Yotel Staycation Day 1

I am not a big fan of staycation. Each time I do my research, I would get a shock at how much one night hotel would cost and I cannot make myself click on the "book" button. I always tell Daddy Lim that if I allowed the kids unlimited screen time, anytime access to pool, 24/7 aircon, staying at home is as good as a staycation. In fact, we would be better off with big beds. Hoho.

Our Royal Caribbean cruise in beginning June was cancelled and fully refunded bcos of the heightened restrictions. Sob, I dun want a refund, I want to go cruise. We would have continued if the cruise was booked for the late June. I did check and everything was fully booked le. #sadlife

I was waiting to see if the restrictions would ease up. It did and out of desperation, I finally booked a staycation in the last weekend of the school holidays. It was for only 1 pathetic night in the Yotel hotel. Auntie S said that it is literally to sleep. Ya, I cheapskate and cannot make myself throw more money into a staycation. 

Then, we were offered a complimentary early check-in as early as 7.00am. That's was what I opted for only to realise that it was crazily early and had it amended to 8.30am. Now, we will have more time to roll around the hotel. Lol.

I was on leave on Friday for the staycation and was up at 6am to help Daddy Lim load the barangs into the car, then to have bfast together. It had been so long. By the time I was home, I still had time to hit the gym for a short HIIT. 

Zaky tagged to the gym. I thought it was good for him to burn some fats but he ended up just monkeying around. Chey. 

When we finally left the house at 8am, I felt that I had accomplished so much already. Lol. 

Yotel is in Orchard. I have no idea where it actually is. I had wanted to bring the kids to Sentosa and tried to find a nearby hotel. The taxi uncle said that it was an old carpark converted to hotel. 

Tadah!

It looks new and very IG-able.

We said "hi" to Yolanda and Yoshi too. 

At one point, we got to share the lift with one of them. It just barged in and we had to move around it to get out of the lift. Hoho. 

The one-night hotel cost us about $200. I thought the price was reasonable and had expected the room to be small. It was as small as I thought. Hoho. It comes with a loft bed and an adjustable queen-size bed, probably to try to save some space. The queen-size bed is adjustable like a hospital bed. 

The kids were thrilled to be in a hotel and had fun on the loft bed. We rolled around a little and watched some cartoon network while waiting for me to do some urgent work. 

Next - bfast. Very important. I didn't have an idea where we really were. I was very pleased to walk to a short distance to find ourselves right smacked in Orchard road! Yotel was right behind Shaw Towers. Hoho. I feel very hip to be in Orchard so early in the morning. Cheap thrill.

Bfast was at Starbucks. The 2 pax per table restrictions was alright. 

It was already 10am and completed with a trip to Isetan for bread and snacks. We headed back to the hotel for packing up before the mrt ride to Sentosa. Nobody complain.

It was on the mrt that I realised the my HP was left with 50% battery. With all the rushing, I have left the power bank in the hotel. Die. Lil Shauna was the only one with sufficient battery and we had to rely on her hp for all pictures for the day. 

The 1st stop of the day was the beach. I had a call at 12pm and our next event was some VR games pre-booked at 1pm. With the little time, we headed for the nearest beach. It was Siloso beach and I found a nice little shady spot while the kids headed for the sea. It was freaking hot and we were all happy. 

I had to lug the kids back after 45 mins to be in time for the VR. I was on call and trying to take notes while we went in search for the toilet and waited for the kids to clean up plus walked back to the tram station. All the while, I felt sweat dripping down my back. Hot siah. 

The VR is located next to USS. We bought 130 fun pass tokens using the $100 Rediscover Singapore vouchers. It wasn't anything to scream about. In fact, we found the games and facilities a little old. 

For hygiene sake, we were to wear this cute panda eye cover. 

We were famished by the time we were done. I offered Malaysia boleh but the kids were happy with the bread and snacks that we bought earlier. We had an alfresco dining before making our way back to Siloso beach for the grand finale - the Big Swing. 

We made a reservation for 3.30pm and had to top up the fun pass with $50. The sky was cloudy and I heard thunder rolling in a distant. I was worried about wet weather but eventually decided to press ahead. It was the same venue for the Bungee Jumping and there was a long Q and wait. So many people so 想不开 and wanted to do free fall. 

I only signed up for the kids. Hohoho. Bcos I 想很开. All participants had to weigh in, probably to calculate the rope length. It is another good reason for me to skip the Big Swing; my weight is not meant to be made public. Hoho. 

There was strong wind and for once in my life, I was told that my kids were too light. Lol. We got to wait by the beach for the wind to die down. Finally after a long wait, the wind was tamed enough. I couldnt accompany the kids to the platform and I bet they were happy to have each other. 

Lil Shauna had the go pro attached to her waist. The swing was then lifted into the air and Zaky had to pull a little loop to activate the swing. I heard Lil Shauna complained afterwards that Zaky didn't give her any warning. Lol. The video showed her closing her eyes tight shut in the 1st few seconds. 

The kids had a blast. It took a while before they finally dropped. Meanwhile, I saw somebody bungee jumped and she was thrown up and down like a rag doll. I don't know why anyone would want to bungee jump. I dont like free falling at all. The kids said that the 1st few seconds were free falling as well. Eewwwkkk, heng I didn't ride. 

The Big Swing swung away the kids' energy as well. With that, the kids were ready to go back to the hotel. Nobody asked to go anymore beach or luge or anything. What's left is a very tired and whinny Zaky, who asked every few mins about how much longer to the hotel. Zzzzzzz. It is the same way that we took to come lah. 

Lil Shauna saw Shake Shack and wanted that for dinner. I is mountain tortoise and ordered Shake Shack for the 1st time of my life. It tasted like.... Burger and Fries. Hohoho. Not bad lah. The honey mustard sauce is very good.  

We spent the rest of the evening lazing on the bed, watching Nat Geo and Animal Planet while waiting for Daddy Lim. How long has it been since we last did that in a hotel? Awwwww... 

Zaky took a nap, I simply dozed off in front of the TV like an old grandma. We had to lug him off the bed to go swimming bcos I made a booking for 9pm. The pool is limited to 5 pax per hour. 

The water was surprisingly warm despite the night. Nobody really wanted to swim bcos it was so dark and scary. I only wanted the kids to wash away the sand from the beach. Lol. 

Daddy Lim finally came to join us at 9.30pm. We adjourned back to the room and ended off the night with 7-11 supper as well as more TV watching. 

Lil Shauna had the whole loft bed to herself. She said that she felt bad that we had to squeeze together in the queen bed but not bad enough to ask one of us to go sleep in the loft bed with her. Hoho. I got to sleep in the middle of the 2 boys. I don't like but it didn't turn out to be too bad a night. I didn't feel squashed. 

With that, it ended our night of staycation. 

Mummy Lim

Ice Skating 238: Shauna is Back!

Classes are resuming, which is another indication of life creeping back to the new normal. Lil Shauna's last class was in early May. It had been almost 1.5 month. At that point, she was struggling to get her double salchow jump and was literally falling everywhere bcos she couldn't land it. I was so hoping for a class so that Coach can help stop her falling. Falling on ice is as good as on land, it is freaking painful.

Then, right after her last lesson, she landed her very 1st double salchow jump. It is still very inconsistent and Coach did give her a pointer or 2 when he sees her on ice but not enough to help her nail the jump steadily. While we have been on ice consistently over the last month, I have been looking forward to the start of her classes. 

The Singapore National Figure Skating Competition results are finally released after 2 long months. Drumroll pls. There were 4 skaters in the Elementary level competition that she took part and her competitors were all much younger than her. Two of them had elements that were so much more difficult and they did well, which guaranteed a good technical score. While Lil Shauna did so much better during the competition as compared to her usual practice, she came in.... 3rd.... expected lah. Hahaha. The scores of 1st and 2nd were way ahead and she won the 4th by a slight margin. Haha.

What I struggled with are her skating skills and performance, the other 2 elements that made up a large component of the overall results. Her score in those 2 segments had been lousy since day 1 that she took part in competition. I don't know how to help her; her skating is beyond me since many years back. I am now the videographer and the nagger. I don't know skating skills or how else to perform. Nevertheless, I can't help wondering if the organiser award medals for the top 3. Hehe. Her 1st and last skating medals were from her 1st skating competition in BKK, where they gave out medals for the top 5 and there were 5 (or less) skaters in the 2 competitions that she took part in. Hahahaha. 

I shared my thoughts with Coach and even asked if Lil Shauna should take additional classes from some new national skaters turn coaches to learn some of those fancy performing moves. Coach says no need but Lil Shauna needs to stroke harder to improve her skating skills and he will manage the performing issue. Ok lor.

To show that he meant it, Coach started Lil Shauna with some unusual footwork + hand movement during Wednesday's class. As usual, Lol Shauna looks like 木头人. She said that she felt like one too and how her body was not coordinating with the hand movements. Lol. She was so unnatural and weird looking. Fortunately for her, they moved on to jumps and spins not long after. 

This is them, studying the ice intently after her salchow jumps. So funny. 

Her Axel jumps are fairly consistent now. She only managed to land 1 double salchow jump but was under-rotated bcos Coach was trying to correct her technique (I think). Finally, they moved on to spins. 

Her camel looked decent. She now has to try to get her broken leg and the back sit spins. Her new blades are supposed to be good for spinning but she is still trying to get the "feel" and her spins are sometimes inconsistent and sometimes traveling from JW to Changi. 

The hour-long lesson ended well. She was pleased and enjoyed herself despite lamenting before class how she wished Zaky was with her and she could share the hour with him to skive a little, just like what R & J did right before her class. Hoho. 

It was 9.30pm when Lil Shauna ended her class. When the figure skaters got off the ice, the speed skaters were getting ready to start their training. All these kids are working so hard. 

I worked hard too, ferrying the girl to and from the rink. I am so good with driving from LV to JP or JCube now. Haha. 

Mummy Lim

The Gym is Opened!

It had been so long. With the closure of the gym (and many social activities), my usual gym workouts have been converted to outdoor HIIT or the dreading jogs. Give me the treadmill anytime, huff and puff for 30 mins and I am done. I have jogger friends who said that jogging outdoor is so enjoyable, things to see, clear one's mind to think. Pui, the only things that I am capable of when I jog is to remember to breath while cursing and trying to bluff myself that I am almost done. Even though so, I have done so many 5 and 6km jog during the lockdowns as well as my very 1st 7km and 8km in my life. Mega proud. Hoho. 

Fortunately, the rides went on. From solo, to duals to the 5 pax ride last weekends. 

Daddy Lim bought us twinning jerseys. I like. 

These weekend rides are life savers to break from the monotonous HIIT and jogs. 

The gym should be opened from y'day. I was full of hope to see the closure sign. Why? 

I intentionally woke up earlier to make sure that I get a slot at the gym. I presumed that it would be crowded and with the restrictions, I wanted to be the early bird. Ended up, I did another of my favorite kickboxing HIIT and kick up some sore butt muscles. Hoho. 

My LV cyclist friends were so nice to post me this notice yday. Yay! The gym is opened from today onwards. 

This morning, I woke up earlier as well and headed off to the gym at 6.45am. I wasn't as enthusiastic this time, as my butt was sore from yday's kickboxing. Hoho. The gym lights were off but at least the closure sign was removed. 

Despite the gym is supposed to be opened at 6am, I was the 1st to turn on the lights and aircon. Maybe people are still cautious or they didnt read the notice board or they are already used to other activities. Anyway, I have the whole gym to myself until I was almost done. 

Look the my sweat. So shiok!

With that, I clocked my 1st gym session after a long break. It is actually not the gym but really the start of going back to the new normlacy. I so missed the old normal. Haiz.

Mummy Lim

BBQ Cheap Thrill

I had been toying with the idea of getting one of those disposable BBQ sets since it had been months we last BBQ. It is not about eating BBQ food but the act of it. Yay, cheap thrill. Hoho. 

There are plentiful of such on Lazada and we got one for $20+. 

We finally got down to using it last Friday. Lil Shauna even happily went grocery shopping with me to buy the unhealthy BBQ hotdogs, bacons, satays, marshmallows... 

The set up is easy. Zaky got the set done up by himself. The instructions are all in Chinese but the illustrating pictures do the trick.

The black discs looked like charcoal but I think they are not. There is no open fire. When one of it is lit, there are little fire sparks that is then past from one to another. When all those black discs turned grey, the set is ready for BBQ. It didn't take long for the entire set to be lit. 

We were all very excited. Haha. 

As you can tell from some of the chao-tar food above, the "fire" is hot enough to cook the food properly. Most of our hotdogs and what nots are cooked food anyway. 

The BBQ set is supposed to last about 1 to 1.5hour. We were all full and done before that. What didn't last were those bamboo sticks that act somewhat as the BBQ grill. The fats from the food created extra heat and a lot of smoke when dripped on the black fuel. Ended up, a few of them broke from the heat and we had to substitute them with the sticks that were placed on extreme ends and less exposed. 

The disposal was easy too. Simply wait for everything to cool down and then throw! It was a fun dinner and the kids are asking to do it again. The set comes with an extra pack of those black fuels that we didn't use and would probably purchase another box (only) to use up those fuels. 

Two school holiday weekends has gone by. For some reason, once the midpoint mark is passed, what is left will pass very quickly. I had been reminding the kids to treasure what's left. Hoho. Just like the last weekend that the Fs came for sleepover, our kids go over to their place this time. 

Another 2-person law abiding sleepover. 

The kids say that sleeping over at their place is more fun than in our house. Can, can, go lah, go lah. Hohoho. 

Happy School Holidays!

Mummy Lim