We started out early coz we were taking the train to Vivocity for some breakfast. Ended up at Toast Box at Food Republic where he had his usual toast and Milo while I took eggs and coffee, plus youtiao from another stall. He didn't want to take the Sentosa Express so we headed down to the boardwalk with a full stomach.
Random happy pose
Not so happy pose requested by Mama
Happy pose he wanted for himself
First time seeing the Merlion from this angle
Finally!
And things went downhill from there. We arrived at 9.24 am coz website said the ticketing counter opens 30 minutes before opening time, which is 10 am. The staff were clueless about that, and opened counters only at 9.55 am.
First in line but miserable
Once in, staff told us to go for activities first instead of activating the card coz there were big school groups that day. We went to the bank anyway and guess what, no one was there!
He was talking a lot but I didn't know what he was talking about
We went to get a pilot pass first. There was no one there. As we came back down the stairs, an unfriendly staff told us that we could not go up there. Put up a sign then. So we were given a pass for 11.20 am, which was strange coz we were the first. I asked and found that the first session was 10.20 am. Why didn't she offer that?? Anyway, Kai didn't want to wait for 10 min (first red flag) so we took the 11.20 am
His first activity
Very happy with the treat after 20 min listening to instructions and pressing a few buttons
Next was the science lab. The staff asked all the waiting kids whether we had any pilot or pizza pass. She took more than 5 min to do this for six kids - why??! While the kids were not sure, the parents were also not sure. And the staff just kept waiting for the parents to decide whether or not to go get the pilot pass before coming back for this activity! I wondered what kind of SOP the staff had.
Learning about bacteria
Happy with Yakult
He didn't want to go for the pilot activity coz he saw the driving activity (second red flag) but I made him go for it. Turned out he liked it.
Eye check and licence are pre-requisites for the driving activity
He decided he would pump petrol first on his way to the cars (third red flag)
Finally driving!
Then he wanted to buy toys
With only fewer than 60 Kidzos, he couldn't get anything he liked. I told him he had to earn more Kidzos. He said ok unwillingly and popped into the first activity with no queue.
Looking quite bored
He kept going from activity to activity coz there were queues everywhere. He just couldn't understand that 10 min for a queue was very good already! The queue at the fire station was like 70 min by then!
Unwilling participant at the bah kwa store
Back to the department store after checking his balance but found that he still couldn't buy anything he liked
Time to queue more!!!! And it was so hard for him to decide which queue to go for coz he didn't want to wait! Just couldn't make him understand that there were queues everywhere...
He became a police officer to control crowds... (I woofed down lunch during his briefing :p)
Did some CSI work...
And still didn't have enough money! I gave him options - go home, earn more money, spend on small things. He decided to spend on small things - like making a burger for lunch. But he had to pee and lost his place in the queue. He was hungry and couldn't wait 25 min for his turn so I got him the same burger at the retail counter. We ended up waiting coz the staff who got our order told us they needed two min to make the burger but he left - his colleagues didn't know who the burger belonged to! What terrible service.
At some points, he wanted to play his Rubik cube instead of doing the activities!!
Last activity - packing candies
We were quite lucky. The activity took six at one go and he was the 8th kid in the queue. The first four were together. The rest were a boy and two girls. I thought if the boy was before the two girls, he might have a chance. The boy's mother pushed him forward with the two girls and left. When the staff couldn't tell who got 5th and 6th, the guardian of the first four came to the rescue - the boy was ahead of the two girls!
But I rejoiced too early. The two girls were together but I don't think they were terribly good friends. When the staff said only one could go, the girls said they had only 15-20 min. But the staff was fair. So the girl in front raised her hand and said she would go. So we waited outside.
Shortly, two other girls came by. They knew the two girls in front of us. They told the girl inside that they all had to go at 4 pm, which was 15 min away. The girl inside said no, it was 4.30 pm; she asked. What lies. The three girls left.
Kai wanted to leave too; he didn't want to wait. But I told him to just wait coz there were queues everywhere! And suddenly, I saw the girl removing her gear and taking back her Kidzos - she was leaving! I nodded a wordless question to the staff and she nodded back. Yeah! Seemed like the girl realised with all the attendance taking and dressing up, she could not finish the activity in time.
I told Kai he didn't need to share the candies with his brothers, and asked if he would. He thought about it and decided he would. He ate all but three and let me keep it.
We took the Sentosa Express to Vivocity and grabbed a cab home. We were both so tired that we dozed off!
Just managed to check in with him about Kidzania. He knew that he had to work to earn money - goal achieved! But he didn't want to go back again. Suits me fine!
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