Here's where I'll be during CNY hos!

I really think husby and I have been very successful in keeping ALL our Saturdays work-free this year. Usually , we would be doing work at home and would only go out in the evening.

Yesterday , we even managed to visit his auntie in Johor and stayed overnight at his mum's Johor house.

I wonder how long this will last. I wish all future Saturdays would be work-free.

Another thing to note in the diary- ever since we got married, we have always stayed in Singapore during the CNY hols. Simple reasons are:
1) We use the hols to catch up on work and marking.
2) It is just way to crowded to go anywhere.


But this year, we are going away! Just nearby , but there would be about 17 us going altogether!And they are ALL my favourite people.... How cool is that....

My beloved family and grandpa

Favourite aunt and favourite cousins!

Cute Riyaz and mummy!

Where are going?

Well, my parents own a house in the A'Famosa Resort Malacca so that's where!

And my aunt has managed to book a bungalow .. we would be in the same area definitely....I just hope theirs is really next to our house :P

An example of a rented bungalow

oooohhhhh.... I just cannot wait. I know it will be fun!

Grrrrrrrrrrr.........

It is amazing how horrible people in the service line can be.

I don't mean all , of course. Despite what people may say , my shopping experience in Singapore has been good most of the time. It is only a handful that spoils the whole broth.

And trust me when I say I am one of the most pleasant customers one can get. Hehe...

I was at the polyclinic this morning as I was not feeling too well. I didn't feel like going to my private doctor because it is quite a distance away. I have been to polyclinics before and all had been rather pleasant (minus the queues).

I collected my medicines from this middle-aged Malay man. He asked me for my IC no and I answered in English - which , I am sure, is a norm for most people. He further explained to me about how / when to take those meds, in Malay but in a very curt manner.

Obviously if someone speaks to me in Malay , I would respond in the same language. I just said," Oh, baiklah..itu saje kan (oh, alright....that's all, right?) ?"

And u know what he did? He slammed the medicines on the counter and answered in a harsh tone, " Awak faham ke tak ni???? " (You understand or not????)

Wah lau..... I was wondering what I had done to piss him off. ...either he hated me answering in English initially or he thought I was some uneducated Malay lady. Just because I was sneezing and wheezing? Sheeesshhhh......

After that , I went to this Chinese stall selling halal chicken rice. Quite cheap , only $2.50 for a takeout. When I asked her if I could have an extra packet of chilli, she told me (AGAIN, in a rude tone)," Must pay , you know, if everything wants extra!"

Seriously, what's up with these people? I then told her it was okay if she charged me extra... if that's their style, then who am I to refuse, right?

But she had to anger me even more by retorting, " Aiyah ! I give u free lah ! Next time must pay!" And yes, in that stupid rude tone of hers.

I wished I had said something to her but I was feeling super drowsy and really just wanted to get home. Husby would have flared up, for sure.

Never mind. For sure, I won't be a return customer.

One way to destress....

...... is to go shopping!

I have had a super busy week and I really looked forward to the weekend.

We had  quite a few things to attend to yesterday (Saturday) but eventually , we did manage to squeeze some time for a wee bit of shopping.

It always helps us to destress, even if it is just temporarily.

We had to get our bedroom lights repaired. Since the shop was in Paya Lebar, we did a quick detour to Tanjong Katong Complex as I wanted to get a peach shawl. Didn't manage to find one.... but still, ended up with a little loot.

I love it when I get cheap and good deals. The two shawls were for $15 and the brooches , 4 for $10. And I like this type because the gems / stones will never fall off.

Lunch was at Seoul Garden, courtesy of sister.

Soon, it was five pm and husby decided to go to Orchard as he wanted to get a messenger bag. But knowing how horrible road traffic can be, once again, we decided to leave the car and take public transport. We were very tired though, having been out since 9am ... so it was nap time in the train. Haha!

Most of the times, we like to shop together. But on instances like yesterday, we decided to split ways to ensure higher time efficiency :) Since I wanted to cover all floors of Forever21 @ Somerset 313, he went on to venture on his own.

As always, I did not get anything much at F21. I was looking for a cropped denim jacket but  to no success.

Very cute casual top and belt. I really like the gal on the tee!

Sunglasses @ $11 each. Cheap cheap!!! I wanted to get the purple and white ones as well but decided to put that idea on hold.

The taupe one has interesting designs on the stems...I like!

Meanwhile, the husby has ventured into PUMA and couldn't decide among the many shoes...yeah , their collection this time round is pretty amazing. Like I have said so many times before, we are really similar when it comes to shoes... we must have them in as many colours as possible!

To match his purple Swatch

I personally like this one....

Messenger bag FX Creations @ Tangs

While he was looking through the bags at Tangs, my eyes fell on this eye-catching red shades....Drool.....

It's from Givenchy and it costs $360! Oh my.... The most expensive shades I have ever bought was just $200 from RayBan. I am not sure if I will ever be willing to part with my money this way..... but it is gorgeous! Especially when red complements my skin colour well..... :(

 Sigh..... I am so in love with the red sunnies . I wonder if I can get it cheaper online....

We ended up at Arab Street (again!) for a very late dinner / supper @ Zamzam Restaurant. Very fattening but I didn't care ! I was so hungry I could eat a horse!

Chicken murtabak with no onions! SLURPPPPP!!

We took bus 12 back home....and just like last Saturday , I slept the whole journey through. Heh... I was quite awake when we finally reached home at almost 1am ....

So, no more Saturday shopping for the next couple of weeks... We shall either stay at home or go to anywhere that does not require much spending!

 Oh....will be giving away PUMA diary/planner ..Check out the space!

Weekend is here!

Finally , the weekend is here.

I have been so darn busy this week that my brain religiously switched off once it was 9pm.

I could still be awake, sitting down ....but it was just an act of 'stoning'.

Like yesterday - I had straight lessons from 8am all the way to 12:30pm with only a 20-mins break in between.

At 12:40pm, there was a meeting for teachers handling the graduating classes and then followed by a workshop that ended around 4:30pm.

Gosh! I just wanted to get out of that building!

I managed to get some markings done before I left for the airport soon after to fetch sister home and then met up with my besties......

Day ended only at 11pm!!!!!!

It was definitely a very tiring day (and week) but I am glad that I managed to catch up with my friends. Rahayu is getting married this JUne and so we were mainly talking about it and our duties for the event .

It is going to be grand, and exciting, of course.

The weekend is finally here and I am all set for lessons on Monday. So, I dun wanna think of work till Sunday night.

Have a good weekend, y'all!

When students the darnest things....

Sometimes, students can be really funny whenever they ask weird questions or make remarks at all the weird times.

Scenario 1
I was in class teaching inverse proportions to a bunch of 14-yr-olds. Class was quiet as they were trying to copy down and understand what I was scribbling on the board. As usual , I would ask if they had any questions. One hand shot up immediately .. ( I thought 'ok, student is on task today') . He is one of the class Math experts so I got ready to answer an intellectual question.

"Mdm Har ****, what is the date today? "

???!!!???? I pretended to throw the marker at him.


And students nowadays seriously check out what teachers wear - the shoes, belts, watches etc etc. In the past years, I have had questions whether my heels were from Aldo, where I got my jewellery from, how many watches I have... if only they are as interested in their studies.

Scenario 2
It was a Sec 4 class and I was explaining how the structure of an exposition writing should be like. We had a bit of discussion and exchanged ideas when one girl asked how many shawls I have . She claimed that I never seem to repeat my shawls. LOL

Same class - doing groupwork. They were rather good and were really putting in their efforts. I was just walking around, checking out what each group had come up with when another girl was trying to catch my attention.

Assuming her group had things to clarify,I went over and what did I get ?
"'Cher, I really like what you are wearing today. Where did you buy your top?"

Sigh. Should I laugh?  :P

Saturday dinner @ FIKA CAFE

We decided to head down to town at 5pm , without the car. We have done that a few times since it is always tough to find a parking lot, on top of the heavy traffic on the roads.

With the car,I hate the fact that after walking down the whole stretch of road, we have to backtrack to go back to the carpark. Taking the MRT means just hopping in at the next nearest station :)

We did some quick shopping . I managed to get my FitFlops and some other 'nonsense'. After dusk prayers, he suggested taking the train down to Bugis and find a place to eat somewhere along Arab Street.

 Arab Street/ Haji Lane is pretty happening at night  as we discovered. The pubs were full and so were the many middle-eastern eateries , with some having people lounging along the corridors with their sheeshas.

We walked all the way to the end and checked out the Swedish FIKA CAFE.

FIKA CAFE

We realised that most of their furniture were probably purchased from Ikea - the chairs, tables, frames, candles...and even some of the plates! But that shouldn't be surprising since Ikea does originate from Sweden.

If this set is also from Ikea, then I wanna get! Very cute!

That's me waiting ...pretending to look fresh when my feet were actually sore from all the walking!

His CIDER drink. The can looks so much like beer...heh

Starter: Cream of Mushroom Soup. Very creamy! If you like the very creamy type, you would love this. I, on the other hand, had to put in pepper to offset the taste.

Dry bread with butter. Lives up to its name... dry and HARD! But the crunchiness goes very well with the butter. Quite nice :)

Swedish Meatballs. He ordered this and I tasted a little. I would say the meatballs have a very nice texture to them. I could taste the spices that were used to blend and mix to form the balls. A recommendation!

There were quite a few things that I wanted to try out, from the menu. In the end, I settled for the Grilled Salmon in lemon butter sauce. YUMMMMMSSS!!! I like it much. Very filling though because of the potatoes.

Initially, I told husby I would definitely order dessert. Everything looked super tempting! Unfortunately, I was very full and only decided to share whatever he would order.

Choco balls 3 for $3.90. Super small but it's ok.... I didn't like it. haha....

I think I would want to visit this place another time and try out the other dishes that caught my attention.

Where's FIKA CAFE?
No. 257 Beach Road / Arab Street, Singapore
(on the corner of Beach Road and Arab Street)
Website: www.fika.com

I shall end with a (my own) slogan - Food makes one happy! :)

FITFLOPS - workout as u walk!

If you know me or have been a reader of my blog, u would know that I love shoes - especially heels.

Just over the hols, I got myself a total of 6 pairs of shoes - 3 pairs of heels, 1 pair of wedges, 2 pairs of slippers.

However, perhaps due to the fact that I am getting older, I can no longer last 10 hours on stilettos. I used to be able to be on 3-inches heels from 7 am to 6pm for work. Now, I have slippers (under the desk) to change into once I am out of class, and I can only last about 4 hours on platforms/ heels while shopping. :(

Thus, I was very intrigued when a friend showed me her FITFLOP sandals during one of our dates a couple of months back. A footwear that helps you workout as u walk - now, that is something to my advantage, especially on shopping trips!  I kept thinking about it and finally last night , I decided to get a pair @ Paragon!

 What makes FITFLOPS different from the usual flipflops?

(from official website)

FitFlop footwear is biomechanically engineered to help tone and tighten your leg muscles while you walk in them. Studies at the Centre for Human Performance at London South Bank University (LSBU) show that normal walking in FitFlop sandals* can help:

• - help increase leg and bottom muscle activity (up to 30%). (so you feel less ache in your hips and knees),
• - absorb more shock than a normal shoe (up to 22%),
• - help realign ground force reaction closer to your joints,
• - reduce foot pressure.

 I haven't really put it to a test. However the 20 brisk steps I took while trying them out yesterday were very comfortable . Enough to convince me!

One important factor to add on is that unlike the usual slippers, this one gives u added height!

Being the petite me, any extra inches are more than welcomed! :)

Designs are limited though ... you may not find them very flattering. But I think the supplier is testing the local market. I went to the US website, they definitely have more than just slippers.

I am going to try out my purchase soon... maybe today...

Get a workout while you walk - Why Not?

Yummy Molten Chocolate Cake

 2 of my colleagues and I had lunch with our CCA kids at PIzza HUt yesterday.

And for dessert, we tried their Signature Molten Chocolate Cake with Ice-Cream

If you have eaten molten lava cake before, you would know that the most exciting part is actually cutting the cake.

If it is done well, hot chocolate 'lava' will ooze out , giving you that "Whoaaaa...." feeling.

We were all attracted to the picture on the menu and everyone wanted to have a taste of it.

So it ended up with 2 people sharing 1 , which equates to us ordering 11 sets of the dessert.

Honestly, it was very yummy. The 'lava' was warm and together with the vanilla ice-cream, almond flakes  and chocolate sauce, it was rather heavenly. Too bad we were sharing -  I could seriously finish everything on my own!

The next time you go to Pizza Hut , give it a shot! It may not be the best but it is definitely a decadent :)

Something white, something fluffy

Would you eat a rabbit?

The other day , we were just having some family conversation and it got steered towards rabbit meat (don't ask me why).

I remember when I was twelve, I did try to have a go at Rabbit Stay at one of the roadside stalls in KL.

I have heard of "good reviews" of rabbit meat - people tell me the that meat is sweet , juicy and more tender than that of a chicken. Obviously , I didn't believe or rather, didn't want to believe.

I mean , seriously, how to consume such cute animals????

                   

Imagine them being trapped, slaughtered, grilled/cooked and served?

Oh gosh.

So what happened that one night in KL? About 3 seconds after I put the meat into my mouth , I vomitted it out (plus an earlier lunch... Ewww? I know.) . I don't think it was the taste of the meat.... I mean , in 3 seconds, what can u taste?

It was more of the mental image I had of the furry being ...eating carrots, jumping around... how could I eat those cute bunnies?

But people always refute my stand and ask why, then , do I eat chicken?Aren't they animals and cute too?

My reasons for being able to eat chicken:

1) They are not cute. I find them one of the least pretty animals around.

2) They are bred for consumption ... and almost a staple in our society. So, don't blame me ! Blame society...hahhahaha

3) I grew up eating them so obviously I like chicken . If my mother had fed me with rabbit meat during my younger days, maybe I wld have been more receptive.

Dad was trying to convice me that it is all about mind over matter. Don't think , just eat !

Too bad that is one wish of his that I can never fulfill. :P

Hey , I just realised that 2011 is the year of the rabbit!!! Is it auspicious to consume rabbit meat then?

A housewife for the day...

Very housewifey today .

Besides the usual laundry, fold clothes and sweep floor routine I do every weekend, I cooked for all 3 meals today. That has not happened for quite some time. Normally , I would just cook extra for lunch so that we can keep the food for dinner , or just cook for dinner.

I rarely make breakfast because on weekdays we would be rushing for work... and on weekends, heh....u can guess .... I wanna catch up on my beauty sleep :)

So , it was potato-with-minced meat salad for a late breakfast - I think it was almost ten when we tucked in .

Maggie mee for lunch! Hahahha.... I know this does not equate to cooking but hey , still must cut veges sausages and boil water, you know ! LOL. Anyway, husby requested for that although I felt slightly guilty for letting him eat just that before his tennis session.

Anyway, it is Spicy Fried Macaroni for dinner.

I swear it is among the easiest dish to make. If I focus like just now (I always get distracted - answer calls , catch some etc) , it should not take more than 20 mins - including all the boiling and cutting before actual cooking).

That's all I need ! My sambal paste is pre-made. I usually make a big amount and then store it in the fridge. Super convenient for working ladies! :)

Spicy enough?

I must have my egg omelette...

It may not look good but I cannot wait to tuck in anyway!

I made Mee Soto from scratch the other day. No time to share but I hope to do so soon. :)

Stay positive for tomorrow - MOnday blues and 'O' Level results!!!

Re-ignited!

I survived the first week of school .

And I think I went through a huge amount of "jet-lag" - the school version.

The first thing that I needed to get to used to again would be the waking up at five every morning . How I miss those days when I could sleep for a couple more hours! After 4 such days, I think my body's back on track. Today , I automatically woke up at five, without the alarm .

It is a Saturday but I couldn't really sleep after that thus, decided to do some housework.

So how has the week been so far? Well, definitely very hectic.

Just like all the previous years, there were many things to be done in the first week. I feel tired already! I must remind myself to exercise more... now that I am older, I definitely need to build up my stamina if I were to last for the rest of the year.

One  difference I like about the current situation in school is actually the change in DM. Not that I dislike the previous one but I feel that just in this week alone, you can see a difference . It may be slight but I think in the long run, discipline would definitely be tighter if the discipline comm is able to maintain it.

Well, obviously the students are making noise about the whole thing.....I am not surprised :) But, we shall just wait and see for results ...

And yup, this is the start of working on weekends again. Tata lazy Saturdays and Sundays! :P

Mayhem

Currently caught in a great mayhem.

There's a CCA fair going on now in the atrium, SUPPOSEDLY to assist the new Sec 1s in choosing their new CCAs.

But the noise level is just way too dangerous for my eardrums - they would split anytime soon . Blearghhhh

A naughty dream is a bad dream

I had this 'stupid' dream two nights back and it bugs me, man!

I was at a function and there was this handsome , fair-skinned guy ... think he was of a Chinese-Indian parentage.

A friend in the dream liked him and made me be the middleman. So there I was, trying to find every opportunity available to get him to talk to my friend before dinner started. Things were calm but going pretty well.

Then it was dinner time and some strangers decided to join our table. In the slight chaos, I ended up sandwiched between my friend and the handsome guy. It was rather squeezy so we were all seated in close proximity, almost shoulder-to-shoulder.

Suddenly that shuai-ge leaned over and put his hand on my lap . (I am shocked). But in my dream , I wasn't shocked but I actually responded and held his hand! Basically there was mild flirting between us throughout the dinner - friend was oblivious to it though.

Worse, I was married and my husband was supposed to be fetching me after the dinner.

OMG. When I woke up, I felt super guilty. Stupid lah ... I know it was just a dream.

Ever since I got together with the other half, I have never thought about other guys. Only in the past year or so , there will be another male occasionally on my mind - and that is my darling nephew. So, this 'naughty' dream has thrown me off balance and made me feel like I've sinned.

Oh gosh.

I know I will get over it and husby will probably just laugh it off if I tell him . DOINK.

Ok, no more such dreams nightmares , I hope.

Let's SWATCH!

I have always liked buying watches. I feel that they do not just serve a functional purpose but act as aesthetic accessories as well. A watch can spice up a whole outfit.

In the recent years, I have grown a liking for DKNY and Kenneth Cole. Although I do have a few of the former, I only have one Kenneth Cole watch because the brand is rather pricey. The only I own is also free ... hehehe... it was a birthday gift from the darling :)

But I still have a special bind to Swatch watches. My very first Swatch watch was a birthday gift from a dear auntie back when I was in Secondary Two. It was very precious to me and I really took great care of it. It breathed its last breath a couple years back, in 2008. RIP .

Got this in Arab Saudi in 1998. Still looking good!

This was a funny case. 2008 Mother's Day Promotion. I didn't get it for my momma but for myself! Very pretty , with crystals.... HOwever, the original strap has gone "kaput" and has been recently replaced by this plain beige one.

From the bestie. Unfortunately, the strap broke and till now, I can't get it replaced. The watch dealer keeps saying they need to look for its special spare parts. HAllo!!!???? It has been a year, you know...SWATCH team , are you there? :P

We were having lunch at one of the malls yesterday when we decided to make our first official purchase for 2011 (going to the market is not counted yah... ) . And here're what we got!

No prizes for guessing which is mine. But hey, can share share!

I am eyeing this watch from Marc Jacobs... saw it online. But I wonder if it is worth the money.... 

Hmmmm.....

Skincare @ BIOSKIN

I recently checked my facial package and realised that I have 5 sessions left and hubby has 4 left for his Bio O2 Light Infusion Therapy (1). The last time I renewed my package at Bioskin was in Dec 2008.

[Refer to bottom of post for explanations of the treatments]

Since Dec was my birthday month, I received a few vouchers that I can use , and one of them happened to be discounts if I sign up for any new packages. And it was rather interesting... the longer you have been a customer of Bioskin, the higher your discounts would be. 

I know I have been with Bioskin for very long but I was still surprised that it has been seven years. Even the front-desk people at Bioskin were impressed! ... hahahhaa.... am I among the few? 

But I have said it before that I will never switch loyalty. To me, they are really excellent in terms of before/during/after service  with friendly consultants, effective results and something which I really appreciate - no hard selling of products! I really hate those places whereby they insist that you buy their products!

Anyway, I received the pleasant news that I would be getting a 35% discount on the next package I signed up for. YIppee! 

Since husby is still trying to clear his scars, he also decided to sign up. So here's the deal:

1) 10 sessions of  Bio Derma Peel (2) for him - $1500  (before 35% disc)

2) 30 sessions of  Bio Dermabrasion (3) for us to share - $6k + (before 35% disc)

3) 20 sessions Biotec Eye treatment for me - $2360  (before 20 % disc). Ok , this was a surprise  from him. Apparently, he really wants me to get rid of my dark eye circles. Actually, mine are not that bad and I was really reluctant to go ahead with it because it is so bloody expensive for just a 30-minutes treatment! I think I tried to talk him out of it , in front of the sales consultant, three times before I gave up. 

When a man loves a woman , don't stop him! hahahhahaa....ok , don't puke ! 

With all those discounts , it is eventually rather affordable especially after you divide by the number of sessions. The amout you pay per session is so much less ! Yups, I did my Math before signing the deal :) Cannot waste money anyhow.....

Since we had given them quite a bit of business, naturally we got some back. 

We were allowed to choose any 3 of their products. We chose these...

(From left): Enzyme Scrub - nice pineapple scent and can be used even on your pimple-prone days (I used to always have this in my supply), Acne Puri Serum - an effective acne treament product for threating acne spot immediately ( I know this works because I used it during my pimply years) and for the hubby , we got the Bioskin Clear Radiance - a moisturizing gel for oily and blemish-prone skin (perfect for those with oily T-zone)

It was  New Year's eve so got lucky dip!

This was taken in my own bathroom. It has only been 2 days and I have used that much. What else can I say but I love the raspberry scent!

I would recommend Bioskin for their excellent services and effective results. And take note, there is NO SQUEEZING OF PORES or EXTRACTIONS at all! They use a vacuum-sucking machine to pull out your black/whiteheads.

However, do remember that results vary with individuals!

New year = new skin.... why not?  :)

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(1) Bio O2 Light Infusion Therapy

Bio O2 Light Infusion Therapy Face treatment combines the technology of Light and Heat together with 99% pure oxygen pressure combined with special active ingredients to cleanse pores and remove impurities associated with acne outbreaks. Pure oxygen is often dubbed as the elixir of life as it is responsible for the energy of all body and skin cells, as well as cell regeneration. The penetration of products is more effective as it is smaller in molecular size and the compatibility is on par with the skin’s fundamental nature.

 

The Light and Heat technology is based on positive effects with specific wavelengths as anti-bacteria substance. It is suitable for oily and acne-prone skin. It prevents further occurrence of pimples and blackheads, as well as alleviates skin inflammation; it relieves and stimulates the skin at the same time lighten scars caused by pimples.

(2) Bio Derma Peel 

Bio Derma Peel is a specially formulated face peel containing high concentration of salicylic acid that helps exfoliate dead skin cells while stimulating the skin’s natural renewal process. 

 

Bio Derma Peel is effective for acne skin problems as it kills bacteria that causes acne, reduces inflammation, minimizes sebum secretion that helps to control oily skin, clears, and tightens pores. The exfoliation process also helps to remove the epidermis layer of the skin thus lightening acne scars, pigmentation, age spots and freckles.
Most people will notice a change in skin appearance and texture after 1st treatment. Improvement of skin texture will continue over the course of the treatments, revealing more radiant, fresher and younger skin.

(3) Bio Dermabrasion

Bioskin’s Bio Dermabrasion Face Treatment is a safe and effective skin repair technique without the use of chemicals or laser, which helps to repair skin that has suffered the effects of sun, aging and scarring. It is painless, effortless and instant results can be seen. Clear away the years and reveal flawless, smoother, more radiant skin after your very FIRST treatment at Bioskin. Bio-Dermabrasion Face Treatment’s Dual-Action Process uses both micro diamond resurfacing (abrasion) and vacuum-lift technology to deep clean impurities and stimulates cell renewal. It gently removes old, dry skin cells, drawing younger, healthier-looking cells to the surface, improving the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, age spots and more. 
 
Bio-Dermabrasion helps to remove the layer of dead cells on our face. It stimulate the body most natural way to repair skin and it is not chemical based.

Visit BIOSKIN for more information :)

Therapy for the soul @ Nirwana Resort, BIntan

This may be a slightly longer post than usual but hey , there are photos for justification!



It has been only six months since the last getaway in Angsana Resort, Bintan. We decided to do another one because there was a good deal on deal.com.sg... Only $128 per room at 4* Nirwana Gardens Resort so why not?

Since it was just a getaway, we only started packing the very morning that we were leaving. Nothing much to pack anyway ... but I still forgot a few things here and there. Tsk.

We reached Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal at 9:30am . I was expecting a crowd, just like the previous time but I forgot that it was Christmas eve the next day , hence the small number of people.

I was super duper hungry and I must never board a ferry on an empty stomach so we had breakfast at the new Indian cafe.

My huge double egg prata! I have been having a big appetite lately so this was nothing :P

In the ferry... see, not many people after all!

Since we were out celebrating the whole day the day before,, it took me only five minutes to fall asleep. I don't even remember the ferry docking off. It was a good sleep.... the next time I opened my eyes, we were already at Bintan Betani Ferry Terminal! Yahoo! Relaxation , here I come!



In the bus heading towards the resort



A glimpse of what lies ahead....

Traditional dance to wlecome tourists. The tune was pretty catchy but they danced every time a bus came in so I can still remember the tune. Heard it too many times :)

Lobby was HUGE! It felt more like some open-spaced mall.

Just like the previous time, it wasn't time for check-in yet so we went to explore the place. It is a rather big place, with every facility you can think of at a resort.

Do not be deceived by this picture. The swimming pool is huge, they have about 6 sections, including an infinity pool, their version. We did go swimming on the second day but no pics taken. Sorry!

Those rooms with balconies are the suites. SHould have taken that ... but the online deal didn't offer this.

One of the 3 restaurants available (they have more but still under construction). This was called the "Coffeeshop". hehe.... not a very appropriate name for a pretty place and wonderful service.

Christmas decor everywhere! The desserts were pretty good :)

Soon , it was time for us to check in. SInce the place is quite big, you may have to walk quite a bit if you get the rooms very much further from the lobby. Luckily for us, our room was pretty near.

WELCOME!

Clean-cut furnishings with the window view of the garden. The room has ceiling-to-floor windows (I like!) and very intricate little details. Pretty and comfy. My only complaint is the bed creaks!!!

Cannot enjoy electric bikes in Spore?Ride all u want here, can even go up and down the hills!

As always, whenever I go to such places, my main aim is to go to the spa because I just love those authentic Indonesian massages. Nirwana Gardens has its own in-room spa service (I think it is called Amara Spa Massage or something like that) but while I was doing my online research, the website directed me to KEDATON SPA in Mayang Sari Resort which is about a five-minutes drive from NIrwana Resort.

I liked what I saw and read so I went ahead to book an appointment.

No regrets. The experience was amazing.

KEDATON SPA

It is located in Mayang Sari Resort. There will be a car to pick clients up 15 minutes before the appointment. MUST book in advance!

When I stepped into the area,  I already knew I was going to love it . The place is in natural surroundings ... very village-like with lots of trees and flowers decorating the pathway. Just the walk down the pebbled path was enough to make me anticipate the day's experience.

What's more, I had opted for the outdoor pavilion.

The waiting room. I love the interior!

Being led out into the open for the self-indulgence moment....

YUp.. the ceiling ... natural sunlight and wind accompany you throughout.

Basically, it was heavenly. One word to summarize the whole experience - tranquility. I felt really at ease as the muscles were massaged, knots unknotted... occasionally, you hear the birds chirping and waves crashing on the shore (it's by the beach....). I was sad that it ended so soon (ok, actually it lasted 3 hours but I felt that it was really too short!)

It was night time when it all came to an end.....

Hehe... fresh and relaxed!

If you don't opt for outdoor, I bet you will still enjoy your experience behind those colourful doors!

We didn't do much that night ... just a brief walk down the beach  and light snacks for dinner. I guess the body was just too relaxed that I fell asleep pretty early! Missed the 9pm Chinese show (yup, u get all the SG channels).


Next morning, after a hearty breakfast (and I really mean hearty!) and morning swim, we ventured out to Nirwana Resort Centre.

For those looking out for activities to do in Bintan, here's the place. You can do the flying fox (888 metres...what???), paintball, go on the trampoline, pony-riding , table-tennis, basketball etc etc.... and oh, the AVT!!! A must-try ! I had so much with that in Bali ...too bad there was no time for it. We went bowling as we had a voucher for that , courtesy of the hotel :) .

NIrwana Resort Centre

And soon , it was home sweet home... :(

Oh well, back to reality..... I seriously miss Kedaton...

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P/S: Sorry , we stayed at Nirwana Resort , not Nirwana Gardens. Oooopsss!