Our Trip To Singapore : The Tale of Desire, Will and Patience. Part 3.

30th April 2011, 10am-8pm, Universal Studios Singapore.

After helping ourselves to the free breakfast at our hostel and checking out, we took a cab to Universal Studios. At first the cab driver was kind of rude to me, he asked for the address to Universal Studios? What? You are the cab driver lah! So I called my mom, 'the Diplomat'. She did her magic and he agreed to take us there. I know the MRT is efficient, but I just don't want Mak to tire/hurt her legs from walking too much. At first he said that he has to charge extra 6 dollars but Mak addressed him nicely as Mr Lee and made small talk, (How did she know that? -Me . It was on the screen la - Nani) then he somehow 'managed' to find the way to Universal Studios without an address and with no extra 6 dollar charge. Huh? Whatever, we're here already!

While I queued up for the tickets, Nani queued up at the entrance. Nani told Mak to stay with me just in case the cash wasn't enough but then when Mak came to me, I told her to sit somewhere and wait. Thing is, when I reached the counter, the girl said that if I paid using Visa or Mastercard, I could get a 30% discount. Haha funny. How am I supposed to get my mother now? Nevermind, I'll just pay cash. That will be $216 for 3 adults, thank you.

After stuffing our stuffs in a locker, we proceeded to start our adventure. 1st and foremost, get a map. Universal Studios is basically a circle with 7 themed sections. We sat down while Nani ticked the rides she wanted to go. our strategy was to go right because the crowds seem to start on the left. On the New York strip, we watched the Monsters Rock Musical at the Pantages theater, basically a rock concert featuring Frankenstein, Wolfman, Dracula, Mummy and some other monsters. The buildings were all made to look like the facade of Hollywood and New York which was cool, we even took a picture in front of a door that looked like HIMYM set.

Next we went in Steven Spielberg's Light Camera Action, which we were brought into an indoor platform made to look like we're inside a New York harbour. We got to experience how it would be like if we were hit by a level 5 hurricane. Gile best, the platform shook, the water was berombak, the winds got stronger, things started falling, things caught fire, the water was on fire, then the windows came off one by one and we could see the Manhattan skyline with the waves getting higher, a crane came through the roof, by now we were blasted with gale and the heat from the fire was burning, just when I thought it was over, suddenly a big ship blasted right through the wall and headed straight towards us. Gak. It was scary awesome.





Then we went to the Battlestar Galactica section where the two Roller Coasters - Human and Cylon. I don't do rides. I did before, not my kind of thing, so me and Mak waited while Nani rode the Cylon. Nani gila.

Next was The Lost World (Jurassic Park) where we queued up for a ride for almost 2 hours, yet the ride lasted less than a minute, haha. But it was fun, At one point even scary. The brochure said the ride was to enjoy the panoramic scenery so I thought it was a slow ride to ENJOY the scenery. Silly me, it's basically a short hanging roller coaster. Okay. Thank you misleading brochure.



We got some cheesy nachos at one of the stalls. and made our way through the the Egyptian section, we just took some pictures and went through it because by this time we were really hungry so we ate at the 50s style Diner called Mel's near the entrance, so I could show my husband I ate at a diner, heh. The brochure had signs to where the Halal food was which was great, thank you. Meanwhile we left Mak at the diner to rest while we went to watch the street performances. My camera's battery had ran out by this time and the customer service wont let me tumpang their power point even for a while. Sedih.

Next was Waterworld, we sat in the soak zone hoping to get wet, but we didn't get wet. But the stunts were entertaining and the actors interaction with the audience was fun.

After we fed and re-energized, the next stop? FAR FAR AWAY KINGDOM!! woohooo! I love anything to do with Shrek so yeah, ME HAPPY. There was the 4D theatre where we got Donkey's phlegm on our faces, rode in a bumpy carriage with Shrek, had spiders on our legs and water sprayed into our faces. Sweet! Then we watched the live interactive show with Donkey. Interesting technology. Then we went in the souvenir shop, to get our 'potion bottles' juice from the Fairy Godmother potion shop.



We had Ben and Jerrys after, then Mak and Nani went to look for a prayer room while I queued for the Junior Roller Coaster. Keyword JUNIOR. I thought it was a slow ride, you know, for juniors. MISTAKE yet again. The only thing junior about it is, it is short. The sari clad elderly lady beside me was swearing in Hindustani, I think.

They found the prayer room. Well it was a room. A small one used by both male and female, where you take ablution at the restroom elsewhere. So Mak waited while Nani went on the second roller coaster - Human. I waited for Nani. The lines were shorter and she didn't have to queue at all because it was already late evening. When she came out, she wasn't walking properly, she was wobbling. Apparently the sitting roller coaster is scarier that the hanging one. We took a walk by the lake where Nani saw a plug point. "Kak Ina, plug!". We gingerly walked over, pretending to enjoy the scenery while I charge my camera in my bag. Well I asked nicely and I wasn't given just a few minutes, so I had to do it illegally la. I guess they were afraid I might short circuit the whole park and that would be disastrous for those on the roller coasters kan?

It was nightfall, we were tired and I'm sure my mom even more. She was cool enough to tahan for 10 hours in the park and went on all the rides and performances with us save for the roller coasters. Mak, you are SO COOL. Tired, but happy and satisfied, we got some souvenirs and headed out.

We took a $23 cab ride to Kranji where there was a city bus to Johore which we took and when we reached Johore, my eldest brother Abang Win picked us up at JB Sentral, took us to dinner in Stulang Laut then to Aunty Hasnah's house in Kota Tinggi where we stayed for the night. Slept, ate, showered, we slept almost the whole day the next day until after Maghrib, and we went back to KL with my cousin Lydia (Although Nani drove half of the way while she, the co driver, slept through. ) We left Mak with Aunty Hasnah, she was too tired and her 'Malaysian legs' were back on, so she was just starting to feel the pain. She will continue her adventures with Aunty Hasnah and Uncle Yasin to watch the Dilloyd and Ahmad Jais concert at Istana Buday this Friday then she will travel with Abang Erwin to Tioman Island.

I asked for an adventurous experience. I got what I asked for. With $500 Singapore dollars, we survived, all 3 of us on our adventure. I got to spend time with my mother and sister and experience some wonderful times with them and in the process bring us all closer together. I am so blessed. Thank you Mak, you are A.W.E.S.O.M.E, it was crazy but best kan?? Nani, you're a wonderful sister and a great travel companion, you know how much I love you.

Love you both so much for this unforgettable experience. Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar.

Amacam, would you want to do it again??