My Dollie Baby

Date: 4 February 2012 (Tuesday)
Subject: Hong Kong Day 1
Tricia is 1 year 6 months, 1 week and 6 days old
Racia is 5 years 9 months old

Temperate: 16 degrees (Windy and rain)

We are back from our wonderful 6 days 5 nights holiday in Hong Kong! The two girls were very well behaved and Tricia travelled extremely well for a baby her age. I will share more below:

It wasn't exactly a smooth day for us and I will tell you why. As we were scheduled to leave for the airport at 4:30am, we woke up at 3am to get ready (including preparing Tricia's porrideg lunch). Nai Nai was up at the same time too as she was due to fly to Xiamen this morning for her holiday. Even though it was freezing cold that morning,  I needed to have a good bath and wash my hair as with our full day ahead, i know that I will only get to wash up very late that day. The usually sleepy piggy Racia was so excited that she woke up at 3:30am by herself. Tricia was still in deep asleep when I bundled her up,  changed her diaper and got ready to head downstairs to wait for our taxi.

I had booked in advanced a  maxi cab (SHB 6695A with a booking fee of $18) to arrive at 4:30am. However, at 4:45am, there was still no sight of our cab. I started to panic and called the main comfort hot line and was told that the driver was un-contactable! To assist, they radioed for 2 regular taxis to come and pick us up instead. In order to compensate for our inconvenience, I was told that the 2nd taxi would be complimentary with no charges! Nai Nai and June waited for the 2nd taxi while we headed off with the 1st one when it arrived.

Upon reaching the airport, June called and told that Nai Nai had to pay for the 2nd taxi! What a major screw up! I called the main control station and they informed that they will only be able to to rectify this when i return!  I was quite upset that I had to deal with this just before our trip.

Anyway, I guess I can only follow up with them when I return. We proceeded to queue up to check in our luggage. As we were queueing, I realised that there was another empty counter opposite for online checked in. It seems that we have been queueing at the wrong queue. We exited immediately and headed over to the empty counter. Check in was completed in less than 10 minutes!

We headed into the departure lounge and began to look for a place for breakfast. We settled down at Killiney on level 2 for coffee, toast and wanton noodles. I guess it was still very early and so our appetite was not great. We left half the food untouched.

We headed down to the play area after that. (BB1 has requested to play at the playground in the departure lounge). I left Hb and BB1 at the playground and headed to the duty free shop. Purchased made including a special Lancome travel compact and a Chanel lip gloss (no pictures of it though!).

Hb met up with me and we moved to the departure gates - A13 for our flight (SQ890, departing at 7:55am to HKIA). Boarding was smooth, and as I managed to arranged to bassinet/window seat for us, Tricia has space to roam around right in front of our seat. As it was a two seater row, Hb had to sit a row behind.
Both the girls were very well behaved throughout and we had a smooth flight. Tricia even slept twice during the flight! We arrived at 11.35am. During landing, I realised that Tricia's diaper had leaked and she has wet her romper and pants!

Upon arrival, we made a quick stop at the diaper changing station. I left Hb to attend to this and headed to pick up the stroller. When I returned, i strapped Tricia and we exited immigration to the luggage collection zone. After picking up our luggage, we pulled out Tricia's jeans as I had wanted to change her out of her wet fleece pants. And it was at this point that I realised one of her shoes were missing! I went into panic mode again and started searching the floor all around the luggage belt. Hb suspected that we must have dropped it after changing her diapers. I left the girls with hb and ran towards the custom officers requesting to re-enter the pre-immigration area to retrieve her shoes. I was told that I was not allowed to re-enter and they directed me to the lost baggage counter as only the staff there were allowed to enter the restricted zone. One kind gentlemen accompanied me towards the gates and i was told to wait outside while he went in to search. To my relief, he came out with the missing shoe. I almost hug him with gratitude! Apparently, in a haste to leave the changing room,  hb had left one side of her shoe in there as he has forgotten to put it on after changing her. I was so relieved that we manage to find her shoe as we were heading to Disneyland and there was no access to infant shoes at the Disneyland resort! I really cannot imagine carrying her around the next two days without her shoes!

As we have wasted closed to 30 minutes retrieving her shoe, we quickly moved out of the gates and headed to Maxim for a quick lunch. Hb queued to top up our MTR cards and to get a new child fare card for Racia while i brought the girls to get a table at Maxim. The staff were very helpful with customers with babies and small children. They came forward to help me with the stroller, luggage and to get a table. I learned that most eateries offers baby high-chairs but often, they have hidden it out of sight and you will need to request for one from the staff. Our first meal was delicious, we had the three treasure rice (Chicken, roast pork, sausage and a salted egg) and the roast goose rice. Racia loved the goose skins! Our lunch cost us HK$99 in total.

After lunch, we took the lift up to level 7, the arrival hall to shop 1010 (between row G and F) for our 7 days unlimited access data-sim card. We purchased two cards at HK100 each and the staff helped to activate it for us. Hooray to Internet access for our 6 days in Hong Kong!

Next, we travelled back down to the arrival hall and headed to the taxi stand.  The taxi information counter advised us to take the green taxi. Apparently, this was the cheaper option as compared to the blue (Lantau island) taxi. We hopped on one and it brought us straight to Disneyland Hotel. We arrived at the hotel at 1:30pm

I checked us in while hb looked after the girls. The girls had fun running around the hotel lobby and taking pictures with the xmas decorations ( a huge xmas tree and a gingerbread house). As the room will only be ready after 3pm we dropped off our luggage at the concierge and headed to Tung Chung for our Ngong Ping 360 cable car ride.

The weather was not great and it started drizzling while we were waiting for the shuttle bus to Disneyland MTR line. We took the Disney train to yan mo station to transfer to the tung chung line.
The sky was overcast when we finally reached tung chung at about 3:15pm.

I had pre-booked the tickets online and as the cable car was due for a maintenance the next two days, this was the only day we could head up. I had purchased a special packed that allowed us to take the crystal cabin to Lantau Island and the regular cabin back.  I picked up the tickets and we were ushered to board at the crystal cabin line for the 3:30pm ride.
As there were not many people, we had a whole crystal cabin to ourselves. The ride was thrilling as the entire floor panel of the cabin was made of clear glass. we could see all the way down. It was quite frightening!
The whole journey took 45 minutes and as we neared Lantau Island, it started raining. It became so misty and foggy that we could not see a single thing. After exiting the cabin, we turned back and headed back to queue for the return trip down. It was a right decision as it had started raining quite heavily when we were queueing to come down.

Tricia fell asleep on the return journey. We were shrouded in mist and fog the entire journey down and could not get a clear view at all.
Once we reached, we headed over to Citygate. It was already 5pm by that time. Hb went to pick up some snacks and water at the super market and I went to Esprit Outlet for a quick look. I picked up a top and a pair of floral camo pants (Total damage HK$448) and joined them at the supermarket. After picking up our groceries, we took a taxi back to the hotel (taxi fare estimated at KK$100 for the trip back). It was already 5:30pm we reached the hotel. After picking up the room keys and dropping our bags in the room, we headed to the Enchanted Garden cafe for our character buffet dinner. We were 30mins late for our 6pm - 8pm dinner service.

The girls enjoyed the dinner session as they got to take picture with their favourite Mickey, Minnie and Pluto. Both the girls were super excited and could not sit still at all throughout dinner. HB could not resist and bought 3 super cute pictures of the girls taken with Mickey (We spent HK$350 for these 3 photos). After dinner, hb brought the girls to the activity room while i headed up for a quick shower. It turned out that the activity room was relocated and we didn't find it till our 2nd night.

Hb headed up for a shower while i brought the girls to the Disney store. I picked up a Rapunzel tiara for Racia as i realised that we had forgotten to bring her Tiara to Hong Kong.

I brought the girls up to the room after that and they had a fun time in the bath tub before retiring for the night. It was already 10:30pm when I tucked them in bed.

Tomorrow will be a full day, we will start with the character buffet breakfast followed by a full day at the Disneyland park. I was told that tomorrow will be one of the coldest day in December with the temperature dropping to 13 degrees!
Total Spending Today:
Taxi from airport to Disneyland hotel HK$140 (Base $115, tips $25)
Esprit HK$448
Ngong Ping 360 Tickets (2 Adults and 1 Child) HK$397 (SG$64.25)
Groceries HK$140
Taxi from Citygate to Disneyland hotel HK$95
Disneyland Dinner Buffet S$238.77
Rapunzel Tiara HK$190
Photos HK$350

Fresh and ready to go at 4:30am!

Our 2 big luggages and 3 backpacks!

The sky was still dark!

Our replacement taxi - Fare to the airport $21.30

All time favourite activity, hug my bo bo and chew my fingers!

Daddy and the girls.. waiting at the wrong check in queue

The correct queue for online check-ins

Our luggage total weight - 39.5kg (2 pieces)

Milk milk time!

Can you see Tricia at the breakfast table?

With daddy!

Our half eaten breakfast! It was too early and we were not hungry!

On our way to the boarding gate!

Daddy immitating BB2

Finally, a pic of mummy with BB1 (taken in the toilet)

The girls fascinated by the water cooler

BB2 with Mummy!

BB1 with Daddy!

Gate A13, SQ 890 departing at 7:55am to Hong Kong

Boarding and daddy is holding our stroller!

Pulling our stroller across the aero-bridge

In the cabin

One of our rare family picture!

BB1 all settled in her seat!

With Mei Mei!

Cheeky BB2, exploring the cabin!

Getting ready for the take-off

Nice pic of mummy and the 2 girls

Fast asleep soon after take-off! I was surprised that she can still fit into the bassinet!

BB1 falling asleep too!

Breakfast!

Children's meal

Our oriental chicken meal!

BB2's post weaning meal

Daddy feeding BB2

Meal time!

Fast asleep again after meal!

2nd nap in the bassinet!

Watching her cartoons!

Beautiful picture taken outisde our window

We have arrived!

Just got off the plane!

First stop, diaper change for BB2

So happy at the diaper station. This is where daddy left her right shoe~!

Getting our luggage

Repacking quickly to take extra bottoms out as Tricia has wet her pants. At this point, Mommy found out that Tricia's right shoe has gone missing and started the hunt for her missing shoe!

Found her missing shoes and on our way out of the arrival gates

So cute on the luggage cart! (BB1 has a photo on this same cart too)

Waiting to top up our MTR cards and to purchase a child card

Posing for a picture while waiting for daddy!

BB2 decided to treat her jie jie to a drink of water!

Arrival hall! (level 5)

BB2 having fun with jie jie's water bottle

Our first meal in Hong Kong, Maxim food chain at the arrival hall.. this is the 3 treasure rice (Roast pork, chicken and sausage, yumz)

Supper yummy roast goose rice!

Lunch time

After that, we headed to level 7 - departure hall to purchase our data sim card at shop 1010

Shop 1010 located next to aisle F, level 7 departure hall

Staff activating our sim for us, HKD100 for 7 days unlimited data usage

Exiting to the taxi stand

Instruction board on which taxi to take!

We were advised to take the green taxi (This is a cheaper option as compared to the Lantau Blue taxi) to Disneyland

In the taxi!

Arriving at Disneyland Resort!

Disneyland Hotel!

Taxi fare meter at HKD106.50, final charges was HKD115(including luggage fees) but we paid HKD140 in total

Hotel lobby

With the gingerbread house

Comfy on sofa

First sighting of Minnie!

BB1 and Minnie!

Our park tickets!

Waiting for the shuttle bus Disney station!

Boarding the Disney Train

Onboard the Disney train

Family photo

Cute Mickey window

Daddy and BB2

BB1

Mickey handle

With daddy in the reflection

A super happy BB2

Waiting for the train towards Tung Chung

On board the train

Our first desitination - Ngong Ping 360 for our cabin ride

Picking up the pre-booked tickets

Our tickets and crystal cabin tags

Waiting to board

Daddy and BB1 (See the cabins behind)

On board our crystal cabin!

It has a full glass, see through bottom!

Daddy and BB2

Mummy say "scary!"

With the girls!

Racia spotted something!

The view outside!

One more pic of the glass bottom

With the girls

It started drizzling when we were riding up the mountain

Our detour down!

BB2 has fallen asleep

BB1 looking so cute here

Back at Disneyland hotel picking up our room key

Our garden view room no. 5132

Cute key and map for hotel guest!

The luxurious beds

The room

The baby cot

Bath room

Bath amenities

The Mickey soap

Hand towels

Tissue box

Seperate area for toilet bowl

Bath tub

The cute "Do not disturb" sign

It was drizzling that night

Enchanted Garden Cafe for character buffet dinner

Pluto!

Pluto and the girls

One more picture

Tricia thought he was a big soft toy!

Pluto kiss!

Another kiss for BB1

Our buffet dinner

Yummy food (especially the quiche)

Fried noodles

Nezt, Mickey in xmas attire

With daddy and the girls

Family pic!

Tricia says "Bye Bye to Mickey"

Looking for the other characters

Cost of the pics (we spent HKD350 on 3 pics)

Lemon overload, my yummy lemon tea

We met Minnie next!

Mummy wants a pic with Minnie too

Our family picture with Minnie

Pretty Minnie

Yummy chocolate

There was Alaskan crab claws

Minnie came back and we requested another picture

Minnie kissy

Tricia loves Minnie

Pic by the beautiful fountain

Rapunzel dress on display

Bath time

BB2 with Mickey

Kissy by Mickey

BB1 with Mickey

My loot at Esprit Outlet Citygate, A top and a pair of floral camo pants HKD450 for both