My Foot Prints

It was Sunday.

After breakfast at Café de Carol, we headed to take MTR to the Central for the main bus station for bus to Stanley. Since it was Sunday, there are a lot of Pilipino everywhere in the Central, as of I was in Philippine.

Again, KX was in his la-la-land when we reach Stanley market. He makes a big fuss after wake up from his nap. He cry non-stop and it took quite a while for him to back to normal.

So happen, there is an event about the 2009 HK East Asian Games (活力南區迎東亞) held at Stanley Square, Alex Fong (方力申) is one of the VIP. Besides that, I love to walk at the Stanley Market as there are lot of stuffs selling. Now, I feel regret of not buying any cheong sum for the gal, the material is so nice, as well as the design.

Before we left Stanley, KW and I went to Jenny Bakery which is nearby to the Stanley Market to buy some homemade cookies. The texture of the cookies was so soft and smooth, and it was delicious! We like it so much.

We get off at Mongkok Station and heading to Temple Street for the famous clay pot rice which we missed on the day before. As what the info I got from internet, we can see the restaurant once we are at the Temple Street.

We order the recommended chicken claypot rice and not forgotten, the famous oyster omelette.

Chicken Claypot Rice with Sausage

and this, without sausage

For the claypot rice, I think the chicken claypot rice at Pudu here is much delicious. No comment on the oyster omelette as I am not a fan of oyster.

We paid HKD100 (RM46) for 3 claypot rice + oyster omelette + 2 soft drinks.

We have a walk from one end to another end of Temple Street after dinner, and stop by at Wing On Department Store which is just opposite our hotel. We bought a lip balm and lotion from Burt’s Bee to nourish the kids’ skin. KW skin is very dry due to the weather.

** When we are at the Temple Street for the Claypot Chicken Rice, we saw there is a guy (from the clothes he wore, he doesn’t look like a beggar) was lying on the roadside. It has been quite some time and he still lying there. Know what, we saw police and ambulance was there trying to call the guy from his ‘sleep’. A few minutes later, the guy woke up and refuses to follow the police and ambulance. :S

After brunch, we walk around the town heading to Mongkok Station to take MTR to Shatin for New Town Plaza.

The mall is huge. O_O anyway, we have a great time at Uniqlo to shop for ‘clearance sales’ clothes. There is not many item in offer but we still manage to find some from the bargain corner. I bought a kid T shirt at HKD19 and some adult T shirts at HKD39/59. Lucky is, KX was in his la-la-land while we are in the shop.

Inside the mall…. scary huh!!!

As promised to KW, we then brought them to the Snoopy Town after the boy wake up from his nap. It was a super sunny day and very HOT! The ‘slide thingy’ is too hot to touch on it. We went into this school bus after a boat ride. There is air-cond inside the school bus.

We left the mall after spent some times at Toys R Us. The gal was quite disappointed as I didn’t get the ‘Princess’s house’ for her. Anyway, I promised to her that will buy from KL later.

It was Saturday.

We had our brunch at Australia Dairy Co. The queue to the restaurant was long, but it moved fast. We ordered two set of brunch (HKD28 each), which consists of macaroni soup with ham + toast & scrambled eggs + tea. As what we read from the internet, the scrambled egg was so delicious and both of us liked it so much. The macaroni soup with ham was delicious too; just that it was a bit salty. Anyway, the kids love it so much and they had a lot of it.

According to my itinerary, we are supposing to dinner at the famous clay pot rice at Temple Street. But, I think I really ‘look down’ at this Temple Street; I thought the restaurant is so easy to spot on. Well, most of the posts I have read about that restaurant said that they saw the restaurant once they were at the Temple Street. And, Temple Street is only a long straight street, so I assume it should be no problem to look for the restaurant as I don’t mind to walk from one end to another end of the Temple Street.

My goodness… the Temple Street is so …. so ….so …. long and it has two parts which is near the Jordan MTR station and another near the Mongkok MTR Station. We went to the wrong one. The one we went is near the Jordan MTR exit while the restaurant is near the Temple Street at Mongkok MTR. So, we ends up settle our dinner at
…
…
…
…
…

Yoshinoya. :S

After dinner, we went to buy 2 prepaid SIM cards from PCCW and had herbal tea before return to hotel.

We check in Nathan Hotel again after a night at Hollywood Hotel of Disneyland.

The hotel made a mistake that they didn’t link up the remaining 4 bookings for me and they are currently run out of studio suite for me. In fact, the hotel was very full on that night. Anyway, this is the room they offer to me without additional charges, the Nathan Studio Suite.

The hotel has three categories of rooms, which is the normal type (cheaper), executive floor (middle range) and Nathan floor (expensive). We were so lucky of been upgraded to the Nathan Studio Suite which is located at the Nathan Floor. The room is so much spacious than the normal type of studio suite and it was so luxury too.

Too bad, we only stay for a night at this luxury room and move back to the Executive Room on the following night. The front desk officer that handle the ‘switching’ is not the officer which I meet earlier. So, no more free upgrade for the consecutive nights. However, the earlier rooms we stayed were already worth the money we paid. LOL

We took the MRT with a transit at Sunny bay from Disneyland to Tung Chung. Yeap, the next destination is Citygate Outlet. The outlet is connected with the train station. You can access to the mall easily even outside is raining cats and dogs.

I thought I can get some good bargain from Crocs, Lesportsac and Esprit……. But very disappointed as Lesportsac outlet was closed and there is not many design available at Crocs. As for Esprit, I found that the price is a little expensive than the Esprit Outlet here at Cheras.

To avoid the crowd at Sunny Bay Station after the firework show in Disneyland, we leave the outlet mall at about 7.20pm.

Unbelievable and for the first time I leave the outlet mall with empty hands. Last time, I ‘die die’ also grab a Couch bag and some spoon from Muji at the Gotemba Outlet.

I thought we can be the earliest guests to the magical kingdom since we had our breakfast so early. But… we were late also. We reach the kingdom at about 10.40am, the park open at 10.30am.

As usual, we start our journey from the Fantasy Land followed by Adventure Land and Tomorrow Land.

KX said it is Thomas train …. LOL

the expensive burger ….

Besides the ride, we also watch the Parade, The Golden Mickey, and Festival of the Lion King. However, KX and I miss the last few minutes of both The Golden Mickey and Festival of the Lion King as the boy keep telling me that he want to ‘poo’ or ‘pee’ half way during the show. But, he told me ‘don’t have’ when he is in the toilet. :S

We are quite worry about our stroller when we are taking the Fantasy Train as we leave it at the stroller parking of Dumbo the Flying Elephant. I was so scared if someone takes our stroller. Ops, we keep our stroller in the hotel room and rent one from the park on the first day there.

Obviously Hong Kong Disneyland is very small (the castle is small too). MSAU and I bump into each other many times within that few hours. This never happen when we visit to Tokyo Disneyland last year.

the Parade……..

We leave the park at around 5.30pm for Citygate Outlet.

When I was eating my breakfast happily, I saw she coming in to the restaurant with her family. And immediately I discover that, she wears that blouse too!

Gosh ….. we are wearing the same cloth!! But lucky that her table is not near to our table, so I think no one will notice about it.

But………………. how could this happen??? I bought the shirt from our previous summer trip in Japan and now, we got it ‘clash’ in HK!!! The shirt is from UNIQLO and it is not available in Malaysia, so I suppose she bought it from Japan too. :S

For the first time, I pray hard that we won’t meet with each other when we are in the park later. However, on that day itself, we meet a few times inside the theme park!!!! Grrr …… there you see, how small the theme park is! When we are in Tokyo Disneyland last year, we never bump into each other although we enter the park at the same time! Tell you, she was disappear within minute after we enter to the park!!!!

On the third day, we all woke up early as we have booked the hotel shuttle to Disneyland Hotel at 7.30am for the breakfast.

The hotel is having a promotion for the breakfast at Enchanted Garden, Disneyland Hotel. The promotion is cheaper than the discount from annual pass. It cost HKD196 per adult and HKD99 per kid above 3. The breakfast available in 2 sessions and we booked the earliest which is start at 8am.

We check out Hollywood Hotel with all our belonging as there is only a small bag which can fit into a locker at the park. I don’t want to return to the hotel to collect the bag. Hate to walk under the hot sun!

We were offered to enjoy the breakfast at about 7.45am. The food is not really nice and the variety of food is not many too. I was expected to see many of food in Mickey shape, but disappointed. Only the waffle and pan cake is in Mickey shape. :S

Pluto and Goofy dresses in chef outfit are the one who greet us first, followed by Daisy and Mickey. Kids are very happy the moment they saw them, especially KX. He adores Mickey very much. The characters greet and take photo with guest from one table to another. Everyone got the opportunity to take photo with them. LOL

Anyway, I am very pissed with one of the family there. Their kid keep on going to other table wanted to play with the character while the character taking photo and playing with other, the father just follow his kid and snap her photo happily but not lecture the kid to wait for her turn at her place. I can see the father seems very proud of his kid of being so ‘smart’.

KW doesn’t have many photos like KX have, as she was quite moody the whole morning due to lack of sleep. But glad that, she manages to take a short nap on the stroller before we left for the theme park. We leave the restaurant at about 9.15am and tour the hotel to look for a toilet for the kids.

Saw Mulan at the hotel lobby, but the kids don’t like her so we didn’t take any photo of her.

The restaurant

the breakfast

Mickey entertain the sleepy and tiring KW

The second day is the day which the kids long-waited since months ago. Both of them know that we are going to Disneyland.

The interior of the train from Sunny Bay to the Disneyland station is same as the Disneyland monorail in Tokyo Disneyland, the windows, the handle, the décor, the seat….. We reach the Disneyland station at about and headed to the hotel via the free shuttle bus after taking a few pictures of the infamous ‘gate’.

The hotel shuttle bus station

The check in and ticket purchasing was done pretty fast at the front desk as everything was already pre- booked. We got ourself ‘Stay & Play for 2 days’ ticket for the price of HKD350 per adult and a kid annual pass (Value) for KW. With the pass, we entitle special seasonal rate for the room, which is 35% off room rate.

We headed to take the shuttle bus to the theme park after dump all our belonging to the room.

The magical journey starts after we had our brunch at Plaza Inn restaurant.

The park is really small and we spent most of the time at Fantasyland. The park is not as crowded as Tokyo Disneyland and we have several rounds of ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie of Pooh’, ‘Dumbo the flying elephant’ and ‘Mad Hatter Tea Cups’. Surprising the kids doesn’t like the ‘Cinderella Carousel’. KW refuse to ride the horse as she said, ‘Cinderella is sit on the carriage wan’. :S

The kids enjoy the ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie of Pooh’ very much and it was slightly different from the one at Tokyo Disneyland. We like the part ‘raining’ the most, it was so beautiful. In fact, we enjoy all indoor game very much due to the cooling environment.

Dumbo the flying elephant

Mad Hatter Tea Cups

Ops, we took the ‘it’s a small world’ ride too and not forgotten the photography session with Mickey and friends at the Fantasy Garden. As for the parade, it was ‘so so’ only and I hate to see that giant ‘Mickey’ as it was so dirty and ugly. LOL

‘Stitch Encounter’ of Tomorrow Land is KW favorite. She like it very much and keep saying want to go for another round. Anyway, it was too late for another round as I don’t want to miss the firework.

The firework is awesome and looks much prettier than Tokyo Disneyland ’s. Before we fly to HK, I already print out Jazz tutorial of how to shoot firework, so it is time for me to practice.

I think the theme park is really very small as we bump into them after the firework show.

A lot of people curios about the rate I got for the Nathan Hotel. LOL

Actually it was a special promotion available at Japanese hotel reservation site, which is also the site I used to book for the hotel in Japan.

This is the promotion banner, “*Hong Kong Happy 88 CPN * – 388 HKD”

This promotion is limited to only 1 room per day. So, I have a total of 5 bookings for the 5 nights stay.

This is the booking detail. See, the rater per night is HKD388; exclude all the relevant taxes which is 10%.

Actually I was overlooking this promotion when I first book the room from them. She spots this and asks me to try while she is trying too. Unfortunately we have miscommunication as when she told me ‘can wor’ then ask me to try, I thought she booked it already so I just try lo…. no harm ma. I was very happy as all my booking went through! A minute after my 5 bookings went through; I receive her message saying that she didn’t get to book the room, because the room was all booked. :S

The booking is quite troublesome as we have to enter our name correctly together with credit card number. The name must same as the name printed on credit card.

Anyway, at that time I haven’t confirm if I really want to go HK due to the AH1N1 issue and also, she need 3 rooms, so no different whether she get this promo or not. Sorry, dear…. And also, thank you for the kindness.

AK 78 was rescheduled to 1705 and took off on time. Nothing to comment about the airasia flight but I reckon it was a pleasant flight for us. The kids are doing well in flight; most grateful is the ‘terrible two’ didn’t ask for a catwalk in flight. His terrible two symptoms just started right before the trip!! :S

Ops, daring us didn’t wear any face mask during the entire trip.

The flight landed at Hong Kong International Airport at about 9pm. We proceed to get the Octopus card after the immigration and customs clearance. Instead of taking Airport Express Train which has to transit at Kowloon Station, we took the AirBus A21 operated by Citybus as there is a station at Hotel Nathan, which is the hotel we going to stay.

The hotel front desk assistant was so kind to offer an upgrade for us. We were upgraded to a studio suite and the rate I pay is HKD426.80 per night. Isn’t it a very good bargain?

I supposed everyone were very tired after traveling for the whole day and we should sleep early to recharge for Disneyland on the next day. But, the ‘terrible two’ refuse to sleep on bed, instead, he want to sleep on the coach while watching TV. So, I have to accompany him with my eyes close while he is watching ‘snooker’ on the TV before he wiling to move to the bed. He reckons ‘snooker’ as 打球 (hit the ball). :S

Note : I was expected to see some ‘praying’ on the street since it was the 14th of July of Chinese calendar, but disappointed didn’t see anything as seen in the TV. LOL

The day before departure, I make a call to KLIA limo to book a cab to LCCT. They told me the cab will pick up us 3 hrs before the flight time. Well, since 3 hrs before is a bit too early, so I decided to tell them my flight time is at 1705 instead of schedule 1645. So, they arrange a cab to pick up us at 1500.

Few minutes before the cab arrive, I connected to twitter airasia and saw that, our flight was scheduled to 1705 as what I told the KLIA limo!!! KNN @#$% this time really ‘buka mulut kena’, anyway lucky that it is not reschedule to few hours later, but only a few minutes later.

Last year November, Airasia announce to waive the fuel charges and also give away free seat at the same time.

After a few searches, the zero airfare with zero fuel charges is really so cheap and attractive and I feel like ‘rugi’ if I let go the opportunities. Ya, I am not a good consumer, buy according to price but not according to need.

After battling with their lousy system, the tickets were finally booked and confirmed. It cost me a total of RM195 for 4 tickets to HK with 1 check in baggage and MOP699 for 4 tickets from Macau to KL, which is about RM130 for an air ticket to HK (return via Macau)!

After waiting for so many months from November to September and also the worry of ah1n1, finally we board the flight to the city of pearl.