11th entry - Bintan Surprise
My sweetheart gave me a wonderful surprise for my birthday! We planned to go Bintan for a short 2D1N stay in Nirwana Resort Hotel - it was supposed to be just the two of us... at least, so I thought.
Little did I know that he quietly "colluded" with my best friend, K, to strategise a surprise. K was also intending to give her partner, F, a surprise as a birthday celebration for F. It was only when F and I "met" at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal that we realised that something was amiss. F, who initially didnt see me, thought that H was there to send them off before going to work. I, on the other hand, had just bought some food at the cafeteria when I saw K and F at our table, smiling away. For a few seconds, I was in such disbelief that I froze where I was standing.
Eventually, it dawned on F and I that we didnt just meet coincidentally at the Terminal, but it was all part of an elaborate "scheme" hatched by H and K during K's birthday (which was another surprise that F planned with H and I). They figured out that it was difficult to orchestrate a weekend getaway as a surprise so they decided to keep as a secret the fact that we were going together as 2 couples. I really got to hand it to them, as F and I didnt suspect anything.
Our trip was fantastic! We enjoyed each others' company and discovered the many delightful things that the resort had to offer. Surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful landscaping, the resort was nestled deep within a large compound called Nirwana Gardens. From the huge swimming pool, we could see and directly access the white sandy beach of the private lagoon and dip into the clear, cool and shallow waters that extended far out to sea. Coral fishes and all sorts of jellyfish and crustaceans inhabited the beach and much to our delight, we could swim amongst them.
In the evening, after a day exploring the beach and sampling the local fare (e.g. gado gado and avocado milkshake with palm syrup) for lunch at the supposedly local market ("Pasar Oleh Oleh"), we had a bowling game at the recreational centre of the hotel before boarding the free shuttle bus to the Kelong Restaurant for a hearty seafood dinner. Their chili crabs and gong gong (boiled dog conch with dipping sauce) were so delicious that we finished all of them even though we were not really hungry!
Besides being a surprise because I didnt know F and K were joining us on the trip, this Bintan getaway held 2 other surprises: firstly, I never expected the Nirwana Resort Hotel to have such a beautiful tranquil and unspoilt beach; secondly, this being our first overseas trip with F and K, I was amazed that we didnt experience any of the usual problems that friends sometimes get when travelling together. After this, H and I were more confident of successfully organising trips elsewhere together with F and K in future.
Little did I know that he quietly "colluded" with my best friend, K, to strategise a surprise. K was also intending to give her partner, F, a surprise as a birthday celebration for F. It was only when F and I "met" at the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal that we realised that something was amiss. F, who initially didnt see me, thought that H was there to send them off before going to work. I, on the other hand, had just bought some food at the cafeteria when I saw K and F at our table, smiling away. For a few seconds, I was in such disbelief that I froze where I was standing.
Eventually, it dawned on F and I that we didnt just meet coincidentally at the Terminal, but it was all part of an elaborate "scheme" hatched by H and K during K's birthday (which was another surprise that F planned with H and I). They figured out that it was difficult to orchestrate a weekend getaway as a surprise so they decided to keep as a secret the fact that we were going together as 2 couples. I really got to hand it to them, as F and I didnt suspect anything.
Our trip was fantastic! We enjoyed each others' company and discovered the many delightful things that the resort had to offer. Surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful landscaping, the resort was nestled deep within a large compound called Nirwana Gardens. From the huge swimming pool, we could see and directly access the white sandy beach of the private lagoon and dip into the clear, cool and shallow waters that extended far out to sea. Coral fishes and all sorts of jellyfish and crustaceans inhabited the beach and much to our delight, we could swim amongst them.
In the evening, after a day exploring the beach and sampling the local fare (e.g. gado gado and avocado milkshake with palm syrup) for lunch at the supposedly local market ("Pasar Oleh Oleh"), we had a bowling game at the recreational centre of the hotel before boarding the free shuttle bus to the Kelong Restaurant for a hearty seafood dinner. Their chili crabs and gong gong (boiled dog conch with dipping sauce) were so delicious that we finished all of them even though we were not really hungry!
Besides being a surprise because I didnt know F and K were joining us on the trip, this Bintan getaway held 2 other surprises: firstly, I never expected the Nirwana Resort Hotel to have such a beautiful tranquil and unspoilt beach; secondly, this being our first overseas trip with F and K, I was amazed that we didnt experience any of the usual problems that friends sometimes get when travelling together. After this, H and I were more confident of successfully organising trips elsewhere together with F and K in future.
posted by sunshine wallflower at 10:31 AM
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