Sunday, April 26, 2026

Universal Studios Singapore | Stuck in Jurassic Park Adventure | Brayden's Adventure

Brayden 9Y2M3D
Bevlynn 4Y10M27D

On Sunday, we met Bro Gene at Vivo City for lunch - first time trying out the kopitiam Food Hall at B2. There was so much variety, we didn't know what to choose. After a good portion of Putien noodles, Wanton noodles, and dumplings, we set out for USS theme park. This is the second consecutive Sunday, we went to USS.

We entered the theme park at almost 4:30pm. Our mission today is to complete as many rides as possible within the 3.5 hours. 

We manage to complete: 

As a family: 
1. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem x1
2. Jurrasic Park Rapids Adventure x2 (almost dark), x1 (after dark)
3. Canopy Flyer x1 
4. Transformers The Ride x2
5. Watch evening parade

Me + Bev (since Bev could not enjoy the Mummy roller coaster, we split to go for more Bev friendly rides)
1. Enchanted Airways (weeee~~ Bev loved it! Me screaming my lungs out again) x1
2. Donkey Live x1
3. Puss In Boots' Giant Journey x1

Hub + Bray:
1. Revenge of the Mummy x3
2. Jurrasic Park Rapids Adventure x2

We found that the evening Sundays are the best times to go for USS, when there are less crowd and we were able to go for more rides without much queue. 

On this day, we also got stuck in the Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure ride - when the boat was lifted to the T-rex area, the lift stopped. The air was stiff inside; it was dark and there was dizzying blinking light at the T-rex. Bev and Bray were very calm. Nobody panicked. There was one other family stuck inside with us, at least we did not feel alone. We just shouted for help in a joking manner.  

It was several minutes, before there was an alarm and an announcement for the ride to stop. After a while, the ride resumed. The staff member checked if we were okay. We were quick on our toes and continued with our mission - next up the parade, our timing was just perfect. We did not miss anything!

When it was dark and everything was closing, we looked back at all the memories made. It was all worthwhile. 

One night, when we were storytelling, I spoke of our memories in USS. I brought up the good times we had in the Jurassic Park and Transformers, then surprisingly Brayden recited all the dialogs from both the rides (exactly how it was). Wow!
We always thought he looked very blur during the rides and was just enjoying it. Little did we realized that he was totally immersed in the whole experience. He was part of the story - he was running away from the dinosaurs as a scientist; he was a recruit saving Optimus from Decepticons. He was living in a world full of wonders. Thank you USS for these adventures. 





 






































Tuesday, April 14, 2026

March Holiday Trip | Day 7 , 8 | Frank Laurent Coffee | Frandy Beach Bar | Entopia Butterfly Farm | Teluk Bahang Waterfall & Dam | Sunset

Brayden 9Y24D
Bevlynn 4Y9M18D

It was a day packed with activities. 

A weekend with Mi, Pa & 2 children. It was the first day of Hari Raya Puasa. 
We went for breakfast at Frank Laurent Coffee Udini Square. The coffee and setting were cosy. While we were enjoying coffee and make plans for the day, suddenly a loud crash sound came behind where Bray was seated. *Kranggg* The plant decoration fell to the floor. I quickly apologized, the waitress was very kind to quickly clean-up the soil and placed the pot further away.

We drove to Frandy Beach Bar to meet SC gor gor and HY jie jie for lunch. 
It was 12.30pm, the noon sun was hot and bright. We missed the entrance to the bar. It was almost at the end of Batu Ferringhi Beach. 
Once arrived, the children quickly rested on the bean bags with the best sea view. We sat at the table right beside them. The food came very quickly. I role played as a servant and fed food to the little "prince" and "princess". We laughed. We walked briefly at the beach. The hot sand was burning the soles of our feet. We walked underneath tree shadows. The sunset view of this bar must have been so romantic, but we did not stay because we had other plans for the day. 

Next, we went to Entopia Butterfly farm; which was 14 minutes' drive away. 
When we entered, the staffs greeted us in their Raya baju and we were told there was special Raya activities. They took us through a secret short cut directly to the activity area. There it was the last 10 minutes before the activities were closed. There were five stones (with tiny bean bags), congkak and "chapteh" (kicking of feathered shuttlecock in the air). We tried our luck with the chapteh; one that could keep it in the air with several kicks gets a free feathered shuttlecock. We failed miserably. The chapteh seemed to hate our feet, flying all over the place. I couldn't strike a two continuous kick. Hold on~~ I have to admit; I missed the first kicks too. 

After the activities ended, we went back to the entrance and there they were releasing new butterflies. They were so colourful. And one landed on Pa's clothes (this one never left Pa). They said the butterflies love the saltiness from our sweat. Maybe Pa's sweat was saltier from ours...

We enjoyed the butterflies and greeneries very much. Once awhile, we were chasing butterflies and hoping they would land on our fingers. We rub and rub and rub our finger on our sweat to make it more enticing for the butterflies. It worked. 

One spot I really loved was the butterfly enclosed glass house; if you looked carefully, there were many white dots on the surfaces. These were the butterfly eggs; could have been hundreds of them. At times, we spotted the butterflies in the process of laying the eggs. When we walked around, we had to be extra careful not to step on some very tired, or injured butterflies on the ground.

There is a cave with spiders, frogs, snakes, monitor lizard displays.
Lastly, we explored the insects displays. The children loved the small hidden path (tall enough for them to go crawl in), there they can see the display of roaches. We also get to go into a room with hidden praying mantis; we have to search for them on the tree. It was quite impossible to tell the sticks and praying mantis apart. 

The Entopia experience was so much fun. The children and adults (like me) learned about many different insects. I guess it also takes away some fear of insects when we are up close to discover more about them. 

We continued to our next destination. The Teluk Bahang Waterfall - just next to the butterfly farm. The children went in for a dip in the waterfall. The water was murky and the surrounding was quite dirty from the food litter. But the children did not care much. They enjoyed walking in the waterfall and tried to catch the little silver fishes. It was hard chasing them around. Then Bray found a big blue sieve, with that, I caught more than 10 little fishes. It was fun but it was getting dark. Some monkeys were searching for something to eat from the food litter. 

I showered the children in a public toilet nearby. Inside was a big-tiled water tub with very cold water. The children were shivering and shrieking when the cold-water splashed on them.  

We took the Balik Pulau way back. On the way, we saw the Teluk Bahang Dam and catch the sunset from the hills. The big orange sunset was beautiful and peaceful as it transitioned to a deep dark blue violet night. It signaled us to slowdown and call it a long~~ memorable~~ day. The children had dozed off by now.

When I called Bro Max, he was going back on the same road just 20 mins away. We then meet for dinner at Spice Pisa.    


























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