V day at Brunei

Every time we go Brunei we must eat askapi sushi. After the heavy meal we went for a stroll at a park near the hotel. The park was quite well kept. Wished I could go up to the tasek. Perhaps we will revisit this park again when i revisit brunei in 2019 when the temburong bridge is completed.

 Brunei is a safe place with no tax. This time, Xft went to shop at Mothercare. Rented a new Vios from hertz. Petrol is cheap and easy to drive around using hou Liu dik Nokia gps. Low cost of living. After the walk we had a vday buffet at the hotel. It cost just sgd 35 nett per pax. In 3 years time we should be revisiting Brunei. All in all the trip is relaxing for a short transit with bbo. First year bb went cuti cuti. Second year bb start to go overseas trip.This year brunei is part of the epic annual cny SIN-KUL-BKI-BWN-SIN trip. The transit can be via BWN, Kuching or JB. Everytime bb wake up she will be at a new place or country.

Mobile alliance

Bridge- singtel, maxis

Conexus starhub, ntt docomo, vodafone

Asia mobility m1, axiata - Qorus alliance

Acasia - telekom, cat, singtel, telbru, pldt, vnpt, indosat

Spectrum

P1+TM

YTL+ Asiaspace

Alltel+Celcom

Maxis+ U mobile+ Redtone

Only digi is left alone. P1 has sign domestic roaming with Celcom. Another round of potential consolidation seems likely for the weaker players. P1 and YTL are planning to launch TD LTE

From infant to toddler

13mo - walk steadily. 3rd & 4th teeth appear on the lower jaw. Total 8.

14mo - shout mum mum mum to signal feeding. Respond to mum mum signal. Ditch the lumpy food and prefer dry solid adult food, like rice. Shake both hands vigorously to signal no no no. Climb into high chair n shower tub unaided. 

15mo - vocal expanded to "mum mum", 

Western casual diner

1. TGIF Fridays
2. Hard Rock Cafe
3. Chillis
4. Tony Romas
5. Bubba Gump
6. Johnny Rockets

Singapore property cooling measures

In Jan 2013 PR cannot hold hdb once they bought their private properties in Singapore.

Nice car to replace Materia

1. VW Golf mk 7 SV 1.4 TSI 125 hp 200Nm - not diesel but all rounder too small not practical for family
2. Citreon C4 Picasso EAT6 gearbox euro 6, 1.2 petrol 130hp 230 Nm
3. Renault kadjar 1.2T 130 hp 205 Nm- edc7 dct gearbox euro 6
4. Honda hrv 1.5 iVTEC 130 hp 155Nm 
5. Nissan qashqai 1.2 turbo petrol 115 hp 165 Nm cvt7 looks decent 
6. Opel Grandland X
7. Peugeot 308 sw 1.2 T puretech 129hp 230Nm petrol EAT6 

8. Peugeot 3008 1.2T 130 hp 230Nm with EAT6 Euro 6 engine 

9. Chevy Cruze wagon 1.4T 138 hp 200 Nm petrol

10. Subaru levorg 1.6 turbo 170 hp
11. Kia caren 1.7 tdi 141 hp
12. Ford Focus wagon 1.0 Ecoboost 125 hp 170 Nm

Toyota, honda and Hyundai is developing 1.0 turbo with 125hp and 200Nm

So many choices looking forward to pulsar, Jade, sienta as alternative. Finally sold off materia after 8 years of service and bought nissan pulsar 115 hp 165 Nm

In general diesel is torquey and fuel efficient, petrol is powerful but less torquey.

Brv, shuttle  and freed is pretty decent. If ford launches the cmax in singapore it could be a good alternative.

I think in the end will stick to jap cars or I think getting a pug or citroen blue hdi tdi which may arrive next year since Singapore is going Euro 6 by Sep 2017 for petrol and Jan 2018 for diesel.

Singapore move to Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 5 for diesel in  2014.

By 2020 hybrid will be more and more common. I am particularly attracted to Nissan e-power tech. High torque 250 Nm from the electric motor. Next Qashqai shd be having this e-power option