Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Playgrounds in our estate
There are quite a few playgrounds around our estate. So on Sunday morning, Mike decided that we should do some exploring.
First, we have a regular playground downstairs. We pass by it every day, on our way to the multi-storey car park. Matthew always point to the playground, indicating that he wants to play.
Down at the fitness area, where there is a basketball court, a hardcourt soccer court and a jogging track, there is also a playground. It's quite big. Only thing is that the morning sun makes it very hot to play there in the morning. The better time to be there is the evening. I was just jogging the other day and saw lots of kids playing there.
The third playground is further down the jogging track, next to a skateboard rink. It's smaller than the first two, but it's definitely designed with toddlers in mind. There are steps and bars and a wheel to turn, and of course, not forgetting the slides.
To the end of the track, there is the smallest playground of those we explored that morning and it's shaded from the sun. Matthew had the most fun here. There are steps which Matthew climbed and a wheel to turn, a short tunnel to crawl through, then a slide to come down. There are bars on the sides for the more agile kids. Matthew had a go at it. Well, he could almost do it without our help. Almost. A white cat came to join us. Matthew just kept giggling, pointing at the cat.
Up the stairs, turn turn turn the wheel
Through the tunnel, down the slide. HOORAY!
Hahaha... a cat!
Up the bars I climb!
The last one we found was actually near the market. It is sheltered from sun and rain. This playground was built to cater to LOTS of kids. The "corridors" were wide. Matthew was not too keen to explore this one. He was just contented to sit on the steps, examining the holes in the platform.
Five playgrounds in total. I did not know there were so many playgrounds around our estate.
First, we have a regular playground downstairs. We pass by it every day, on our way to the multi-storey car park. Matthew always point to the playground, indicating that he wants to play.
Down at the fitness area, where there is a basketball court, a hardcourt soccer court and a jogging track, there is also a playground. It's quite big. Only thing is that the morning sun makes it very hot to play there in the morning. The better time to be there is the evening. I was just jogging the other day and saw lots of kids playing there.
The third playground is further down the jogging track, next to a skateboard rink. It's smaller than the first two, but it's definitely designed with toddlers in mind. There are steps and bars and a wheel to turn, and of course, not forgetting the slides.
To the end of the track, there is the smallest playground of those we explored that morning and it's shaded from the sun. Matthew had the most fun here. There are steps which Matthew climbed and a wheel to turn, a short tunnel to crawl through, then a slide to come down. There are bars on the sides for the more agile kids. Matthew had a go at it. Well, he could almost do it without our help. Almost. A white cat came to join us. Matthew just kept giggling, pointing at the cat.
Up the stairs, turn turn turn the wheelThrough the tunnel, down the slide. HOORAY!Hahaha... a cat! Up the bars I climb!The last one we found was actually near the market. It is sheltered from sun and rain. This playground was built to cater to LOTS of kids. The "corridors" were wide. Matthew was not too keen to explore this one. He was just contented to sit on the steps, examining the holes in the platform.
Five playgrounds in total. I did not know there were so many playgrounds around our estate.
Labels: Perth 2006, playground
Monday, May 15, 2006
Some final notes on our Perth trip
Some final notes on our Perth trip
Now that mama has completed the updates on the Perth trip. here are some interesting snippets about the trip.
Plane - His first up close personal experience.
Walking - Matthew fine-tuned his skills and walked long distances when we were there. Partly because the grass was very fine and soft and he liked the feel of it and he was not afraid of falling.
Taste - His first taste of Gelato. Yum yum. Gourmet tomato soup at Equinox Busselton. Super yum yum. He kept asking for more!
Touch - He touched dogs, sheep, cows, ducks, starfish during the trip. First time.
Farmstary - His favourite part was the hayride and looking at the tractor.
Megan - She shared with Matthew and always said "Ah Thew Ah Thew didi"... and she still does now... watch a video Megan helps Matthew hold his water bottle
Tianfa - He's known to Matthew as Uncle Fish Fish. "bob bob bob bob"
Milk rejection - oh oh.. He just simply refused to drink his afternoon milk... Matthew would break into smiles when he saw the milk bottle. But the moment he tasted the milk, no go, he would push his bottle away. We tried giving him his milk when he was taking his nap, somehow he clamped his mouth shut. Nothing we could do, except made sure that he was taking cheese and snacks.
Barney and dancing - He got himself acquainted with this cute purple dinosaur. Dancing and clapping. watch a video Matthew dances. do we need to say more?
Matthew's crying - He cried because he did not like the long car ride. He cried because he was tired and could not sleep. He cried because he was tired and still wanted to play some more. He cried because sudden knocking sounds, raised voices which would "shock" him. He cried because he wanted something but could not tell us what he wanted. He cried when he fell and bumped his head against some furniture.....
On the whole, Matthew enjoyed himself. He saw and learned lots of things. Although he may not remember this first overseas trip, we did not regret bringing him. It was an experience for him and also for us.
Till the next time... when papa and mama save more $$$... ;o)
Now that mama has completed the updates on the Perth trip. here are some interesting snippets about the trip.
Plane - His first up close personal experience.
Walking - Matthew fine-tuned his skills and walked long distances when we were there. Partly because the grass was very fine and soft and he liked the feel of it and he was not afraid of falling.
Taste - His first taste of Gelato. Yum yum. Gourmet tomato soup at Equinox Busselton. Super yum yum. He kept asking for more!
Touch - He touched dogs, sheep, cows, ducks, starfish during the trip. First time.
Farmstary - His favourite part was the hayride and looking at the tractor.
Megan - She shared with Matthew and always said "Ah Thew Ah Thew didi"... and she still does now... watch a video Megan helps Matthew hold his water bottle
Tianfa - He's known to Matthew as Uncle Fish Fish. "bob bob bob bob"
Milk rejection - oh oh.. He just simply refused to drink his afternoon milk... Matthew would break into smiles when he saw the milk bottle. But the moment he tasted the milk, no go, he would push his bottle away. We tried giving him his milk when he was taking his nap, somehow he clamped his mouth shut. Nothing we could do, except made sure that he was taking cheese and snacks.
Barney and dancing - He got himself acquainted with this cute purple dinosaur. Dancing and clapping. watch a video Matthew dances. do we need to say more?
Matthew's crying - He cried because he did not like the long car ride. He cried because he was tired and could not sleep. He cried because he was tired and still wanted to play some more. He cried because sudden knocking sounds, raised voices which would "shock" him. He cried because he wanted something but could not tell us what he wanted. He cried when he fell and bumped his head against some furniture.....
On the whole, Matthew enjoyed himself. He saw and learned lots of things. Although he may not remember this first overseas trip, we did not regret bringing him. It was an experience for him and also for us.
Till the next time... when papa and mama save more $$$... ;o)
Labels: Perth 2006
Sunday, May 07, 2006
Perth - Days 8 & 9 - Perth
8 Apr, Day 8 - Perth
Day 8 was a designated and dedicated shopping day! The mall - Harbourtown in West Perth! This mall brought together factory outlets of some big brands, like Fila and Nike. We bought 10 shirts for Mike and myself, some baby clothes for our friends who are expecting babies these two months and 7 books for Matthew, all at factory prices. Chris and Tianfa bought 4 (or 5) pairs of shoes from Nike itself! Well, not sure what else they bought, but it was sure a lot to pack!
For dinner, we had Jester's pies (which we thought weren't as great as described in the books) and canned soup. Mike and I were completely knocked out when we put Matthew to sleep, only waking up almost 12mn for dinner?!?! and we got to pack for our trip back home.
9 Apr, Day 9 - Perth to Singapore
It was our last day in Perth. We made our way to Kings Park after checking out. We were marvelled by the view of Perth City from the Park. The Park was divided into different sections. We went to where the kids would love, the Western Powerhouse Parklands with lots of playground. Matthew had his morning nap in the car and continued his nap in the park, while Mike and I did some people-watching. People were enjoying their Sundays, bbq in the park, having parties, picnics... If only we could also do it back home. Our weather here is simply too humid to enjoy these sort of activities without breaking into perspiration.
When Matthew woke up, we had some bubble play which attracted lots of attention from the other kids. It was fun blowing with so many kids enjoying themselves... Then it was time to go. We had an early lunch at this cafe called Manhattan at Hay Street, opened by a Singaporean, before going to the airport. It was time to say bye to this beautiful place.
Matthew had his afternoon nap, before we boarded the plane. He woke up happy and had a good dinner. He walked around and went to peep in at Megan. Just before we were about to land, Matthew slept, waking up only after we cleared the customs and collected our baggage.
Day 8 was a designated and dedicated shopping day! The mall - Harbourtown in West Perth! This mall brought together factory outlets of some big brands, like Fila and Nike. We bought 10 shirts for Mike and myself, some baby clothes for our friends who are expecting babies these two months and 7 books for Matthew, all at factory prices. Chris and Tianfa bought 4 (or 5) pairs of shoes from Nike itself! Well, not sure what else they bought, but it was sure a lot to pack!
For dinner, we had Jester's pies (which we thought weren't as great as described in the books) and canned soup. Mike and I were completely knocked out when we put Matthew to sleep, only waking up almost 12mn for dinner?!?! and we got to pack for our trip back home.9 Apr, Day 9 - Perth to Singapore
It was our last day in Perth. We made our way to Kings Park after checking out. We were marvelled by the view of Perth City from the Park. The Park was divided into different sections. We went to where the kids would love, the Western Powerhouse Parklands with lots of playground. Matthew had his morning nap in the car and continued his nap in the park, while Mike and I did some people-watching. People were enjoying their Sundays, bbq in the park, having parties, picnics... If only we could also do it back home. Our weather here is simply too humid to enjoy these sort of activities without breaking into perspiration.
When Matthew woke up, we had some bubble play which attracted lots of attention from the other kids. It was fun blowing with so many kids enjoying themselves... Then it was time to go. We had an early lunch at this cafe called Manhattan at Hay Street, opened by a Singaporean, before going to the airport. It was time to say bye to this beautiful place.Matthew had his afternoon nap, before we boarded the plane. He woke up happy and had a good dinner. He walked around and went to peep in at Megan. Just before we were about to land, Matthew slept, waking up only after we cleared the customs and collected our baggage.
Watch a video
Matthew on the plane
Matthew on the plane
Labels: Perth 2006
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Perth - Day 7 - Pemberton to Donnybrook to Perth
7 Apr, Day 7 - Pemberton to Donnybrook to Perth
We started the day with the hayride. Matthew enjoyed himself more because he knew what was coming up. He particularly enjoyed the ride round the farm. After the ride, we got ourselves all packed up and ready to go. We thanked the farmer and his assistant, returned our keys and we were on our way back to our 5-hour drive back to Perth, stopping at Donnybrook and Harvey.
Both Megan and Matthew slept during the drive to Donnybrook and they woke up just in time to have lunch and to pick some fruit. We stopped over at Old Goldfields Orchard and had a good lunch and enjoyed some nice refreshing apple juice, freshly pressed and bottled on the farm itself. We picked some plums and Matthew enjoyed biting off from the fruit itself. We explored the grounds, which used to be a goldfield, looking for fruit and found pears, apples and even peaches!! We enjoyed picking the fruit and regretted not plucking some peaches. All for A$4 a kg! The plums and peaches were exceptionally sweet, not like what we buy here from supermarkets.
Matthew took his afternoon nap after we moved on. We reached Harvey for a toilet break when he woke up. He was a good boy for the rest of the journey back to Perth (approximately 2 hours). We went shopping at Hay Street Mall and had dinner at one of the food courts. We then checked into Mont Clare Apartments in East Perth, our den for the remaining 2 nights in Perth.
Time really flies, when you are enjoying yourself. Two more days and we were on our way back to Singapore.
We started the day with the hayride. Matthew enjoyed himself more because he knew what was coming up. He particularly enjoyed the ride round the farm. After the ride, we got ourselves all packed up and ready to go. We thanked the farmer and his assistant, returned our keys and we were on our way back to our 5-hour drive back to Perth, stopping at Donnybrook and Harvey.
Both Megan and Matthew slept during the drive to Donnybrook and they woke up just in time to have lunch and to pick some fruit. We stopped over at Old Goldfields Orchard and had a good lunch and enjoyed some nice refreshing apple juice, freshly pressed and bottled on the farm itself. We picked some plums and Matthew enjoyed biting off from the fruit itself. We explored the grounds, which used to be a goldfield, looking for fruit and found pears, apples and even peaches!! We enjoyed picking the fruit and regretted not plucking some peaches. All for A$4 a kg! The plums and peaches were exceptionally sweet, not like what we buy here from supermarkets. Matthew took his afternoon nap after we moved on. We reached Harvey for a toilet break when he woke up. He was a good boy for the rest of the journey back to Perth (approximately 2 hours). We went shopping at Hay Street Mall and had dinner at one of the food courts. We then checked into Mont Clare Apartments in East Perth, our den for the remaining 2 nights in Perth. Time really flies, when you are enjoying yourself. Two more days and we were on our way back to Singapore.
Labels: Perth 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Perth - Day 6 - Pemberton
6 Apr, Day 6 - Pemberton
Day 6 started off a little gray and cold with lots of clouds in the sky. It was cold and we did not know how to start and maintain a good fire. We got some help from the farmer and got a fire going, nice and warm. The kids knew that they shouldn't go near the fireplace and steered clear of it.
The highlight of the stay was the hayride. All the guests and the children joined the farmer on a ride in the hay truck round the farm, feeding the farm animals. First there were the donkeys who lived on the grassland behind our cottage. The donkeys were fed with hay, so were the cows which were up next. The cows were also given some carrots. These cows were huge! They fed off the hay stack which we held in our hands. They came really close for us to touch them. Even Matthew had a chance to touch the big brown bull.
The sheep and goats were fed next. They came up to the fence and stuck their head through to feed off the tubs that were given out to us. There was this male sheep (called ram) with horns and couldn't stick his head through. Next, the ducks. The ducks are rounded up every night. The next day, when it's time for food, they are released and allowed to roam around the farm. Before the ducks came out, the farmer got all of us in a row and distributed duck feed into our tubs. The ducks were let out and they scrambled for food! Matthew and Megan were totally amused by the ducks. As the ducks came down the row, we got a chance to stroke their feathers. Even Matthew patted one of them.
After the ducks had enough, we went to the chicken enclosure. They have different species of hens and roosters on the farm. We even went into the hen coop to pick eggs, just laid, nice and warm. It was a very good experience.
We were supposed to make a trip to Walpole, famed for their tall trees and Giant Walkway which canopied over the top of the trees. But Chris and I decided that we would just R&R in Pemberton and we made our way to the Lavendar and Berry Farm on the other side of town. We had pancakes with berry sauce for lunch and the kids enjoyed themselves tumbling on the grass. They also had some animals behind their berry bushes. Matthew and Megan both fell asleep in their fathers' arms while their mommies were buying some of the farm products, such as lavendar hand cream and raspberry vinegar. We tried our luck in the berry bushes but found only one lone raspberry...
The kids continued their naps in the cottage and the mommies went out supermarket shopping. For dinner, we went to Shamrock in town, recommended by the farm people and enjoyed a sumptous meal of marron, trout and calamari rings. Since it was mentioned in the books, so we thought we must try the marron. It tasted like lobster, nothing more. The smoked trout was good. Garlic bread was simply yum yum.
Taking a walk along the street in the quiet town of Pemberton
After the kids slept, the adults treated themselves to rented DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean, before the long drive back to Perth the next day.
Day 6 started off a little gray and cold with lots of clouds in the sky. It was cold and we did not know how to start and maintain a good fire. We got some help from the farmer and got a fire going, nice and warm. The kids knew that they shouldn't go near the fireplace and steered clear of it.
The highlight of the stay was the hayride. All the guests and the children joined the farmer on a ride in the hay truck round the farm, feeding the farm animals. First there were the donkeys who lived on the grassland behind our cottage. The donkeys were fed with hay, so were the cows which were up next. The cows were also given some carrots. These cows were huge! They fed off the hay stack which we held in our hands. They came really close for us to touch them. Even Matthew had a chance to touch the big brown bull.The sheep and goats were fed next. They came up to the fence and stuck their head through to feed off the tubs that were given out to us. There was this male sheep (called ram) with horns and couldn't stick his head through. Next, the ducks. The ducks are rounded up every night. The next day, when it's time for food, they are released and allowed to roam around the farm. Before the ducks came out, the farmer got all of us in a row and distributed duck feed into our tubs. The ducks were let out and they scrambled for food! Matthew and Megan were totally amused by the ducks. As the ducks came down the row, we got a chance to stroke their feathers. Even Matthew patted one of them.
After the ducks had enough, we went to the chicken enclosure. They have different species of hens and roosters on the farm. We even went into the hen coop to pick eggs, just laid, nice and warm. It was a very good experience.
We were supposed to make a trip to Walpole, famed for their tall trees and Giant Walkway which canopied over the top of the trees. But Chris and I decided that we would just R&R in Pemberton and we made our way to the Lavendar and Berry Farm on the other side of town. We had pancakes with berry sauce for lunch and the kids enjoyed themselves tumbling on the grass. They also had some animals behind their berry bushes. Matthew and Megan both fell asleep in their fathers' arms while their mommies were buying some of the farm products, such as lavendar hand cream and raspberry vinegar. We tried our luck in the berry bushes but found only one lone raspberry...The kids continued their naps in the cottage and the mommies went out supermarket shopping. For dinner, we went to Shamrock in town, recommended by the farm people and enjoyed a sumptous meal of marron, trout and calamari rings. Since it was mentioned in the books, so we thought we must try the marron. It tasted like lobster, nothing more. The smoked trout was good. Garlic bread was simply yum yum.Taking a walk along the street in the quiet town of PembertonAfter the kids slept, the adults treated themselves to rented DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean, before the long drive back to Perth the next day.
Labels: Perth 2006
Monday, April 24, 2006
Perth - Day 5 - Busselton to Margaret River to Pemberton
5 Apr, Day 5 - Busselton to Margaret River to Pemberton
The day began with a good breakfast of eggs and sausages with tomato relish (courtesy of Chris bought from Margaret River Chocolate Company in West Swan on Day 2). The tomato relish was yum yum, so I decided we should get one jar when we visit them at Margaret River that day. We were again greeted by ducks in the morning. A whole group of them. Perhaps they were looking for food...
After breakfast, we checked out and moved on to Busselton Jetty. We actually planned to bring the kids on the train ride along the jetty out into Geographe Bay, but it was too bad that the train was out for maintenance. That meant that we got to walk that 1.8km to end of the jetty for the underwater observatory visit.
It was a good walk. Matthew enjoyed it too, watching birds fly by, people fishing along the jetty. The long walk was rewarded with breathless views of the sea at the end of the jetty! Surprisingly this bay is pretty shallow at 8 metres deep and the waves are quite gentle. Tidal changes vary within 1 metre.
Watch a video
Fish in action
Did you see? So many live action! Real fish swimming in the ocean and we did not get wet. No need for scuba diving or snorkelling!
Then we had to walk back to shore. Another 1.8km walk. Both Matthew and Megan were rocked to sleep by the "klock klock" motion of moving the stroller over the timber planks.
We actually wanted to make our way to Margaret River since the kids were sleeping. However Matthew woke up when we stopped at the petrol kisok to pump up. We ended up eating MacDonald's for lunch and fed the kids there. There was a playground and the kids had some fun there too.
1 hour drive later, we reached Margaret River Chocolate Company. Matthew had real fun here, toddling around and even wanted to "crawl" under a bench to touch a dog. He also chased after some wild birds. He also picked up some twigs and dry leaves from the grass and tasted them!! Hahaha..
Watch some videos
Chasing birds
Dog under the table
Next stop, Voyager Estate as recommended by our friend Kok Weng. We were greeted by a massive estate! The grounds were huge! The gardens were so beautiful and they had the rose in my favourite colour... eerrr, I dunno what's the name of the colour, it's a variation of red...
Matthew and Megan had so much thrill running around the gardens. Megan even got herself a pretty Jie Jie (sister). They even have their photo taken together.
Watch another video
Toddling Toddler
Margaret River to Pemberton was almost 2-hour drive away. Matthew took a nap, so did Megan. When we reached Pemberton, the sun had set (about 7:15pm) and it was all dark. We were also late for kids' dinner. We settled ourself down to eat at Gloucester Motel. Yum yum. Food was good, but Matthew refused to take his dinner. He ended up eating chicken and vege from my plate.
We then made our way to our lodging at Pump Hill Cottages. We booked Wattle Cottage. As it was dark, we searched every cottage that did not have lights on. Finally found it. The owners were kind and left all the lights on, so that we could find our way. We had to make our own fire and that was kind of fun.... More on our farmstay in Day 6.
The day began with a good breakfast of eggs and sausages with tomato relish (courtesy of Chris bought from Margaret River Chocolate Company in West Swan on Day 2). The tomato relish was yum yum, so I decided we should get one jar when we visit them at Margaret River that day. We were again greeted by ducks in the morning. A whole group of them. Perhaps they were looking for food...
After breakfast, we checked out and moved on to Busselton Jetty. We actually planned to bring the kids on the train ride along the jetty out into Geographe Bay, but it was too bad that the train was out for maintenance. That meant that we got to walk that 1.8km to end of the jetty for the underwater observatory visit.
It was a good walk. Matthew enjoyed it too, watching birds fly by, people fishing along the jetty. The long walk was rewarded with breathless views of the sea at the end of the jetty! Surprisingly this bay is pretty shallow at 8 metres deep and the waves are quite gentle. Tidal changes vary within 1 metre.Watch a videoFish in action
Did you see? So many live action! Real fish swimming in the ocean and we did not get wet. No need for scuba diving or snorkelling!
Then we had to walk back to shore. Another 1.8km walk. Both Matthew and Megan were rocked to sleep by the "klock klock" motion of moving the stroller over the timber planks.
We actually wanted to make our way to Margaret River since the kids were sleeping. However Matthew woke up when we stopped at the petrol kisok to pump up. We ended up eating MacDonald's for lunch and fed the kids there. There was a playground and the kids had some fun there too.1 hour drive later, we reached Margaret River Chocolate Company. Matthew had real fun here, toddling around and even wanted to "crawl" under a bench to touch a dog. He also chased after some wild birds. He also picked up some twigs and dry leaves from the grass and tasted them!! Hahaha..
Watch some videos
Chasing birds
Dog under the table
Next stop, Voyager Estate as recommended by our friend Kok Weng. We were greeted by a massive estate! The grounds were huge! The gardens were so beautiful and they had the rose in my favourite colour... eerrr, I dunno what's the name of the colour, it's a variation of red...Matthew and Megan had so much thrill running around the gardens. Megan even got herself a pretty Jie Jie (sister). They even have their photo taken together.
Watch another video
Toddling Toddler
Margaret River to Pemberton was almost 2-hour drive away. Matthew took a nap, so did Megan. When we reached Pemberton, the sun had set (about 7:15pm) and it was all dark. We were also late for kids' dinner. We settled ourself down to eat at Gloucester Motel. Yum yum. Food was good, but Matthew refused to take his dinner. He ended up eating chicken and vege from my plate. We then made our way to our lodging at Pump Hill Cottages. We booked Wattle Cottage. As it was dark, we searched every cottage that did not have lights on. Finally found it. The owners were kind and left all the lights on, so that we could find our way. We had to make our own fire and that was kind of fun.... More on our farmstay in Day 6.
Labels: Perth 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Perth - Day 4 - Perth to Mandurah to Bunbury to Busselton
4 Apr, Day 4 - Perth to Mandurah to Bunbury to Busselton
We were all packed and ready to move base to Busselton. We had those pop-into-toaster waffles for breakfast. Matthew had bread and waffles too. After breakfast, we set off for Mandurah, 74km to the south of Perth, our first stop en route to the South West. After an hour and half drive, we reached Mandurah. Of course, the kids were glad to get out of the car for a run!
Megan had fun chasing after the sea gulls, so did Matthew. He held on to my hand and made me run with him to chase after them (not that he knew how to run). well, watch the video and u know what i meant. You would notice that there was this noisy sound in the background; that was the motorised sweeper moving around sweeping the area.
Watch a video
Chasing seagulls
It was near the kids' lunch time, so we settled to have a light lunch at The Merchant Tea and Coffee Co. The kids must be hungry as they finished their lunch very fast. After Mike brought Matthew for a walk and they came back with Matthew sleeping. Well, Megan also fell asleep in her stroller after a walk.
While the kids slept in the car, the two mommies popped by Woolsworth Supermarket to get some grocery. When we were back, the kids were awake! So we made our way to our next stop, Bunbury, almost two-hour-drive away.
To be honest, I can't remember what happened on this stretch of road trip, whether Matthew went back to sleep (I think Megan did) or he cried along the way. I think he did nap when we were near our stop at Bunbury, The Dolphin Discovery Centre.
About this Dolphin Discovery Centre, this was what we read "Watch from the beach or wade into the water with the dolphins should they swim into the shallows of the 'Interaction Zone'. Dolphin visits are at no set time as these animals are wild, however interaction occurs mainly in the morning." Well, we did not get to see any dolphins, but the water was calm with gentle waves and Matthew and I had fun chasing and catching the waves...
Watch a video
Chasing and catching waves
Fun fun fun and it was back to the car for another ride to our final destination Busselton. We got lost finding our accommodation for the night, Geographe Bayview Resort, because we missed out a 5 in the address. It should read as "555". We lost one 5. Imagine 555 and 55, that was a big big distance away. Haha.. we all laughed about it in the end.
We finally found the resort and got the key to our unit. Not bad, quite cosy. We had a surprise welcome too... from the ducks! Three ducks waddled their way to our door and Matthew was amused by them! Tien Huat had brought Megan out for a walk and missed seeing them at our door.
After settling down, we made our way to Equinox, a restaurant next to Busselton Jetty for dinner. Expensive, but definitely worth it. Their tomato soup was fantastic! Matthew had some too, really yummy!
Matthew was so tired that day that he did not even wait for me to finish bathing to have his milk. Haha... Both Mike and I also fell asleep next to him.
We were all packed and ready to move base to Busselton. We had those pop-into-toaster waffles for breakfast. Matthew had bread and waffles too. After breakfast, we set off for Mandurah, 74km to the south of Perth, our first stop en route to the South West. After an hour and half drive, we reached Mandurah. Of course, the kids were glad to get out of the car for a run!
Megan had fun chasing after the sea gulls, so did Matthew. He held on to my hand and made me run with him to chase after them (not that he knew how to run). well, watch the video and u know what i meant. You would notice that there was this noisy sound in the background; that was the motorised sweeper moving around sweeping the area.
Watch a video
Chasing seagulls
It was near the kids' lunch time, so we settled to have a light lunch at The Merchant Tea and Coffee Co. The kids must be hungry as they finished their lunch very fast. After Mike brought Matthew for a walk and they came back with Matthew sleeping. Well, Megan also fell asleep in her stroller after a walk.
While the kids slept in the car, the two mommies popped by Woolsworth Supermarket to get some grocery. When we were back, the kids were awake! So we made our way to our next stop, Bunbury, almost two-hour-drive away.To be honest, I can't remember what happened on this stretch of road trip, whether Matthew went back to sleep (I think Megan did) or he cried along the way. I think he did nap when we were near our stop at Bunbury, The Dolphin Discovery Centre.
About this Dolphin Discovery Centre, this was what we read "Watch from the beach or wade into the water with the dolphins should they swim into the shallows of the 'Interaction Zone'. Dolphin visits are at no set time as these animals are wild, however interaction occurs mainly in the morning." Well, we did not get to see any dolphins, but the water was calm with gentle waves and Matthew and I had fun chasing and catching the waves...
Watch a video
Chasing and catching waves
Fun fun fun and it was back to the car for another ride to our final destination Busselton. We got lost finding our accommodation for the night, Geographe Bayview Resort, because we missed out a 5 in the address. It should read as "555". We lost one 5. Imagine 555 and 55, that was a big big distance away. Haha.. we all laughed about it in the end.
We finally found the resort and got the key to our unit. Not bad, quite cosy. We had a surprise welcome too... from the ducks! Three ducks waddled their way to our door and Matthew was amused by them! Tien Huat had brought Megan out for a walk and missed seeing them at our door.
After settling down, we made our way to Equinox, a restaurant next to Busselton Jetty for dinner. Expensive, but definitely worth it. Their tomato soup was fantastic! Matthew had some too, really yummy!Matthew was so tired that day that he did not even wait for me to finish bathing to have his milk. Haha... Both Mike and I also fell asleep next to him.
Labels: Perth 2006
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Perth - Day 3 - Caversham & AQWA
3 Apr, Day 3 - Caversham and AQWA
Another bright and sunny day. Day 3 was an encounter with the wild, both land and sea creatures. We headed off to West Swan. We made a stop at the famous Margaret River Chocolate Company for morning tea. We had latte and white chocolate cake. Pure Indulgence. Yum Yum!!! The kids had fun tumbling around the green area in front of the verandah. Matthew had his first taste of chocolate. mm.. many firsts on this trip.
The Whiteman Caversham Wildlife Park was our next stop and it was truly a wild wild encounter. The park showcased all the animals you would be able to find in Australia. Animals were grouped according to the different states and we finally had a chance to see the Tasmanian Devil!
Up close personal encounter with the kangaroos, we even fed them directly from our palms. Matthew was amused, amazed and even wanted to try roo food!!! He was also daring enough to pat and stroke the kangaroo. Then there were the white kangaroos. This silly mommy was so engrossed by the unusual kangaroos that she forgot to take some photos. And also the white peacock.
The weather was so good that Matthew insisted that we took off the long sleeve T-shirt he was wearing. ok but the only thing was that the white long sleeve T-shirt was worn beneath the Next T-shirt he was wearing. He was topless for that one minute we took off his shirt!! No photos to show the topless Matthew looking at the kangaroos. Then he wanted to sit in the stroller with his shoes off! Aiyo, I tell you, all the crankiness from not having a good morning nap.. After lunch and after much rocking, Matthew finally went down for a nap in the sarong carrier. We didn't even dare to put him down in the stroller or car seat, just to make sure that he had a good nap and he did!
Matthew woke up to the beautiful Hillarys Harbour, where AQWA the aquarium of western australia is located. The 20-minute-drive was rewarding as at the end of it, the ocean presented itself to us as we came to the top of a hill before reaching the suburb of Hillarys. Before visiting AQWA, we went to Spinnakers at the north side of the harbour for a late lunch. The restaurant was located right at the end of the harbour, next to the water! What excellent view! Food was good too.
This is one of my fav photos of Matthew. Enjoying the view, the sailboats, the water, the sky and the sea gulls. He was happy, wasn't he?
We drove to the south side of the harbour to AQWA. I thought I would be totally overwhelmed by the aquarium (as I still could remember our unforgettable trip to Sydney Aquarium two years ago), I was disappointed. It's actually quite similar to our Underwater World in Sentosa, except that the focus was more on the marine / aquatic life in Australia. There were outdoor holding tanks, featuring seals and stingray and a touch pool. Some colourful marine life caught Matthew's attention. More encounters with the wild. The seal was attracted to Matthew (partly because we were the last ones left at the exhibit) and the touch pool where Matthew touched a starfish!!!
Watch a video
Matthew's encounter with a seal
Another bright and sunny day. Day 3 was an encounter with the wild, both land and sea creatures. We headed off to West Swan. We made a stop at the famous Margaret River Chocolate Company for morning tea. We had latte and white chocolate cake. Pure Indulgence. Yum Yum!!! The kids had fun tumbling around the green area in front of the verandah. Matthew had his first taste of chocolate. mm.. many firsts on this trip.
The Whiteman Caversham Wildlife Park was our next stop and it was truly a wild wild encounter. The park showcased all the animals you would be able to find in Australia. Animals were grouped according to the different states and we finally had a chance to see the Tasmanian Devil!
Up close personal encounter with the kangaroos, we even fed them directly from our palms. Matthew was amused, amazed and even wanted to try roo food!!! He was also daring enough to pat and stroke the kangaroo. Then there were the white kangaroos. This silly mommy was so engrossed by the unusual kangaroos that she forgot to take some photos. And also the white peacock.
The weather was so good that Matthew insisted that we took off the long sleeve T-shirt he was wearing. ok but the only thing was that the white long sleeve T-shirt was worn beneath the Next T-shirt he was wearing. He was topless for that one minute we took off his shirt!! No photos to show the topless Matthew looking at the kangaroos. Then he wanted to sit in the stroller with his shoes off! Aiyo, I tell you, all the crankiness from not having a good morning nap.. After lunch and after much rocking, Matthew finally went down for a nap in the sarong carrier. We didn't even dare to put him down in the stroller or car seat, just to make sure that he had a good nap and he did!Matthew woke up to the beautiful Hillarys Harbour, where AQWA the aquarium of western australia is located. The 20-minute-drive was rewarding as at the end of it, the ocean presented itself to us as we came to the top of a hill before reaching the suburb of Hillarys. Before visiting AQWA, we went to Spinnakers at the north side of the harbour for a late lunch. The restaurant was located right at the end of the harbour, next to the water! What excellent view! Food was good too.
This is one of my fav photos of Matthew. Enjoying the view, the sailboats, the water, the sky and the sea gulls. He was happy, wasn't he?We drove to the south side of the harbour to AQWA. I thought I would be totally overwhelmed by the aquarium (as I still could remember our unforgettable trip to Sydney Aquarium two years ago), I was disappointed. It's actually quite similar to our Underwater World in Sentosa, except that the focus was more on the marine / aquatic life in Australia. There were outdoor holding tanks, featuring seals and stingray and a touch pool. Some colourful marine life caught Matthew's attention. More encounters with the wild. The seal was attracted to Matthew (partly because we were the last ones left at the exhibit) and the touch pool where Matthew touched a starfish!!!
Watch a videoMatthew's encounter with a seal
Labels: Perth 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Perth - Day 2 - Cottesloe
Labels: Perth 2006
Perth - Day 2 - Cottesloe & Freo
2 Apr, Day 2 - Cottesloe and Fremantle
Day 2 started off bright and sunny. We made our way to Cottesloe Beach. We were greeted by the blue sky and the deep blue Indian Ocean. What a sight! Beautiful! The adults were totally mesmerised by the magnificent scenery. The kids were frightened off by the roaring waves!
A walk on the sand, we moved along on a grassy strip and made our way to the famous Indiana Tea House. They were closed and would only open for lunch. That was so disappointing. However we found another cosy cafe opposite and had a hearty breakfast! After breakfast, I brought Matthew to an open area next to the Indiana Tea House and Matthew touched a dog for the first time! I cannot remember what breed it was, but Matthew was totally amused by the fact that he could touch a dog.
After brunch, we made our way to Fremantle or affectionately known as Freo by the locals, 20minutes drive away. First stop - E-sheds. Really nothing much here, only tourist stuff. We wasted time here, with nothing much to do.
Second stop - An open field opposite the grand Esplanade Hotel. Both Matthew and Megan had lots of fun here, chasing birds, "running" up and down a slope. The slope was pretty steep. Megan did not realise it and "dashed" down the slope and a little fall on the grass at the bottom. Thereafter she cautiously went down the slope, taking careful steps.
Third stop - Fremantle markets. Here's a good place to go. We bought lots of vegetable for the kids' porridge and even managed to buy some baby snapper fillets. Lots of stuff to see and buy, but we only spent 1hr there. Matthew slept in the sarong carrier and had a good nap.
Fourth stop - Il Gelato. Matthew had his first taste of icy cold gelato and he loved it! Hestiated at first by the cold and strange sensation in his mouth.
Fifth stop - The famous Cicerello's for fish and chips with a view of the boats in the harbour. As I was typing this post, Mike mentioned that Matthew must have loved this place very much. The expression and excitement he had on his face showed it all. The setting sun, the breeze, the boats, the water. We really don't know what he was so excited about, but he was very very happy!
A note to add, Matthew had so much fun tumbling, falling on the grass, squat to stand, stand to squat, toddling around. He gained so much confidence walking that for the rest of the trip, he was toddling instead of crawling!
Day 2 started off bright and sunny. We made our way to Cottesloe Beach. We were greeted by the blue sky and the deep blue Indian Ocean. What a sight! Beautiful! The adults were totally mesmerised by the magnificent scenery. The kids were frightened off by the roaring waves!
A walk on the sand, we moved along on a grassy strip and made our way to the famous Indiana Tea House. They were closed and would only open for lunch. That was so disappointing. However we found another cosy cafe opposite and had a hearty breakfast! After breakfast, I brought Matthew to an open area next to the Indiana Tea House and Matthew touched a dog for the first time! I cannot remember what breed it was, but Matthew was totally amused by the fact that he could touch a dog.
After brunch, we made our way to Fremantle or affectionately known as Freo by the locals, 20minutes drive away. First stop - E-sheds. Really nothing much here, only tourist stuff. We wasted time here, with nothing much to do. Second stop - An open field opposite the grand Esplanade Hotel. Both Matthew and Megan had lots of fun here, chasing birds, "running" up and down a slope. The slope was pretty steep. Megan did not realise it and "dashed" down the slope and a little fall on the grass at the bottom. Thereafter she cautiously went down the slope, taking careful steps.
Third stop - Fremantle markets. Here's a good place to go. We bought lots of vegetable for the kids' porridge and even managed to buy some baby snapper fillets. Lots of stuff to see and buy, but we only spent 1hr there. Matthew slept in the sarong carrier and had a good nap.
Fourth stop - Il Gelato. Matthew had his first taste of icy cold gelato and he loved it! Hestiated at first by the cold and strange sensation in his mouth.
Fifth stop - The famous Cicerello's for fish and chips with a view of the boats in the harbour. As I was typing this post, Mike mentioned that Matthew must have loved this place very much. The expression and excitement he had on his face showed it all. The setting sun, the breeze, the boats, the water. We really don't know what he was so excited about, but he was very very happy!
A note to add, Matthew had so much fun tumbling, falling on the grass, squat to stand, stand to squat, toddling around. He gained so much confidence walking that for the rest of the trip, he was toddling instead of crawling!Labels: Perth 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Perth - Day 1 - The flight
1 Apr, Day 1 - Singapore to Perth
We flew SQ223 at 9:35am to Perth, reaching our destination almost 3pm. Matthew missed his morning nap or rather he refused to sleep, so he was rather cranky on most parts of the flight. Despite being sleepy, he fought his urge to sleep and ended up crying quite a while. Finally, after his lunch, I managed to find a quiet spot (near the toilet) and rocked him to sleep. Here's a photo of Matthew sleeping in the almost too small bassinet.
The take-off of the flight was good, but the landing was the WORST we have ever experienced and Matthew got a shock and ended up crying again!
We cleared customs without much trouble, though we brought along 1 pack of rice, lots of baby biscuits and sachets of milk powder. After we left the restricted area, the first thing the kids wanted to do was to go outdoors! The weather was brilliant despite the wind that was blowing. Most of our time at the airport were spent waiting for Avis to get our car ready and us trying to fix the car seats.
We stayed at Mont Clare Apartments at East Perth and we must say that the accommodation was pretty good. It was 2-bedroom-2-bathroom self contained apartment. But it was a little far from the central Perth area, approximate 7 streets away. We ended up eating Chinese takeaway from a little outlet nearby for dinner. Well, lousy and expensive, but enough to fill our hungry tummies.
Stay tune for Day 2 of our beautiful Oz trip!
We flew SQ223 at 9:35am to Perth, reaching our destination almost 3pm. Matthew missed his morning nap or rather he refused to sleep, so he was rather cranky on most parts of the flight. Despite being sleepy, he fought his urge to sleep and ended up crying quite a while. Finally, after his lunch, I managed to find a quiet spot (near the toilet) and rocked him to sleep. Here's a photo of Matthew sleeping in the almost too small bassinet.
The take-off of the flight was good, but the landing was the WORST we have ever experienced and Matthew got a shock and ended up crying again!We cleared customs without much trouble, though we brought along 1 pack of rice, lots of baby biscuits and sachets of milk powder. After we left the restricted area, the first thing the kids wanted to do was to go outdoors! The weather was brilliant despite the wind that was blowing. Most of our time at the airport were spent waiting for Avis to get our car ready and us trying to fix the car seats.
We stayed at Mont Clare Apartments at East Perth and we must say that the accommodation was pretty good. It was 2-bedroom-2-bathroom self contained apartment. But it was a little far from the central Perth area, approximate 7 streets away. We ended up eating Chinese takeaway from a little outlet nearby for dinner. Well, lousy and expensive, but enough to fill our hungry tummies.
Stay tune for Day 2 of our beautiful Oz trip!
Labels: Perth 2006
Thursday, April 13, 2006
We are back
Yuppie. We are back. It was fun, of course not without some downs. We were there from 1 to 9 April. I'll be updating soon with lots and lots of photos.. come back soon!
Labels: Perth 2006
Monday, March 27, 2006
4 days to go! Perth here we come!
FOUR DAYS TO GO! PERTH PERTH HERE WE COME!
Labels: Perth 2006
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Countdown to Perth Trip! 4 weeks to go!
We are going to Perth on 1 April 2006. Countdown begins now! 4 weeks to go!
So exciting. New experience for all three of us. For Mike and myself, it's first time that we are travelling threesome. Well, for the past years, it was always only two of us (other than the trip to Tasmania with Su Hock and Angeline). This time is different. We have Matthew and we would be travelling with Chris, Tianfa and Megan! For Matthew, no need to say, it would be all his first time. His fascination with aeroplanes in the sky, up close and personal and flying in it!
I'll write more the next time about the trip. so exciting!!!
So exciting. New experience for all three of us. For Mike and myself, it's first time that we are travelling threesome. Well, for the past years, it was always only two of us (other than the trip to Tasmania with Su Hock and Angeline). This time is different. We have Matthew and we would be travelling with Chris, Tianfa and Megan! For Matthew, no need to say, it would be all his first time. His fascination with aeroplanes in the sky, up close and personal and flying in it!
I'll write more the next time about the trip. so exciting!!!
Labels: Perth 2006
