the plan began as our nies ladies 20th anniversary celebration but our poor mab was hospitalised and placed on a month's medical leave one week before the trip...
to Mab, we are so sad you couldnt fly with us... 😭😭😭
yet at the same time, we were very happy to meet up with Cyn & KY who flew by jeju air an hr before us!!!... our trip evolved into Season 2 of where 6 chers went, after our knockout success to Hong Kong in 2024... 😍😍😍
Thanks Mich for doing a GREAT job with our seat booking on Korean Air... very happy with the extra space between us... heee
touched down in Seoul @ 9.15am!!!
4 of us at this terminal, 2 of them at that terminal, 6 of us in the transport to our apartment!!!... was surprised that the vehicle could accommodate 6 pax + 6 large luggage!!! 👍👍👍
reached our home sweet home for the trip @ UH Suite Gangnam about an hour plus later... couldnt check in yet but managed to freshen up in the recep toilet...
yummy lunch & dessert nearby
mega luv my lavendar ice cream blueberry latte!!! heavenly happiness!!!
then to Myeongdong Lotte Department Store to collect this exclusively for tourists T-money transit card... 😍😍😍
so pretty, it's gonna up my fridge with all the other travel magnets... 😍😍😍
passed by a bao bao pop-up store.... the newly launched mint green totebag is very pretty!!! cannot take pic of the actual size bao bao so took pics of the miniatures on display instead... heee
such a pity the Bao Bao tote isn't made to hold a laptop for daily commuting + it's $100+ cheaper in Japan too...
the start of our SHOP SHOP & SHOP, first @ ewha...
everyone bought something from this shop... am very happy with this set of pullover and skirt @ 12000₩ x2 ...good buy!!!
bought a pack of collagen snack for my 小老太婆 who stayed home under the care from Auntie Mavis during these 5 days...
topping up our pretty t-money transit card to take the train back to myeongdong
walked through Myeongdong street food aisle, took pics to show the right, show the left... was hungry so whatever i saw, i also wanna eat... but no eat... 😅😅😅
dinner
the first of many many skin care stores & pharmacies that we invaded!!! 😅😅😅
my in-charge allowed me to reschedule thursday's & friday's painting lessons
flying was out of the question given the last minute (3 days advance) booking and ridiculous fuel charges
then Alfred asked, "Have you dived @ batu ampar before?'
NEVER!!!
but our getaway just became a Dive trip in Batam!!!
certified more than 20 years ago and my last dive was more than 18 years ago!!! i needed a refresher course while the two chua brothers signed up for Open Water!!!!
Excited Chuas arrived in Batam @ 10.30am
and checked into our teeny tiny studio room @ Pollux Apartment
first meal @ HDL... was surprised that the bill came up to S$130... we got order so much meh??? 😅😅😅
packaging for the winter melon drink is so cute!!!
the start of buying One-Piece cards and when it was out-of-stock, they bought League of Legends cards to play ...
dont understand their joy but still joined in their fun at opening a few packs...
dinner @ Love Seafood Restaurant then bought J.CO donuts as tummy fillers for the next few days... 😅😅😅
the cleanliness and condition of the pool was above my expectation... i Like!!!
i also like that each of us was allocated a set of clean & well-maintained gears according to our height & weight and that everything was labelled for easy identification... 😍😍😍
warm up was 4 laps + 5 minutes of floating...
i swam 3, walked half and floated another half... wahahahaa
Alfred had so much food that he puked most of what he had for brunch shortly after the swim!!! 😅😅😅
SO FUN doing all the drills!!! Gerry is a very thorough and patient instructor... i like!!! 👍👍👍
and i mega like that he took so many pics & videos of us and for us... 😍😍😍
dark clouds when we arrived at the jetty after a 75 minutes car-ride..
Gerry pointing to the island which we were supposed to visit... 'invisible" liao cos totally engulfed by fog & rain clouds?!?!?!? 😅😅😅
surprised to be given a dive watch to use... very useful > auto detected the 5m ascent point and would start the 3 minute safety count-down on its own !!! will show the depth attempted and the duration of the dive too!!!
sea was rough due to the drizzles & wind... we were splashed right left up down everywhere!!! haven enter the water for our 1st sea dive already whole head and torso wet.... 😅😅😅
survived our first dive attempt!!! successful anot is another story... 😅😅😅
the chua brothers were given a dive log book each... i dont remember having one... wahahahaa
stopped by here for lunch and to use their toilet...
simple yummy lunch prepared by Gerry's wife... 😍😍😍
followed by our second dive attempt!!!
thankful to be provided booties... feet stayed warm, clean and safe but got wrinkly toes... 😂😂😂
peaceful sampan ride back!!! tired but very very happy!!! 终于又有人陪我 dive 了... doesnt matter that the visibility this round is !@#$%^&*... 😅😅😅
sea was so much calmer and visibility in the water was a little better... but still not good enough that one of the experienced leisure divers got lost shortly after descend... 😅😅😅
yummy lunch @ the beach prepped by Gerry's wife... regretted giving my drumstick to Alfred cos i didnt wanna dirty my fingers...both of us totally forgot that one shouldnt eat too full before a dive... he puked it out shortly after... 😅😅😅
the guys were chit chatting under the hot hot sun while i was selfie-ing under the shade... 😂😂
slapped on alot of sunblock but am still one to two shades darker!!!
luv the colours of our masks and fins!!!
The equipment are really all pretty, clean, & well-maintained!!!
WooHoo!!! 毕业咯!!!
1 Instructor + 1 Refresher + 3 Open Water + 4 Fun Divers
finale of this trip!!!
dinner @ the Food Fest just 15 minutes car-ride away from our apartment... 😍😍
Alfred had CASH!!!
狂买狂吃... 站着吃 cos couldnt find any seats... damn shiok!!!... anyhow anyhow this one buy, that one buy also super yummy!!! 😍😍😍
then they sent me back, made sure i was safe in the room before heading out again for a drink with fellow open water diver, Sabarish...
came back 2 hours+ later and in record time of a minute +/-, both boys striped and change into PJ, switched off the light and jumped into bed... i was stunned speechless.... 我的灯就这样被关掉了?!?!?!?
hearty breakfast at Anchor Cafe & Roastery, relaxing massage @ GO! Massage, final shopping of crackers & kueh lapis then took at 5.20pm ferry home after TWO amendments!!!
we survived the trip & survived each other once more!!!
