Stuffing Sunday

Last Sunday, kor-kor & I went for a play - Swimmy, Frederick & Inch by Inch, at the Victoria Theatre. The 3 stories were based on the picture books by Leo Lionni, and the play was pretty okay for me but I guess kor-kor enjoyed it more than me. Maybe perhaps I was feeling sleepy after our swimming lesson? :P

The presentation style was much like 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' play we caught earlier in the year, which wasn't surprising since it was staged by the same performing company. So as per last time, the people behind the puppets came on stage after the performance to let us in on some of the behind-the-scenes information, like how they made Swimmy the fish swim so gracefully.

Or how did they move the giant nightingale's mouth.

Naturally, we were starting to feel hungry after the show, and off we zipped down to Sakura Restaurant at Clementi Woods Park for a yummy lunch buffet with Ye-ye, Ma-ma & Ku-jie!

It was Ma-ma's birthday lunch treat and boy, did we absolutely stuff ourselves! Hee hee...

We were so full that kor-kor & I had to go monkie around the park after our meal so as to work off our bulging tummies! :P

And after that, a nap would do just fine thank you very much! Hahaha!

Walking into a Christmas Tree

No, di-di & I didn't langar a Christmas Tree or anything like that. :P

We were down at Orchard Road last Saturday night to catch an early glimpse of the Christmas Light-up. And if you know us, you would know that to get Daddy to head on down to town on a Weekend is like asking the pandas from China to come stay in our zoo. Zilch chance.

Oh wait.

That already happened, didn't it?

Erm, which explained why we were down at Orchard Road a busy and crowded Saturday evening! Wahaha!

The usual Orchard Light-up aside, this year marks the first year ION Orchard is celebrating Christmas. And what better way to attract all the attention than to have a huge tree planted outside with a hollow body for people to walk in!

Yup, we were able to walk inside the tree to gaze upwards at all the pretty lighting within the tree.

Absolutely mesmerizing, if u ask me.

And it must have hypnotized di-di, 'cos he didn't want us to bug him to take photos. :P

Well, he did eventually. Possibly 'cos his neck got tired I suppose. Hee.

We lingered around the area a while more, before we took the slow walk down Orchard Road to admire the street light-up.

Which was pretty nice this year. Well, at least, it had di-di & me straining our necks to look up (again!) and around, especially whenever we passed these huge balls.

But nothing beats the air-con comfort of the shopping malls lah. OR at least that's what Daddy said. :P

Maybe we'll be back again once again when Christmas draws nearer. Or maybe not since it can only get more crowded. OR maybe, just maybe when the dinosaurs decide to invade the Jurong Bird Park.

OH.

They are coming huh?

Hee.

Christmas Shows at the Malls 2009

The time of the year has come around once again! Yup, the time where all cartoon characters descend onto our sunny island to spread the Christmas cheer. Oh, and not forgetting making us wait in lines and go mall-hopping too. :P

Here is the list of the shows that Daddy knows of... feel free to use it but please credit our blog if you cut-and-paste it on some other place okie? Thanks thanks! :)


CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN SINGAPORE
One Christmas One Hope
Various venues in Orchard Road area & in front of Plaza Singapura
Nightly performances featuring mimes, plays, musicals & a Floats Parade, starting from 7pm to 11pm
Check out this website for more information: CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS IN SINGAPORE

Festive Weekend Street Parade
Jurong Bird Park
21 Nov-13 Dec (Sat & Sun ONLY)
11.30 am & 1.45pm
Watch and groove along as the streets come alive with colourful floats, dancers, percussionists, & stilt walkers in a vibrant Latino style!

Power Rangers Meet & Greet
Takashimaya Square, B2
13-18 Nov, 3pm & 7pm

Sesame Street LIVE Show
1pm, 4pm & 7pm
Yew Tee Point, 20-22 Nov (Meet & Greet only)
Compass Point, 24-29 Nov
Causeway Point, 1-6 Dec
Northpoint, 8-13 Dec
Centrepoiny, 15-20 Dec
Meet-n-Greet for first 40, no purchase required.

Winx Club - The Fairy Mission
Marina Square
21 Nov-6 Dec (except Mon)
Tue-Thurs: 1pm & 7pm
Fri-Sun: 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
*Meet & Greet for first 40; no min. spending required.

The Green Sheep play
Forum the Shopping Mall
21 Nov-6 Dec (except Tue), 1pm & 5pm

Looney Tunes Musical Live!
Downtown East, Event Square
22 Nov-25 Dec (Weekends & Public Holidays ONLY)
6-6.30 pm (extra show on 21 Nov at 12.30pm)
*Meet & Greet for first 50; no min. spending required.

Looney Tunes Nite Parade
Downtown East, Event Square, The Alley & E!hub
21 Nov-27 Dec (Weekends ONLY)
8-8.30pm

Care Bears Live!
Tue-Thurs: 1pm & 7pm
Fri-Sun: 1pm, 5pm & 7pm
Plaza Singapura, 1-6 Dec
Sembawang Shopping Centre, 8-13 Dec
IMM, 15-20 Dec
*Spend $30 to redeem a pass for Meet & Greet OR Tea Party session.

Barney's World of Imagination
United Square
2-14 Dec (except Tues)
Mon-Fri: 2pm & 7pm
Sat & Sat: 2pm, 5pm & 7pm
*Meet & Greet; min. $30 required.

Hi-5 Musical
Takashimaya Square, B2
3-13 Dec*, 1pm, 4pm & 7pm
*No shows on 6 Dec, 1pm & 7 Dec

Mickey & Friends Meet & Greet
Vivocity
4-14 Dec (except 10 Dec)
2pm & 3.30pm at Central Court, Level 1
6pm & 7.30pm at Amphitheatre, Level 3
*Spend $100 to redeem a pass for Meet & Greet session.

Bob the Builder Live! Show
Jurong Point, JP1 Centrestage
5-13 Dec
Tue–Fr:, 1pm & 7pm
Sat & Sun: 1pm, 4pm & 7pm

Narnia the Musical
Forum the Shopping Mall
12-20 Dec (except Tue), 1pm & 5pm

Santa on Sleigh Meet & Greet
Jurong Point, JP1 Centrestage
15-25 Dec (except Mon)
5pm & 7pm

Spongebob Squarepants Live! Musical Show
Suntec, Tropics Atrium
5-13 Dec (except Mon)
*Showtimes still unknown

Pokemon Live!
Parway Parade
*Details still unknown

Chirstmas at Changi
Changi Airport
11 Nov- 4 Jan

- Big Musical Ball
Over 6 metres high, this revolving creation of wonder will play your favourite Christmas carols; Sweets and Gifts will be dispensed at the end of the musical performances from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays and from 12noon to 10pm on weekends.

*Terminal 3, Public Area, Departure Check-in Hall Level 2 (in front of Departure Immigration)
*Musical performance will be at half-hourly interval from 6am to 10pm every day – 6am, 6:30am, 7am, 7:30am, 8am, 8:30am, 9am, 9:30am, 10am, 10:30am, 11am, 11:30am, 12noon, 12:30pm, 1pm, 1:30pm, 2pm, 2:30pm, 3pm, 3:30pm, 4pm, 4:30pm, 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, 7:30pm, 8pm, 8:30pm, 9pm, 9:30pm and 10pm.

- Big Snow Fantasy
Kids will love spending hours bouncing and sliding at this delightful wonderland and experience the magic of snowfall.

*Terminal 3, Public Area, Departure Check-in Hall Level 2 (Check-in Row 11)
*12pm - 10pm


Do let us know if we had missed out any! :)

AussieMonkies: Days 11, 12 & the end

Day 11
Eco-cruise - Brisbane - South Bank

Today was our last day on the beautiful island of Moreton, and truth be told, kor-kor & I were a bit reluctant to leave. Me think Daddy & Mummy too... So in order not to waste such a beautiful day, we were really early to catch the Pelican Feeding down by the jetty.

The pelicans were really quite huge, and they can gobble, or rather, swallow one whole fish in a split second!

Did you notice we were decked out in our swim wear? Hee hee... Aiyah, since got some time to spare... no need to waste the pretty beach right?

Kor-kor was especially overjoyed I tell you... He had been always wanting to go to the beach everyday while we were at the resort.

I think he will make a good fish, no? :P

But soon it was time to head on back to check out our room... bye bye clear water!

But our adventures on the island were not over yet! We had signed up for a eco-cruise - where we would take a ferry which would bring us out into the open sea in search for dugongs, sea turtles & manta rays.

Wow, sounds fun hor? Erm, only thing was... I fell asleep in the ferry! Heh. So in the end I slept through the whole cruise, but at least kor-kor spotted quite number of giant sea turtles & manta rays swimming just below the sea surface.

There was this one rare chance that Daddy & kor-kor caught a turtle poking his head out of the water for some air, but it lasted all but 2 seconds me think.

No dugongs were sighted in the end though, at least that was what kor-kor told me. One would have to be extremely lucky to spot one... but at least Daddy, Mummy & kor-kor took lots of photos! Haha...

And when we got back to the pier to catch another ferry back to Brisbane, I decided I had enough sleep and woke up to enjoy the journey back to the mainland.

And with that, we reached our final leg of our travels - Brisbane South Bank.

It was already starting to get dark when we checked in to Rydges South Bank. But as usual, the sight of the nice room perked kor-kor & me up immediately!

Voted as the world’s best downtown public space by the International Downtown Association, South Bank is Brisbane's arts and entertainment precinct and has lots of children-friendly amenities.

There are lush gardens & lawns, three interactive playgrounds, the Wheel of Brisbane (much like our Singapore Flyer), weekend art & craft markets... and the most important of all (and kor-kor's & my fave), Streets Beach - a man-made beach right in the middle of the city! It even has a lagoon for people to take a dip.... shiok!

Which kor-kor & I would be able to see them all the next day, Daddy & Mummy promised. Drats.


Day 12
Queen Street Mall - South Bank

Today was designated to be the official shopping day as we would be heading home the next day. How very boring, thought the both of us. Well, at least I got my trusty pram so I better don't complain.

And so, we headed down to the 'Orchard Road' of Brisbane city - Queen Street, where the first thing we had to do was to look for some place to fill our growling tummies.

And my, what a hearty breakfast we had! Yum!

After that, the shopping expedition began in full swing... and luckily there were enough toys shops there to keep kor-kor & me entertained. Hee hee...

Daddy & Mummy shopped, we had lunch, Daddy & Mummy shopped some more, we slept, Daddy & Mummy continued to shop, we woke up, Daddy & Mummy were still going strong! And guess how much was the parking charges? A$49 for a full day parking! And you thought that Singapore's parking was expensive!

And since Daddy & Mummy promised to bring us to South Bank, we made our way there in the later part of the afternoon...

No prizes for guessing which part of the giant park we zoomed in first.

HEE HEE...

As the sun began to set, kor-kor remembered there was still the man-made beach that we had yet to visit.

So we walked a bit further down, gleefully removed our footwear and started playing with the sand.

We didn't take a dip though, 'cos it was getting late and the water was too cold for my comfort I reckoned. But kor-kor did try letting his feet get wet...

And all these while when we were having fun, Mummy was having some fun on her own by thronging the weekend lifestyle market beside the beach.

Feeling thoroughly satisfied, we then packed our dinner back to our hotel room... where Daddy & Mummy had to pack our luggage for the final time before we bid farewell to Brisbane.

It had been a very enjoyable trip for kor-kor & me... the both of us really enjoyed ourselves lots and lots, and I think Daddy & Mummy too lah! And as usual, kor-kor nearly didn't want to come back. :)

Til our next travel adventure!

Happy Birthday MA-MA!

Today's Ma-ma's Birthday! And what's a birthday without a cake?

So of course kor-kor & I were all happy to be able to assist Ma-ma in extinguishing the candles. Hee hee...

After the English & Mandarin versions of the birthday song, kor-kor & I were competing to see who can snuff out the most number of candles!

I think I won lah. :P

Hope you had an enjoyable Birthday, Ma-ma! Wishing you to be healthy always and always and always! :)

AussieMonkies: Day 10

Sand Tobogganing - Fish Feeding

Today, di-di & I have a day chockful of activities and yep, it was going to be a day out in the sun! Better pile on those sunblock, don my hat and shades and we were ready to go!

Right after our hearty brekkie, our first activity was a desert safari tour, where we sat in a 4WD vehicle and made a bumpy ride to the desert on Moreton Island.

The huge desert was actually man-made and used by soldiers in World War II, but now it has become a place for those seeking thrills.

Oooh... much like us! Hee.

The sand was so fine, and surprisingly rather cooling. The sun was merciless though, heng there was a perpetual breeze. But di-di & I were happy enough to be playing with the sand, letting it run through our little fingers.

So what were we actually doing at this barren desert? The answer lies in the steep sand slopes ahead of us.

We were going sand tobogganing, or sliding down the sand at ultra fast speeds on a board! Woohoo, sounds fun!

But the climb up to the top of the slope was tough! Walking up the slope on soft sand was really tiring... but I made it to the top on my own! I told Daddy that my legs were tired but I wasn't panting at all... erm, unlike Daddy. Hahaha...

And once we were at the summit, there was no time to admire the vast scenery around us 'cos it was time to zoom down!

WHEEEEEEEEeeeee! It was SUPER FUN! Be prepared to be covered with sand from head to toe once you reach the bottom though. My face, arms, legs.... even Daddy's pockets were filled with sand! Daddy said it must have taken 5 minutes to climb up, and 5 seconds to come down. :P

But that was a small matter lah... I loved it so much that I wanted to have a go again! This time with Mummy...

After the tiring ascent once more, I was ready to slide down - this time with goggles so that I don't have to close my eyes. Hee.

Di-di's turn was next, but Daddy didn't bring him all the way up to the summit though. They slid down somewhere from the middle of the slope, but it was enough for di-di to give the ride a thumbs up!

Yep, we thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling ride downwards which really had us jumping up for joy. :P

It was a good thing too that cold drinks were provided so that we could quench our thirst especially after the perspiring climb.

Definitely a must-try activity if you do go to Tangalooma. Costs are A$35 for adults, and A$20 for children (4 yrs & above). So at least di-di got a free ride! Heh.

We then headed back to our room for to wash our sand-coated bodies, so as to get ready for our next activity where we had to don life jackets.

We were going out to sea, to a location known as the Wrecks, to feed many many fishes.

Something told me we have reached our destination. :P

And look at all the hungry fishes waiting for our arrival!

Of course, being the kind-hearted kids we are, di-di & I quickly asked for fish food to feed the poor fishes. Hahaha...

Which the fishes gobbled all up in no time!

We still had time to spare when we reached back shore, so Daddy & Mummy agreed to let us frolic around on the beautiful beach.

The both of us sure looked deliriously satisfied with the time out in the clear blue water hor?

Especially me, since I was trying my best to jump over the waves as they hit the shore. :P

Then it was time to head back to our room for yet another bath, and also for our nap. Unsurprisingly, di-di & I were knocked out within 30 seconds as soon as our heads touched the pillows.

After the action-packed daytime, it was time for a relaxing evening at our last night at the resort. We had a sumptuous buffet dinner at one of the restaurants, but not before working up an appetite at the playground! Wahahaha!

We so clever right?

Grooving & Jiving

Last Saturday, I made my worldwide debut stage performance in my school's Graduation Concert!

Initially, Daddy & Mummy was a bit worried as to how I would perform on stage, due to my *ahem* sometimes erratic moods. But looking at the photos, you could say I was darn serious on putting up a good show for everyone to enjoy. :)

And enjoyed they did! All of them - Daddy, Mummy, Ye-ye, Ma-ma, Kong-kong, Por-por & even Kakak - came down to support kor-kor & me. And I know I made them chuckle quite a few times with my energetic display. Hee.

Kor-kor's turn was up next... and my, he was the seasoned pro liao since it was his second time performing.

I didn't catch kor-kor's performance, but Mummy said he danced very well too!

And when the finale came on, I was still raring to go... singing on the top of my voice with real gusto...

Ditto for kor-kor & his friends.

Or was it because we were all hungry from performing and were looking forward to the reception food outside the auditorium? Wahaha...

In any case, there were still the usual photo-taking to go around first...

Without knowing, I have already been in school for one whole year. Now that's really fast! Kor-kor will be in K1 next year, and soon it'll be primary school for him, with me following close behind. No wonder Daddy & Mummy remarked that we are growing up way too fast...

AussieMonkies: Day 9

Moreton Island - Tangalooma - Dolphin Feeding

I woke up really early in the morning, primarily 'cos we we had to leave our dear farmstay and head back to Brisbane for a ferry ride to our next accommodation. There was a really heavy thunderstorm the previous night, but luckily it cleared up when we awoke.

And luckily too, I managed to say goodbye to all my farm friends before I left and I even got to feed 2 really hungry donkeys some carrots & apples. Too bad di-di was still fast alseep then. Well, that meant I got to feed ALL the carrots & apples to the donkeys then. Hee.

We made the 2 hour drive back to Brisbane and reached the ferry terminal to catch our boat to Tangalooma Island Resort, which was a 75 minute ride away.

As you can see, di-di was in an especially chirpy mood on the ferry. Maybe he had enough sleep over the night, or maybe the cool wind and clear blue sea & sky did wonders to his mood....

We finally reached our resort on Moreton Island, and my my, what a beautiful sight it was... the sky was so blue, the sea was so clam and clear, the sand looked so soft and fine - I so wanted to change into my swimming attire immediately but rather expectedly, Daddy & Mummy said later. Drats.

Well, at least we caught a glimpse of one of the staff feeding the wild pelicans close to the jetty. But we had more chances to catch it over the next 2 days.

The immediate task was to check into our room first, and yet again Daddy & Mummy were rejoicing as di-di & I had our own beds. :P

It had become customary for me to inspect our room view whenever we check into a new room, and especially since it came with a balcony.

The view is pretty spectacular hor? And to think our room was the cheapest one available. Heh.

I repeated my request to inspect the beach, but Daddy said there was a more important priority.

Lunch lor! Check out the size of the burger... and to think it was listed in the menu under the 'SNACKS' column. *faints*

But that was for Daddy & Mummy lah; I requested for my usual fave - pizza, while di-di wanted his fave food of this trip - fish & chips!

Erm, in case you are wondering where di-di was, he was hiding behind the cover of the pizza box. Hahaha... and speaking of fish & chips, di-di was in a fish & chips frenzy mood during our trip. He was asking for fish & chips for EVERY meal, including breakfast!

But for me, pizza will do nicely. :)

We then headed back to our room after that for some recharge... and when we awoke, it was finally time to do my thing.

Beach bumming time! Hurray!

Daddy wanted me to jump in the air so many times that I lost count. Sometimes I even landed in the sea lor... :P

Then Daddy & Mummy decided to try the jumping bit too. Hahaha...

It sure looked pretty hilarious. Di-di didn't join in the fun, 'cos in his words, "I'm busy building my sandcastle. OKAY?"

Then Daddy tried to act all goofy. Again.

I tried to escape from his clutches...

... but he always still caught me in the end. Drats.

But seriously, we had a great time whiling our late afternoon away at the beach. Daddy built numerous sandcastles, only for di-di & me to flatten them everytime. Hee hee.

And with the sun beginning to set, the next activity which I had been looking forward to all day was going to take place soon!

Every evening at around 6.30pm, wild dolphins swim up near the beach of Moreton Island for a feeding session. And guests of the resort are given a chance to feed them fishes, which delighted me to bits!

Di-di & I had the chance to feed Nari the dolphin, and both of us really enjoyed the experience. But it was terribly cold though - the sea was freezing, and it didn't help that it was rather windy. And to think it was on the brink of summer... Daddy said he can't imagine how cold it would be if we had came during winter time. Brrrr....

A relaxing hot bath was next, and we soon drifted off to dreamland rather swiftly. All because of the exciting activities we have on the next day!

AussieMonkies: Day 8

Lillydale - Mt. Barney - Dairy Farm

Day 8 in Australia, and what a beautiful morning di-di & I woke up to!

The cattle were grazing just in front of our room, and like them we also had our own business to attend to... Jumping up and down on the trampoline!

Nothing like jumping up & down like hyper monkies to work up an appetite for breakfast I'd say. Hee hee... And if that wasn't enough, we still had the swing at the playground too!

All those playing had made us really famished, and luckily we had a great view outdoors to go with our sausage & cheese bread. Heh.

We gobbled up our food in record time... all because it was fast approaching the time to feed the farm animals. And to think we had eaten so fast that we still had time to even pose for some photos!

Yah, di-di was trying to be Superman.

And with such a beautiful morning, it was finally time to feed the hungry farm animals! Woohoo!

Di-di & I eagerly trotted behind jie-jie Ebonnie, who was tasked to show us the ropes of being a farmer...

First up - the so so so cute lambs...

I not bad eh? The goat finished up his 2 bottles of milk in record quick time too! Di-di enjoyed his feeding too, but I don't know how come his facial expression was so funny leh???

Erm, maybe he thought that Herma the lamb was drinking his neh-neh? Hahahaha...

It was off to the chicken coop next, and we had an equally great time in feeding the equally hungry chickens.

I got a chance to help collect the all the eggs that the mother hens had laid. And boy, was I proud of my work! Hee hee... I also learnt something new that day - I had to leave at least 1 or 2 eggs in the hen's nest so that it will encourage her to lay more eggs in future.

Oinky the pig was next, and yup he was hungry as well... much like the kangaroos that we visited next. We even tried our hands at being a gardener for a day, and helped jie-jie to water the plants.

After all the hard work, we went to pay Barney a visit.

No lah, not the purple dinosaur. It was the Mount Barney National Park, which was pretty near the farmstay. The National Park is actually the remains of the ancient Focal Peak Shield Volcano which erupted 24 million years ago. Woah, that's a pretty long time ago!

One could actually bushwalk all the way up to the peak via the hiking trail but we didn't feel that adventurous... especially since it was written on the information signs that it would take 8-10 hours for ascent and descent!

So we just did the usual touristy things lor...

Taking photos...

... and goofing around! Hee hee...

We headed back for lunch and our nap soon after... and waking up just in time for our trip down to a dairy farm.

It was quite the eye-opener for di-di & me, 'cos we haven't come up that close to cows until now. I think di-di was a bit intimidated by all the large cows, so I had to do all the feeding by myself in the end. :P

But what I really enjoyed was milking the cows next... it was tiring though, luckily there were these suction cylinders to help me complete the job. Heh.

And this was where all the milk from the cows congregate... it had to be stirred constantly and kept at a cold temperature, to prevent it from curdling.

I thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the dairy farm... and guess di-di was happiest with his parting gifts from the farm. Hah!

Di-di & I goofed around some more at the farm, taking silly photos...

... before making our back to our farmstay, where we enjoyed some TV in the communal cabin while waiting for dinner to be ready.

We would be leaving this beautiful place the next day though; time to head on down to our next destination! I wonder if I would be able to wake up early enough to feed the animals before I leave?

AussieMonkies: Day 7

Ipswich - Workshops Rail Museum - Lillydale

Halfway through our holiday, and di-di & I have been having a wonderful time so far! It was time to move all our barang once again, and we would be heading back southwards towards Brisbane.

Daddy & Mummy told us that we would be going for a farmstay next, and that we would be able to assist the farmer to feed the lambs, chickens, pigs and also milk some cows! The farm is a 90 minute drive away from Brisbane, but we started off really early in the morning 'cos there was one other place we needed to go on a Sunday.

A superb Train Museum... And boy, was it really really huge, with loads of stuff to see and play!

The Workshops Rail Museum is located in Ipswich, which is along the way down to our farm in Rathdowney. It is filled with trains, trains and more trains; from vintage steam locomotives to the present-day trains... all coming together with lots of hands-on exhibits, multi-media encounters & colourful stories tracing the 140 year history of rail in Queensland.

Which is all very nice I feel... but the added bonuses to the museum has got to be the many children-friendly exhibits and playthings. Much like these giant sand pits!

Filled with sand toys and giant construction vehicles, no less!

Aiyah, no need to say... di-di & I spent lots of time digging around. Heh.

That was until Bob the Builder made an appearance.

Di-di was unfazed though, 'cos he was busy constructing something. Or so he said.

But he still couldn't escape the lure of the next attraction though.

Chugging aboard a mini train! TOOT TOOT!

And straight after our ride round the museum compounds, we literally hopped our way to a bouncy Thomas the Tank Engine inflatable.

Phew, the action never failed to cease I tell you. Hee hee...

After all our bopping, I immediately rushed to the real-life steam train which I had set my eyes on from the moment I entered the museum. Well, of course di-di followed me lah.

It was once a working train, but it is now disused and parked at the museum so as to allow monkies like us to climb aboard to have a feel of how those days of shoving coal into the furnace and driving the train was like.

If it wasn't for the hot sun, I guessed I would have sat aboard the train for the longest time. ::P

Then we headed into the museum proper where the comfort of aircon welcomed us. This is where all the different generations of trains are displayed, ranging from the very old ones all the way to the bullet trains.

There was even an awesome gigantic display of a model railway set. Stuff that only boys can gawk and dream of.

But di-di preferred to stick to the simple LEGO model of just 1 train going round and round the track. Hee.

We then climbed aboard onto one of the trains, where we got a hands-on experience in being the train driver for a few minutes. Di-di & I took turns... and when I wasn't the driver, I was busy playing the role of a conductor as I shouted into the intercom to ask all the passengers to sit down and buckle up.

But Daddy was so disobedient... he kept standing up to take photos of us in action. Tsk tsk.

Then the biggie playarea of them all came into our full view...

A railway playground, with lots of equipment and vehicles... for us kids to go absolutely bonkers!

There were bikes, wheelbarrows, cars, miniature train playsets and even costumes for us to look the part of a train conductor.

Di-di, on the other hand, was busy loading up blocks onto the train. And mightily enjoying it too.

And when he got bored with that, he decided to get a more cushy job and sell train tickets instead.

We spent 4 hours at the museum and it felt like it wasn't enough! We truly had so much fun! Me think even Daddy & Mummy enjoyed themselves too lor. Hahaha...

But we had to make a move as we wanted to reach the farm before sunset. It is definitely a must-go place if you are in Brisbane, and we would go back again the next time we are back in Queensland.

So for now, it was time for the both of us to nap while Daddy drove us to our next accommodation.

And when I opened my eyes, we still haven't reached yet! Turned out that Daddy had took a wrong turn on the highway previously and we got briefly lost. OOPS.

But luckily, we managed to make it to Lillydale Farmstay before night fell.

We were all tired from the road trip, but once we saw our room and the scenery just at our doorstep...

...the drive was truly worth it.

The room was just so homely and cosy that Mummy fell in love with it the moment she stepped inside. Well, I guess the spectacular scenery helped too.

I still found some time to wander around the farm, and stumbled onto some cute lambs baaa-ing for me. Hee hee...

There were truckloads of stuff to do on the farm, and di-di & I would find out all about them the next day.

But first, we needed to recharge after dinner. All because we have to help the farmer feed all the animals then next morning! Can't wait!

AussieMonkies: Day 6

Eumundi Market - Noosa Beach

After having a jam-packed & fun-filled yesterday, Daddy & Mummy decided to let kor-kor & me take things easy today.

And being a Saturday, coupled with the fact that we were in Noosa, it made perfect sense to head on down to Sunshine Coast's Number 1 attraction - the Eumundi Market. Which, by the way, is open only on every Wednesdays and Saturdays from early morning til slightly after lunch time.

It is like our pasar malam but with a tiny difference - it is one GIANT marketplace, with over 600 stalls selling a variety of interesting stuff from handicraft & clothings to fresh produce. Daddy & Mummy were cross-eyed jsut by looking at the zig-zag rows of the stalls there.

On top of that, there were many buskers scattered throughout the market, complete with stalls selling yummy food. We even spotted one stall selling laksa & nasi padang! Wah... but no Ramly's Burger or kueh tutu leh...

*Oh, and a cheekiemonkie tip - Try to get there before 8.30AM 'cos it can get really crowded after that time when all the tour buses start coming in.

And what do you know, there just happened to be a big kids' playground beside the market! How very convenient. For the parents, I mean. :P

So with Mummy off to wander the market on her own, kor-kor & I made full use of the playground's facilities... 'cos in kor-kor's words, "Shopping is so boring!" Wahahaha!

The playground was pretty amazing, with lots of rides for us to choose from... there was a train for us to hop onto...

... a giant cup for us to get all dizzy and tizzy...

... or just simply a giant web for kor-kor to realize his Spiderman's aspirations.

And when it was finally time to leave, the morning was still rather early actually... so we headed back to our apartment for a cool down.

In the POOL! WOOT!

After splashing ourselves silly and wolfing down our lunch, we made up for all our loss of afternoon naps over the past few days by sleeping the afternoon away.

And when we awoke, it was time to head down to Hastings Street and Noosa Beach!

Erm, only problem was that the wind at the beach was SO strong, not to mention cccc-cold!

You can't really tell from the photo, but I was really shivering every now and then. But even then, I flatly refused to go back 'cos kor-kor & I were determined to finish up our sandcastles first. Heh.

Mummy, on the other hand, was shivering non-stop... now you know why the photos were not very clear hor? Hahaha...

Anyway, to Mummy's relief, we headed back to the warm comfort of our room soon after where we got ready for bed.

While Daddy & Mummy were busy packing up our luggage as it was time for the nomadic monkies to shift once more. Hee hee... I wonder where we will be off to tomorrow???

AussieMonkies: Day 5

Ginger Factory - Mapleton - Lake Baroon - Montville

Di-di & I had a truly packed programme today, so it was a good thing we had a filling brekkie to prepare ourselves for the day ahead!

We made the relatively short drive from Noosa down to Yandina, where the Ginger Factory was located.

Ahhh... so that was where the Gingerbread Man was staying!

As the name implies, this place was all about ginger - you can see how ginger is processed, taste a mind-boggling variety of ginger-related products, or like us... hop onto the Ginger Train to see the ginger gardens. Yah lor, no need to walk mah. :P

We then loaded up onto a poor kangaroo's back for a ride, while Mummy went browsing at the heritage-style village of Gingertown.

Oh, an added bonus was that the Superbee Live Bee Show has moved to the Ginger Factory as well, where di-di & I got the chance to see the action of a real live bee hive up close, complete with all the buzzy worker bees hard at work.

We also tasted the labour of the bees after the show - many different flavors and types of honey... so sweet!

And speaking of sweet things, Daddy & Mummy were only waiting to try out the so many types of ginger-infused ice cream at the ice creamery!

Mummy said it was too bad there was no teh halia there. Hee hee...

The grand finale and highlight for us had got to be the boat ride, where we were going to track the travel adventures of the Gingerbread Man!

As our boat sailed along, we had to keep our eyes peeled, so as to help the Baker spot the Gingerbread Man as we were taken on a voyage around the world.

Di-di & I definitely enjoyed the ride lots... erm, 'cos we went on it twice! Heh.

With that, it was time to say bye to the Gingerbread Man and head on to our next destination. Oh, but if you love Macadamia nuts, remember to check out the Macadamia nut factory, Nutworks, just opposite the Ginger Factory. All I can say is.... samples galore! Kekeke...

We then proceeded to drive to the scenic driveway from Mapleton to Maleny, also known as the Blackall Range. Filled with beautiful scenery, waterfalls, nationals parks and lakes, this driveway also consists of charming & historic towns.

But along the drive through Mapleton, the inevitable happened. We monkies fell asleep in the car. :P

But, I think Daddy & Mummy didn't mind it a single bit lor. 'Cos they were stopping every now and then to take photos of the magnificent scenery, in paricular Lake Baroon.

Lake Baroon is much like a reservoir, supplying water to the nearby towns. Guess Daddy & Mummy must have enjoyed the peaceful and tranquil nature of the surroundings...

... but look which monkie woke up and crashed the party.

Oh, make that 2 monkies!

Hee hee... we had a great time by the lake, just lazing around and spotting the occasional bird skimming across the surface of the water. I guess it was looking for fishes hor? Which erm, reminded us that we were getting hungry.

So onwards to Montville for teatime!

And my, Montville truly has an old village charm air around it. There were a nostalgic blend of Tudor, Irish and English cottages made of log or stone and Swiss and Bavarian chalets lining the street...

Oh, and an old mill water-wheel too!

Erm, and the occasional Transformer spotting.

That's what I really call 'Robots in Disguise'! Hahaha...

Okokok, time to settle down for our tea break. And what better way to it than to have our tea at this quaint cafe.

With our yummy Strawberry shake!

And simply delicious scones!

Erm, which by the way was walloped almost entirely by di-di & me. At least Daddy & Mummy enjoyed their coffee too.

By the time we were done, it was getting late.

So we decided to head back instead, 'cos di-di & I still wanted to go down to the beach near our resort. Daddy made a wrong turn and we walked down to a part of the coast where instead of sand, there was sticky mud all around. Oopsy.

But at least the view of the sunset from there was breathtaking. :)

But we finally made our way to the correct beach lah...

We didn't enter the water though, as it was getting chilly with the sun setting. But we were contented enough to just play with the sand.

Mummy didn't tag along, 'cos she was busy preparing the food for our mini BBQ later! Ooh... yummy!

Nothing beats having macaroni & cheese, with broccoli after a nice warm bath... Great end to a tiring but fun-filled day!