countdown to xmas!

well, in 1 wk time, it will be xmas! cant wait to open those presents! actually my hubby's present to me is yet to arrive.. he used his credit card point to change one - a samsonite bag.. he need to add rm 500 for the bag.. retail selling rm 1000.. so quite worth it.
wat does xmas means to u? for us, doesnt mean much coz we r not christians.. it is jus a season for us to shop without feeling guilty!! actually spend quite alot of money for presents!! need to budget for mth jan n feb.. coz cny comin too! also, right now headache coz havent buy presents for 4 more pple-- yvo, yin, mom n dad.. wanted to buy a crocs for dad.. but dont know he will buy or not! also mom.. worst headache.. she got so much things.. look at her hse.. esp her room!!
other day, saturday, daniel n i went to do some quick shopping.. bought some presents for declan's shichida frens.. first time he paid.. complained! hahaha.. said need to spend abt rm300 for the presents!! heartache his $$!!
anyway, there will be another 1 more wk, so can still shop for the rest of presents.. can go shopping this weekend.. maybe got cheaper sales goin on.. :)

szun's world

welcome to my little world! so happy to have my own blog.. finally... felt so 'out' if i dont have one.. even my 10 yr old niece got one!! n she is the one who teach me to have a blog!! so malu lah!!

our trip to japan! october 2007 (part 2/2)

22nd october 2007

This morning we need to prepare to depart for Hakone..

a place famous for its hot spring.. We took the Romance Car (a 90 min train ride) from Shinjuku.. direct to Hakone yumoto.. from there, we took a taxi to our ryokan which we will stay 1 nite... After checking in, we walked back to Odawara station, for our tour of Hakone town..





We took few types of transportation tat day.. the train, cable car, rope way and ferry to tour Lake Ashi with our Hakone freepass.. before that we stop at Owakudani. to eat sulphur eggs... apparently each egg eaten, will extend your life by 7 yrs!!! tooks so photos along the way... after the ferry ride, we took bus from Moto Hakone back to the Odawara station... as the place is on a hill, can u imagine the ride back... i was SO giddy when i arrive... and my miser hubby made us walked back to the ryokan.. even though it is about 10 mins walk.. but trust me... it is UP hill all the way... so tired...(the route of touring around hakone )

We reach our ryokan b4 7pm, as we had requested our dinner to be at that time... before dinner, Daniel went for the hot spring, while i look after Declan...








The lady who prepared our dinner came abt 6.30pm... and prepare our dinner in our room.. she took so much food for us... in small quantity... when i asked her what is my dinner, she tried to explain... in japanese.. i cant understand, and she need to do action for me!!! actually she is telling me that my dinner is Squid!!!Daniel came back jus in time for dinner.. he told him how great he felt after the hot spring... tempt me to try!!!!but malu lah.. take all clothes out!!!


















After dinner, i tried the hot spring.. initial when i went into the changing room, i hestitate to go to in.. but i think to myself, spend so much to come to japan, and dont try.. wat lah.. so took the courage.. take my robe out... and walk into the hotspring... before entering the hot spring, there is a area for pple to bath.. n clean up before goin into the water... so i follow those japanese aunties... follow wat they do.. wash their hair... n use the bucket.... so funny.. ..after cleaning up, went into the hot spring.. the outdoor hot spring is jus outside... but didnt bother to go.... once enter the water, it felt hot.. but after whole body emerge into the water, felt so nice n relax.... now thinking of it, also feel like goin hot spring!! onsen!!! think i soak abt 15 mins.. then change back to my robe and go back to the room... had a early nite tat nite... exhausted after all the travelling..











good nite!


23rd october 2007


that morning we woke up quite early.. abt 8am.. and change and go for breakfast at the ryokan.. quite terrible.. they serve rice and fish in the morning.. think we are the only not japanese tourist there.. think this ryokan is more popular with their local japanese.... so after checking out, we took the ryokan shuttle bus to the train station.. we are heading for kyoto today!!! the journey is quite far... abt 2 to 3 hrs... but lucky didnt need to change the shinkansen.. as the train is quite full. we didnt manage to get 3 seats together.. daniel in front, whereas me and Declan at the back row... we arrive our hotel, Hotel Granvia Kyoto.. very nice.. jus on top of the train station... compared to the ryokan, this is first class.. nice beds.. when we check in, Declan was still sleeping.. so we carried him to the bed.. he slept so soundly... woke up after 3.30pm.... we changed and go out to tour Kyoto..


walking around kyoto is very interesting... we took the map and walk around the Gion area.. which is famous for spotting geishas... the ang mos were so funny.. all of them standing on the side of the alley, waiting with their professional cameras... i felt like something like paparazzi waiting for actress and actor.. when one geisha came out, they ran so quickly.. to take photos.. frankly speaking, dont find the geishas pretty... heavily make up... maybe it is their culture.... but i notice one crossing the street.. think she in a hurry... but she manage to run SO GRACEFULLY in her kimono...

our trip to japan! october 2007 (part 1/2)

18th october 2007

i wan to add my japan trip on my blog.. coz in case i wan to make another trip there, i can follow my last one... our trip to japan started on the 18 october.. we took the JAL nite flight fr KLIA. the plane seats are quite small compared to the normal ones.. maybe japanese pple are of smaller built!!! declan was excited on the plane.. coz there is mickey playhse on the plane's tv.. he sleep for awhile..

19th october 2007

we arrive Narita airport abt 6.30am.. collect luggage, n proceed to take the aiport limo bus to our hotel.. Sunroute Shinjuku.. the journey took abt 1 hr.. but the bus drop us at the bus stop outside shinjuku train station.. fr there we need to walk.. but the problem is to walk to the left or right!! i booked the hotel fr the internet.. and the map given to us fr the hotel website looks so simple.. n everything looks so near to each other.. so after asking pple where the hotel was, we walked towards the direction.. daniel had to pull our big luggage and carry his backpack! he looks like he is on the amazing race.. lucky the hotel is quite near.. abt 3 min walk..

the hotel jus renovated, so everything looks so modern n clean.. too bad i didnt take much photos of the hotel.. before i went, i actually told my students tat i will take lots of photos n show to them.. but trust me.. i was to busy looking after my son, let alone taking photos! so when it is our turn to check in, the reception man told us that check in is at 3pm!! aiyo.. wat to do.. it is only 9am!! i asked any room available for us? he said.. sorry check in at 3pm!! these pple!! anyway, he is kind enough to give me a twin bed, n not charging me the extras!! hahaha!

so wat to do now? we went for breakfast at Mcdonald which is near to our hotel.. and after reading the map, we decided to go to Asakusa temple.. so off we go to the shinjuku train station..

wow.. the train system in japan are so complicated man!! me n daniel travel quite often.. but these train routes map took us awhile to digest!! there are SO many types of trains! the JR, the subway and etc!! so after purchasing our tics, we proceed to Asakusa temple..

frankly speaking, the temple didnt change much!! daniel made a comment.. he said the souvenirs the shops are selling are still the same as those he went abt 8 yrs ago!! i strongly agreed!! my last trip wif pin, we went to the temple few times to buy souvenirs.. but this time, i only buy a few.. think less than 5!! after taking some pics, we walk around to look for a good place to have lunch.. checked out a few places. but finally went to a small store.. we had Oyakodon.. chicken, n eggs on top of rice... declan quite enjoy the food..after makan, we took the train back to the hotel.. arrived at 3pm for check in.. the room look nice and tidy.. got a 32Lcd.. not bad.. but only complaint is that the door of the toilet is open towards u and not away.. funny rite.. so confusing!! took a nap.. n wake up abt 5pm.. daniel went down to the convenience store across the road to get some sushi n bread..

We had dinner at one restaurant called Keishoan, Shinjuku Lumine 1. The place is famous for its yakitori.. However we didnt have any advance bookings, so we need to wait for a table.. N guess how long did we wait?? 1 and half hr!! can u imagine how hungry we were when we finally got a table, which is abt 9pm!! luckily Declan behaves so well tat nite!! After dinner we walk around the area. We reached Takashimaya abt 8.45pm.. jus in time to hear the announcement that they will close at 9pm!! Too bad.. so we headed back to hotel!

20th october 2007

We woke up and had some sandwiches, then we proceed to Obaida.. a new area in Tokyo. I had went to the place during my last trip with Pin, quite interesting place to go.. We took the train there, about 30 mins.. Had lunch till.. and walk around.. Accidentally bumped into a Toyota showroom, where their new cars are displayed.. Declan didnt find those cars interesting as compared to his dad.. he was more impressed by the types of vending machines there.. Being a curious boy, he tried to put some coins in types of machines..

After 5pm, we proceed taking the train to Harajuku.. Declan slept when we arrive him. Actually i wanted to buy him to a big toy store there.. Too bad, he slept.. can help me save some money too!! Daniel and I share a ice cream crepe.. Very yummy... Last trip there, Uncle Watanabe treated us (Tonny, Pin and I) one each.. Till now my mouth still drools when i think of it!!Actually walking down the road is so cool.. to c some many people there.. All kinds of age and tourists too!!! I managed to find DAISO there.. SO HAPPY.. but not Daniel lah.. who need to walk for me outside!! hahaha..

After tat, got instructions to go back to hotel.. before we take the train, we popped into a chinese restaurant, to take away fried rice for Declan.. Didnt go any place for dinner tat nite.. ate some sushi and Declan remaining fried rice.. .. we took a walk around shinjuku after dinner...

21st october 2007

The day that we are visiting Disneyland.. Took a train from Shinjuku.. but when we want to purchase the tickets, cant find Disneyland station.. Maihama. Daniel asked a Japanese guy.. well-dressed.. he is so kind.. even he need a while to find where is the station.. (for ur info, tokyo's railway is SO complicated!!) After he cant find where is the station from the board, he helped us to enquire at the service counter.. he took the trouble to queue up for us... after seeing his family waiting for him, we told him that we can queue on our own... SO KIND lah!! something u cant find in Msia.... or spore!!! After getting intsructions, off we go.. the journey there is so far.. abt 45 mins.. one of the interchanging station was so huge, where we need to walk from one corner to another.. abt 15 mins walk!!

After arriving at the station, and seeing so many pple there.. i quickly walked towards Disneyland entrance to purchase ticket.. however an attendant there told us that Disneyland tickets are sold out!!! Pls proceed to Disneysea instead!! Actually didnt expect disneyland tickets to be sold out!! if i know earlier, should had bought it... Too bad.. next time lor.. So we proceed to disneysea.. took the monorail... on our way there, we saw an open area for carparks... there are SO many cars... esp Estimas and Alphards!! Maybe it is a sunday.. family day..

Once we go in, we saw Donald Duck and Groofy.. To tell u the truth, i was more excited than Declan... Hahaha.. I left Declan on his stroller, and tried to take photo of him with Donald Duck.. N guess wat?? My son started crying.. so poor thing.. Maybe scare lah... seeing them so big.. then daniel carried him to c Mickey mouse... We didnt played much games.. coz quite crowded and hot.. imagine autumn still hot for us... typical malaysian!!!

we sat the gondolas ride...after queuing up for abt 1 hr.. when the ride wan to end, the gondola driver start to sing, and everyone clapped... then suddenly Declan burst out crying!!! aiyo.. so malu... but REALLY dont know why he HATES clapping and live performances.. We jalan till abt 5pm.. saw one mickey mouse show.. on cruise.. quite nice... outdoor.. that one, he didnt cry!!! Funny... We left there abt 6pm... back to Shinjuku.. before reaching the hotel, we had ramen at one restaurant outside of our hotel... quite nice.. pple there also very friendly.. too bad Declan didnt enjoy his food.. think he dont really like Jap food unlike his parents!! hahahaha..