HKG Day 5

By the time we were in HKG, we haven’t decided on what to do on our last day. Originally, we had thought of visiting the Big Buddha. I have been to HKG several times but have never visited the Big Buddha and there were much rave about it on the internet. However, ah yee said that we would likely end up with bored and cranky kids and that puts us off. We needed a convenient place to visit, taking into account that we must be at the airport by 6pm.

Thank goodness for free wifi at the hotel. We eventually settled for Noah Ark’s, one of the attractions that we had considered earlier. It is near to the airport and they have luggage storage facilities.  

We woke up and took our time to do last minute packing before a leisure breakfast and then checked out. Then, we hopped onto the MTR to Tsing Yi. The train was fairly packed and we survived with Popo and ah yee’s extra hands. We would probably opt for something less adventurous if we had been on our own. It was impossible to handle 2 kids, 1 stroller and 2 luggages on our own via public transport to the airport.

Upon alighting at Tsing Yi, we had to take another public bus. By then, I think we were really tourist experts of the public transport system by then. Then there was more walking and climbing up and down the stairs before we finally reach Noah’s Ark. Noah Ark is located right next to a beach and the kids seemed more excited to play on the beach than Noah Ark.

Noak Ark is more than just about the biblical story. There were some creepy animals that the children can look at and plenty of green information to read up on.

One of the segments is rooms filled with children activities and they were crowded with HKGers. The kids don costume and pretended to be the circus master.

There were also activities to encourage visitors to embrace life and happiness. We go into this cubicle and chose one of the 4 strings to pull, signifying the choices that we get to make in life. Then different things will drop on our head. We were taught to embrace the different challenges in life. Lil Shauna and I had balls rained down our heads. Seeing balls, Lil Isaac wanted to try to but had water instead and ended up crying so pitifully. Lol.

We found lunch in Noah Ark and were surprised at how cheap the food were, like HKD 24 (S$4), only to amusing realize how small the portions were.

We were all attacking the small waffles/ pie/ pastsa and had to supplement with desserts. Lol.

We left Noah Ark at 4.30pm and took the airport express bus to the airport, which wasn't a long ride. Lil Isaac took his nap.

Time passed easily and soon it was time to board the plane.

Lil Isaac was very much awake this time, having awaken from his nap not too long ago. He waited impatiently for the plane to take off so that he could watch “TV”. Unfortunately Frozen was off the screen and Lil Isaac caught Tazan instead while having his kid’s meal onboard. 

I still prefer night flight where the kids just sleep. There were no other shows for him after Tazan ended and he was very noisy and cranky until the time that he fell asleep. Phew. Lil Shauna fell asleep too and we had to wake her up to make her walk off the plane. Lil Isaac had the privilege to be carried off the plane but he is seriously growing. My poor arms!

The taxi home was alright with the kids getting quieter along the way. Hehe.
We enjoyed our HKG trips, like all the rest of the holidays. I love holidays and I think Daddy Lim has caught my virus too. Right after the HKG holiday, he was asking me where we would go next. Hahaha. This will also be a holiday with ah yee and popo for a long time to come. The last trip with popo was a long time ago to Korea. She usually preferred not to tag along now that our trips are very kids-centric. She probably wouldn't come along this time too if it is not for ah yee who brought her to do sightseeing and even the Macau casino. As for ah yee, she had to put up with popo's grumbling a lot this trip but would definitely appreciate the time spent with popo in view of her impending return to France. So mission accomplished for everybody. Hehe.

Mummy Lim

HKG Day 4

We had breakfast at the usual 茶餐厅 near to the hotel. The food is really delicious and for a decent price. We took the MTR to Admiralty and then bus to Ocean Park. We took so much public transport this trip that I think we had become an expert. Lol.

Ocean Park was very crowded and it was full of PRCS. I regretted chosing to go to Ocean Park on a Saturday. Maybe it would have been better if we had visited the Park on a weekday. Ocean Park was  also less fun than what I remembered it should be. There aren't that many rides that are suitable for the kids.

When we arrived at the Park, a Photographer enthusiastically offered to take our pictures. I ended up buying very expensive pictures and felt very much like a tourist. Lol. But at least we had a decent family picture taken.

The photographer also kindly suggested a route to take to visit the park. We took a monorail to go up the mountain. Ocean Park is stretched over a mountain. The ride was nice, we had the visual effects that we were in a submarine, taking to break free from a giant octopus.

The view at the top was fantastic.

The Ocean Park Tower was one of the few friendly for all ride and with a short q when we were there. But Lil Isaac insisted that it was too scary for him and refused to board. I had to watch Daddy Lim and Lil Shauna take the ride. Bleh.

Then, we caught a seal and dolphin show that wasn't that fantastic. The one that we caught in Sea World, Gold Coast was much better. There were plenty of thrilling rides but Lil Shauna not tall enough plus there were long queues everywhere.

Lil Shauna was very upset after being told many times that she isn't tall enough. She commented that she doesn't want to ride baby rides but it too short for the adult rides. We did manage to ride on one of the friendlier roller coaster but the q was very long and she was in the q with Daddy Lim for almost 1 hour while Lil Isaac and I waited and visited smelly penguins. Lil Isaac actually made the height requirement for the roller coaster rides and had taken many other roller coaster rides. However, he insisted that it was too scary for him.

We visited the famous jellyfishes as well. That place always remain me of alien invasion. Lol.

We then took the cable car to where we started. The view was fantastic.

And we made silly faces.

We had lunch in Ocean Park and lunch was just as expensive as Disney land. Though the portion was decent, which I supposed they had to - a S$20 chicken rice. Then, we headed for the kiddy rides, which were crowded with many, many other kids. We only took the frog ride, which Lil Isaac really likes and he went on it like 5 times. Lil Shauna self entertained at the playground until she was so bored and we had to stop Lil Isaac from going for more.

Soon, it was time to go home and the kids were reluctant to go despite not having many rides to go on as they know that we would be heading back to Singapore the next day. Unfortunately, we didnt have a choice. Lil Isaac napped on the way back and we had a peaceful ride back to the hotel, where we met Popo and Ah yee, whom had returned from Macau, for dinner. Ah yee treated us to roasted meat dinner with the $$ that she made at the Macau casino.

We attempted more shopping after dinner but was tough with the weekend crowd at the night market. We did get some last minute shopping down and returned to the hotel room for packing and resting.

Mummy Lim

HKG Day 3

We woke up at 8.30am on the 3rd day. We had Mac Donalds breakfast with popo and ah yee before we headed separate way. Popo and ah yee were going to Macau. We had considered going Macau for a day trip originally but Daddy Lim thought it was too much a hassle to travel to and fro. It would take us about 2 hours each way and there aren't much to entertain the kids in Macau.

While in Singapore, we Googled and found that there is a strawberry farm in HKG. We also googled a little on how to get there and thought that the hotel reception would be able to better advise. We asked hotel reception on the 2nd day night and they would totally not helpful. The guy whom was assisting me gave me puzzle look when I asked for directions. Apparently, the farm wasnt a popular choice with tourists and not even with the locals. The directions given to me werent any more helpful than what we found on the internet. In fact, Googling gave us more details. 

We took the MTR to Long Ping. I had thought that it would be super far but surprisingly not.

Then we asked for directions to the public bus stop to take a public bus, K66. The bus ride brought us to old HKG that we would normally not see on a HKG tour.

We were so happy when we finally alighted at the right stop.

Then we had to walk 15 mins on a narrow concrete path to Tai Tong Organic Ecopark. Along the way, there were many such banners asking us to walk straight.

We walked past old houses and ruined sport cars too. I was so proud of ourselves when we got there.

The farm visit wasnt cheap. We paid HKD 150 for each of the kid to pick strawberries and participate in 3 other activities. It was HKD100 for each adult to only strawberries. Kids fed Koi fish, fed goat and took the bull cart. Lil Isaac fell at the koi fish place. He bruised his knee and was bleeding on his lips. Nobody came forward to help. HKGers are so "friendly". By the way, we seemed to be the only tourists. Some kindergarten was having an excursion.

The kids also had fun at the playground. Lil Isaac had another fall and a minor rope burnt. That was when we had to stop the kids. Too many accidents in one day.

Lil Isaac rode the pony. Lil Shauna refused to ride bcos she didn't want to wear the silly helmet that all kids had to wear to ride the pony. Lol.

Then we went to pick organic strawberries. It was a decently sized strawberry farm with rows and rows of strawberries. We can pick and eat unlimited strawberries in the farm but would need to pay by weight if want to bring the strawberries home. It is not cheap and coat about HKD80 per 100g. 

We picked so many strawberries. Daddy Lim and kids were so happy and excited to do so. Lil Isaac doesn't take strawberry but he was so happy to pick them and thereafter to feed Daddy Lim after they were washed. The strawberries are not huge, unlike the ones that we picked in Melbourne when Lil Shauna was a small kid. Nevertheless, the red ones were really sweet and nice. I don't really fancy strawberries but I also took many of the red and sweet ones. 

It was so funny to see how Daddy Lim and the kids unable to stop themselves when they saw really big and red ones despite having a full basket and tummies.

We ate so much strawberries. Picking strawberries was probably the most enjoyable event of the trip. We headed home when we realised that we could no longer stomach anymore strawberries. Daddy Lim loved this picture of Lil Shauna eating strawberry. We had a similar one doing the excat same thing in Melbourne.

We took the same bus back to the MTR station and then the MTR back to hotel. Lil Isaac fell asleep on the way home and we had a quiet ride back.

We had dinner and went back to the hotel early to watch TV and ate snacks. 

Mummy Lim