Beach Holiday - The Beach

First Cheryl didn't want to leave the hotel room. On seeing the beach, "wow this is great" , she didn't want to leave the beach.

But with the horses and their droppings, you wouldn't want to spend much time on the sand, would you?

Beach Holiday - The Hotel

We managed to get a room at the Holiday Inn Resort though not at the beach wing. For Cheryl, it did not matter, as long as it was a hotel room, "this is great dad. I don't want to go to the beach. I want to stay here" she said as soon as we entered the room.

As we unpacked, I was overjoyed when I noticed the little note on a wire at the table saying 'Internet Access'. Taking out my laptop, I quickly plugged in to test the connection speed. After a few minutes, the Holiday Inn website came on. I had to register??? Read T&C, WHAT ?RM1.90 per minute ? Oh my gosh! With Chastan and Cheryl around, it may cost me RM19.00 just to view all of Holiday Inn Penang's facilities on their website and another RM19.00 just to google Penang attractions. No way I am going to allow myself be robbed.

The buffet breakfast spread was okay. For a change, we did not have to get up in wee hours of the morning and Q for toast, like whats usually happens in Genting.

Beach Holiday - The Mistakes

Its common to make mistakes planning a trip. Well, so did I make some big ones on this holiday trip.
First, the biggest, I forgot to get information on Sunday Church services and more importantly the whereabouts of Catholic Churches in Penang. Imagine just driving around Georgetown looking for a Church, finding one, you go in to discover its not Catholic. So drive around again till we found the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows. We were late, very late, Offertory that is, but what to do, it was about 10.30am, so better late than never.

Second big mistake, I forgot about getting road maps especially of Penang. But managed to obtain one of Georgetown which assisted in one above.

No maps, no problem there are sometings called road signs, my third mistake, relying on them. Not just relying, but trusting them to be available when needed. It took us 2 hours from Bukit Mertajam to the hotel at Batu Ferringhi. OK OK, must discount the jam at the world class bridge. What else to discount? Missing road signs? - could not find the sign leading to the Plus Highway in Rawang. Misleading road signs? - to touch your nose, you guide your hand around the back of your head and come in front and touch your nose - know what I mean and this is no joke. Wrong turnings? - whose fault?

Beach Holiday - On the Way

We had promised Cheryl a beach trip during the school holidays. So Saturday 18/8/2006, the children were up early without prompting, how we wish it could be this easy on Sundays. All packed and we were on our way, 1st stop at Amma's place in Selayang.
Cheryl: "Why are we going here?"
Mum: "We haven't been to Amma's house for sometime so we stop for a while, OK."
Cheryl: "Short while ok." Then soon, no, sometime later (another post on this), we hit the Plus highway.
Along the way, as I overtook a trailler,
Cheryl: "Wow, dad you cut the truck."
Then we overtook some more slow moving vehicles.
Cheryl: "Cool Dad, this car the fastest. You are the fastest. Cut the red car. Now cut the big truck."
Dad: "These cars are going slow."
Cheryl: "Dad, you are the fastest in the whole world. Cut the car in front"
Dad; "No, we should not go so fast. There is also a speed limit."
Cheryl: "Why."
Dad: "We don't have to go so fast. Its better to be slow and safe." I didn't expect this five year old to understand this but then,
Cheryl: "Dad, slow, slow down don't go so fast."

Just before we reached the Ipoh toll, "Cheryl, look at those mountains."
Cheryl: "Hills, like in my book?"
Dad: "Yes, but mountains are bigger, hills are small."
Cheryl: "Cool, this is so gigantic." Then on reaching, Sg Perak R&R, dad said "We'll stop here."
Cheryl: "Why?"
Mum: "We will take a rest."
Cheryl: " But why, I'm not tired." Can anyone argue with that?
Mum: "Daddy wants to rest".

Sometime later on the way to Bukit Mertajam. Cheryl: "Is this the way to the hotel?"
Dad: "No, we are going to look for St Anne's Church."
Cheryl: "But why?"
Dad: "We'll go and pray. Remember Mummy's operation, we must give thanks."

Soon we were on the way to Penang Island with some more "Are we there yet?" and "Is this the way to the hotel?" from Cheryl.