14D13N Self-Drive Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane (Part I)

with 4 Khoos, 1 Kang, 3 Shas, 1 Phor, 1 Koay and 1 Chan.

on 22 May - 4 June 2017.

Recently, we went on a 2-weeks long holiday in Australia and managed to cover three beautiful cities; Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. 

I felt that 2-weeks of holiday was kinda long to get away from work and life's familiarity but I also loved the idea of making new experiences and get away from all kinds of stress (in our case, trying to get pregnant again). We decided that we will let things happen according to God's timing. I mean from the beginning, we have always enjoyed doing life together but ever since we lost our baby, we realized that we have become more (sort of) 'obsessed' with getting pregnant again. 

We really want to get rid of that 'obsession' and just enjoy life again at our own pace. We believe that when God feels that the timing is right again, my egg and his swimmers will be at it. So, we're not too worried anymore. This vacation took our minds off from this 'pressure' and boy, it felt good. 

And now, let's get to business. 

This trip was planned almost a year ahead of time because we needed to get the cheapest flight there (no, low cost carriers were never in the discussion because comfort is priority heh). 

Actually right, Australia was never in the picture until we had to re-schedule our New Zealand trip because the ticket price per person to NZ was about RM3,500. That's crazy. 

So, we decided that this time we will go to Australia and keep New Zealand for 2019 (everyone needs more time to save). 

Being the typical Asian we are, of course we cannot just go to a city since we're already paying so much to OZ, so might as well cover as many cities as we can. #kiasu

We wanted to only visit Melbourne and Sydney but I insisted that we go Brisbane because Mr Teng is there and he would kill me with his bare hands if I fly to Australia and not find him. So, we managed to squeeze Brissy in and extend few more days. 

After spending a lot of time on Skyscanner (highly recommended to download this app that tracks all airline's prices and gives you the cheapest including low cost carriers!), we finally were able to get a fairly good deal with SilkAir & Singapore Airlines at the price of RM2,300 per adult. The normal price is about RM3,000 and above.

So, we got the tickets with Holiday Tours & Travel Penang (my ex company - best travel agent in the world please). 

Next, accommodations. 

Of course we opted for Airbnb. There were 9 adults, 1 kid and 1 infant so if we stay in a hotel, we will go bankrupt before the trip even begins. Hah. More details on the Airbnbs on separate posts because there's just too many to squeeze all information /photos onto 1 post.

Next, we monitored on the car rentals because we have planned to drive from Melbourne to Sydney then to Brisbane. It sounded insane at first because everyone said so and because Google Maps showed up the real distance but we wanted to experience the international-driving so road-trip it is. 

My sister found out about the relocation deals where sometimes the car rental company will only charge $1 for the entire car (excluding petrol). So, we took turns to monitor closely to get these deals. We didn't confirm this until like the week before we were supposed to fly.

In the end, we managed to rent a relocation car from Melbourne to Brissy for only $1! That feeling so syiok!

Without further ado, we shall go straight to it.

TWENTY-FIRST OF MAY

Obviously we were all sleepless and excited because we've only got less than 24 hours to the big holiday! 

I only started packing this very night and the next morning. Thankful that our flight was a noon/evening flight, so not so bad. 

It was a no Monday-blue kinda Sunday, so syiok. 

TWENTY-SECOND OF MAY

PENANG-SINGAPORE-MELBOURNE

I spent my morning at home finalized all the packing while Koay went to office to work for few hours. Since all of us lives on different part of the island, we took Uber rides separately. Gone are those days when you need to get someone to fetch you to/from the airport. With Uber/Grabcar, everything so convenient now. 

Actually I just remembered that our Uber driver that afternoon was my mother in law because she wasn't working that day. Thankful for my mother in law and if I start talking about her, it's going to be a post by itself. Heh. 

We decided to get to airport earlier so that we could enjoy the access to the Plaza Premium Lounge. Now before you go off thinking that we some kind of VIP or rich people, don't. Let me tell you how you can get access to this lounge. 

First, you need to go get yourself a credit card from Ambank and do supplementary cards to the rest of your clan (maximum: 3 supp cards I think). We found out that we have 2 times access to the Plaza Premium Lounge per year with their credit card so we decided to make full use of it. 

It's complimentary okay!

Of course there are higher tiers kind of credit card that will give you more times of access to the lounge (selected airports worldwide) according to which one that you qualify to apply. For our case, we only have Ambank so yeah. Kids go in for free. 

Once you're in there, everything you order and take from the fridge is free - Malaysians favorite F word. I love the feeling of being in there. It's quiet (until we went in) and cosy and cold. Worth the hassle of doing paperwork and applying for Ambank's credit card! 

Penang - Singapore // MI 351 (SilkAir) // 6:00pm-7:25pm (1 hours 25 minutes)

Mini TV on board - not available

Refreshments & free flow drinks - yasss

Upon arrival at Changi Airport, we rushed to the Shop 2 Changi Information Counter because if you fly with SilkAir or Singapore Airlines or Air New Zealand, you are entitled a $20 cash voucher to be used at Changi. It's called Changi Transit Programme. 

Changi Airport is really big so with the little time that we had before our next flight to Melbourne, we walked really fast and kept asking people on the direction. No time to get lost please. Have to change to Terminal 3 some more.

We decided to use the $20 cash voucher when we come back so got more time to walk around. Hah.

Just get to the counter and pass to them your passport and boarding pass. Withi a minute, you will have in your hand the sweet $20 cash voucher. Yass to free shopping! 

After getting all our vouchers, we walked really fast to our next boarding gate - thought they were going to call us on the loud speakers. Turns out, they haven't even ushered the first class travelers in yet. 

Singapore - Penang // SQ 227 (Singapore Airlines) // 9:15pm-6:40am (7 hours 25 minutes)

Entertainment on board: Yes (though quite worn and used)

Meals: Dinner and breakfast (got menu some more)

Hot towel: yass

Pillows & blanket: yass

Earphones: yass

A set of toothbrush, eye pads and socks: yass

Both my parents preferred the food served on Cathay Pacific Airlines on our last year's family trip to Korea, but I like this one better. They gave us a menu each so we knew what we were going to have even before they start wheeling out the trolleys. 

For dinner:

Appetizer - Coleslaw salad with bay scallop & bread roll and spread

Main Course - Stir fried Sliced Chicken with ginger and spring onion, vegetables & chicken rice OR Beef Goulash accompanied with seasonal vegetables and garlic mashed potatoes.

Dessert - Flavors of Singapore Ice-Cream

For breakfast: Seasonal fresh fruit & bread roll and spread

Of course kids meals are very different from ours, more fun and snack-ish. Ohh and infant also get meals okay. They baby food. They gave 3 bottles of Heinz puree and Daryl loved all of it. Tam chiak to the max.

Vanessa wanted to sit by the window because she wanted to capture the sunrise shots (expected time of arrival is 6:00am-ish), but little did she know that it's 6:00am in OZ but 4:00am in Malaysia. What sunrise? Hah.

The rest of the stories are found here please.
Part II
Part III
Part IV
Part V
Part VI

Till then, bye now. 

Home Sweet Home.

It is so difficult to believe that it has been 2 weeks since we first started our annual family trip.

We arrived yesterday and we KO-ed at 10pm last night and woke up at 7am (automatically) and felt refreshed. Ahh.

It's going to take more effort to get back to the usual routines like before. However, I cannot wait to resume to life in Malaysia already.

Australia has been so nice, but home will always be here.

Hopefully I will be able to update soon on this trip. So many photos it is insane.

Till then, bye now. 

Finally Here.

YASSSSSS.

After being sick for a week, I am still like 20% sick.

But it's a yasssss because I feel so much better and it's like I finally can smell things around me.

Also because we will be heading to the airport in few hours' time for a longgggg holiday! So yassssss.

Flu bugs, you will not travel with me to winter-holiday so leave now thank you.

I have been swallowing gallons and gallons of water for the past few days and taking different medicines to get rid of these stubborn bugs but they are still here. Stress.

To top that, I have been sleeping alone for so many days I forgot that I have a husband. Hah. Kidding. How can you forget being married, especially to a Mut?

No stress no stress. Holiday starts today.

Koay went to office today to settle off a few things. Not like he won't work when he's there. Hah. Workaholic husband, but I get that because when you do what you truly love and enjoy, it's really not working at all. I have not heard him complained (not even once) about having to work outside of 'office hours' or during holidays.

Anyways, this is just like a random update because I finally feel excited already for this trip. Finally feeling the butterflies. We managed to squeeze both our things into a big luggage and a cabin bag. I feel so proud of both of us. Initially we wanted to brig 1 big bag each but thought that could be a space-problem when we want to load all that onto our rented car. So, squeeze and don't bring the entire wardrobe.

See you all when we come back!

Gotta go wash and blow my hair now :)

Bye now. 

Countryside Stables Penang at Balik Pulau.

I never knew that Penang island has a place where you can be so close physically to horses and ride on them as you wish, though chargeable.

Apparently, Rachel and Kah Wei have been there a few times I think. So they suggested this place for a quick family getaway on Labor Day. It was either this or Taiping Zoo. This for sure since we have been there. 

This place is called Countryside Stables Penang and here are some fun facts about this place that you may want to know:

• Countryside Stables Penang is a private owned property, located on the other side of island called Balik Pulau.
• They have about 40 healthy horses of different kind of breeds and colors. 
• Some of which are called Shetland Ponies, Pure Bred Arabian Horses et cetera.
• They also have some donkeys and miniature horses roaming in that private property. 
• Yes there is an entrance fee that you have to pay in order to go in (Adult = RM6 // Child = RM4)
• Should you be interested in riding these horses, you will have to pay  obviously (Adult = RM20 // Child = RM17)
• Countryside Stables Penang can also be rented out for private functions (minimum 100 persons) or for pre-wedding photoshoot at RM450 per hour (crazyyy)
• You can get a bucket of imported hay at RM5 (1 bucket is more than enough to feed the horses there)
• Opening hours: 2pm-7pm.

Overall, I think it was pretty fun to be able to get so close to these horses although we were scared. Heh. I mean you can like touch them and like take amazing selfies and all, if you dare enough. 

One thing we learnt that day was horse do not like that humans are behind them or beside them where they cannot see you. Vanessa almost got kicked by Sha Lynn's horse because we were standing there and when the horse moved forward, we just stood there. 

So in that instance, the horse must have felt some human presence on his right backside-side, and moved his entire backside towards her. If he would have raised his two legs behind, Sha Lynn would have fallen off the horse and Vanessa would be kicked on the front. 

Dangerous sial.

At least now we know. 

So whenever you are near a horse, always make sure you're not behind them. 

The do not like it. 

For those who just found out about this place, you are very welcome :) You all should go visit then head p to Genting Thai Food (uphill) for dinner because one of the best Thai food we have ever eaten. They are the good ones!

Till then, bye now. 

Goodbye HTT & Hello FGA.

This year's August would have marked my exact five-years of service to this company, but I have decided to leave before the five-years mark just because. Hah. 

There are many reasons to such decision and one that tops it all is that I want to have a more meaningful life, a purposeful life, a life that is aligned with everything that has to do with me knowing the Maker in an intimate way. 

I was happy with the the now-ex-job but I did not find joy in it, in going through my everyday life, doing things that I do on weekdays at work and attending church related events on my weekends. It's not enough. I didn't feel enough. 

I also did not have the motivation/energy/desire to read the bible or attend bible classes on any weekdays because I would be so tired with all the sales-calls at work and I would opt to be at a cafe hanging out with friends, laughing at nonsense or go home and sleep. 

My Christian-life was going nowhere. I was a lukewarm thing for a very long time, and I also wanted for it to change for a very long time already. So, I kept trying. 

We would read devotional books together once in a while and that was it for our weekdays. For sure we pray every night but that was also it. 

Then, beginning of this year, I thought about all the things that I wanted to do, the dreams that we both dared to dream and realized that all of those will not be accomplished if we do not take the first step to it. 

For me, it was time. 

I personally could not spend time after work on a weekday to attend bible classes or extra ministries because I would be so worn out. I will not even enjoy it even if I force myself to attend. 

So, I decided that if I am going to be serious about pursuing the One thing that matters most to me, I have got to give it all. No half-half. It has got to be 100%. I have to be at a boiling temperature. Being lukewarm is boring. Hah. 

Of course, with lots of prayer and God's timing, Adrian supported this decision. I needed him to because financially, our lives will be changed and possibly everything else will change.

Making a big life change is scary. But know what's even scarier?

Regrets.

I tendered my resignation on the last of my birthday month, making 28 April 2017 (today) my last day at Holiday Tours & Travel Penang. April has been nothing but a surprising month, so I am embracing it. 

I will miss working here because I love most of the things I do, I have a very wise (though fickle-minded at times heh) Branch Manager (whom felt like a corporate-mom to me), funny, helpful, loud, kind colleagues and most of all, this is the top corporate travel agent in Malaysia so please. 

It has been such a privilege to be a part of the Penang team and a part of the other 300-staffs of this gigantic company in Malaysia. By the way, the MD for this company is super good-looking for someone his age. Kid you not. 

 I am thankful for all the things that I have learnt from this 4 years and 9 months be it on the client management, teamwork, communications inter-department, not get bullied by some lazy-worms and always giving the best you can even when no one is looking. I learnt best about being there with each other when the boss becomes super upset (hah) because we do need each other to have that self-entertain and self-laugh to turn the day around. 

I learnt that for you to climb the ladder in the corporate world, you do not need to step on others and make other people look bad so you will look better. 

I learnt that one should start cleaning the work-space one week in advance because now I have too many things to pack and one box is just not going to be enough. How to fit 4 years of experience into a box? Heh.

I also learnt that in life, we have to make tough decisions whether we like it or not. 

And this was one tough decision to make - saying goodbye today.

"How blessed I am to have something that makes saying goodbye hard"

However, when one door closes, another door will open. 

In my case, FGA's door! Heh. 

I will be starting a new chapter with FGA Centre Penang starting May 2017. 

I have my empty notebooks ready for all the new things I'm going to learn about my Maker and from what I've been told, looks like I need another notebook to track what I will be eating because it seems like the pastors and staffs of FGA Centre loves to eat and boy, gaining extra kgs will be the last thing in my list now. 

Time to stock up detox tea it seems. Heh.

FAQs from humans and answer from me-self:

Is this your calling?

I'm not sure if it is, but I am willing to go full-time to find out.

Are you really sure about this?

I cannot say I am 100% sure about this, but I do know that God will equip the willing, so here I am. 

Did you hear from God or something?

No, I did not. There were no whispers or some sort of stuff but I know what my heart wants most, at this point of my life and I've got to do what I've got to do to go for it. This is the one way I know how.

Did the Holy Spirit stir up something?

He probably did. If not, I wouldn't have deep thoughts about what I really want or what really matters now in life. Knowing me, I wouldn't spend too much time thinking. Thinking is tiring. Hah. 

Have you thought through well on this? 

I have. I spoke to the Executive Pastor sometime end of last year, and made the decision only at the end of February. I have never taken such a long time (few months is long for me) to make one decision, but then again, this is a major one. 

Is this an impulsive decision?

Definitely not. How does one decide impulsively on a decision that will change the entire lifestyle (especially financially)?

What are you going to do in FGA?

Shake legs and boss people around (this is something Adrian would say if people were to ask him. Heh) I will be involved as an Intern Pastor in the new ministry called Converse-Life (happening every Saturday night at 8pm at MBF Tower - see you there) and I will also be Uncle Lim's PA. Other than that, my job roles include; help Nehemiah lose more than 10kg in 2017, make more babies so FGA could start a nursery for all church workers (heh) and not get fat while being fed by the pastors.

Do you know how much your salary is going to be? Can you live with that?

I knew it was going to be half of what HTT offered me, but even after knowing that, I was more determined to go through with it. Also because Koay assured me that he could support me (when I need it). And to be honest, God has been providing for us with all the things that we need so I'm not too worried. My Big Boss is the richest in this world, just in case you didn't know that. 

You know you have to sacrifice your dream of travelling the world right?

I knew I have to sacrifice in my 'ideal-idea' of travelling around (once in a month or two months) because we just got to be wise in spending money now and surprisingly enough,  I was ready to forgo that dream. 

Why full-time?

Why not? Actually the answer to this question is basically this entire post. Heh. So read up and focus. 

There you have it. 

Top 10 questions people asked me ever since the news was out. 

I know that it will be an unforgettable and interesting ride from May onwards because my Big Boss is not only unpredictable, He is also full of surprises and hello, He rose from the dead and left that tomb empty. 

So yes, to spontaneous days ahead of us :)

Bye now. 

The Fun Way to Learn - Chumbaka Asia.

"We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the more pressing task is to teach people how to learn." 

(Peter F. Drucker)

If I may choose a quote which I think describes Chumbaka best, it would definitely be this.

What is Chumbaka?

It's not a fruit and it's not an ethnic cheer (if you say it a lot of times).

Chumbaka is a program that focuses on re-igniting humans', little humans' if I may add, the passion to learn that's already in them.

It's different from what children learn in school, where they sit behind a desk and often times forces themselves to remember and memorize facts and details of the subjects.

With Chumbaka, we allow them to have the hands-on where they do not only hear or see of the subject, but they will experience the reality of the project.

Chumbaka focuses on technology because 9 out of 10 children nowadays know how to use an iPad better than their parents, or aunties and definitely grandparents. 

In my case, Sha Lynn definitely knows more shortcuts on the iPad than me or Vanessa. We were impressed by her and of what we know of, no one taught her all that. It's crazy how a 3-yo girl was teaching her over-twenties aunties on how to use the iPad effectively and in a time-saving methods that she knew how. Heh.

One of the things that made me wow are some of the syllabuses that they offer. My top 2 favorite has got to be the Coding and Robotics.

In Coding, you learn how to create your own game from scratch and in Robotics, you learn how to assemble a robot and program them to move and do all sorts of robotics thing.

I had the opportunity to have a hands-on on the MBOT and boy, it was so interesting and I didn't even like engineering/robotics thing.

It was super easy to assemble, with the manual instruction given, and what helps most is definitely the step-by-step photos. It's very direct and very user friendly to children from age 7 yo and above. I was fairly impressed to say the least, but I kept my cool of course. 

My robot was done within 45 minutes. I think this is one of the longest time someone takes to assemble the MBOT. Okaylah, I will admit that I was quite noob in this but not anymore! I suddenly feel like I could be an engineer - a change in my profession perhaps. 

What I really like about the concept that Chumbaka brings is the involvement of the individuals. Imagine if I had to sit through a class of 5-hours just looking at slides and listening to the 'lecturer', I would have fallen asleep before the first-hour even passed. 

With Chumbaka, right from the start of the 'classes', students are already getting their hands on the robots or items that they sign up to learn. No sitting down staring at white screens. That way of learning do not work anymore. I actually learnt a lot about robots and stuff because I actually did them myself. It was not, "I heard about this..", it becomes "I did this.."

It's a very accomplished feeling if I can add that. 

May I just say that if you have all the intentions in the world to get unique gifts and running out of ideas on what to give to your children or nieces/nephews for Christmas presents, MBOT would be a perfect gift. In fact, they have a few learning kits (other than MBOT) that you can get for them! Also, if you really care about the future of the children in your clan, then send them to Chumbaka classes! It's like sending them to tuition classes but way more fun kind of classes where they get to create their own Super Mario game from scratch or assemble a robot that they can call their own! 

Don't buy for them gifts that are ready to be used. Get a gift that requires them to build on their own. That way, you help in their learning skills.

This is definitely better than having them glued to the iPad all-day err-day. Oh and did I mention also that they have special classes during school holidays? 

Tell me and I forget.

Show me and I remember.

Involve me and I understand.

If you are interested to know more, click CHUMBAKA and get more information in their website. You for sure will not regret this.

If you are more of a Facebook person, here's another link to CHUMBAKA's FB page. Feel free to ask more questions because when you ask, you learn more (quote from yours truly heh).

The capacity to learn is a gift.

The ability to learn is a skill.

The willingness to learn is a choice.

Bring It Back.

I was looking back on some of the old posts on cooking and realized that we haven't been on that "let's try to cook something mood" for quite sometime now. Either we got too busy or we got too lazy. Hah.

By the time we reach home, all we want to do is to lie down on the bed and not get up anymore until the next morning, or if we're really hungry, we will just cook instant noodles (INDOMIE FTW) and swallow them down then go sleep.

Many people also asked us about our food-blog. Err. I really want to think that it's not dead but I am just too lazy and impatient (most of the time) to snap photos first before get to eat because we're hungry people like that.

Seriously ain't nobody got the time to take photos all.

But I actually still want to continue with this food-blog thing.

Maybe one day it will be revived? Maybe one day we will wake up and realize that we should bring it back to life. I remembered it being quite fun la. Get to eat free food all. Bestt.

One day la hah.

For Adrian's birthday last year, I made for him a banana cake (because we got a lot of leftover bananas that's gonna go bad if we don't do something about it hah) and took photos of the recipe and process.

I obviously wanted to blog about it but I have no idea where the photos are now. I shall go find when I have extra time to spend. Heh.

The banana cake turned out very tasty but very hard. Hah. Too much flour I supposed. Nevermind la. I try again next time when got extra bananas to use.

Maybe we should start thinking of the next dish that we could cook and maybe finally master at 1 dish that we can proudly bring to a pot-bless party. Hah.

Okay, now I'm going to re-read all WhatTwoEatHere's posts so that I can be like "driven" to start again this eat-and-blog thingy.
Till next time, bye now.