How we managed a trip to TWO islands with TWO kids!

Although I grew up at the laidback and sleepy town of Kuala Terengganu and had the best childhood visiting beaches, islands and waterfalls, I insisted on an urban holiday with the kids for our annual year end get away. But Hubs is a beach bum and after much deliberation, he won and promptly booked the tickets while I fervently sent prayers to the Good Gods up there that I would not lose the remaining scanty hair I have on my head during the trip.

So this was the plan; Fly to Surat Thani and find our way to Koh Phangan then find our way to Koh Samui. The route involved a plane, ferry, bus, cab and van. Yup, my hubby is an aspiring Robinson Crusoe who conveniently forgot that we have a diva of a daughter and a Speedy Gonzales of a son.

The day finally dawned upon us to board our flight to Surat Thani on Air Asia from KLIA2. As fate would have it, we got caught in some delays and we missed the flight. Flight was at 12.30pm, we were at the gate at 12.15pm and we were denied entry despite the plane still being there and hasn't taxied off. The scene was like this; we arrived at the gate looking harried and frazzled with two kids in tow. No staff at the gate. Waved frantically to attract the attention but no one noticed. Ran to the next gate to seek help only to be told that they can't help and when the staff returned and the plane was still there, he just said sorry although we begged him to let us on the flight. When she heard that, Pebbles wailed out loudly that she had never missed a flight in her life before! She's 5 and she has only flown twice.  We totally understood that we should have been there earlier but we were held up at the security check. We did not hear any announcements because seriously it was like the market. Super noisy with all the fellow holidaymakers and the departure gate was P15 and if I were to compare it with the solar system, P15 was Planet Neptune if the Security Check is the Sun. It's freaking far! And we were not the only ones who did not board the flight, there were three others who got there 5 minutes earlier than us. Oh well, to cut the long story short, we had to purchase new tickets again not to Surat Thani because the next flight was only on Sunday (this was Friday). We purchased tickets to Krabi instead. At this point, hubs and I were super tired. We slept only at 1am since we still had to finish work and woke up at 4am to pack so we were severely sleep deprived and after pacifying Pebbles and getting back our luggage, we went to L9 to wait for our 5pm flight to Krabi where we only ended up boarding the flight at 5.15pm and the plane only took off at 5.30pm. Oh the irony!

So we reached Krabi and stayed at this really nice hotel called Phra Nang Inn which I highly recommend for you guys to check it out. It brought back fond memories of me visiting my aunt who worked at Pan Pacific Pangkor as this hotel was like the smaller version of it. The staff are helpful and the beach is just stone's throw away. The night market is directly opposite it so we spent some time checking out the stalls and I like it very much because we could hear music blaring from one side and there is so much to see at the night market.

Although the beach was nothing to shout about (Hubs was still feeling sore about missing the beach at Koh Phangan) we had a fun time at the beach. We thought of doing some island hopping at Krabi but then decided against it as the kids were still very tired so we decided that we would do it at Koh Samui.

Initially, we were supposed to take a bus then ferry to Koh Samui which would be a 5 hour journey and since I am blessed with a super smart and kind sister in law who chided us for getting the kids to endure such harrowing journey, she promptly booked us a flight from Krabi to Koh Samui with Bangkok Airways which was a pleasant experience. And yes, we were at the Krabi airport super early and lepaked at the lounge a good 90 minutes before our flight.

Once we reached Koh Samui, we checked into another nice hotel Novotel at Chaweng Although there is no lift there (all stairs) we found a back alley which was like a small hill so that was our daily work out for 3 days...hahaha

We went to town that night and hung out at the new mall called Central Festival. We ate some food and listened to a live band which concluded with a dance performance by 3 super fit and sexy girls who enthralled the audience with their rather provocative dance moves. We had a long chat with Pebbles when she tried to replicate the dance moves back the hotel. Oh the perils of parenthood!

The next day started early as we had signed up for 4 x 4 Offroad Major Safari Tour which were exhilarating for me and Hubs but terrified the hell of Pebbles and oddly it made Bubba sleep the whole journey!

This was the itinerary:

1. Chinese Lady Monk Temple

2. Big Buddha Temple

3. 4x4 to the Mountain Top to see the Panoramic View Point 360

4. Big Buddha at the Mountain Top

5. Had Thai Lunch at the Panoramic Restaurant

6. Elephant Trekking (we did not do that because it's animal cruelty)

7. Elephant and Monkey show (we did not want to watch it but the kids were cranky and we needed to divert the attention)

8. Muay Thai show

9. Coconut plantation

10. Namuang Waterfall

11. Grandfather and Grandmother Rock (I seriously don't know why they call them that because it is rather obscene and since Pebbles was asleep, I opted to stay back in the truck while Hubs took the oblivious Bubba with him)

12. Back to the hotel

Here's a picture of us in the 4x4 truck. Don't take parenting tips from us. Haha

  

Since the kids slept on and off during the tour, we were so tired and were ready to collapse but both wanted to swim in the pool so we had to oblige. (Have kids, they say. It will be fun, they say)

Because of the bumpy ride, we were aching badly but braved on for our next adventure; the Samui Island Tour at the Angthong National Marine Park. We first got into the van which took us to the pier where we boarded a tour boat. We were the only ones with kids and all eyes were on us when Bubba started to cry out as he wanted to explore the tour boat by walking around in his oversized life jacket and we didn't let him because he can easily slip through the brackets into the water! Pebbles on the other hand clung onto me like a Koala. But despite that we enjoyed the breath taking view as the tour boat sped to the first island, Mah Koh Island. We had to climb about 300 steps on an almost 90 degree incline to get to the top to view the magnificent Emerald lagoon.

As it is a relatively large tour boat, we needed to hop onto the long tail boat to get to the shore. Here's the tricky part because you need to be fit and nimble enough to hop on and hop off the boat without looking like a clumsy sloth like yours truly. We were very fortunate that the locals at the boat helped to lift our kids so we only needed to ensure we don't fall during the transfer. Trust me it was a tall order.

The Long Tail Boat

We then went to another island Wua Ta Lap Island where we spent a good two hour frolicking in the beautiful beach and then it was time to head back.

The next day was our flight back and this was our journey; Cab picked us up at 6am from the hotel. He picked up several other passengers and we were at the pier at 7am. We boarded the ferry at 8am. Docked at the Donsak pier at 9.30am. I loved the ferry ride. Felt like Meredith Grey on the ferry for a bit hahaha.

         

We got on a bus for another 2 hour journey. Stopped at a point to get on a van and reached the Surat Thani airport at 12pm. Our flight was at 1.30pm. We reached home sweet home at 7pm exactly 13 hours from the time we got onto the cab at Novotel in Chaweng.

All in all it was a great trip but also tiring. Because of the kids, we could not try out some street food and our kids only ate spaghetti much to our chagrin. But we learned a lot about traveling with young kids so here's a list of Dos and Don'ts of which I hope would help you in your trip in some way.

1. Be early for your flight. Triple check the time to board

2. If you are going to the beach, you can be in the swim wear and with your clothes on top and just bring a towel. Best to bring two sets of swim wear so you can let one dry overnight when one is being used.

3. Bring snacks like chips, biscuits or fruits. No chocolates because they melt

4. Use loads of sunscreen and mosquito repellent

5. Use flip flops not fancy shoes as they get wet all the time

6. Since we had to wake up like super early for tours, we showered the kids with warm shower right before bed so they only brushed their teeth and washed their faces the following morning.
7. Wet wipes is mankind's best creation. Use it
8. For island hopping, get yourself a (or two) water proof bag(s). It's super convenient. 5L would do

9. Pebbles suffers from bad case of wheezing so we were quite diligent in making sure both kids were out of their swim wear, wiped down and had a good dose of the sun after they are out of the water.

10. Since our holiday was filled with back to back activities, the kids took up to a week post-holiday to recover so do ensure there isn't any events or activities after you are back from the holiday.
11. And you need a break too! It's funny how hubs commented that HE needed a holiday once we returned home...hahaha

Our kids did have episodes of tantrums and meltdowns but it was mostly because they were tired and cranky so we had to bribe them with cool fruit juices that worked for us. We were also very fortunate to have fellow holiday goers were understanding and empathetic and helped to entertain the kids in foreign languages.

All in all it was a memorable holiday and since we survived a holiday that involved two islands with two kids, I am sure you can too!

 

Holidays with my In Laws

It has been a year since I blogged! And for a person who claims she likes to write, this is definitely an oxymoron. But in my defence, I have been pretty busy on my other Social Media platforms where I channel my love for writing with witty posts. I tried thought provoking ones but decided that it's not me. So when I opened my blog this morning, I found out that I actually did not finish my piece on my trip with my in laws. So here's continuing the story...

Yeap, you read it right. I recently went on a holiday with my in laws. Without my husband and kids and I shared a room with my mother in law.

While this is a recipe for disaster for many married women out there, I on the other hand adore my mother in law and I believe we had a great time  ( I mean, I did. I did not dare to ask her if she did...hahaha)

My sister in law called me one fine day to ask if I wanted to join them for their family trip to Bali as her best friend pulled out at the last minute due to family emergency. The offer was tempting but I had just returned from a trip to Singapore with my own family and I was thinking about the children. But husband said 'Go'. In fact below was the exact conversation we had:

Me: Do u think I should go to Bali? Love that place
He: You should. Maybe you need a break from me
Me: Break from you by going for a holiday with your family? I would be the first woman to do that!
He: ok what?! That's cool

When I told a dear friend that I was going on a holiday with my in laws, she thought I was going bonkers. Honestly, I didn't think much about it because I relatively have an easy relationship with my in laws and I wanted to sort out some internal issues that I have been having for the longest time.

You see, I wasn't feeling happy. As much as I know that my happiness is my own responsibility, I was at lost on how to go about seeking it. Based on the all the books I read and all the mumbo jumbo we see on social media, it was pretty obvious that the search should start from within me.

So while I searched for myself, I found out some interesting facts about my in laws too during this trip. Most surprising one would be my sister in law's husband who is famously known for being harried and easily troubled. He was at his most zen and I thoroughly enjoyed his company. My sister in law spoke very little which is very unlike herself and my nephew was very endearing. My mother in law was her usual self; never complaining, always obliging. As her room mate, I was her designated company for the short shopping trips near the hotel and I thoroughly enjoyed her company.

AS for me, I managed to do yoga and do some meditation by the beach and also the on the hill overlooking Tanah Lot. The cool breeze was invigorating and I could feel a rush of emotions engulfing me. I took it as a detox process, a part of the purging process. I also squeezed in a small meditation session at Triti Empul which had gave out some mystical aura.

We stayed at Hard Rock Bali and I was so in love with the bed! I had the best and restful sleeps there and there was when I realised that I truly need restful sleeps. Having two kids who don't sleep through the night can be detrimental to mental health.

For those who wish to get a break or also to find oneself, I would highly recommend to go on a trip. I was fortunate to join my in laws so I didn't need to worry about food and accomodation. And I supposed it doesn't need to be somewhere fancy too. Go where your heart leads you to. I also always found comfort in listening to the waves at the beach. It's soothing and some sort melancholy, a feeling that resonates with me.

My trip with my in laws was one of the most relaxing ones I have ever had and I am truly grateful for being given the opportunity at the eleventh hour. And the fact that I have a hands on husband truly helped as I didn't worry about the kids at all, I know that they were in safe hands; big and capable hands :)

On the hindsight, if you wish to visit Bali but not sure of a suitabe itinerary, do let me know because my sister in law is fantastic in drawing up itineraries that suit your budget and interests too.