The Safari Zoo Run

 So, let me get this straight, I'm not a fan of running...be it on the street or the treadmill. But I do LOVE Singapore Safari Zoo Run. Why? because of the cute finisher medal, of course!

Me and Vai started running in this event last year and we decided that this should be our annual thing. There are 5 different race categories for different age limit.
* 12km Safari Zoo Challenge
* 6km Safari Zoo Challenge
* 6km Safari Zoo Fun Run
* 2.8km Nestlé Koko Krunch Fastest Kid for children between 8 to 12 years old
* 2.8km Nestlé Koko Krunch Run for kids for children between 4 to 8 years old accompanied by an adult.

Since Vy is not yet 8 years old, and the fact that I'm not so into running, we decided to participate in the 2.8km Nestlé Koko Krunch Run for Kids category again this year =D.

We registered for the race through their official website at www.safarizoorun.com.sg. The registration is usually open at the end of November and closes at the end of January. However, if you want to participate, it would be best to register before mid-December  as the slots fill up quickly and most of the time, the registrations were closed by the end of December.

Race pack can be collected 2 weeks prior to the event. Vy got an adorable stuffed animal (elephant in 2013 and a horse in 2014), a cool 3D limited edition t-shirt, a box of Koko Krunch cereal, a free entrance to the Zoo for the whole day and discount for entry tickets to Jurong Bird Park. Whereas me, I got a tumbler, Brooks running tee, free entrance and big box of cereal. You can also purchase an extra 3D tee shirt and a special limited edition ez-link card (prepaid card for riding on the public transport in Singapore) for S$ 14.80.

The 2.8km run circles the Singapore Zoo once. We stopped to see the animals every now and then as we were participating just for fun. The 6km run circles both the Night Safari Park and the Zoo whereas the 12km circles both parks twice.

Next year, Vy will run in the 2.8km Fastest Kid category and I, will be on duty accompanying Mka on her very first Safari Zoo Run.

Here's some pics from our run this year....

Vai's cool 3D t-shirt and bib.

Free entry to the Zoo for race participants!! 

Green, clean, and serene...

Vy loves this reservoir and flower garden inside the zoo.

Cool and refreshing H-Twoo-O during the run

Just a little bit more running...

..and yeeeayy!! Finished!!

2014 Finisher Medal

"Yo-ho...Yo-Ho...A Pirate's Life For Me..!!"

I've been meaning to write this post for ages but due to the enormous assignments I had to finish and preparation for the DMT exam, I simply had no time to do so. So, here it is, 7 months later, I finally am writing (typing, to be exact) about this cool water play park for kids in Singapore: The Port of Lost Wonder.

The Port of Lost Wonder is a water play park for kids between 3 to 12 years old. It's located on Sentosa Island and opens daily between 10 am until 6:30 pm. The entrance fee is S$ 15 per child on week ends or public holiday and entitles the child for a whole-day play, 100 curio coins and a Port Pass. Weekdays entrance fee is only S$ 10 per child for a whole-day play, 50 curio coins and a Port Pass. Accompanying adult gets free entrance. Hooraaay!!

And ooh, a Port Pass has stamp collection pages, stickers, the map of the park. Children can collect stamps on their pass to win special prizes. The Curio coins are paper coins that the kids can use to "pay" for certain activities inside the park such as bubble pool or getting snacks. Cool!!

So, after paying at the entrance, we got into the park. It has massive pirate ship-like structure that splash a giant bucketful of water every few minutes or so. After finding a shady spot on the grass (fake plastic grass, actually. So no worries on getting dirty), the kids are ready to have some water fun!

Children below 110 cm must be accompanied by adults while playing and everybody must be in their swimwear to play in the pirate ship water play area. Kids who are not yet toilet trained? Don't forget to put on your swimming diapers!

The pirate ship is surrounded with wast water play area. The floor is soft and non slippery so it's safe for kids, even if they are running around.

The huge pirate ship

This red slides are for the use of the little ones, but believe me, parents can't resist the temptation! =D

Ten minutes bubble play cost 3 curios

The sand area. The kids totally love this!

When you are hungry, just order some munchies from the Port Belly. They will deliver your order to your spot under the shades. The chips (fries), chicken cocktails, potato wedges and chicken wings are pretty good but I find the onion rings too oily.

Last but not least, a trip to a fun place like this is not complete without commenting on the potty place. The Nauti-Potty, as they call it, is clean and spacious. The hand washing area has sinks for kids too. The shower has hot and cold water. The door is even divided into 2 parts, top and bottom, so the kids can take a shower by themselves in some privacy by closing the bottom part of the door. However, the floor in the Nauti-Potty can be slippery when wet as they are not covered with some anti slip strips or carpets. So, be extra careful there.

And oh, forgot to mention that the PoLW has free wi-fi too, which is great for a traveller like me who too cheap to buy a data roaming package (or is it roaming data package?). I can browse or play games on my iPad while waiting for the kids. Hooraaay!

Shopping for "Oleh-oleh"

It's customary for Indonesian to bring "oleh-oleh" (souvenirs) when visiting friends or relatives, or when you come home from a vacation.  It's one of the most important thing to think about when you are planning your vacation.

Choosing the right "oleh-oleh" for each person can be as tricky as choosing the right school for your child. Okay, maybe not that tricky. But it's hard nonetheless. There are many things to think about such as, "will she/he like it?", "will it fit?", "is it useful?" "will it break easily?" etc etc etc. A separate budget is needed, especially if you have a large family.

I usually spent roughly 2 months trying to plan and get something uniquely Indonesian for each relative or friends. It gave me a warm feeling seeing that they love the small things that I brought for them.  These were the choices for my trip to Europe last year:


1. Traditional Spa Products
Indonesia is well known for its traditional beauty rituals. Spa products from Indonesia have distinct sweet and exotic smells. Malika Splendor and Sensual series from Dewi Sri Spa and the bar soaps from neBali Soap are my favorites. Malika Splendor has a subtle hint of jasmine and cempaka flowers, which reminds me of the exotic traditional Javanese style spas. You can choose to give a body cream, body lotion, body wash, scrub, aromatic oil or body mist.

neBali Soap offers many different exotic fragrances from Sandalwood, jasmine, cempaka, ylang-ylang and frangipani as well as more western-origin fragrance such as lavender, rose, grapefruit and peppermint. Their product ranges from bar soap, body wash, body lotion, massage oil or cream, body scrub, bath salt, crystal deodorant, shampoo and body butter.

2. Batik Scarves
This one is a no brainer. Batik scarves come in a wide range of colors. Very light, simple and easy to carry.

3. Batik Tutu
Cute and adorable Batik tutu for the little ones. Usually made from the colorful Batik Garutan (Batik from Garut), these tutus and matching kebaya from bebeglow are guaranteed instant hit with the little girls. Boys, obviously, don't want to wear tutus. So you can opt for batik shirt instead.

4. Food
This is probably the most insane thing to bring. I brought lots of dried Indonesian food for my relatives, the things I take for granted because they're in abundance here. For those who live abroad finding food that reminds them of home was somewhat a luxury. Things to consider are: shrimp chips, instant spices, or a few small rtd boxes of Teh Botol Sosro.




Photo credits
1. Dewi Sri Spa Products, http://lollibunnie.onsugar.com/tag/Dewi-Sri-Spa-Javanese-Rose
2. Batik Scarf, http://www.yaktree.com/scarves-and-stoles/blue-and-peach-indonesian-batik-womens-scarf-100-pure-silk-medium/