Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Both Avillion and Valentine have the same letters....

...ok, no they don't...not quite but...A, V, I and N are there!

The Avillion Resort is Port Dickson's finest and Seaview Restaurant, about 5km away is also very very good. On a recent trip there, I had such a wonderful time….well, I guess it's been my only trip so far to Avillion. I've always read about it but never had the opportunity to go. Water chalets, adult only pools, balmy breezes and imported sand and the food, ah, the seafood is wondrous! (The Avillion chef still has some ways to go).

Check out some of my pictures from our holiday and I must say, from the moment we drove in to the front, I was impressed (well, for want of a softer word for impressed). The grand and yet not intimidating, somewhat beckoning, roof structure of Avillion promises slow, easy days. We checked in early (about 1pm) but then drove off again to tuck into a scrumptious lunch of chili crab, nestum prawns, salted vegetable soup and fried mantis prawns….Yummy….and CHEAP too!!! This was at Seaview Restaurant, if you're not sure where it is, just ask the reception, they know….well, ask anyone except this thing called DOLLY - more of that later.

So, drive about 5km away to the left of Avillion, if you don't see signs, no matter - we're in Malaysia anyways, so just drive straight on - do not turn left at the traffic lights to go into PD town, just drive STRAIGHT. Then, when you're just about thinking, "I think we've gone the wrong way", you'll see a sign by the side of the road, backed by some shop houses and just a little up front, you'll see traffic lights. So, follow the sign and turn left and there it is a little bit down the road on the road.

It's a long single-story building and you shouldn't miss it. There may also be tour buses around. It's got a minute entranceway with a lily pond and then further in, you see some seafood - well, sea creatures. Get in, we had a table right next to the windows and the breeze was cool….Food came in an average amount of time and it's only too bad I don't have pics of it! Got some pics of sea creatures though! One day, I MUST try the Geoduck!!!!

Then it was off back to the Resort - we promised ourselves we would read a little and fall asleep because the day was scorching and the food sitting in our bellies lulled us into such dreamy states.

Aiyoyo, forgot to talk about the little green squishy thing crawling on the car windscreen before we drove off to the restaurant! I tell you, nobody sees them but me! So anyway, it got squished by the car wiper…..though later, after the lunch, we came back to the car to find bird excreta on the windscreen - and I told J that the birds had their fill of Mr. Squishy!!!!

So, we walked to plank (literally) out to our water chalet - we were lucky enough to have the last finger and the second last chalet so we were unblocked by surrounding neighbours. The room book says strictly no laundry hanging though I did see someone do it…..Also, try your DARNDEST not to get the first few water chalets cos they have no water under them (don't think the sea rises so high) and I didn't like the garden chalets personally cos, well, it seemed kinda boring to me…..

Some friends did mention you can hear the waves crashing at night - ummm….nope. I heard the aircon compressor though, which was right next to the open air shower and just outside the enclosed area of the chalet. See the pics of the four poster bed and day bed right next to it…..Very nice, I was quite quite happy with the whole thing though I didn't expect that it would be smallish though. The bathroom area was large, almost as large as the whole room….the kind I like!!! We had 2 sinks, 2 mirrors though a fat lot of good it did us, we never used them at the same time. There was a tub and of course the open air shower. The moment I got in and peered over the side to the patch of sea (right in the middle of the chalet), I saw a long skinny pike (?) fish. Got a pic of it but not too clear….

So, we spent 2 days and 1 night there. It was relaxing and full of laughter. We checked out the beach, walked in the water, wanted to try and walk out to an island we saw but then moi spotted a giant pipe drain going out to sea just about there and decided, hmmm, let's go get wet in the relative safety of the swimming pool instead. Avillion Resort has 3 pools - a kid's pool with a slide, another general pool right next to the most used cafĂ©/restaurant which has a gorgeous view of the sea too (Pic opportunity!) and another Adults Only Cochin Pool (yeah, all their chalets, locales are named after Indian characters/landmarks/areas). We were only at the Cochin Pool which was only 1.2 meters high throughout so I was safe! The sad thing was that they didn't serve drinks at poolside after 7pm - though the guy there did try for us….wonder why huh? I think the pools are open 24 hours - to minimise drunken drowning?

We read a bit, used the toilet, used the bed and day bed, used the balcony, talked a lot, laughed a lot….I kept getting cold in the night and getting up to switch off the aircon while he got up to switch on the aircon…hehehehehe….

The holiday ended much too fast and then we began the long sleepy drive back to KL again….. The most awesome part of the holiday - when I discovered Avillion provides a complimentary bottle of talcum powder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The worst part of the holiday - a random called Dolly. J had the presence of mind to ask an available desk clerk about checking out while the line at the main desk was long. Some stupid mat salleh got upset that he wasn't clever enough to think to ask…and the rest of the reception area had the misfortune to witness his loud complaint to this Dolly person. Oh woe, Dolly proceeded to lambast her colleagues in front of close to 30 guests in BM that they were not following instructions and now this MAT SALLEH was complaining! Damn! Without the Mat Salleh's business, I guess Avillion shares would plummet! We probably spent more than he did there damn it!

Not satisfied, she came over to our side desk and complained, gesturing and being loud (which I guess is her best skill) in front of me and J!!! I had this urge to smack the upside of her brainless head! I did not want to make a scene but oooooh, was I ever ready to!!!!! I politely thanked Irfan, our nice polite helpful Desk Clerk and I certainly will be lodging a complaint against Dolly.
Hope you enjoy the pictures!!!

Tumasek Water Chalet, Avillion Port Dickson
Day Bed at the end

View from Balcony Beach from Balcony

Open air shower Pike Fish at our Open Air Shower
Spa Garden open in April 2008


Kid's pool with the slide
Gorgeous Bower
Random Creature
View from General Pool out to sea
Geoducks for the eating at Seaview Restaurant, Port Dickson
Got space for more??
Alaskan Snow Crab

Thursday, February 14, 2008

How to keep it Staying UP

Lots of women have this problem...... I think - well, in any case, I have it. It's my blog, so I shall now write a little advice to all those who need it out there!

It's not an easy thing to get them staying up all the time
My experience is with pretty long ones but they don't do what they are supposed to do- a function of them being quite heavy I guess.
They kinda jut out straight instead of being rather curved.

I've used tools before to make them stay up they way they should but to no avail.

I had almost given up hope, thinking it was my lot to have my ones always 'wilting' after some time.

Sad! Anyway, I've got a cure-all written in the blog below - so enjoy! Especially all of you who DO need help - you know who you are! ;)

How to keep it Staying UP

Lots of women have this problem...... I think - well, in any case, I have it. It's my blog, so I shall now write a little advice to all those who need it out there!

It's not an easy thing to get them staying up all the time
- eyelashes I mean.
My experience is with pretty long ones but they don't do what they are supposed to do- a function of them being quite heavy I guess.
They kinda jut out straight instead of being rather curved
which would be better in making me look like a doll.

I've used tools before to make them stay up they way they should
but to no avail - so far, the mascara and the curler just doens't cut it.

I had almost given up hope, thinking it was my lot to have my ones always 'wilting' after some time.

But now, with a simple off the shelf mascara (not even one of those SUPER DUPER CURLING ONES WITH DOUBLE WHITE AND BLACK ENDS), time and a normal eyelash curler - My long ones stand at attention all Day long!!!

It's incredible! Here are the steps:

1. Apply mascara
2. Leave on to dry for some time (not less than 3 minutes)
3. Curl lashes with eyelash curler.

Isn't that great?! And so simple! When my lashes used to fall after 0.5 hours with the old method of mascara-ing and immediately curling, now they stay up for as long as I want them too!

There you go, something Estea Lawder doesn't teach huh!

A Few Good Samaritans!

Yesterday after work, I ran into 4 Good Samaritans. It was a dusty, hot afternoon after work. I had just reached the end of my patience with this guy driving an old Mercedes Benz who couldn't make up his mind where he wanted to go. After spurting 3 short honks, I zoomed off thinking of my relaxing beautiful swimming pool waiting for me at home. Traffic seemed light and it was indeed turning out to be quite a good end-of-the-day.

I spoke too soon. A kancil honked as they went by and I looked over to see a Malay lady frantically gesturing to my rear right tyre and making 'flipping pancake' movements. Jesus Jones! Is it a problem with the car? A quick thought ran through my head of all the horror stories detailing how unsuspecting motorists were tricked into getting down from their car by false indications of vehicular problems. But well, this one was a lady (yes I know, no biggie) and the kancil moved on swiftly after warning me of the flat. I wonder, if it had been a couple of guys in the car, would I have reacted differently. I probably wouldn't have looked over if I (peripherally) saw a guy waving at me from another car.

So, anyway, I pulled into one of those little lanes along the main road……it was dodgy. Only at the end of it all, did I realise how lucky I was to actually be able to pull into a parking spot. The dead end road was chock a block with cars and random people. Men with their bellies sticking out just sitting around or walking around. A couple of times as I sat in my car trying to get mechanics to come on over, men just stood right in front of my car and stared in….I guess it's fine since it stopped there….so the title may have to be changed to x Good Samaritans! :)

I didn't have long to wait. A friend gave me the number of one mechanic in Damansara who spoke Hokkien so that was rather easier. Though not before she got in the barb that is eerily reminiscent of Mum - "Do you not have AAM??" Aiyoyo…..

So, anyway, Damansara was a bit further away and he said traffic would really slow him down so then I got another contact from 'someone else'. This one spoke Cantonese though, so it was very difficult for me to say, "Yes, yes, go down the road and then there is this little alley off to the left which is opposite De First Inn". In the end, I had to walk aways away to meet this guy and stood around for a good 20 minutes feeling extremely anxious in the company of men AND women who had no idea or respect for personal space!

This being not a safe part of town to boot!

Perhaps the other offer of "I can be there in 15 minutes" would have been better. ;)

(Ok, JH I know you are reading this and no, no, I really appreciate Ah Cheong - he was good and honest and prompt and efficient and now I know a mobile repairman who specialises in batteries! Really! - would I lie!!!)

So, that was my 1 adventure which ate an hour of my life but I can safely say now that I know how to change a tyre though as another friend rightly pointed out - I may have the brains but do I have the brawn???! I can honestly say I am a very strong girl, but hmmmm….maybe just that little extra dash of adrenaline or male muscle wouldn't hurt! :)

When I called mum later that night to tell her she can buy my car number plate for 4D, she capped the (mis)adventure off with "Do you still not have AAM!!!!"

Teeheehee, can't have it good ALL the way right?!

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

It was a Good Day, It was a Bad Day


Sunday 10th Feb was mummy's birthday! And what a joyous occasion it was! Except for when little ole me discovered that my swanky diamond ring was missing a diamond!

Jesus Mary and Joseph! You read that right - I LOST a diamond! From my favourite diamond ring!!!! ARRGGGHHHH! I don't know how it happened, I don't know when it happened and I don't know why it happened except that it must have slipped the setting, that morning when I was preparing to come back, to KL, to make way for an even BIGGER diamond!

Must let go to make way for something new mah!

So, there you go - me fabulous diamond ring is now missing one of its kecik diamonds. My beautiful diamond ring which has seen me through ups and downs - happiness and lost love. I will always remember when my dad asked me how much it was and I said, "2.7" which he thought meant RM270! Sacrilegious - as if I would wear a diamond ring that cost that! I spent ages admiring this ring, just it sitting on my finger in its gorgeous setting of little diamonds by the side building to a crescendo of a large one sitting right at the top.

This ring I used to wear at first on my middle finger, then later on, when I went through this 'marriage phase' kept wearing on my fourth finger whenever I went out to suss what it was like if I was married. Even though it was something I bought myself, I fantasised about it being from the man I was with - he never figured it out though.

This was the first thing I thought about when I discovered the diamond missing - this was the ring that I wanted to think of as being the symbol of love and fidelity and forever with this man and now, something has happened to break it - break the train of thought, make a change. It is a concept lost forever. That is sad, even sadder than ET losing 'a diamond'.