Day 4: Universal Studios Singapore

The famous UNIVERSAL globe...whose mist saved us from heatstroke :p

I allotted a whole day for Universal Studios Singapore but we never really spent a whole day there. First, we slept for too long. We put our alarms at 7am but went out of bed at around 8am already. After breakfast, we did our morning rituals and were off to the MTR by around 930am.

Universal Studios Singapore (USS) is inside Resorts World at Sentosa Island. It is accessible via the Sentosa Express or the Boardwalk, both of which comes from Vivo City at Harbourfront MTR Station.

From Pasir Ris, we boarded the 359 bus which is the only bus that passes by the flat. We alighted at White Sands Shopping Complex and walked to Pasir Ris Station (MTR). For a moment we were at a loss with the ticketing machine, but all’s well as long as you read the instructions—and the people in line are always glad to help.

Commuting to Universal Studios Singapore

We boarded the train and alighted at Outram Park, then transferred to another train from Outram Park Station to Harbourfront Station. From Harbourfront Station, it is quite a walk to Vivo City, a huge shopping center with almost everything on it—think about Manila’s SM Mall of Asia.

From Vivo City, there are two ways to reach Sentosa: ride the Sentosa Express ($3 each including entrance to island), a monorail, or walk through the Boardwalk ($1 each including entrance to island). Since we are behind schedule, we decided to line up for tickets to Sentosa Express. After all, we both wanted to try it.

We alighted at Sentosa’s Waterfront Station and walked…not really knowing where we are going. We just followed the others and that in fact brought us to the patio where the huge blue UNIVERSAL globe is, it’s refreshing mist a welcome respite from the mid-day heat. After some photo-ops with the famed globe, we lined up for tickets. Since it was a Friday, the lines and the crowd were bearable.

Our tickets and vouchers. Thanks Mastercard for the USS promo! :D

Riding the Movies

Even if the crowd is bearable, we wasted no time. Didad started taking pictures all over, nonstop. It was still surreal for me. After a long wait, we’re at USS!

Right by the entrance, we saw a photo-op line for Po of Kung Fu Panda. I pointed it out to the son and he immediately lined up, so we did too. Po hugged us and the son is smiling in disbelief. The encounter was rather short, but it left the son in several minutes of awe and trance. When you’re four years old, like him, those things can make you speechless. At that time, I also felt like I was four again.

Transformers: The Ride

After getting the claim stub for our family picture with Po, we continued walking, taking pictures, and fooling around. Then we saw the imposing structure atop one cinema entrance—it’s Bumble Bee. It’s Transformers: The Ride. We decided to line up to this ride first. We’ve read many praises and good feedbacks so there is no way that we’ll let this ride pass.

Entering the ride is a long walk, a dizzying labyrinth made of steel. There were constant stops, but we were content to watch the prologue to the ride provided in the LCD televisions. I think we walked for about fifteen minutes before we finally reached the actual ride. Didad was surprised to find out that we are going to ride a real “car”—he was expecting it to be similar to Rialto which is just cinema-style but no, this ride required us to sit in a real tram-type car and wear 4D glasses.

The tram moved to its’ tracks and brought us to a 4D chamber where we became part of the movie. Here, we were part of a team of Freedom Fighters and we have the mission to help the Transformers save the world against the Decepticons. The ride was way more than what we expected. There was one point in the ride that I was regretting taking it, because I’m such a scaredy cat, but generally I was glad to have faced my fear and just shouted it out.

Prior to the ride, we have warned the son and instructed him that if ever he gets scared, he should hold our hands and just shout his heart out. That he did.

Shrek 4D

We spent the next hour walking, taking pictures, and just being aimless. We passed by The Mummy and Jurassic Park, but we decided that it will be too scary for the son. At the Jurassic Park, we decided to lunch on Roasted Chicken Rice. We got a Bumble Bee tumbler for about $30, which allowed us to get refills for only $2 (saves us $1 per refill). After the meal, we walked again and reached Far, Far Away.

Fiona and Shrek’s portion of USS has a castle, an ogre house and shops selling ice creams and turkey legs. I loved this part of USS because it was very realistic. We were unsure what the ride will be like, but I convinced the boys to line up anyway. It was already nearing 2pm and the crowd size has grown so it took a while before we were finally able to enter Shrek 4D.

We were ushered to a lobby where instructions were given, then we were led with our 4D glasses to the “torture chamber”.

A real ogre house, watch out!

Now the torture chamber is theatre-style. We took our seats—no seatbelts here so we were expecting a show. It’s a show okay, but we were part of the show. Our 4D glasses helped with that…but also the moving theatre seats, the water sprays whenever Shrek or Donkey sneezes, and the impressive effects on the seats that made us feel what the characters in the movie were feeling. Oh how tempted I am to reveal the story! But no, you better avoid any spoiler and experience the movies yourselves.

We have not tried any other rides after Shrek 4D. To plainly say, the son got scared with Shrek 4D at one point and has refused to go into any other rides. We just took the rest of the time to explore and take photos of Madagascar and Waterworld before heading back to Hollywood Avenue, but not without the chance for a photo-op with Puss in Boots.

We went back to Hollywood Avenue to shop for gifts and to dine. I like Singaporean fried chicken and I saw some in the café beside Transformers: The Ride. We spent a good $12 on a meal of potato wedges, chicken ,and softdrink refill but we were satisfied. Singaporean fried chicken can always do that to me.

We watched bar girls sing and dance, followed the path of the Walk of Fame, and shopped some more before finally saying goodbye to Universal Studios Singapore. It was just around 4pm and at that point I wasn’t sure if I want to leave yet. They close at 9pm, and there will be fireworks, but Didad is insistent. I got us stamps just in case we decide to come back.

EXTRA: Merlion Plaza @ Sentosa

Part of the plan for Day 4 is the Merlion Plaza, which is just a short walk from Resorts World. Sentosa Express can also take you there via Imbiah Station (this is free). En route, we passed by the Lake of Dreams and then walked up the steps, where we finally spotted the merlion. We took our photos of course, but we did not go inside the merlion anymore because we were told by friends that the view is not too spectacular. We just strolled up the park, following the “feng shui path” and took more pictures.

It was already 6pm when we left Sentosa, taking the Sentosa Express from Imbiah Station to Vivo City. We then took the long walk back to Harbourfront Station, bought tickets to Pasir Ris, and boarded the train. We changed trains one stop later, at Outram Park, to board the train going towards Pasir Ris. It was about 7:30pm when we reached the flat for a nice dinner of curry and pratha.

Commuting in Singapore: Buses, trains and Gothere.sg

Another thing that got me impressed is the transport system of Singapore. For many Filipino tourists, Singapore is actually tiring. One has to walk to the bus stop, or to the train station, to get from one point to another. When alighting, you alight at the nearest bus stop. There are no jeepneys or tricycles where you can alight as you please by saying “para” (which is the case in the Philippines).

Many residents are used to walking, even when going to places serviced by the buses. The bus system in Singapore is pretty efficient but takes a little time to get used to. There are specific bus numbers that will take you to specific places. Each bus stop has a display of which bus stops there, and there’s also a board which describes which bus number to take for specific places. For instance, from White Sands and Pasir Ris Sports Complex, we need to take Bus 359 to get to Street 51. The standard fee for most short-distance trips is $1.10 (as of May 2012), except when you have an ez-link or a tourist pass (more on this later). Bus drivers also don’t give change. When paying with coins, there is a box where coins are dropped so either you put in the exact amount or forego the change if you have any. In entirety, we never really tried the other bus routes. It has always been Bus 359, and/or walking, and/or MTR.

The train system is also a testament to how organized Singapore is when it comes to commuting. Single journey tickets for the trains can be bought from vending machines in the stations. There are no ticket tellers; just go to the machines, follow the instructions in the screen, insert your money, and wait for the ticket, receipt and change. There is also a useful tutorial in YouTube which is worth checking out.

Train lines in Singapore are color-coded. However, ticketing is centralized so even if you are coming from a different line than your destination, you don’t need a new ticket nor swipe your EZ-Link when transferring to another line. Just be sure that when buying a single journey ticket, touch-click on your final destination and not on interconnections.

Most Singaporeans and other residents purchase an EZ Link card, which allows them to pay cheaper fees in the bus and trains. It’s also fast—they just swipe and board; no more fumbling with coins. EZ Link cards come with a deposit but are valid for several years so frequent visitors to Singapore sometimes buy the card as well and bring it every time they visit. For tourists, Singapore came up with the Singapore Tourist Pass, which is prepaid and priced per day. There is also a deposit to the card but this is refundable when the card is returned within five days after its expiration.

Fares using the single journey train tickets cost more than swiping an EZ Link, but that is just because the ticket has a $1 deposit. Upon reaching your destination station, tap the card to exit then approach the general ticketing machine and refund your $1 deposit by surrendering the ticket—instructions are in the screen.

I initially wanted to get a tourist pass but after studying our itinerary, and comparing it to the total single journey fares that we will spend, I realized that we cannot maximize the daily price of the cards and the hassle of going to the vending stations so we just opted to pay the higher single journey prices.

Our hosts told us that it is impossible to get lost in Singapore, and we believe so. There are markers and signs everywhere, and failing that they have Gothere.sg, a GPS for the layman accessible online. Just type where you are coming from, and type where you are going, and it will give you the best routes, the fares, surcharges and even compare details when you take buses, trains, taxis or combinations. The fares are near-accurate so if you are travelling to or within Singapore after 12 midnight, you can also indicate the time so it can include the applicable surcharges and point out which buses are still available (city buses and trains run until midnight only).

P.S.
I decided not to take pictures of the trains and buses, except when taking pictures of us, because I'm unsure whether it is permitted. ;)

DAY 3: White Sands Shopping Center and Pasir Ris Sports Complex

We arrived hours earlier than scheduled in Singapore. Our hosts expect us in the evening but the change in plans brought us to Queens Street at 9am. We have two major dilemmas: Didad needs to go to the restroom, and we don’t have Singapore Dollars yet—only about two dollars’ worth of cents which are leftovers from our past trip. The first dilemma is easy, there is a public restroom in the bus terminal. I gave Didad S$0.40 for the toilet, and the old lady manning the restroom told him “Dollar only! Dollar!”

We exchanged puzzled looks. Didad told him “these are dollars” and she said “no sen, dollar only! dollar!” Her voice was shrill and raised. I walked up to her and showed the cents very close to her face. I am irritated.

“THESE are dollars.” I said.

“Oh,” she looked at it then suddenly spoke very gently. “Yes, okay you may enter…”

The kid also decided to go so I handed her another S$0.40 without speaking.

After all of these nonsense, we crossed to Sim Lim Square, hoping that there are already money changers. None. We walked up to a bank, but they can only change currencies for customers who have accounts with them. We had to take a cab from Queens Street to Pasir Ris, about $20 away, and have our host foot the bill for the meantime.

We arrived at Pasir Ris at about 10am. After some catching up with our hosts, we decided to take a nap. It has been a long night. It was already 2pm when we woke up and went out to White Sands Shopping Center, which is very near where we are staying. There is a money changer at the 3^rd level, and the goods here are moderately priced for Singapore standards. The basement has a grocery and an aisle selling cakes, pastries, beverages, and other snack items.

We then walked to Pasir Ris Sports Complex, a nice one-stop shop for recreation. It has an outdoor playground, massage chairs, restaurants, retail shops, a gym on the second level, and swimming pools. We decided to go home, get our swimming clothes, and return to the complex.

The Pasir Ris Sports Complex Kiddie Pool

For about $1.30 each, we got optical cards to enter the resort. Tickets are dispensed in a machine, just like with the MTR. We then went to the changing rooms, where we had to pay $0.40 for the locker. There are four pools: an adult pool, a slide pool, a kiddie pool, and a Jacuzzi. We spent most of our time in the kiddie pool and the Jacuzzi. How I envy Pasir Ris! I want the same sports complex back home. >.<

After an afternoon of frolicking in water, we walked back to our hosts’ flat in time for dinner.

DAY 2: Johor Bahru--Gateway to Singapore

Short of a direct bus to Singapore, we decided to take the four-hour early morning bus ride to Larkin Terminal in Johor Bahru. We arrived at around 5am; it was still dark so we approached the cafeteria and settled in. I ordered nasi goring and fried chicken while Didad ordered roti canai. The son finished what was left of the Boboi Boi chocolate chips he bought from TBS.

Talk about local... but of course nothing beats Pinoy pancit :)

Singaporeans view Johor Bahru as a shopping relief: goods are half as cheap compared to prices in Singapore. Even bus fares are half as cheap most of the time (some bus lines now convert the prices proportionately). Later this year (2012), Johor will enjoy more attention, thanks to Legoland. For many overstaying tourists in Singapore, Johor Bahru is the way to go. They exit and re-enter Singapore to receive another tourist pass. This is the reason why Singapore Immigration has become stricter. If they see a pattern in your entry and exit, you will most probably be questioned. Best not to do this to avoid any complications.
From Johor Bahru, a nice Chinese from the Singapore-Johore Express counter where we bought tickets helped us board the bus. It was half full. We alighted at the Malaysian immigration point to get our exit stamps, and boarded another Singapore-Johore Express bus to get to the Singapore immigration. This bus is full so we were standing, and the rush-hour traffic is horrendous.

People started alighting when we got to the “NO ALIGHTING HERE” part towards the Singapore Immigration. We waited past the signs, taking the time to rest, before we tackle with our bags again. I’m so glad we decided to pack lightly—considering that there are three of us and one is a kid, three carry-ons are not bad. However, if there are only two adults carrying three bags and a kid then things look a little out of hand.

We reached the line and queued. When we got to the immigration officer, he asked me if we were on a holiday. I said yes. The he said that I need to fill out immigration cards. I FORGOT!!! He asked us to get the cards, fill it out, then he will clear us, and since we’ve already queued we can just go straight to the front when we are done filling out the cards. That was really stupid on my part.

So off we went to fill out the cards. Going back to the front was a struggle because the people in line were looking at us in disapproval. I kept explaining that I just need to give him the card, and of course they never understood. When he saw us, he nodded and opened the flap door. That was redeeming in front of all the people in the queue who were definitely thinking that we cheated our way to the front.

It was the usual—he looked at each of us, scanned our documents, asked where we are staying, asked about our itinerary and if it was our first time. It was pretty easy and quick. He then let us out of the flap door and on to Singapore.

This discusses how to cross Malaysia to Singapore, and vice versa, for travellers who do not require a prior visa stamp to enter either countries. Inquire with the embassies in your respective countries to ensure that you can obtain your visa upon arrival in Malaysia and Singapore.

KLIA and TBS – Malaysia’s Transport Crowns

On the first time that we were at Kuala Lumpur in 2007, I was dizzy with the bus and train system. Half of the blame is on us because we never took the time to study the system too. We were content to know that taxis are everywhere, and we obliged when drivers ask the usual RM10 to anywhere—even in very near places such as between Petaling and Sentral.

While doing our itinerary, I stumbled upon the fact that the good old Puduraya Bus Station where we first caught our Singapore-bound train in 2007 now only serves local buses to the north or south of Malaysia. Thus, we need to go to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), a humongous central station for most bus lines. This is where we can get the bus to Singapore—and there are many of them: Konsortium, Transnasional, Starmart, Nice, and many more. We can just check in to a motel in Sentral, spend the morning for sightseeing, check out by lunch and proceed to TBS for an afternoon bus ride to Singapore.

But checking our flight schedule proved me otherwise. We are supposed to arrive in KLIA at 10:35 PM…so we may be out by the airport at around 11PM. Travelling to Sentral by Aerobus will take around one and a half hour so we will be out of the bus by around 1230PM. This will be fine, only we have a kid in tow. We also have three carry-on bags to mind so crossing from the bus stop point at Sentral to go to our motel will be cumbersome. This is the reason why I left this leg for many months, finishing it only a few weeks before we left.

What helped me finish this part of the itinerary is the fact that TBS is connected with KTM Komuter (train) and and KLIA Express (the train from the Kuala Lumpur International Airport). The plan is, after getting out of the airport at around 11PM, we will board the bus-train combo of KLIA Express, arrive at TBS at around 1230 PM, sleep in their Rest N’ Go motel, ride a cab to spend the morning for sightseeing, then check out in the afternoon for our bus to Singapore.

As a plan B, should the kid not cooperate with the stressful late-night travel, we can catch the 1am Nice or Starmart VIP buses (albeit the fares are steep).

We reached KL at 11PM, which is actually later than our expected arrival. Since we are arriving from Kota Kinabalu, we went straight out the airport without having to clear immigration. We did have one stop at the baggage x-ray, but even that is fast. At the exit, there is a prominent sign pointing to KLIA Express. We crossed to the loading bays and found the bus, paid the tickets (RM10.80) and boarded. At about 1130PM, we were bound to Salak Tingi.

KLIA Express is a tourist destination on its own!
It was like flying in business class (not that we've flown in business class).
Oh if trains are only like this...

Let me dissect this for those who want to know more. KLIA Express’s service from the low-cost terminal is a bus-train combo. Passengers get two tickets: one for the bus which takes passengers to the train’s Salak Tingi station. All passengers alight the bus with all their luggages, ride the escalator up, get to a small walkway, and ride the escalator down again. The next station after Salak Tingi is Putrajaya/Cyberjaya, so passengers going to TBS should ride the train to this direction. TBS is at the Selatan station. After alighting at Selatan, passengers take another escalator and a covered walkway leading to the second level of TBS.

TBS is huge but easy to navigate. The ticket counters are on the right side as you enter, and there is a convenience store to the right. After buying the tickets, you proceed to the boarding gate at the first level/basement.

The kid is a little restless by now, sleepy and asking if we are ready for swimming. The beach part in our itinerary is in Singapore but I can’t tell him that lest a tantrum will ensue. It is not an ideal time or place for such. At the same time, aboard the bus, I knew that we won’t be able to catch the midnight buses to Singapore. Depending on the son’s mood, we can take the early morning buses or stay at the motel.

We finally reached TBS at around 1245AM. The trip was faster than we expected, and that is a good thing because the kid is starting to act up. By this time we decided to take the morning buses. However, there are no early morning buses to Singapore. Not even Starmart or Nice, even if we were ready to shell out the VIP fares. I felt disappointed with the schedule system, which was prominently online. The only buses at 1AM are bound for Johor Bahru. Didad decided to take this bus instead because the kid is refusing to check into any “bedroom” again. He just wants to go swim.

Next: Johor Bahru: Gateway to Singapore

DAY 1: Day Tour at Kota Kinabalu

Kota Kinabalu is part of the Malaysian Borneo in Sabah... that means you cannot take a bus or a cab to KK (airport code BKI) from Kuala Lumpur. Seriously, so many travellers asked this question in forums, so here I say NO, you cannot travel to Kota Kinabalu from Kuala Lumpur by land. However, you can travel by land or boat very easily between Kota Kinabalu to Brunei, but that's another travel project.

Air Asia lands in Kota Kinabalu International Airport Terminal 2 (KKIA 2). After landing, the arrival area/immigration counters are in the far left side. Just follow where everyone goes.

After clearing immigration, exit to your right for baggage x-ray, then to another exit at the right for the airport lobby. Unlike NAIA or KLIA, there are no bus shuttles in KKIA. You need to go to the taxi coupon counter and get a coupon. Anywhere in the city is RM30, while going to Tanjung Aru is just RM25. Tell the coupon teller where you are going so you will be charged the right rate, otherwise you'll have to pay RM30.

The road from KKIA to Kota Kinabalu City. It was raining when we got there.

The city is filled with lodges, hotels, inns and backpacker motels. A good research will tell you which one is best for your needs. We booked a night at City Park Lodge and though there has been a little mix up with the rates (I was booked the RM60 Single Room while the Double Room should be RM70), the service is okay. One staff (owner's wife maybe) is a Filipina from Leyte and she was very accommodating to us.

The lodge is walking distance to the Jungle Trek, Signal Hill Observatory, Atkinson's Clock Tower, Suria Sabah, Waterfront, Jesselton Point, and Wisma Merdeka. Well, KK City is actually very small so you can walk to any point without a problem. Side streets are also pedestrian friendly, but the press on most pedestrian posts are not working.


If time and budget permits, it will be nice to visit the Tunku Abdul Rahman Marine Park, the nearest island will be Pulau Gaya, but fees are a little hefty because apart from the boat ticket there is a conservation fee and terminal fee. The water is clean and clear observing from the Waterfront side, so I knew why I should come back here.

Food prices are friendly if you know what to order. Our first night is essentially KFC (about RM10 per meal) and Orange (their version of Mini Stop). Drinking water is not free in the lodges so prepare to shell out about RM2.5-RM3.5 for a big bottle. Biscuits are RM2 to RM10 depending on brand and size. If you want to try local food, there are rice meals for as low as RM3.5, but again you should know what to order because menus are in Malaysian.

KFC here, by the way, serves their meals with two-piece chicken (which are huge by the way) and a cup of mashed potato or chicken rice. The rice meal comes with a meatball soup. Two meals can easily fill three persons so even with a hefty price tag of RM10, it can be good enough for sharing.

We have the same experience of KFC in Kuala Lumpur back in 2007, but IMO the gravy here in KK tastes better than in KL, but nothing beats the gravy in Manila.

Yup, it's THAT big. And you get two of that :) --KFC Waterfront, Kota Kinabalu

We basically did the Jungle Trek and saw the city through the Signal Hill Observatory. It was a tiring walk up then down the hill but the stillness of the city from the top of the hill is a nice experience. We sat for a while at the Waterfront, contemplating if we should go to Gaya Island. We figured, there is much free fun to explore so we chose to walk and have brunch at Suriah Sabah's Food Court, where Didad tried the famous claypot noodles of KK.

Suria Sabah's Food Court has a deck with a great view of the waterfront and surrounding islands :)
The food here is good too. Must try!



Claypot noodles at 5 Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, Suria Sabah Food Court

We then hopped to Wisma Merdeka for some window shopping. I'm not in the mood to buy anything because almost everything that I see here can be bought in Manila, but shopping seems to be a good reason to go to KK if islands, trekking and mountain climbing is not your thing.


Next: Kuala Lumpur: KLIA Express and TBS

Planning the BKI-KL/JB-SG Project: Making an Itinerary

Credits to this project are not advertisements :)

After four years of spending summers locally, I jumped to a risk in May 2011. Air Asia had a zero seat sale, and I plunged into booking round-trip tickets for three, for travel in May 2012. It was cheap too. For flights between Clark-Kota Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu-Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru-Kota Kinabalu, and Kota Kinabalu-Clark, the three of us only paid almost P6000. It is one year of planning, and I was never sure if it will push through, but I was persistent to make it come true.

Weeks from the trip, I kept mum except for close family members, and clients who need to know my schedule. The night that I was packing our three carry-ons, I was queasy and uneasy. On May 8, we finally took off for the week-long family adventure to Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Contrary to our first trip abroad in 2007, now I know better than leaving without an itinerary. For the purpose of planning our stops, our budget, and what to pack, I created an itinerary immediately after booking our tickets. Everything starts with research, and because I was planning for a three-leg trip I knew I needed help. I used to frequent Virtual Tourist, but I found a more updated reviews center for everything, including travel. That's when I got addicted to Girltalk.

An excel file is especially helpful. I divided the trip to three legs, and allotted one sheet for each leg plus an additional sheet for consolidating the budget trips and for taking down contacts and to-do notes. Every month, I allotted one night for research and updating the itinerary, and for every purchase that I wanted to make I started considering the travel fund.

I also prepared my kid for the trip. We took him to long, tedious public transport rides in buses and trains, and seemingly endless walks. That made the trip bearable for him, though there are times when he will throw tantrums like any other kid.

Most importantly, if you have a partner (friend, boyfirned, or husband) involve him/her in the planning and discuss the itinerary before leaving. I also gave Didad a copy for his own reference and though he would still ask me for details even if he already has a copy of the "iti" it was a big help that he knew the major details at the least.

Months from our trip, I also planned our luggage. Because Air Asia charges hefty fees for check in luggage, I decided to have three hand-carry bags plus two handbags, and one foldable extra bag just in case we need it. Air Asia allows one hand luggage plus one handbag/laptop bag per paying passenger. For this initiative, I was grateful to find One Bag for the indispensable tips. I did ditched the wheeled bag after all. :) Didad carried a nice backpack luggage with multiple pockets, I carried a non-framed (also foldable) cloth bag which also has multiple pockets, and the son used his own Transformers backpack. Aside from that, Didad had a gadget bag (which housed the PSP, camera, batteries, and his cellphone) while I carried a day bag/handbag (which fitted our passports, boarding passes, itineraries, our multi-pocket wallet/organizer which I tied to my bag's strap, guide books and shades). IMO, it is important to use a multi-pocket wallet/organizer in cross-country trips to help you organize your currencies. I also divided the currencies per leg so I know the budget for each leg and I can easily monitor if we're going over the budget, e.g. one pocket is for Leg C - SGD and the next is Leg C - RM. I got my plastic organizer in National Bookstore for about P100.

It was also essential to tie your wallet to your bag. It is also possible to buy a small body bag that will fit your passport and folded birth certificate, but I was holding documents for three people so I needed a day bag. Tying my wallet to it gave me the peace of mind against pickpockets, or leaving the wallet somewhere.

I also shopped for travel insurance, and I believe Blue Cross offers a competitive package. However, we decided against buying the insurance after all. It was a risk because we had a kid in tow, but prayers kept us safe and healthy during the trip.

If you want to plan for a similar multi-leg trip, here's a sample framework that I worked with:

DAY 1

PM

Flight from Clark (DMIA) to Kota Kinabalu (KKIA 2)

Taxi to city hotel/lodge/motel

Dinner and evening sightseeing

Rest

DAY 2

AM

Signal Hill Observatory/Gaya Island

Lunch

Checkout from hotel

PM

Malls/City Shopping (best is Suria Sabah and Wisma Medeka)

Night flight to KL

DAY 3

AM

arrive at KL (KLIA)

bus or taxi to hotel/motel/lodge

rest

NN

sightseeing - Petronas Towers/KL Park/Petaling

PM

bus to Singapore (from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan)

arrive at Singapore

rest

DAY 4

AM-PM

Universal Studios Singapore

Later PM

Merlion Plaza

DAY 5

AM

Sentosa Beach Station

PM

Marina Bay/Malls

DAY 6

Malls - Orchard/Raffles -or- Picnic/Hangout at local beach parks

DAY 7

AM

Bus to Johor Bahru

*possible to check out the outlet shops if flight is in the evening

PM

flight from JB (Senai International Airport)

arrive at Kota Kinabalu

taxi to Tanjung Aru hotel/motel/lodge (cheapest is Borneo Beach House)

dinner at Tanjung Aru Hawker Center

DAY 8

AM

Hangout at Tanjung Aru First Beach and park

Breakfast (nearest at Casuarina Hotel--hawker center is closed in the mornings)

PM

Checkout

flight to Clark

>Home Sweet Home<

I'll probably upload our final itinerary when I finish consolidating our expenses. There were changes during the actual trip because we had a kid in tow, but three or four cities in a week, even if one city is another plane ride away (Kota Kinabalu) is possible with proper planning.

Go ahead and check out the seat sales now. You might be just a click away to your great getaway. 

Next: DAY 1: Kota Kinabalu

Introduction to the BKI-KL/JB-SG Project

First full day back in the Philippines and boy was I pumped for work. The email backlog was tremendous, and the home chores (most especially the laundry part after any trip) is no joke, but at last the time to write has come.

For those who don't know, I just came out of a travel project with Didad and the son. This is our first time, as a family, to travel abroad, and we prepared for it for almost a year. The year has been a roller coaster of a ride, and there are times when I felt like the trip will not go ahead again.

Come May 8, our bags are packed and we are on our plane ride to our Kota Kinabalu-Kuala Lumpur-Singapore Travel Project. Thank you Good Lord!

The week-long trip is too long to discuss in one posting so I will dissect it into different posts, but as an introduction I would like to thank the people who made this trip possible. First, my husband Didad who put up with my fickle-mindedness especially during the time that I was making our itinerary. He also put up with all the penny-pinching that we had to do to save up for the trip. Super love you honey! Secondly, the Son who has been very brave, patient and who put up with the stressful travel situations that we went through despite all the naughtiness...our trips have become more special because of you. Third, my MIL who encouraged us and even gave pocket money for my son, you're the best!

I also have to take my parents and my sister who looked after our house for a whole week. We were virtually carefree because of this.

The Girltalk community, who provided me with tips, information and helped a lot with making our itinerary flexible and reliable, thank you! You are really great sistahs!

To the Uy Family and Tita MUA of Singapore who accommodated us in our SG leg, thank you!

To Comfort Lodge and Borneo Beach House in  Kota Kinabalu, great service!

There are many nameless people along the way who have helped us during the trip, especially at times when we got lost. They know who they are and we pray for them.

I apologize for this very emotional piece; I can't help it. You know what they say about becoming a mom? It can decrease your time for yourself and your confidence to accomplish huge tasks. This travel project brought my confidence back. It taught me that I can still mambo through foreign places, and even with a restless kid at that! ;)

Next: Planning the BKI-KL/JB-SG Project

Our Backpacking Project

When I don't post, I'm most probably doing home chores or working. Nowadays, I inspire myself to work towards our first Backpacking Project. Each day is an inch to the goal, so everytime I see something or hear something that can help us prepare, I jot it down and share the highlights in this blog page.

Tips for touring these places are welcome :) Thanks in advance!

Jesy

High Four @ 4Fingers

I'm easily impressed by fried chickens. If it's crispy, tasty to the meat, and tender, it's a thumbs up. Now give it a hint of curry and match it with fries sprinkled with nori and I'll be overly, overly impressed. That's 4Fingers for you.

Didad got their chicken and fries meal while I munched on chicken burger with fries. The meals came with our choice of drink. We had high expectations because we were hungry. When our food came, I was happy to see it on a tin can "plate". The look and feel of the store was industrial, but we never expected the plate to exude the same. That was a real plus.

A chain from Indonesia and Singapore, the flavors were very Asian. The chicken was crunchy outside but very juicy inside. The drink tumblers had an imprint that instructs customers not to tell anyone about 4Fingers, because they want to keep it a little secret, but you won't be able to help it ~ you just gotta tell another person, or maybe just blog about it.

As any other secret, it's a little hard to find. It is in the far end of SM North EDSA, right before you reach Yakimix, after passing by National Bookstore. The price range is a little higher, pegged at P99 and up depending on the meal. However, I would say that it is not overpriced as you would not get the same flavors of 4Fingers anywhere else. :)

Hello 2012!

When the fireworks broke loose at the strike of midnight, ushering a new year, I told my husband that I'm a bit worried (in the middle of smooches that we always do for new year). It could be too much coffee--I have been downing two or three cups these past few days--or because 2011 has been so good to us. Too good that I felt like ending it and replacing the last digit is ending and replacing all the good things that 2011 brought about.

That should not be the case, of course, so now I brace myself to what 2012 holds. There have been too many features and shows on the Mayan predictions on 2012, but I figured we better work more on our faith than on our guesses. I have too many plans and apprehensions for work and business, and I have figured that we should focus more on the plans and actions rather than the apprehensions.

Worrying will pull me back; thinking will push me forward.

So here's to a great 2012! May we all appreciate our lives more, laugh and love more, and have deeper faith. This is IT. :) -Mimom

KIddie Christmas at SM Malls

SM is an automatic choice for Christmas shopping. It has everything (almost) and the prices are not too far from tiangges. It is a bonus too that every SM mall has a gimmick for Christmas. Sky Garden in SM North EDSA has a Christmas Village which features Santa's Workshop, Santa's Mailroom, and Mrs. Claus' Kitchen. Mall of Asia, on the other hand, has a walk-in Snow Globe and Santa's Cottage. Lots of photo-ops for the kids and it really sets you for the holiday mood. The lines can be a bit long though, but guards are there to keep the order. This is a real treat in the middle of the stressful shopping that we all got to do this days :)

Hotel Hunting in Subic and Olongapo

I'm not very particular about hotel rooms. I've been to the better ones, and I've been through the worst. If a room has a functional comfort room and bug-free bed, that's average for me and I'm perfect with it. If it has airconditioning and the price is good, then that's a plus. Customer service, from the time I call to inquire to the time we check out, are important to me... maybe more important than anythign else because when booking a hotel, you never really know what to get until you finally check in and settle down.

As a rule, I often check out a hotel name against blogs and Virtual Tourist or TripAdvisor. If there is anything that I've learned during years of travel, it is that official websites does not guarantee you of anything. Before our trip, we decided that we are capping the weekend with some beach bumming, to give us all a break after half a year of our daily grind, so I checked out hotels around Subic. It was difficult because most of the hotels inside SBMA are either fully booked, or expensive. Outside SBMA, the decent hotels are either off the beach or badly rated by other travellers. Two days before the trip, I was calling off the beach plan and asked Didad if we can just do a day tour of Subic and spend the night in a hotel in Tarlac. He was against this, in part, but can't do anything when I told him that I can't find a beachfront hotel. It was only the day before the trip, when I checked out a website that I can't remember now, that I found Subic Mirage Inn. 

  

You don't go to Subic for the beach, that's what everyone says. Well, we were here not to snorkel or swim or island hop. We were here to sit on the sand, wade on the shore, and build sand cakes and sand castles. We were not expecting too much of the beach, especially after seeing Boardwalk (which is the same bay).

We checked in at 1pm and was immediately led to our room--no questions even if the check-in time is 2pm. The friendly staff there were the best, from the time that they were handling my inquiries to the time that we checked out.

We got a double room, which takes The Son for free because he is under seven years old. The regular room comes with two bottles of distilled water, basic toiletries, own toilet and bath, breakfast for two, cable television, and airconditioning... and the prices are still competitive given that the hotel is beachfront! There is a veranda at the back of the hotel where you can enjoy the beach, dine, drink or sing videoke.

We took our first dip at around four in the afternoon, and the tide is just okay. The staff told us that we can only swim up to 6pm because the tide gets too high for swimming after six. As a safety precaution, they lock the gate going down to the beach after six. True enough, when we went to the veranda at night for some fresh air after dinner, the shore was almost gone save for about three feet width of sand.

The next morning, we woke up early to have breakfast and swim. Breakfast was prompt and tasted good. Didad ordered extra stuff like adobo and chopsuey and they were well worth their price. We agreed that we found our second home upnorth. (Down south, we considered Jardin de Dasmarinas our second home too.)

When we went to the shore, we were surprised with how low the tide has become. (On the top photo, you'll see Didad yards away from the shore, and the water is just knee-deep!) We really enjoyed the low tide that morning and we walked the perimeter of the beach. I enjoyed this long weekend so much, and I was certain that Didad and The Son did too.