Some time back last year, my dad’s colleagues organised a day trip to Johor Bahru for durian tasting and a visit to an organic farm.
![Group photo with everyone who went on the trip Group photo with everyone who went on the trip](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7027/6815510165_aee2b7fc86_z.jpg)
Rachel was still pregnant with Asher then and had a strong craving for durian during her pregnancy. Being the doting father-in-law, my dad arranged for us to tag along on the trip with my mum and my aunt, together with my dad’s colleagues and their respective family members.
To be honest, Rachel and I are not big fans of visiting Johor Bahru. We dislike getting stuck in the traffic jams at the causeway and custom. It’s reputation as a “cowboy town” with high crime rate didn’t help either.
Nonetheless, we seldom get to travel together with my parents and a day trip to Johor Bahru seems the right amount of time for family bonding on a weekend.
The day started with breakfast at a Chinese dim sum restaurant:
![Having our breakfast Having our breakfast](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7148/6815509219_84ec3555a6_z.jpg)
![Some dim sum items Some dim sum items](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6815508997_892deef3fd_z.jpg)
![I had a small bowl of congee I had a small bowl of congee](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6815508749_9f0b925d76_z.jpg)
Next, we moved on to visit Zenxin Organic Park to learn about agriculture and growing organic food:
![Zenxin Organic Park Zenxin Organic Park](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6815510859_d31cc0892d_z.jpg)
![What can we do at Zenxin? What can we do at Zenxin?](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7020/6815509123_c023bb0a39_z.jpg)
![LIKE them on Facebook? LIKE them on Facebook?](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7152/6815508279_4c24124e82_z.jpg)
![Spot some "famous celebrities" like these three? :p Spot some "famous celebrities" like these three? :p](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6815508483_2ff049b07d_z.jpg)
![There was a guide from the farm who brought us around There was a guide from the farm who brought us around](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7167/6815508399_ee115404eb_z.jpg)
![A small pond A small pond](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7008/6815508611_b0daef2a66_z.jpg)
![Rows and rows of small crops Rows and rows of small crops](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7012/6815510345_b2e33d6b18_z.jpg)
![Guide showing us some of the crops Guide showing us some of the crops](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6815512031_fe13ff7905_z.jpg)
![Lots of nets are needed for organic farming to keep out insects Lots of nets are needed for organic farming to keep out insects](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6815512547_68ed99b2b4_z.jpg)
![Plants that look like dreadlocks Plants that look like dreadlocks](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7028/6815509797_62e1b222d7_z.jpg)
![Close-up of the plant Close-up of the plant](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6815511235_0711099850_z.jpg)
![Sleeping farmer Sleeping farmer](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6815508069_1e3b357b40_z.jpg)
![A tractor A tractor](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6815509911_d1abb80d8a_z.jpg)
![Looking at rabbits Looking at rabbits](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6815513343_4e01955675_z.jpg)
![Rabbits of different colours Rabbits of different colours](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6815512323_286ae37c11_z.jpg)
![Pheasants or wild chicken Pheasants or wild chicken](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6815510469_55791921a6_z.jpg)
![Shrubs and herbs Shrubs and herbs](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6815511617_c4ddc35734_z.jpg)
![The guide sharing with us the medicinal properties of each herbal plant The guide sharing with us the medicinal properties of each herbal plant](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7001/6815510731_f1f22cc13f_z.jpg)
![There is a plant call "Black Face General" There is a plant call "Black Face General"](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7004/6815507929_7c83248924_z.jpg)
![This plant has an interesting Chinese name This plant has an interesting Chinese name](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6815510033_e7ea9061d0_z.jpg)
![Rachel checking some of the organic fruits and veggies on sale Rachel checking some of the organic fruits and veggies on sale](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6815511735_4415542447_z.jpg)
![Shopping around Shopping around](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7030/6815509373_64e637a050_z.jpg)
Then came the highlight of the trip – binge durian eating at a durian plantation:
![At the durian plantation At the durian plantation](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6815510597_385d3592ba_z.jpg)
![We ate durians at this tent area We ate durians at this tent area](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7149/6815512883_ddc2866f08_z.jpg)
![Free flow of durian for everyone to eat Free flow of durian for everyone to eat](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6815513185_9feaebd453_z.jpg)
![My aunt plucking some fresh rambutans My aunt plucking some fresh rambutans](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6815512735_0a765e3cf9_z.jpg)
![Fresh rambutan Fresh rambutan](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7026/6815511457_8d076163a4_z.jpg)
This was followed by a shopping trip to Jusco and dinner at a Chinese restaurant on the way back to Singapore.
![Shopping at Jusco Shopping at Jusco](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6815510983_36fa999ca2_z.jpg)
![We had our dinner at this restaurant We had our dinner at this restaurant](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7155/6815511101_0960b6c135_z.jpg)
![Soup (not shark's fin) Soup (not shark's fin)](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7151/6815508161_cbd8c81f13_z.jpg)
![Fried fish Fried fish](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7002/6815512193_3c8191b8dc_z.jpg)
![Tofu dish Tofu dish](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6815511817_5d4b82b409_z.jpg)
![Chicken dish Chicken dish](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7019/6815511897_9c7e927fe6_z.jpg)
![Sotong with vegetable Sotong with vegetable](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7035/6815511371_ef16d9c700_z.jpg)
![Vegetable Vegetable](http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6815513011_55fd334115_z.jpg)
This rounded up our one day trip to Johor Bahru. Beyond just cheap groceries and pirated DVDs, there are other things to do in Johor Bahru that are suited for the whole family, young and old. 🙂