All my bags were packed and I'm ready to go. I was already anticipating this trip for a month! 

To where, you ask? Thanks to Papulex Asia, I was off for a weekend retreat back to nature and tranquility in the lush outbacks of Malacca.

Waking up early on a Saturday morning for this roadtrip

After two hours on the road, we arrived our destination – The Philea Resort & Spa, Melaka – at noon.

It was a enormous and superbly furnished eco-resort which boasted authentic pine-log architecture and rustic interior design.

Here are some photos I shot of The Philea's interor :

Lobby/waiting area/drinks area

Bar/Lounge Area

Outdoor concourse

There was a water feature fringing the resort with the MOST amount of Koi fish I've ever seen

These fishes respond to vibration and sound very attentively, as it was their cue to feeding time.

We teased the fishes and tapped the glass walls at different spots so as to confuse them teehee!

Me standing by the pond. You can hardly see the Koi but the school of fishes came in massive numbers.

Jessicat wears : Leopard print laced-back tank by TopShop | Denim shorts by Forever 21 |

Cap in nude by Hard Rock Cafe | Accessories from a bazaar in Bangkok |

Tote Bag from a bazaar in Singapore | High Top Sneakers in white by Converse

It was time to begin our day in Malacca with an ice-breaking and introductory session.

A light brunch was provided before Papulex Asia started the ball rolling.

So happy there was a wide array of Lipton tea!

I'm such a tea fag I almost wanted to take all the sachets to drink later 

A picture with the girls, Shazwani and Ivy during the ice-breaking session

After the introductory session, we were all required to play a game which involved teamwork.

That ever-popular form the longest line with everything and everything you have on you.

My team mate QuaChee and I forming our line

My other team mate Hafiz and I continuing our line!

Being one to be competitive, I removed all my bangles, rings, earrings, parts of my clothes and more LOL

Here are some of the items from our team and the other team

Lining them all up!
 

When it was all over and done with – well almost, as nobody wanted to strip their clothing off haha! – the longest line was measured and our team won!! Hurrah! 

We did well; I'm so proud. The three of us hit it off well in pushing for the longest line. Think EVERYTHING : cellphones, belts, socks, and yes, even shoelaces haha!

With my team mates QuaChee and Hafiz posing by our line of items

Fun times had to come to an end. It was now time for the more serious part of this session.

The sharing session, the experience, the history and our past with regards to this campaign and more.

My essentials for the mini seminar provided by The Philea 

Me sharing a little bit more about myself, my point of view and the battles I fought against acne

All of us Papulex Truthseekers – Team Malaysia!

Once that was over, it was already mid afternoon and our tummies were growling.

Lunchtime was at one of the restaurants in the hotel, with a continental concept – Cravo Cravo

Hafiz and I goofing around while walking over to lunch

Spotted this giant wooden throne with a ship steering helm at the entrance of Cravo Cravo!

Couldn't resist a photo with it.

The continental and Asian fare in Cravo Cravo left me spoilt for choice.

It was amazing how endless the selection can get. Here are some of the dishes from the buffet :

Bite-sized goodness

Carved roast beef

Desserts

Here are some of the stuff I took for myself

I didn't bother taking photos of the main meals as I was already hungry and couldn't wait to dig in

Lunchtime at the long table saw us catching up with each other and talking about everything under the sun.

Before we knew it, it was time to check into our rooms.

Got our room key-card and guest booklet!

The Philea sent us a chauffeur to take us to our rooms which was located at another zone of the resort.

We occupied two buggies to be driven off further into nature!

Bye! We were about to adjourn!

As the buggy drove deeper and deeper into what felt like a secluded bay of pristine forest giants with waterfalls cascading along stone walls and gigantic, lush greeneries engulfing me, I knew this weekend would be the most serene and tranquil one I've had so far this year.

Here are some photos of the short journey to my room:

Along the cobblestone walkway towards the chalets

Beautiful pine-log cabins fringed the gravel path

Roaring waterfalls at the bridge and swimming area

Steps leading towards the bridge

An aerial view of the swimming area (adult and children)

Weather-worn, wooden fence posts covered by damp moss from the morning drizzle

Approaching my cabin shortly!

What I'd typically do the moment I arrived

Wow looks like they know me pretty well, putting a giant convex mirror in front of my cabin

Haha kidding! It's obviously a security measure to allow buggies to see each other lest they collide at one of the many bends in this nature resort. 

Quite coincidentally, my cabin was right in front of the gym and the spa. Can they read my mind or what?

My home in the woods for the weekend!

I climbed the wooden staircase; they didn't creak as I had expected it to, and no gnomes were in sight.

Okay, I think I get taken away by fairy tales sometimes.

The moment I stepped into my cabin, my jaw hung with astoundment and I knew for a fact that my eyes were gleaming in delight. Was this really where I was going to be put up for the next two days? 

Here, be amazed for yourself!

My king-sized bed!

My desk!

My bathroom! (It had a  giant bath too, so you can be sure that I had a hot bubble-bath thereafter)

I jumped on the bed, stretched like a yawning cat on my comfy bed and watched some telly

What am I doing? I don't even watch telly. At all.

Perhaps its the holiday mindset that's doing this to me. Haha!

We were required to gather at the outdoor concourse for a treasure hunt game.

Being briefed on the rules before we set-off on our hunt

Here's my task!

I was brimming with energy and adrenalin caught me on a choke-hold the moment I read it.

Always up for a good game, I had one goal in mind – to win this challenge! 

The fastest, most alert and smartest player will win. I hope it'll be me.

(Okay, I didn't know this is how I look when I run. So unglam LOL)

My closest rival was QuaChee.

We always found the next clues at the same time and as a fellow fitness buff, he was pretty darn quick too

We raced to the finish line and sprinted all the way! In the end, he won the challenge.

Great job! Good game, mate 

Perspiring heavily and sapped off our energy levels,

I reckon we were looking like zombie grub by the end of the afternoon

Game over. That was a good exercise. It gave me exactly the rush I needed.

I think I pretty much crashed on the bed by the time I trudged all the way back to my cabin.

But I recharged quickly and dressed down for an evening dip at the giant swimming pool!

It's time to work the cardio in the swimming pool today!

The swimming pool was mine and mine to dominate!

Waddling in the pool like a duck, swimming like a puppy and

lying on my back floating allowing the world to pass me by

Hey, it isn't everyday I just take a weekend away from the busy city to do absolutely nothing but relax.

The team behind Papulex Asia are amazing. Knowing that stress, tension and dirty/dusty city environment does contribute to acne and pimples, this weekend getaway to be one with nature was perfectly what we needed.

QuaChee and I in the pool

Walked back to my cabin after that fulfilling swim and had a long, hot bubble-bath.

I think I fell asleep at some point. Aromatherapy and relaxation does that to me.

We set off for dinner at another one of The Philea's restaurants – Bayu Cabana by the scenic river front and pool side. We had a warm and scrumptious steamboat meal altogether!

All of us!

The desserts stole my heart 

All of us enjoyed the dinner which seemed to keep coming and coming!

The chef kept refilling our steamboat pot and even helped me break open my crab. Yeah, I fail on all levels peeling crabs and prawns. How sad, I know. But he was nice enough to offer!

What's a weekend without good music and a few drinks? I had my favourite

White Russian at Chiillout Bar with some of the rest who was up for sprucing up their Saturday night

I headed back to my cabin a little after midnight.

Spent some me-time writing a few blog posts and surfing all my social media channels before I said goodnight to my fluffy pillows and crisp white sheets. I had the bed all to myself!

Had a good sleep, I must say, as I woke up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

For once, it felt different to wake up to the sweet melody of the birds in the morning, chirping of crickets and opening your windows to the smell of fresh, moist dew instead of being rudely awaken by cars blaring their honks or clanging from a nearby construction site.

Breakfast at another one of their restaurants – Nusantara!
 

Their fare presented an impressive choice of both international and Asian cuisines.

There were so much to choose from and I had breakfast like a King!

My breakfast! I couldn't finish it all 

We gathered at the al-fresco lounge and waited for the session with Dr. Hew Yin Keat, a professional skin specialist.

He's also the owner and Medical Director of M.A.C – Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic.

His clinic in Bangsar Shopping Center offers medical aesthetic procedures, corrective skincare and rejuvenation treatments without surgery, fusing science and aesthetics together!  So you know where to go now, aight? 

That's M.A.C (Malaysian Aesthetic Clinic) for you. Call for appointments : 03-20936136

The Question & Answer session was so enlightening!

Dr. Hew was patient, informative, explained so well in layman's terms and had a great sense of humour too

It went on with a rather intense discussion and sharing-learning session from Dr. Hew

Apart from the basic causes of acne, he also imparted us the knowledge of different types of acne, ways to prevent it and how to treat the infection if it spreads out of control.

Dr. Hew also showed us samples of procedures and their before & after results

Why we look so solemn and serious in the photo, is beyond me. Most likely he's showing us one of the most horrible skin conditions he has treated before and our minds were like "OH MY GOSH THAT'S SO DREADFUL".

After the sharing session, they held a quiz for us to test how much we know and have learnt about this entire campaign so far. Then it was time to check out and leave The Philea. I don't wanna go! I'll be fine living here forever LOL

We all headed to Malacca town to do a little bit of shopping and food hunt

I had a wonderful time being a Papulex Truthseeker. It was one heck of a ride!

View my previous blog posts here :

——> Part One

——> Part Two

——> Part Three

…and you're reading Part Four now! 

All of us! Team Malaysia consisting of us bloggers and the Papulex Asia representatives

From knowing and understanding the history of my skin condition, the true root causes of acne, spreading the truth and busting myths about acne, propagating confidence to other acne-ridden people, and introducing Papulex to our readers, of newfound friendship, good food and a fun weekend getaway, I would do this all over again, if I could.

Thank you, Papulex Asia! 

I've just returned from my weekend trip in Malacca and feeling really exhausted now! 

This entire week had been a really busy, eventful and a nerve-wrecking one (you'll see why)

Managed to snap a quick photo whilst out!

Had been caught up, back-to-back, with heaps of errands, appointments and meetings.

Apart from all the boring jizz, here are some other stuff that made my last seven days.

Sampled a new product : NBrew! 

I watched, as Malaysia's first Liquid Nitrogen ice-cream was prepared on the spot for me

Unlike some stingy ice-cream parlours which charge a pricey amount for the tiny scoop of ice-cream, N-Brew's portion of ice-cream was a lot more generous! I took my time enjoying it.

As a health advocate, I'd definitely recommend this. It's low in sugar & fat, and does not contain any preservatives, food colouring and stabilizers! 

Had the Aglio Olio Fish Fillet in The Apartment @ The Curve over a brief meeting on Monday

Despite the pretty decent food presentation & garnishing, it lacked in the taste department.

Took my little one out for a cat spa – showering, grooming, nail-clipping, fur-trimming, powdering & detangling.

He was pretty edgy that afternoon, for reasons unbeknownst to me 

Frolicking at the back of my car. I hate his afternoon eyes. They're beady and menacing.

Much prefer how it looks like at night, I'm sure you've seen some other photos I've posted!

As babyChivas was busy for about an hour or so, Konzy and I had some time to kill.

We decided to check out a Chinese restaurant called Annie 1 @ Damansara Uptown.

Recommendations: the Chicken Curry Egg Noodles were delicious and the Pork Rib Stew was to die for!

It was so cheap too, under 10 bucks 

Mid-week saw me darting back and forth to Mont Kiara and back home several times a day.

Can you guess why? You'll find out soon  It's quite obvious, but I'll announce it once it's confirmed!

Had dinner with bestieJoyce, Jo and Konzy.

I'm beginning to love the food in my *cough* new *cough* neighbourhood already 

Highly recommended : Kin San Kichi Japanese Restaurant @ Desa Sri Hartamas

I absolutely love their Salmon Sashimi; it's touted the best in KL too!

For only 36 bucks, nine pieces of freshly sliced, EXTREMELY THICK AND BIG CHUNKS of raw salmon were served to us (as you can see in the picture above) 

The Salmon Teppanyaki was unbelievably good too. Portions were huge and it was rich in flavour!

Another night of dinner with the fantastic four at Chow Yang Kitchen (潮阳美食店) @ Desa Sri Hartamas

I had a steamed Red Snapper (Tilapia fish) with ground ginger & lots and lots of Chicken Satay!

Again, a more-than-satisifying meal, I must say. Where was I all this while?

How could I not know how good the food was around Mont Kiara & Sri Hartamas? 

This week's self-manicured nails! O.P.I's Bastille My Heart and Revlon's Silver Dollar

Some of my simple and quick whips in the kitchen!

This might come as a surprise but I was struck by the motivation bug and started job-hunting!

I know, how random. I'm still so busy being a full-time blogger as it is.

They must've liked my resume, as I received a call to come into the office. 

After tedious written tests, evaluation tests and whatnot, I got selected amongst many and was short-listed to go for the next round of interviews!

In the end, I got the job offer! 

Feeling very thankful to be given the opportunity to be a part of this esteemed, prestigious publication company with an impressive portfolio of top magazines under their belt! 

More about this piece of good news if I feel like divulging more information next time.

For now, I'm one step closer to being the best that they've ever had.  

At least, that's what I aim to be!

Off down south on a weekend trip to Malacca. Thanks, Papulex Asia! 

This was my pine-log chalet. It's enormous!

I stayed in Philea Resort & Spa, a breathtaking 5 star eco-resort surrounded by nature 

Just some quick snaps of the interior. So rustic and cosy, I don't even! 

Apart from being occupied with the sharing sessions, meeting, discussions and activities organized by Papulex Asia,

I had some time to myself and did not hesitate to dive into the pool by the waterfall!

I should swim more often, just despise having chlorine in my hair. 

More about my weekend trip in a full blog post soon!

Konzy picked me up after I arrived back in KL. We headed for dinner at DIB Coffees of Hawaii.

Little did I know that this outlet tucked away in the deeper part of Damansara Perdana was actually operated by the deaf! DIB here means, Deaf in Business.

The coffee was strong and aromatic! (I don't know about the food because that burger was Konzy's,

but he sure looked like he enjoyed it haha!)

I initially wondered why the waiter was so rude not to greet nor welcome us to the restaurant (I didn't know he was hearing impaired and mute at first, obviously!) 

But I soon discovered after I noticed the sign language and gestures he used. 

Eventually, we spoke It was so easy to "communicate" to the deaf and mute!

He understood my food orders so easily and we even had a brief conversation with each other.

Hmmm… I forsee myself working with the deaf some time in the near future. 

I was impressed with their resourcefulness, determination and dedication to their work! 

The most devastating highlight of this week was the death of a friend of mine from Penang

She was the innocent passenger & the driver is now in critical condition in the ICU.

The wrecked Porsche 911 Turbo which crashed into a tree at Kelawai Road (estimated at 4-6AM)

on the 13th January 2013 after they were both clubbing at Nueve, Precinct 10 @ Tanjung Bungah

We were from the same hometown, same gym, same Guides & Scouts camp and have the same passion for electronic music & raves. 

 My heart goes out to you and your family. Rest in Peace, Eli. I'll always remember you.

It is a hefty price to pay – with one's own life. We don't need another loss to remind ourselves that we should all NEVER drink and drive, do we? 

 Good times, I know. But what happens after?

Never attempt to drive while intoxicated or under the influence of any substance.

What really affected me was that she wasn't only my friend, she lived a similar lifestyle as I did.

It could have easily been me 

I shall end this on a very sombre note. Cherish your loved ones and live a life that makes you happy, for you'll never know which day will be the last.

Have a good week peeps. Party responsibly!

Much love,

Jessicat

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

The Sunday Times is a weekly series; published every Sunday night to recap the highlights of my week, capture what piques my interest and to briefly highlight my recommendations for to-go and to-eat places!

Some of the photos in this edition are posted instantly on my Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr & Facebook

Do follow to get instant updates and pretty photos of the sights & sounds all around me!

Ohai lovelies! It's Sunday again.

Feeling a little sleepy now but here's my weekly edition of The Sunday Times, as promised!

Apart from cooking & eating (LOL I sound like sucha fatty!), studying & working, I didn't do much fun this week except…

THE FREAKIN' WEEKEND! Friday night let's geddit on!

DOUBLE outfit shot! Guess where we're all dressed up to go?

Future Sound Asia presents David Guetta LIVE in Malaysia!

Our World #1 DJ made his 4th stop right here in Sepang International Circuit during his Asia Tour 2012 with special guest DJs Alesso & Kaz James. I had my mind completely blown away that night. 

We went with boyfieKon & two of my buddies, Larry & Sabrina. Major thanks for the carpool too! 

We truly enjoyed ourselves raving away like no one's watching!

*Full blogpost coming soon*

Dinner date with boyfieKon at a Manhattan-townhouse inspired restaurant : Ben's KLCC

Food was terrific! We had Mum's Cottage Pie, Wild Mushroom Quiche & the Roasted Tomato Soup.

I would fully-recommend the ones we had! Food & ambience deserved a 5/5 rating from me 

However, the service was deplorable (Foursquare was right!) The waiter & waitresses (except one) were hardly attentive towards their customers and even forgot to serve us our Chargrilled Rack of Lamb which we ordered along with our other meals – to which he gave 101 excuses as to why it wasn't jot down. 

Moving on…

Had my first ever swimming lesson thanks to Swimin12! Check 'em out 

I am now actually able to swim properly/correctly instead of paddling like a drowning puppy

Corporate outfit again. This time, to attend a rather corporate/business/formal event in KL city!

Congratulations PETRONAS on the successful launch of your

first solar photovoltaic installation system! *Full blogpost coming soon*

Having many massive solar panels – largest in the region, mind you! – on the rooftop of our iconic mall KLCC Petronas Twin-Towers allows electricity to be utilized from the sun's natural solar energy to power up the building 

So proud of my country & its efforts of going green with effective sustainable development!

On a random note…

GOSSIP GIRL SEASON 6 IS *FINALLY* OUT THIS WEEK.

Had been waiting for months on end for the season finale to premier.

Outfit of the day! Donned a smart-casual yet edgy wear tonight for…

The official launch of Samsung's latest tablet-smartphone, the Samsung Galaxy Note II

I was impressed by the really cool features & user-friendliness! *Full blogpost coming soon!*

This week, as usual, spells being domesticated & self-sufficient again. 

Yup, cooking healthy, low-calorie food strikes again!

Fluffy Omelette with Old El Paso salsa, tomato ketchup & lotsa ground black pepper!

Black Peppered scrambled eggs with Tuna Chunks, Baby Romaine Lettuce & Oregano!

Oh and yes, I discovered a new-found love for beans in my cooking escapades. 

Yup, lentils are the way to go! Full of protein & fibre 

Haricot Beans baked in tomato paste & rock salt, Romaine Lettuce, 

Omega Eggs, Oatmeal flakes with lots of Thyme & Oregano!

Stir-fry garlic Iceberg Lettuce & Moroccan Chickpeas 

on buttered Wholegrain Toast + Roast Carrots glazed in Raw Maple Syrup

Middle-Eastern style Chickpea Stew with Spinach, 

Carrots, Basil & a Sunny Side Up Omega egg!

Combo Salad of Iceberg Lettuce, hard-boiled Omega Eggs, Steamed Chickpeas, 

Onions, Mashed Tuna & Ranch with Tomato ketchup & Parsley!

Sounds good? I had so much fun in my kitchen cooking all those delightful, healthy bites 

Speaking of which, I just returned from doing some grocery-shopping at Jaya Grocer

Some of the foodstuff that will keep me going throughout next week!

My apologies for the delay in certain overdue blogposts, will have them up throughout this week & the next!

I have an exam tomorrow & during the little time I was ever at home, been trying my best to slot in the most study-time I could. Can't believe I had to forgo my gym trainings all week too. Bummer!

Pretty short edition tonight, I've really gotta go! Imma burn the midnight oil tonight to make sure I'm well-prepared for tomorrow's exam.

Have a superb seven days ahead, dear readers! 

Jessicat

———————————————————————————————————————————————–

The Sunday Times is a new once-a-week series; published every Sunday night to recap the highlights of my week, capture what piques my interest and to share recommendations for to-go places and to-eats throughout the week.

Check out the entire series here : The Sunday Times edition.

Some of the photos are posted instantly on my Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr & Facebook on the go.

So follow me to get instant updates and pretty photos of the sights & sounds all around!

I'm back from Bali with theboyfie! It was such a whirlwind 😀

Never knew so many things about the place before, and picked up some Indonesian slangs too! 

Ohwell, always a new experience. Will blog about it soon!
 

Anyway, here's the story for today!

Remember this post? The sequel is finally here

Chilled out with thefockers at Esplanade 😀
 

Wanted to kill time as we were about 2 hours earlier before the estimated time of departure.

And that's SO TYPICAL of my family. They're always tip top round the clock early hmm..
 

Sat around the playground and open field to people watch

before we lugged our baggage up towards Swettenham Pier
 

Whilst walking there, I caught sight of our iconic clock tower just before the Jelutong Expressway.

Sometimes, I need to be reminded of how beautiful my hometown is, being away from it for too long. 😀

I use to take the 12 o' clock turn at this roundabout every morning back in college!
 

So after a 10 minute walk under the sweltering afternoon sun, we finally arrived the harbour.

And yes! Our cruise ship is in sight in the near distance

Picha with it! 😀 Fo shure
 

When I got inside the harbour, a surge of pleasantness arose within me.

Since when did our Swettenham pier turned into such an impressive state?

Newly painted walls, a renovated interior, impeccable cleanliness and new-improved facilities were just staring right back at me. Whoa!
 

After shutting up my hung-open jaw, I joined the rest checking into the cruise ship

We were getting nearer and nearer!

Can't wait to see what's in store for us inside. Here are some piccies as I was walking along the dock
 

So pretty! Let's just hope it boasts something similar inside, if not better! 😀

There wasn't much of a queue on the bridge when we arrived. Oh the perks of an early bird!
 

It's nice how sailors and crewmen would salute and wish this lil missy here an enjoyable cruise, flashing their best service-industry smiles. Ooohyay 😀 Sure I'll have fun.
 

1700HRS | Boarding boarding!

As I turned my back I was startled to see this
 

whoaaa. kid. do you really need that huge bolster for just  a one nighter? 😛

It's not a camp you know. LOL
 

Anyway, guess what was the 1st thing I saw upon entering the lobby!?

How smart. Using mascots to pique the interests of soft-toy maniacs like me 😀

And those of children too. ROFL
 

And and.. using framed blown-up photographs of very good looking ship engineers.

FILF anyone? hohoho

Beats Ikea's Swedish meatballs anytime. LOL i kid! 😛 😛
 

Walked up to the 7th deck where the rooms were.

If I ain't wrong, there were 14 decks altogether! Not all are rooms though, they've huge lounges and many entertainment spots
 

Like.. the *cough* casino *cough* *cough*

The rooms were pretty tiny but cosy all the same
 

Bunk beds! So old skool 😀
 

Not for the claustrophobic! Bwahahahaha 😀

After putting our luggage down and freshened up, we were all ushered to dinner.

The corridors and walkway to the dining area were pretty neat and brightly lit 🙂
 

I wanted to sit at one of these tables but thefockers insisted on sitting inside lol
 

1800HRS | Dinner!

Dinner was ala buffet style… but its variety and taste leaves a lot to be desired
 

I only found the decor and food plating (especially the dessert table) presentable enough to be pictured though

Not like I'm expecting anything near 5 Star but this will do for a rather bland and simple meal.

Back from running around taking pictures, I look like a frumpy housewife here I know.
 

Anyway, we had our family time over dinner and realized that our favorite thing served today was..

FRUITS. Ohyes, loved 'em pineapples! LOL
 

For after dinner digestion, thefockers took a short walk around the ship to explore its decks and found me by the huge glass window panes. I was admiring the view from the middle of the sea before the sun set.

That's Penang Bridge, farewell Penang! We've set sail 😀
 

Camwhored in many unimaginable places. The elevator, the bar, the engine, the balcony.. everywhere!
 

We then decided to venture upstairs to the highest deck!

It was so breezy up there I bet whoever had an open umbrella at that moment would probably have it windswept by now

Crikey. My pink bow almost flew off my head!
 

Tiny me!!

The sun was beginning to set

Cousin Shaun joined in my camwhore spree

Windier and windier!!

1930HRS | By the sunset with cousin Shaun and cousin Meng

Back in the rooms, we showered and got ourselves ready for the entertainment zones.

Oh and, most of us had difficulty with flushing the toilet.

Expose! 😛
 

When my uncle and cousins took so long in the bathroom, I asked out loud, "Bet you can't find where to flush ey?? HAHA".

And true enough, I was right! 😛 😛 😛 😛
 

Wasn't telling until they made me! The flush button was so tiny and hidden I couldn't spot it at 1st sight either.

Aight. Enough of bathroom bedtime stories.
 

Chillin fo a bit by the lounge over some dodgy gameshow

We left soon after we were done with our drinks
 

Walking towards Sunset boulevard where the casino was.

That's mom turning her back on me! (pun unintended)

Passed some convenience shops and souvenir outlets on the way but seriously, almost everything was exorbitantly priced.

But karaoke joints, massage parlours, cafes and restaurants were aplenty!

Outside waiting for gramps to buy her shawl

She bought one just like mine but in a shade of violet instead 😀
 

2200HRS | Casino de Cruise!

So we finally arrived the casino and to our surprise, it was rather huge!

They served hot Milo and coffee to all the stakeholders for the night, much like the casino in Genting Highlands. Once we hit international waters, the casino tables opened and tills of chips, cards and steel balls were running all night.
 

No photos allowed though. Oh, I won up to 250 bucks in Baccarat and Russian Roulette but lost them all back again. There there, this is where greed does not pay. If I would have left with my winnings, I'd be 250 bucks richer. Bummer!
 

Felt bored after so many rounds so I went outside for a break.

Spotted the crewmembers fixing up the Christmas tree!
  

Yes I know it's January now and no, they were not lagging in their festivity awareness, if you were wondering. This cruise trip with thefockers was in late December 😛 Was too caught up with other blogposts to blog this one hehe
 

And there was another Christmas tree already up!

Now, this was really huge and filled up the entire middle pillar of the ship.
 

0000HRS | Did not bring my bikini 'cos I couldn't swim at that moment. Just had another new tattoo done few days before (will blog about this too!)
 

So I was really… really.. REALLY BORED.
 

Played in the casino for so long, had a few rounds at the arcade, explored almost the entire cruise ship, made friends with random people, took pictures, had some drinks by the bar and really, at 1 o' clock in the morning, there is really nothing to do on a ship, is there? 🙁 🙁
 

Whatever you do, don't tell me I should be sleeping.
 

So I walked around all alone to the upper deck again to enjoy the cool night breeze
 

It was pretty scary aboard a ship in the dead of the night all alone. But then again, it takes you out of the

hustle and bustle of city life and bring about a certain sense of tranquility for the moment.
 

Just my iPod and I. Nothing else kept me company except the stale moisture of air around me and the mild, salty smell of the sea surrounding me. It was pindrop silence and I could really fall asleep here on this deckchair.
 

Except I *thankfully* had my camera with me so I had fun taking pictures of random things, myself included.

0200HRS | I was assuming that the rest of thefockers were all asleep by now.

They're all early risers, so I bet they've gone to bed early as well.
 

But luckily, the couzzies found me chilling by myself on the deckchair!

They were feeling bored to death too so we headed to the cafe for some late night bites

0300HRS | And then it was goodnight.

0800HRS | Breakfast began!

Breakfast, in contrast to dinner, was delish

As the ship was beginning to sail back towards the harbour, thefockers and I went to the back of the ship to catch the waves

Deep blue sea!
 

1000HRS | Arrival!

So we have arrived back on land. *kisses the ground
And left to Gurney Hotel to continue our holiday soon after

Your typical poser picture.

Was hiding in the shaded area  while thefockers played pingpong LOL

All in all, my verdict is that  the one-day cruise wasn't exactly an exhilarating experience but should you want some quality time off with your family and friends, this is a good idea .

There isn't really much to do but if you could enjoy the casino, breeze, time and relaxation together… in a place away from home, that would be something new.
 

Heck, there's no data nor cellular transmission for cellphones in the middle of the sea anyway so you can rest assure all of you won't be bugged by work calls or other obligatory bullshit 😀 *grins*