Indonesia: Tanjung Pinang

It was our relative's 70th birthday and a celebration was held in Tanjung Pinang, Indonesia. My father doesn't like to attend events such as weddings/birthday celebrations so I always represent him. I like to socialize. I can click well with the older generation. I tend to be more clingy to my mother ♥

I went for eyebrow threading at the usual place (The Verge @ Little India). I don't trust chinese to do eyebrow threading for me but the indian lady wasn't free so I had no choice. I felt insecure.

The next activity was driving lesson....... My mum, dad and sister told me to learn manual and I kind of regret listening to them because it is difficult :(

Being a typical kiasu Singaporean and health freak, I wore a mask out on DAY 1 of #SGHAZE. Everyone around the driving centre was judging me but hello, few days later, it became a trend. (Was informed that surgical mask doesn't work so dad got us a box of N95)

After the driving lesson, I went for facial :) There were so many pimples after camps! This is one of the reasons why I don't really like camps. 

Day 1

Outfit

Ohsofickle (Top) ● Forever21 (Jeans) ● Victoria's Secret (Bag)

We met my aunts, uncle and niece at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal before departure. The thing about bringing a kid out is that the adults expect me to act like an adult and take care of the kid....... I'm still quite kiddy at heart. Anyway, I was glad that I had someone to communicate with in english. We're sorta like good friends.

It was a 1 hour 45 mins ferry ride to Tanjung Pinang. Gosh, the last time I went there was exactly 10 years ago?!?!?! I was 9. My grandpa used to travel to almost every part of Indonesia before settling down in Tanjung Pinang. After he passed away in 2011, his house was sold.

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF CORRUPTION.

Anyway, after clearing the immigration, we took a car and checked in at Hotel Bintan Nirwana. The host booked several hotels for the guests to stay for a night. Almost all the Chinese drivers were booked by them too. Hotel Nirwana is one of the newest hotels in Tanjung Pinang but because it was my first time staying in Tanjung Pinang's hotel, I was quite shocked..........

#1 NO lifts

#2 NO air conditioners along the corridors

#3 Shampoos and body foam wash are NOT provided (seriously......... -.-)

#4 Wi-fi works only at night

#5 It is quite far from the city so it is difficult to get a car.

I'm not asking for much but these are some basic facilities that they should provide, right?

Okay, actually I shouldn't complain that much because my mum and aunts told me that it is the best hotel (or at least one of the best) in the city. I can't imagine how dirty other hotels can get :/

We immediately changed into our evening dresses and put on make up.

At the lobby, waiting for the car to pick us up.......

My niece doesn't eat shark's fins too! My aunt kept persuading her to eat this bowl of shark's fins but she didn't give in.

We reached the hotel at 12am and I was so lazy to remove my make up. (Yup, wearing inheritance shirt hehe)

Day 2

My mum woke me up at 6am because we had to do visiting, zzZzz...............

We had Soup Ayam for breakfast :)

6 Soup Ayam and 5 martabak add up to less than 3 SGD?!?!?!?!?! I would migrate to Indonesia if there weren't any security and hygiene issues.

And some MARTABAK!

Shared 4 martabak (butter & sugar)

@ grandaunt's place

They still use water well!

We picked up my relative's son at his school before going to the temple. My mum told me (and I remember my Indo friend told me the same thing) that most parents in Indonesia send and pick up their children from school because they're afraid the kids might get kidnapped? Eh..... quite scary.

Dog guarding temple.

We had lunch at one of the famous restaurants in the city :D Yes, I always eat a lot whenever I go to Indonesia. You don't go there to shop (nothing much to shop anyway). You go there to EAT. I can't wait to go Medan...... heard the food is damn good :)

Chocolate avocado smoothie, yummy ♥

FRIED SOTONG AND ASAM PRAWNS

"Shiok" is the only word

YAM YAM YAM.

 Another relative's house.

They have 6 dogs! And each dog guards one door!

 Zegna & Buddy's cousin

This dog is so adorable! He's always clingy to me :')

The owner of this house does property development and we looked at some of the houses he is in charge of.

Spending some quality time with my puppy in the car.

Visited ANOTHER relative. I don't know who she is. This is the problem with a big family tree. My relatives are all scattered across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore. 

SUNSET ♥☼♥☼♥☼

We went to this "shopping mall" and it doesn't even look like one. It's so different from what we have!!! I found moo moo ice cream!!!

(And no, this is not a wink)

Time passed by so quickly there and it was dinner time again!

Crab Beehoon

My hands were dirty from eating the crab so I didn't take pictures of other food we ordered. 

They are famous for their porridge too.

After dinner, it was karaoke time! This place, 888 (triple 8), is damn cool. They have a stage for the  audience to sing but we have to bring our own discs and wait for our turn to sing in front of everyone. There are also some food stalls there (sort of like a canteen) and we can eat while enjoying the performance.

I like this concept because it's new to me and it has that kind of feeling which bonds everyone together. It's better than singing in the karaoke room but just that you will be quite paiseh.

 MARTABAK AGAIN FOR SUPPER 

Day 3

Mum, aunts and uncle had bak kut teh for breakfast but I had no feel for it so yeap, this was my breakfast for day 3.

We brought some food and visited another relative...... Haha, yes, really a lot of relatives everywhere. We left for the ferry terminal at 10am. The ferry terminal is just rundown and horrible -.-

Took wave master back to Singapore!

The taitais were having their own party......

My niece and I had our mini party too....

Had Gado-Gado for dinner! I love Gado-Gado! ♥♥♥

And fried sotong mum bought it for us! Super duper yummy! I finished all the fried sotong!

I think I've gained another 3kg but it's worth it man.... seriously, damn worth it :)

I'm still thinking if I should go to Batam with my mum next month for a wedding dinner. I will be staying over at my granduncle's place. Sometimes I just wanna be like some of my relatives, just travel everywhere and sing karaoke when they're free.

School reopens tomorrow. Good luck to everyone and myself! 2 months to the next long holiday! :D