Sad disappointing vacation...

...thanks to HAMIDAH TRAVEL & TOURS PTE LTD!!!!

Firstly, I always go for vacation in Dec.  Of coz, I risk getting stuck in floods as it's always monsoon season.  This yr, Sis wanted to join, so had to accomodate her schedule during Jun sch holidays.  Bro too wanted to join since he's earning during his 1 mth sch break.  So having to accomodate these 2, I'm left with only week 8 Jun or 15 Jun.  Which was really a rush job, as there's no agent doing a gd trip during that period.  I wanted so much to go Pulau Redang, but all agents doing on a wkday!  I wont be able to get a full week leave!  After streamlining our options, we were left with Pulau Pangkor organised by Kak Zu of Hamidah Travels.  Which was what I mentioned in my earlier post.

Later, when I was ready to pay, they said it was $225 (instead of $215, bcoz $215 was based on stay at Sea View Hotel).  Fine.  No problem.  On 8 Jun, I was on leave, so I went to Golden Landmark to make payment, after my dentist appt.  Paid & gave the list of particulars.

Few days b4 departing I asked Kak Zu for the itinerary, and she got Hjh Sukina to fax to me.  When I received the itinerary, I realised there was no mention of KL shopping on the way back as promised by Kak Zu.  So I enquired.  But Hjh Sukina told me that it's not a fixed itinerary, KL shopping usually depends on whether there's time & if there's demand.  She told me that Kak Zu has nvr done Pulau Pangkor b4 & is talking rubbish.  So ok, makes sense...usually shopping is a by-demand itinerary. 

2 days b4 departing, I got a call from Hjh Sukina early morning @ 8.30am...she apologised profusely & told me that she dunno how come, but she misplaced the list I gave with everyone's particulars.  Luckily I was still @ home, so I on my PC & read it to her (since she has no email & she cldn't wait till I come to office @ 10am to fax).  Ever heard of something like that??? Your travel agent misplaced the list of particulars you provided.  I've gone on 8 vacations with 2 separate travel agencies (Smailing Tours & Sha Travel), this is the 1st time I come across something like this!

But nvm.  Pardonable.  The following day, Hjh Sukina called @ nite to confirm the pick up point, time, coach.  Instead of Eunos, the plan changed to Bedok bcoz she's sharing coach with her fren from Minerva Travel.  1 PZ coach (48 pax) costs $200 so since she only has 20 pax & Minerva travel also didn't have that many, they decided to share a coach till JB immigration.  So $100 per agent.  Smart cost-saving.  But is this cost-saving passed down to us?  Haha.  Answer to Allah.  But the gd thing, albeit puzzling, was usually we depart by 8pm (ie. gather @ 7.45pm).  But Hjh Sukina tol me that the bus departs @ 10pm, thus to gather @ 9.45pm.  I asked her how come...and she explained that the ferry @ Lumut (Pangkor) departs late (I suppose the 1st ferry is always arnd 8-ish in the morning)...so no pt in reaching there too early (estimated to arrive arnd 6-ish/7am & wasting time.  So I was ok.  In fact elated.  Coz we cld do Isya' & Dad cld also spend time wif Amsyar & drove us there (save us taxi hassle).

Fri, 8 Jun

Since I was on leave, I decided to check out the JL expo sale b4 departing.  We left a lil late (almost 3pm) & got stuck finding empty carpark lots, so we got a lil delayed @ reached home only 7-ish.  I quickly put on my masque (Sun's routine but since I won't be arnd to do it, I had to do it in advance). Amsyar was sleeping when we left home arnd 9.15pm, but due to bikes zooming, he was awakened.  Coach departed @ 9.55pm & he was playful & enjoying himself till 11-ish!!

Reached JB immigration, but no instruction on the coach we were supposed to take (normally, this is already arranged, seating plan given & ferry timing communicated b4 we reach JB immigration).  So after clearing immigration, we had to hang arnd till we received confirmation abt the coach which we're taking.  That wasted abt 20mins of our time.  Then when we got on the bus, there was no seating plan assigned to each of the grps...so everyone sat wherever they wished!  Mom & Sis went up already...they had 2 big bags, but had no initiative to use the bags to "chop" the empty seats infront/behind them...so with ppl kept cutting me, the seats was taken.  In the end, because we cldn't get seats together, we moved to the back of the bus - last seat!  Yes, with a 9-mth old infant.  Wonderful rite?  When the coach departed, Kak Zu (whom I've been dealing with all these while) came all the way to the back to look for Sharbina (the one who has a 9-mth old infant traveling along)...and was so paiseh that we ended up at the back due to the poor planning of her colleague.  She apologised profusely.

Sat, 9 Jun

It wasn't too difficult for me to sleep since it was a SVIP bus (the only gd thing!!)...so the leg room was comfortable enuf to tilt the seat to 45deg and lift the leg rest & sleep comfortably.  I realise every 2hrs the bus driver wld stop bcoz 1 old man needed to take toilet break.  And after the toilet break, they'd hang arnd by the road shoulder of the highway for a puff & not move till 1/2hr later.  With all that wasting of time, we reached a rest area with surau arnd 6-ish.  There was some stalls selling food so I asked Hjh Sukina if it was b/fast stop.  She wasn't even sure.  And since she cldn't find the bus driver, she finally told everyone to have their b/fast.  So all had b/fast.

Then we set off to Lumut Ferry Terminal.  We reached there almost 8.55am.  Hjh Sukina told us that she will make the ticket arrangements & we all catch up.  While we were walking, news started to go behind & soon it reached our ears that 'we missed the ferry by 5mins & now have to wait for the nxt ferry @ 11am'!!!  My gawd!! U mean Hjh Sukina didn't even know what time was the ferry timing??!?!?!  WTF!!  Ended up we had to waste 2 hrs waiting for the nxt ferry!!  With Amsyar v. sweaty & irritable, Mom had no choice but to sponge him clean & change him out of his pyjamas.  After that we checked out the shops & spent quite a bit buying T-shirts.  By 10.30am we cld get into the ferry already.

I asked Hjh Sukina what's the plan for the sightseeing on her itinerary.  By the time we reach the resort wld be close to noon.  She then told me "ok la, since we got stuck here, today we do Free & Easy...tomorrow we go for the sightseeing...actually the sightseeing just 1/2 a day can finish...but I understand la, all will be shagged by all this waiting...bla bla bla".  Teluk Dalam Resort had a porter arrangement to & fro the Ferry Terminal to gather our luggages & send to the resort lobby for us.

We reached the lobby.  Hjh Sukina went to the reception & then I saw her walking away to Kak Zu...and I heard hearsay that the keys were not ready.  I saw the reception mgr put quite a few bunch of keys onto a basket, looked arnd, dunno who to pass it to.  So I walked to Hjh Sukina & sarcastically ask her "do we take our own keys or u'll have to receive it & then give it to us?!" ... to then she said "Oh the hotel didn't receive my fax to them so the keys are not ready" ... I told her the reception mgr has a basket of keys wif no one to give.  Then she gelek2 went to the reception counter.  [Oh did I tell u that this Hjh Sukina is like a weak 50yr old woman who looks sleepy perpetually (no energy).  Why the hell did she become a tour agent/guide I wonder!!]  Then, I told her I don't care whatever, but can I just have the key to my room as I've a 9-mth old infant who needs a bath & it's almost noon - 3hrs past his morning bathtime!!!  So the reception asked her if she had the list with her...to which she said "oh no, the list is in my luggage!!".  Oh gawd!! 1 piece of paper that can easily fit a handbag, u keep in your luggage?!!?  The reception then asked if she cld remember the names in the list.  To which I answered to the reception myself & got my own keys!!

I brought Mom & Sis to our chalet (kampong hse) & then came back to the lobby to fetch Bro who was waiting for our  luggages.  We freshen up  & went for lunch.  After lunch we went back to our rooms & I woke up arnd 4+ to solat.  I didn't have a sajadah so I went to Mom's room.  After solat & after Mom called Dad to make him talk to Amsyar, we brought Amsyar to the pool for a dip.  After swimming, went back to bathe & then went for dinner.  After dinner came back to our room as the lobby shop was closed (Bro wanted some chocs).  So in the end, he decided not to wait for the shop & wanted to sleep instead (v. shagged...he calls it bus-lag!).

After putting lil' monkey to sleep & after doing my maghrib & isya' (and after Mom called to talk to Dad...awww), Mom & I decided to check out the shop (due to open arnd 8-ish pm when the nxt batch of Ferry pax arrives).  We bought our doses of chocs & red-bull/mineral water & got ourselves an ice-cream each...to eat along the way back to our kampong.  At the shop, we bumped into Kak Zu, where I asked (agn, no information...till I myself had to ask!!) what's the plan for tomorrow...what time do we meet in the lobby for the sightseeing...to which Kak Zu told me it's to gather arnd 1-ish after lunch.  Ohhhh...so morning is agn Free & Easy la.  Cool.  But this is so different from all my other vacations where the sightseeing itinerary was more than the Free & Easy!!

Oh well, after that we left & headed back...then Mom & I decided to just sit on the parapet of her veranda & we had a heart-to-heart talk in the co. of a lizard (yes Shazadi...chipkali! And I told my family how u'd react if u were there instead!).  After a while, we went back in.  And since the night was still young, I put on my DVD player & watched DVD (Namastey London).  After the movie, arnd 11pm, I decided to dash back to my own room & sleep.  Mom watched me go back from her veranda.

For sleep time, Bro & Sis swopped rooms...Bro sleeps in my room while Sis sleeps with her baby & Mom on the queen bed.  Whether it was Sis sleeping in my room or Bro, I was meant to suffer (from their snoring!!).  I put on my mp3 & slept my night through till morning call (from kaypoh Sis) came arnd 6.30am.

Sun, 10 Jun

Before leaving for b/fast, Mom called Dad agn & we all wished him HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAPA & sang him a birthday song (Amsyar likes it when we sing that song...he thinks it's his B'day!!)!  After that we headed for b/fast & then went to the beach for a stroll & played volleyball with Amsyar's mini rubber ball.  After playing, I rented a bicycle from 8.45am for 1hr...and Bro & I took turns to cycle arnd the resort.

After that I told Mom they didn't have to wait for me till 9.45am...they can go back & freshen up, I'll be back after I return the bicycle @ 9.45am.  So they proceeded, while I did my share of scenic-photography.  A must when I go for vacation!  It was only then I realised how beautiful the island/resort actually looks!  After returning the bicycle, I showered & took a panadol & then had a nap as I was having a headache.  Arnd 12-ish, I woke up & got ready to go for lunch. 

After lunch, we gathered at the lobby arnd 1.30pm as planned.  Dunno what we're waiting for...as usual, no coach in sight yet.  But I heard Kak Zu asking Hjh Sukina if there's a coach, and she said yes.  So I heard the coach was on the way.  After almost 20mins, we heard there's no coach, so they had arranged for 4 taxis (mini 9-seater van).  Great!!  What cld be worse than this - sandwiched in a mini van, with no a/c & boring places arnd the whole island, which lasted only 2 hrs...coz most of the places we found it too boring thus stayed in the van?!

By 4-ish, we were back in the resort...I wif a bad migraine.  Took another panadol, but threw up my whole lunch.  Re-took another panadol, this time Extra.  Slept.  Mom came with swimming attire & asked me to come along...but I told her to go ahead as I wanted to nap due to the migraine. Plus I've no more swimming attire, the previous day I used it, it's already wet. No plan for 2-day swimming.  So I got some peace to sleep.  Till 6.30pm Sis came back to shower.  After that I got up & got ready for dinner.  After dinner, felt a lil btr.  Hang arnd the lobby waiting for the shop to open, till we decided to ask the receptionist & found out that the shop wasn't opening, so we headed back to our kampongs, bathed & settled down.  After watching the slideshow of the pictures of our vacation, till my camera battery went flat, I charged the battery while Bro watched some TV till 10pm, then I decided to put on some song DVDs & chased Bro back to my room to continue watching TV.  He went to sleep instead, while Mom wanted to watch Hrithik's songs.  But halfway thru, I realised I was the only one watching, so I changed to a movie of my choice (Yakeen). 

While watching, I realised it started pouring.  Shit, I'm stuck in this room!!  So I watched Yakeen till almost midnight & decided that since the rain wasn't stopping, b4 it got heavier, I btr dash back to my room.  I packed everything, left it in the safe & then woke Mom up to say I was leaving & if she wanted the door locked.

I was q. scared, but I was smart enuf to leave the veranda light of my chalet on so it wldn't be dark like the night b4 where Mom had to watch me going in.

Mon, 11 Jun

I certainly didn't have a gd sleep the last night as Bro's snoring was terrible.  I listened to my mp3 till it went flat...and I kept getting woken up every 2 hrs due to his snoring.  I went to charge my hp arnd 2-ish & then forced myself to sleep.  I think I somehow managed to...but 2hrs later, arnd 4-ish I got woken up agn, took my hp & listened. But by then I cldn't sleep coz his snoring cld still be heard so since I lost my sleepiness & it was 4.30am...I was at a loss of idea as to how to kill time till 6am.  I wanted to call Mom if she's awake (usually on vacations she sleeps till 3am & after that will remain awake!!)...but if I call, Amsyar will wake up.  I didn't wanna go out of my chalet @ that hr in case Mom's asleep & if I knock, she'll be shocked & I'll feel bad abt disturbing her sleep.  So this was what I did.  I on my TV...put the volume to as loud as possible, loud enuf not to be bothered by Bro's snoring (yet the TV vol didn't wake him up!!)...they were playing this interesting movie on Star Movies - Bigger Than The Sky - so I decided to watch it...but I think the TV ended up watching me...coz I got a morning call from Sis @ 6-ish and saw the credits running!! Haha.

But finally, it's morning. I got up, got ready for check-out & left for b/fast by 8am.  After that we just hang arnd the lobby, snapped photos...till the coach came & took us back to the jetty for our ferry which was coming in 1/2hr. 

We were all so glad that it was time to go home.  Apart from the disappointing vacation...it was also coz just the day we were departing, I discovered that Amsyar's eye which had been red for the past 1 wk & everyone tot it was coz he was sleepy, actually had a cataract-looking piece of skin on his eye.  We had no heart seeing him with that kinda eye during the vacation & just wanted to be back in S'pore so we cld bring him to the Doc.  We dropped by some stop for lunch (which was the most comfortable eating place in the whole of M'sia - home like Indian food & no cats!!)...after that it was straight to JB. 

But the bad times weren't over yet.  B4 reaching JB, Hjh Sukina told us that the bus driver just informed her that he has no permit to enter S'pore thus we'll have to change bus (the driver made arrangement already to change us at a Pump Station).  After we got on the new coach (stil SVIP), we were informed that all will be dropped at Beach Rd.  I told her that's ridiculous, we were supposed to be dropped at where we were picked (ie. Eunos or Bedok for those residing at the East)...then she started going on & on & I just told her "so basically, we've no choice la?!?! So Beach Rd it'll have to be la!"  I just snubbed at her.  I think my Bro, who was sitting with me, cld sense I was really pissed.  He's as cool as a cucumber...no matter what happens, he just smiles it off & move on, altho we all know he must be regretting spending $225 on a screwed-up vacation!!  We told Dad we'll come back by cab & not to bother to fetch us back as it's late & we dunno where in Beach Rd we'll be left at.

Hjh Sukina bargained with the driver, but didnt get anyway & so all of us were just left stranded @ Beach Rd almost 11pm wif a sleeping baby!!  I knew that the taxi driver took us for a ride just to pretend that he didn't know the way in S'pore, so he purposely took a wrong exit by not exiting at Moulmein Rd...and went 1 round b4 reaching Beach Rd.  We cld've reached 1/2hr earlier otherwise!  While Sis & Bro went to get supper, Mom & I queue for taxi...but when it was our turn, while waiting for them to come back, we allowed those behind us to get on the taxi 1st till they came.

The taxi driver we got wasn't really keen for Tampines, but relented reluctantly.  He really was very attitudey...put on a deaf-ear when I give him instructions.  When I told him to exit by Bedok Reservoir, I knew he heard but he didn't acknowledge.  He drove so frighteningly - no courtesy to other drivers & kept overtaking cars at the last minute to get to the left lane when I instructed him agn to exit by Bedok Reservoir.  It was really scary...I gestured to Mom a malay proverb which meant "when the shit is abt to come out then go look for toilet!"  After that, when we reached our block, I told him to stop "after the lamp-post"...and straightaway he stopped at the lamp-post.  I told him to "move further a bit"...I repeated agn since he didn't move...then I saw him pressed the meter, so I decided to give up...really pissed!  I mean, what's a bit further, I don't think it'll be another cent even!  But at least we'll be nearer to the lift!

I went out of the cab...while bringing out our luggages from the boot, I mumbled to Bro & Sis in disappointment "kesian eh, there's a lot of deaf ppl in this world...".  When I turned, I saw Bro opening the door...I thought he was gonna thank the driver (which he nvr does!)...then I heard him questioning the driver abt his attitude & why cldn't he move forward a bit when we asked him to!  I was like shocked!  My cucumber-cool Bro had reaction!!  And that was really touching.  I guess, the cab driver's attitude was the last straw for him...and he refused to tolerate it!  A pity none of us took down the cab no. or I cld've complained (what I'm gd at!).  I just told Bro to "forget it...let's go"...the driver tried to defend himself by saying I told him to stop at the lamp-post...to which I screamed back "I told u AFTER THE LAMP-POST...and after you stopped, I told u to move forward a bit, not once but twice, but u ignored!" .... then I tol him "Nvm, just leave it...it's over anyways!"...and I tol Bro to leave him, no pt!

But I really appreciated my Bro's action.  At least he served his purpose - TO PROTECT US, BEING THE ONLY MAN IN DAD'S ABSENCE.

We reached home almost midnight & we quickly took turns to settle down...I slept arnd 1-ish after catching up on Indian Idol which I recorded.  Rested the following day...went out in the late afternoon to do my banking biz...and ngaji @ nite...& then back to damn office yest'day (Wed, 13 Jun).

I thought I can't always come back from a vacation & rave abt how I enjoyed my vacation...it was beginning to sound cliche...so here I am telling u what a horrible vacation I had!!  So unfulfilling that I'm considering another getaway when I can at the end of the yr...but it's at my expense coz I've claimed my 2007 travel subsidy of $350 for this vacation!

Meanwhile, I look forward to my Bangkok official trip this Fri, 15 Jun.  My first time on a plane!!  At age 30!! Can u believe it? Unimaginable. Coz I'd always thought I'd be on a plane either for my honeymoon or NEVER (if I don't get married that is)!!  But I got this opportunity the moment I got upgraded.  Coz usually they do a rotational airport trip (BKK, HK & KL airports) to do price survey, but as a clerical, I wasn't qualified to go (the organisation wldn't spend on a clerical!) although I'm pro enuf where surveys are concerned & sending me wld serve more purpose than the inexperienced ones!  Oh well, beauracracies of Govt. sector!