Day #6 in Bintan - here's Friday

Day #6 in Bintan - here's Friday

Wow what a final day.

Rain stops play.

Daddy gets a major migraine and is bed ridden for the morning.

No photos as we went to Makan Makan for lunch again (see Islifearecipe.net) the kids consumed the remaining bowling vouchers, and Daddy had a massage to ease the headache, then dinner at our favourite Thai restaurant again (again see Islifearecipe.net) and then bed.

So no photos per se, apart from;

A cheeky, pensive Baby-Jude posing for the final day...

And our last day's towel art - today was a peacock - definitely impressive finish...

And that folks, was that. A great, but pricey holiday. As DelBoy would say - "We just spent like we were millionaires..." But it was worth it. Great times with the family. Chilled. Doing some different things. Just lovely.

We all hope you enjoyed the blogs.
We hope the food blogs help too if ever you come here.

Day #5 in Bintan - Here's Thursday

Day #5 in Bintan - Here's Thursday

Well what a day was today. You'll see more later of course, but a snapshot. We decided to have a lazy beach day, not the one at the hotel but where Ollie and did the diving. Much quieter, calm seas, clear seas, powdery sand, amazing views, beach bar, reggae music - what more could you ask for? We dispelled the jellyfish warnings as we had seen those everywhere - I said to Amy; "Hun you could could just as easily trip on a curb and hurt your leg, you could fall from a tree, you could slip in the shower etc etc. Don't panic hun, let's just enjoy..." 

Today's towel art was a turtle - these guys doing our room are just incredible artists

Wow at the end of our landing today, sat on a banister, was something I have never seen in real life. Folks I give you the praying mantis - what an truly amazing feat of nature. I got close to take this photo and it spun its head to stare at me - gave me a right good stare-out

Now this is nice Baby-Jude and Amy sat playing, not a massively sunny day at the moment too, but the sea was crystal clear and luke warm like a nice bath

"Er Daddy, I am not sure but I think I might have done a poo poo?!?!?!?"

Love this one - check the reflections in front of the kids heads - wow!

Sweat and toil from yours truly created this sand castle with working sea wall, and moat - Jude did indeed help a little bit but then the 2 year old in him got bored with Dad's hard work - boo hoo

But Amy did indeed like it and helped me finish it off with shall decoration - this shall stand for all time, well at least until the tide gets higher ha ha

Now what did I say earlier - let's ignore the jellyfish signs right. Come on it will never happen. We went diving, we've been in the sea 2-3 days already, there's loads of people in there as well...

OK I was wrong. Yep Amy got a rather nasty sting on her hand, bugger. Slightly in shock and screaming and crying we carried her from the water, vinegar was on hand at the bar, and the wonderful staff from the bar at Nirwana Beach Club, Toni and team, chaperoned us to the hotel clinic. More vinegar compresses from the nurse, and some creams to help the pain and swelling. She calmed down after about 30-40 minutes luckily, the pain subsided and the swelling started to abate. Still a little sore today, some little red scars on the worse effected area - her pinky - but she is back to normal now PHEW!!! Can you see the welts on her arm and hand above? Ouch...

Recuperation time on the beach again now - we made a little bed and she had a little nap. Now she's back, the Amy smile is back. The Amy hunger is back; "Pizza and a drink please Dad..." 

OK time for some other nice family snaps - and OMG yes I am going to be in some of them - see I was on this family holiday, told you!!!

Cute Baby Jude - sitting on a boat, chilling!!! "No more sea swimming for me, Mum said!!!"

"Do I look cool Dad?"
"Very very cool Baby Jude..."

OMG I even managed to get a shot alone with the lovely Wife - double WOW!!! Nice pic Babe.

Well lasted all of 5 seconds until Baby Jude wants to get in on the act again ha ha!!!

Pizza on the beach now this is COOL!!! And a much better Amy-Boo too. Happy days resume!!!

Nice - me and the gang, cold beer in hand, monkey nuts being munched on, beautiful weather, stunning views, feet in sand. Doesn't get much better at all.

Ollie showing off his PADI certificate from the other day - well done Ollie, great work. Put that on your wall with pride and lets start working towards the full accreditation together - perhaps next year with Uncle Steve and the girls...

Another amazing thing then - this little beauty comes to say hi. Scampers across the grass to the bar, and sits in the rafters squeaking, and responding to the squeaks back I was giving him/her - so flipping cute, it's not funny. But then Toni, our PADI guy, says come watch this...

Yep he fed it by hand with a marcelo cherry - WTF, yep evidence is above. Incredible little thing apparently also eats coconut (I get that), but also lemon - weird. Lovely little thing.

And then hangs upside down to consume his prize.

Amy has a try to feed him too bless. Sadly he preferred to run up a palm to gorge on coconuts instead.

And final photo today is family shot over dinner - PoolBar tonight in the hotel, to avoid a walk and allow us to watch the band afterwards - videos of that will be on FB later when WIFI is better - Amy did a couple of songs - WOW!!! She sure is back to normal. What a lot in one day, ups and downs, highs and lows - but overall just such a great day!!!

Day #4 in Bintan - here's Wednesday

Day #4 in Bintan - here's Wednesday

Today's towel sculpture was a pig in the kids room, nothing for us today sadly...

Amazing day today - morning was stunning with beautiful blue skies and topaz seas. So early doors Ollie and I went for his first open water diving experience. He did really really well too. Amazing in fact according to the PADI instructor. 6 metres depth, and scuba round some coral, few fish, some clown fish in anemones, a conger eel, schools of fish - nothing out of this world, but damned good first experience - straight off the beach too, few PADI lessons and hey presto we're diving.

But then a HUGE boomy storm kicks in for rest of day and literally rain did indeed stop play. We spent most of the afternoon indoors. Pop for lunch at the local place in the resort - as usual more of that on Islifearecipe.net, but some funny antics from Baby-Jude of merit to show.

So its a bit all about Jude today re the photos.

Baby-Jude AKA Mother Theresa - looking rather serious!!!

Has taken a liking for something unusual perhaps for a two year old, what could it be?

Any clues from this shot...?
Serious no guesses yet?
Really...

How about now?
Yep he REALLY loved this stuff.
So much so he was dipping his whole face in it, as above.
The food substance was - putting you out of your suspense - GRATED PARMESAN.
Can you believe it - he's two years old ha ha ha!!!

Yep he really really liked it.
Too funny Baby-Jude.
Too funny.
He had the whole restaurant around us in stitches bless him.
Yes I have a feeling this young man maybe an entertainer when he is a little older.

You made us ALL laugh today Baby-Jude.
On a rainy day, you made our day.
Just too funny.
Love you xxx

Dinner was later @ Spice, again see Islifearecipe.net for that restaurant review. And that, is about it for today friends and family. Not a lot happened apart from sitting, chatting, eating, playing in the room - hope though to have a couple of snaps of Ollie and I about to embark on the diving experience. Watch this space, if the PADI centre sends them, I'll upload them here.

Day #3 in Bintan - here's Tuesday

Day #3 in Bintan - here's Tuesday

A bit of an overcast day today, so diving off the agenda for Ollie and I. Rain and a big storm brewing too, so pool was off the agenda and even a walk along the beach became an afterthought. So we had a lazy morning in the bedroom, kids playing and watching a film. Which actually was really really nice relax time. But with lunch looming we had to decide what to do - and renting a golf cart for an explore hit top of the suggestions and so glad it did - what a fun afternoon.

Everything you see here is part of the Nirwana Resort complex - that's the only place the buggy was allowed - but it sure does give some idea of the scale of this place.

But first things first...

How cute is this - this greeted us when we returned from breakfast this morning - nicely done Octav... 

OK first thing on our adventure buggy ride - huge monitor lizard. Clearly not at all bothered by me getting about 6' from him to take this snap - just eyeing me out and sniffing the air with his tongue - cheeky bugger 

The intrepid explorers all aboard - is it just me or does it look a little too small for behemoth Ollie???

That monitor lizard's mate then comes out for a look too. "You looking at me..."

Head of Expedition and Driver now in shot - one of the rare moments for this holiday to see my face in a photo...

This is a beach over the back side of our place - these are the villas on the complex. Private beach or what. Weather permitting we are here tomorrow - there was about two people on this beach. Amazing.

It's just beautiful here

Amy just showing you two things;
1 - There is only her footprints on the beach - proving there really is no one here; and
2- Showing you just how soft and powdery this sand is - like talcum powder - amazing!

And turn round and this is hopefully where Ollie and I will be diving tomorrow - he's never done it before so it is a diving experience. Some pool work and then off from the beach to some reefs. Not far away though. See the naughty weather though, here's hoping tomorrow is better for us.

Included in our stay is 12 games of bowling at the place just up the hill. So now here are some shots of the gang in full action. Cough cough, just to mention though that Brian Kennett Snr was the champ for both games. Also just to state - it was blue neon lighting hence the weird outcome of the photos

1st up Ollie - I have used sports capture setting on the camera to get the action...

Next up Amy - not exactly lady-like but it was effective and she got her high-score best ever 

Even Baby-Jude had a go - bless - yep he tried to kick it first

We had an amazing lunch in this place - Oxtail Stews and Oxtail soups - that were just incredible. More of that on IsLideaRecipe.net Then took the buggy to the Flying Fox - both the kids went on that - 14m high, across a quasi-ravine and in to a net where we had just eaten lunch. Real fun - Amy even went first. Now all I have of that adventure is video and I cannot put video in to this blog any more sadly - so that goes to FaceBook soon, when I can get better wifi - sorry Miz you'll need get Facebook to see that. But here is the view from the restaurant - down below here you have horse-riding and Segway driving. Loads to do here, just loads!!!

Yep they even have 7 elephants. So we popped in to say hi. We only bought some bananas for $1 but the guide was a top bloke and let us meet this beautiful 30 year old female elephant. She was gorgeous!!! I love Jude's face; "I am not taking my eyes off you, no matter how beautiful you are..." Look at his face in every photo - too funny!

It's feeding time - little bananas for this lovely lady. Jude got a little scared here...

OK send in Mum as a stunt-double - hmm she was even more scared ha ha!!!

OK OK she built up her confidence, nice seat - just as long as that foot stays attached to the elephant. How people can kill these creatures for their tusks, and for making chairs out of the their feet is beyond me. So so beautiful and superiorly intelligent. You could see her looking at you, almost knowing what you were saying. The elephant that is...

Nice shot from the guide again - wow yours truly gets another photo - that's two in a day. Again check out Baby-Jude, ha ha.

And here is the beach down this side. See that big grounded boat in the distance? That is actually where the ferry comes in, the terminal is about 2 minutes from there at Bintan.

The exploring finished we decided to go for Thai tonight, and so so glad we did. After a top up of mosquito spray we are much more comfortable and settle down in these surroundings to eat. Now that is not bad at all is it. Yep on the horizon is twinkly twinkly Singapore.

You can just espy Calypso Bar, where we were last night, through the trees. I like this spot a lot.

Best meal to date here without a doubt - this was the best. Again read more about the meal on IsLifeaRecipe.net. Excellent Thai food and a truly amazing Bloody Mary to top the night off. Wonderful place!

And Jude today/tonight takes the last photo again - slightly sleepy and therefore a little camera shy, here he is showing off his new banana palm leaf watch as made my his Mum - I think he was very proud of it - end of a great day exploring this beautiful little bit of Bintan - hope you liked it