A day out to an island off Pattaya

Back to our family vacation to Thailand last year, after 2 nights at Chiangmai and a not-very-pleasant-and-long-and-boring (sounds like my blog!) night on the return train journey, we got onto a taxi and found ourselves the way to hubs' company's office in Bangkok itself. 

It was so fortunate that a car was ready for us, and we just dumped our luggage into the trunk (which half the space was taken by a gigantic tank), had our lunch and drove on a few hours' drive to Pattaya. That was also the place near where my brother and his family is staying currently, but too bad, due to some unforeseen circumstances, they were actually back in KL AT MY VERY OWN HOME!!!!! How ironic is that? Anyway, it was totally unpredictable and unavoidable. I was feeling glad my dad who was there by himself looking after my plants and the leaking ceiling while we were away, had some company for those few days.

We reached Pattaya by the time the sky turned dark and it wasn't very long later we located the hotel hubs had paid for via the internet just a day earlier. The hotel turned out lousy than the first 2 we were in, and they charge for any extras we asked for. Hubs was VERY disappointed and pissed, and in the end, I decided to pay another extra few bucks more for an extra bed so we could all sleep comfortably for the next 2 nights.

The one full day at Pattaya, we went to the pier and rented a speedboat to go to an island nearby.

 The kids were thrilled (as usual) but it did cross my mind that we really really ought to asked for life jackets and put it on whilst on the sea. It was really dangerous bumping on those choppy waters. Then again, knowing hubs I would had to argue at length with him before that going to happen and that would be so spoil the mood. Grrrrrrrrr......

 The first stop was so to let korkor try on his first parasailing, that was covered in an earlier post.

 The 2nd stop was this boat selling walking-on-the-seabed experience with head covered in the astronaut-looking helmet which we passed since it was too pricey. It was quoted 1000baht for each person for maybe half an hour walk on down under the sea. I might just freak out though it seemed like a very interesting thing to do.

 By the time we reached the island, we saw this...

 There were SO MANY people!!!!

 We paid 100 baht for a lazy chair to dump our bags on it and the kids dashed off to the beach almost immediately!

 The view from the cafeteria where the restrooms were which were so horrendous!!! I avoided as much as I could to go in there again, it was sooooo nauseating!

 By noontime, we had lunch in one of those eatery with our feet tucked in the fine sand under the table. It was truly a unique experience, my first ever as well as for the kids. Though the food was nothing much to shout about, prices were soaring high so we just settled on sharing a few plates of fried rice where thereafter, the kids begged no more fried rice please!

We swam and played on the sand a bit more after that, and didi somehow managed to got a float from someone. The boys drifted far away to the sea on the float together and I had to call them back time and time again. Apparently, the float was for loan and when we were leaving, the owner asked us for 100 baht and we went into this dispute as we told them we didn't know it was for loan, that that little guy asked him if he could borrow it for awhile and they said yes??!!! Sigh.. if it weren't for hubs who always liked to go for some hardcore bargaining, I would have settled it by giving them the 100 baht.

Anyway, the guys let us off as our skipper helped us out a bit and we were back to the mainland. Whew~

One of my motherly roles.

Don't you think this pic looked nostalgia like that? Machiam yin-chei-leong-mou spending a quiet moment with a butt naked son in the olden days in the laundry area.

For many years now, I have been cutting their hair, both korkor and didi's. Meimei's too, but since she can keep longer hair, I cut for her less. The boys' hair grow real fast, like every 2 months, it would be "rock" hairstyle.

When I start learning this task, it was tough. Really not so easy as it seemed to be. You see those hairstylists snip snip snip in no time? I thought I could do that too, but you never know until you try it. Those days it could take more than an hour to get the job done. Now, after all the practice, they are good to go in half an hour's time, depending how long it is.

I'd say, this cutting hair exercise is pretty fun, but cleaning up is a bitch. See I put something on the floor? It's the old plastic shower screen but that didn't help much either. Lots of hair still lie around.

For 10 bucks at the Carrefour, we can get the hair cut now, hassle free. So, I think I will be leaving this job to the experts soon. Then again, I think I cut nicer than them at times. *ahem*

Oh yeah, I cut their nails too, and I don't know why... I enjoy it!

Ushering the new year in with a loud bang.

Playing with fireworks during CNY is almost becoming a routine these days.

Hubs would be able to get hold of some pretty cool fireworks which are not normally what we could find off the shelf (or off the roadside). The first time, guess about 3 years ago?, those fireworks seemed so cool. It set the CNY mood even in me, and it made the kids thrilled with excitement.

But then, this also makes me all jumpy and panicky when I see korkor and didi lighting it up with the incense stick. Hubs would never blink an eye, never think it's ever an issue and that I am too much of a worried freak. He just never understood well or deeper why I worry so much. It just takes a very simple mistake or some unexpected turn and in just a moment, eyesight could be lost, limbs would be impaired and even life could be taken away. And nothing, absolutely nothing, we or anyone could do to rewind the clock or undo the damage. 

So, how? To stop them from playing fireworks seemed so mean of me, it's like taking away the only joy of CNY away from them. I always make sure I would be there with them to nag them to run faster, be vigilant, not too adventurous and stop playing already! I'm tired though. Sigh...

The year of the snake 2013..

... and CNY is done. For us anyway.

This year had been the same usual routine, as for the past 13 years after marrying the man in my life. For him,  it had been the same thing for the past 40 years of his life. 

Korkor asked me before why we can't do CNY differently, just like my parents suka-suka jiao go Singapore to spend CNY with my elder brother and his family. I told him sorry,  we just can't. I have resigned to the fact that it's just part of our duties to fulfill our filial piety to be with the folks for this important festive season this once a year affair. 

I have to admit, I don't quite enjoy myself, but I tell myself, just do it for their happiness. And in turn, it teaches my own kids to treat me the same when I'm old and frail in the future. I am not in my 60s yet, I might not know, I might just be desperate to see them this once a year too when I'm there.Selfish thought, I do admit.

Nevertheless, it's always a great feeling to be part of a family who is always warm and chatty. This year, I had a pleasant surprise receiving a gift from my brother inlaw who bought each of us (his sis, his mom and I) a set of Estee Lauder make up kit. The price tag label on the box shows RM250. I was really touched and overwhelmed. 

Thankful for the great technology, the time passed by with less pain during those CNY home visits. After gong xi gong xi and handing out the angpows, I could switch on the 3g and surf the net and facebooking or play scramble. Well, what do you expect me to do anyway when I really do not know so well most of my hubs' relatives? Especially those whom I meet once a year only. 

Other times after fulfilling my duties of helping out the meal preparations and washing up, I could sit back and play several games of mahjong with them. Not too bad, but sometimes I just feel awful guilty and time wasted on such non productive activity and the children were left to play on their own on their laptops, ipad, phone, and whatever else there are. Nevertheless, the 4 cousins have the opportunity to be creative and play together on their own without the adult's aji ajo, it's not such a bad thing after all, eh?

1 week of balik kampung exodus, I'm so relieved to be back in my own home sweet home and looking forward to the school runs and gym workouts again. Though I always say 1 week for the CNY break is just too long and need to be cut short the next year round, I know deep inside, I can't bear to break the old folks' hearts and would be just doing the same thing next year again. Dem!

Didi is 10

Didi's 10th birthday was here and celebrated with a small little affair.. That's the first decade of his life gone.  He's at this stage where he would loooooovvvvveeeee to pick on meimei for every single little thing she does or does not do. Argh!! Help me oh Lord!

He's also at this age where his rebellious temper is more evident and sometimes I must admit, I am very afraid. I am trying to enforce more positive vibes unto him and using less of the punishments and scoldings, but he JUST drives me up the wall!

It's so damn challenging with this kid. I mean, korkor and meimei have their own weaknesses too, but at least they are very obedient. With didi, I felt like he had no choice but to listen to me at this stage, but when that day comes, he doesn't need to depend on me anymore, he wouldn't care! OMG! Why am I so negative now? Oh, God, please .... HELP ME!

One day, I told my hubs, he really ought to look at his own fatherly role. Sometimes, I just feel he's an exact replica of him, father and son, both so stubborn, pessimistic, insensitive. However, as I ponder deeper, this is like, it's exactly where he's picking up all these from! I reminded hubs again and again and again, to mind his language and to check how he treats him. As far as I know, all 3 have so different characters (though kor kor and meimei are more similar) and we shouldn't be treating them in the same manner, though the love is still equal among the 3 of them.

For all I know, didi might just be one of some rare conditions, which I hadn't been checking on, and I don't intend to check on as well. In any case, it's only putting a label on his forehead and then start treating him differently. Why don't we put aside this labeling step and start treating him differently right now? I always feel explaining in length and in detail to him every thing that he does wrong is working, though really really tiring and exhausting.

Anyway, he's really quite a child still. I hope this bickering stage would end as he ages, and still be in good terms with his only brother and sister he has in his life. That's all I hope for... for now.

Love him lots and Happy Birthday, my child.

Chiengmai day tour

The one full day we had in Chiengmai was spent on elephant ride, ox ride and bamboo ride, and a visit to the Orchid Farm and the small village of the long necked tribe.

This is one of the more popular ground tours we could find around the city.

To me, all of these activities weren't exactly spectacular. The elephants looked too ker-nian, being subjected to torture (from what I feel), being "forced" to entertain the tourists with all sorts of funny stunts and being clamped on their leg to a pole when they are not performing. I really felt sorry for them.

The ride with meimei on its back was, well, an eye-opener, but I won't do that a second time. The mahout would take them to some pit stops which sells bananas at 20baht per bunch. I dare not NOT buy it, as I worry the elephant would go bananas and throw both of us off its back! In fact, I felt like it was getting tired and acting up after we "boarded" on its back.

The boys went on one together and were in front of us initially. Didi looked very excited and thrilled. He kept saying "mommy will definitely scream here" when the little jumbo starts going down to the stream. We were taken on a long journey from one pit stop to another, through some hilly terrains and the stream. I must say, I was hoping they let us down, halfway into that route. Freaking uncomfortable with the "seemingly acting up" jumbo swaying side to side extensively. Not to mention, heartpain to see the mahout whacking the elephant head with a long stick and a crescent spear on his hand. Yucks!

The ox ride was slightly better, though a bit too bumpy for my liking. Oh gosh, maybe I'm just too princessy! The kids didn't complain, well, at least they were happy.

The bamboo ride was slightly nicer, though a bit hot without any shelter. Lucky I had my straw hat with me, it saved me from getting my face sun burnt. Looking back, wasn't it too risky that all of us were not wearing any life jackets? Well, the river could be shallow, we could never tell from its murky water, but we were surprised to see a local woman walking at the side of the stream, submerged up to her waist, pushing a "cart" selling drinks and coconuts! Why don't she walk on the roadside??

Our "skipper" let everyone of us tried our hand in maneuvering with the long pole. Well, it certainly was a trip of experiences for the kids and I like that very much.

The visit to the long necked tribe village was equally saddening as well. All of them looked so pathetic and I just wondered how life is for them, especially those small innocent little ones. I bought a couple of souvenirs from one of the stall and then suddenly, seems like everyone was even more "motivated" to get me over to their stalls! I quickly hurried away from this kind of harassment and back to the van to transport us back home.

So that was basically our main activity we had in Chiengmai.

Little bit of tweak on the school run

Routine has changed, yet again. I'm a routine kind of person, don't quite like changes just like others in general. But I always stress to myself that we all must learn to embrace and adapt changes. Changes in life is constant, don't we all hear that so very often?

The change is quite minimal actually, but substantial to me, as my life is just revolves around the kids and the family as of now. Instead of having them having their lunch at the school canteen while waiting for me to come over and pick them up, I am going to go over half an hour earlier before dismissal to wait for them. Everyday. But only each week in 3 weeks. The other two weeks would be some other moms who stay in the same vicinity as us.

Yeah, finally carpooling. I was asked to join them in this setup as the 3rd person had withdrawn her kid. They need 5 kids in total to be able to get a fixed spot in the school compound to park our car there. Otherwise, those cars would be queuing all the way along the road come dismissal time.

Didi would be coming home for lunch, while I would be packing lunch for meimei when the driver on duty goes to school. So, imagine the change for me. From not having to worry about lunch for us, I now have to try and cook (if possible) for lunch as well. So, it will either be simple (like sandwich, burger, spaghetti, fried rice, fried meehoon, porridge) or leftover from the previous day, or just plain tapao after my gym workouts. I gather not much time to lepak with friends anymore.

Well, I'm still new to this setup and hope this works fine for me too.