We had a holiday in Langkawi from 5-7 July 2014. Our last trip here was in 2011. Aileen and Aunty CL joined us on this trip. We left Penang just after lunch via Firefly. This was Jianna's first time on an airplane. We asked Jianna before the trip, "What are we going to do in Langkawi?" to which Jianna answered, "Buy potato chips!"
Accommodation was at the Federal Villa Beach Resort at Pantai Tengah.
[Jianna in the Firefly cabin]
[Jianna's first flight: We landed in Langkawi!]
[We ALL landed in Langkawi!]
Day 1
After settling in, we went to the beach.
[The kids in the sea and sand]
[Jianna in a spot]
[They boys in water-fight]
We had dinner at the Cactus Restaurant, just across the road from the resort.
Day 2
At about 9.45am, we went on a 2-hour mangrove tour (we paid RM270). The itenerary included the Bat Cave, fish farm (highlights include the spitting trigger fish and the sting ray), Crocodile Cave, eagle feeding, and a ride past the Kilim Geoforest Park "icon" (which is actually just a signage). At one point, when we explained to Justin that we were in the open sea, he asked, "Are they opening it now?"
[Jianna and Julian on the mangrove tour]
[Bats in the Bat Cave]
[Julian gingerly holding a large shellfish]
[Entering the Crocodile Cave]
[Eagles]
Lunch at Kuah town. After lunch at about 2.00pm, we took the cable car at the Oriental Village up to Gunung Mat Cincang. Julian was a bit nervous during the ride but Justin loved it. The weather was generally misty but had its clear moments. At the top station, we took photos with Mickey Mouse. We also bought postcards for the kids to post home (there's a post box at the top station...).
[View from the top]
[Jianna posting her postcard]
At about 3.30pm, we boarded the Duck Tour on a 40-minute ride from the Oriental Village, into the sea at the Telaga Habour Resort area, and onto the road again back to the Oriental Village. It was basically just a ride, no commentary unlike the one we experience in Malacca. Justin was a bit scared of the sea water splash and Jianna dozed off during the ride.
[The Langkawi Duck Tour]
Dinner was at the popular Rootian Seafood Restaurant at Kuah town with the intention of attending mass at 8.00pm. However, the wait for dinner was so long that we missed mass that weekend.
Day 3
On the last day, we made a visit to the Buffalo Farm at about 10.00am. On hindsight, we should have arrived a little later because the pens were being washed when were arrived and the smell from the manure was quite strong. On this visit, we saw a new born calf, probably born the day earlier. But sadly it was smothered in manure.
[Julian feeding a buffalo]
We were hoping to visit the Friendly Farms to check out their cheese produce but they were closed for renovations. So we headed back the Pantai Cenang area for retail therapy.
[The kids and an M&M's]
After checking out, we made quick stops at the Air Hangat hot springs and Pantai Pasir Hitam (Black Sand Beach) before making our way to the airport to catch our return Air Asia flight.
[Ahhh! Nice...]
[Is this sand really black?!]
On the whole, we did more than our previous visit, and it was an enjoyable holiday overall. By the way, the postcards arrived after about one month.
Jianna turned 26 months old on 30 May 2014. Here are some updates:
- She can hold her own in fights and arguments with her brothers.
- She has started weaning herself off the diaper :-) She is able to tell us when she wants to go to the toilet, but we don't feel confident to let her go completely off the diaper yet. We insist on her wearing a diaper at bed time and when we go out.
- Speaking of weaning, we are also in the process of weaning her from the breast. She's off the breast in the day, but still can't let go of her night 'fixes'. She doesn't sleep through the night yet...still gets up once or occasionally, twice.
- She seems to enjoy spicy food :-)
- She has now joined her brothers in their profound interests in aeroplanes. She has learnt to imitate flights taking off and play aeroplanes and airport like her brothers.
[Clipping something under her armpit(s), she would say, "I have fever."]
Julian turned 7 years old on 28 May 2014.
This year his birthday fell on the first day of the mid-year school holidays. We had a simple birthday dinner for him in Double Good restaurant in Penang with three grandaunts and his aunt from KL who was up for the school holidays.
[Ultraman and Spiderman figurines for Julian]
For the record, thanks to Julian, the mirror in the car visor is now officially the CCTV in the car. It's used to monitor the children in the back seats to make sure they are behaving themselves :-)
On 18 May 2014 we took the kids to the Taiping Zoo.
As usual, we took the train ride round the zoo and the kids enjoyed seeing the animals. Then we walked so the kids could a closer look at the animals. Since the train ride fare is already included in the entrance ticket, we took the train again to get to the exit :-)
We were lucky that it only started to rain when we were almost leaving. The kids came home with an Angry Bird balloon each as souvenir from the zoo.
This visit was actually upon the request of Justin. He even brought along a plastic film camera loaded with pretend paper photos inside. When we put together the idea of the zoo, camera, and balloons, we realised that Justin was realising what he saw in a Charlie and Lola cartoon episode *shakes head*.
[All aboard!]
[Jianna at the Taiping Zoo]
Read about our previous visits: 2012 and 2008.
On 8 May 2014 we welcome our Yamaha U3 upright piano.
The kids were extremely fascinated with the hammer action and frequently asked to open the top to see the hammers move as the piano is being played.
Julian practises his pieces quite often on the piano, Justin occasionally, and Jianna hammers her own version whenever she feels like it. Daddy and Mummy are also happy to hammer a few tunes every now and then :-)
[Music machine]
We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on 1 May 2014.
Naturally we spent the day with our children as it was a public holiday. This year we had a visit from a friend who happened to be in town for a short holiday, and my eldest sister who was up for a family event in the weekend.
Keeping with our tradition, we lit our Unity Candle and said our anniversary prayer.
[10 years on...the light shines on :-)]
Jianna turned 25 months old on 30 April 2014. Here are some updates:
- She can retort.
- She seems able to reason/justify using the word 'so'. E.g. She would say (on the use of scissors), "Very dangerous so Jianna cannot take the scissors. Justin cannot take also because very dangerous."
- She seems to suffer from some 'separation anxiety'. When Julian goes for piano class, she would cry and keep saying "I want Julian".
- In school, she's got several new playmates in her group. We were told that she is the 'teacher', telling the new children not to cry, to sleep, etc. *slap head*
[For the love of bags]
[Jianna]
