A week after Bintan, D and I actually went for another short vacation since we were on 2 weeks leave. And again we didn't go far but just to Johor Bahru. I wanted to bring D to KSL since he has never been there before and it was for his birthday trip. I was also craving for the penang laksa there. It's my favourite!
Johor Bahru, Day 1
We took a grab share from CCK to Woodlands Checkpoint since we had quite a few things to carry.
D was pretty "worried" in the sense to how we will get there. I didn't really draft out or plan in regards to our transportation wise. All I knew was to cross the borders to JB and just to Grab just anywhere to our destination. So, D is quite worried, if it was really okay to Grab since I don't have any other alternatives or back-up plan just in case if we cannot Grab. I mean I don't mind being that risk taker in getting lost while traveling. LOL! And I was pretty sure about this Grab thingy since this is what my bestfriend, Hernie usually do when we travel to JB, even in KL! Lol! D and I had a slight tiff over this but we were also the kind who resolve tiff in just a few minutes after.
I had my friend, Eileen to help me with our destination there (since she usually frequent JB) and D by then, was reassured that we will somehow be safe.
Tsk!Komtar JBCC, JB
I tried this Grab code but sadly, it doesn't work. Lol!
The immigration flow was fine on that day since it was a Monday. And seeing this means we have successfully pass the JB custom and Hello Malaysiaaaaa!
Eileen told us to get the train ticket back to Singapore the moment we pass the immigration, since taking the train will be less hassle and even faster than having to queue for buses. It will also be D's first time taking the train, so another thing for him to try. We got our return train tickets but had to wait for at least half an hour for that because there were quite a bit of people in the queue and the process was quite slow.
After which, we were good to go to hunt for lunch since we were both were very hungry! We also bought Malaysia prepaid's card specially for Grab purposes.Express Thai, Komtar JBCC
Since the one in Singapore is not Halal-certified, I decide to bring D to dine in here for our lunch. But sadly, D didn't really quite enjoy the food here. Thailand food is probably not to his liking or probably, the way they prepare the food wasn't that nice. Hurhur!
D's and mine respectively. He didn't finish his food.
But we all agree that this is nice at least.
So D felt that his birthday-day was 1/4 spoilt when the food wasn't that nice. I wanted to bring him somewhere to get his food fix but we were all too full. So we walked slowly for a while around Komtar JBCC before D kept pestering me to quickly book a grab to head to our hotel. He was hoping it would make him happier, having to chill there. I was about to do some shopping please.
But anything for the Birthday boy.We waited at the Grab car pick up point just outside Marks & Spencer, Komtar JBCC. The grab driver was friendly and he send us safely to our destination.
Crystal Crown Hotel
The moment when the grab driver dropped us, I was taken aback at how the building is. The building looks a bit old and I was slightly disappointed. But I was hoping the room would make us happier since I booked the 'transparent' toilet kind, well according to the website, I did.
We settled the administration stuff at the front counter and had to pay a deposit of 20RM for 2 nights before we were given the card to our room and followed by a series of disappointment after.
1) Sadly, we were only given ONE card but it was okay, not that D is going to leave me in the room alone. Just that it means we can't leave one card inside the room to let the air-con run if we ever leave the room for shopping, swimming, breakfast etc.
2) Our room was rightttttt to the end near the fire exit and it looks kinda spooky. But we didn't want to think too much about the spooky part. But really, if only they could put us somewhere in the middle room since we check-in earlier. We found out on the 2nd day, the middle room was vacant because somebody checked-in to the room the next day after we checked-in. Zzz!
3) This disappoint me most than the card ever did. There was NO transparent toilet. Not that I'm eager to look at my husband doing his toilet business or whatever. Just that, I wanted to like you know, feeling-feeling romantic all since it was his birthday. D was half-happy and half-sad about it. Happy because he never kinda like transparent toilet because he find his privacy will get intruded. HAHAHA! But sad because he knew I did my research detailed enough only to be disappointed. Somehow, deep down my husband actually care for my wants despite his don't want. LOL! He then jokingly tell me to hack down the toilet wall down to make it transparent. HAHA! Putting the disappointment of the transparent toilet aside, the website mislead us and seriously, the look of it wasn't what we expected it to be. Garh!
4) The air-con was bad. It wasn't that cold. Even the air-conditioned in Bintan was so much better despite it being in a tent. D felt annoyed at this point of time. He can't stand when a room is humid. So he kept telling us how bad the idea was to stay in this hotel.
I seriously could have chosen KSL hotel over this hotel. Just that I gave up a few over dollars for a transparent toilet in this hotel only to be disappointed. If I've known this would happened, I would have booked the KSL hotel instead. Nearer to the KSL mall one thing and I'm sure the stay there will be so much better, according to all the reviews.
6) The TV wasn't working. The remote control brand and TV brand didn't tally. We tried to switch on the TV but it didn't work. So I called the front desk line to get our TV fixed. The repair man came and he didn't know how to fix it either. So he went to another vacant room next to us, to take the TV from there and transfer it to our room.
Well, don't care, so long as we have a TV to watch.7) Yes there was bathtub but eww no. The bathtub doesn't look clean at all like the one D and I went to Meritus Pelangi in Langkawi. This one, I don't even feel like wanting to soak my whole body inside the bathtub despite me bringing the bath bomb. It freaks me out contracting things like STDs or any kind of bacteria.
The only thing that we like about this place is that the room was very spacious. It was a walking distant to KSL but choosing KSL Hotel would still be better. And, the hotel itself was a Poke stop. So, we were battling and catching Pokémon when resting in the hotel. Hahaha!
We rest for a few hours before dawn and D suggested that we walk over to KSL to look for dinner. I can't wait, which also mean FOOD HUNT. Hehehe!
They had small pasar malam just outside KSL. I was too lazy to walk down the long stretch. So we walked for a bit and then we went inside the mall.
KSL City Mall, JB
It was here that my food hunt started, literally! See the amount of food I bought back to the hotel. Hahaha!
This was nice but we couldn't finish it. The cake was huge. Lol!
Never forgetting this. Sadly, no Cotton Candy flavour anymore. Zzz!
This was really really nice. Truly love it!
D had Nasi Lemak and of course, I had my Penang Laksa. Yummms!
D was sweet when he bought Takoyaki for me but it didn't really taste that nice, plus I was already too full to finish it.
We went straight into food coma right after. Hahahaha!
Johor Bahru, Day 2
We woke up early for breakfast. They didn't have much variety for breakfast. And by the time we came down, quite a bit of food already finished and it seems like they didn't do any top-ups even though the breakfast time hasn't ended yet. And I just don't like the breakfast ambience there. People just keep staring and looking at us like as if we were alien. Well, I felt like I was. Maybe because I was wearing shorts? And most of them were dress in decent-ok clothing. Probably the hotel is for business trip kind of people? Maybe they think D and I were young teenagers who decide to venture for holidays without our parents? But still...I didn't get that kind of look for the past holidays D and I went to even when were in our shorts or etc. And there is a no need to for that kind of look.
So we went back to our room and I continued eating auntie anne's that I bought the day before.
Besides enjoying the company of my husband with me. I just couldn't wait for time to fly. I just wanted to go home badly already. So so boring and nothing to do. Thank God, it was only a 3 days 2 nights stay, or else I won't know how would I survive this.
Told you. This is all we ever did there. Hahaha!
I then decided to watch a movie in KSL. Any movie I thought since we didn't know what to do and the tickets will be slightly cheaper there too. I thought of watching a Malay movie since it's only shown in certain cinema theatre in Singapore like only Shaw I guess? I saw Abang Long Fadil 2 was showing but I haven't seen the first part yet. So fret not, while laying down, I used the wifi to stream Abang Long Fadil part 1 movie and both D and I watch it together. The movie was really funny. D and I kept laughing and we were up to watching Abang Long Fadil 2 in the cinema.
KSL City Mall, JB
We headed to KSL City Mall at about 3pm and catch Abang Long Fadil Part 2. The movie was okay. I still think Part 1 was nicer compared to the part 2. But oh well, better than nothing. We managed to spend some time doing something instead of stoning. Lol!
I wanted to shop around before heading for dinner. I told you I love beach vacation but I wouldn't complain either when it comes to shopping vacation. Either way, I'm still good. HAHAHA! And this is what my husband has to say.
I bought back like 6 clothes. HAHAHA! Of which D approved of them.
Yessss, buy clothes now also must approve/not approve. Tsk! I wish I can buy more BUT, I remember I still have a lot more clothes at home that I bought but I haven't wear them. 😜 Hehehe!We were feeling quite famished then and so we went around looking for dinner place. D saw this Halal sushi place and seeing the conveyer belt moving carrying the sushi on the plate make him truly amuse. Ermm..yes, D is the kind who never really venture much on these kind of things. So everything that I bring him to is always his first and he is always amuse over things like this. Lol! I explain to him how the conveyer belt works. And that he can just grab any plate and they will charge us accordingly to the colour of the plate. And if the food we want is not on the conveyer belt, we can just order straight from them. Amused. Of course he wanted to dine in there. Hehehe!
Sushi King, KSL City Mall
D began to grab the plate one by one happily. Lol! Till to the extend I had to remind him that we will be charged for the plate that we took you know. Hahaha! But it was okay, since it was his first time. So I let him enjoy this moment. Besides this was only one thing he felt happy about throughout the trip.
I loveeeee sashimi, salmon. So the moment I keep saying I love Salmon. D kept grabbing the plate with Salmon on them. Lol! But we had mains too because I don't think the small plates will keep us full.
My Ramen Bowl
D love his green tea but all these while he has been drinking the Pokka Green Tea, which the taste is almost altered to sweeten. So I told him this is the almost to authentic kind of Green Tea one should love if they are a real Green Tea lover. Sadly, he found out that he is not. LOL!
Cawanmushi
And the series of salmon sashimi,
Just the amount of plates we ate. Hehe!
And even despite being full from dinner, there is always space for some dessert before heading back to our hotel. Hehe!
Baskin Robbins
Johor Bahru, Day 3
We didn't do much on Day 3. Most of the time it will be a 'lepak' or chill kind of day on our last day before we check-out. D and I woke up pretty late and we almost missed our breakfast, but we managed to have our breakfast 30 minutes before the breakfast timing ended. So you can just picture there were almost close to nothing to eat but we just make do with what was available, since we wanted to have lunch back in Komtar JBCC (if we have the time).
Still not bad.
After which, we headed back to our room and just chill on our bed watching TV while waiting for the time to pass to our check-out time. In fact, we can't wait to go back home and bid this place goodbye. Lol!
12pm, we took a grab car back to Komtar JBCC. D and I wanted to have lunch here but we were afraid we might be late and miss the train if we were to eat lunch longer than half an hour. Plus, we had too many things in our hands to carry, so we decided to just sit down and have desserts. Hehe!
So Baskin Robbins yet again. Hehe! D finally got his mint milkshake after 2 days. LOL!
We walked around for at least 15 minutes around Komtar JBCC before heading to the train checkpoint custom to head back to Singapore. Wee!
All in all, I kinda enjoyed my JB trip but it would have been better if I would have chosen a different hotel. Well, I still have 2 hotels in mind to try the next time if I ever come back for KSL. Till here, toodles.
XOXO,
Princess Azie Anni ♥
