DRESSES

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Fun and Family reunite - HK Day 3

Plan for the day was to have fun in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Our tickets... check out Mickey Mouse brass print on the sewer line manhole cover.. so detailed.

There is no time difference between HK and Malaysia in terms of the ticking clock, however the daily atmosphere appeared to be approximately 1 hour earlier than what we are used to. It’s like West Malaysia and East Malaysia, if you know what I mean. For example if Syuruk in West Malaysia is at 6.30am, in East Malaysia is approximately 5.30am because the sun rises earlier to lands on the East of the globe.


6.45am in Hong Kong

So it is the same thing with HK. At 6.30am, daylight starts to show…. we no longer able to continue our sleep. Still it is only 6.30am, the locals so is the city is yet to awake, we turned out to be the early birds.

Just like the 2nd day in HK, our 3rd day started early due to mentioned factor.

After getting ourselves ready by 7.30am, we headed to Masjid Ammar and Osman Ramju Saddick Islamic Centre, located near to the hotel we were staying planning for breakfast and to return for check-out. Sadly, the Canteen (of MAORSIC) operation hour starts at 10am for weekdays. We were too early. I had planned for dinner at the same place upon our returned from Macau in the earlier but miss the boat too because operation hour ends at 9.00pm. Sigh…

We walked back to the hotel and had no choice but shoved ourselves with biscuits and energy bars for breakfast….. Again!

Mek… pantang sikit sebenarnya kalau tak sarapan betul2. Kalau nasi berlauk mok wok ada kat HK kan best.

Nada having breakfast by the window. One daddy's gal, eh.
I believe most if not all hotels in HK have shuttle bus service for their guests. We opted for it to send us to MTR Hong Kong station of which we would be opting the orange line to bring us cross the straits towards Kowloon side (i.e HK in mainland) subsequently to Lantau Island. The hotel shuttle bus service is very efficient and convenient. It’s punctual according to the time schedule provided by the hotel and bell attendant attends to our baggage all the while. What’s more rewarding.. it’s free! Bagus servis dia.. and tak pilih bulu. Mek tak bawak handbag LV pun.. And it is so very different from what I always hear about Hong Kees. I thought they are ‘commercially kiasu’ and lack of courtesy.
Again another reason to travel… to get to know people.

On our way to HK MTR Station
Once we were at the HK MTR station, we straight away looked for signage to ensure our way. Both Harris and I were dragging one baggage each on top of knapsack and carrier, we don’t want to make another small mistake that has the potential to ruin our day. Yup I didn’t tell you that on Day 2, we wrongly took an exit from an MTR stop just because we did not pay attention to the signage. It resulted to an extra 20 minutes walk to Shun Tak Mall where ferries depart and arrive for Macau-HK. Luckily, Harris figured our way out pretty well.
So, never take HK MTR system lightly for first timers. If I rate LRT in KL as 2, MTR in HK is 20. That much of a difference, hence it is a liiiiiiittle lacking if you go HK and do not experience the MTR. More or less going London with out the Underground.

Only by size, if you are standing in the middle of a train… you can’t really see any end of the long train. Harris calculated… there were 8 coaches at length of approximately 40 feet each being attached per each train run. That gives 320 feet or about 98m long. Hey, that’s his naked eyes judgement…. Don’t use it to answer any quiz about HK. Google for the facts if you really want to know.. but I don’t think he would run far.

Can you see the far end?

As for entrances and exits, each station has multiple and labeled with alphabets which is from and lead to many areas and direction. Therefore, paying attention to signage is crucial. You HAVE to know where you are heading to. Jangan nak try an error.. Penat jer nanti.

Knowing we were on the right track and having our Octopus cards ready (equivalent to Touch and Go card that we procured at the airport the night we arrived – tips given by a dear friend), we board the MTR orange line towards Tung Chung and to stop at Sunny Bay for transit to the pink line, i.e Disneyland Resort Line. Transit is peanut. It is at the same platform.

The moment we board Disneyland Resort Line train, it already gives us that magical-happy feeling of what Disneyland is all about.

From Disneyland Resort MTR station, we took the free shuttle bus to Disneyland Hollywood Hotel in search for my cousin Safrul whom had arrived at the hotel a day earlier than us so that we can put our luggage in their rooms since check-in time is at 3.00pm and we were still early. However, to our surprise… we need not have to do that, the hotel itself provides luggage storing service. All of the luggage were systematically sorted for whom were to check-in and also check-out. Very convenient.

We asked assistance from the front desk to look for Safrul. I wrote his full name MOHD SAFRUL ALAM on a paper and handed to the pretty lady.
She checked in the system and asked me : “Is there anyone by the name of MASARI?”
Hmmmm… Hati Mek teruuuus jadi sayu… Itu arwah ayah long Mek…., the much loved and it has been quite sometime that I last remember him.
I gulped and answered her – “Yes, that is his surname”
It crossed my mind that at times we are known by our fathers’ name.

She tried contacting Safrul’s room but to no avail. We decided to just go ahead to the park. Not after a while, only Harris realized Safrul had already text him much earlier but he didn’t notice. They had waited for us…. And of course we reconciled with them in the park.

I do not have to say much about the rides, the show, the parade, the landscape, the fireworks or the ‘castle’ of Disneyland, I guess. It’s just simply magical and so much fun. Anyone who has that little kid at heart would be happy. Everyone! I am sure about that. And me… I am in-fact a big kid ! I am a roller-coaster lover.
Picture tells a thousand words...........



Nada was on Daddy's shoulder all throughout the Parade. She has the best dad in world. Lucky girl she is.

I think I am going to send Oprah Winfrey an e-mail and propose for her to bring 100 African kids to Disneyland. Can you imagine the smile and laugh of African kids going to Disneyland ? Those are the sweetest smile and 'hearthiest' laugh, I tell ya.

At the end of the fun filling tiring day, as we turned off the hotel room lights…….. I can feel there is something melancholic about Disneyland albeit it’s delight. I wonder why.. what… and the answer laid just next to me, My Baby.

I went schooling of where Disneyland is not an unfamiliar vacation place for many of my school friends. Many had visited Disneyland even very long time ago. Their fun stories became much of a telling tale and I always envy them.

At that tender age, it is easier if you are to befriend with whom that their life experience doesn’t differ much from you, but if unexpectedly you have to cope with the vigorous ones, you just got to find ways to fit into the flock. Not wanting to be left out and at the same time you have to hold your grounds.

Now that I was able to enjoy Disneyland with my baby…, I am so grateful to Allah s.w.t for His rezeki, for the health and wealth bestow to me. Of course, also thanking current airlines system for the opportunity and making traveling affordable to larger group of people.

If I could.. I would want to bring my baby to all Disneyland in the world for she would have her own telling tale.

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That night too as I close my eyes, upon what had happened at the reception counter… I reminded myself… weather I like it or not, I will always carry my father’s name next to mine for as long as I live. And I should always offer my prayer to Allah s.w.t for him as appreciation for someone whom had brought me into this world. For the person I am right now, I know I inherited a lot of things from him too. Al-Fatihah…………...

Monday, October 18, 2010

It feels good to travel - HK Day 1 & 2


Home Sweet Home. Indeed… but if I am granted for another day of holiday, I would want that another ONE day. We reached home from Hong Kong yesterday afternoon and not until this morning before going to work that I only switched on my hand phone. How I dragged myself!

While it is still juicy to talk about, I’d rather blog about the trip or it will never appear in here.
Hmmm… This trip was actually a follow-the-step kind of thing. My dear cousin, Safrul called me one day telling me he’ll be going to HK and being itchy me, I wanted to ‘tag’ along. Hence, the request for dear hub to make it happen as our anniversary present. :)

Unlike the usual, I didn’t make much ‘study’ about our intended trip. Simply because of my office works clutters. I didn’t feel so good to leave the work actually........
Harris is kind enough to do all the surveying.. be it our accommodation, transportation, travel routes, places to visit, proposed itinerary what-so-ever. However, the decision making was all left to me especially when it comes to spending money. Yeah, that’s how it goes in our household. We have the Prime Minister… but he is not holding finance portfolio, the First Lady does. Yes, I am the Minister of Finance. Mek kan kedekut sikit… it makes a good Minister, you see!
No…. Mek was brought up to savor every single cent that she has, so it must be spent diligently.

Since I anticipated, we’ll do a lot of walking and hopping on and off the public transport, I knew I must get something appropriate for Harris to be able to carry Dew every now and then. She already outgrown her Baby Bjorn carrier, so we bought this.


With the buy, we vowed, there will be a lot more adventurous outdoor activities for the family. Next in line – jungle trailing : the nearest – Bukit Indah kat sebelah rumah ni ha!!!! Dah bertahun dok sini… tak pernah2 pun ada inisiatip nak panjat bukit tu!

There goes RM600 for another carrier. It’s the third. I am a self proclaimed baby products junkie laaaa…. While we were at BSC-Mothercare, I was eyeing for the Phil&Teds 2 in 1 or double stroller.

TC, you are right.. that stroller is so smart, I dream of that if I am blessed with another baby. :) Berkenan yang kaler kuning.
(Harris is shouting – Habis.. yang dah ada dua kat rumah ni tak longgar kat mana-mana nak buat tukun ke?)

Ok, Enough! Have some photos …..

KL Sentral

KLIA Aerotrain

First time entering KLIA jungle walk..

Dew checking Going Places

HK Airport

Waiting for Airport Coach

We arrived HK at 1030pm and upon all the customs procedure, baggage claim… it was already too late for other kind of transportation to hotel besides the Airport Coach. Our first day ended so tired due to the journey proofed by this photo.

The second day was planned for a day in Macau. We had our simple breakfast in the hotel room and make our way to the MTR station on foot. I must give big credit to my husband. He walked HK streets like it is his own Kampung To’ La, Pasir Mas. He had a map in his hand and straight away could figure out the city grids. Mek ikut jek. I knew he needs no GPS to figure out roads in Malaysia that he could draw directions, people will never get lost… but HK? It is totally a new city to him, ok!
Some people are gifted with mapping mind weather he realized or not.

Causeway Bay MTR Station

We took the popular-most-used transportation to Macau, by high speed ferry. Well, if you are rich enough you can charter a helicopter!

Ferry operated by Turbojet company

Mek chatting with local.....

Sorry with the lacking of my world history knowledge… I never knew Macau is in lease by China to Portugal until 2046. Bad, huh! That’s why I need to travel more! It gives a reason…

Macau used to be a fisherman village and now.... As we all know, Macau is built by casinos but I tell you… until you visit for yourself… words are not easy to describe what casinos mean to Macau. Our English speaking tour guide William (we opted for a 4 hours tour assistance package that cost HKD750, since none of us speaks Mandarin or Hokkien or Cantonese and thought it would be easier to move around) told us.. Macau’s population is about 300,000 and 250,000 of them work in casinos. Remaining would be in public sectors and business. Hah kau… sampai tak cukup orang nak kerja kat kasino tu.

An interesting fact, pawn shop is the second biggest business after casino in Macau. So ideal, don’t you see? Tak cukup duit, pergi gadai Rolex buat main judi….. Habis jugak… terjun jambatan!

This landmark double M (Macau-Money) bridge claims 3-4 life of broke gamblers a year.

William briefed us there are 6 companies dominated the casinos, let me see if I still remember them all : Sands, The Venetian, Lisboa, City of Dreams, Whynn, hmmmmm…… oh! I miss one. Can’t remember. If you want to know of the yields or anything factual about casinos, might as well just google.

Ride a rolls roys if you're staying at Presidential Suite in Whynn

What I can tell you through my own eyes, I think casinos are designed to make people feel filthy rich. Every single detail is made luxurious. Luxurious building design, finishes, facilities provided and even the services rendered. Each casino would want to have their own unique features.. musical water fountain, golden ball show, etc.






All these are to make the gamblers feel happy and money is on their side when it is not necessarily. With thousands and thousands of slot machine and barracuda tables, gamblers sink in the cruise for having big money. Harris and I take turns to experience the casinos as children are not allowed to enter. It was so entertaining to just watch and observe the gamblers behavior. Ada yang hisap rokok berkepul2, baca doa terkumat-kamit… and the way they turn the card… every one has their own style.

We also visited the old Portuguese town, ruin of St John’s church. The only left was Macau Tower. It was a full circle of Macau and we headed back to HK island at 730pm.

Old Town

Ruin of St John's church

Macau is clean, even the back lanes... Mek like!

The only mosque in Macau was one of the stop for solat.

Mommy's handmade dress looks good in Macau too... hee hee..

Ok.. till then... See Ya!