Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Our stroller history

Our 1st stroller was a used Capella Harmony with an infant car seat. It was a pretty good travel system back when we only had Armand.



We then bought was another used Harmony while we still have the 1st one because the 1st one was not working so well, or so we thought. In the end, it was just how it works and we sold that off soon after.

Our 3rd stroller was a new Hauck Turbo. We bought it as a spare as the Capella was becoming a hassle to fold, if I am not wrong. I seriously cannot remember why actually.



Our 4th stroller was a new Mothercare Mino that we bought while we were in London (as we did not bring our stroller along, which was a BIG mistake!). It was cheap there anyway. We sold the Capella off when we got back home as Armand outgrew the infant car seat.

I really love the Mino. Super light, super compact. Apparently I did not love it enough that we 'lost' it when I forgot to put it into the trunk of the car and drove off without it. Needless to say, it was no longer there when I returned back to the car park. Luckily we still have the Hauck Turbo or we would have been stroller-less.


Our 5th stroller was a used Hauck Shopper Shop 'n Drive travel system that we bought about a month before Arissa was due as we needed the infant car seat and the travel system will come in handy. We sold the Hauck Turbo after that. The Hauck Shopper Shop 'n Drive was a good stroller. Not compact when fold but a good stroller nevertheless.



Our 6th stroller was a Hauck Freerider that I shipped in from Germany. We needed a double now and we can use the same infant car seat from the Shop 'n Drive for Arissa. The idea was, if we were out with one, we can just use the Shop 'n Drive and if we were out with both, we'll use the Freerider.



Our 7th stroller was a Sweet Cherry LC100 Tulsa that we bought while we were in Penang. I know that I should have learnt my lesson from the London trip and bring along either one of our strollers but I did not want them damaged during flight, like what happened to our Mothercare Mino during the London trip back.  Anyway, we sold it off when we got back home as we did not need it anymore. It was not a bad stroller actually and it was super cheap.



Our 8th stroller was used Phil&Teds Sport because the Hauck Freerider started to piss me off. The Phil&Teds was better as a double stroller although it is not totally piss-me free either. We sold the Hauck Freerider after that as well as the Shopper Shop 'n Drive travel system as it was Arissa's turn to outgrew the infant car seat.



Our 9th stroller was a used Phil&Teds Explorer because the brakes and the seat recline on the Sport is ridiculously irritating. So we sold the Sport off after getting the Explorer.



Now we are down to only one stroller - the Explorer. So far this should be the best and last and the only stroller for us. Or is it?

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

HDB May 2013 BTO - Woodlands - Pasture I & II

The BTO sits on the 2nd last piece of empty plot of land along Gambas Ave, flanked by Northoaks to the south-east and Woodlands Meadow BTO to the north-west.

The nearest MRT, Admiralty, is about 650m away and that is if you cut through the existing public housing

If you noticed, both MSCP are where they are to act as a buffer between the blocks and the new north-south expressway viaduct which in my opinion is the best place for both the MSCP.

However, when the MSCP is tucked to one side, it just mean that there will be blocks that requires some pretty good walking between them, so drivers do take note.

This BTO also comes with a commercial block that houses a supermarket, shops, a child care centre and even a restaurant. Pretty convenient.

Among its midst are also a nursing home and rental blocks.

Also, the drainage reserve on Pasture I runs underground resulting in an open space above ground. It remains to be seen what can that area be use for.

Layout is very much sardined up. Many units face each other and they are very close.

Choosing the best units is tough because there is not many but they have got to be those facing school and/or park, namely - 19, 03, 01, 15, 13, 16, 14, 28, 26. Although most will get the afternoon sun, it is the price to pay for unblock view.

For those facing internally, only 23 can make it. The rest is just too damn close.

If you do not mind the road noise and dust, then those higher units ( 7 floor and above) facing the MSCP or the commercial block will be great as it is quite a distance between the units and the future viaduct.


Source - HDB

Sunday, June 2, 2013

HDB May 2013 BTO - Sembawang - EastWave@Canberra

Another BTO in Sembawang with only 4 and 5 rooms, just like EastBank@Canberra.

Layout is also pretty similar, although each block curves outwards which means some units facing internal compound may be closer to the opposite unit than the rest.

Unlike EastBank@Canberra, EastWave@Canberra comes with a 7 storey MSCP. It also comes with a 3 storey centre that houses a eating house, a supermarket, some shops and a childcare center for convenience.

Some units facing the car park will have about 35m of buffer so if you only have the lower units to choose from, it is not so bad. However, stay away from the lower units of 301, 303, 305, 317 and 319 as the heavy vehicular traffic it faces will only mean noise. To play it safe, units higher than the MSCP would be better.

Best unit would definitely be 329 as it faces a future park. That means unblock view. Unit 401 and 403 faces the park too but will receive the scorching afternoon sun.

High floor units facing the future school will have unblock views too but as a trade off, it will get the afternoon sun plus the noise from the school.

Units facing the future Canberra Way are facing the morning sun so these are not so bad either, except for lower floor units of 353 as it is very close to the MSCP even though it does not face it directly.

As for units facing the internal compound, units in blocks 120C and 120D are preferred as they face the morning sun as compared to those in blocks 120A and 120B which faces the afternoon sun.



Source - HDB