JUST TO SHARE (Lau Tai Onn): October 2019

It has been years since Genting Highland last offered me free room stay for being a Resorts World Classic member since I didn’t take up a few times. In fact, my membership needs to be activated recently for being inactive for a while. However, I was offered on 15/10/2019 a 3D2N stay on 22/10/2019 and 23/10/2019 and given a chance to join the Big Win Draw on the night of 23/10/2019.

As my former high school classmate Wong Yoke Ming and his wife were going up to Genting for the same purpose and willing to give me a ride, I accepted Genting’s offer and my wife Soh Ai agreed to come along for the 3D2N stay.

I casually informed my ex-collegue Lim Soo Lian who used to go up to Genting in the past about this trip and it so happened that he had already planned to go there from 23/10/2019 and stayed till 26/10/2019. He decided to join us on the night of 22/10/2019 and would stay 4D3N in Genting.

On Tuesday, 22/10/2019, Wong YM and his wife came to fetch Soh Ai and I at about 1.20pm. We had our curry chicken lunch at Restoran Ratha Goh Thong Jaya at about 2.30 pm.

Lunch at Goh Thong Jaya

Our lunch cost us RM52

After lunch we proceeded to Genting Premium Outlet (GPO) / Genting Skyway Cable Car Station where Wong parked his car there for free (a privilege of being a Resorts World Silver Card holder).

From there I booked a Grab car to fetch us to First World Hotel for RM12 only. This is cheaper for 4 of us to take the cable car as the fare would be RM9 x 4 = RM36.

At First World Hotel Soh Ai and I checked into 8^th floor Standard Room of Tower 1 while Wong and his wife 18^th floor Deluxe Room of Tower 2.

As my eldest son Wai Kit texted me earlier and suggested for us to watch the spectacular stunt show “Imaginatricks” on-going (actually from 25/5/2019 till 24/5/2020) in Genting International Showroom, which Wong was offered free tickets to watch too, I decided to buy the tickets for the 8.00pm show for Soh Ai and myself. The published ticket types are Preferred (RM196), PS1 (RM146) and PS2 (RM96). But the PS2 ticket cost me RM90.40 per person when I purchased at the Box Office, not sure why the slight discount. My spending of RM180.80 earned me GP & Tier Points of 1.81.

We bought meal vouchers (RM6 each) through a travel agent whom Wong knew and each voucher is equivalent to RM21 to be used in the restaurants inside Sky Casino at First World Hotel.

We went to the Gold Club Casino at 2^nd floor to drink free milo and coffee. There I had the beginner’s luck in the computer-game of Roulette (I never played before) of winning RM350 in just the first and only bet on a number of 23 which I noticed came out a few times earlier. Wong also won after betting that no. for the 4^th time. We both stopped playing immediately and went to cash out the winnings.

It was a pleasant surprise as Soh Ai and I were given upgraded seats (PS1) as we entered Genting International Showroom for the “Imaginatricks” show at about 7.15pm. I figured it was because the hall was not full as it was a weekday.

The action-packed show started at 8.00pm and finished at 9.30pm. I must say I was totally entertained by the magnificent performances of the international cabaret dancers , acrobats, stuntmen, ice skaters, a comedian and others. It appeared to me the main cast are French.

After the show, we went for porridge supper at Good Luck Restaurant using our meal vouchers as we didn’t take our dinner earlier. Lim joined us there as he drove up and intended to sleep in his car that night.

Beside the main entrance of First World Hotel

My hotel room check-in slip

Inside Sky Casino

Free drinks in Sky Casino's Gold Card Members Section

"Win Big Draw" entry ticket issued by iKiosk

The stun show spectacular "Imaginatricks"

Tickets for the show at Genting International Showroom bought for RM90.40 each, but automatically upgraded to seats costing RM149 upon entry.

Soh Ai at Genting International Showroom before the show began

The show begun....

Beautiful backdrop scenery

Acrobatic performance

Curtain call

Final bow

Taken before leaving the Showroom

Night scene of Genting Hotel

Our meal vouchers in casino restaurants (purchased for RM6 each from travel agents only)

Our supper venue

Walking through the shops at Sky Avenue

SHORT VIDEO CLIPS OF THE "IMAGINATRICKS" SHOW:

On the second day Wednesday, 23/10/2019, Soh Ai and I had 2 bowls of chicken noodle soups plus coffee @ RM13.90 each at the Lobby Cafe/Junction opposite the ground floor lift lobby of Tower 1.

We all (except Wong’s wife) visited the classy Maxims Hotel when Lim checked into his Premium Room. Wong later bought some cookies for us to eat and relax at the external terrace of Genting Grand Hotel.

We went to Arena of Stars at about 6.45pm and seated quite near to the stage. The singing performance by a local male singer 林德胜 (from Kuantan) started at 7.30pm with many Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien songs. The second performer was Jordan Sam aka Michael Jackson of Asia and his impersonation of MJ presenting so many pop songs of the yesteryear was highly entertaining. The lucky draws of the top prize of a car and 24 pieces of gold plates were the highlight of the night ending at 9.00pm.

Short video clip of Jordan Sam's impersonation of Michael Jackon:

Soh Ai and I shared a plate of wantan noodle for dinner at Peace Cafe Express in Sky Casino at 9.40pm.

I had played Baccarat games at many gambling tables in the Sky Casino and in the end I neither won or lost throughout the day. I thought my luck of winning from the casino ran out already and must not indulge anymore. Wong confided in me later that he overall won RM800 from this trip.

Soh Ai and I adjourned to our room at 1.00am past midnight.

A pose with Lim Soo Lian

Wong Yoke Ming reading messages from his mobile phone

My lunch shared with Soh Ai at Pot Luck Restaurant

Indoor Theme Park in First World Hotel

View from the window of 8th floor room of Maxims Hotel

Maxims Hotel lobby

Maxims Hotel's Premium Room

Terrace outside Genting Grand Hotel

On the third day Thursday, 24/10/2019, I woke up at 9.00am and joined Wong for breakfast at Lobby Cafe. Soh Ai and I shared one roti canai plus coffee for RM13.90.

We returned our room key at the checkout kiosk at 11.30am and left Genting. My first booking of Grab car showed RM11 only from First World Hotel to GPO but it was canceled by the driver after 5 minutes of waiting. The second booking of a Proton Saga car cost RM19 for the same journey. We accepted this booking and the driver told us the inconsistent price was fixed by the Grab company.

Wong drove us to Bentong town for Hainan coffee and wantan mee (at Thong Kee Cafe), and later ice-cream (at Kedai Kopi & Warung Ais Krim Kow Po) before returning to K.L. I was very sleepy and dozed off in the car during the homeward bound journy in the afternoon. Soh and I reached home at 3.15pm.

I have worked out my total spending in the region of RM335.40 for this trip, but due to the gambling win of RM350 (RM100 was given to Soh Ai for shopping), I actually expended RM85.00 only from my pocket!