Spreading the wuf!!

Ganbatte Nippon! - You Can Do It Japan

A page on Facebook.. The message? Simple. A word of encouragement to the people of Japan.. from everyone else.. from everywhere else..

I love how it's said.. it's a campaign of love and humanship.. no fundraising, no glamour, no big fuss, no sms to send, no rehearsals. It's just a simple message from one person to another - through a powerful medium, the internet.

What you could do..

1. Design a poster with the Ganbatte Nippon message

2. Get everyone and anyone to take photos with the encouragement posters. Then post them to Ganbatte Nippon page.

In turn, Ganbatte Nippon will take these wonderful happy posters and share them with the people in the streets of Tokyo.

Love and support have been flowing in from Australia, Taiwan, Hongkong, US, Thailand, and of course our tiny Singapore.

So here is our little part, from one tiny red dot to the big red dot - Ganbatte Nippon!

wuf! Lilo ;)

Bintan Bintan

Bintan Island of Indonesia.. Well, it is sorta a weekend getaway for us Singaporeans.. An hour ferry ride takes us to a idyllic beach of warm breeze and lapping waves.. Definitely a good break from our concrete jungle and fast paced life.. I just came back from my weekend break.. This will be my fifth trip to beachy Bintan.. I still love it the same but things have changed.. The resort is a lil more commercialised now, in other words, more pricey.. I liked it better in the past, cos food was a tad cheaper and yummier.. By 'cheaper', I mean in Singapore terms.. You CAN'T think in Indonesia rupiah and sense. Think Bintan as an extension of Singapore.. almost like an old Sentosa minus the monorail.. Things ARE in Singapore dollar and 'prices', which is really the reason why I said I prefer it before.. Now that food prices are comparable to Singapore and isn't all that yummy.. There won't be a real good reason to go there for the sixth time.. Unless it's free!? haha.. ok I'm cheapo! :)

Anyway, I thought I'd write about Bintan and the accommodations.. Mainly Nirwana Gardens, which has 5 tiers of resorts and prices.. Let's start from the bottom.. (BTW I'm sooo not paid for this.. Just writing a review for fun.. and in hopes Nirwana is gonna gimme my next 'free' sixth trip! Haha!)

www.nirwanagardens.com

Nirwana Beach Club - Previously known as Mana Mana Beach Club. The chalets are more.. 'chalet' style.. Ok, it is the lowest tier of the Nirwana Gardens range.. I haven't stayed here yet.. But it's not exactly beach front, not sure if there is aircon.. But considering that it is the cheapest of the range, it's probably value for money.

The restaurant / party area holds parties on Friday and Saturday nights.. But the few times I been, there really wasn't much of a party. Well, they serve alcohol and there is a dance floor.. Pretty much it I guess. Food wise, this is where I had my yummy pizza and potato wedges on my previous trip and $5 Bintang beer. Restaurant is right on the beach, so it's kinda nice to chill out over pizza and beer with the cool sea breeze.. On this most recent trip, pizza wasn't all that nice and cost $15, NO potato wedges. They changed their menu and obviously "sun pian" (conveniently) up their prices. Bintang beer cost $7. So yea, a lil disappointing for me, but the beach and breeze still just as nice :)

This is where you can book your watersports too.. I tried the jetski and banana boat before, but didn't do any this time round.. Prices are comparable to Sg rates.

Nirwana Resort Hotel - It's like the headquarters for the whole Nirwana Gardens area. Most amenities are found here. There are 2 wings I think, with many rooms and a big lobby with a couple of restaurants. Room was standard, clean, and basic. Good for group of friends, or family. There are a few beach front ones with balcony, but I didn't get the chance to try those yet. Probably more pricey than the standard rooms.

Mayang Sari Beach Resort - I wanted to stay here so much cos in my previous trips I keep seeing these beachfront huts.. and told myself I WANT to stay there!! So I did. And ta dah!! When I stepped in, I was like.. err.. a lil let down.. Considering that it cost about $200 per night, it was kinda old and dated. Well, these huts have been there for years now.. So yea, don't expect anything modern. But the good thing is.. it's indeed beach front!! It's nice to wake up, walk out to the porch with your far-from-a-flat-white coffee, sit down and watch the waves and trees. Simple things in life do come with a price tag, at least in Bintan.

Banyan Biru Villa - Villa-like houses, some 2 bedrooms, some 3. These are probably great with a bunch of friends or family, cos the villa has a living area, dining space, a balcony and a kitchenette where you can cook your simple meals. Some of these are corporations-owned. Keppel, NTUC, SAF to name a few.

Indra Maya Villa - Villa with a capital V! Super nice and super expensive! It comes with your private pool overlooking the sea in the big garden.. So much space that squirrels come visit! Will be great to have a pool party! And you have your own buggy to drive around. Think the price is like $500-800 per night depending on the smaller or bigger villas.. Thank my rare chance to some gigantic corporation owned villa.. Anyhow, it's nice nice nice! :)

The other one I stayed in is Bintan Lagoon. It's at the other side of the island and a different management. Well, it's kinda like Nirwana Resort Hotel with many rooms.. But cos it's a hotel on its own, there seems to be lesser 'life' and activity. At least Nirwana has a string of activities on the beach, restaurants, deck chairs etc.

The only other place out of the resorts you'd go to is Pasar Ole Ole. It's an area of shops that sells souvenirs, beachwear, a zhi zhar restaurant place. There's another new restaurant there where we had our lunch.. You pay a typical Sg restaurant price but don't expect that kinda ambience. Not much of an ambience to speak of actually.. But Pasar Ole Ole is a place to buy your local keropok (chips), tidbits, beer ($7 for 3 cans), yes compared to $7 PER CAN in the resorts. Or you can buy at the convenience store AT the ferry terminal before you board the buses to the resorts..

Bintan Resort Ferries cost me about $50 per pax, inclusive of taxes, for a 2-way ticket. The ferry ride lasts about an hour. And you depart from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal, which means you probably have to take a cab to and fro. Just counting the costs.. A Bintan holiday isn't all that cheap considering you are heading into Indonesia. Don't think a sixth time will beckon.. Unless they bring back the potato wedges and deflate their prices.. Haha! I'm serious about the potato wedges!! Blaaa, I truly enjoyed the beach and horizon and sea breeze and hammock. The best things in life are indeed free!! Or maybe not.. :)

Hello World!

This is our first 'tapping to the world'.. We finally found a place to rant and rave, bark and bawl. We love to share our loves and our dreads.. Guess there will be a bit of everything here.. Reviews and opinions about food, shopping, doggies, restaurants, customer service, movies, music, travels.. Anything that makes us smile or yelp.. We try not to tread on any toes and tails.. but well, just remember it's really just our skewed personal opinions, and we hope to offer a good read if you bother to read! Ha!

So if you DO read and share similar or opposing thoughts and feelings.. you are most welcome to rant and rave and bark and bawl with us too!! :)

In this new year of 2011, let's bring a bout of new beginnings, new ideas, new plans, new surge of joy and happiness!.. ok starting to sound cliche, but you get the drift.. Wishing you a hoppy bunny year filled with many many carrots!!

love, vivi and lilo

I actually posted on Wordpress, but it's too chim (complicated).. I took so long to make a post!.. decided to go back to blogspot.. so much easier, and user friendly :) Good job google! (I wanted to do this --> right align pic at the bottom but seems rather tough in Wordpress.. or maybe its just me.. oh well.. Lilo loves carrots :)