Thursday, May 26, 2016

Bangkok - Vana Nava Water Themepark

When you travel to Hua Hin, then you have to visit the water themepark – Vana Nava.

For those staying with InterContinental Hua Hin, this trip will be included in your booking with the hotel. And the hotel will arrange private pickups to and fro to the themepark.

If you have been to Adventure Cove in Sentosa, then this is not much of a difference. Similar rides, lazy river, wave pool, kids’ water playground, etc.

Boomerango
Turn and turn and turn when you experience weightlessness shooting up then down the wall at up to 45km/h before splashing down into a pool over 20m below. At 179m, this is the longest slide in Thailand!

 

Freefall
Looking for some defying gravity slides? Try this one that takes you 18m high then drops you straight down at up to 50km/h. Be sure your swimming wears are secured tightly.

AquaLoop
Still looking for faster slides? This slide is the only vertical looping slide in Thailand. And it can speed up to 60km/h for the real thrill seekers.

Abyss
Not brave enough enough for the single-pax rides, or simply too boring to scream alone. Then the Abyss is suitable for up to 6 people soaring up to a height of 28m, share four to five near-vertical spins and then plummet into a huge funnel at speeds of over 45km/h.

I think you have the idea of the ‘fun rides’. Here are some other activities for you.

Ropes Course
Standing at 13.4m tall, this is definitely not for those with acrophobia or simply fear of heights. However, all safety precautions are taken seriously, so it is suitable for all ages too.

Surf Zone
Imagine the seas in Australia, the waves and the sun, and the surf board! Pit your skills on this surf simulator, with the on-site team to guide you as you maneuver on either body boards or surf boards.

RainFortress
The number one place all kids will rush to in all water themeparks. Seven different slides that splash down to a child-friendly pool, where the big giant bucket awaits you with immerse amount of water.

Only less than 30mins, the girls are already so tanned. Remember! Put on lots of sunblock!!

Another sure hit activity for children.

AquaCourse
Hailed as the only one of its kind in Thailand, this obstacle course of ropes combined with water guns, will surely be fun and entertaining for all kids. Just think of how to get them down after you get them up.

 

After all the running around, sit back and relax in either one of these places.

Lazy River
About 345m long, bob around the entire park checking out on the various parts like the tropical jungle landscape, caves, waterfall, under bridges, etc. probably a good idea to take the lazy river to check out what rides have you missed or which ride has a shorter queue.

If one of your plan is to get a tan, why not do it in style? On a rattan bed located all over the place. If only, the ground is like the sandy beach, the experience would be complete (with a small umbrella cocktail).

Coconut Beach
I don’t really understand the meaning behind the name, but you get the idea. It’s the wave pool. Plenty of beach chairs for suntanning. Plenty of floats for all to share, single or double-seated. Enjoy the waves and regain some energy or let your heart rate return to normal (after all the exciting rides), before you go for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th round.

Lots of food and eateries scattered around the place. No worries on being hungry.

Signing off with a selfie! Hope you have a good time when you visit.

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Food Art with Samantha Lee

Before I attended this event, I didn’t know who is Samantha Lee and no knowledge about Food Art. All I know about food is the basic 3-steps of living: Cook – Eat – S***.

Without any expectations, we were at Holiday Inn last weekend, waiting for the event to start and to meet the lady who is going to teach us about making food look artistic.

 

It was a private event for 16 families plus the staff of Holiday Inn.

 

Turn out to be, Samantha Lee is an internationally acclaimed Food Artist, who creates food art with the daily ingredients we see and make it more interesting for kids. She is a mother of two, hailing from Malaysia and her Instagram has more than over 700,000 followers.

 

At first the kids were a bit reluctant to go forward and see how Samantha does the creation, but soon, even the parents are all crowding around her table to take photos and videos of her work.

And Jayne had one of the best spot, which is why even Kless handed over her camera for the little girl.

Samantha started creating food art back in December 2008 to help her eldest daughter eat independently and adventurously, and that is when you started to get her ideas and shared publicly on IG since 2011. Even Dailymail UK commented her creation as, “Art that looks good enough to eat!”

Since she was teaching kids and art-nerks like myself, the 3 dishes she demonstrated were relatively easier and can be done within minutes. Even the ingredients are easy to prepare. No fanciful stuff.

‘Plttafish’ from Vege Pita Burger

 

‘Grabby Crabby’ from DIY Lettuce Cups

 

 

‘Squiggly Sheep’ from Spaghetti Bolognese

 

Demonstration time looks easy. Now it’s time for the girls to give it a try. The team was headed by the Main Chefs who diligently stood at the front table for 15mins, taking in all the ‘kungfu’ from the master.

The Kuan Sisters!

 

Assisted by the Junior Chef, Kless Lee.

We were given a star award by the master, Samantha herself!

 

Maybe Kless will start to do a series of Food Art Bentos for the girls in the days to come. For me, I’ll stick to my Ramen and Steak.