Phuket Trip (10-13 June 2008)

At the airport (Terminal 2)

Pampering my legs with Osim U-Squeeze. The whole boarding area is full of them!
We stayed at Patong Lodge Hotel. Fairly decent 3-star hotel with basic amenities. About 10mins walk to Patong beach and the city area. Looking back, I would have prefered to stay at Patong Bayshore Hotel or Patong Beach Hotel, which was right in the city centre and near to the beach, but then my thoughts flew back to the tsunami disaster, where the whole beach and city area was washed out. Patong Lodge Hotel was untouched as it was high up in the hills.

Snippets of our hotel

Highlights:

1) Shooting Range - Hubby was overly excited about shooting with real guns and rifles. There is no way he can do this in Singapore so he was very eager to give it a go. I didn't want to, the sound of the guns were loud enough to scare me away and besides, I was not too confident handling real weapons. It was also quite expensive, about S$36 for a semi-auto pistol with 10 bullets.

Just look at the range of guns/rifles to choose from!

He scored 75%! 2 bullets went off target. Not bad for a 1st-timer, actually.

2) All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) - I joined hubby this time. I thought I could sit with hubby on the vehicle and I did not have to drive, but unfortunately, each ATV is meant for one person, so I had to drive on my own. Gulp! Could I do it?

We went through Phuket's countryside, and went over rough terrains, muddy hills/slopes and overgrown greenery. It was tough! I nearly fell into muddy water a few times. Hubby was quite smooth, but I suspect it was because he was riding at a slow speed. I, on the other hand, was speeding at full throttle! However, we certainly enjoyed the scenery and fresh air of the countryside.

3) The Cobra Show - We went to the snake show without much expectations as we have seen enough at the Singapore zoo. But the show was quite different because it was both scary and funny. While the snake charmer (he was just a young chap!) was kissing and playing with the cobras, there was a commentator/DJ in the background providing sound effect and funny one-liners! The audience laughed hilariously even though the snakes were horrendously scary.

At one point, the snake charmer went around the audience giving them a closer view of the cobra, and when he came to Hubby, he purposely place the cobra's head near to Hubby's crotch! I think Hubby nearly got a heart attack! I also freaked out at that point. Everyone else, though were laughing at our panicky expressions!

4) Snorkeling at Monkey's Island & Swimming at Phi Phi Island - We took about a 90min ride by ferry to Monkey's Island. I have always wanted to try snorkelling. And I did not regret my decision one bit! It was the best experience ever! The corals and the fishes were so pretty and beautiful. I admit I was damn nervous, and was actually contemplating to quit at the last minute, but then young children were jumping in the water, so I thought if they could do it, I should have no problem ,right?

My camera is not waterproof, so I was quite sad at not being able to take pictures underneath the sea. I even saw Nemo (clownfish), they were so cute! Lucky never see any sharks!

Our ferry ride

This is where we were going to jump in! Monkey's Island Bay!

That's us with the instructor! I really have to give credit to him, he was so patient with us even though we were so nervous and jittery in the water. I was hanging to him for dear life. And he really made sure that we were confortable and his pace was just nice. The minute I got into the water and dipped my head under the sea using the snorkel mask, my nervousness disappeared and I remember screamingly excitedly at every fish and coral I saw. At one point, there were schools of fish all around us and I think I might even have gotten free fish therapy as they nibble at my legs and body. And off we go!

At Monkey's Island, we enjoyed the white sandy beaches and clear blue waters. It is known for the scores of monkeys living on the island, however tourists are not allowed to come near them, as they are wild and can be aggressive.

We also went on a kayak steered by our instructor. I felt so at peace with the tranquility of the island and the beautiful blue sea against the backdrop of the green hills.

I defnitely want to go snorkelling again. It was the best thing that happened to me on this trip!

Happy Travellers

We then headed for Phi Phi Island for lunch and swimming. The Andaman Sea was amazing, we went so far into the sea and it only came up to the waist level!

80% of the island's population is Muslim, so there was no trouble with food. The island was also badly affected during the tsunami, which destroyed many homes and hotels there.

5) Motorbike Rental - We decided to rent a motorbike to make our way around Phuket as each time we wanted to go to town, we had to pay about S$8 for a tuk-tuk or $4 for a motorbike taxi ride. Btw, both of us would sit at the back of the motorbike taxi rider, so that's 3 of us on the motorbike! Really crazy!

The motorbike rental fee was just S$10 a day and we could go anywhere we wish to. The only problem was, Hubby does not have a motorbike license! It would be his 1st time riding a bike and I am quite skeptical of his riding skills :) Luckily he managed to master the skill of riding the motorbike quickly. We went along the roads slowly and steadily. It was great!

We could go to many places with the motorbike. We went for Thai massages, (just S$10/hr), I went for manicure and pedicure, and we also visited the beaches of Patong.

Phuket is definitely more expensive than Pattaya, but its beauty is no lesser. I had a wonderful experience, as always in Thailand, who are just full of gracious and friendly citizens.

Somehow my infatuation with anything Thai has rubbed of my son. Hmm...

Look out! The next Muay Thai sensation is coming!

Meet the Parents: 1st Session

We just got back from Phuket yesterday. Exhausted, but had a whale of a time. Many 1st time experiences over at Phuket. But will update later ok? So stay tuned for it.

Anyway, today me and Hubby had to go down to Kyle's school to meet up with his form teachers. No, he did not get into any form of trouble. It was the Teacher-Meet-Parents Session.

His form teacher, Ms Ruzita is a very friendly and down-to-earth young girl. You can tell she loves her job and the kids very much. Always enthusiastic and positive and never with a frown on her face. I always wonder how she and other teachers 'tahan' with so many children around them.

She gave us an update on Kyle's progress in school. It seems that he is doing quite well, somewhat ahead of his peers, and quite advanced in his learning. His vocabulary is vast in terms of his age. He gets overly excited during Music & Movement classes, where he gets to dance & sing. He does not like to draw much, but he likes playing blocks, folding paper into different shapes, and he is very interactive as well as hyperactive.

She also showed us Kyle's portfolio which contained his artwork and also pictures of him in class doing activities with his classmates.

Kyle's E-folio I feel quite relieved that Kyle is progressing very well in school. All the time we spent with him reading storybooks, watching documentaries on TV, as well as on YouTube, going to different places which allow him to think, cultivate his mind and allow him to think out of the box has paid off. I am really proud of my boy.

Teacher Ruz pointed out to me the 'Time-Out' chair at the corner of the classroom, which is specially reserved for those "extra-hyperactive" ones, if you know what I mean. I also told her that we have a time-out corner at home as well, but no chair. Kyle stands there whenever he misbehaves.

She also told me that Kyle is very close to one of his classmates, Claire Lum. They are the best of friends, and likes to hang out and play together. They would tell each other their experiences like what they did over the weekends. Teacher Ruz says that Kyle can hold conversations well and able to form complete sentences.

One thing though, he has a habit of saying "I don't know" whenever someone asks him a question, even though he knows the answer. Shy, perhaps?

Anyway, he will be moving on to nursery next year, so my darling Kyle, you have 6 more months with your favourite Teacher Ruz and Teacher Tan. Special thanks to these 2 wonderful teachers, who have made such a great impact in my child's development and learning.

Problem with Poo-ing

Recently Kyra has been having trouble passing motion. She used to clear her bowels once a day, but recently, she could only do it once in 2 or 3 days. We really got worried when she kept crying each time she feels the urge to pass motion, like she was in pain. I thought it was just constipation, and fed her with more fruits/vegetables and increased her daily intake of water.

It got worse one day, when I was at work and my SIL, Regina called me from home, saying that Kyra had been crying for the past hour, trying to pass motion. As I was stuck at work, she kindly offered to send Kyra to the specialist clinic at Gleaneagles Hospital.

When I finally got home later, Kyra just came back from the specialist looking cheerful and smiley. Regina told me that the doctor inserted his fingers into Kyra's anus and found out that her stools were too big too pass through. He then injected a laxative liquid into her anus, and the effect was immediate. Her bowels was cleared. Of course, my darling was wailing away.

He gave 2 bottles of the laxative liquid to be used at home if it ever happens again and also a bottle of lactose for Kyra to consume everyday for easier digestion. So far, it has been quite effective.

We took Kyra to the specialist again today, and he was pleased to know that Kyra's condition is improving. He also gave an additional tablet for her to consume each evening, so that her bowel movements will be more frequent. He also advised for Kyra to eat more fibre foods and drink more water. He said Kyra's internal system may not be so sensitive, that is why she only pass motion once in 2-3 days.

Feeding her has always been a constant worry because she is a fussy eater. Looks like I need to really make sure she eats her greens. I am also giving her Vitagen to drink to better improve her digestion system.

Latest Addition to the Sharip Family

I am proud to announce the birth of *drumrolls*

Ryz Isabelle Binte Sherwan Nara

So chubby right!? I can't get enough of her. She looks exactly like her brother, Rae Isaaq. At 3.5kg, she is the heaviest of all Atok's grandchildren :)

Regina gave birth to her today 06.06.08. Nice date, huh?

Ryz wide-eyed held by her Bibik.

Hubby holding Ryz. And no, before you start asking, we are not going to have a 3rd one. Its very tempting though, looking at Ryz and seeing how adorable she is.

Kyra kept showering Ryz with kisses and she also wanted to carry Ryz. She probably thinks Ryz is a doll and she wants to play with her! Hmmph! Since Mama don't allow me to carry the baby, I might as well sulk on the hospital bed!

I can't wait for Ryz to come home. Can smother her more with my kisses when Auntie is not looking!

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My parents left for Penang with Rae and Kyle tonite. I am missing him like crazy. By the time he comes home on Tuesday night, I would have flown off to Phuket. That's right, me and hubby are taking a break and leaving town for a couple of days. We need to destress before the new term begins.

See this? I can't wait to be there!

Science Can Be Fun!

One of the perks of having a husband as a teacher is that our trips to the Singapore Science Centre are free! Well, its not exactly free, we pay $25 for a 2-year membership and unlimited visits to the centre. Its a great deal, considering that you need to pay S$8 each time you go there if you are a non-member.

Kids are never too young to explore, develop ideas and learn about their surroundings. The Singapore Science Centre is a great place for them to run about, and see and touch things for themselves.

Right now the SSC is having the Dinosaurs exhibition. Kyle seems to be interested in dinosaurs lately, so we thought it would be good for him to see them 'live' in action.

There was a big one at the entrance, and Kyle seems pretty scared by it.

Hubby seems pretty excited seeing the dinosaur. Too bad Kyra is asleep.

Mama's turn!Kyle exploring the exhibits The Dino Exhibits

Kyra's awake! - At the outdoor discovery play garden

More exploration

We couldn't finish exploring in one day! We'll definitely be back!