Monday, December 17, 2007

Oh Singapura!

PICTURES


top: waiting for the tram (shaira, sara and liyana. Adel is
standing behind them)
bottom: after the safari....up close and personal with
some performers.

Soraya on the slide. Her mom, Lalin standing, watching.
Liyana and Amalina on the bench.
Two year-old Singapore cousin, Naifa in the "car". Standing behind the car is Lalin's youngest Sonia.
Taken at our cousin, Haslinda's Teluk Kurau home.,
Lazing around at Linda's home.


Top: Orchard Road at night.
Below: Early Sunday morning at Orchard Road.
Bottom: Late morning at Orchard Road. There
some games for school chidlren and students.

UPDATE:

Did I say I was going to blog about our Singapore visit?

Our programme was prepared by Nina.
We arrived Friday ( Dec 14) afternoon. A short rest adn we we headed for Singapore's popular Night Safari near the Singapore Zoo and Upper Seletar Reservoir -- quite a distance away.

Our guide was Florence -- efficient, a little no-nonsense. But nice.

The night safari is located in 40 hectares of lush tropical park. It has more than 1,000 animals and 100 species places in their natural habitat.

Visitors get on an open tram (four-to-a-row) that follows a trail.
There are lions, tigers, leopards, rhinos, hippos, water buffaloes, hyenas, jackals, giraffes, deer, tapir and other nocturnal animals.

We were not allowed to take pictures because the flash would frighten the animals.

It was really dark and I could not quite see some of the animals. I couldn't see the lions, nor the tigers even as the safari guide (not Florence) was describing them.
In fact, I don't think I heard any roar. I guess they were in deep slumber.

The animals were really well-behaved. We passed several deer and fawns. Man, I could almost touch them as we were passing along. And they did not, so much, as move a muscle.

After the tram-ride, we had dinner at Bongo Burgers while we enjoyed a tribal dance performance with some fire-eating displays.
The kids loved it.

Saturday was visit-our-relatives-day and makan-makan.
We managed a bit of sight-seeing and shopping at Orchard Road at night.

On Sunday, before our departure, we toured Orchard Road (again).
But before that, I got up early and hit the "road" for a morning run with my friend, Mia. Got back to the hotel, breakfast, then showered (haha..makan before mandi) and then some stolen shopping moments.

We took our Aeroline at the Harbourfront. Left for home at 3pm. Arrived at Bandar Utama stop at about 9pm.

A great weekend!

MY EARLIER POSTING:

Hi folks.

Got back from Singapore last night.
Had a good time, visiting relatives. A little bit of shopping.
Went with big sister Kak Ton and little sisters Lalin and Nina and my good friend Mia. And all the kiddies (including teenagers Adel, Amalina, Liyana and Shaira).
Altogether, 17 of us!

Stayed at York Hotel at Mount Elizabeth. Was out on a safari Friday night (the day we arrived).
Such nice tame animals there.

Will blog about our trip in a while. Got pictures too.

I'm not promoting Aeroline (the bus). But, Aeroline is a great way to travel on road to Singapore. Been using it for our Singapore "pilgrimage" since three years ago.

Meanwhile...what's been happening while I was away?

16 comments:

J.T. said...

Hi Nuraina

My uncle told me about Aeroline but I have never tried it. He said it is so comfortable that it beats the stress of driving.

Looking forward to seeing your pictures.

Anyway, here's wishing you a Happy New Year. May your 2008 be filled with lots of love, joy, health and prosperity.

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

hi JT,

Your uncle is so right! Aeroline is really really good. the driver's good too becos he does not speed, nor does he drive so slowly.
it's a double decker.
passengers are all "upstairs". lower deck is the "toilet" (for light loo-ing only) and there's a lounge. the kids love the lounge.
food is served (once) on board.
on the 8am Bandar Utama to Singapore, we were served subway turkey ham sandwiches and mineral water.
on our way home 3pm from the harbourfront (Singapore) to Bandar Utama, we were served chicken rice. It was good. Then tea, coffee or milo and honey melon.

i swear by Aeroline, And it's Singapore efficiency and punctuality too boot!

Try it when you come home next, JT.

thank you and a happy new year! May 2008 bring you all that youn wish for!

.. said...

Hello Nuraina, sat Aeroline twice and it was a nice experience, definitely better than driving to Singapore and mopping around in an unfamiliar place. It's like first class on the plane :)

Hussin said...

Hi Nuraina,
Aeroline must give you discounts on your next trip. Me and 10 other family members took the bus on Friday 11:30pm and return on Saturday 8:00pm based on your "recommendation". The ride was so comfortable that we hardly realised we were already 5 hours on it and arrived at our destination. Even the kids did not complain, they were busy at the lounge asking the "steward" to serve them all kinds of refreshments.

Anonymous said...

Been enjoying your views. Looking forward to read Singapore trip.

Happy New Year and take care.

Da Real Deal said...

Nuraina,

My family and I will be travelling to Singapore on Thursday for the weekend. It's such a nice place to visit isn't it? I always say that it is such because the govt gives no quarter to troublemakers and deals with its people decisively.

I'm hoping our government will take a page from Lee Kwan Yew's manual on how to deal with the rakyat. Then, we too can live in such a place without crossing the Straits.

Did you have the Murtabak opposite the Sultan's Mosque? You should try it next time and have a taste of the suji for desert. Reminds me of my younger days whenever we had religious gatherings or prayers for those who've passed on.

Anyway, Selamat Hari Raya, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

NURAINA A SAMAD said...

marykate: isn't it just? really nice comfortable journey.

Hussin: woww. that's good to know that you and your family had a good trip.

Anon@3:47pm: thanks.

da real deal: yes, singapore is a great place to visit. but i don't know about living there, though.

oh... i think we can take a leaf from LKY's manual on dealing with trouble-makers. we can also start looking at how the singapore administration is run, how the local councils are run etc..
also how the public ransport and how taxis.
and how they hand-pick politicians and civil servants.

somehow...don't think it will work in malaysia...

anyway...have a great time. we always enjoy singapore.

and selamat hari raya aidil adha, merry christmas and a happy new year!

Rockybru said...

I really must try the Aeroline. The kids will love that.

Tell me, did you see any poster with politicians' faces in Singapore? In the zoo ada?

When I was there last month, I made it my business to look for one poster or billboard that has Hsien Loong's picture, or his wife. or his father, or mother. Found none. My relatives there said they couldn't recall seeing any.

Now, I have a problem with that. Here in Malaysia, I see my leaders' pictures everywhere I go. Azalina smiled at me everytime I pass Bukit Jalil (I think she should really revert to her old photographs where she isn't dolled up like that). Khir Toyo, too. Driving the back roads to Seri Menanti the other day, I saw posters of Rais Yatim too. Of course the 4 PMs and Onn Jaafar (the 50th Merdeka billboards).

The other night near Jalan Tangsi, saw the biggest picture-poster-billboard of them all -- the brightly-lit pic of Datuk Zaini, the Melaka mayor. Wow. I mean, wow.

Old Fart said...

O.k. been there seen it done that as far as Singaproeis concerned. Even worked there...its not my greatest of destinations. The last two times I went there was for particular business to be dealt with by noon.

I travelled KTM's night train 1st class cabin, the one with the hot shower. Sleep if you can. But most important have the morning hot shower, change and get out at Woodlands..otherwise can end up waiting another two hours if you are unlucky to get out at Tanjong Pagar. Go to where ever to do your business...but I only know where the Green coach station is...Novena...to get the first bus out...Maybe next time will try Aeroline...Where in Singapore do I take it anyway?

Faten Rafie said...

Rocky's Bru said...

Tell me, did you see any poster with politicians' faces in Singapore? In the zoo ada?

When I was there last month, I made it my business to look for one poster or billboard that has Hsien Loong's picture, or his wife. or his father, or mother. Found none. My relatives there said they couldn't recall seeing any.

...........................

Now, I have a problem with that. Here in Malaysia, I see my leaders' pictures everywhere I go.


Rocky, we don't take heed from down south, prefering those from up north! Look at the fiasco happening in Th*iland now. Lepas New Year tukar poster lain lagi!

Just in case I get too busy after this, Selamat Hari Raya Aidiladha, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to everyone.

Anonymous said...

"Such nice tame animals there."

I like that very much.Even the animals are tameable by lky and gang.

I'd probably be like that (as many of my dear friends in s'pore' have, albeit to survive),if I stayed on 22 years ago.

I thank God my late Abah was born a Malayan then....

Chee said...

I'm living in S'pore n reading your blogs together with the others. Aeroline is nice but is it really worth the money. I'm force to take it everytime coz of last minute plans to go back, if planning in advance I will rather take first coach at half the price n buy my own food.

Anyway try the nasi padang (Sri Pariamann)about 100m opposite the murtabak (same row as the mosque) My wife n I never fail to eat it every Saturday (close on Sundays) you have to be early coz their food runs out by 1pm every day. They are actually Msian's n the owner was telling me tat her grandpa used to have a stall at Puduraya. It is one of Tun Dr M's fav joint in S'pore. It has his photo there eating at the shop.

Jorji said...

Singapore memang best!
takda billboard or bunting along the road ....
Aeroline memang terbaik!! dulu i naik from Hotel Corus Jln Ampang.
Nak pergi Singapore lagii!! (tengok konsert!)

Anonymous said...

I am dreaming of going to Singapore but my other half said it will be an expensive trip. He said might as well go to the country where you can feel like a millionaire.

I would like to suggest to Rocky to visit Perlis. It is such a small state but almost every where you can see the picture of "you know who"... Don't be surprised if you cross the border, you might see his picture also, welcoming the Thais...

zaitgha said...

Nuraina,

you had a grand time ya? Last i was in Spore was like 10 years ago, and that was working outing....


p/s cant beat Samy Velly staring and smiling at me when i go wash my car at one of the Petronas station here in Seremban ha ha ha....

deaf-angel said...

r u a jalan sudin , singapore 14 kid?
very happy to meet you.

Saya bukan budak jalan sudin tapi kecik2 selalu pegi sana hehe.