I suddenly just decided on a short trip down South with the kids but Apah couldn’t make it (which was good also cos Apoh was the reason this trip was executed!). Apoh was saying it’s been some time like more than 10 years since she last been to Singapore so Amah being the filial shopaholic daughter decided to just make this trip and the only weekend we had free was this one!
First stop was Malacca to collect a cheque from a customer and also for a break. However, while we were approaching Ayer Keroh I suddenly heard flapping sound on my front right tyre, Oh no…this cannot be cos I had a bad experience a few years back when I went to Malacca and my car broke down at Ayer Keroh rest area!! I stopped the car on the side and the flapping sound became louder and very disturbing. I noticed that the mudguard was broken to pieces and I guess it got detached and the speed of the tyre kept knocking on it thus tearing it! I switched cars with my brother as his car had the Singapore Autopass so I thought it was more convenient if I took his car instead of applying a new card for my car.
So I had to slow down to like 60km/h in order to minimise the flapping sound!! Good thing we were not too far from the Ayer Keroh exit into Malacca. We stopped at a Shell station to pump up & also check if the foreman can fix the problem but he said he can’t recommended someone else further down the road. It was a tyre & battery shop called Lien Ho (I think, but I remember it was a Goodyear dealer with the signboard in blue of course and there was a KFC opposite the shop. Located on the main road that leads to Malacca Town Centre, after the Shell & Esso Station). The foreman was really funny and kept insisting it was a small thing and shouldn’t be a problem. I asked if I should replace the mudguard and he kept saying no need and said you can do without it! I was like duhhhh…then he said the only way to replace it is back to Toyota and it was going to cost a bomb. So he suggested to trim away the torn part and make sure it doesn’t get further damaged. He didn’t even charge me for the work done and he had to lie down on the floor to fix that problem! What a nice guy!! I mean he saw my car plates knowing I’m not local and he not only didn’t jump at the opportunity to slaughter me alive but he didn’t charge me a single sen!! Gosh there are still nice & genuine foremen out there!!! Hallelujah!
Then it was lunch at Mahkota Parade (for easy parking and toilet facilities..) and then off we went to Batu Pahat to visit another customer. After that it was down to Johor Bahru. I vaguely remember the way to the hotel and had to called for directions after all. The first guy gave me directions to “Holland” (meaning no where near the hotel la) and I had to call again. The second guy was really good and was so precise! I was really tired by then..and after entering the room the first thing was to get the kids showered so we can shower and all go to sleep! So we didn’t notice the many flaws in the room!!
As I was resting on the bed Kieran kept creeping under the duvet and fooling around and suddenly he said this..
K-Mum, the bedsheet is very black..
M-Cannot be la..
K-It is la..
I still didn’t bother..
Then it was my turn to shower..the door was kinda derailed from the sliding rail and I had difficulty closing the door. After the shower I couldn’t even open the door and the maid had to help push the door open (oh yes I brought my mom’s maid along as I know I couldn’t handle the kids). Then we looked up and to our horror, the sliding rail was worn out and there was a part missing from the door right in front!! Then we suddenly noticed all the flaws one by one…let the pictures do the talking! I was too tired to insist on changing rooms and just got housekeeping to change the sheets and maintenance to fix the door. Good thing they worked pretty fast.
The next morning I again encountered with more bad service at the breakfast table. They didn’t serve me tea or coffee so I had to call the waiter to do it but he went on doing his thing like clearing dirty dishes and entertaining the foreign customers! I kept staring at him and he just looked away! Then I called another waiter and he did the same!! WTF!! Ok I had it and thot to myself that Amah had to chew off somebody’s head for this! First victim was the restaurant manager.
Then he apologised and served me tea at the lounge area but of course I’m not letting them go so easily. Then I went to Front Desk and harrassed the receptionist who just stared blankly at me. The Assistant Front Desk Manager came to her rescue and quickly whisked me away to their Business Centre to hear me out. I just went bla bla bla bla bla..your hotel sucks big time bla bla bla bla..cannot qualify to be 5 star bla bla bla bla…and she said they are going to have morning briefing soon and will discuss my problem. One hour later, they called me and offered me a measly 20% discount. I was too fed up to bargain for more…so I just accepted it.
Drive down to Singapore was smooth and traffic at Woodlands checkpoint was bearable. Then upon reaching the Singapore checkpoint, the autopass card has to expire on me!!!!! Really “soi” (bad luck) maximum la. At the Autopass office, that officer also being the typical Singaporean was so mean and didn’t really explain what’s the consequences of the card and when I asked her what’s the amount inside the card she said a lot instead of giving me a figure. Blardy biatch, then she just did her stuff and then told me the card had SGD112+ but I can only use it for entry & exit purposes plus toll charges but cannot use it as a cash card! WTF! The blardy card has so much value and I can’t use it as a cash card, how the “L” are we going to finish using it for toll wor?? It’s not like we enter Singapore on a weekly basis! So freaking mad with her but can’t do anything just in case she sabo me and I can’t enter how? Shiats! She summore had to say this, “It’s ok one, no problem one, if the parking spots that require only cash card payment system, you just buy another cash card lor…” WTF! Of course no problem to her la, it’s not her freaking money wat! What am I going to do with another cash card wor??
Anyway, since it was a rush decision to go, I didn’t have time to study the road map to check out directions to the hotel in Singapore, so Amah again being a hero found her way there based on my vague memory and of course the excellent road signs there la!
Christmas lights was ok, not as impressive as Hong Kong but ok la…since we beggers cannot be choosy…but the kids were not impressed so Amah mai shop lor…Shopping loot later la…Then as we were heading back to the hotel, walking from Paragon towards Scotts Road, somehow I lost my mom who was with the maid pushing Kylie on the stroller. I was so darn stressed as I know my mom..what’s the consequences…then Kieran started to panic..he was beginning to be sooo worried. I began to hold his hand really tightly…I smsed to Apah to asked him to pray along with us..then Kieran who usually refuses to volunteer to pray, started praying aloud…I was so touched by his simple faith in God. Then Apah smsed me back and said that we will find them in 5 minutes time and guess what?? We were already walking back to the hotel that time hoping to find them there…and as we reached the room, we could hear Kylie’s and Apoh’s voices!! Hallelujah!!! Then as we were talking about how I was worried they can’t find the way back, Kieran suddenly began to sob and hugged Apoh…wow..my rascal who is sooo disobedient and rough can get soooo emotional…I’m sooo proud of him!!! That goes to show…he really loves his Apoh and was genuinely concerned!
