All About Your Child

Since this is a customised trip for my family, Allan and I had made special request to let Kitkit and Binbin experience as many different transportation as possible.

In the end, in the span of 5 days, Binbin had a taste of sitting on 15 different vehicles and Kitkit had 16!!!!! This number is NOT inclusive of the Jetstar airplane which they took in yesterday’s post. They were totally thrilled!

Today they experienced 6. Will be sharing 4 in this post and another 2 in the next. You will find out why Kitkit get to sit on an additional vehicle in the last post of this whole series of blogposts on our first Vietnam trip.

We arrived at Mekong Delta after Mr W. drove us in his 7 seater car for about an hour.

I love something which very few people know. I love hats!
Not caps.
But hats!

Its pretty weird to wear big hats in Singapore, but not in Vietnam.
When I saw the number of hats sold at the jetty, I was so happy and I got myself one and wore it on the spot! *smile*

This motor boat lets us cruise across the river as another tour guide, who is specialised in introducing Mekong Delta, go through the history of this place.

Though the sun was glaring, the breeze on our faces cooled us down quickly. The kids were looking out for river life, but they saw none.

Kitkit told the Mekong Delta tour guide that the Mekong River is very long and dirty, from what he learned in school. But the tour guide corrected him by saying its muddy, not dirty. ‘cos if its dirty, it would be smelly. And its true, there was no foul smell.

When alighted at the coconut factory where we get to see the process of how EVERY PART of the coconut is not wasted. Each has its own purpose. See the process of making the coconut candy in the slide show below :

The boys had a go in stiring the smooth but thick coconut mixture and everyone had a taste of the end result. There were so many different flavours to choose from.

After doing a little shopping here, we walked past a lady selling ‘Rice Paper’. I hope I did not hear the name wrongly. But my oh my! It tasted great! Kitkit could NOT STOP helping himself to the samples. He just kept eating NON STOP!!!!

A packet for less than S$0.60, I see no reason why I should not buy for him. He was munching away even when we were in our hotel room.

The process looks so simple, yet, it takes lots of practise and skill, as the ‘Rice Paper’ is incredibly thin!

Watch her at work in the step by step slides below:

We continued our journey by foot and walked across a wooden bridge over a smaller river.

Kitkit was so funny when he saw people on a small boat by the river, he yelled: “Are they bathing in it?!”
He was HOPING to see some naked people!
‘cos that was what he learned in school : People bathe in Mekong River.
*laugh*

Kids were delighted to see REAL hammocks for the very first time. “Ooohhh…so cool!” they exclaimed. Seeing people lying and sitting on them, they wanted to try it themselves.

The stall owner was more than happy to let the kids try, but Allan and I know that we have no intention of buying any. So just try for fun and give the stall owner a false hope is not something that we like others to do to us when we were in our retail business.

So we said “No.” to the kids and said “Thanks. But no thanks.” to the nice lady boss.

We tread further and they kids were so excited to see HORSE CARTS! Like natural models, they each struck a pose on different horse carts.

“Come Here! Yours is here!” Our tour guide shouted to my boys who were begging to climb onto the horse cart infront of them.

“Really!!! We going to sit on one?! Yeah!!!” they could not believe their ears and needed confirmation from us.
*laugh*

They ran off to the awaiting horse cart in a flash!
Before I know it, Binbin was ALREADY ON IT and Kitkit was just one step away from stepping onto it!!!
*laugh*

They went “Aaahhhh…” When the horse suddenly took off!
Horse Power Indeed!
I think I shouted “Aaahhh….” too!
It was so strong!
All of us were jerked towards the opposite direction where the horse was heading. If Allan had sat just a few inches further back to the rear, he might have fallen over.
So if you are going to try this, try to sit as near to the horse as possible and HANG ON TIGHT, ‘cos the road is not smooth.

But hey! That’s the fun of it!!!
We TOTALLY LOVED THE EXPERIENCE!
Catch Kitkit saying “I wish I could take this forever.” in the VIDEO BELOW:

My kids were hoping to ride it a second time after we alighted, but nah, not this time….

The four-legged charming animal brought us to the Bees and the Python!

The staff there took off the roof and did something which I did not expect her to do with BARE HANDS!!!

She took out a tray full of bees from the bee house, simply because she wanted us to taste the honey right from the beehive! 100% FRESH!

Allan was the most daring of us all.
I remembered Kitkit said: “Wahhhh…Papa you dare ah?!”

In order NOT to provoke the bees, the Mekong Delta tour guide held Allan’s hand and C.A.R.E.F.U.L.L.Y poke his index finger onto the sparkling golden honey.

It was intense!
The bee-lady kept talking (in Vietnamese) and in a very nerve-racking tone.
I have no idea what she said to the Mekong Delta tour guide, but through her tone of speech, it definitely felt like she was saying:“Here…touch here…NO!!!! NOT THERE!!! A little more to the left! …Yes…yes..here…ok…finger down…NO!!! STOP!!! DON’T TOUCH THE BEES!…Wait..wait for the bees to move off first…ok…ready? Now!”

Her tone really sounded as if she said all of that!

And you know what?
With the help of the Mekong Delta tour guide, Allan had two attempts.
When he just managed to get his second honey dip, one of the bees stung the bee lady.

Allan and I felt so bad.
It was obviously painful.
But she could not drop the whole tray of bees just like that.
She CONTROLLED herself from jerking too much, slowly walked towards the ‘bee house’, slot in the tray of bees before she could attend to herself.
With face slightly frowned, she plucked out the stinger from her arm.

Terribly sorry, Bee-Lady!
*pout*

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Without any of us asking, the Mekong Delta tour guide opened the snake gate beside the blue bee house and lifted the big snake out of its cage!
*eyes widened*

You know how much we, Singaporeans, are used to paying for practically everything right? Even when we go to the zoo, we need to pay a fee in order to take a photograph with the snakes or animals up close, yes?

But here, its FREE for all!

Binbin was the bravest!
He went first.
We were not quick enough to react, so he was not in the video below, only the photo, whereas the rest of us appeared in both video and photo.

Kitkit was reluctant in the beginning and was the first to exclaimed: “HUH?!? Put on the neck?!”

After the video was taken, Binbin whispered into my ears, “Mummy, the python very dirty minded. Its tail go to your ‘down there’ leh!”

*huge laugh*

Everyone had too much excitement in that short 15mins or so. We certainly need to get our heartbeat back to normal. So the prearranged refreshment cum a short singing performance was very much welcomed!

Kitkit and Binbin felt really good, when each had a chance to give tips to the performers.

It was about time for lunch, but we were too far off the ‘big river’ where the big boat was waiting.
In order to get to the big one, we had to go by the small one first.

As we approached the rowing boat, Kitkit kept asking: “Can I row? Can I row the boat please?”
Our tour guide just kept shaking her head.
*giggle*

One by one, we went onto it.
We cannot step any part of the boat we want when we enter it.
We had to follow instructions closely so as not to capsize the wooden transportation, and capsizing it IS the LAST thing we want!

Both boys found the scene very similar to our trip to Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin last year, and they started spotting Mud Skippers and Pencil Roots.

It was good that they kept very still on the boat. Watch them here :

Yeah!
In less than 2mins, we saw our big boat again.
Hopped onto it and bid farewell to the rowing boat….

Lunch Time!!!
We had it at Hao Ai Restaurant.

Instead of eating at the main hall, we had a hut to ourselves. Cool!

Its great that Allan’s friend had all meals planned for us, so we need not have to worry about what to order.
He was so nice that he even gave us a copy of what we would be eating, for the 5 days in Vietnam, many DAYS BEFORE we took our flight, just in case we did not like anything on the menu.

We had Deep Fried ‘elephant ear’ fish which has a special way of eating, see video below:

The rest of the food included:

• Grilled shrimp with honey
• Spring rolls
• Fried Tofu
• Chicken fried with onion and ginger
• Lotus seed steam rice
• Mushroom hot pot
• Fruits

Was there anything that we did not like?!
OMG!
None!
We loved every dish!
But maybe its the hot weather, OR maybe its lunchtime, which we seldom eat much during lunch, OR maybe we were feeling a little tired, OR maybe simply because the quantity was too much for two adults and two kids!
We could NOT finish everything that was on the table.
What a waste!

They were really yummy!
But our tummies were really on the verge of exploding too!
There was no way we could stuff more into our mouth…

Binbin also get a ‘KISS ON THE HEAD’ by a buffalo when we were at the restaurant!!!
*laugh*
Nah… Allan was playing with the angle of the shot.

After a heartfelt meal, we went back to the big boat and headed back to the jetty with a little surprise treat on board…

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What’s the treat? Shall keep you in suspense for a while, as this post is getting way too long!!!
*pant pant pant*

Stay tune for the next post, NEXT WEEK, as we will be out celebrating my niece and Binbin’s birthday TOGETHER over the long weekend…..

Have an awesome weekend everyone! Happy Good Friday and Easter Sunday!

First Vietnam Trip

From the title, you can tell that we are definitely going back to Vietnam again! *laugh*

When? Probably next March school holidays.

We love to travel during the March School Holidays when the price is not at its peak, unlike June and December school holidays. As for September holiday? Nah, too many school work, as teachers try to catch up on unfinished syllabus.

So, for us, March school holidays will be the only time we will go traveling. *smile*

I do not believe in traveling by plane to a foreign country when my children are not capable of sitting still for long.
Going traveling should be enjoyable and a great time to bond as a family. If I had to worry if my baby’s diapers are full or not, or to spend time guessing whether my toddler is crying because he does not like the smell of the plane or the air pressure on his ears; that would be no fun for me at all. I would rather stay at home.

I do not see how I could enjoy my overseas trip when I have so much to worry and my child could only use his cries and screams to communicate with me.

Now that Kitkit is 9 and Binbin is 7, whereby they are independent enough to bring themselves home from school; YES, its time for an overseas trip by plane.

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I was pleasantly surprised when Allan told me that his secondary school friend owns a traveling agency in Vietnam. To me, it was perfect timing when he came back to Singapore earlier this year and we get to meet up.

He showed us so many photos of different places in Vietnam that looked so fun! We wanted to go to EVERY destination that he presented when he was at our new house. But Alas! We only have 5 days. Too many places, too little time.

It was so difficult to narrow down and a little hair pulling experience for me at first, as I do not know which to forgo. *sigh*

We do NOT like to go with tour groups, so this Vietnam trip is a customised trip just for my family. Private tour guide, personal drivers, tailored-made vacation. Totally awesome!

Waking the boys up at 4am+, when the sky is still glittering with stars, was no tug-of-war when they know they are going to have their VERY FIRST plane ride in less than 3 hours.

*Big Sigh*
This is the part when I feel like crying.
My memory card collapsed and some of the photos of our Vietnam trip are gone…..forever.
And that includes photos of their excited faces when they where pulling the luggage in the airport and queuing for check-in.
*cry*

Luckily, Allan took a couple of photos in the airport.
But the number of shots he and I took during the trip is in the ratio of 1 : 5
He took 100+ photos and I believe I took almost 500 photos; if my memory card survived the ordeal. Now, I’m just left with 430 photos in my camera memory.
*pout*

Alright, this is supposed to be a happy post, quit sulking! *slap in the face*

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Kitkit’s first time going through the electronic gantry was chaotic. In fact, more or less like with any other ‘NEW‘ things that we experience together as a family. He will have issues which none of us have.

Allan went through the thumb print scan without a problem.
Binbin went over next, like a breeze.
I decided to let Kitkit go over first before me…
Thank goodness I did.

He scanned his passport.
It got through.
The first gantry door opened.

He pressed his right thumb down on the scanning screen.
I could see the screen clearly from the place I stood.
But the image of his thumb print was NOT showing on the screen at all!

He tried again.
Allan, on the other end was starting to feel anxious and almost raising his voice giving all sort of advise to the nervous 9 year old.
“Press your thumb down!” Father snapped .
“I got press down.” Son screamed back.
“Press harder!” Allan continued.
“I press VERY HARD Already!!!!” Kitkit was getting really scared now, as he was neither on my side nor on his dad and brother’s side. He was sandwiched between the two plastic gantry gates; first gate separating him from me and the other gate separating him from his dad.

Then the screen rejected him and asked him to come back to my side and try all over again.
When the first gantry gate nearer to my side opened, the little frightened soul scrambled over quickly.

He tried again.
And again!
AND AGAIN!!!!!

He did EVERYTHING RIGHT!
But his thumb print image just refused to show up on the scanning screen!!!

He retried so many times!
Everyone was feeling really frustrated and helpless.
Then suddenly, a voice over the counter about 10 steps away called out, “Come over here.”

I held my firstborn’s sweaty palms (it must have been nerve racking for him) and walked over.

The officer did the clearance for both Kitkit and I.
We were so relieved to reunite with Allan and Binbin again.
*phew*

Kitkit’s nerves were quickly calmed after 2 pieces of toasts, when we had our breakfast near the waiting area.
Look at that big grin on his face:

I took a number of shots as we approached the boarding gate, but as you know, they were gone with my ‘dead‘ memory card. Even the shot on Kitkit sipping his FIRST BEVERAGE on his FIRST PLANE RIDE was gone too.
Really feel like crying!

Its a photo to be treasured!
But now its gone.
*heartpain*

He sat with me, while Binbin sat with Allan.
Here’s a picture of Binbin in Jetstar from his father’s phone (Allan did not take any photos of Kitkit, as I was the one responsible for that. So no photos of Kitkit when he was on the plane.):

Allan wanted the kids to have a souvenir to bring home from their first experience of cruising in the sky and he bought the Jetstar keychain for them. It makes sound and lights up too. One each.

The ride was smooth and the kids were at their best behaviour. Kitkit chatted with me throughout the entire journey, while the other two, who were siting behind us, snored away.

Did they enjoy their first flight?
Not exactly.
When it was time to land, the pressure in their ears were so uncomfortable, they kept saying, “Ears very pain. I swallowed alot of saliva already. Ears still very pain.”
The sensation disappeared only hours later….

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Allan’s friend could not be with us because he had some personal matters to attend to, but he had arranged an awesome tour guide for us. I can say so now because I have come back from the 5 days 4 nights trip already. In my future posts, I will share a little of what she did for my boys and us, as a family. Very moved by her many gestures of love.

After we collected our luggage from the belt and walked out of the glass doors of Tan Son Nhat Airport, we were warmly greeted by a petite lady who has a very charming smile. The type of smile whereby you just cannot help but smile back.
*grin*

She was afraid that we might be hungry from the 1.45hours of flight, so she brought us to savour the BEST (according to her) Vietnam Beef Noodles in Ho Chi Minh city.

Took a ride in the 7-seater car.
Happy kids in the air-conditioned vehicle.
Honking motorcyclists in the humid outdoor.

They will honk every other minute or as and when they are getting close to another vehicle nearby.
But with the crazy traffic of around 7 million motorcyclists in Ho Chi Minh City itself, its unlikely to have no vehicles within 2 meter range from your own vehicle.

Will the traffic in Singapore be like this in 2030?
7 million!!!
*shrugged*

Watching and being amazed at how a family of four, two adults and two kids, could ride on a small motorbike on the busy road; OR how big equipments like washing machines are transported using motorcycles helped us to pass time quickly.

It was not long before we realised that we were infront of the Beef Noodles restaurant. It looked very much like the coffeeshop here, the difference is its 2-storey, non-air-conditioned on the first and air-conditioned on second level.

We followed the tour guide and went up to the second level, as the ground level was very packed with people.

The kids had no mood to eat anything at all. So we only ordered two bowls of Beef Noodles Soup.
However, we insist that Kitkit and Binbin should at least have a bite on the beef and the noodle, plus a sip of the soup.

In the end, after the tasting was over, they loved it. So much so that we had to scoop some of everything from our bowls of Beef Noodles Soup onto 2 empty bowls for them.

I love the diet of Vietnamese. There is always a basket or plate full of vegetables for the patrons to add into whatever that they have ordered. Its Free Flow! It does not only happen in this restaurant. But its a very common sight in many eateries in Vietnam.

*Thumbs Up*

The four of us loved it so much, we told the tour guide to try to slot in a time for us to come back here again before we fly back on Friday, 22nd March 2013.

She agreed.
Yeah!
*clap clap clap*

After a full tummy, it was still too early to check-in to our hotel in Saigon. So our smiley driver, Mr W., drove about 1 hour+ to bring us to Mekong River for our very first adventure in Vietnam!

Next post….Mekong Delta (Mekong River)…an adventure which made the kids go “Ooohhhh”, “Ahhhhh”, “Wahhhh” and “HUH??!!!”

*giggle*

 First Vietnam Trip ~ Day 1/5 : Part 1/3