Family Trip to Bangkok, Thailand

Bangkok is a favourite city of ours. The last time we went was well before Imran, back in 2012. We went around Christmas time and that was wonderful, experiencing Christmas in the lively city that is Bangkok. The energy, the vibrancy, the culture, everything’s just awesome here. I love it all!

This time, however, is a first for Imran and for us with Imran. LOL! We paced things out a lot and didn’t really do much to be honest as we didn’t want to tire Imran. It was a 3 days 2 nights trip and to make it convenient for us, we stayed at Pathumwan Princess Hotel, which is connected to MBK Centre. If you’re into tasteful hotels in an awesome location with fantastic facilities, you really cannot go wrong with Pathumwan Princess. A bit pricey, yes, but we love this hotel for all the boxes it ticks. Lovely pool, bed’s awesome to relax in, spacious rooms, nice bathrooms and just a really great hotel to stay at.

MBK Centre’s awesome and the place to go when in Bangkok. All kinds of knick knacks and stuff can be found here, hence why we made the decision to position ourselves right there.

Travelling with a child as compared to us travelling on our own is certainly different. A lot more challenging, for sure, but it also allows me some good relax time in the room whenever Imran needs a good nap. Good hotels come in handy and gives me an awesome excuse to fully utilize the room instead of just sleeping in it. When we last came, our daily schedules were packed to the brim with visits all over Bangkok and we even squeezed in a night in Pattaya.

Naturally, we cannot do that this time around. We took a 1 pm Air Asia flight out of KLIA2 and arrived at approximately 2 pm Bangkok time (which is an hour later than KL’s time). Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the airport transfer service we had booked and it took us approximately 45 minutes to get to our hotel. Once arrived, we settled into our beautiful room and only at about 6 pm, went out to MBK for a little shopping and dinner.

There are a few halal food counters at MBK which makes it easy for us Muslims. After a little bit of shopping at MBK, Zach left us at the hotel whilst he continued to explore Bangkok.

The next morning, we headed for breakfast at McDonalds (haha) then walked via the connecting pedestrian bridges to Siam Paragon to Ocean World! Bangkok’s Ocean World was amazing! Compared to the time when we took Imran to KLCC’s Aquaria, at Ocean World, we could see he was clearly engaged and interested to see and understand the sea creatures. It’s either he was disinterested in KLCC’s Aquaria or he’s older, hence, has better appreciation for these things. ;)

Tickets are about 1,000 baht for adults and it worked out to be around RM170 for the both of us. Imran was quite enthralled by the sea creatures he’s seeing before him hence it kinda took a while for us to fully explore the place, as compared to when we zipped through KLCC’s Aquaria. Again, this could also be because the Siam Ocean World is a lot bigger than the Aquaria. I probably shouldn’t compare, but, sorry cannot resist. Haha.

Even Zach and I enjoyed ourselves at Ocean World and we’ll definitely come again next time we’re in Bangkok and when Imran can really well and truly fully understand and appreciate everything. After having some fish burgers at Burger King, we made our way back to the hotel to rest for the afternoon, then took Imran for a little swim in the evening.

The pool at Pathumwan Princess Hotel was just beautiful. It’s large and the day was just breezy so I certainly had fun just relaxing by the pool whilst Zach entertains Imran in the pool. LOL! After the swim, Zach went out for more shopping and got us dinner, whilst Imran and I played around in the hotel room. Yea, Imran and I are two peas in a pod, preferring to dine in rather than explore the city.

Next morning, straight after our ritual McDonald’s breakfast, we went to the airport for our flight back at 1 pm.

The trip was actually in lieu of Zach’s 34^th Birthday and it’s kinda fun to explore another city as a family as a celebration vs. the usual family parties we host which takes too much time and effort to prepare for. Bangkok’s definitely the place to go with kids as they actually have tons of kids attractions which we have yet to explore and the people there are certainly very child friendly. J

Family Trip to Sanrio Town and Puteri Harbour, Johor Bharu, Malaysia

We headed off to Johor Bharu one October weekend for a short 3D2N family getaway. Our journey to Johor was horrible, as traffic was horrendous at the Seremban-Melaka stretch and the rain was just torrential. Needless to say, Zach wasn’t such a happy camper during the drive there.

That aside, after a good 6-7 hours in the car, double the normal journey time from KL to JB, we arrived at Somerset Puteri Harbour and happy to note the cloudy yet dry weather in JB. We wanted to only go around Puteri Harbour this trip hence why Somerset was our pick this round.

Somerset Puteri Harbour is part of a large international chain of serviced apartments, The Ascott Limited. It’s almost like that home away from home feel, which you’d get the minute you enter the apartment. Ours was a studio which was over 50 sq m which is quite large for our little family of 3 pax. The layout was incredibly spacious and quite kid-friendly, clean and fuss-free. The convenience of a working and complete kitchen (i.e. stove, microwave, utensils, plates etc) makes our 3D2N stay even more enjoyable and easy. Imran and Zach both enjoyed the infinity pool which offered a breathtaking view of the Puteri Harbour. If I had one negative thing to say, it’d be the small breakfast selection, but otherwise, everything else was great and picture perfect. If you had planned to go around Puteri Harbour like we did, then this would be the perfect family friendly accommodation.

If your child’s a big fan of Hello Kitty, Thomas the Tank Engine, Barney and Friends, Bob the Builder or Angelina the Ballerina, prep yourself to go to Sanrio Town (previously known as the Little Big Club). Plan to spend an entire day there or at least half a day like we did as there are three air-conditioned level of rides, indoor play areas, musical performances and meet and greets with all those characters. Even Zach and I had fun at this cute indoor park.

Hello Kitty Town on Level 1 is certainly every girl’s fantasy. Imran wasn’t too entertained here and he certainly didn’t enjoy Hello Kitty’s house. The only thing he really enjoyed was the teacup ride, the indoor play area and the little houses in the newest addition to the park, Hello Kitty in Oz.

Level 2 houses all the other characters like Bob the Builder, Angelina the Ballerina, Barney and Friends as well as Pingu. Imran isn’t too acquainted with this and he was getting quite sleepy, so we sort of skipped this level and went straight to Level 3 which he enjoyed.

Level 3 houses Thomas the Tank Engine and all his friends. Zach took Imran on the helicopter and bus ride, just before Imran dozed off, leaving Zach and me enjoy a few musical performances before heading back to Somerset.

For the adults who love shopping, the Johor Premium Outlet or JPO is just a short 30 minutes drive away. Zach and I brought a sleeping Imran to JPO for a quick 2 hour round the JPO shops. The selection and sale this time around isn’t too tempting, hence we didn’t end up buying much or enjoying JPO too much this time around.

I think Puteri Harbour’s a perfect place for toddlers around Imran’s age (2) as they can easily indulge themselves in so much play time that’s entertaining and perfect for their age group. Whilst Legoland is actually nearby, we gave it a miss as we didn’t think Imran’s ready for that yet.

Imran was perfectly behaved all throughout the trip which I was extremely grateful for and though short, Johor was truly a beautiful getaway experience for us as a family.

Family Fun at Farm in the City, Seri Kembangan, Malaysia

During the Malaysia Day long weekend in September, we took Imran to Farm in the City in Seri Kembangan for a morning of fun. Imran was up a bit late, having had too much fun at a staycation and birthday bash for Zach’s mum in KL the night before. We ended up arriving at Farm in the City at about noon, way after the planned bright and early start.

Farm in the City is considered as a petting mini zoo whereby children and adults have the opportunity to get up close and personal to nature and animals. Being such an animal lover, Imran had a ball here. Actually, we all did. I was a bit freaked out by the free roaming animals everywhere, but Zach and Imran was certainly happy. Have to admit that it was a fairly educational experience for us all.

The entrance fee is quite cheap at only RM32 for an adult ticket and RM27 for a child ticket. Children below 90 cm in height like Imran enjoys a free entrance J Kids will be given a certificate of attendance at the end of the visit.

It is out in the open though, hence I’d encourage plenty of sunblock and a sunhat, but 1-2 hours here is plentiful to keep toddlers happy and animal lovin’.

Rumah Kueh, Kota Damansara – Restaurant Review

It’s a small and cozy homely set-up aiming to please with various Malaysian delicacies from mains to desserts. We weren’t all that attracted to the nasi melayu fanfare served which comprised mostly of lauk kampong such as asam pedas, ulam etc, but we did give the kuih-muih a shot.

I personally think that price-wise it is actually quite pricey. I spent RM30 on about 4 types of kuih which I thought was a tad bit much, but since I was all out to try this place, I forked the moolah out anyway.

The kuihs were the standard kuihs you’d get anywhere in the Klang Valley, hence, I didn’t really come out with a fancy impression of this place. Ambience-wise, nice lah and a good place if you want to be all out indulgent on your kuih muih fanfare and sit in Rita Rudaini’s restaurant.

Kickstarting Jogging

Okay, it’s the beginning of October now and my fast detracting fitness rate is scaring me. I can barely run after Imran these days and I tire so, so easily. I’m trying out something new. Apart from my once-a-week Pilates class which admittedly, I’ve not even been to since June, so technically, I have been completely fitness-activity-free for a few months now, I need to do something with a little bit of regularity. Something simple, that I won’t get demotivated doing. So I started…this morning….I jogged. For 10 minutes. Not much, I know. But that’s how bad my fitness level is. But I gotta start somewhere, so here’s my start. Hopefully I can work this up to running very very soon.

My plan’s to go with a 10-15 minute jog daily and complete 30 minutes to 1 hour walks on the weekend. Hopefully after a few months of this, I can build it up into something a bit more challenging. Baby steps for now. You gotta start somewhere after all.

Malacca Family Roadtrip on Malaysia Day Weekend

During the long Malaysia Day weekend, we accompanied Zach’s mum and siblings on a short one night getaway to Malacca. It’s just a short 2 hour drive away from KL, perfect for a weekend trip with young Imran.

The last time Zach and I went, which was almost 3 years ago, we stayed at Philea Resort, which was absolutely gorgeous but perhaps not quite appropriate for a kid as it is quite dark in the log cabin.

This time, we opted for a city hotel since we’re just there for a night and just wanted to stay at a nice hotel and be close to everything. Hence, Hatten was the choice.

Hatten’s neighbours to Mahkota Parade and Dataran Pahlawan and is above Hatten Square, hence for a quick city getaway, it’s probably a perfect choice. We got the Premier Junior Suite and was impressed as room was reasonably spacious and we had a beautiful view of the Malacca city and Hatten’s gorgeous pool.

What’s cool about being in a premier room is the level of attention you get, which was incredibly quick check in and check out, complimentary drinks from the mini bar, fruit platters and welcome drinks which was awesome.

Driving out from KL at around 11 am, we arrived in Malacca at about 3 pm and was really famished hence we ordered room service which was reasonably okay. That night, we went out to Mahkota Parade for dinner at Tony Romas.

Imran was thankfully on his absolute bestest behavior the whole trip, and did not throw any tantrums at all throughout the trip, which was just so awesome and something I am so completely grateful about. Alhamdulilah. He was especially happy when he swam in the pool on Saturday and really enjoyed himself, being all relaxed and just contented and happy.

The buffet breakfast spread was quite large with various options though it’s taste certainly isn’t that great. All in though, this hotel was great and good value for money.

Since it was really just a quick trip, we didn’t do much in terms of sightseeing. As often is the case with Imran, it’s really just a nice staycation trip, hence why choosing the right hotel is so important for us. 

Dotty’s Salted Egg Yolk Cronut

We have yet to get the opportunity to try this incredibly popular café, as we have been turned away many times due to the massive crowd inside and waiting to get in. As we’ve just been dying to give this incredibly hyped up café a try, we took away a couple of these Salted Egg Yolk Cronut for a taste.

What is it? It’s a crisp, croissant doughnut that oozes with a combo of custard and salted egg yolk, having that incredibly distinctive taste of sweet plus savoury.

Is it any good? I, for one, think it’s an acquired taste, all the salted egg yolk and all, but it is nice and something different to try if you’re in the mood of a lil adventure.