3rd Trip - Phillip Island (Koala Conservation Centre)

Day 2 - Phillip Island (Koala Conservation Centre)

Koala Conservation Centre

After checking out of the resort, we made our way to Koala Conservation Centre. We had seen koalas and even patted one on our Tasmania trip so we didn't plan to spend too much time here. The koalas are not kept in cages but are free to roam in the park. They have a Koala Boardwalk and this elevated treetop broadwalk allows close viewing of the koalas. It was a slow and leisure walk around the park. Most of the koalas were sleeping and it was not surprising as they sleep up to 20 hours each day.

On our way back, we stopped at KFC to have lunch and made Mr Tan a very happy boy! It was nice spending quality time with Mr Tan. Thank you Baby for making my birthday such a wonderful one! ♥

Eat Out - Izakaya Chuji (Japanese Food)

Day 109

Mr Tan loves sashimi but I don't eat raw food at all and he finds it no fun eating it alone. Thus, we seldom have jap food but he has been having his sashimi fix during lunch breaks at a jap rest near his workplace. Tonight is the first time I am having jap food since we arrived. The restaurant, Izakaya Chuji, is a 5 min walk away from our apartment.

Izakaya Chuji does not have an extensive menu or a huge range of sushi, I actually find their range rather limited but I have not been to other jap rests so I am not sure if this is the norm here. I ordered Chickendon ($12), Mr Tan ordered Salmon and Veg in Miso Hot Soup ($18). Jasmine ordered Unagidon ($19), Shenton ordered Pork Katsu ($13) and Jiaqi ordered Salmon and Veg in Miso Hot Soup ($18) too.

The food tasted fine but the portion was too little for the guys and Jiaqi. It was just nice for Jasmine and me but the rest of them were still hungry even after polishing their bowls and plates. There was almost no service except to take orders, serve the dishes and clear our plates. We refilled our tea and had to stop one of the waitress to ask for a refill. They prefer to gather at the back of the restaurant instead of going around to serve the diners. Average food + no service = One Time Patronage.

We then went to Max Brenner to satisfy the half-filled stomachs with desserts. Yummy yummy chocolate desserts!

Another Surprise In The Mailbox!

Day 109

A birthday card from a single and HOT man! 

Life is great. I am one lucky girl. ;)

Gin's Kitchen - Stir-fried Black Pepper Udon

Day 108

Mr Tan is away for his company's retreat so I am home alone tonight. Prior to the retreat, staff were told to dress up according to their childhood ambition and Mr Tan just called to say that a guy actually dressed up as a woman in short skirt and tube top! He thought he went into the wrong toilet when he saw the "woman" in the toilet and then the "woman" said, "Come in, come in. You are in the right place." LOL. Not only that, there was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle too. Guess what Mr Tan dressed up as? Liverpool Player! I bought the Liverpool Home Kit for him as his belated birthday present. =P

I decided to cook Stir-fry Black Pepper Udon for dinner. I love the thick and chewy udon and used to cook soup udon during my secondary school days. This is the first time that I am stir-frying udon and I am very happy that it turned out really well. The udon has started expanding in my stomach and I am feeling so so full now.

Ingredients

- 1 packet of udon
(this is too much for me, I should have just used half)

- 5 medium-sized prawns
(marinate with salt, pepper and soy sauce and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour)

- 50g of minced pork
(marinated with a bit of everything in my kitchen)

- Fish Cake

- Cabbage

- Carrot

- 1 Large Shitake Mushroom (sliced)

- 4 Button Mushrooms (sliced)

- 1 Egg

Sauce

4 tablespoons of Lee Kum Kee Black Pepper Sauce

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon of Shaoxing Wine

1 tablespoon of black pepper

1 tablespoon of white pepper

1 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 cube chicken stock

100ml of water

I have tried to cook previously with the Lee Kum Kee Black Pepper Sauce but it tasted a little bland and lacked the peppery taste that I prefer. I searched the net for black pepper sauce and did a mix-and-match and came up with this. I thought it tasted quite good but that could be due to my hunger. I love to cook noodles at home because you can add as many ingredients as you wish and in any amount too. The next time I cook it, I would add more cabbage, carrots, minced pork and also corn starch when I am marinating my prawns. I love my food with lots of veg!

Happy Birthday to ME! ♥

Day 106

Today is moi's birthday! This is the first year that I am celebrating my birthday as Mrs Tan, this is the first year I am celebrating my birthday without my khakis, this is also the first year I am celebrating my birthday without my family by my side. Although we are miles apart, all of you remember my birthday and made the effort to send me presents and your well-wishes from wherever you are. Thank you Kellyn, Zhi, Bro, Mei, Jie, Tong, Chuan, Heng, Jiaqi, Jasmine, Sabrina, Shyan, Shenton, Meiping, Kaili, Chewwi, Huiling, Fen, Suja, Jiate and Baby. I feel so loved by everyone! ♥

Few weeks back, Zhi sent my birthday present all the way from Japan and it totally brightened up my day! That was my first birthday present for the year and I love it to bits. It just warms your heart when you get a parcel in your mail from your loved ones. :)

This morning at the stroke of 12, I received my 2nd birthday present from Mr Tan. The little blue boxes! Yes, not one but two little blue boxes! I was thrilled. My first Tiffany! It will be the last as I think they are seriously too expensive and overpriced. Nonetheless, I was very happy to receive a present from Mr Tan on my birthday. It has been a while since I got a surprise from him and which girl doesn't love surprises? I was so so happy to see my present! It is a charm bracelet with 2 charms that he specially chose. The Eiffel Tower (our honeymoon) and a Convertible (our wedding car). I love them but they are so so expensive! This weekend, we are going Phillip Island to see the penguins as part of my birthday celebration too. Thank you Baby for all the effort! *muacks*

 

 

 

A few minutes later, I received an overseas call from Bro and he sang Happy Birthday for me. So sweet of him! He wanted to send me a gift but I told him to save on the shipping cost and use it to get me a bigger gift instead. I will get the present from him when I see him next month. Haha.

Mr Tan took leave today and we went out for lunch. When we came back, I got another present in my mailbox!! I held it close to my heart and couldn't stop smiling. It was from Kellyn, my "mummy" in Singapore. Despite her hectic schedule (working mom with 4 kids), she remembers my birthday and made the effort to send me a present. A beautiful card, a handwritten message and a book that was nominated for the Booker Prize - all filled with love. Thank you Mummy! ♥

 

 

Thank you everyone for your love. 

This is one of the best birthdays that I ever had!

Can't wait my date with the penguins this Saturday!