Again, another road trip to Singapore

It was the first day of Chinese New Year and again, we decided to enter Singapore for the second time. Our driving factor for the trip was IKEA at Tampines, for the meatballs? We'll see later hehe.

We packed some of our children meal and at 830am we hit the road straight to BSI. Arrived at BSI rather early, before 9am and it was all clear to us entering the causeway. No toll as supposedly mentioned before, and after a quick verification of our passports, the officer hit the gantry button (any button?..) and we enter the bewildering road to Johor causeway. The road condition was suprisingly better compared with our first visit and my calculation proved all right as the road is all clear all the way up to Singapore CIQ. Again, learning from previous visit, we pre prepared our white card well before we hit the road and it took less than 10 minutes to clear the immigration. Before continuing our journey, there is a slot (machine) for the autopass, just insert the autopass, hit the 'car sign' button, wait, claim the card from the machine and we were all clear to pass. Enter the green lane, pass few humps and its Woodland.

Nothing interesting all the way up to Tampines, just a normal highway and within 30 minutes, we arrived at a blue coloured building, similar to that in KL. Its IKEA btw. Our journey this time took us approximately an hour from home compared to our previous visit where we spent almost 2 hours, just to reach Woodlands.

At IKEA

Parking is free at IKEA Tampines and the building layout is similar to that in KL, those who frequented IKEA KL won't have troubled finding their way inside the building. The restaurant opens at 9.30am and no free coffee as in KL. While IKEA KL is serving local delicacies for breakfast, this IKEA seems to have more international flavour. Halal counter only start serving meal at 1030am and to our frustration, we settle with bread and coffee. Meal price is comparable to KL and it seems all meal come with coffee (equivalent with free?). Unlike in KL where diners may opt for ordinary black coffee or cappucino, here in Tampines, should you wish to have cappucino, you'll be given a token, just slot inside the coffee maker and out it goes. Some items at Tampines are way cheaper than in KL, even after considering the currency exchange rate.

Upon exit

We lost, or 'losting' ourselves in Singapore hehe.

Exiting at Woodlands

Pay 1.20 SGD using autopass and at BSI, 2.90 MYR using TnG card.

Grand Mutiara, Berastagi, Medan

Just came back last night from Medan for our 3 days 2 nights (shopping?) visit. This is again DIY trip, so everything were squeezed according to budget constraint. Our flight to Medan was at 740am, and that means overnight drive from JB to LCCT. We decided to stay at one of those lodge at Nilai considering our wee hours flight. At Nilai we stayed at Lodge No. 1 for some 4 excruciating hours. That stay cost RM 80 for (what the boss called..) family room. Spacious enough, comes with hot shower, towel and silly smell. The bed (hate to recall..), but that's what you get when you're on budget. Come on, that 4 hours were not that bad.

At around 4.30am we woke up, get dressed and head up to LCCT. Arrived at around 5.30am and LCCT has already bustling with people. I did the self check in at home and bought the boarding pass with those luggages at the baggage drop counter. Breezed through and at 6.50am we were already at the departure hall. The flight took off on time and in less than an hour, we have already seen Indonesian shores. Medan when we landed was still at dusk and we landed at time we board the plane (Medan is an hour behind KL). Its 840am in KL actually.

Upon immigration clerance, we saw some people wearing uniform hovering our luggage and they said they wanted to check whether we collected our rightful luggage. Seemed weird a man even asked my luggage slip for check and when he verified our luggage, he straight away towed our luggage out. Well that was not for free! He did not asked for a fee, but knowing Indonesia airport quite well, I just gave him some thousands and politely turned down further assistance. We just do not want to spend our IDR on them!

We have pre arranged a driver, and that service was quite hefty. IDR 650k for 1 day plus another 250k for trip to Berastagi. We spent 1.7million for driver only for that 3 days. Driver service in Bandung is more affordable I think, 450k to 500k per day. Our driver was an old man who knew every nook and corner of Medan, and upon arrival, we straight away speed off to Berastagi.

My pick in Berastagi was Grand Mutiara and a room cost 600k. Grand Mutiara is an old resort but is well maintained. There is a swimming pool and although it looks appealing, the temperature is just too low for a swim. There is another good hotel nearby, Mikie Holiday but the rate is just to expensive. Our standard room comes with balcony facing some retaining walls, perhaps the one overlooking the main road is better. Standard in room facilities, huge room with 2 queen size beds. No fridge, no electric kettle. Hot shower is not available 24 hours, it only available at 6 to 9 am and 6 to 9pm. They gave sign when the service start and ends (sigh!). You'll experience some power surge when the service starts and ends, perhaps the use nuclear powered generator or something wahaha.

Craving for Swedish (halal) meatballs

Quest for the swedish meatballs

Oo, yes, the craving comes again and now its on the famous swedish meatballs. When I was still staying in KL some few months ago, I would normally brought my wife and kid to IKEA Damansara for breakfast and of course shopping was not normally in the list. We normally drive to IKEA Damansara early in the morning after our weekly stroll at KLCC park and reach IKEA at around 9.30am. It worth the effort as IKEA was offering free coffee refills before 10am tough I normally stops at 2 refills. Arriving early helps as the q is normally long (it moving fast anyway).

Well, I'm no longer in KL and just to satisfy the craving by driving all the way up to KL for 10 pieces of meatballs would be a disaster to the environment tough PLUS expressways would be all smiling as I exit UPM from JB. I google out, just to find out any IKEA nearby which offers the same delicious but halal meatballs nearby and found one in Tampines! compare the price and minus the petrol and toll to KL, it's worth the drive. There are two IKEA (or more I'm not sure) in Singapore, one in Tampines and the other in Alexandria. Halal certified swedish meatballs are only offered in Tampines at their lane no. 3. Not sure about other menus whether halal or not, but at least the meatballs, chicken wing, nasi padang set and kids meal are edible by Muslims (you may want to check their website: http://www.ikea.com/sg/en/store/tampines/restaurant).

Let see the pricing:

IKEA Damansara - 10 pieces meatballs @ RM 10 (they have 5, 10 and 20 meatballs set for selection).
IKEA Tampines - 10 pieces meatballs @ SGD 5.40 (same as above).

Considering travelling to KL for 10 meatballs would be:-

Toll (return) = RM 100 (return)
Petrol (return) = RM 250
Meatballs = RM 20

Total = RM 370!

Considering driving to SG for the same halal meatballs would be:-

VEP = SGD 0 (Saturday/Sunday)
ERP = SGD 0 (driving from woodlands -> BKE -> SLE -> TPE)
Petrol = SGD 10 (filling in JB - would last for a week)
The meatballs = SGD 10.80
Knick knacks = SGD 10
Parking = SGD 0 (IKEA parking is free)
Exiting Woodlands = SGD 1.20
Arriving BSI = SGD 3 (assume)

Total = SGD 35

Considering currency exchange, SGD to RM = SGD 35 x 2.45 = RM 85.75.

To KL = RM 370
To SG = RM 85.75

Saving = RM 284.25 (or 76%!)

The restaurant will be open at 9.30am and perhaps this will be another drive to Singapore hehe...

My first progress presentation

Received an email few days ago which required presentation to be made on progress made so far. Really do not know what to expect from the session as it only states "literature review to those who just registered", still in the blank on my status whether am I still consider new or should I present those achieved so far. As at the moment, I'm still synthesizing literature covered and only manage to cover 100 odd literatures (actually 90 over to be exact!).

The panel name is also given and I really do not know what to expect from them. My supervisor has been away and I also plan not to meet my supervisor until I get something in hand. More to cover but I do hope the presentation will provide an avenue to exchange ideas (not shooting range I hope..) and perhaps listening to others who might said may open up new possibilities which I myself could not contemplate.

Its been a lonesome journey so far, I have talking only to myself, and regard what I am saying is totally the rightful answers. Indeed this is the time when I need to face criticism and try to defend what I have done so far. Its true that journey to acquire knowledge is painstaking one but what I may discover along the way is sweet and unchallenge.