celebrating my birthday in hong kong

After 12 nights in Japan, we arrived in HOng KOng on 3 December. We were greeted with a taxi strike at the airport and that wasted some of our time getting to our hotel.

It was a good decision to book a limousine and checking in to The Lanson Place in Hong Kong island - a very nice serviced apartment, also a member of the small luxury hotels. As a member of the SLH, we were upgraded to an executive suite which was nice. It is hard to get a spacious room (about 50 sq metres) in Hong Kong hotels. What more, contemporary fittings and interiors,quality bathroom accessories and fine faucets plus a very nice welcome hamper. I would recommend The Lanson Place Hong Kong to anyone planning to make a trip to Hong Kong!

Well, today is my birthday and I'm so glad to be celebrating it with my DH and lovely son here in Hong Kong. No matter what people say about HK, I really do like Hong Kong. It has a special place in my heart and somehow, it's nice hanging around on the streets and even chilling out in the room. And oh, I even received a birthday cake from The Lanson Place - how sweet!

DH said I could buy anything with his credit card and I am certain he meant it as a joke. But still, he's not complaining too much about my first pair of shoes in Hong Kong and a Prada bag which happened to be on sale :P So, it's another year older for me and I am counting my blessings once again - thank you, Lord.

brief report on our family trip - 1

I apologise for not writing for the last one week. I am away for a vacation with my family and due to my limited internet access, I haven't been able to blog regularly.

We arrived in Tokyo on 21 Nov late at night and after spending some time navigating our way around at Shinjuku Train Station, also known as the busiest train station in the world, we finally got into Fraser Place Shinjuku Apartment at almost 11pm. The flight and train ride to Tokyo was great and we were greeted with a nice and spacious one bedroom apartment at Fraser Place.

As I won't be blogging the details of the trip yet, I can only say that no one would ever need to take any weight loss pills after a seven day free and easy trip in Tokyo! Walking to all the train lines and doing all the walks on the streets are enough to burn those calories and lose the excess pounds. You won't even need to worry about alli side effects or any weight loss pills side effects with this natural weight loss method! Take a holiday to Tokyo!

We spent 3 nights in Tokyo before moving to beautiful Hakone and Izu. Today is the second day in Osaka and for the first time, we are back in the hotel room resting and recharging... becos the stores are already closed at 8pm!

Hakone is such a beautiful place and we only wished we had more time there. The autumn leaves in Hakone and Osaka are magnificient... many people are traveling to these areas just to witness the wonders of nature.

I can't write more for now but I'll be posting more details on our family trip when I find time!



View from our ryokan in Hakone...

bound for Tokyo and more!

I'm so excited - we are off to Tokyo tomorrow! After all the weeks of forum and travel research, we are all packed up and ready to go! This has been a crazy week as I pack for our family vacation and run all the errands like going to the bank, sending DH to and from Vocational Bible School, fetch Clayton to and from Baobei and entertaining him in between.

I haven't had much time to breathe and therefore, I will be seriously taking a break when we are out of here. It's been very tiring for our family the last few weeks and DH too deserves a much needed break.

We are ready to comb the streets of Tokyo, Osaka, the ancient city of Kyoto, Hong Kong and Macau. I can be certain that no one would need any diet pills after all these walking during the vacation... and we are definitely traveling with our stroller!

Till then, I'll try to put up some our trip photos whenever I find time...

Tokyo here we come!

book hotel accommodation online

I'm a big believer for online accommodation reservations - I seriously do! It saves time, hassle and money! All you need to do is some research to compare hotel rates and if you need, read some travel reviews in the travel forums such as trip advisor or virtual tourist and you can get our travel planning going. It's that simple. Whether you are booking las vegas hotels or any asia hotels, online hotel reservation makes it so convenient and simple!

Of the so many travel search engines I frequently, hotels.com and travelocity top my list of travel booking sites. The nice thing about Hotels.com is that you don't need to make a prepayment and most hotel accommodations allow you to cancel 3 days before your arrival date, with no penalty charges. As for Travelocity, the Good Buy hotels require you to make a prepayment. In other words, you will forfeit your payment should any cancellation arises due to last minute change in your travel itinerary.

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toggling among a full list of tasks

It's been a very busy two weeks for me. I find myself toggling with many tasks on my plate. With the short time window to complete some work that requires full concentration, my mind is often torn and distracted once the clock strikes at 4pm. This is the time my active and chatty four year old will be shouting 'Hi Mama' from the door.

It's nice to hear his voice greeting me though that also spells, "there goes your personal time, Doris". You probably don't believe this but I'm still haven't penned down all my travel details for our upcoming tokyo trip next friday. My Firefox browser window has almost 10 windows opened and I often toggled one after another, depending on what my mind is after.

Oooh... I'm hoping to do another trip to SG this weekend before the long vacation. I just thought it would be nice to see mom before my trip. I'm back to my multiple browser windows for now... I need to find out how to reserve my shinkansen train tickets when I get to Japan! Does my hubby know that I'm working hard on our travel itinerary?

A bad cut on the chin - ouch!

How many mothers know that it's so heart sick when your child has a bad fall or has an accident?

My little boy slipped in the long bath two days ago and it traumatised him badly. It was the worse fall ever and he had a bad cut on his chin. He was screaming in pain and all I could do was to hold him close and pray. He refused any treatments and would struggle so hard when I tried to put a bandage over that cut. I almost thought he needed stitches cos I could see the open wound but I knew that he wouldn't allow that. Finally, after much struggling and 'forcing', I managed to put a op-site plaster over the cut.

Thank God the bleeding stopped and he's now back to his old tricks... I'm praying for a nice healing of the wound and that there'll no scar left behind. I'm truly thankful to God for His protection... it could have been worse...

finished our last workshop of the year

We finally ended our last workshop of the year - Writing Back by Ron Kaufman. We had a great turn out and it was even better to see participants enjoying their learning session with the customer service guru himself.

This workshop, I was spending most of the day with my preschooler since DH was capable of handling it on his own. After working with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Kuala Lumpur for more than five events, it was disappointing to note that service had paled in certain ways. Personally, I also think that the hotel rooms at Mandarin Oriental need some serious upgrading! While this is not a travel forum I don't intend to go into the details of reviewing the hotel room. I just hope that the carpet is cleaner and the shower head is replaced the next time I check in at Mandarin Oriental again!! Whatever the state of the hotel room was, my preschooler was having a ball of a time.

To all the graduates of Writing Back 2008 - thank you for your ardent participation and support. Keep those wonderful writing going!

another parenting rant

Sometimes we parents forgot how to overlook our kids' faults and appreciate them for their innocence and ignorance. I saw myself 'nagging' at my preschooler on many misbehaviors, from getting him to keep his books on the bookshelves to putting his toys back in his toy box. Sometimes, you wonder why they keep repeating certain bad habits and can only feel bad about being too stern at the end of the day.

I find myself asking for grace and more patience especially when the frustration levels are increasing. It can be challenging when you have a preschooler who never sits still and always needing attention and stimulation. This is when I have to quiet down and count my blessings for this little treasure given to me during my time on earth.

It's just another one of those parenting rants...

search and compare hotels to save

No matter what the economy is like, life still goes on. Wedding bells are still ringing and couple are still shopping for wedding favors, engagement rings, bridal accessories, wedding venue...etc. Vacationers will continue to travel though the travel budget may be cut or reduced as one try to be more prudent. DH has already reminded me to stick to our family travel budget and I'm taking it seriously.

If anyone is planning to save on hotel accommodation, make sure you compare your hotel rates and shop wisely. For time savings, key in your destination city in the hotel comparison search box below and check out the lowest hotel rates from the search results:

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finding out datafeedr and body crashing

The weekends are here and it feels nice. But my body seems to detect that I need that rest on the weekends and it's crashing down with a cold. I don't like that. I have a list of things to do before the new week but I find myself unable to fulfill my goals now. Sigh!

One of the list of things to do is to find out more about Datafeedr to see if that's the right affiliate stor solution for my online business. It seems like you can set up any kind of niche stores with Datafeedr, from a health vitamins niche store to one that sells the best weight loss pill. In the world of affiliate marketing, picking a niche topic or product range is essential to a successful online business. And having said that, there are many more things to consider besides picking a niche product.

I think I'm heading to bed early so that I can be recharged for another busy week ahead. It's going to be our last workshop for the year... or maybe, ever.

coping with a loss

Now that my father in law had gone to be with the Lord, we are helping my mom in law to settle down and to learn independence. For someone who isn't very active both socially and physically, this may seem to take a longer period of time.

In the next couple of months, we may plan an overseas trip to take her to Hong Kong and Macau, as she had indicated interest to visit these two countries. I must confess that I have not gone holiday with an elderly person before but I believe these odds can be overcome. I spoke with a Chicago accident attorney friend and she was sharing about how she too just returned from a family trip with her dad after a series of happenings at home.

Coping with a loss takes time, courage, strength and divine grace. But with the help of family members and loved ones, it can be a smooth and peaceful adjustment. I only hope that some family members are more supportive during this time. And may they take responsbility to show more love and concern in days to come.

my week updates

I've been a little tired lately. The week seems to pass so fast when I get busy. We got back from the funeral on Monday and on Wednesday, DH had to go to Ipoh again and since we share one car, I had to walk Clayton to school twice. It wasn't something I enjoyed but.... not so much of the 'walk' but I was worried about the security on the streets.

Then I had to get back to my websites building. My designer had some personal problems and could not complete the project. This would mean more work for me and a delayed launch dateline - sigh!

Accommodation for both Hong Kong and Tokyo trip is almost confirmed. I can't seem to make up my mind on Langham Place Hong Kong, Marco Polo Hong Kong and Shangri-la. It was good to do a hotel comparison with a one click search as that saves me time from searching through several travel websites. I'm an all-supporter in online travel booking - it's convenient, fast, simple and literally hassle-free - plus, you save on online travel booking too! I'm now wondering if it's cheaper to buy electronics in Hong Kong and Japan as I heard that there are some good electronic discount stores in Tokyo... I may look into a zoom lens for my nikon D80. Can't wait to start my official photography lesson!

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remembering this capable dear man...

I was away since last Thursday for the funeral of my father in law who passed away at the age of 93 years old. Though it was a sad occasion for us, it was also a time of rejoicing as we knew that he could stop any pain and is now in a better place.

My father in law is one capable and hardworking man who supported all his six sons through their overseas education. It was admirable. From someone who started from scratch in his early years, he built his empire from being a charcoal seller to a successful businessman.

As we honour him during his wake and funeral, we embrace the fond memories of this dear man as we see him on the other side one day.

birthday celebration with his classmates

For the first time, we celebrated Clayton's birthday with his classmates today. I could see the smiles on his face - he was so happy. I bought him his dreamed Sodor Carnival toy and DH presented him with the seven Ferrari cars he collected during a promotion.

I am one person who believe in celebrating birthdays for my child because they are only kids ONCE and never again so why not let them have a memorable one, when it's in our ability to do so?

He gets to choose his own birthday day this year :)

Happy 4th Birthday to you, my dear son...

looking back - Clayton's turning four tomorrow!

It's unbelievable. This afternoon, I pulled out our first digital camera, an Olympus from the drawer, powered up the re-chargeable batteries and passed it to Clayton. Before that, I managed to download some old family photos taken in our first New Zealand trip in 2005. I recalled celebrating Clayton's first birthday in Mount Maunganui, 2005.

Tomorrow, Clayton turns four. I was looking through his photos taken in 2005 and his recent photos taken with my Nikon D80... boy, this boy has sure grown. Today, he's still that tough cutie who is never sitting still for one minute. I felt so proud to be his mom and despite those parenting frustrations, woes, pains, there are lots of unspoken joy that floods my heart each time I kiss his forehead while he's asleep.

Here's wishing you my sweet little boy - A Happy 4th Birthday tomorrow... you will always be my sweet little boy now and always.


Clayton @ 1 year old - in New Zealand


Clayton @ 3+ year old - in Kuala Lumpur

Love, mommy and daddy

no more designer's unit in fraser place shinjuku

Hotels Combined

It was a great weekend in Singapore though I got a little stressed out when Clayton refused to sleep before the wedding dinner on Saturday.

Though it was one of the shorter trips, I did all that I needed to do - got my haircut, met up with the owner of Fuchsia Lane, had lunch with mom and surprisingly, no shopping spree this time. The current global meltdown is sending me some warning signals to my spending habits plus we are going on a family vacation in 5 weeks' time - I can't wait!

I suppose I may have to give up my desire to stay in one of the designers' units in Fraser Place Shinjuku though the photos on the official website are seriously enticing! For the spacious room in the one bedroom in Fraser Place Shinjuku, I'm expected to pay less than $200 per night while the studio premier room in the designer's unit cost around $250 a nite! I've decided to cut down on our family vacation accommodation options and use the savings for shopping instead.

Till then, wishing everyone a good week despite the current global financial meltdown... here are some shots from my hometown - Singapore.



The Arts House at Old Parliament Lane



Boat Quay, Singapore

save on your next online accommodation hotel

Image via WikipediaI can't believe that I haven't been back to Singapore for almost three months! It's one of the longest time I have been out of the country. That would also mean I'm looking at a mob since I haven't cut my hair for three months! I know, friends are still shaking their heads that I only cut my hair in Singapore :P Not that I haven't tried looking for a reliable hairdresser here but I just haven't found one I'm happy with.

I would be taking a couple of days break from blogging since I won't be lugging my laptop with me. Plus it's only a short trip. For those who are thinking of traveling far in the next coming months. Here are some coupons if you are booking your accommodation hotels online. Do take the opportunity to save on your online accommodation booking:

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I found fraser place shinjuku, tokyo!

PR: n/a I: 3,310,000 L: 1 LD: 130,075,682 I: 361000 Rank: 9 Age: Oct 12, 1999 I: 0 whois source Robo: yes Sitemap: no Density Links: 9|4

Just when I thought that I had settled for the Somerset Roppongi for our family vacation to Tokyo, I stumbled upon the Fraser Place Shinjuku, Tokyo. And all thanks to this fantastic accommodation hotel comparison tool I have been faithfully using, I found out the lowest and best rates for Fraser Place Shinjuku, Tokyo was almost the same as the Somerset Roppongi.



What's cool about it is that the Fraser Place Shinjuku is located in Shinjuku and most travelers who have been to Tokyo know that Shinjuku is Tokyo’s largest skyscraper district where some two million people converge for work and play on a daily basis. Shinjuku is also Tokyo’s largest sub-centre and most cosmopolitan area. If you have been to Tokyo, you may also know that most accommodation hotels in Shinjuku offer small hotel rooms due to the space constraints and high property prices in the area. But at Fraser Place Shinjuku, the one bedroom deluxe apartment is 37 - 55 sqm - that is very spacious by Tokyo and most accommodation hotels standards. I'm one person who would choose an apartment hotel anytime over a hotel room. I love the flexibility of a kitchenette, a washing machine and the home away from home ambience. For those who prefer a smaller apartment, there are different categories of studio rooms available and families can choose from one bedroom to three bedroom apartments.

After much comparison, it seems that the guys at Travelocity is offering the lowest rates for Fraser Place Shinjuku... all thanks to my faithful hotel accommodation comparison tool!

japan hotels, hong kong hotels and hari raya holidays

In a way, I was looking to the long holidays this Hari Raya but then my schedule seems to be fuller than usual so I guess it's not so much of a 'break' for me.

As far as my little kiddo is concerned, he's the happiest person in the house this holiday season. He slept in for a couple of days, put on his sun cap and went swimming in DH auntie's new condo and spent lots of time in front of the tellie.

I'm still comparison accommodation hotels for our Hong Kong trip since the Tokyo and Osaka accommodation have been confirmed. I have picked the Somerset Roppongi in Tokyo and Swissotel Nankai in Osaka for our Japan family trip after all that travel research, travel reviews and comparison. Do not expect accommodation hotels to be cheap if you want to travel comfortable as a family but for solo travelers or indie travelers, budget accommodation rates is definitely possible.

I'm still hoping to pick the right accommodation hotel in Hong Kong though I've reserved for Metropark Hotel Causeway Bay. I feel the urge to be near the Victoria Harbour and my foodie DH would probably like to stay in Kowloon island more than Hong Kong island, tho I personally prefer the latter. There are heaps of accommodation hotels in Hong Kong itself but to find spacious rooms in Hong Kong lodging, you better be prepared to pay a little more.

For now, here are some of my foodie shots in Klang's famous Pai Kuat restaurant - we went there 2 times in a week - it is super duper cheap and good!