A Famosa Resort

We had another fun filled but busy weekend. Heard a lot about A Famosa Resort, so we thought we will make a trip there before I get too big. We left the house at about 12pm, there was a massive jam on the highway caused by a major accident, near Seremban, it took us almost 1 1/2 hrs to drive through that stretch. Jason recommended that we stay in Tampin town instead of the resort, since Tampin is very near A Famosa, and there's a brand new 'budget' hotel just opened recently. We arrived at 4pm and went to check out the hotel first. For RM110, Wangsa Mas price wasn't 'budget'; since it's new, it's relatively clean but the room is very basic. After we checked in, with the directions from the hotel receptionist, we headed towards A Famosa, Daddy was saying, "Just in time for the Animal Safari, to see the action (of the animals) in the evening." After 30mins of driving and A Famosa was no where to be found, Daddy got a bit annoyed. "Near is very a very subjective word. Your friend's kind of near, is definitely not my kind of near." Daddy even got more furious when we arrived at A Famosa shortly, and the parking attendant at the Animal Safari told us they are closed at 5pm. So no animals for that day, we headed towards the Cowboy town instead. We paid RM30 per adult (Zara is free since she's below 2yrs old), and when we got in, Daddy was not impressed. It was a dead town (since we were early), with just a street with buildings built to look like a cowboy town. "For this they charge RM30?" Mr Grump said. Since it was too far to go back to Tampin for dinner (so we thought) and too early for anything, we just had an early dinner in a Chinese restaurant in Cowboy Town.

After dinner, we walked about the 'town'. Zara finally meeting a pony (she has been keen to see one since she saw it in her Barney DVD), she was so eager to pat the ponies, and got a kick on her calf by one unfriendly black pony, poor girl. One of the cowboys greeting visitors at the entrance. Red Indian with a very small head.

For RM10, Zara is able to get unlimited ride on the amusement park in the town, but all she wanted was the Carousel. We tried to put her on one of the aeroplane rides (that just goes round like the carousel), and we had to get the operator to stop it mid way because she was crying and screaming.

She didn't want to get down, always asking for 'some more' every time when it's over. We had to lie and said the batteries of the horses need to be charged for her to get down. We definitely got our RM10 worth.

These trampolines were meant for some 'bungee jumping' and the section was closed. We just let Zara jump on one, since she loves jumping on bed so much.

Showtime in Cowboy Town starts at 8:30pm. This was when we started feeling 'worthwhile'. First show was Red Indian show, or 'Fire' show, followed with Animal Carnival.

'Red Indians' spinning torches, swallowing and spitting fire. Trained animals (from chickens to lion) walking the street

And then it was fireworks. Zara got a bit frightened by the blasting sound, but with our hands covering her ears, she started enjoying it as well.

The most spectacular of all the show

We left after the fireworks. This time, with the A Famosa guard giving us directions, it took us about 5mins to get back to Tampin. We took a wrong way earlier. "Your friend was right, it is very near." A cheerful daddy said. "And for RM30, it's quite good entertainment in the Cowboy Town hor?" That night, both Daddy and I didn't get a good sleep, and for some extend, Zara too. We had extremely noisy neighbours, who came in a group, and booked a few rooms. They were slamming doors, shouting to each other across rooms, playing loud music. At 2am, I couldn't stand it anymore, went out of our room and shouted at them, "Oi, what time is it ah? You don't need to sleep other people need to you know?" After a few sorry, I thought they will be more quiet, but then the noise didn't stop till 3am, and then started again at 5am. Gosh, I almost wanted to slap them when I met them in the morning.

And for Zara, I'm not sure if she's starting to get attached to her room, or she finds the hotel room too 'basic' for her liking, she started asking us to "Go home" when we changed her for bed. And middle of the night, she woke up a few times, looked around her, and then nudged me and said "Mummy, go home". She dropped back to sleep when I told her it's too far to go home. So it was like no sleep for me the whole night. The following morning, after checking out and had breakfast in Tampin Market, we headed to A Famosa Resort, to 'revisit' the Animal Safari. Zara was chanting "Go Zoo, go see animals" the whole morning.

Entrance fee for Animal Safari is RM35/adult, free for Zara again. We missed the morning shows (shows start early, and then get repeated in the afternoon), since we arrived at about 11am.

Zara is always keen to meet 'animals'.

We caught the bird show, which was really good.

Photos with the trained birds after the bird show.

For lunch, it was 4 packs of Tong's Garden's nuts, and 2 milo ice shared between Daddy and I. Zara had her milk, and some nuts. Oh well, we were not 'stingy' and unwilling to spend. The cafe in the Animal Safari only served some I-don't-even-know-what-they-are Middle Eastern meals if you ordered over the counter. For more common dishes like Fish and Chips, Chicken Chop, you have to purchase the voucher from the entrance of the park. Stupid system? That's what I told the lady mending the restaurant.

We then watched the Wild Wild West show; the most boring of all shows, for me. However, Zara was so entertained by it, and can even recalled what happened ("Good cowboy take gun bang bang bad cowboy. Bad cowboy fall down from the building. Then got Red Indian jiejie." etc). And then followed by Multi Animal Show (with dogs, monkeys, raccoons performing).

Daddy then took the Safari truck with Zara to go around the park. I wasn't allowed on the truck because I was pregnant, and the guy mending the station said they already encountered 7 miscarriages of pregnant ladies who went on the truck from the bumpy ride. It was a 20mins ride, and Zara said she liked it as she could see lion, tiger and giraffes.

By now, Zara wa very tired, but she kept saying, "Want to see more animals", and trying to keep herself awake. However, 3minutes later, she was asleep in her pram. We only let her have a 30mins nap, we woke her up when it was time for the Elephant show.

Photos with the casts from the Wild Wide West show, and then with the Elephant from the Elephant show.

After the elephant show, it was already 5pm. We took Zara to the last attraction, the Chicken farm. Daddy sneaked his hand into the chicken coup and pulled out a little chicken for Zara to stroke. She really loved it, after that she kept saying, "Little chicken so cute and soft". The Animal Safari is worth the RM35 entrance fee. The place is cleaner, and you get closer to the 'animals' than Zoo Negara, and the shows are all quite entertaining. Very worthwhile for parents with young children.