The trip

Be prepared for another longggg one;)
Like I mentioned earlier, it came as a surprise. It was the first time for me to fly Airasia, so as travelling with Airasia, alone with 3 kids below 6 and being 28 weeks pregnant.

For the kids, the fun started on the way to KL Sental in a taxi. But it was a headache for the mom. All my kids use carseats, so not being strapped in the cab, they were all excited. The "weeeeee...." and "woooooooo...." at every corner, even more louser in the bus to LCCT. That was manageable.

For a lot of people and depending on the clothes I wear, I still don't look pregnant. But I porposely tried to look pregnant that day. One Airasia staff, brought us directly to the counter to check-in, no queu while the kids were all attended to. But I had to fill a form, sort of an agreement that they would not be responsible to anything due to my condition.

A bit more chellanging while waiting to board. It was a long wait for the kids, at one stage I just let Bea3 rolled on the floor.

1/2 hour after take-off, she dosed off. Unbelievable, really though it was 10 pm, her bedtime. Bea2 insisted that the plane didn't move and asked to go back home. It was dark, and she could not see anything. By the way, it was her and Bea3's maiden flight. The girls played with a 'Mat Salleh' girl named Melina, and overall it was a pleasant flight.

We arrived at 12 am, with hubby waiting for us. Checked in the Promenade.

Thursday
All day spent waiting for hubby, and I brought them to have lunch at a restaurant behind the hotel. We had seafood at the Ocean, just besides the hotel for dinner. Hubby placed an order for about 5 adults (in trying to get me to eat more, he said), and he paid almost RM200. Now, where can we get cheap seafood that people are talking about, I thought.

Friday
Checked out to check in Hyatt, as it is nearer to hubby's office. I ordered room service for lunch and me and girls went to Merdeka Mall to play games, and me to log in the internet.
Hubby finisshed work at almost 7 pm, we checked the Pasar Filipina. Went crazy over the pearls but didn't have much cash, and they almost closed, thought of going back on Sunday. Again had seafood at the market nearby. I just love the huge market, but a bit unhappy about that RM65-for-two dinner of not-that-fresh seafood. Hubby blamed me for not looking like a "Sabahan" as he said he got it much cheaper when eating alone.
Hubby made another surprise, he had to do some works at the Labuan branch. And we were all going.

Kids went to bed early. Though with the plan for Labuan the next day, hubby treated that night as a weekend night, and we had a quiet time together. We talked about serious stuffs, we cuddled, we laughed, we got serious again, laughed again, we got hungry and ordered pizza from the room service at 3 am (at home, we only got McD at that time), we talked again, cuddled again, it was fun and I felt grateful to have made that decision to go. Only managed to go to sleep after 6.

Saturday

And we missed the ferry to Labuan. We didn't know there are only two trips a day from KK: 8am and 4 pm. Anyway, after a few calls, we took a taxi to Menumbok, and took a speedboat to Labuan. A new experience for the girls.
The taxi ride from KK to Menumbok is around 2 hours 15 minutes. Managed to snap some pics while waiting for the boat at the jetty. Bea3 got a little excited in the boat, but chicken out a bit when it moved, and hold on to papa tight;). But at least, she and the girls didn't show any sign of seasick at all. Luckily, the ride only took 20 minutes, more than that, I'd be surely get sick. Hubby tried hard not to get his face in my blog, but I think he had a good view to turn to ...hehe.

Hubby did some work in the office, and later our host, the manager at the company's Labuan branch drove us around. Apparently, all hotels in town were fully booked due to the Sea Challenge Festival or they also call it Pesta Air. Well I didn't know anything about it, being 'katak bawah tempurung'. We finally settled in Manikar Beach Resort. It looks like a good resort, but is being poorly maintained, due to downsizing exercise some time ago, according to our host.

Spent some time at the beach, but it is just sad-looking. Time there cut even shorter as hubby, in his way to teach the kids about nature, mentioned about small crabs in some holes. Bea2 is always scared of tinycreepy crawlies, and wailed her heart out. You can see that in the pic.

We slept like some logs and missed the sunrise.

Sunday

I was still hoping that we could return to Labuan early as according to someone, pearls are much cheaper at the Gaya Street Tamu, which only happen on Sunday and close at 2 pm. Anyway, on the way to Manikar, out host sho wed us an old firehouse, and talked about an old coalmine. That really rang a bell, as I remembered two guys from the Geological Surveys have been talking to me about a project there. One phonecall, and I got to know they were also in Labuan, doing some exhibition about the project at the Pesta Air. Well, since I was there, I might as well give it a visit.
By the way, the cake is yummy. Bought it near Manikar during breakfast. They call it cheesecake, actually spongecake with grated cheese on top.

Our host brought us to a shopping mall, and I just bought some chcolate from the duty free shop. Later to a the War Memorial. My mind was still on the pearls in Gaya Street Tamu but I knew I just could not make it.

We took the speedboat ride to Menumbok, and a taxi to return to KK. After a bit of rest and prayers, we went down again to the pasar. Hubby seriously thought I would want to shop, but it was the last evening with him before I return. I just changed my mind, and he was pleasantly surprised.

We walked along the waterfront. We had peaceful dinner with a view of sunset. I'm glad with the decision, it is a lot better for them than having the evening spent with mama like a crazy woman in a shopping spree.

Monday

Me and girls left for airport after breakfast. With a normal blouse, no more previledge of no-qeueing for me. The whole flight was almost a 'disaster' but we managed. Sent them straight to the babysitter at 2pm in a taxi from KL Sentral, I arrived at the office with 5 final year students waiting for the thesis defence. I finished at 5.30, and without having lunch, I thought I'd starved myself to death.

We counted the days for papa's return, I kept myself busy with work and Mothering Mothers. He returned on Saturday, and gave me some mothers time-out at the hospital on Sunday.

I'm so grateful that the trip turned out to be yet another pleasant one (trying not to think about the return flight). Also in debt to our host in Labuan, her husband and their boy who helped a lot, also hubby's colleague and wife. The kids are just wonderful to travel with, and there will be more travelling for both hubby and me in the near future. Whenever I can follow him, the girls will surely follow. And for my trips, of course he has to take leave from his office;), if not I would try to make day-trip. The girls are at the stage that they would just want to be with the parents, and before they start formal school, think we better take as much oppurtunity to travel together. We will see...in the meantime, we are happy to have papa home.

Anyway, I'm still having a prob to arrange the pics. They come out differently from what I intended during writing...urghhh!