We started the day with a visit to Kuromon Market, which was within walking distance from Hotel Hillarys. Then made our way back to Kani Doraku at Dotonburi for lunch.
KitKat for 298 yen, about S$4
Lunch at Kani Doraku was an uneventful affair. I had expected LONG queues, but no, there were not many customers when we went by. I suppose there would be queues at dinnertime. Having said that, though, there are THREE Kani Doraku outlets along the SAME street so I suppose the crowd is evenly dispersed! One of the 3 outlets even has a takeaway counter outside the restaurant so those who don’t want to wait or dine-in can grab a bento or some sushi to take away!
We spent a total of 5,400 yen on lunch. I especially liked the crab sushi.
Here’s some of what we ate. Will do another post on Kani Doraku specifically!
We also went into an arcade called Round 1, and I caught a Hello Kitty plush toy from one of the UFO Catcher machines! Hurray!
The first… of many…
Then we went shopping. I found a Lowry’s Farm outlet and bought a dress (about 20% cheaper than in SG). We also visited Sanrio Gallery (whoo!) and Disney store. All these were around the Shinsaibashi/Dotonburi area.
I’d bring this kitty home, but it’s ginormous:
One of the reasons why Singaporeans like visiting Japan:
And guess what, I spotted a number of cute guys giving out free hugs! OMG!
I get to hug cute Japanese guys for free??!!
But.. the fiance was just next to me so… nothing happened.
After shopping (and no hugging), we headed for the Tombori River Cruise (free of charge if you have the Osaka Unlimited Pass). The Tombori River Cruise is very much like the cruise along the Singapore River – touristy, plus we did not understand a word from the Japanese guide!
Dinner was at Shakey’s Pizza buffet! For just 990 yen per pax or S$13, we got to eat to our heart’s content – soup, pizza, pasta, meatballs, fruits. I’ve heard that the Japanese don’t eat very much at each meal so I was surprised there are such buffet places. Oh wait, perhaps it is BECAUSE they don’t eat much, that it makes sense to open buffet places – Singaporeans would just whack every meatball there is (I know I did). Muahaha.
With our Osaka Unlimited Pass, we also went for a ride on the HEP FIVE ferris wheel. I have a fear of heights so I couldn’t wait to get back down on the ground but someone had fun.
I Heart You… sometimes
Because of him, we also went up to the freezing cold heights they call the Floating Garden Observatory at the top of the Umeda Sky Building. It was SUPER COLD with icy cold winds – I felt like I had walked into a giant freezer. And guess what, he said we should walk the entire round (I just wanted to run back into the lift!). But walk we did. And nearly died from pneumonia, I guess.
Picture taken one second before I became a human popsicle
Then we waited to board our Willer Express bus to Tokyo. It was an overnight ride that would take us to Tokyo Station. Having survived the local inter-state trains in China, THIS was a piece of cake. Quite comfy with a pram-like cover to keep out the light:
Spooky picture, but I assure you that’s me…
We paid a total of 22,800 yen in total for 2 Willer Express rides – to Tokyo and back. We shopped, ate and did touristy stuff in the daytime and shuttled between the cities at night. Kinda cool. Not advised if you have old folks or young kids with you – it’s a long overnight ride!
And that’s it – the end of our Osaka adventures. Will be blogging about the Tokyo part of the trip next. I have to say, though, that I think the people in Osaka are much friendlier than the people in Tokyo – as if you don’t already know that.
I chose the Hotel Keihan Tenmabashi for its proximity to Osaka Castle. It’s a 5-10 minute stroll to the Castle from the hotel and we headed there right after a breakfast of yummy strawberries and cherry tomatoes. [See the post on Day One]
Beautiful sakura!
Spotted: someone’s wishes for good health, success at work, to meet a good man and have $ to get married!
I love him ‘cos he makes me laugh! XD
With the Osaka Unlimited Pass we had bought at the airport, we received free entry into the Osaka Castle Museum (which would otherwise cost 600 yen). Osaka Castle is open from 9am to 5pm, and there’s a (costume) photo opportunity available within for 300 yen per pax.
With the Osaka Unlimited Pass, we also visited a restaurant offering 10% discount with every 1000 yen spent. We ordered a Udon + Katsu bowl which cost 1050 yen, and which tasted SO delicious! Ok, just about everything in Japan tastes good, so…
Then a spot of shopping.
I went delirious with joy when I spotted a store selling a “value pack” of goodies – a Hello Kitty stationery set which costs just 500 yen. It was a great deal because the individual items within were being sold separately for 420 yen! If you are a Hello Kitty fan, you must be NUTS not to buy the pack.
It even comes with Hello Kitty poker cards! LOL
From Tenmabashi Station, we then took the train to Higashi Umeda Station, walked to the Hankyu Umeda Station, then boarded the train to Ikeda Station. From there, it was a short walk to the Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum. [To get there from the station, exit right, go down the stairs then take another right. If in doubt, just ask the traffic warden or any passerby - apparently the museum is quite famous!]
At the museum, you will be shocked at the long line of people waiting to enter the cup decorating area. There are actually classes being conducted upstairs but prior booking is required so I did not get a chance to make my own ramen noodles.
Apparently, I’ve been doing the pose all wrong. Must learn from this little girl:
I paid 300 yen for a cup, right out of a vending machine, no less. And while I doodled, the fiance had a good nap!
And tadah, my creation!
Then it was time to get the instant noodles into the cup – I believe it took 8 turns of the wheel but kids had a lot of fun here!
Then choose your preferred soup base and toppings.
Then get it sealed, vacuum packed and put the cup into an inflatable (sling) bag. And you may parade your creation down the street back to the subway.
Don’t do this if you have to board a plane later ah!
Throw your coins into this machine and get your train tickets. I don’t quite remember how it works already!
After the ramen museum, we headed over to Hotel Hillarys [Namba Station, Takashimaya store exit], which is quite a hit with Singaporeans. It is not uncommon to hear Singlish in the lobby and drink bar area!
I LOVE the toilet!
Apparently, Hillarys is popular because of the FREE DRINKS (yes, you read that right!), free choice of toiletries, free comic books, and I believe free bicycle rental too. They were even nice enough to give us a room upgrade, but kept us on the same floor as the lobby and drink bar. So we walked out in our pyjamas to get free flow drinks – very convenient, ya?
You can also sign up to be a Hillarys member to get better room rates for 2 nights’ stay or more. They’ll also give you free breakfast!
After checking in, we headed to Dotonburi and Shinsaibashi.
The famous Kani Doraku!
Cute erm… Waiter? Mascot? Dinner? XD
No prizes for guessing what this place sells:
Since everyone was posing for pictures here, I made him volunteer. Ha!
I found my… twin?
Dinner was at Saizeriya, which we enjoyed! We visit Saizeriya in Singapore, so we know their food’s yummy. We spotted a Sushi Zanmai outlet but we were already very full. Will have to visit Sushi Zanmai next time! Osaka, I’ll be back!
Our dinner at Saizeriya:
As for shopping, the fiance brought me to a used goods store (I never thought I’d buy anything there). And I found an Adidas jacket that looks brand-new. And at 1600 yen, it seemed like quite a steal so I bought it.
On the way back to the hotel, I also bought a tweed jacket for mum at only 500 yen, and two pairs of pretty socks at 60 yen a pair. <- Crazy price, I know. Two other ladies “digging” in the sale bin with me were chatting about how they can never find such cheap socks in Singapore. I pretended to be Japanese and quickly went to make payment. Singaporeans – we can never walk away from a good bargain.
Supper: green tea + hot chocolate from the hotel’s drinks bar, and snacks we bought -
Hotel Hillarys also provides free breakfast buns, at the drinks bar – again, great thing to stay on the same level: just walk out, get some, come back in and sleep some more
You MUST have seen them before – those people on Facebook with pictures in which they are grinning widely and holding a “Wish You Were Here!” or “You Should Be Here!” banner.
Some may have even sent you private messages to ask if you like to travel, want to travel to exotic destinations at great prices, and/or make money while you travel (thereby getting free holidays). Others just write cryptic messages on their own Facebook walls about how they are flying off for free AGAIN or making lots more money while having fun (thus prompting you to ask them what exactly they are doing, ‘cos you’re now curious).
If the above sounds familiar to you, you’ll know I’m referring to World Ventures.
I have gotten too many private messages and emails from people (some friends, some strangers) who want to tell me about this awesome company called World Ventures. One even went so far as to tell me that if I didn’t sign on immediately, I’d regret it for life. [Erm... I'm still not feeling an ounce of regret, mister!]
Here are the 5 reasons why I have refused to join World Ventures despite being harassed multiple times:
#1: Too many invites – some are not even personal [like a copy-and-paste job]
The most recent Facebook message from a World Ventures dude
I’m from Singapore too, dude! Which country do you think I’m from?
The questions also seem very scripted and if you look at them carefully, all three questions are likely to elicit YESes from most people. Very sneaky.
#2: I don’t fancy traveling with many other people.
The good news: yes, you may end up getting free holidays. The bad news: you’ll get many people joining you on your free holiday – somewhat like a company retreat. Bummer.
I like solo holidays or holidays with just one pal or my fiance. The last thing I want is to travel with a bunch of people carrying blue banners.
#3: It is quite obviously another Pyramid scam scheme kind of company!
#4: The holidays are NOT cheap – One young and very enthusiatic “rep” of World Ventures [the same one who said I'll be regretting] offered to show me how travel would be much more affordable once I joined WV. So I said ok, I’m planning a trip to the Maldives, how much would my holiday cost? He logged in to the WV site and found the figures for me and lo and behold, they were much steeper than what I’d found via my own research.
So no, holidays are NOT cheaper with WV. If anything, they are more expensive as you have to pay a joining fee to get into the whole WV programme.
#5: The insiders have already revealed that the company is not what it seems to be. If you fall prey, you can only blame yourself for not doing simple research online first OR believing that friend of yours who just wants to make some money off YOU. Read the insider account: http://isworldventuresascam.blogspot.sg/2011/09/honest-revealing-worldventures-review.html
If someone asks you to join WV again, send them this blogpost link k? If you just respond with a simple ‘no’, they will want to know why and also ask to meet up with you. I’ve done all the explaining for you right here.
I was given a Mini DIY Yule Log from The Icing Room and, having no prior cake-decorating experience, I thought it’d be a good idea to check out what the other cake shops have to offer.
That’s when I made the shocking realization: The log cakes all look the same!!!
They are all just some variation of this:
Dare I say it… There’s just a lack of creativity! Put any of those log cakes in front of me and I’ll have no idea where they are from.
So it’s a good thing I was given one to decorate.
I’m someone who is usually how-should-I-put-it, maybe *discontent* with the way things are. I will not hand in something generic, especially if prizes will be awarded for creativity (more about that later).
So I picked up the Mini DIY Yule Log from The Icing Room… and by the way, they are not kidding when they say it’s “Mini”. It fits nicely in just one hand and looks like it was designed for the weight-conscious ladies.
With my Yule Log was also piping cream in 4 colors (black, pink, yellow and green), 2 Christmas decorations, and 2 icing decorations.
if you’re wondering, I did not create my ‘masterpiece’ at The Icing Room’s outlet because it just felt weird with so many people around. It’s like trying to paint while someone is staring over your shoulder.
Because I wanted a log cake that was more ‘unique’, I purchased extra items from The Icing Room, such as these cupcakes and macarons:
Then I did something utterly shocking – I cut 3 slices of cake off the already very tiny log cake! *gasp*
Well…
Long story short… My “brilliant” idea was to have the log cake be a train, with little cabins(?) at the back transporting pretty gifts. And hence, ‘The Wonderland Express’ greets you…
Isn’t it pretty? *not shy*
My log cake is not just a log cake. It is a train that will give you a one-way ticket to its only destination: Happiness. Sink your teeth into the soft, vanilla-strawberry sponge cake and float away to dessert heaven!
Now, about those prizes:
The Icing Room has a Facebook contest called ‘Who has the Best Design-It-Yourself Yule Log’.
Simply purchase one of these Mini DIY Yule Logs at $18.80 (vanilla strawberry or chocolate flavored), decorate it, and upload your pictures here. *Remember to ‘Like’ The Icing Room’s page first in order to access the app.
On 10th November, Canon and Omy organized a craft workshop for kids, parents and some *ahem* “big kids” aka bloggers.
I’m not the arty-farty kind of person but I do think I can be quite creative at times so muahaha… I signed up for the workshop.
Venue: Chef Daniel’s Kitchen at Bugis+ Level 7
The blogger hosts were fab! The kids did everything they were told to do!
That day, we designed our own photoframes, plastic plate clocks and party hats.
The materials we were given:
And what I designed with the help of this printer:
This printer (the PIXMA MX897) prints beautiful photographs – I love the vivid color! And since the workshop is all about creativity, I cut some strips of blue paper and made a ‘basket weave’ design for my photoframe and also added the words “Creatiivity In Bloom” using the letters I cut out from the *ahem* instruction ‘manual’ we were given.
Since my Epson printer at home has unfortunately died on me, I am considering getting a Canon printer. The newest printers have many functions* but the one I adore most has to be the software called ‘My Image Garden’. It helps categorize and organize photos (great for locating that graduation album!), help you locate all the photos with a particular person (e.g. all photos with Grace in them! ) and it also provides templates for all sorts of crafts you can design with photos of the people you love (think scrapbooking, calendars, etc). I bet you’ll love the Fun Filter Effects and Full HD Movie Print too!
Here’s a quick video that demonstrates what My Image Garden is all about:
And here’s one craft project I undertook with the aim of being creative this festive season…
Because the fiance has two baby showers to attend, I helped wrap the presents he’d bought. I made full use of the wrapping papers and let little of it go to waste. With the excess paper, I made gift tags, ribbons, paper stars and flower stick-ons. Waste not, want not. A little creativity goes a longggg way. ;D
You can unleash your creativity this festive season too! As the folks at Canon would say, “BE FESTIVE, BE CREATIVE!!!”
Have a Merry Christmas!!!
*For those who love paper crafts like origami or 3D paper sculptures, find out about Creative Park at www.canon.com/c-park
I went for a weekend staycation last week and brought the JE10 with me. I’d won the Oasia Hotel stay from this lucky draw and thought it’d be nice to celebrate the fiancé’s birthday at the same time. He brought me to Batam for my birthday so I thought I’ll bring him on a ‘holiday’ on his birthday too!
I wasn’t sure of what the JE10 was capable of so I brought my DSLR too, just in case. [What? I'm a typical kiasu Singaporean - I'll be the first to admit it]
In this blogpost, like in the first one, I’ll show you the (unedited) photos I took using the JE10. And you can decide if this lil package (which retails at $299) is one you’ll want to invest in.
The obligatory picture of the welcome drinks.
The Club Lounge. It ROCKS. Free drinks, free food, free newspapers.
I wore the red top the good people at Flaunt gave me. I’ve decided I really like the color red, after pink, of course.
I’ve never bought clothing from blogshops before ‘cos I worry (overly) about buying clothes in the wrong size or worse still, unflattering cuts. But the 2 tops I’ve received from Flaunt so far have impressed me with their quality though the first one came in the wrong size. XD
Anyway, this camera is fairly decent for taking photographs of oneself, a.k.a. narcissistic camwhoring, as you can probably tell. Muahaha.
Imagine… eating breakfast HERE while enjoying the view and the breeze. One word: Shiok!
When we were shown to our Club Room, we got a shock, or three! I’d mentioned to the staff when making the booking that it was going to be the fiancé’s birthday and I’d thought they’d give him a slice of cake and that would be it. And boy, was I wrong. We received 3 surprises.
Surprise #1:
My eyeballs nearly left their sockets when I saw the bed. Rose petals! And towel swans! Plus a card too! I think he was shocked too, and to my amusement, kept chanting “Swan Lake! Swan Lake!” I don’t know why so don’t ask.
I was happily snapping pictures of the bed when the doorbell rang. And slightly peeved, I flung open the door to see 4 of the Oasia Hotel staff standing outside and the first person was carrying a platter with a slice of cake and a candle on it. Aww…
Then all 4 marched right in and sang the ‘Happy Birthday’ song. Why are they so sweet?!
Surprise #2:
When the staff left, we checked out the room, and found the mini-bar and coffee maker behind the wooden paneling. He was very happy to note that all the drinks in the mini-bar are complimentary. XD
The Bathroom:
If you watch the anime ‘Naruto’ like I do, you’ll understand that I’m doing the ‘Rasengan’ here:
He’s checking if I’ve washed my hair that morning. Muahaha. Just kidding. But I promise it’s the only (vaguely) lovey-dovey picture in this blogpost. Anyway, we’re wearing couple tees we bought after our crazily tiring Mount Kinabalu climb together.
Though I still insist that the camera jacket is capable of chipping nails because the screw at the bottom isn’t too fingernail-friendly, I have to admit that with this sling, it makes photo-taking that much more convenient. Such as when you’re in a toy store, want to toy around with the masks and snap a picture quickly without getting caught:
And over lunch, I realized that the JE10 can take some pretty good food pictures as well. You just need to get the lighting correct and the right angle.
Here’s his take (bear in mind he’s not a photographer nor a blogger)
And here’s mine:
With the exception of the feet in the background, I’d say this is an ‘ok’ picture for a blog. Mine, anyway. LOL!
We’d love to share but for now, you’ll just have to watch us eat. XD
After some window-shopping at the malls in Novena, we headed back to the hotel for a swim! We had barely gotten our toes wet when it started to rain HEAVILY!
The pink beach towel and bag were given to me by Elaine from Suma Beach Lifestyle. The towel is so pretty and very plush! Want to win a blue and pink pair of these S$50 towels? Click here to find out how.
From 6pm to 8pm, the hotel also provided Club Room guests with complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres. Here’s what I got…
The mini beef burger and the ‘XO Scallop Vol au Vent’ (whatever it means) were the yummiest of the lot.
And not content with the interrupted swim, we headed for the heated jacuzzi after the light snack. It was a cool experience sitting in the jacuzzi while the lightning lit up the sky and the cold winds stung our faces. LOL
He said that, of all the facilities in the hotel, he loved the jacuzzi the most.
We also hit the gym late at night. We were the only gymrats till an angmoh decided to join us. I love how the equipment is all so new and easy to use, as compared to the ones in the gym I usually go to.
The gym is painfully small though it has all the basics:
The pictures didn’t turn out too well here. Perhaps I was drunk. XD
Breakfast on Sunday morning was a cheery affair. What they lacked in terms of quantity, they made up for with quality.
And finally, here’s birthday surprise #3, which they gave to us when we were checking out after breakfast…
It’s a framed photograph of us with surprise #1 and #2!
The staff at Oasia Hotel have really pulled out all the stops to make this birthday a special one. And I believe each guest is treated the exact same way – I saw them preparing another slice of cake as I was leaving the hotel. I suppose the ‘choir’ will be going to surprise another delighted guest. I totally enjoyed the staycation and, forget Batam, I think I’ll celebrate my birthday in Singapore next year!
And yes, the Casio Exilim JE10 definitely deserves to come along for the next getaway, whether local or overseas. It’s small, affordable and once you get used to the various functions, it does take pretty good pictures.
Having conquered my fear of water by going on a sponsored discovery scuba dive trip previously, this month I set out to conquer my fear of heights on this media trip with Amazing Borneo Tours to scale Mount Kinabalu, which stands at a spectacular 4095.2m!
Here we are at the summit:
Another blogger, Yong Wei, had earlier blogged about his Mount Kinabalu experience and I thought that if he (“with a BMI index of 46.1″) managed to climb up Mount Kinabalu, I have hope. Now, having scaled the mountain myself, I am full of respect for this guy.
I love his tee and sense of humor too!
I’ve put together a short video clip about the 5 *special* things I brought with me for the climb to help reduce pain, prevent vomiting, and keep me warm and toasty… Click the picture below to be directed to the video and find out what they are:
This certificate is given to those who manage to reach the summit! And Amazing Borneo will even provide a folder for it – they are so thoughtful!
About the Flight: The boyfriend and I booked our AirAsia flight about a month before the trip and the fare (with taxes) came up to S$213 per person. It was a rather last-minute trip for us so do book early as fares increase substantially the closer it is to your travel date. Flight time is approximately 2.5hours from Singapore to Kota Kinabalu International Airport. Pre-book your meal for the flight and enjoy massive savings.
Hotels in Kota Kinabalu we stayed in: Hyatt 5*star and The Palace Hotel 3* (or some say 4*) star
For a difference of about RM100, you can choose a room with sea view versus one with a city view. Want to see what you’re paying the extra RM100 for?
Here’s the city view (RM450*) which can be summed up in one word: Depressing. (And this is from the 11th floor)
Here’s the sea view (RM550*) from the 9th floor (much prettier in the daytime)
*Room rates are subject to fluctuations.
Because we’d extended our stay, we moved over to The Palace Hotel, situated near the Karamunsing shopping complex. Standard Room rates start at about RM121, which meant there’s MORE MONEY FOR SHOPPING! The hotel also provides free shuttle services to all major shopping complexes so we felt it was a great deal!
Touchdown in Kota Kinabalu on 4 Sept, 2012 at about 8pm: We were welcomed by the friendly Evan from Amazing Borneo Tours, who’d also accompany us for the rest of the trip – you’ll see a picture of him soon.
I like how the vehicle’s always clean! And it looks so welcoming!
The journey to the Kinabalu Park HQ took a good 2 hours. A quick shot of the bunk beds and I was ready to turn in for the night…
The other blogger, Christine, and her dad had chosen to sleep in the other room which had twin beds. I’ve never really liked bunk beds ‘cos I have this irrational fear of rolling off the bed (if I’m sleeping on top) and being squashed to death by the top bunk collapsing if I’m sleeping below. Ridiculous but unfortunately, true! XD Thankfully, the place is usually quiet as long as your other lodge-mates aren’t noisy.
Still, I’m thankful Amazing Borneo arranged for us to stay in these rooms at Peak Lodge. I was told it’s a little more cramped in the dormitories and not as comfortable. So if you’re planning to climb Mount Kinabalu, speak to Amazing Borneo – they’ll take good care of you!
More pictures in the morning when it was bright and beautiful:
(Below) Hard to tell which country this photo was taken in, right?
An unglam morning stretch!
Chatted with Evan (there he is) while waiting for Christine and her dad to get ready:
This guy has some serious muscles!
We set off for breakfast first at Balsam Buffet Restaurant, collected our packed lunch and dropped off excess luggage at Kinabalu Park HQ at RM10 per piece (one small bag attached to one big luggage is still considered one piece)
(Clockwise from top: Sign outside Balsam Buffet Restaurant, my carb-filled breakfast, packed lunch with an apple, 2 bananas, 2 hard-boiled eggs, sandwiches and bottled water, pretty plants outside)
After breakfast, it was time to begin the climb starting from Timpohon Gate (Take the Timpohon route if you’re a mountain-climbing newbie. The other Mesilau route is 2km longer). We had to ensure we had our ID tags on at all times. Climbing Mount Kinabalu requires a permit and apparently, only about 114 of them are issued per day to protect the environment and ensure the whole place isn’t overrun by tourists. Besides your permit, it is absolutely essential to ensure you have a bed/room reserved for you at the Kinabalu Park HQ and at the Laban Rata Resthouse (about two-thirds of the way up to the summit) – don’t climb up all the way only to find that there’s no room for you!
Off we go now…
Evan and Freendy (Amazing Borneo’s in-house mountain guide) lead the way…
I’d initially wondered why they brought such big umbrellas with them. Wouldn’t a poncho or foldable umbrella be less bulky?
As it turned out, the umbrellas double up as walking sticks and are very useful for keeping them sheltered from the rain and sun!
Rent Walking Sticks! – I also didn’t rent the walking sticks (at RM10 each) as I’d thought they were only for old folks. I later realized those walking sticks are SO helpful when negotiating difficult stretches of rock, especially on the way down. They really take the pressure off your knees and minimize pain! Definitely get two before you climb!
Only borrowed a walking stick from our mountain guide, Freendy, on the way down ‘cos my legs were turning to jelly. He was too kind, really! Awesome guide!
Not pleased that I have to rely on walking sticks for the first time in my life! LOL!
Deceptively easy steps (leading DOWN) at the start. Don’t be fooled. The path will only get tougher and tougher all the way to the summit – you’ll start the ascent very soon.
To mislead you further, a signboard proudly states that international runners have made it up AND DOWN the mountain in 2 hours, 37 minutes. For mere mortals like me, 2 hours won’t even get us one-third of the way UP the mountain.
Starting off from Timpohon Gate (with an altitude of 1,866m), we make our way up towards Laban Rata Resthouse (at 3,272m). There are 7 sheltered rest-stops along the way, every 1km or so.
(Clockwise from top: Layang Layang sheltered hut at 2,702m, distance markers along the way – every 0.5km, untreated water provided at every rest-stop, 2 toilet cubicles and a washbasin at every rest-stop)
Bring toilet tissue! The toilets are generally clean though the floor can get wet from muddy shoes when it rains. The cubicle at the back of the rest-stop is usually cleaner than the one out in front. Tissues are not provided. And you may drink the water from the taps at your own risk – bring water purification tablets or carry bottles of water with you.
Along the way, porters will never cease to amaze you with the speed they climb the mountain while carrying heavy loads on their backs – do step aside to let them go past you unless you are climbing faster than they are.
Also look out for:
(1) Mr Treehugger
(2) SQUIRRELS! At every rest-stop, you’ll see some of them. Let’s play Spot-the-Squirrel:
Spotted it?
There are all sorts of flora and fauna along the way so keep your eyes open. I was content to stare and not photograph so if you’d like, you can Google for some pictures from the web. You can keep your eyes peeled for pitcher plants like this one – photo from Tripadvisor.com:
How fit are you? I’d thought I was pretty fit (I go to the gym two to three times a week, run 2.4km often and am only just turning 26 this year). I set off confidently but by the time we had gone past the 1km mark, I was beginning to tire very quickly. Eventually, the boyfriend had to carry my backpack for me another 500m or so. He looked pretty ridiculous with one backpack on his back and another strapped in front, but he’s my hero – without him, I may have lost the will to climb the mountain. Once I’d learnt to pace myself, then all was fine.
Pacing – It was disconcerting to see Christine’s dad climb as if it took no effort at all. He was constantly at the head of the group (sometimes he went so fast, we lost sight of him). But this climb is not about competing with others, only with yourself. You’ll have to listen to your body, stop or slow down when you have trouble breathing or, in my case, my heart was pounding real fast. When altitude sickness hits, it can hit hard. When we got to Laban Rata, Christine’s dad was feeling really unwell, took some medication and knocked out like a light. My boyfriend also came down with a slight fever but thankfully, we had brought enough medication and he recovered before the climb to the summit. Do bring some medication, just in case.
Keep yawning! Evan taught us that we should induce yawning during the climb. Yawning allows your lungs to take in more air and thus you can get the oxygen you need. The air gets thinner and thinner the higher you climb, so KEEP ON YAWNING!
After climbing for HOURS, you’ll start to think the Laban Rata Resthouse HAS GOT TO BE just around the corner. And you take that corner and…
See more stairs!
I was so horrified, my hair turned a different color. LOL!!
With the benefit of hindsight, I’d say the climb up the mountain was tough because we had to acclimatize. The climb down posed no such problem, but there were other difficulties, which I’ll share with you in a bit. Keep reading…
And when we FINALLY got to Laban Rata Resthouse, I just wanted to forget I’m a blogger, give up snapping pictures forever, gulp down a mug of hot chocolate and die content.
What actually happened: I bought a can of Coca-cola (which cost something like RM10) and tried to take a shower -> Bad move. The water was FREEZING COLD. There is NO electricity for shower heaters so use a damp towel to clean yourself up (like I did), stand under the cold shower or give up any ideas of bathing altogether.
We smell “great” here…
We had a super-early buffet dinner around 4.30pm and went off to bed immediately after, to TRY and get some sleep before the 2am climb to the summit.
This time, all 4 of us slept in the same room, with bunk beds.
Bring earplugs! It is near impossible to sleep while people are still walking around along the corridor (the creaking of wooden planks will keep you awake, on top of the chatter). Only after 12midnight was it relatively quieter but that will give you little rest before your 2am climb, right? Earplugs are one essential travel item I neglected to bring this time.
Have a late supper/early breakfast before the climb – but don’t eat too much or I guarantee you’ll feel even more sleepy! Here I am, with the best smile I can muster before a 2am climb… Boohoo:
Headtorch is a must! At 2am, you can hardly see anything and there definitely is no well-lit pathway for you to take. Get a headtorch – ours cost S$5 from the Army Market at Beach Road. I also got my beanie hat and gloves there. For gloves, choose those with a good grip (there will be rope-climbing and you don’t want rope burns!) and which are waterproof (‘cos it could very well rain) and will keep your hands warm.
From Christine’s camera: A photo before we set off…
When climbing up to the summit, it’s pretty straightforward, just follow the person in front of you. It was so dark that my fear of heights never did kick in – I did not know it when I was trying to cross a teeny-weeny ledge with room for only one foot at a time, that said ledge was the only thing stopping me from a heart-stopping plunge to the foot of the mountain.
At one point, I did a ‘Cinderella’ and lost one shoe! It got stuck between some gap in the stones and came off my foot. Thankfully, the guy behind me helped me retrieve it. XD
Following my shoe’s bad example, the boyfriend’s 1.5 litre bottle of water then fell out of the backpack’s side pocket and rolled to a point precariously near the edge of the ‘cliff’. Luckily, our mountain guide, Freendy, came to our rescue or we would have had to abandon a precious bottle of water!!!
After a long 4.5 hours, we did make it to the summit. We caught the sunrise on the way up, in a leisurely fashion. We didn’t want to scramble in a mad rush to the top to catch the sunrise only to be out of breath for the climb back down. Still, we made it!
More pictures!!!
After climbing this mountain numerous times, you can be fearless too like these mountain guides!
Having reached the summit, we headed back to Laban Rata for a late breakfast (which was lunch for me and the boyfriend. Christine and her dad had gone off down the mountain before us).
If you think climbing up a mountain is tough, climbing down is worse! Some rocks were SO HUGE that I couldn’t walk down the way I go down a staircase. I actually sat down on the rock closest to me, dangled my legs over it to reach the rock below then slid off the top one. It looks real silly but it’s a very safe way of negotiating the more difficult stretches of rock.
If your legs have abandoned you, you can hire a porter to carry you down the mountain. It costs something like RM300 per km. Of course, you can have them carry your bags for you too, at a lower cost.
The way down really tested our mettle and determination. You just have to grit your teeth and get through it. The rain was unrelenting at times (thank God for my waterproof jacket!), the pathways muddy and slippery, and the guide’s gentle reminder that it’d be best to reach Timpohon Gate before the sky got dark (Daylight lasts only till around 5pm or so. Then it starts to get dark VERY QUICKLY!).
At times, I wanted to just sit on the ground and weep my eyes out for my clothes were wet, it was cold, I was feeling tired, and my legs wanted to buckle under me. But the sight of my boyfriend trudging on ahead of me was all the motivation I needed. I willed myself to follow him and answer with a cheery “Yes, I’m ok!” each time he turned around to see if I was experiencing any difficulty. The thought of this still brings tears to my eyes. (>_<) It was very encouraging when I’m trying to get down a steep rock-face and negotiate yet more rocks, and he’ll shout out “EASY!” from ahead of me to tell me that the pathway ahead (however short it may be) was easier to navigate.
When we were about 2km away from Timpohon, the boyfriend suddenly became very exhausted and had a “stony” look which worried me. So I took the lead and I told him to just follow behind me as if on autopilot mode. Eventually, he managed to take the lead again and we reached Timpohon Gate (we were the 2nd last group to reach but I didn’t care). I was happy enough to want to kiss the ground and lie there forever. The last part had been especially tough as the sun had set and we needed the light from our mountain guide’s headtorch to illuminate the way.
When Christine saw us, she commented that we must have seen “both the sunrise and the sunset”. I wish we had such good luck. How was one to witness a sunset in a rainforest? You can feel the raindrops and see the many trees but you’re not gonna view a splendid sunset, ok? The good news: unless there’s bad weather, you’ll definitely see the sunrise!
Both the boyfriend and I had decided quite quickly that we didn’t want to rush through the climb – it was ‘safety first’ for us. Christine and her dad reached Timpohon Gate way ahead of us but she injured a toe along the way (I think the toenail threatened to eject itself) and her dad had to carry her backpack for 4km or so and told us he nearly fell down – what a tragedy it would have been if he fell carrying two backpacks! A week before, a boy had fallen while coming down the mountain, broke his head, had to be airlifted out and received multiple stitches. So, safety first, guys! Unless you want to be carried down the mountain in a stretcher. If you are willing to take it slow, pace yourself and not do crazy things (like the Gangnam Style dance) while coming down the mountain, I can guarantee you’ll be fine. Enjoy the climb and the company. There is nothing quite like him holding my hand in his, and our eyes on the summit, putting one foot in front of the other to get up there.
For an easier descent - Ensure you have trimmed your toenails! Tie your shoelaces real tight so your feet won’t slip all the way to the front of your shoes!
After the descent, we were whisked off to Hyatt Regency Hotel – it was like reaching Nirvana.
Definitely book a nice hotel for a rest immediately after your climb – it’ll be worth every penny. A big hug for the understanding peeps at Amazing Borneo!
What to do in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah:
1) White Water Rafting
We attempted White Water Rafting down the Kiulu River (9km) – it was a lot of fun though our legs were still very sore from the climb.
(Below) A group photo taken using Christine’s camera. There were two ladies who joined our group for the rafting. The mother and daughter pair spoke with Christine and told her they are from Rome. Christine immediately thought they are Romanians, and made them laugh as they told her that no, they are Romans and that Romania is another country altogether. This babe is hilarious.
(Christine raising her arm out in the front of the raft with her dad, Derek and me in the middle, and the Romans behind. Our river guide was a humorous chap, whose name I cannot recall, maybe ‘cos his jokes kept us in stitches throughout)
The river was generally calm, with rapids in some parts that gave us a bit of an adrenaline rush but we fared well and our raft did not capsize (can’t say the same for one other group we passed along the way though).
Halfway through, we got off the raft and fed the fish – they were toothless and made cute sucking motions to get the pellets we held out in the water with clenched fists.
After the rafting, we had our shower and lunch before setting off to Mari Mari Cultural Village.
2) Mari Mari Cultural Village
We got to see the different homes of the various ethnic groups in Sabah and experience each tribe’s rich culture. The highlights are the blowpipe activity, fire-starting-using-bamboo demonstration, and the jumping for a prize on a built-in Lansaran (a traditional, trampoline-like floor). We also got high on the Montoku (rice wine). Hehe!
Use the blowpipe to fire a dart at the coconut! I didn’t want to taste anyone else’s saliva so I had the boyfriend represent me. Muahaha!
We pretend to be tribal folk and my boyfriend ends up looking like a handsome peasant!
Tried Bamboo Cooking too. Actually, we chose the ingredients and someone cooked it for us over a flame. (It was raining again, so I was wearing my poncho)
In a dimly-lit hut, half-naked men demonstrate how to start a fire using bamboo. Doesn’t it feel hot in here already? XD
*applause please*
And here’s the most handsome guy we met:
The triangular-shaped Kuih Jala is a tasty snack!
Our “marriage ceremony”. This picture shows how tanned we got from the climb as well as the rafting!
The Murut (a ferocious, headhunting tribe) scared the bejesus out of us when they jumped out from behind the bushes, howling. Here, you see the “welcoming” ceremony, which actually looks more like a confrontation:
Apparently, in the face of ‘danger’, you have to stay calm and SMILE or the tribesmen of the past would take you to be the enemy if you display any fear. And your head may no longer be above your shoulders.
Then there was a cultural dance performance which we enjoyed. And we got ourselves ‘inked’ thereafter with a henna tattoo:
3) Snorkeling and Seawalking (Pulau Sapi) We were told Sapi Island literally means cow island but there are no cows to be seen on this island! Suits us fine as all we wanted was the sun, sand and sea!
LOTS of fish – can you spot them?
Snorkeling was good. And Seawalking was better! Here I am seawalking, with some hand signals you’ll need to know…
Seawalking ranks as one of the most enjoyable water activities because irregardless of age or ability to swim, you can come up close to LOTS of fish and walk on the seabed at a depth of 4m! We even got to TOUCH sea anemone and NEMO!!! It’s quite unbelievable. One of the instructors brought some sea anemone to us, together with two clownfish – and we reached out and TOUCHED the anemone and the fish!!! It’s TOO COOL!
I’d love to show you the video of me seawalking but I’m having trouble uploading it, so here’s one from Youtube:
4) Gaya Sunday Market
From t-shirts, pets to souvenirs, Gaya Market has them all.
5) KTV @ Suria Sabah!!! For just RM51, you can sing your lungs out from 1pm to 8pm. We were exhausted by 6pm and left for dinner. LOL!
6) SHOPPING!
I’m always happy when we’re going out to hit the malls!
Near Hyatt Hotel, there’s Wisma Merdeka and Suria Sabah, with Centre Point a little further away. I liked Suria Sabah best, followed by Centre Point, then Wisma Merdeka.
7) Food – In the malls
Secret Recipe‘s award-winning tomyam seafood noodles are the BEST! The broth is so flavorful that I had to order this dish two days in a row – and slurp up every last drop!
The cakes are also to-die-for!
We also visited Fullhouse Cafe in Suria Sabah!
The Chicken Rice Shop is another good place for food. Their lunch promotions are good value for money.
8) Sin Kee Bah Kut Teh (Bah Kut Teh RM11, Veggies RM6, Rice RM1.50) Recommended by Evan.
Good enough for me to want to bring some back to SG!
9) Massage – Feel Good Reflexology Centre on level 2 of Karamunsing – RM30 for a 60-minute foot massage!
The massage really helped us to recover from the stress of the climb. If you don’t go for a massage, you’ll be hobbling around for days after descending from the mountain!
10) Movie at Centre Point – total Rm12 for 2!
The boyfriend said ‘Chernobyl Diaries’ is good but I found the movie frightful – don’t expect a happy ending to the movie. (>_<) Still, the tickets are so inexpensive! Just one single movie ticket in SG costs more than TWO movie tickets in KK!
11) Seafood Dinner near Rafflesia Hotel [Sedco Complex] – a sheltered compound with about 4 restaurants serving similar fare. Pick whichever you think is more popular?
Choose from the ‘live’ seafood on display:
We ordered crab, stir-fried vegetables, stingray and fried oyster omelette.
The food was pretty decent and came up to RM92 (S$36.80).
12) Outdoor Seafood place near Hyatt Hotel and facing the sea – there were so many stalls that we just picked one at random. No live seafood but the taste is still great!
We ordered crab, cockles, fish and veg. Sambal and spicy anything is good here. I think we paid about RM40 for the meal.
(*) If, like us, you choose to stay at The Palace Hotel, their lunch menu is worth a try too.
I had yummy sambal seabass I couldn’t get enough of:
Kota Kinabalu really is a beautiful place. I enjoyed the 8 days spent climbing Mount Kinabalu and exploring Kota Kinabalu. You should visit Sabah too! Contact the reliable Amazing Borneo Tours for an unforgettable experience.
A final picture of a splendid sunset:
Additional Resources:
1) Mount Kinabalu Trail Map
2) Taxi Fares in Sabah
3) Packing List (For the mountain climb):
Waterproof backpack with the stuff inside in ziplock bags
• Trekking or running shoes with good grip
• Warm clothing/Long sleeved shirt/Hiking pants
• Jacket/Wind breaker
• Extra clothing and socks
• Small towel
• Gloves and winter hat
• Disposable raincoats
• Head torch (remember to bring the batteries!)
• Personal toiletries
• Refillable water bottle (0.5 – 1 Litre)
• High energy food such as chocolates, nuts, biscuits, sweets, energy bars
Other Essentials:
Medication such as Panadol or altitude sickness tablets(this requires a doctor’s prescription. You won’t be able to get altitude sickness tablets in pharmacies like Guardian or in Watsons)
• Tissue paper / Toilet roll & Wet Tissues
• Sun block lotion, lip gloss, plasters
• Insect repellent / Mosquito Oil (There aren’t many insects which bothered us. No leeches, thank God!)
• Camera with water proof bag
• Sandals / Slippers
• Plastic bags
From the video I recorded, you’ll also realize I recommend bringing knee guards, ankle supports, white papaya strips (or anything sour you like), a packet of milo and heat packs.
I would recommend that your backpack doesn’t exceed 10% of your body weight. So, if your weight is 50kg, your bag should not be heavier than 5kg. Travel light, pack smart (e.g. 2 people can share 1 tube of toothpaste, etc) and you’ll thank yourself for it! Happy climbing!
I attended Far East Hospitality’s Media Party yesterday evening and won a one-night stay at Oasia Hotel from the Lucky Draw! Lady Luck must be smiling on me!
Tripadvisor’s Ollie the Owl and I react to the news of my win!
The One-Night Weekend Club Room stay for 2 is inclusive of Club benefits such as Complimentary All Day refreshments and evening cocktail with Hors d’oeuvres! *Yay*
And guess what, you can share in the joy too!
As Far East Hospitality is celebrating the launch of their new StayFarEast.com website, they are offering 40 per cent off the Best Available Rates with a minimum stay of two nights’ from 1 September 2012 to 3 March 2013! Booking must be done between now and 3 September 2012! Need I say more? Book now!
Because Far East Hospitality has partnered with TripAdvisor (thus explaining the owl’s presence), real-time guest reviews can be viewed on the StayFarEast website! How cool is that?!
So besides the Lucky Draw, what else happened at the Media Party?
Twelve bloggers were invited via Omy.sg. We thought it was a bloggers’ event and did not expect to see our counterparts from the mainstream media but they were definitely invited! XD We were told that the dress code is “Smart Casual” so no tees, shorts and slippers… but the other invited guests looked like they’d just stepped out of a boardroom meeting! LOL!
Nonetheless, we enjoyed the pre-speech cocktails and drinks, plus the many photo opportunities. Haha!
There was so much food to choose from! My only grouse was that there were no tables for us to sit around so we literally chose a spot, stood there and ate while on our feet. After wearing 4-inch heels all day, it can be tiring. (@_@)
After dinner, us bloggers got a tour around Oasia Hotel to check out the facilities and rooms:
* Melvin gamely poses in the steam room. Kudos to him for being so sporting! He’s making that facial expression ‘cos it’s really warm inside! LOL! *
* The Cosy Two Bedder – LOVE the amount of space *
* Instead of showing you the bathroom which has a shower head AND a rainshower, I thought you’d prefer to see two pretty bloggers instead! Hahaha! *
* Interesting Concept: From the bedroom, you can see who’s in the bathroom. Apparently, some people even prefer transparent glass but that would be just plain uncomfortable for me! *
* Tip: Corner Rooms are usually BIGGER. So, for the same price, why not request for a Corner Room? *
* The luxurious suite … *
Then we had Dessert! And OMG, it was a yummy spread, consisting of Cold Stone Creamery ice-cream and a selection of yummy bites like the Lemon Meringue Tart:
* Happy Bloggers *
* One of the two pools *
* I wanna stay at Oasia Hotel! *
* And I will! Melvin won himself a stay at Orchard Parade Hotel. Wheee *
Plus, we also got a goodie bag each, which contained the press release and these two oh-so-useful gifts!
Also, we got some awesome Photocards. This Media Party really exceeded expectations!
This trip to Hong Kong for the Doraemon Exhibition is indeed a dream come true. On top of a relaxing stay at the Marco Polo Gateway Hotel which is linked to Harbour City, us bloggers got to check out what the mega-mall has to offer in terms of shopping and dining options!
Before Marco Polo Gateway Hotel, I’ve yet to stay in such spacious accommodation in a Hong Kong hotel! I loved the huge bathrooms and sleeping on a big bed with 4 pillows all to myself (4 pillows!!!). Talk about sweet dreams! And waking up to an international buffet breakfast spread was just icing on the cake!
As you can see above, I had no complaints whatsoever about the food available. In fact, I looked forward to the yummy omelettes every morning! At the omelette station, you can choose the ingredients you want to include in your omelette and the chef will cook it for you. I define pure bliss as biting into an omelette with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and salmon (YES, SALMON!), with some cheese in-between too! YUMMY! There’s also capsicum, bacon, ham, etc which you can choose to add into your omelette.
And the staff, especially Ms Katie in my picture, were professional and also friendly. Katie actually brought over a map of Hong Kong for us when we asked her for recommendations about places we should visit. She really went the extra mile in service (all she had to do, really, was serve us tea/coffee and remove the used plates) and I hope her boss reads this!
The fact that our hotel was linked to Harbour City meant also that we could shop till the stores closed, and just lug our purchases back to the hotel lobby. How convenient!
The mall is so big that I won’t be able to introduce all the stores to you but here are some that we went into on the first day:
Faces for cosmetics & PageOne for stationery and gifts!
And where food is concerned, Harbour City definitely delights!
I loved that they have Agnès B Cafes! I thought these could only be found in Taiwan! Their cakes are pure delish! And so pretty too, don’t you think?
The amazing part about this mega-mall is that there are not only many directories available, plus information counters, but also special stations where you can touch the screen to speak with their service staff who will show you, on the screen, where your current location is and how to get to the place you want to go to. Where the use of technology is concerned, our local malls pale in comparison with Harbour City.
And some other fun things we did:
At night, you can also board a ferry nearby- I guarantee you’ll love the ride:
Right now, I’m sure you want to head over to Hong Kong for the fantastic Doraemon Exhibition and to check out the mega-mall that is Harbour City. You deserve the vacation! Besides, getting there, as they say, is a piece of cake!
To find out more about the Exhibition and Harbour City:
Doraemon is a robot cat from the future and his actual date of birth is 3rd Sept, 2112 – this year is the start of the 100 year countdown to his birthday!
From 14 Aug to 16 Sept 2012, Harbour City (Hong Kong) will be hosting the “100 Years Before the Birth of Doraemon” Exhibition.
Charmaine and I got to visit the Bo-logne Cafe, the Gallery and the Exhibition – all of which blew us away.
Join us and step in through the famous “Anywhere Door”…
Right into the transformed BO-LO’GNE Cafe…
Fill your tummy with food then check out the Gallery by the Harbour where you can ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ over various gadgets, and take many pictures!
Before you view the Exhibition, take in a deep breath of air first. Because the arresting sight will take your breath away!
100 Doraemon figures are available for your photography and viewing pleasure!
And here’s the crowd streaming in for the opening ceremony on 14 Aug, 2012:
I’m so glad we got a media preview first!
And here I am with my Doraemon bag. A couple actually stopped me in Zara to ask me where I’d bought my bag from. When I said “Singapore”, they looked disappointed. Seems the people in Hong Kong really love Doraemon A LOT!
And at the opening ceremony…
A photo with the pretty ladies:
The party continues all the way till nighttime! Can you believe it?!
Ask me where I’ll go if I have the Anywhere Door before me!
The exhibition again, of course!
Hurry and book your tickets to Hong Kong now! The Doraemon figures won’t be here forever. You can catch them from now till 16th September only! And no, they are not for sale. I asked!
One of the 3 outlets even has a takeaway counter outside the restaurant so those who don’t want to wait or dine-in can grab a bento or some sushi to take away! 
