2006 July: Singapore: Day 3: Orchard Road

2006 July: Singapore: Day 3

On our last day, we went on shopping malls (Tang City, Ngee An, Paragon, Wisma, Lucky Plaza, Takashimaya) along Orchard Road to buy gadgets (Sim Lim), clothes, shoes and pasalubongs.



Then after being so tired on shopping, we headed back to our condo and ate our dinner. At almost 9 or 10pm, we go to the Singapore Night Safari.



We came back to the condo by almost midnight. We prepare our luggage, had a nap and go straight to the airport for our 7am flight back to Manila. We were just near the the check-in entrance when our flight was tagged with 'last call' in the display screen, thus we run to reach the last gate which is for Jet Star Asia flights.

Thanks to my sister for this wonderful trip.

Full PDF copy of the SINGAPORE-KL itinerary version July-2006, click here.

2006 July: Singapore: Day 2: Clarke Quay and Sentosa

2006 July: Singapore: Day 2


The following day, we have visited Dhoby Ghaut for the photo-op with big blue LOVE. You can find the red LOVE in New York.

Next stop is the Clark Quay.


We have of course visited Merlion Park by the Esplanade Bridge.


After lunch, we choose to take the cable car from Vivo City to Sentosa. You can also opt to take a bus to see the Sentosa Bridge.

In Sentosa (http://www.sentosa.com.sg/), we have photo-op with Carlsberg Tower, Imbia Outlook, Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom, Siloso Beach and Underwater World.

2006 July: Singapore: Day 1

2006 July: Singapore: Day 1

This is my first out of the country trip and it never came to my mind that I’ll be blogging this trip, thus I have no intentions of getting photos that is worth sharing with this travel. Please accept that the photos below were all cropped from raw pictures where the subject is on people than the place itself.

Last July 2006, we took Jet Star Asia (http://www.jetstarasia.com/) from NAIA to Changi Airport. We (my sister‘s friend and me) stayed at my sister’s condominium at Regentville in Hougang area which is less than 30 minutes away from the airport. You can check this link http://www.getformesingapore.com/Info_accommodation.htm for more ideas on accommodations in Singapore. But you can always ask your friend’s place for the free accommodations, especially that job opening in SG is a boom - of course you know one who works in SG, right?!

On first night that we landed on Singapore, we traveled by bus to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (http://ruffeecola-in-kualalumpur.blogspot.com/). After 2 days, we return to Singapore to start our SG Adventure.

On our officially first day, we took a cab from Hougang to Singapore Zoo (http://www.zoo.com.sg/). There are too many tourists and group visitors during that time causing us more time before we can get our entrance tickets. To the zoo



After lunch time, we left the zoo and go straight to Suntec. We boarded the Duck Tours (http://www.ducktours.com.sg/) for our city tour. You will also have a different angle of the Merlion on this guided tour.
Note that Suntec Tower was also used in one of the featured challenges in Amazing Race Asia Season 2.

This is the world’s largest fountain - Fountain of Wealth.




We also checked the Koi Garden inside the Suntec Mall.



We have seen Esplanade Mall, St Andrew’s Church, Chimes and Raffles City.

2006 July: Kuala Lumpur: Day 2: KL Invasion

Travel Date: July 20-21, 2006
Destination: Kuala Lumpur

Second and last day in KL, after a long discussion we finally decided to check out and bring our big bags while we stroll around the city. We tried to wake up early so that we can still go up the Twin Tower Bridge. There are no entrance fees, but you need to be in the first 500 guests visiting the bridge. Otherwise, you’ll not allowed to enter the bridge.

The queue is too long, but there are games and intelligent maze on the lobby that will surely entertain you while waiting.
KLCC Mall and KLCC Park are just also near the area.

Next target is to have more of shopping experience. We checked out Berjaya Times Square (also included in Amazing Race Asia Season 1), malls along Bintang Walk, do food trip and return to KLCC Mall.
It’s finally time to say our farewell to Kuala Lumpur, we took a cab going to back Puduraya Bus Terminal. After 6 hours travel, around 3 in the morning we reached again Singapore!

Thanks a lot to my sister and her friends who are with me for this wonderful travel experience in Kuala Lumpur, Malayasia.

2006 July: Kuala Lumpur: Day 1: KL Invasion

Travel Date: July 20-21, 2006
Destination: Kuala Lumpur

My 2 day invasion in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

We reached Kuala Lumpur by roughly 6 hours travel via Transnational Coach Service from Lavender Street, Singapore. It was my first time to travel during night to reach a destination before sunrise. What is the hassle thing about it? It is to wake-up in the middle of your deep sleep to register on the immigration of Singapore and Malaysia on it’s borders.

We reached the Puduraya Bus Terminal by around 4 in the morning, its not like the busy terminal because we arrived there too early. It is scary at first, so I do not recommend night travel for a solo traveler. First thing we did is to exchange our money to Malaysian Ringgit. In 2006, PHP14.35 is equal MYR1. From the terminal we took a cab to send us to Florida Hotel (71-73 Jalan Thambypillai off Jalan Brickfields KL). Personally, I do not like our hotel, it is a three star hotel and the service is not that good. We were not allowed to check-in when we arrived there at 4:30am. So what we did is to stay in the nearby 7-11 store, their’s is not like having a table and chair. It is just really a store, so what we had to do is to seat on the actual side walk area and eat our early breakfast and wait until 6 in the morning.

Once we reached the hotel elevator it becomes too smelly, up to the hotel walk way until you close your hotel door, the smell still stinks. Room and bathroom are not so clean and are also very old. Plus, I do remember that there are some creepy crawlers in the bed.

View from Florida Hotel:

Officially the first morning of our KL adventure, we woke up at 9 and get ready to check the available trips going to Genting Highlands. Good thing about the hotel is the location, it is just a walk away from KL Central Station. It is a terminal for buses and trains. We had our brunch at McDonalds, they do not have rice and the taste of their burger is a little spicy.

Genting Highlands Ticket Booth in KL Central Station:

We took the Genting Highlands bus service, and travel around an hour to reach the Theme Park. See the below photos on our way to the top of the mountain. Too bad the cable car is not available, thus, we were not able to experience the thrill.

Genting Highlands is a very huge place with indoor and outdoor theme park facilities.

It is also very near to the largest hotel in the world, First World Hotel (The World's Largest Hotel, Guinness World Records 2006/2007/2008/2009).

Best experience here is the Snow World.

We missed our 4pm return shuttle to Central Station, thus we waited for the 5pm service. They are very accurate when it comes to schedule, thus you need to be more punctual.
From Central Station, we took a train going to Putra Station, our next destination is Menara Tower (http://menarakl.com.my/). (Trivia: It is included in the stops for the Amazing Race Asia Season 1). Can’t remember how much is the entrance, but it already includes the use of a recorded sound presentation that serves as a guide as you walk around the top of the tower. You will also see the Petronas Twin Tower from afar.
After this, the night is not yet done. We took a cab to send us to Petaling Street (China Town), shopping time. We bought a mini Petronas Tower as our souvenir.

For our dinner, once again we bought McDonalds goodies and eat in our hotel.

Then, it is time to sleep.