed though that the store was having an exclusive day for card members and we were denied entry. Sedih wo... the store carries good quality handbags with affordable prices, much less menggerunkan than those branded stuff at Orchard. Sesuai sangatlah for people like me ;-) Think I bought three handbags last time I was there.

Takpe... check out Charles & Keith pulak. Their handbags pun lawa and much cheaper than in KL. Found one that I like... it came in black and light peach. Berkenan but not so much in love. Asked the salesgirl if they have a store on Orchard and she said yes... oklah, I thought... jalan-jalan dulu, kalau no other choice, I'll go to their store in Wisma Atria on Orchard and get it from there.

The girls had a good time buying accessories at the Diva store, also in Bugis Junction with THEIR money of course haha. BFF's were not forgotten and both girls got themselves necklaces which came in two's and three's -- one set with Best and Friend, while the other with Best, Friends and Forever. Sweet...

We also checked out Bugis Street -- a pedestrian covered-walkway arcades not unlike Petaling Street. Ramainya orang... I almost got suffocated!!

Then saw this interesting looking back-of-building... have to snap a photo. Makes a pretty interesting picture, huh?

From Bugis, we took an MRT to Orchard. By this time, the steps we took were not as swift as earlier in the day. Dah banyak berjalan tu... kaki dah nak merajuk... they deserve a break. Dah la lepas ni nak mengharung Orchard pulak... ok, ok... we'll take a break and have some refreshments once we get out of Orchard MRT station, we told ourselves...

Keluar aje underpass kat Orchard, terus meluru ke McD at Lucky Plaza. They have McCafe too... we had smoothies and frappes, fries and cakes and planned out our Orchard road attack.

Photo below: Maira chillin' @ McD with a lolly in her mouth and menggayakan my $10 sunglasses bought earlier in Chinatown ;-)

By this time, it was already almost 5pm. So many places to check out, so little time. How la?

Went to Wisma Atria to check out the C&K handbags I earlier admired. Padan muka, they just sold off the designs I was attracted to earlier in the day. So many people... what did I expect kan? The whole of Singapore was on sale... so jealous at the Indonesian lady standing next to me in the store who borong-ed 5 pieces of handbags... but what to do? I didn't berkenan at the ones that WERE available... frust...frust...

Next stop, Takashimaya... look for something for the girls pulak... more of baju raya for them actually. I noticed their department stores carry most of the brands also available here for kids - Guess Kids, Barbie, Disney Princess etc, which are of course cheaper in KL. Managed to find a few pieces of clothing for the girls... Mommy je yang tak dapat apa2 lagi...

Jalan punya jalan, store demi store... yang dihajat tak jugak kesampaian and it was already dark by this time. Kaki pulak dah macam nak pecah!! haha

I still wanted to do one more thing before going back to JB that night -- meet up with Madame Blossom, a friend I met through this blogsphere!! Oh no... it was almost 8pm... at that time, really... all I could feel in my legs were nyut..nyut...nyut haha... it wasn't funny at that time!!

Oklah, give up hope on finding what I want... nak sedapkan hati sendiri, I was telling myself... it is just barang-barang that I'm looking for. Don't mean a thing...

My two cousins segan to follow me to Madame B's and we parted ways... they took the MRT to Jurong East to go to a specialty store and I took a cab to Bukit Timah. Stopped by McD again for drinks and snacks to recharge. By this time, memang dah masam satu badan. The aircond in the cab and the break for our feet was most welcomed... haha teruknya...

We reached Raintree@Bukit Drive, Madame B's abode at about 8.30pm. Her neighbour and friend, who has also become a friend of mine, Aida greeted us at the entrance. What a nice condo complex the Raintree is!!

In April, Madame B and Aida came to KL to climb the Bukit Tabur. She wrote about it here. I had a pleasure of hosting them for a simple lunch when they were in town.

The girls and I had dinner @ Madame B's and later Aida and her took us to Holland Village for an ice-cream treat . Thanks, ladies!! We had a good time in your company, just wish it wasn't so rushed.

...the pretty lady with my girls is Madame B, while soft-spoken Aida is in the inserted pix sitting next to Misha.

We left Holland Village at almost 10.30pm and Madame B drove us to Kranji MRT station where I met up with my cousins before catching our shuttle bus to Woodlands checkpoint. We left the checkpoint at 11.20pm and reached the Sultan Iskandar Complex around 11.45pm, took a cab and reached our hotel at midnite.

Misha looking so happy to be back on Malaysian soil ;-)

You know, I only spent about 30% of the money I allocated for Singapore. Frust sebab tak dapat shopping apa yang berkenan (actually sebab banyak yang tak mampu!!), but then I thought again... dah niatnya super-low budget trip, kan... memang Dia suruh simpan duit la tu... haha... alhamdulillah...

And so that was how our daytrip to Singapore went!!