With the Aunties to Mt Ophir, Day 0 and 1

For a long time, especially after Daddy Lim’s knee surrendered at the Bali Mt Batur sunrise hike in September 2023, I had been wanting to go for a hike. We have stopped hiking on our holidays after Mt Batur. What a shame. 

Without Daddy Lim for companion, I turned to the aunties. This thought was further fueled by Auntie H’s Mt Fuji summit. I want to do that too! 

However, we are a group of aunties, who either didn’t have enough leave from kids/ hubby/ work or enough energy and decided that we would start with a nearby mountain. Somebody suggested Mt Ophir that is near to Malacca. Let’s go! 

We 敢敢 attempt the hike without training. Ok, I did a Bukit Timah Reserve hike with Auntie S more than a month back. Is that counted? Hoho. Just last week, I was reading up and found out that Mt Ophir is the 6th most difficult hike in Malaysia. Somebody on trip adviser warned that one should not attempt if not physically fit. I shall not tell Auntie S. Lol. 

Logistically, we booked with Iwannatravel. The agency took care of everything and we paid S$310 per pax. Auntie S, SL and R came to our place to “sleepover” on Friday night and Daddy Lim kindly sent us to the pickup place near Auntie H’s place on Saturday morning, so that we can all save on cab fare. Nana was very tickled that the aunties came over for “sleepover”. Nope, we didn’t chat through the night, there was also none of the heart to heart talks that the kids do on sleepover. We were very disciplined - sleep bcos we have an early morning on Saturday. Nana kindly gave up her room and bunked in with Zaky.

We were all up by 4.45am and left the house by 5.20am for the 5.45am pick up. Along the way, we picked Auntie H up from her place and met the driver at the Sixth Avenue MRT. The van was already parked one side, waiting for us. 

We took the Causeway and saw long Q for the cars. Thankfully, the van took the bus lane and there weren’t many buses at 6.30am. We sailed smoothly, including past the immigration. We had to alight the van at both customs to clear immigration but that was nothing compared to custom jam. 

Looking very alive at 6.30am! 

The driver drove us to the usual 24 hrs massage place. We all opted for 1.5 hrs of massage. Very nice. All the aunties agreed that the massage was very good. I am so glad that I found this place. 

Then, we had bfast at the same tim sum place.

 

The driver then sent us to Southkey for shopping! 

We shopped and snacked and did grocery shopping for the next 5 hours. We needed water and food for the next day’s bfast and lunch. By 2pm, we were all exhausted and happy to hang around, chi chat and wait for time to past. 

The driver was waiting somewhere while we shopped and ready to pick us at 3pm.

Mt Ophir is somewhere near to Malacca. It was a 2 over car ride and most of us knocked out from the early morning. I think most of us didn’t sleep well. I actually toss and turn in bed for over an hour on Friday night. That is so rare, I must be too excited. The 3 aunties had to squeeze in Nana’s room and Auntie R had to entertain Mochi in the middle of the night bcos he kept following her after she visited the toilet. Lol. 

It was 5ish when we arrived at Tangkak Town, which a small town near to Mt Ophir. The driver dropped us for dinner before to the homestay. We weren’t hungry but better to eat something than to go hungry later.

We have no idea how this “homestay” really looked like. It turned out to be a 民宿.

There were other guests but they were all hiding in their rooms and we saw none of them. Auntie R and SL shared a room on level 1 bcos they are both quiet sleepers. The rest of us took a bigger room on level 2 bcos we either snore or grind teeth. Lol. We played scissor, paper, stone. I won and got the single bed. 

The homestay was simple but comfortable enough. We chit chat in the living room until 8ish. The 3 of us continued chatting in the room until almost 11pm. I tossed and turned again. The pillow was too high. Auntie H said that she heard me snored quickly. Really meh? I think that was Auntie S. Otherwise, the pillow must be too high. Lol. 

Good night!

Mummy Lim

Johor Work Trip in 2 Days

It was a last minute decision but bcos Johor is so near, it was literally “packed a backpack and go” work trip. The driver was supposed to pick a colleague at 6.30am in Tampines before coming for me. But the driver was late and it was already 7.20am where the colleague was picked up.

Fortunately, the customs on both sides were decent. We arrived in the office at about 9.20am, and the hectic day started. My work trip schedule is usually filled to the brim for time maximisation. I also brought lunch from home. Not that I can’t spare an hour for lunch but lunch places are at least 15 mins drive away. It is super tiring to rush out and back for lunch under the hot mid day sun. 

We left the office at 6ish and stayed at the Holiday Inn. 

It is always very comfortable. 

I found a dim sum place for dinner. 

Then, errands running. I needed to stock up contact lenses for the kids and buy some cake/ snacks for the office. I was very efficient, running from shop to shop and return triumphantly. 

I woke up a few times in the night but it was still a decent rest. Of course I used the gym in the morning. I was the only one and turn on the lights and aircon. Lol. 

I did the treadmill. My view.

It was one of the easier runs and I did 5km. My treadmill runs are usually 4.5km but Nana said that I might as well do 5km. Not that I dont want; some (many) days, completing 4.5km (which takes about 30ish mins), is a game of will power. 

The sun was up when I was done. 

The restaurant for bfast looks great but their spread is limited. 

The rest of the trip went uneventfully. We were scheduled to leave the office at 4pm to avoid the generic and custom jams but were delayed. It was already 5pm when we left. It wasn’t that bad and took me 2 hours to get home. I am alive! I have 1 more immigration stamp! Hoho. 

Mummy Lim

Mochi’s Nemesis

It was one of the afternoons where both Nana and I were home. I was in the service yard sorting the laundry. 

I heard Mochi meowed and was asking him if he needed something. When I lifted my head, I saw Mochi OUTSIDE of the service yard, on one of the aircon condensers. Yes, right there, 6 floors above ground!

We always leave the toilets’ window opened for ventilation and have told the kids times and again to close the toilet door. Who was the culprit? Ya, Nana. 

I had to capture Mochi’s attention while calmly instructed Nana to go to the toilet. The good thing about Nana is that she can be very firm with Mochi when needed. That was the time. She grabbed him, he struggled but she pulled him back to safely. Thankfully! As usual, Nana was all apologetic to Mochi and was hugging and kissing him thereafter. Zzzzz. 

Now that I recalled, the multiple times that Mochi escaped/ lost/ in dangerous situations, 85% of the time, Nana is the creator. She is his nemesis. Poor Mochi. 

Sometimes, it is Mochi himself though. One other morning, I was doing my usual vacuuming. When I was at the door, I saw Mochi-lookalike outside our metal gate. It took me a while to register; the Mochi dupe is in Teck Whye and the Rio community cat is a ginger cat. Yes, that was Mochi and he had managed to jump over the mesh that we have put up at the gate. I also upped my game and built the mesh higher. It is now waist high. 

That still didn’t stop Mochi when provoked, I was told that one other day, Nana decided to bring the community cat to our 6th floor lobby. She said that the community cat was the one who followed her into the lift. Mochi saw the cat and jumped over the newly increased height mesh. Zzzz..

He has also learned how to climb the metal gate. I have seen him climbing to the top of the metal gate a few times before jumping down again. I don’t know why he did that. 

At this rate, I do hope that Mochi will be able to live to a wipe old age. Hohoho.

Mummy Lim

One Month in Rio

It has been a month! Time flies! For a 1st, I am still loving our new home alot. Hoho. 

We have more or less gotten into our routine, be it household chores or commuting to work/ school/ tuition/ church. Daddy Lim and the kids’ lives are still very entrenched in the West. Daddy Lim had on many occasions, picked the kids from school/ tuition after work, which worked very well for the kids, particularly Zaky, who still whined about the traveling distance.

The food options near to our home are limited but plentiful a bus/ car/ bicycle ride away. I would usually tabao at the Geylang Bahru hawker center on my way home from work. Daddy Lim and I spent our weekend mornings, going to the different hawker centers for local bfast. This was Sunday’s bfast. 

It takes me about 40 mins to get to work now but my heart kept insisting that it only takes 30mins, that it is much nearer than Teck Whye. As such, I have been late at work for 10 to 15 mins on many occasions. Hoho. I have also put the foldie to good use and cycled to work on 2 Fridays. It is about 10km one way, and takes about 45 mins. Yes, almost the same amount of time as public transport. I opt to cycle on Friday, bcos there are less people in CBD and in the office and I wouldn’t get weird looks. What I also realised is that Marina Barrage on Friday evening (if I don’t leave on time) is super crowded, there are joggers, skaters, bikers, families, couples, friends…. basically human hazards everywhere. 

Oh yes, I still have my cat ears. 

We barely cooked in Rio. We either eat out or tabao. Last Tuesday, our neighbour gave us some delicious chili chicken. It had been a long time since we had home cooked food. 

I have to remember to 回礼 the next time. I cant cook, but we can always buy something nice as gift from overseas. Speaking of neighbours, we have the super nice and warm Mr and Mrs Tan on our right side, the chef of the delicious chili chicken, and the single lady on the left hand side, whom we try our very best to maintain a cordial relationship. 

Daddy Lim and the kids had been putting the music corner to good use. That is when I have to worry about damaging the relationship with the left side neighbour. Hoho.

Mochi had adapted somewhat to Rio too. He is starting to recover from his bald spots. Just on Saturday, we collected the just repaired Xiaomi, it refused to work after we shifted, and Mochi supervised Xiaomi as it finally did its work.

Mochi is the one who spent the most time in Rio. 

By the way, that is Nana’s cup. 

I feel that we are now very centrally located and many places are like less than 20 mins” drive away Maybe we weren’t very far away when we were in Teck Whye too. I am just happy with any reasons to make my love Rio more. We had been doing grocery shopping at the City Square Mall. It is a huge mall without crowd most times, with a huge NTUC and Donki. I like. 

The aunties have been planning our gatherings in my new neighbour hood. Just last Sunday, we met at Potong Pasir, how near is that?!

Pardon the photo that makes us look like 25. It is Auntie SL’s phone. Haha. 

Mummy Lim

Short KL Trip: Day 3 - Shopping Only

There was no itinerary planned except for shopping. Hoho. As such, the plan was to stay in the room for as late as possible, checked out and then shop until it was time to go to the airport. 

I did go to the gym and it was so much busier this time.

The kids were still sleeping when I was back and we yanked them up to have a game of bball before bfast. The hotel has a half court that is sheltered and also nicely shaded in the morning. Bball was available for loan from the gym. 

It wasn’t that a vigorous game but enough to get the boys sweaty. Then, we headed for our last hotel bfast for the trip. Still no meat. 

We didn’t stay that late in the room, but packed up and left at about 11am. Zaky was grumbling about shopping bcos he already got what he wanted yday. 

I felt quite cheated actually bcos he kept saying that he wanted a pair of pink shoes and I was helping him to look for them, only for him to buy a pair of purple ones. Zzzzzz. 

Anyhow, shopping we must. We took a grab to Bukit Bintang again. This time, to the Pavilion Mall, where there is Cotton On and multiple sports brand shops. We didn’t buy anything but the kids bugged for Haidilou. We never eat that as a family in Singapore bcos it is so expensive. There is this promotion for pork collar at RM9.9 each and in additional one for one. We ordered 3 plates (6 in total) and had a lot of pork. 

They were all speaking in Chinese and talking very fast. We had some problem understanding the staff bcos we are such noobs to Haidilou. At one point, one of the staff who was serving us the hand made noodles was asking if we wanted music. Huh? What music? It turned out that there was some performance along with the noodles serving and he was asking if we wanted accompany music. Lol. 

The lunch cost us RM325 but it probably would cost a lot more if we had eaten the same in Singapore. 

With a happy and very full tummy, we headed to Sungei Wang. What greeted us were shops and shops of thrift shopping and Nana was very happy. Though she eventually only got stickers but browsing the thrift shops was interesting. 

Zaky was pestering the whole time for massage and he got his wishes. We walked back to Berjaya Time Square mall and sent the kids for 1.5hr of massage. Daddy Lim and I went back to the hotel lobby and ended up scrolling phone and catching a nap and were very happy to rest our tired legs. 

It was time to head to the airport when the kids were done. We booked a cab for RM130, which was double the price of Grab but a piece of mind that the car would be waiting. The drive to the airport was about 1 hour. 

At the airport, we saw that the Scoot flight was delayed by a good 45 mins. So we took our time for dinner. 

By the time, we made it to the gate, it was boarding. The area for boarding was super narrow and so many passengers blocking the gate. We had board me 1st privilege and went “excuse me-ing” as we squeezed our way to the gate. 

The flight was only 45 mins. I barely reclined my seat when the seatbelt sign went off and the pilot’s announcement came on to inform that we would be descending. We touched down safe and sound. 

We are all glad that home is now so near to the airport. The kids helped to empty their bags and keep their shoes. Daddy Lim and I unpacked the rest of the bags. It was already almost 2pm when I went to bed. Daddy Lim was still happily reading “my” story book, which he started when we were at the airport, bcos he didn’t have to work the next day. 

With that, our holiday has come to an end. While short, we had a lot of fun and Mochi is alive! Hoho. 

Mummy Lim