Typically, having an agenda for a holiday trip is good. And when it is a self-planned trip, it is all the more important. Our overall agenda is rather ambitious as it covers seven to ten places per day. However, we have not been able to follow through with our plan since our arrival. Hahahaha.
After the delayed departure from KLIA, our Day Two agenda was in disarray. We had to adjust accordingly, and Day Three was affected too. So, are we upset? Funnily, no.
It has been very chill and at our own pace. Day Two was an impromptu plan, discovering Kyoto Station itself and the surrounding area from our hotel. And what was supposed to be Day Two became the agenda for Day Three. Being flexible was best.
So for Day Three, we spent the whole day at Arashiyama strolling along with no urgency despite covering only three points of interest: the Bamboo Forest, Tenryuji Temple, and Togetsukyo Bridge.
Honestly, the shops lining the streets were more interesting, and I had a great time browsing in them. The two Snoopy shops had me excited like a kid in a candy store! Hahaha. It was a good day of sights, eats, purchases, and experiences. Overall, the crowd was not too huge, the Matcha drinks and ice cream were heavenly, the sights were impressive, and the walking pace was manageable. But the weather was a mix of conditions. When it became too hot, I used my umbrella for protection.
Our Matcha being preparedDrinks and food of the dayThe dinner spread
Day Three ended with 9.97km covered, a cold draft beer, and a hearty meal to wrap it up. Let’s see how we adjust our plans for Day Four.
Konnichiwa from the Land of the Rising Sun! We arrived at Kansai Airport this morning. The flight was not the best experience. There were three gate changes within an hour at the Satellite Building at KLIA. And although it was rescheduled to depart at 11:45 pm from 10:25 pm, the flight eventually took off at 12:12 am.
Twenty minutes after airborne, there was turbulence, but not too bad. However, my entertainment console sucked. The touchscreen had issues returning to the home icon, and the headphones worked only on one side. Sigh, how much worse can it get? Honestly, the start of this trip by MH is not Malaysian Hospitality at its best. Not living up to their tagline.
After the meal, I could feel a headache coming, ugh. I tried to sleep it off, and it was a restless phase. An hour before touchdown, I was awake. It wasn’t beauty or comfy sleep. Nonetheless, time flew by, and I must have slept, or did I?
My AppleWatch showed some unusual Vitals stats! I had only two hours of sleep and my blood oxygen level dropped to 91.6 %. It concluded that elevation could have caused such numbers to be recorded because I had set my watch to Airplane mode upon boarding. Such an amazing and clever device to be able to detect this.
After the delayed arrival, and like typical tour packages where Day One starts at the airport, our self-planned itinerary is no different, our adventure finally begins. Hahaha.
We made our way slowly from Kansai to Kyoto, and it was supposed to be effortless, yet we faced a bit of a challenge in terms of language. Google Translate was a savior when we needed it!
What a long day to kick off our October adventure!
Monday is not a typical day for an entry or a scheduled post, but I need to share. My Blundstones and I, plus hubby of course, are ready for another adventure tomorrow! It has been a short and quick planning for this. Anyway, our luggage is all set for our upcoming trip. Whee!
So where are we headed? Hah! Stay tuned to find out. We will be heading to KLIA this evening for our flight with Malaysia Airlines. Here’s wishing us happy travels and a safe journey ahead!
It was supposed to be an epic trip, postponed from last November until this April. But I’m still trying to find the appropriate words to describe the Zhangjiajie and Changsha trip, which has been overwhelming.
What better way to kick off a trip than a beer and char kueh teow past midnight at the Premier Lounge before boarding! We departed from KLIA on Saturday at 3.00 a.m. Unfortunately, our seats were not the best, being a row in front of the emergency exits, which meant they couldn’t recline. Sigh. Luckily, the five-hour flight was still bearable.
Upon arrival, everything went smoothly, and we boarded our private bus for just the six of us, along with our English-speaking guide. The bus ride was scary as the weather was quite extreme, with wind gusts up to 42km/h. I could feel the bus swaying on the highway! We stopped once to allow the driver to rest, and we had our first meal in China: a simple spread of rice, mui choy with pork, stir-fried potatoes, and some fried donuts.
Gusty wind made the bus sway on the highway!
The first attraction was Liuye Lake in Changde City, northwest of Hunan Province; it was strange. It was supposed to be a tourist resort, but hardly anybody in sight— it felt like a ghost town! We wondered whether we were in China, a country known for its crowds. Here we were, at an attraction without visitors. We then proceeded to another attraction, which I can’t recall the name of, but there were plenty of people, shops, and street vendors.
Liuye LakeCute little cooking stations to test your cooking skills!
We spent our first night at the Zeyun Hotel in Changde City and checked out the next day to head to the next attraction and hotel.
I’m struggling to find the right words to describe my recent trip to China, especially my visits to Changsha and Zhangjiajie. The best word to summarize the experience is “overwhelming” of the natural scenery, vast crowds, and buildings with their vibrant night colors, be it the city or the villages.
I need a little time to collect my thoughts and fully process everything before I can articulate everything. Arriving home at the ungodly hour of 4:15 a.m. hasn’t helped either, and it has only aggravated an unsuspecting sore throat.
It has been a while since I had an entry on Friday. There used to be so much to share, but life has become predictable and unexciting lately, leaving me with little to write about. However, this is changing because it is time to travel again!
My all-girls trip is finally happening. My high school friends and I were supposed to travel together in November, but with unforeseen circumstances and issues some of us had, we all agreed to postpone our trip to China until this year. The girls are the same friends I traveled with to Bali in 2022.
The excitement has been building this week, and I am packed and ready to go! We are meeting up at KLIA tonight for our wee-hour flight on Saturday to kick off the busy nine-day itinerary. I may be unable to update daily, but I’ll have plenty of pictures and stories to write about afterward.
We often use this colorful Hokkien dialect phrase – luak kaw gong, when describing eating something spicy beyond one’s tolerance. It directly translates to ‘spicy until stupid’ because the spiciness hits you to the core, and you go numb and see stars.
Over the weekend, I flew to Bangkok with my two girls for an impromptu trip, and it was a much-welcomed escape! M1 had planned the trip for a fan meet-and-greet event with some Thai TV stars, and both M2 and I decided to tag along for fun.
Hello Bangkok (again)!
And fun it was! It was leisurely-paced without a packed schedule like our trip here last year. Food is always an adventure, especially Thai food! On this trip, we tried various choices, from 7-Eleven quick-to-go meals to food hall and street food, and the gastronomic discoveries were delightful, albeit spicy. Shopping was the other thing on the agenda.
Dinner on Friday night was at Zaozen Artisan Noodles in Siam Paragon Food Hall. The Pork Bone Broth soup was an unexpected killer. Laden with bird eye chili and more chili, the first careful slurp of the steaming hot soup packed quite a punch. The Pad Thai and Lao Salad with Grilled Pork Neck were equally flavorful and bearable. But the fiery soup was nothing compared to dinner on the second night.
Top left: Pad Kra Pao at the airport; Top right: Zaizen, bottom right: leftover chili from the Pork Bone broth; Bottom left: Killer noodles
When M1 went to her event on Saturday evening, it was just M2 and me to explore. We decided on Thai Boat Noodles for dinner after a foot massage and exploring Siam Square, and this was where the earlier mentioned phrase applied. I was punched in the mouth with the spicy level, and we had asked for the medium level, thinking it should be safe. The bowl of noodles was not a lot, probably two mouths full, but the chili. Hot damn!
Typically, my tolerance is quite good, but this time I was numb. My lips felt swollen, and I could not go on. There were no tears, but I was floored and saw stars! Indeed, I was struck by the spicy until stupid. It’s funny to point out that M1 saw human stars live on stage while I saw stars in my vision from my dining experience! Hahahaha.
It took some time before I recovered. I had to suck on ice cubes constantly after that to douse the fire! Who would have thought a petite bowl of noodles could be so devastating?
The last time I was in this predicament was also in Bangkok with hubby ages ago, and it was a Som Tam dish. One must remember that when in Thailand, a medium spicy level may not be what you think is safe despite having an above-average tolerance.
A safer choice: burgers from Shake Shack. The Pandan Sticky Rice shake was too much though. Burp…
So, for the next meal at the airport, I requested for my Pad Kra Pao to be less spicy, yet the oomph was still there. I shudder to think what normal would taste like. I did not relish being numb and seeing stars again before flying.
The short getaway ended too soon. The three days of lovely, cool weather with low humidity were perfect for walking outdoors without breaking out in sweat and feeling sticky. Although it is now January, Christmas decorations are still up inside the malls and along their perimeters outside. They are a delightful sight to see.
Bangkok will always be a favorite destination for food flavors, shopping choices, creative decorations, and, of course, pristine golf courses. I look forward to another trip to this vibrant city again!
It is the last day of 2024! What a year it has been for me. There were more travels than ever, more memories made as the year progressed, and sadly, a new injury. Let’s recap for the record.
My DIY crafting and building miniatures waned and came to a complete halt when my travels kicked in. It’s unfortunate after four years at it, project after project. Well, maybe come 2025, the interest will return. Only time will tell.
At the beginning of the year, I went to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Singapore, for golf and leisure. My flight distance and time increased dramatically with an app I downloaded to track these things. In October, I added Japan to round up my travels abroad. I figured I had reached a milestone, so I should travel more. In total, I flew 19,768 km with a flight time of one day, six hours, and 38 minutes. I’m wondering if I can top these stats with the new year. We will find out!
Wonderful memories are created with the travels and truly cherished. We played at new golf courses in Vietnam and Indonesia, and I savored the time with my golfing friends. What more can I ask for? My best memory is meeting up with an old college friend in Hanoi! The precious few hours we had is something I will never forget. We talked as if we were never apart for the last few decades that flew by.
The family trips were all about food, sights, and new experiences. Bangkok was all about walking, shopping, and eating. Likewise, Japan, but more. Wonderful, wonderful time together. I hope we can do such trips come 2025!
My golfing ability has been up and down for the year. The top highlight was being crowned the Overall Champion for my Tuesday Group’s annual game in August. I guess I peaked at the right occasion! I hope I can rediscover my momentum for the new year because I picked up a new injury right after that game.
The right tennis elbow sucks. As such, the golf has been on a downslide. But I’m not upset by this disability because hubby and I picked up pickleball to stay active! And I play with my left hand, thus preserving the right side from further aggravation. I wear an elbow guard, just to be safe, though.
Toward the end of the year, I reconnected with another old friend who migrated and was visiting. She’s my bestie’s older sister and an ardent golfer, so it was wonderful to host her. Despite the elbow woes, the time together was more important.
As 2024 winds down, I reflect on what has happened and look forward to the new year ahead. I’ve stopped making resolutions but tend to keep a positive mind as I believe in ‘you are what you think you are’ to face what’s ahead. Attract the good vibes and keep the bad ones away or at bay.
On a global scale, sports, politics, war, world peace, and climate challenges share the headlines. I’d rather not elaborate as details on these issues are available freely online. I am thankful I survived the year.
I take this opportunity to thank all my readers and supporters who have kept me going in my blog and to wish everyone a Happy New Year! May 2025 bring peace and prosperity to all.
Cheers and adieu 2024, it’s a wrap, and thanks for the memories!
It is always wonderful to be back home after a holiday. Japan was enjoyable, but home is where the heart is. On the last day at the airport, while waiting for the check-in counters to open, I overheard a tour group leader telling her entourage they would need three days to recover from the trip.
Three days?! Wow. If this is true for an hour’s time difference, no wonder I take longer to get over my jet lag when I return home from countries with time zones that are more than an hour. However, I don’t recall needing such length to recover when I returned from Bangkok, Hanoi, or Jakarta this year. Hmm. Recovering from golf trips and non-golf trips could be different.
We departed from Narita International Airport on Friday at 10.30 pm with good memories and touched down at KLIA the next day at 5.00 am. Whether I liked it or not, the next few days were a blur, and I felt like a sloth. So yes, I did take three days to recover. Dang! The lady was correct.
Homeward bound!
How fast the holiday went by! Japan was fascinating, fun, and enjoyable. We lucked out with substantial savings for our flight tickets and a good travel deal when we signed up for the Omakase package to Japan, where we didn’t have to follow a fixed itinerary but customized to our preferences.
We had a comfortable MPV and a driver to drive us around to see what we wanted to see, stop to buy things if something caught our eye, and eat whatever we fancied. There were places we spent longer than intended, but our driver patiently waited for us. Such is the beauty of customizing a travel package.
The weather was excellent, contributing to our enjoyment for the first few days. Rain was predicted only for the last two days, but it never happened. Eventually, it did rain when we were already on the aircraft, ready for departure!
Now that the family holiday and recovery are over, it is back to routine, and I’m happy to be home until my next trip!
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!
Angieneering 
Remarks