Weather in Fremantle

Posted on January 19, 2011January 17, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

The weather in Fremantle ranges annually between 10 degrees Celsius (50F) during the winter months of June, July, August rising up to 25 degrees Celsius (77F) in the summer, but because Fremantle is a port and we all know how the sea exacerbates the weather, when the sun.......click to learn what next.

A Day at Fremantle, Perth

Posted on January 18, 2011January 17, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

No visit to Perth is ever complete without a drive to Fremantle, a popular port located south west of Perth. It's a little city that's full of fresh sea breeze and beautiful sunshine (well, whilst we are there every time anyway!). We always go to EAT fresh seafood!!!.......click to learn what next.

Choosing local over global

Posted on January 5, 2011January 5, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

Having traveled a good part of the world and dealt with as many foreign services and products and as many local, I am disheartened to announce that I generally still prefer the services and products of Britain and the USA.....and probably many of what the other first world.......click to learn what next.

Too much snow in New York

Posted on December 28, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Dear God, Please pray for all those people stuck and stranded due to this years heavy snow fall. Some places in New York are laden with 24 inches of snow. Friends of mine fly back on New Years Eve. Many people want to be with their families on.......click to learn what next.

Neighbourhood Playgrounds in Perth

Posted on December 15, 2010December 14, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Every time we go to Perth, we'd hit several playgrounds because there is not only so MANY of them, they are EVERYWHERE. Playgrounds in Perth are like Datuks in KL, every left or right turn, you'll hit one *wink* On the day of our arrival, we hit the.......click to learn what next.

Departing for Perth with Air Asia X

Posted on December 2, 2010December 2, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

At 4am in the morning IS NOT FUN. Wheeeeee!!!! No. Certainly not fun. It's a time that is neither here nor there. Do you sleep? Do you not sleep? With kids, what is the action plan? Honestly, when we finally got done with packing, it was midnight and.......click to learn what next.

Flying from Chiang Mai to Kuala Lumpur

Posted on November 11, 2010November 11, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

And vice versa. Since I'm bored of posting about Chiang Mai now, I shall bring my Chiang Mai series to an end and dig out the archives of my Perth trip. Ahahaha....that now seems like eons ago. If you're interested in going to Chiang Mai, the best way.......click to learn what next.

Things to do in Chiang Mai

Posted on November 11, 2010November 11, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

I would say 2 weeks in Chiang Mai could possibly see you through most of the tourist sites and then a month to really soak up true Chiang Mai flavour and a year to have a good taste of the city within a city. What we always love.......click to learn what next.

Best chicken rice in Chiang Mai

Posted on November 10, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

This chicken rice deserved its own post - LOL One morning in Chiangmai, it was decided that the men go cycling (3 hours in the city - they are MAD!) and the ladies visit the jewelers. This is what both parties wanted to do short of my crazy.......click to learn what next.

Tiger Kingdom, Chiang Mai

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

The Tiger Kingdom is worth a visit (and I hear the monkey school is too, though we haven't visited the monkey school yet. Next trip!) because it is interesting watching and observing these wild animals and how they interact with human beings. No matter how tame they are,.......click to learn what next.

Traveling to Chiang Mai with Kids

Posted on November 4, 2010November 4, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Back to our Chiang Mai posts *grins* Well, it's 5 years now that I've been traveling to Chiang Mai with kids so I can definitely tell you what to do and what not to do *grins* I wouldn't say that Chiang Mai is tremendously kid friendly but with.......click to learn what next.

Views from my Yantarasri Resort bedroom window

Posted on November 1, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

I've been feeling rather blah lately. T2's not eating again and wakes several times a night (probably from hunger!) but every time I offer her a bottle of formula or food of any sort, she refuses it. I'm tired. So I leave you with some green, natural images.......click to learn what next.

Venues for Parties in Chiang Mai

Posted on October 21, 2010October 21, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

After weeks of sourcing for a party venue, my brother Ben finally zoned it down to a house. He decided on the house since we were free to stay as late as we wanted and it offered more flexibility, plus it was a beautiful house! So if you're.......click to learn what next.

Our first NIGHT in Chiang Mai

Posted on October 20, 2010October 19, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

So what did we do after that very long nap since waking up at that God forsaken hour of 3am in order to catch that red flight? SWIM!!! Well, only to give in to T1's request. She'd been harping on about swimming ever since she saw that the.......click to learn what next.

Our first morning in Chiang Mai

Posted on October 18, 2010October 19, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

I was in awe when we arrived at the boutique hotel - exactly as the website had promised......If you decide to come to Chiang Mai and want to stay here at the Yantarasri Boutique Resort, do contact me as I can get better rates for my regular readers........click to learn what next.

First glimpses of Chiang Mai…..

Posted on October 17, 2010October 19, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Allow me to bore or excite you (depending on what kind of person you are) with some aged old charm of a country that's rich in variant cultures and some kick-ass creativity, not to mention very lovely people. I almost want to move to Chiang Mai now that.......click to learn what next.

Greetings from Chiang Mai!

Posted on October 17, 2010October 17, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Sawadeeka!! We are currently in beautiful Chiang Mai with 23 crazy, psychotic family members. It's difficult getting everyone round to get a decent photo let alone just SIX!!! See for yourself. I kept shouting to them, "OK, everyone LOOK HERE NOW!!! SMILE!!!" Click. Tak jadi. Again. Repeat. Click........click to learn what next.

Malaysian Night Market in New York

Posted on September 14, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Just a last minute heads up - if any of you are in New York and want to experience what a Malaysian night market is like, head on to the Chelsea Triangle of the Meatpacking District on 14th Street and 9th Avenue. With colorful tents, umbrellas and lanterns.......click to learn what next.

Playgrounds in Perth

Posted on September 13, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

One thing we never get to do in KL is get to the playgrounds because a). it is too hot, b). our playgrounds are so badly maintained that they are not safe for children (I kid you not) and c). we hardly have as many playgrounds as Perth........click to learn what next.

T1 in Bahrain – 2007

Posted on June 21, 2010 by Mamapumpkin

Whilst preparing for my post on Bahrain for my travel blog (the country where some clients fail to pay!!! Hrmmphh!!!), I found this irresistible photo of T1 at 27 months in our Bahraini Hotel, on the way out to the beach (it was a beach resort that we.......click to learn what next.

Chiang Mai in January

Posted on October 21, 2009January 14, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

For the last 8 years, we have been visiting Chiang Mai every year as Tok-Tok and Nana have some very good Malay College friends there whom we usually stay with as they have a beautiful resort like chalet at their home grounds. This year though, the Hubs has.......click to learn what next.

Goodies from London

Posted on September 9, 2009September 4, 2009 by Mamapumpkin

When my good friend from London came for a visit recently, she brought Tee a whole load of goodies. My girl was over the moon. Clockwise from LEFT: Pirate ship jigsaw puzzle that has a curved edge instead of a straight edge, Winter Wonderland jigsaw puzzle, Minnie Mouse.......click to learn what next.

Meeting the Yankees for the first time

Posted on June 21, 2008September 29, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

Written Commentary from a child: Throughout the flight to New York, I hardly slept at all but just TWO half hour naps in between. By then, Mommy and Daddy were feeling a bit rough and considered stuffing my mouth with some socks. And then when we arrived at.......click to learn what next.

Space Shuttle Launch

Posted on June 9, 2008April 16, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

Astronaut getting dressed The astronauts had to be quarantined for a month before the space shuttle launch which meant that we couldn't meet him, the person who invited us. What a bummer! So all we got to see of him was through this big TV screen that showed.......click to learn what next.

Our honeymoon in Paris

Posted on November 11, 2007January 25, 2011 by Mamapumpkin

September 2001 - we literally flew out to Charles de Gaulle international airport three days after our splendid wedding, even before our overseas guests had left sunny Malaysia. My family had the wonderful task of entertaining them. They thoroughly enjoyed it. Really. And we thoroughly enjoyed Paris! The.......click to learn what next.

Public Toilets in Perth

Posted on September 5, 2007September 5, 2007 by Mamapumpkin

Hmmm....I need to use the toilet. I wonder if that'd work. Hey! It even fits perfectly..... Shhh.....Tee, this is not a toilet. You might get arrested.

How to shut a toddler up when shopping

Posted on September 4, 2007September 4, 2007 by Mamapumpkin

After a whole morning of collecting bags and bags of merchandise with a bunch of women in Perth, Tee being the youngest by far, started whining that she was really, really bored. Do you know the feeling of euphoria when you are in the midst of a really.......click to learn what next.

Arrival in Perth

Posted on August 28, 2007August 28, 2007 by Mamapumpkin

My daughter is just not shy. This is Tee with her 9 year old cousin whom she has met once when she was 7 months old. They have had no contact since. Yet the moment she saw him, This is what I mean when I say she is.......click to learn what next.