So far, the one thing that fascinates me most about Japan is the compact cars. They are everywhere! So much so that I have started compiling pictures of them whenever I see them on the move slowly or parked.
Some models are repeated or from different angles
The compact size is so versatile and cute despite looking rather boxy. I have seen some parked in the narrowest alley and short driveway. Such parking skills! I would have had trouble aligning evenly on both sides. The beauty of these cars is that the sliding doors can open easily in the tightest spot.
Would this make me consider a compact for myself? Err, no, I like my car for its size because it is about carrying the golf bags, my number one priority, and not maneuverability. Hehehe.
The past few days, our excursions have been very leisurely paced. We stop to see what we want to see within the original itinerary and eat what we want. If we stop at an attraction that mesmerizes us, we stay longer. Our tour group is only the four of us with a dedicated MPV and driver, hence this flexible schedule.
The journey to see Mt Fuji was arduous as traffic was heavy. Holidaymakers were leaving for their escapade for the long weekend because Monday was a public holiday.
Mt Fuji was very picturesque and worthy of many pictures from different angles. But could it be the distance, seeing it from afar, that I don’t feel moved? It was rather odd.
Hi! Mt Fuji is behind us!
Nonetheless, it was enjoyable as we had lovely weather, and it was not too crowded at the places we covered – Oshino Hakkai and Arakurayama Şengen Park.
Lovely colors
We stayed at a whimsical accommodation called the Bunny Villa, where everything in the villa was bunny-themed. Even the plates had bunnies! I would have loved to stay longer, but we had only one night.
Of bunnies and Miffy at the Bunny Villa
The next day, we checked off more places of interest before returning to the city.
Our first night in Tokyo was in the Asakusabashi district. The neighborhood was quiet with narrow streets, and it reminded me of the streets of Hanoi when we were there earlier in the year, but much cleaner. There’s not a spec of rubbish on the roads here.
We ventured out in search of food and stumbled upon a ramen shop. Ravenous after such a long day, we each ordered a bowl, unaware of the serving size. When the bowls of ramen came out, they left us speechless.
The picture doesn’t quite show the sheer size of this
How do we manage all that ramen, four bowls at a go? Typically, we’d order two to three portions during meals for sharing. But we didn’t think that sharing bowls of ramen was doable with us sitting at the counter. Oh well. I could only eat half of my choice, as it was too much. I couldn’t even slurp loudly like the lady seated next to me at the long counter!
Comatosed from the gastronomic feast, we decided to call it a night after such a long day of traveling. Furthermore, we have a packed itinerary the next day.
Our hotel had a compact but practical room layout and was comfortable. We stayed only a night because the next day, we checked out and headed towards Mt Fuji.
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!
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!
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?
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
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.
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.
Angieneering 
Remarks