Visiting Penang With A Toddler – Day 1: Penang Botanic Gardens, Gurney Plaza, The Top

Our 2024 trip to Penang sounds like a 4D3N holiday but in reality, on the first day, we arrived at our hotel in the evening, and the final day just saw us heading to the airport for our afternoon flight back to SG. So we basically had only 2 full days to explore Penang as best we could with a little one. XD So… first stop on “full day #1” was JOJA Bagels, which is also really close to Very Hotel. Since the hotel doesn’t provide breakfast, we made our own plans. Unfortunately, Melody wakes up very early every morning so we had to wait when we got to JOJA Bagels as they open only at 830am. HOWEVER, staff saw us standing outside and invited us to go in and grab a seat first! WOW. Thanks, guys!

Freshly prepared, the bagels were such a treat! A really good start to the day. As for drinks, he had Mocha while I ordered the Ice Shaken Lemonade.

They have baby chairs here too, so you can definitely bring your little ones here. AND the toilets are super clean.

After breakfast, we booked a Grab ride to the Penang Botanic Gardens. The lady driving us there was a local but had never been to their Botanic Gardens before. XD Similarly, we found out that Very Hotel staff didn’t know about Seafood Choo (just round the corner) and had never been to the Wonderfood Museum. Certainly makes one wonder why they’d not visit places that are pretty accessible.

I LOVE Melody’s expression. Hahaha! It was a hot day and she was due for a nap so photo-taking is among the last of her priorities.

I’d done my research *ahahaha* and knew that the chapatti w/sambal sardin at the Waterfall Cafe in front of the Botanic Gardens is worth a try. So my darling had that (requested for 1pc of chapatti instead of the usual 2) while I sipped on Lipton’s ice lemon tea (from a can) while trying not to melt from the heat. XD

This quick meal cost something like RM9?

We then took yet another Grab ride (yes, we travelled around Penang exclusively via Grab) to Gurney Plaza – KOI bubble tea (!!!), food and a spot of shopping. Then we hopped into another car and went to The Top.

At The Top, we visited the Penang Boutique Aquarium… which was much bigger than the term “boutique” suggests. I definitely recommend bringing kids (of any age) here. We got tickets via Klook, got them printed out at the ticketing booth one level up, then came back down, got them scanned at the entrance and had a lot of fun.

We also went to the Jungle Gym… where I really felt like I got a good workout (as the word “Gym” suggests). OMG. It’s built, obviously, for kids so when I have to accompany my kiddo, I’d often have to bend, crouch, squat, and eventually collapse in a heap at the ball pit right below. XD I was so tired, I didn’t take any photos. But I can tell you the ball pit’s pretty cool – there’s one of those interactive screens whereby you can throw balls at sea creatures and all and earn points. And they even have some kind of contraption whereby balls placed on top end up levitating. Very cool.

Jungle Gym Fees:

(Weekdays) RM25 Toddlers, RM48 Kids, RM10 Guardians

(Weekends) RM35 Toddlers, RM66 Kids, RM10 Guardians

*RM8.50 socks. Free entry for those below 12mo with a PAYING sibling.

Dinner was at Two Frenchies, a two-minute walk away from Very Hotel, according to Google Maps.

Bless the staff! They’re so astute and seem to be able to predict the future. Level 1 was almost filled with diners, so they asked us to go up to level 2 (and we had the whole floor to ourselves). There’s even a little cosy corner that looks like someone’s living room… and it was here Papa decided to tie Melody’s hair… awww just look at that:

The calm before the storm.

Shortly after the food was served… Melody got a tummyache and needed to poop. Sounds normal except that she was also having constipation, and toddlers straining while trying to poop sound like they’re being skinned alive.

Thankfully, we were on the second floor, and with the restroom door shut, I don’t think people downstairs heard much of it, if they did hear anything at all. So while they feasted on duck confit and sipped on (I’d imagine) good wine, I was helping Melody get her poop poop out. She screamed, strained, wailed….

I think it was at least a good 30 minutes? But felt like an eternity.

We ordered the RM16 Fish Crockets for Melody (so cute! Heart-shaped fish nuggets!), the RM42 Pork Marengo for me (I ate this when it’d gotten cold already so erm… I have to say I don’t remember it fondly?), and hubz had the RM43 Signature Burger. LOVE the fries here!

I didn’t really get to enjoy the food… my darling did though. XD It’s always better to be the father instead of the mother, I tell you. Because the little one always screams for Mama no matter what the issue is. (@_@)

And I thought that was the end of it. Except… the same thing happened during dinnertime the next day. O.M.G.

National Flowers of the World (In My #Migmepedia)

I’ve been having fun on a new social media platform (*new in Singapore, but rather established elsewhere). Head over to Migme and look for me (‘thegracetan’) 😀 I’ve recently been doing a series of posts about the National Flowers of various countries over on Mig and this blogpost is a summary of the posts that I’ve uploaded.

-> Connect with me: http://mig.me/u/thegracetan <-

1) National Flower of Nepal

2) National Flower of Bangladesh

3) National Flower of India

4) National Flower of Pakistan

5) National Flower of Singapore

6) National Flower of Maldives

*repost of National Flower of Nepal*

7) National Flower of Indonesia

8) National Flower of Korea

9) National Flower of Malaysia

10) National Flower of Syria

What To Do In Penang (Georgetown)

It’s my second day in Penang and I already am dreaming of staying put in Georgetown and not returning to Singapore. 😀 If you have been following me on Facebook, you’ll know that I had a blog coaching session here yesterday AND I also found my ‘Blogging For A Living’ books being sold in a Popular bookstore in Penang! 😀

So… this might be my retirement town in future. LOL! And here’s what you should do when you come to Penang, and in particular, Georgetown:

1) Eat a lot of good food

My boyfriend and I have been here for approximately one-and-a-half days and this is not all of what we have eaten, just a portion. 😀 I really do love Penang’s assam laksa, hokkien mee, char kway teow, and basically, all their street food!

And the food here is unbelievably cheaper than in Singapore. Would you say no to a plate of yummy char kway teow that costs less than S$1.70? You just can’t.

2) Snap pictures of (or with) the street art

I definitely have more street art pictures to share with you… in my next blogpost.

The pink sling bag in the first picture is from Maku Store (20% off) at Bugis Junction #03-20. The T-rex tote bag is from Tee Saurus (www.tee-saurus.com) and so is the tee I am wearing! 😀 Shorts and flip flops from Aeropostale.

3) Forget about hotels and stay at Carnarvon House

I fell in love with this place from pictures online. Though the rooms don’t come with attached bathrooms, everything is so clean that I feel right at home here.

The first room we stayed in is called the Carnarvon room, and the second, Kimberley room. There’s cold air-conditioning inside and warm showers outside; I cannot ask for more.

The people who run Carnarvon House are also extremely friendly and very generous with recommendations of what to eat and where to go.

(More pictures in my upcoming blogpost)

4) Visit a wet market and the Clan Jetties

It is quite an experience, I tell you! You don’t usually see an array of fish on display right at your feet, ya? Look out for the bloated brown one in the second picture…

Besides seafood, you’ll find household items, vegetables, fruit, snacks, accessories, etc, all sold in the market! 🙂

I was initially reluctant to head to the Clan Jetties. But Eunice from Carnarvon House had recommended the jetties to us so we walked there from Carnarvon House. Probably a 12 or 15 minute walk. The Chew Jetty is more ‘happening’ than the Tan Jetty. Chew had more stalls selling souvenirs, etc. And I bought some for a giveaway (at the end of this blogpost).

The clan jetties were built by clansmen in the past and traditionally occupied by people of the same surname e.g. Ong Jetty, Lim Jetty, Lee Jetty, etc. You see?! I am destined to stay here at the Tan Jetty. Lol.

5) Buy my book at a Popular bookstore near you 😀

6) Go shopping in the many malls; and share your loot with people at home

We obviously did some serious shopping. And I could continue replying to emails, whatsapp messages and also posting on Facebook while we were out because of the Global Wifi device I got from the Changi Recommends counter (available at all terminals in Changi Airport). Check out http://www.rentglobalwifi.com if you are like me and dislike having to purchase new SIM cards in your destination country and going through all the hassle of switching SIM cards.

With this wifi device, I just switch it on, then connect my handphone via wifi to have internet access. Super convenient. More about this device and current promotions in an upcoming post. It is late and I have to sleep now. 😉

But here’s a giveaway that will start on Tues (27 Jan) at 10am:

Just head to my facebook page (www.facebook.com/thegracetan) when the giveaway begins. 🙂

Value-For-Money Set Lunch and KTV in Johor Bahru

If you visit JB on weekdays and frequent KSL Mall, you might want to pop by Wong Kok Char Chan Teng at L1-99. Located next to Old Town White Coffee and near to Popular bookstore, it offers set lunches from RM9.90 each!

Once seated, you will be given the usual ala carte menus. So ask for the set lunch order sheet (as pictured above). Select your main, choice of soup and a drink. The Borsch soup is the most tasty and I usually go for the iced HK milk tea. You will also get a small plate of fruit (I had two small pieces of honeydew, and three thin slices of sweet watermelon today).

(top: Lemon Grass Pork Chop with Rice for him, bottom: Noodle with Fruit Honey Sauce Chicken for me)

The noodles and chicken were definitely yummier! 😀

Our total bill came up to RM25.10, which is S$9.70. (@_@)

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For KTV, we went to Song City (Level 5) at Plaza Pelangi. We signed up for their lifetime membership at RM38 and paid an additional RM28 for 4 hours of KTV today. Even if I include the membership fee in today’s KTV bill, it is a mere S$25 for 4 hours. The membership allows us an additional hour at each visit, on top of getting a special members-only price.

*We like sussing out the best bargains in JB. If you have a recommendation, please leave me a comment! 🙂

6 Golden Rules For Hiking Safety: Great Shots Should Never End In Tragedy

[This is a guest post by Simon Chan, a travel blogger and one of my blogging workshop participants. All pictures in this blogpost are supplied by Simon]

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Great Shots Should Never End in Tragedy: Safety considerations you need to know when climbing Mount Kinabalu

The hiking community in Singapore and Malaysia were saddened to learn about the hiking tragedy that took place at Mount Kinabalu on Monday (10 Feb 2014). The peak of Borneo is a very popular climb among the hikers in this region and astounding views await those who overcome all 4,095 metres (13,435 ft) to reach the summit.

Victoria Paulsen was doing what most adventurers do at some point in their hikes. She was probably drawn to that special photographic angle that would make her hike something different from everyone else’s. According to news reports, she crossed a safety barrier at the summit of Mount Kinabalu, slipped and fell, and her pursuit of the one unique image ended in unimaginable tragedy.

Paulsen was just 22.

Climbing Mount Kinabalu is not always the easiest of experiences. It is a climb that is popular with locals and tourists alike, but you have to be in better-than-average physical shape to really trek up this mountain properly. You don’t need to have any specialized gear most of the time to reach the summit beyond being appropriately dressed for the weather and having a good pair of hiking boots. It is also good if you know how to use a guide rope to your advantage (nearing the summit).

You should also have some idea about how mountain conditions can change. The best time to climb Mount KK is during March to August while end of the year (November and December) brings heavy rainfall. When the mountain gets wet, the mountain gets slick. Even with anchors in place, a slick mountain is not a hiker’s best friend.

The quest to get a great photograph is not worth the price of a life. In keeping with that thought, we thought we’d provide some tips [or reminders!] of how to take unique, stunning shots without placing your life at risk to get that perfect image.

1) Don’t Ignore Safety Barriers

Safety barriers are put up for a reason. It’s like a warning label: they exist because something happened to someone at some point in time or the potential for harm is very great. Don’t cross a safety barrier because you think nothing will happen! It only takes one moment or one unexpected set of circumstances for everything to go tragically wrong. You can still get a great shot behind a safety barrier!

2) You Can Never Prepare Too Much For a Climb

Mount Kinabalu might not need any specialized climbing equipment to reach the summit, but that doesn’t mean mountain conditions up there won’t change when you are up there exploring. Take a look at the history of the mountain or other region you’re preparing to explore to make sure you know what could happen when you are exposed. Just because something hasn’t happened for a decade doesn’t mean it won’t happen this year when you are out on an adventure!

3) Give Yourself Plenty of Time

Accidents tend to happen when photographers begin rushing around. As soon as you start rushing to get a shot, thoughts of safety become fleeting at best. Climbing Mount KK for the average person should take two days – one to get up the mountain and one day to get down for most people. Plan for an extra day after that so that you can have a buffer of time, instead of being stressed out by thoughts of rushing for that flight home.

For longer trekking adventures, a two day buffer is usually good to have just in case the weather becomes a problem or you just don’t feel good for some reason on one of the days. What’s the worst case scenario? That you get to have another mini-adventure after your planned itinerary is completed!

Check out Grace’s blog post on what else to do in Kota Kinabalu.

It’s true that Mount Kinabalu can be explored in its entirety in just one day, but patience is a virtue especially when you are planning to take amazing shots. Allow for more time to get great shots and they will appear!

4) Remember To Bring Water

It is a hard lesson that is only ignored once. Even if you are taking a tour and the brochure states that they will provide you with water, pack your own too! It’s better to have too much water than not enough.

5) Always Travel With Someone

When it comes to safety, more eyes are always better. Paulsen was reportedly climbing with some friends (and a guide) and that’s a good thing. The type of friend to bring along with you is the friend that will prevent you from making a bad decision in the quest for the perfect shot. They need to be willing to say “Don’t climb over that safety rail!” and work hard to make sure you aren’t your own worst enemy. Yesterday’s events prove, however, that sometimes having a good friend just isn’t good enough.

6) Always Tell Someone Else Where You’re Going… And When You’ll Return

The unexpected can strike at any time. It often happens, in fact, when we least expect something to happen! Some people have climbed Mount Kinabalu dozens of times and know the landscape like the back of their hand. That doesn’t mean a loose rock won’t cause a turned ankle and leave them unable to walk off the mountain!

By telling someone what your itinerary is, you are protecting yourself in case something does happen and you get stranded with no way to communicate. When you don’t report back in, your trusted someone can relay your itinerary to the search authorities and you will have a better chance of being found safe and sound.

Losing someone we love is always difficult. Together let us make sure that we as hikers stay safe as we enjoy our trekking adventures so that tragedies like Victoria Paulsen’s don’t have to be repeated.

Visit Simon’s Blog at TravelledPaths.com and follow his adventures on Facebook too (fb.com/travelledpaths).

Fiance’s Car Broken Into In JB – Is Malaysia Safe For Singaporeans?

I visit Malaysia about once a month with the fiance for groceries, shopping, dining and sometimes even prawning or fishing. We have been across the Causeway multiple times and it was only yesterday that our complacency was exposed and led to a car break-in. We usually go to malls like KSL, Holiday Plaza, Tebrau City etc and nothing untoward has happened before.

Yesterday, the fiance decided to visit other malls and I believe the car was broken into while we were shopping at The Store. He had parked the car at the outdoor carpark – the sun was blisteringly hot and we had thought no one in their right mind would try anything funny in broad daylight and under the hot sun.

We were wrong.

We came back to find the car unlocked. Thankfully the car was still around. And our stuff were largely intact, or so we thought.

Only after getting back home in SG did I realize that a pair of my wedges were missing (I left them in the car and wore slippers because the latter would be more comfortable for shopping) and the thief had stolen my newly bought Hello Kitty tee and handphone accessories! The audacity!

Strangely enough, the fiance’s brand-new Samsung S3 Mini was still in the car, and so was his Braun Buffel bag (transferred from the boot to the backseat, no less!)

This is so mind-boggling and crazy that I have no explanation for this. I swear the thief is trying to mess with our heads. Why take my Hello Kitty tee and shoes instead of the handphone or branded bag??? (@_@)

It’s so difficult to understand that I shall not even try to.

The rest of our groceries and valuables (compact camera, GPS, cashcards, etc) were INTACT. And I guess we were considerably lucky this time, compared to other Singaporeans who have gotten killed, injured, robbed, or had their cars stolen (or windows broken or otherwise).

A quick check online proved that crime in JB has been nothing but frequent.

On mycarforum.com, a commentor wrote that “Car break ins in jb is as common as cars breaking down in sg all along“. Often, there would be “no sign of forced entry”, thus showing how skilled the thieves are.

Another site, virtualtourist.com, offers up even more insights about Malaysia, like policemen who determine how much to fine you for “speeding” (usually a false charge) based on how much is in your wallet (I will carry two wallets if I have to go into JB again! If mugged, I will hand over the wallet with just a little cash too). Usually, one can get away from corrupt police officers by just handing over RM50 to pay the “fine”.

Also, do check out InSing.com’s ’10 high-crime places in Johor to avoid’.

Lessons learnt from this strange incident:

– Don’t leave ANYTHING in the car – we had allowed our purchases to pile up in the back seats and we were simply inviting trouble

– Don’t leave passports or valuables in the car – we didn’t do that but it’s a good reminder

– Leave your laptops at home, not in your car boot

– Don’t leave your MPVs or SUVs unattended

– Taman Sentosa and City Square have been deemed unsafe – perhaps ‘cos Singaporeans love heading to these two places

– Park only in well-lit areas, with patrolling guards and ensure vehicle is securely locked

– Avoid heading into Malaysia unless absolutely necessary

i think that us Singaporeans have gotten too complacent due to the sense of security we get from living in Singapore. So if you are heading into JB, please be reminded not to drive a flashy car or do anything to attract unwanted attention to yourself or your vehicle.

As for me, I’m staying away and mourning the loss of my Hello Kitty tee. 😛 Hopefully, it goes to someone too poor to afford clothes and not end up in a bin or something or I shall be most upset with the thief indeed! 😛