The Willis Family Adventures: May 2012

April included a quick trip to Pulau Ubin. Pulau Ubin is one of the last rural areas in Singapore. It is a small island accessed only by small bum boat type ferrys. We arrived at lunch time and had the cheapest lunch we have ever had in Singapore. (less than S$10 for the whole family) Beer was even cheaper at only S$3 for a beer. (unheard of on the mainland) We rented a couple of bikes and rode all over the island. The pure quiet and peacefulness were enough to make us want to return. The Hubby was excited as there are many mountain bike trails that he would love to explore. Now if we could just find a way to get our own bikes to the ferry terminal. (We had called a maxi cab to cart us and our bikes up there, but there weren't any available. One of the few drawbacks of not having a car.)

FYI for anyone reading this that wants to go, make sure you have your taxi drive drop you at the ferry terminal at Changi village.

Leaving Changi Ferry Terminal

Bum Boat to Pulau Ubin

Bikes, bikes bikes!

Me and E!

One of the many bike shops on the island

Lunch! Mini Calamari, delicious!

You can find a temple pretty much anywhere in Asia

Bike!

Dad and E

Saw this sign as we were leaving. This saying suits this island perfectly! As Singapore grows, many want to convert it yet another "resort" island. What makes Pulau Ubin special is it's quiet quaint and unspoiled character. Something that is hard to find on the mainland.

Enjoying some fresh coconut at the end of our ride

It's been a good day!

Waiting to board the Bum Boat

Till next time Pulau Ubin! We'll be back!

Traveling, traveling, traveling! I never thought that I would say that I was burnt out on travel, but after the past few months I feel a bit like that. This past trip the jet lag is seeming to rock my world more than usual. I think my creativity is a bit burnt out on the word and narration end as well. I have tons of experiences to share with all of you and will do my best to illustrate them and capture my memories at the same time. I am finding that this blog has not only given all of you a picture into our world here, but a way for me to remember all of the amazing experiences that we have had. I keep saying that I am going to scrapbook the adventures and I even brought all of my many paper crafting supplies here to Singapore, but to be honest it is just so much easier for me to capture it all right here in blog world.

So, over the past couple of months we have been trying to experience as much as we can. I'll start with our trip in March to Tioman Island. E was on Spring Break and the Hubby was between business trips. Me? I just wanted to disconnect from the world. I felt I was attached to technology and what better way than to go "off the grid". And, we discovered Tioman Island, Malaysia.

Tioman Island is a small island just off the east coast of Malaysia. The island was once an active volcano from what we were told. The island is dense with forest and there are no roads. Some hiking and bike trails can be found as these are the primary forms of transportation once on the island. Many get around the island by boat. There are many coral reefs surrounding the island making it a very popular diving and snorkeling area. Its beaches were depicted in the 1958 movie, South Pacific as Bali Hai. In the 1970s, TIME Magazine selected Tioman as one of the world's most beautiful islands. (Wikipedia)

Tioman is just a few hours drive and ferry ride from Singapore making it a great getaway for those of us seeking a more rustic experience from the "big" city.

I think the pictures will speak to some of the beauty of the island, but there some things that the written word might do more justice in its experience. I don't want to bore you with all of the detail, so here are the highlights.

When you hire a driver to take you to and from Malaysia, be sure to ask: who will be driving you, what kind car, and most of all "does the car have seatbelts!" (the car on the way home didn't have seatbelts!)
Pictures just don't do justice to the feeling and ambiance of natural beauty
Minang Cove was the perfect place to stay for us. The staff there made us feel so at home and would do almost anything for us. Special thanks to Jane and Money!
Kids playing in the sand is the best therapy for all!
I love snorkeling! We saw angel fish, parrot fish, sharks, beautiful coral and a sea turtle just off the beach.
Monkeys, monkeys everywhere! But they are better in their own habitat.