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Japan 2024

14 Oct

I have to say Japan is fascinating and fun! Our adventure did not start well, but I’m not complaining.

We woke up at 4.00 am because our ride to the airport was coming at 5.00 am to have us arrive four hours before departure to avoid unnecessary hiccups. The queue to check in was not too long because we arrived early. So that’s good.

After checking in, we decided to have a McD breakfast. However, the ordering kiosk was down. We had to walk further down the terminal to its other outlet. It wasn’t the best tummy filler, but something light was better than nothing.

The wait was typical, likewise the routine. I got padded down the front and had to remove my Blundstone to send it through the X-ray machine. The rest of the family did not encounter this. Maybe it’s boots versus sneakers that was the reason.

Boarding was routine also, but upon strapping down, an announcement stated that we had to wait for half an hour before being cleared for take-off due to heavy traffic. Promptly after half an hour, MH70 sped down the runway of KLIA, and we were Japan-bound! Yay.

I had fish with potatoes for my on-board meal

We arrived on schedule at Narita International Airport. The airport is huge! It took us forever to walk upon disembarkation to get to the immigration counters. The queue was very long, but everything was so efficient and fast, it’s impressive.

Pokémons welcomed us at Narita!

Our checked-in luggage was out without having to wait, and we waited for our transport to pick us up to send us to our hotel. Our adventure has finally begun!

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Have Boots Will Travel

11 Oct

I love my Blundstone boots, and this is my second pair. Like the first pair, this pair had a change of sole. Hydrolysis occurred on the soles, disintegrating them to smithereens as the boots were left unused for a long time.

Despite this change, the current pair of boots are still comfortable. I would wear them daily if I had the chance. However, the weather at home is not suitable for such footwear. So, I only wear my Blundstone when I am off for a holiday at a cold climate destination; hence the motto “Have boots will travel.”

Where are we off to this time? Tokyo, Japan! Whee. Tokyo reminds me of my college days, dinosaur years back when I had to layover at Narita International Airport for my flight for a few hours before continuing the journey. But technically, I cannot say I have visited Tokyo because I never left the airport to see the city. Back then, there were no Blundstones as well. No Blundstones, no travel. Hahaha.

I look forward to experiencing the city during this holiday. There will be a lot of walking, but I’m not worried because I have my comfortable Blundstone boots! We fly tomorrow morning. Happy travels to us!

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August Golf Escapade, Part 2

30 Aug

Going away for a golf vacation is supposed to be enjoyable. Unfortunately, this trip has not been quite the case. Only the first day was a good experience. Well, it is the fourth and last day of the trip. I decided not to have any expectations for what was to come.

After a hearty breakfast, we checked out and headed for the Valley course of The Els Club, a short drive from the hotel. Again, the clubhouse was not grand but rather plain. I wouldn’t call it modern because it didn’t come across as one.

Top: my breakfast choices, bowl of porridge, mini vadai; bottom: Singapore Hokkien Mee and Soto Ayam for lunch

We arrived early but decided against teeing off ahead. After two days of things turning out for the worse, I think it’s better to stick to the plan to avoid disappointment. The Valley course is known to be more challenging because of the terrain, but I started with a bogey, par, par. It didn’t feel that difficult.

When there’s no expectation of any sort, things go on smoothly. The day was perfect – our pace was excellent, the weather was cloudy, the caddy was good, and our duel was intense. After two losses in the last two games against hubby, I had an uphill battle to even the odds. 

I had bunker issues, as always, because my typical game plan for these situations is to avoid them. But avoid them, I couldn’t, especially for the Par 3s. Luckily, the Par 5s saved me, and we battled until the last hole. I won in the end. And we completed the round in three and a half hours! The outcome from the four rounds: we won two games each for our mini-golf challenge.

Looking back, I think next time, whenever we plan an outstation golf trip, there shouldn’t be any expectations, especially when visiting a new golf course. Forest City was better than before, I have to say. The pace of the golf game cannot be a factor to fault the golf course. After all, it is a popular destination. 

As for The Els Club, to say it was a disappointment is an understatement. The upkeep of both the courses was not the best, and they were not picturesque for photo opportunities like Forest City. At the signature hole of the Ocean course, we encountered a baby snake right off the bunker on the greenside. So there goes the photo opportunity! I’d say we will give the place another year before returning.

Uphill hole guarded by bunkers & a downhill snaking terrain, green on the right. The Johor River bridge Senai-Desaru Expressway

While there were complaints and angst on this trip, it wasn’t that bad or unpleasant. It was simply a change in environment to do the things we enjoy most together. Will we plan another golf trip before the year ends? Well, I have to find the window, and if our daily routine becomes monotonous again, why not?

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August Golf Escapade

30 Aug

It was the third day of our golf escapade. After breakfast, we left Forest City for The Els Club Desaru Coast for our third game. The drive was not too long, and we arrived early.

We found the golf club a tad plain. There was no grandeur in the architecture of the clubhouse. Maybe it’s meant to be like this?

As we arrived early, we could tee off earlier than our allotted tee-off time. Big mistake! There was a four-ball flight in front of us that was so slow and a two-ball flight behind us that was too fast! Ugh. And it started to drizzle. Sigh. The wind picked up, and my hands were cold. It was not the best experience playing at the Ocean course of The Els Club.

To our angst, the sand bunkers were flooded and looked like mini ponds on the fairways and beside the greens! Not nice. Hubby lost a ball in the flooded sand bunker. It was mildly shocking that maintenance was not up to par for an award-winning golf course. We’re not talking about one or two sand bunkers but several throughout the Ocean course.

Golfing on the Ocean course is supposed to be easy, but it was not in the best conditions to live up to it. Sadly, it was a forgettable round for us. I wonder if the outcome would have been different had we teed off at 12.30 pm instead of two hours earlier? Hmm.

There was some consolation when we checked into Four Points by Sheraton. The room was spacious and very comfortable. Dinner was equally comforting. The generous tray of Briyani rice and meat fulfilled the urge for carbo after two nights of dinner choices without rice. We have one more game tomorrow, and hopefully, the trip will end on a better note.

The Els Club, dinner and a huge green side bunker that was flooded

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Being Away

27 Aug

Last week, hubby and I escaped the doldrums of our daily routine for four days of golf! You would say that the golf part is the same, so how can this be different from the usual routine? When we play at other courses outstation, it’s exciting because the anticipation and expectation are different.

We left on a Thursday for Forest City Golf Resort. The drive was pleasant without too heavy the traffic. We detoured to a nearby town for a simple lunch at a coffee shop. Contented, we headed to Forest City for the 1.00 pm tee-off.

Played Legacy on Day 1, and Classic on Day 2

The golf course was pristine and in tip-top condition. We had a competitive round and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Dinner after the game was a good choice of chunky chicken satay and grilled fish. We requested that the spicy sauce be on the side instead of over the fish. We topped off the meal with hot ginger tea instead of beer. Nice.

Satay and grilled fish on Day 1, and burger and wrap for Day 2

On the second day, the situation changed though. We had an 8.45 am tee-off, and the pace was horrible. Every other hole and every shot, we were kept waiting. My momentum was out, I was angst to the core, and it was the worst game I played in a long while. Sigh. How can this be fun? Dang. I couldn’t wait for the game to be over. Double dang.

It got worse after that. Dinner was too heavy, and I was bloated. Ugh. An early night might be the remedy for the shortcomings. Thank goodness, the next day, we are checking out and headed to Desaru.

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Going Away

23 Aug

We decided to go away because our routine had been so monotonous. And I’m too busy having a good time to write about the escapade.

Details when we return!

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The Wrath of Mother Nature

16 Jul

We have been having some inconsistent weather lately. Last week, when we returned from the East Coast, we came back to strong winds and pelting rain.

Luckily, we were home already when the weather changed for the worse. It was scary as the tall trees in the area were swaying spinelessly with noisy leaves rustling, and the rain was pounding the windows. Our garden bamboo blinds were flapping like crazy. It was alarming, but we could not do anything.

The next day, we discovered the wrath of Mother Nature when we surveyed the garden. Besides leaves and branches everywhere, creating a mess, our second papaya tree was uprooted. This unfortunate mishap happened despite the tree being protected by a wall and in a narrow garden space.

There goes our second papaya tree!
Salvaging the papayas from the tree

We had no choice but to cut down the tree. And there were so many young papayas on the tree. Oh well. It looks like I can make pickled papaya or give them away. As for the space, we will leave it empty for now, and it’s been hot like a furnace.

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East Coast Escapade

12 Jul

Towards the end of last week, we drove to the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia with the girls to escape the hustle and bustle of our daily lives. It was not a golfing trip but an escapade to catch the sea breeze and eat local fare and fresh seafood. The drive was pleasant, without much heavy traffic, and we arrived on time.

A colorful display of all things old and older

The resort we stayed at, Adena Beach Resort, was a pleasant discovery and was not too crowded because it was a Thursday. We thoroughly enjoyed the warm sea breeze and the beach with its soft sand. The weather was perfect to build a sandcastle, and we did. We found some left-behind tools, which made it easy, and we had so much fun building and seeing our sandcastle come to fruition.

Our sandcastle with a moat

Mealtimes, we ate a lot of spicy food, not our usual choices but very flavorful. In terms of activity, there wasn’t much to do besides chilling and eating. After all, this was a chill-and-do-nothing trip.

The busy tablecloth added more zing to our colorful and spicy meal!

But, the next day, we decided to visit the Kemaman Zoo. At the zoo, the thrill for me this time was seeing the pair of Malayan Tapir. The enclosure for the pair did not have high fencing, only a moat separating them from us. It was quite a sight to see. The biggest thrill was when both tapirs decided to walk into the moat and swim towards us! So cool.

Strange but interesting animal

This East Coast trip is not just about food and tapirs. We discovered several jellyfish washed up on the beach on the third day. These creatures look very alien, being out of their comfort zone. Thank goodness, we did not swim in the sea, as there were signages warning of the jellyfish danger.

Aliens?!

The short trip ended with a glorious grilled seafood dinner on the final night. Sumptuous and fresh, the delicious spread was a fitting cap to end the East Coast escapade. I look forward to our next escapade again!

The banana leaves added more oomph to the taste

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Jakarta Again! Part 4

31 May

On Sunday, our final day in Jakarta, we had our Interclub game against members of Jakarta Golf Club (JGC). It was my first time playing in such an old golf club, established in 1872. Matured trees lining the side of the fairways made the course narrow and quite challenging.

The hospitable host welcomed us with a hearty buffet breakfast before teeing off. JGC is a walking course – and almost everyone walked, save for a few who needed the buggy. The mode of play for the tournament was Texas Scramble, which was very enjoyable.

Awesome prize but no Hole-in-One that morning.

The halfway huts provided all sorts of beverages for all golfers to enjoy that morning, and everyone took advantage of it! Initially, I opted for lemon juice, but as the weather got hotter, I decided a cold Bintang beer would do me wonders. Two Bintangs later, I was teeing off further with my “Bintang power” – and it did feel like my ball flew further. Hahahaha.

My partner and I had many good opportunities approaching the greens and putting, as our partnership worked well together. And we returned with a much improved second-nine score compared to the first-nine. However, our opponents fizzled out due to tiredness when we crossed over.

When everyone completed their rounds and returned to the clubhouse, a sumptuous buffet lunch spread welcomed us. But our entourage had a plane to catch by six (the earliest batch), so the program went by quickly, and we could leave the club by 3.00 pm. There was no outright winning club for the Interclub Texas Scramble tournament, only winning pairs, which was enough to make everyone happy. We had a police outrider again to ensure our two buses arrived at the airport on time.

This trip did not start well for me but ended on a good note. Each day, the games improved. I played my personal best game during the duel with the hubbies. And I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my micro group of golf buddies.

As for food, opportunities to try different things were scarce due to time constraints and transport logistics. Nonetheless, I managed with all the chili and spicy offerings, and more importantly, I did not experience any tummy ache.

Hotel breakfast was standard choices, but the chili condiments caught my eye! Soto ayam (top right) was a must for dinner.

While there were some shortcomings in managing 60 golfers, it did not put a dampener, and I can file this trip away on a good note. I await the next Interclub trip organized by my golf club again.

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Jakarta Again! Part 3

28 May

On the third day in Karawang, we played our second game at Lotus Lakes Golf Club, and it was a late morning tee-off. The cloudy atmosphere was perfect for golf, so the umbrella did not come out. The company was enjoyable, but the game was challenging, whereby we ladies were battling with our husbands. Losers had to buy drinks.

There was much back and forth. We fought hard to narrow the gap from three down to one down, but running out of holes to win. That morning, my short game was sensational, likewise my putting. I was on fire! We had to win the last hole to call the duel a draw.

At the last hole, there was a lot of drama. You could tell the fight was very intense. My partner’s hubby sent his ball into the water on the right with his third shot. Then my partner sent her ball to the water on the left as well! Oh no.

Hubby and I were on the fairway, 60 meters from the green. It was a Par 5, and anything can happen. And it did! Hubby unexpectedly chunked his fourth shot to three feet in front. Gaining confidence from his misfortune, I sent my ball flying towards the pin and landed four feet from it! Yes, maybe we can still pull it off and win.

Soon after, the other two were on the green with their fifth shot. It was a do-or-die situation at this point. But I had a slight advantage over the rest, being the only one on the green with my fourth shot.

Hubby struck his ball but missed the cup, creating an opening for us!

My turn to putt. My line was perfect as my ball rolled towards the cup. But it stopped two inches from falling in. Nooooooooo. I tapped in for a bogey. What a bummer.

My partner two-putted for a seven, like hubby, but her spouse rammed his ball into the cup from six feet for a bogey to square the hole. And we lost.

The adrenaline was exhilarating! What a game, what a duel. I played my best game that morning. Golf can be arduous, but it can be rewarding as well, despite the circumstances sometimes.

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