Editor’s Note: Eric Goh received the most votes for his entry in Dads for Life’s The Joy of Being There Contest in 2010.  And for that, he won a travel voucher which allowed him to decide where to bring his wife and daughters for a holiday. In June 2011, the family made a trip to Hong Kong where they had a great time shopping, marveling at sea creatures in Ocean Park and celebrating Fathers’ Day. Here’s Eric’s story, in his own words.

 

I want to thank everyone who had voted for me in Dads for Life’s The Joy of Being There Contest last year. Your precious votes made this trip possible for my family, and we truly appreciate all of you. Thank you so much.

With the travel voucher I won, my family and I went for a holiday in Hong Kong in June 2011. It was an opportunity to build wonderful memories as a family. Travelling together greatly bonded us.

Day One - So excited! This was our first family trip to Hong Kong. All of us were like "mountain tortoises"* for we had never been to Hong Kong before. We took a Cathay Pacific flight which lasted about three hours and 15 minutes.  The kids were engrossed with the in-flight entertainment system. It was their first time on an airplane with a screen at their seats.

Upon reaching the hotel, we set off immediately for Mongkok to shop at “Temple Street”. They sell many things there: clothes, watches, souvenirs, shoes, soft toys and bags. In Hong Kong, haggling of prices is allowed; but if you bargain and agree on the price, make sure you buy it otherwise the street vendor might get angry.

Day Two - After a good Dim Sum breakfast, we went to the pier in Hong Kong and took a Turbojet to Macau. Travel from Hong Kong to Macau is straightforward and takes less than an hour; making it the perfect day trip. Macau is also well known for its casinos. We were not there to gamble but we took the chance to visit all the magnificent hotels and took great photos.

Day Three - After a sumptuous porridge with “You Tiow” or deep-fried dough fritters, we took the train from Prince Edward Mass Transit Rail (MTR) Station in Kowloon -the closest one from our hotel- to Admiralty MTR Station on Hong Kong Island. At Admiralty MTR Station, we emerged from Exit B to take Citybus Route 629 to Ocean Park.  It took approximately 25 minutes to reach the Ocean Park main entrance. Wow, what a sight to behold!

Ocean Park is not just an aquarium –it contains a huge amusement park, has live animal shows, and promises fun for the entire family. We made our way to Ocean Theatre where performances by dolphins and sea lions could be watched from a tram.

If you take the cable car, the view is magnificent, unless you have a phobia of heights. In the evening, we dined in the one of the finest restaurants in Hong Kong to celebrate Father’s Day.

Day Four - We visited Disneyland! You need to make your way to a MTR station for a special train to Disneyland. There, we were surprised to see that the train had Mickey Mouse-shaped windows which made it unique, elegant and classy. Even the handrails featured the much-loved round-eared icon. Once we reached the MTR station at Disneyland, the children ran quickly to the entry. They were so eager to explore the Disneyland for the very first time.

Wow, Disneyland was huge! We really could not finish walking through it. Neither could we watch all the shows, nor catch every ride. The girls really enjoyed themselves.  What a wonderful day it was for my family at Disneyland. I think the entrance fee is well worth it.

Day Five – We did our final shopping in Fa Yuan Street and took an express train to the airport.

This wonderful experience has inspired my family to plan more of such trips to new places. There will be other adventures in the future. Thank you, Dads for Life, for giving us this opportunity.

 

*Mountain Tortoise is a colloquial term for Country Bumpkin, adapted from a similar term in the Hokkien dialect.

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About the Author: Eric Goh, 42, works as an aircraft engineering officer. He is the winner of Dads for Life’s The Joy of Being There Contest which took place in 2010. Eric is married to Tiffiny, a kindergarten teacher, and they are parents to Gracia, 13, and Gerica, 9. As a family, they enjoy cycling, roller blading and outdoor activities.

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