I think I blog faster than Li Xiang as from what I know she only finishes Day 1 of our trip and here you have it, “My Version” of the Genting Trip.

Day 1 – Wednesday, 2nd January 2008
Reached Golden Mile Complex at about 6.30am, took Grassland Bus and it set off at 7.15am. The bus ticket cost S$65.00 per person for a 2 way trip. After much winding around the mountain, we reached Genting about 2pm. Checked into Resort Hotel to room 6154. It surely has a terrible view and not forgetting noisy because the room window is directly above the exhaust fumes that sit on the roof top 3 levels down. The hotel room cost RM160 per night for a standard room. After unloading out luggage, I immediately went down to Coffee Bean because they have free wireless Internet there as I need to bid for my modules.

We caught up with the rest for lunch at Causeway Bay restaurant located at First World Plaza. The food was not bad and one of the better restaurants located in Genting. After a late lunch, Wayne showed us around Genting Highlands and helps us apply for the Genting World Card. After that we went to take a look at the Casino located at First World Hotel and I played and lost RM10 to the slots machine. We parted with Wayne there as he becomes the god of gambler while Li Xiang and I shopped around First World Plaza. The shops there are quite limited and hence it takes us about 3 hours to finish our shopping. I got myself a Nike Dri-Fit T-Shirt and Li Xiang got herself a Diesel Blouse.
Met up with Wayne and his family for dinner at Ah Yi Abalone, eating the RM99++ individual set meal. At first I thought I will not be full as the portion is quite small but the last dish, Fried Rice in Lotus Leaf, is really filling.

After dinner, we went to see Waynes hotel room in Genting Hotel, the view there is so much better and quieter but of course it is more expensive. We went to watch Alien vs Predator 2 at 11.15pm after that. Tickets cost RM11.00 for the seats located in the middle and front rows and RM16 for tickets located at the back rows. The cinema is very small and the tickets are all sold out except for the first row, so we have no choice but to take it. They even have OSIM chairs which are placed in front of the first row and it also cost RM16.00 but unfortunately it was also sold out too. AvP 2 was not bad and there is a cliffhanger at the end of the movie, hope there will be a part 3.

After the movie, Wayne brought us around Genting Hotel including its casino. I would like to thanks Wayne for explaining almost every single game in the casino. On our way back to our hotel, we asked the counter staff whether there is any transport to KL and she replied us that there is only taxi and that contradicts what Wayne said about buses being able to bring us to KL. I am guessing she interpreted the message wrongly as we asked her about 2am, she might be thinking at 2am is there any transport going to KL.

Day 2 – Thursday, 3rd January 2008
We had breakfast at Coffee Bean as I needed to use the wireless Internet to check my bided modules. I always wanted to have breakfast in Coffee Bean back in Singapore, but I always cannot wake up on time, finally in Genting I can have breakfast there. It was a very misty day as it was raining the night before and hence the theme park is closed and we decided to try our luck to ask the counter staff again whether there are any buses to KL, she replied there is and we have to proceed on to First World Bus Terminal. We have problem finding the terminal even though Wayne brought us there the day before. The bus ride is about 1 hour from Genting to Titiwangsa, KL, and it only cost RM5.05 per person (adult). One thing good about Titiwangsa is that there is both KL Rapid Transit and KL Monorail just located across the road.

We took the monorail and off we go to Bukit Bintang where Li Xiang wanted to go to Sungei Wang. But before finding our way there from Bukit Bintang Station, we visited Lot 10 where it houses Isetan, Armani Exchange and an Apple Store that is coming soon. We proceed on to Sungei Wang which is quite similar to Far East Plaza in Singapore and Li Xiang spent most of her money there. We have a late lunch at Kim Gary Restaurant located also at Sungei Wang and the food there is cheap and good. I ate the western set meal which has a soup, a main course (consists of chicken chop, pork chop, ham, sausages, corn, mini carrots and fries) and a drink. And it cost me only RM13.80. Li Xiang being the usual her, ate “instant noodle” which comes with a drink and it cost only RM7.90.

After a filling lunch, we went to Pavilion which I think is the newest shopping center in KL. It is very similar to Pargaon where it houses all the branded apparels like Hermes, Burberrys, Coache, Aigner, etc. The size of the shopping center is also huge (7 stories and 2 basements), just imagine VivoCity with 7 stories, it is HUGE. We didnt manage to finish walking around the whole complex as we need to return to Titiwangsa before 8pm (the last bus back to Genting is 9pm). I spent almost RM400 on 4 Nike T-Shirts while Li Xiang got herself a MNG (Mango) blouse for about RM50 as MNG is having sale. Pavilion houses 13 cinemas whereas VivoCity only has 12. There is also gold glass cinema similar to what GV has. Tangs, Food Republic, Breadtalk is also located there together with Esprit which spreads over 3 stories and the Nike store there is the biggest Nike store in South-East Asia.

It is 7pm and we have not finished shopping but we have no choice but to return to Titiwangsa because we might miss the last bus back to Genting and we will be stuck in KL for a night or get chopped like carrot head by taxi drivers if we want to take a taxi back to Genting. We reached Titiwangsa at about 7.45pm and managed to get tickets for the 8pm bus. The ticket is also the same price, RM5.05 per person (adult). We need to give some allowance just in case that there are no more seats available in the last bus so it is always advisable to catch at least 1 bus before the last bus. The returning trip took longer than 1 hour maybe because of the traffic and no street lamps available on some roads.

Day 3 – Friday, 4th January 2008
We are so tempted to go to KL for the 2nd time, but at the same time we are also keen to go to the theme park as well, but in life you can never have the best of both worlds. So we let the weather decide, if it is bright and sunny, we go to the theme park and if it is misty we will go to KL. Turn out that it was a bright and sunny day and off we go to the theme park.

Before that, we have Tim Sum breakfast at Good Friends Restaurant and THE FOOD SUCKS, each and every one of them, but nevertheless the restaurant has a very good scenic view overlooking the mountains. The tickets to the theme park cost RM36 for adults for a full day but some rides need you to pay extra like the Go Kart and the Flying Coaster. First ride we sat was the Spinner and as we are wearing slippers, we have to take them off before getting on the ride to prevent the slippers from flying out of your feet and hitting someone walking pass.

After the ride, instead of the hassle of taking out our footwear for the rides, we decided to return to our hotel and change to our shoes. The next ride we took was the Cyclone, followed by Pirate Ship which I think was the longest lasting ride as most of the rides last for less than 30 seconds. Next ride we took was the Flying Coaster where we have to pay RM10 per person for 2 continuous rides because we have bought the 1 day the theme park pass, if not it would have cost RM12 for a single ride (if I am not wrong). You do not need to enter the theme park to play this ride as it is also accessible from First World Plaza and hence if you just want to play this ride, you just have to pay RM12, saving you from the RM36 theme park entrance fees.

The next ride we played was the Space Shot and that is the ride that has the most “kick” among all the rides. The “kick” will only last for 2 seconds because that is the time taken for you to fall. Li Xiang was afraid and regretted taking the ride once the thing reaches the peak. Before that on the ground she always say, you only live once must try all different things, but once she is on the ride, she is even more timid than a mouse. There is this Indian girl who sat beside me who didnt even scream and when I asked her, she said it was nothing.

The last ride we took was the Cockscrew which I think is my favorites as the ride really screws you, I mean turning you upside down from time to time. We went to the Dinosaurland after that, but due to the long queue and the theme park is closing, we decided to forgo it. We bought 4 photos (2 from Flying Coaster, 1 from Cockscrew and 1 from Cyclone), each cost RM16 which is a little expensive for a 6R photo.

We have an early dinner that day and we ate Pizza Hut, it was much cheaper there, about RM40 for a set meal for 2 persons including 1 loaf of garlic bread. Even though we are hungry, but we still cant finish the food. After a filling dinner, we went back hotel to take a short rest and then proceeding on to First World Plaza to buy stuffs for my mom, my brother girlfriend and Li Xiangs sister. Tried the Baskin Robbins ice cream there as there is no Baskin Robbins left in Singapore, last time when I was young I used to eat it at Liang Court. Not forgetting I must drink a Starbuckss Ice Venti Café Latte in every country I go and Genting is no exception, the drink is about 40 cents cheaper than Singapore.

Day 4 – Saturday, 5th January 2008
The day I dreaded the most, time for all the fun to end and return back to Singapore. Had a simple breakfast, Chicken Porridge from Mac Donalds. They used to have it here in Singapore but I have no idea why they discontinued it. Anyway, the counter staff at Mac sucks, I thought they will key in as meal for me as in Singapore normally they will ask you, but there, they cant even be bothered to ask and take it as I ordered Ala-Carte and when Li Xiang asked about it, the counter staff said she already key in. I was like WTF, you can always void it and re-key in, but she was just too lazy to do so.

Now ranting about customer service, I think it was the night before I was at Coffee Bean for supper, I wanted to order pasta, but when I ordered the pasta I wanted, the counter staff said it has been sold out, then when I ordered my 2nd choice of pasta, he also said the pasta was sold out and after that, he told me all the pasta has been sold out which he can tell me before I placed my order.

Anyway after breakfast, we packed our stuff and proceed on to meet Wayne and his family at the hotel lobby for checking out. The check out timing is 12pm. We have lunch at Only Asian Flavor Restaurant and THE FOOD THERE SUCKS, it is even worse than the Tim Sum I ate for breakfast the day before. The time taken to serve the food is way too long considering that there is only 5 tables eating out of about 20 and we told them before we order to make it fast as we have to catch the bus at 1.30pm. The bus set off at 2pm sharp and we reach Singapores Golden Mile Complex at about 8.45pm. Overall for this trip, I spend about S$700 and Li Xiang spent about S$400, including hotel stay, bus trips and insurance.

Gallery
– Genting Highlands Trip (2th January 2008 To 5th January 2008)

PS: I know my English sucks in terms of grammar and language usage, but who cares? This is a blog entry and not an English essay.