Travelogue - Japan Osaka

Annual girls trip, and this year to Japan Osaka. My very first time to be in Japan, was way too excited. First time I'm away for 5D6N, the longest girls trip I have stretched.

We took a midnight flight out and touched down in Osaka in the morning. My luggage was 1/3 filled (10kg).

We bought an one way airport express train plus one day unlimited subway ticket, online package at 1500 Yen from http://www.howto-osaka.com/en/ticket/ticket/yokoso.html. 

The seat number is allocated to you, and there's train contractor to check the tickets. Even its empty, you are not allowed to take any other seats that's not allocated to you. This is Japan.

Dropped our luggage at hotel, no early check in was allowed. They go by book... 3pm means 3pm. So headed down to 黑门市场 for our lunch.

Other then food, we shopped for 2 hrs in one small drug store. Most of the duty free drug store would have a few chinese to assist you on any enquiry that you may have. They can help to do the translation. This is our loot from one store. Girls power. Hahaha.

After shopping, we are hungry again, so we went for our tea break of ramen. You have to choose your preference of how you want your noodle to be prepared. J says "you MUST try their hard boiled egg" so here we go. This is the best ramen I had in Osaka. *Must try* you can check up step by step guide on how to place order: https://gurunavi.com/en/japanfoodie/s/2016/06/ramen-shop.html?utm_source=JNTO&utm_medium=post&utm_term=ramen-shop&utm_campaign=JNTO_post_ramen-shop&__ngt__=TT0c0c71ca6001ac1e4a0e0fJzc6Y4DrMRPHUZqyIJQ4qQ

Another round of shopping starts, i didnt get anything as the clothes are too kawaii or too down to earth for me. There are many hello kitty and the girls was stuck in disney store for a good 2 hrs. 

Our dinner. Fish our own dinner. My very first time fishing, and yes managed to catch ONE. Yes, only one. We fished till the staff has no eye to see and help us to caught one sea brass 15min before they close. 

Day 2 - universal studio Japan. It's amazing... Their new rides are much more taller, longer and faster than Singapore. But those older rides wasn't that fantastic. However I love their interaction with the guests.. Every staff there make you feel like VIP. 

*side note* changed a hair style for me.. chopped of my long hair a few days before fly off to japan. :)

And we ended the day with 大阪烧 @ dotombori.

Day 3 - We bought a 2 day Osaka pass that gave us unlimited train rides for 2 days...
We decided to visited Nissen as it's further away,  There is a session that you can make your own noodles, but need to book early online, we missed it.. Nevertheless we can make our very own nissen favor cup noodle with 4 ingredients of your choice in self designed cup.

The cup noodles comes in all sizes. King, Big, standard and mini.

We even shopped at autobacs for car accessories. 

But nothing much for me, but i got this for my new ride for Janelle. 

Ended our day 3 with beef and puffer fish which are one of my wish list in Japan. When i was looking at the menu, J: just order the must expensive set of each as it will come with many different parts of beef and different cooking style of puffer fish. And she is right, that's the right move.

The puffer fish - grill, fried, sashimi, steamboat, marinated and porridge and this is serving for 2.

Day 4. I lost my 2 day pass :(, another trip that i lost my train card. no choice that i have to buy a 1 day pass.

To Osaka Castle. A place has to go.. Really nothing much there, but it's an tourist attractions that says if not been here, means you have not been to Osaka. 

So done our tourist job, time to be shopper again. J wanted to get her baby food from a baby department store at end of Shinsaibashi street. Things like pampers, food, pigeon's item etc are cheaper in singapore, but it's too heavy for me to bring back as janelle only use milk bottle detergent for baby, the rest she had outgrown. So while she shop for her baby food, me and A shop at Shinsaibashi. There is one kunbu specialty store they served you a kunbu soup as a tea, and it's so nice that i bought some back. 

Love their mochi 

Time for offload to hotel and dinner again. This is J wish list, the crab meal, they serve nothing but crab. I ordered a seasonal set, which means only available in Apr-June. Even the steamegg also come with crab.

Too full to go back hotel and sleep, so we ended in drug store again. We store for everything from shampoo, to pats to mask to drugs items.

Day 5 - last day of our trip. The agenda of this day is to get whatever items we want to bring back singapore. So early in the morning, A and me went 黑门市场 to get fruits.

My feet was too tired for shoes as there was blaster for the long walking journey, so i changed into slipper. In Japan, they dont wear slippers.

A want to get melon for her family. SGD$30+ for one melon... and there are more exp one too.

J meet us for lunch at 黑门市场 because we cant get enough of beef and fresh seafood.

Once done with lunch, we shop for snack and tidbits for souvenirs.

And since we havent had TakoYaki from our wish list, so while we are looking for one.. we found one store that can DIY. you must make 15balls, so just nice 5 for each of us. Dont know how 1 person can finish 15balls. The staff will prepare all the ingredient for us and using body language to explain to us how to make. In this store, they also sells a DIY sets that you can bring home (even include the cast iron tray for making the balls)

We rushed back to 黑门市场 again to buy raw beef to bring home... Promised hus that i will bring back kobe beef for him. During lunch we tried a few store of beef steak, and i love this store the most, so i went back to them and pack kobe beef and waygu beef back to Singapore for my hus. Their price is highly but they will do a vacuum pack, and filled with ice packs in ice bag for you. It's says not a problem for 10hrs, which was ok when i opened up 12 hrs later.

We cook the kobe the next day and it's very nice, the juicy feel, the melts in the mouth.. Love it to max. But hus preferred Australia beef.

Mummy is fair, daddy has beef, janelle also has strawberries. This tray cost me SGD$20. 

Deposited all the items in hotel, and we went for dinner. This is another wish list from J, grill seafood, and it's very nice too.. 

Once filled our tummy, went back to hotel and pack all the items into bags. Every one is 1 bag to japan and 2 bags back. I came back with 30kgs, not so bad isnt it.. And we know that we will be very tried after all the long walks and we will need more luggage space, we booked business class for the flight back. :)

First time having something soupy on flight other than instant noodles. It's a great way to end our trip.

Toilet Training for Janelle

It took us more than 2 years to toilet trained Janelle, we are not 100% there yet but she wouldn't wet herself when she is awake as much now and when prompted she will want to go toilet and sheshe. It's more consistent now le.

Usually Teachers/Helper and myself will asked her if she want to sheshe, if she wants, she will stand up and go to toilet. And when she dont want, she will reply NO. Now when she is at home, or when we are going out for a short while, she will not be on diaper.. We are working hard to completely waive her off diaper at the very least whenever she is awake.. But sometime the travelling hour too long or we shop till forget to ask her, then mission will failed.

We tried different ways, but i didnt want to introduce potty as after potty training then have to move her to toilet doesn't sound like a plan to me. So we used children toilet bowl cover for her.

1. We started to put her on toilet bowl every hour, but after 2 weeks she scare of toilet and will cry when we stepped into toilet. So i break the training for about two months to reset. 
2. We tried to let her sheshe on the floor instead of toliet bowl since she wasnt tall enough. She rejected and in the end she sit on the floor instead.
3. We tried to let watch youtube when on toilet bowl, to make her feel relax It's doesnt work in the end she just sit there and watch youtube.
4. After many trial, i thought maybe potty will help.. I'm wrong... When i put her onto potty the very next sec, she stand up and walk away. cant sit till.
5. We tried to wet her tights and private part to create sheshe sensation, which i learnt from hospital to collect urine. But it doesnt work.

Our success story is by timing. The key point of toilet training is she cannot be scare or dislike. We let her intake water and monitor her bowel, sometime takes up to 1 hrs. Usually was about 30min after the water parade, she will pee in the toilet bowl very nicely. From there we build her confident level and awareness. And slowly increase her frequency to toilet. At one point, helper bring her to toilet she will pee, but i bring her to toilet she doesnt want to pee. Haiz. 

Also toilet training is a commitment... There was a couple of time when she had used to toilet, but after a holiday trip or mummy went office and maid has no time to bring her to toilet and most of the time she was on diaper.... and that's it.. We had to reset all over again. And when school is not training, but we are doing it, the progress is really very slow. Sometime ok sometime not.

The real success only come in when teacher also started toilet training this year. And she is off diaper when she is in school and at home.. So these 5 months.... from coming back from school with 2 to 3 sets of wet clothes to none now. We rejoice. 

Next goal is to let her prompt us instead of us asking her and poo in toilet bowl... 

And the thought of night training really put me off. Have to wake her up to go toilet in the middle of night. Janelle is not a person who will fall back to sleep after disturb, then will be overtired then seizure comes. So night training really not my priority. But we will bring her to toilet before she goes to bed, and after she wake up. I do see reduce of night wet in her diaper the next morning, hopefully when she grow, she will stop the night wets by herself.

At the very least... I see improvement. 

Dental Operation @ KKH

Janelle was admitted to KKH for dental surgery. The plan was she to be admitted for a day to have 3 tooth extracted due to decay, 2 crowning to protect her top moral tooth and washing.. The initial plan was on 29th Feb but mummy had a business trip on hence need to bring forward the operation. It's either to brought it forward during Chinese New year season (day 7) or have to wait for another 3 to 6 months. Since we had waited for 4 months, we doesnt want to wait longer as we afraid the decay will get worse. So we choose to go ahead during chinese new year. Thank God we managed the first slot at 830am and Janelle need to fast from 12am onwards. But one condition was janelle had to be admitted to hospital one day before to ensure the fasting, and prepare for operation as early as 6am. But we still think 830am was the best arrangement for us. You know "hungry baby is an angry baby".

Daddy got her a balloon to encourage her.

Briefing her while we are waiting outside the operating theater. Mummy is only allow to be in the operating room to put her on GA.. She was very good and behaved herself while putting on GA.. Watching to mummy saying prayers for her while dosing off to her lalaland.

The wait was horrible... I just sit there and wait as my mind will went wild, so i went back to the room and doing all the cleaning.. washing her bottle, clothes, making her bed, etc.. Planned for a 90min operation, ended coming to 2hrs.. She cried when she was awake, see her tears flow down, so does mine. She woke up in the observation room and doctor then discharge her back to her ward. But GA still not yet went off, she soon she dose off again after cranky-ness. 

The operation didnt go through as per planned, instead of 3 tooth extraction, dentist did 6.. YES! oh my god.. 6 tooth... 3 was decay and another 3 was shaky and adult was coming up soon. hence they need to be removed and make way for adult tooth. (after 2 months, 2 tooth has grow... one bottom and one top)

She was award to a Bravery award for being bravely during the operation.

The ugly and toothless Janelle. The recovery was fast, it's takes about half a day.. she starts to eat porridge in the late afternoon... and we was able to discharge at 5pm when she able to eat and drink well. But she was on 2 weeks of soft diet.

The total bill make up $6k and cannot be covered by insurance.. :(

Skincare - SJ Clinic & Surgery

Recently had a big acne and wanted a quick resolution so went SJ Clinic & Surgery (Previously known as 8-11 Clinic) for a pimple jab. Since was there, so make full use of the consultation and shared with Dr Kelvin Goh about my skin problem. Dr Goh is a very friendly doctor who is not pushy, but they will only provide advice to the problem you have a concern with and only when you asked. 

After sharing about my skin problem - internal oily and yet external dry ( (内油外干) and Dr Goh recommended me the LGP Serum 2 (Antibiotic serum) for acne control and Hydrating Essence for my inner oily and outer dry skin. After using the products for 3 months, I see improvement. Lesser breakout and less oily now. I can feel different especially when I went for my facial. Previous visits, usually they squeezed out many oilseed/blackhead/whitehead that is embedded inside the skin. In my recent visit after 3 months.. there wasn't much for them to squeeze. Less suffering:)

Dr also recommended a skin treatment mask that he will get the nurse to do it in the next room. That cost about $60. It's a series of treatment but I only did twice and stopped

Price Guide:

- consultation fee.. I don't remember how much but not exp.

- Treatment mask - $60

- Pimple Jab - $20

- LGQ - $80

- Cleaner - $25

- Essence - $40

Kelong

Pop received a call from Kelong telling him got fresh fishes, being a mountain tortoise who never been to Kelong, followed him down to the Kelong behind the yishun dam.. 

These are the fishes caught in the morning... As Fresh as it can be.

These are the fishes pop bought for today:

All these need less than $500.

And immediately we turned the fresh Kelong fish into delicious lunch. :) so blessed. 

Houston - work and shopping trip

Wef FY16, I took up new role in my company and it required to travel.. At least 2x a year to Houston. This year kick start with user requirements workshop in houstons. It's a new role, new business I'm touching on so I was so nervous and always feel that I'm not well prepared and always worried if my energy level cannot overcome the jetlag.

MIL volunteer to come over and stay at our place to take care of Janelle while I'm away. I have to admit she is a better caretaker for Janelle. She gave 200% to Janelle when she was here. Everything around her during that one week is all about Janelle. She also woke up early and sent Janelle down for school bus with daddy. alittle request from me to my husband to make that 5 min effort every morning to send Janelle down for school bus as I don't want Janelle to be maid child-send, fetch, bath, eat, sleep is all with maid. And yes, last week Janelle was accompanied by daddy and neinei. So blessed.

Since I'm at Houston, how can I missed shopping at outlet. Oh gosh, before I go crazy swiping my credit card, husband "seriously" warned me not to any how buy things. Asked me to list down "not to buy" shopping list..haha, I list no shoes, tshirt, shorts for Janelle as there are many still sitting in the wardrobe waiting for her. Yes, I tried to control.. But the price different is too tough for me to return home with empty handed. I listed to my husband, I only bought jacket, cadican, dresses, swimwear for Janelle. Non of the not to buy list. 

Omg..  Gap jacket 70% off and it's less than $20 sgd.. Tommy dress is like $20 usd... Gap dress is like $6 usd. How to stop buying?

Of cos never forget about my husband. Got him one set... All at 70% off...

Of cos, coach is definitely worth to buy in US. I bought none as I'm not the fan.. Ops, I bought a scarf.. Haha.. However I spend the most in coach, I have orders from my bro, colleagues for coach....

Marketing garmick.. We went on Sunday coach is having promotion if you buy 3 and above will entitled 20% discount. I bought this scarf at $59 less 20%.. I'm so scarf person..  but when I returned on Thursday cos my meeting ends early, they changed their marketing strategy if you buy 3 items and above will get 30%.. Was so excited when saw the email but when returned, they marked up the price to $99. Ended up need to pay more if I get later. 羊毛出在羊身上

Regretted I brought the luggage only 24inch.. Next time will need to bring a big one plus cabin size.. Haaaaa...

The loot of my current trip.