KL 6-8 July 2010

Day 1
By the time we reached Swiss Garden, it was 7 plus. Walked to Chinatown. Ate char kway tiao and drank very good chicken wine soup!

Day 2
After buffet breakfast, walked to St Anthony's Church. Took a taxi to Petronas Twin Towers, but free tickets were all given out. Shopped Suria KLCC.

Took a train-cum-monorail to Berjaya Times Square. There were like, 10 floors of shops? A little like Far East Plaza.

As we walked back to the hotel, we detoured to the hawker stalls at Jalan Alor that sold mainly zi char to buy chicken wings and fruits.

Day 3
After buffet breakfast and checking out, walked along Jalan Bukit Bintang. Passed by many shopping centres. Took refuge in Pavilion before taking a taxi to Menara KL for buffet lunch at the Seri Angkasa Revolving Restaurant. RM69 per pax.

Then took a taxi to Lot 10, which was almost deserted. Walked back to the hotel and took a taxi at RM90 to KLIA, only to find out that the flight was delayed.

Macau 4-6 February 2010

Day 1

Jetstar arrived at about 5 plus in the late afternoon. In my sandals, was super cold! Temperature's about 19 degrees.

Took a taxi to the hotel, but landed at Metropole Hotel instead of Metropark Hotel. The porter was very nice to recommend that we take the free shuttle bus, as there were no taxis during the evening peak hours.

Metropark Hotel was great - the reception took my room request correctly and the room was spacious!

After resting for a while, we took a taxi to Senado Square. Had dinner at a wanton noodles cafe. Walked around the area. Didn't know I took a picture at St Dominic's Church until later. Ate this stick food where the lady used a scissors and went 'kiap, kiap, kiap' to cut the fishball, etc. into small pieces. Finally bought the famous almond cookies, among other pastries, from Koi Kei Bakery.


Day 2

Had breakfast at a cafe down the hotel. Then, we took Bus 10 to the Bus Station. Up the escalator and we came to the Barrier Gate. It was a matter of just following the crowd into Zhuhai.

Spent the whole afternoon at the huge basement shopping centre. I think it's called Women's World or something like that. Got my imitation Converse sneakers for SGD10!

One outer lane was lined with shops selling imitation goods. A lady said that when the authorities come, they had to keep away the shui huo. That explained why they were so eager to sell to tourists.

Left Zhuhai at about 3.30pm, but we cleared customs at about 4 plus. We took Bus 10 again, but we missed the stop and ended up taking a taxi back to the hotel.

The men drank themselves silly and dilly-dallied before we took a taxi to Taipa's The Venetian. It was like a huge version of Marina Square. Had dinner at the foodcourt. The Japanese rice sucked. Then the men visited the Casino while we shopped. The shops were endless!

Took a taxi back to Macau Peninsula and bought the stick food again. This time, a bowl cost SGD18!


Day 3

We took a taxi to Taipa to eat dim sum from this restaurant called Huang Ting, located in a hotel. Recommended by the day 1 taxi driver. It was not expensive, contrary to what we thought.

Then we took a taxi back to Macau Peninsula to St Paul's Ruins. Bought egg tarts. From there, we walked to Horta e Costa, a place where locals roam. We walked the entire long stretch, and the men drank along the way. We turned into the Red Market, a wet market, the sort that you see in HK dramas where the aunties do their marketing at.

Then we got a little lost, and wandered into some steel industrial area, where the shops were grey and dusty. We finally got a taxi to get to New Yaohan, which is, really small.

We tried to find a place for lunch, and it was by accident that we turned into a back alley and saw Portugeses sitting at an authentic Portugese Cafe. But, my egg tart was bad and the waitress got my order wrong - fish rice instead of grilled fish. The fish, supposed to be cod, tasted terrible. Portions were huge though.

Then we took a taxi back to the hotel and made our way to the airport. Flight was 6pm.

We decided not to go to Macau Tower as Jordan did not want to jump; plus, it was cold and hazy so we wouldn't be able to see anything anyway.

Grand Lisboa Hotel was really colourful with its moving lights. It was the most attractive hotel, from the outside. My vote!

Cameron Highlands 10-11 April 2009

Jordan drove us to Cameron Highlands and back. Very steady!

Turkey 8-16 December 2008

Day 1: Changi - Istanbul Airport

• Flight was delayed by 2 hours! Flew off at 2am...and flight food was served at the ungodly hour of 3am...
• Reached at about 7am Turkey time.

Day 2: Istanbul - Canakkale

1. Hagia Sophia Museum (picture below)
2. Blue Mosque - Just a short walk away from the museum, supposed to have distinctively blue tiles, but we didn't think so!
3. Hippodrome of Constantinople - Outside the mosque, just 3 columns & a fountain, where chariot races took place.

• Drove 4 hours along the coast overseeing Marmara Sea to a ferry crossing to Canakkale.
• IRIS HOTEL faces the Aegean Sea among residential houses.

Day 3: Canakkale - Kusadasi

1. Troy - Replica of the infamous wooden Trojan horse looked very new... 4 hours to Pergamon.
2. Pergamon - Acropolis, architecture perched on the city's highest point. 3.5 hours to Kusadasi.
3. Stopped over at Artemis Locum to buy Turkish Delights and tea.

• HOTEL TATLISES faces the Aegean Sea too.

Pergamon

Day 4: Kusadasi - Pamukkale

1. Leather Jacket Fashion Show
2. House of the Virgin Mary
3. Ephesus - between Kusadasi & Selcuk, one of the largest archaeological sites. Library of Celsius is just beside a brothel... 4 hours to Pamukkale.
4. Managed to squeeze in Hierapolis as the sun was setting. The famous "Cotton Castle", or Travertines, is a World Heritage Site made of white terraces and pools created by calcareous hot spring waters flowing down the mountain. Hierapolis is behind the Travertines, and is supposed to contain many tombs, but we did not have time to explore. Theatre was in full view.

• LYCUS RIVER HOTEL was like a chalet with many low-level blocks. It had a lovely fireplace!

My umbrella dropped and I called the security to help me get it...he winked at me after helping...

Day 5: Pamukkale - Cappadocia: TRAVELLING DAY! 7-11am, 12-5pm = 9 hours

• Travelled to Cappadocia via Konya, the famous old capital of the Selcuk Turks.

1. Visited the 13th century Sultanhani Caravanserai, which used to be a stopover for ancient traders and travellers.
2. Nearing the hotel, stopped at Uchisar Pigeon Valley as the sun was setting.

• 5 -stars DINLER HOTEL for 2 nights. There was a fireplace too, but it wasn't as cosy as Lycus.

Day 6: Cappadocia

• During breakfast, a waiter said as he cleared my plate, "You are very beautiful." I thanked him. For the definite lie. But of course he made my day :)
• Finally, a normal touristy day without long travelling!
• Cappadocia is not found on the map. It is a triangular area with a unique landscape sculpted by the wind, sun, rain and snow. The whole area is made up of dwellings cut out of volcanic ash-solidified-rocks. People just dug holes and made houses out of these rocks.

1. Underground City of Kaymakli - one of the largest underground cities, said to have existed during the Hittite period.
2. Goreme Open-Air Museum - a compound with 29 rock-cut churches, decorated with frescoes depicting biblical stories, where early Christians practised and sought solitude. Ate Turkish ice-cream.
3. Onyx Showroom.
4. Lunch at a unique Cave Restaurant.
5. Uchisar old village - stopped to take photographs.
6. Pottery Showroom - used part of an underground city. Family-run business. A master with 37 years of experience works there.
7. Rocks that look like cones / male private part...
8. Carpet Showroom

Day 7: Cappadocia - Ankara - Istanbul

• 5 hours to Ankara.

1. Ataturk Mausoleum - resting place of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the father of modern Turkey after the Ottomans. He was the Commander-In-Chief during the war between Turkey and Greece, and after the war, he became President. He did away with Arabic and implemented the Alphabet Reform. The guard winked at me when I waved goodbye.
2. Domestic 45min flight to Istanbul. Took off, ate a sandwich, landed. That quick.
3. Had 3 hours before dinner at 9pm, so Michelle and I took a walk. Advised by a policeman to stay away from the park we were undecided about crossing over to...
4. Belly and folk dance performance.

Day 8: Istanbul - Singapore

1. Spice Market - Bought more Turkish Delights and coffee powder.
2. Topkapi Palace - palace of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. A security flirted with me and proposed with the words, "Will you marry me?" Asked for my age, be my boyfriend...told him to come to Sg where I'd be waiting.
3. Grand Bazaar - Bought an imitation LONGCHAMP for 40 lira. Ate alot! Kebabs + promegranate juice.
4. Boat Cruise in Bosphorous River.
5. Shopping Mall - Ate promegranate ice-cream.

TOPSHOP
MANGO
ZARA
RIVER ISLAND
MISS SELFRIDGE
PULL & BEAR
ADIDAS
CHARLES & KEITH
WATSON

• The flight was full because the previous day's flight was cancelled and those affected were pushed to ours. Some of us almost couldn't get seats! There was a group of NUS boys and I asked about them. They were there for floorball matches. This Indian I talked to started asking personal questions...terrible representation of NUS males.

Day 9
Arrived in Singapore at about 4.30pm local time. Unpacked from 6 to 12mn...

AOB

• I enjoyed the breakfast buffet spread of breads and pastries. Stuffed myself silly.
• On those long drives, there were lands of olive, trees, mountains & plateaus.
• Men worked in hotels and cafes. Absolutely no women.
• Terrible service standards!
• Sun rises by 7am, sets by 5pm. Day starts getting dark at 4pm.
• Police cars are seen when the skies turn dark, spot-checking.
• Istanbul has dedicated bus lanes in heavy traffic areas.
• Plenty of cafes.
• Toilets - 0.50 lira per person per entry! = SGD 60 cents.
• Pay for drinks during hotel dinners.

Japan 5-11 June 2008

Cold! Who said Japan in June would be hot???

1Y = $0.0134

Day 1 Sg - Tokyo - Osaka
- 7h ANA flight to Narita Airport.
- 1h coach to Haneda Airport to catch a domestic ANA flight to Osaka.
- At Haneda Airport, we had our very first dinner in Japan, in a lovely Chinese restaurant with full view of the runway.
- After that, it was a 1h flight to Kansai, Osaka.
Hotel: ANA GATE TOWER HOTEL OSAKA (flight attendants aplenty as it was near the airport)

Day 2 Osaka - Kyoto - Awara
- Osaka Castle.
- Shinsaibashi - Shopping alley that is a straight road of shops, shops, shops. Bought my first Burberry Blue Label black, heart-shaped coin purse for 13,650Y at Daimaru Dept.

- The whole group then rode the subway train to get to the bullet train station. One stop to Kyoto.
- At Kyoto's train station, we were given a few minutes to walk and so we bought purses as souvenirs.
- Kiyomizu Temple, where its main hall extends out to a veranda that commands a paranomic view of Kyoto.
- Souvenir shops lined both sides of the street leading to the temple. Black seseme ice-cream was popular. Taste was alright, nothing special. Bought a flute.
- 3h coach to an onsen resort in Awara, a famous hot spring region. It was quite late by the time we arrived, and we had a late but intricate dinner of shabu shabu & stuff. We were introduced to wearing the yukata.
Hotel: PLAZA HOTEL SHORAISO (onsen)

Day 3 Awara - Kanazawa - Takayama (gao1 shan1)
- Kagahan, a place of desserts and sweet treats. Red bean mochi was very sweet! Ate lots of sample :)
- Visited a pottery outlet. Given a free porcelain green tea cup.
- Tojinbo, which features magnificent pillar-shaped rocks created by sea erosion. As usual, there was a shopping street, selling toys and seafood.
- Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa, acclaimed as one of Japan's 3 great gardens. Lunch had tofu with gold on it!
- Long ride to Shirakawa-go Village (bai2 chuan1 xiang1), a well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site. Old farmhouses with steep roofs resembling two hands folded in prayer. Croquette cost 200Y, beef bun cost 350Y. So shiok to eat them hot in cold weather!
- 1.5h coach to Takayama, a samurai town, deep inside & up the mountain. Takayama Castle Town of sake breweries.
Hotel: HIDA HOTEL PLAZA (onsen)

Day 4 Takayama - Mt Fuji
- Visited a fresh produce market. Bought strawberries. Walked the streets with shops selling Hida souvenirs, confectionery, & sarubobo good luck charms (gao1 shan1 jiu4 jie1). Also called Hida, fei1 dan4. Bought castanets and Monkey umbrella.
- Ramen House that showed how ramen was made. Visitors had a little bowl for free sampling. Expensive: 5 packs with soup base for $14!
- Visited a waterfall. There was a pond to soak our feet. Again, it was great to feel the hot water with the cold wind blowing on our faces.
- Swiss-mura Winery, a small shop selling wine. Fruit juice was good.
- Daio Wasabi Farm.
- 2.5h coach to the hotel that overlooks Mt Fuji. We didn't get to see Mt Fuji as it was totally covered by the mist, but buffet dinner was great! Crab legs!!!
Hotel: FUJINOBOUKAEN HOTEL (onsen)

Day 5 Mt Fuji - Tokyo
- It was still misty this morning, so ... ... oh well, this will be an excuse to come back to Japan!
- 2h coach to Asakusa Kannon Temple, over 1300 years old. A shopping street leads to the temple, called Nakamise Avenue. Shops on both sides of the street (again) selling souvenirs. At the end of the street to the right, the guide told us there was a 100Y shop.
- After lunch, we went to Odaiba Park, a shopping district. There was Toyota Mega Web, a showroom where you can see modern & future Toyota cars. At VenusFort Shopping Mall, I bought my second Blue Label wallet for 22,000Y.
- Had an hour at Ginza. Saw the Swaroski store as advertised in Her World magazine.
- After putting our luggage at the hotel, we took the JR Yamanote Line to Shinjuku. Went to Isetan where I bought the rest of the Blue Label accessories - white heart-shaped purse 13,650Y, card holder 11,550Y, black wallet 25,200Y, while mom&dad were at food basement.
- As it was raining, we took a train from the Shinjuku Line (light green) back to JR Shinjuku Station, before taking the JR. At JR Shinagawa, we bought stuff at the food & supermarket basement for dinner. Walked the hotel shops. Bought umbrellas and plum tea cans.
Hotel: PRINCE HOTEL SHINAGAWA

Day 6 Tokyo
- Went to Disneyland. I left Disneyland at 10.30am to take a 1h train from Maihama Station to Shibuya. Mom&dad stayed on for the rides.
- Saw the famous crossing!
- Seibu Dept Annex A & Annex B - labels, labels, labels... ...
- Parco Part 1.
- Chanced upon Tokyu Hands! Sold Porter bags. Bought Pat's fishing hat for 3129Y, hp straps, umbrella covers.
- Accessories store. Bought umbrella and slippers.
- Ate ramen for 750Y = $10 at an authentic ramen house (opposite was Mac). You order and pay via a vending machine.
- Walked down Center Gai Street. Shoe shops.
- Drug store. Bought lipstick, SATAQ10, cover pores make-up. Meiji Collagen tin going for slightly less than 3000Y.
- Shibuya 109 Building - JAPANESE AH LIAN! 8 floors of them! Bought 2 LeSportsac purses.
- From B2, walked out into the subway station. Walked underground back to JR Shibuya Station.
- Discovered FoodShow right under Tokyu Dept -> Obanyaki wasn't as sweet as Taka's.
- Left Shibuya at 4pm, before the working crowd crowds!
Maihama <-> Shibuya 16 stops 380Y = $5

- Back at Maihama Station, I went to the shopping mall on its left, Ikspiari. Bought a Porter bag for 8925Y at Kura Chika Yoshida Kaban.
- Walked back to Disneyland to buy 3 tins of fortune biscuits.
- Walked to Ikspiari again to see what I could buy with 210Y. Nothing. Ate my red bean dessert.
- Went back to Disneyland to wait for the rest.
Hotel: GARDEN HOTEL NARITA

Day 7 Tokyo - Sg



Interesting points:
- Sun rises at 4am. By 5am, it was bright and cheery.
- There are shops EVERYWHERE. Outside the train station, inside the train station...

- Porter bag 8925Y, Blue Label heart-shaped purse 13,650Y, wallet 23,100Y

- Gifts for family & relatives & colleagues = About $470

- Rest of the 2K was spent on myself, food, transport & parents

Cambodia 2-6 December 2007

Thank you "soap-ah-kun"

Day 1 - Siem Reap province

- Silkair MI616 landed at Siem Reap Airport. (pronounce: Sim Reap)
- Angkor Star Hotel was 3-star, but room was big!
- Took a wooden boat ride along Tonle Sap River. (pronounce: Ton Lay Sup)
- Artisans Angkor Arts & Crafts Village.
- Market for shopping.
- KOULEN II Restaurant for buffet dinner & performance. (Sundays only?) Highly recommended! Directly opposite our hotel.

Day 2 - Siem Reap province (Temple day)

- Entered South Gate of Angkor Thom to Bayon Temple.
- Ta Prohm Temple - Tomb Raider was filmed there. It is famous for trees growing on slabs with big, exposed roots.
- Visited Banteay Srey Temple but it was a loooooooooong drive away from town. Hindu temple famous for its intricate carvings.
- Angkor Wat. Hot!!!


Day 3 - Phnom Penh capital

- Took a 6-hour bus ride (Mekong Express) to Phnom Penh.
- Visited the Royal Palace where King Norodom lives.
- Silver Pagoda.
- National Museum.
- Short trip to the ... ... *gasp* 5 or 6-storey-high shopping centre! Has a pizza restaurant - very, very expensive for locals - Large pizza at US18+. Swenson single scoop cup US1.20.
- Supermarket sold Anthon Berg 80 pieces US30.90!!! Very cheap compared to Candy Empire.

:( Room had no hair dryer :(


Day 4 - Phnom Penh capital

- Choeung Ek Killing Field. There are many killing fields, but Choeung Ek's for tourists. There are pieces of clothing and bones still on the very ground that tourists walk on.
- Tuol Sleng Museum - former S-21 prison. Sad place.
- Tonle Basac Restaurant for buffet lunch - highly recommended! High class and wide variety of food.
- Russian Market - just like Chatuchak.
- Temple.
- Central Market - the famous yellow structure with a high dome.
- Back to the shopping centre.


Day 5 - Home

- Phnom Penh Airport was more modern.


Interesting points:
- Siem Reap is less advanced than Phnom Penh. Very different. In Siem Reap, there are more children going about naked, barefooted, asking for money.
- In villages away from Siem Reap, most houses are built on stilts. Wooden planks / dried leaves for walls. Tiles / dried leaves / metal-plates for roofs.
- Phnom Penh looked more like Hanoi, just imagine Chinatown. Shophouses.
- Guide advised us to stay in our hotels after 10pm, when the men get drunk and drive / do bad things. These men are called "Night Men".
- Govt. University cost US500 per year.
- Private University could cost US700 per year.
- University lecturers get about US20 per class, about 6 classes a day for popular subjects. Do your sums.
- Govt. primary school teachers earn US50 a month. School hours are 7 - 11am or 1 - 5pm.

Taipei 2-6 September 2007

No, there was no 'tai feng'. Only the south was affected.
And no, it did not rain. Ok ok, only on 1 out of the 5 days.

Neijiang

Yun Hsien Holiday Resort - up, up the mountain!

Danshui Lao Jie

Day 1
- Arrived at Terminal 1 of Chiang Kai Shek Airport. Old.
- Turned left after passing customs and saw the bus counters.
- Bought our FREEGO tickets. Price increased! NT140 per person. FREEGO = fei gou = flying dog
- Bus's first stop was at our hotel - Neijiang
- Put our things down and headed for Shilin Night Market.
- Bought the 'you you ka' at NT500 per person.
- Shilin was the one diagonally across, not the one opposite the MRT.
- The street on the left was the food street, and there were alot of pasar-malam styled game stores, and a pet area too! I think poodles are the current hype; saw a few cute puppy poodles, about SGD1300, definitely cheaper than buying one in Singapore.
- The street on the right was the clothing street; lots of people! The amazing thing was, the locals moved in the same direction, a lane for going into the street, and a lane for moving out of the street. Wow.
- Saw Mister Donut, Ah Zhong Mian Xian stores.
- Spent about NT2000.

Day 2
- Went to Danshui, but most of the stores were closed still.
- Took a ferry (chose the air-conditioned one, not the open-air) to Fisherman's Wharf.
- The Lover's Bridge was just at the start of the Wharf.
- Went back to Danshui, ate lunch at a seafood restaurant, then walked Danshui Lao Jie.
- Bought Ah Gei, Tie Dan.
- Quite a few toy shops selling old toys.
- There was Starbucks, Birkenstock & Dunkin Donuts too.
- Went to Xinbeitou to have a hot spring bath.
- At the MRT, there was a shop that promoted this 5* hot spring hotel, Pacific Wellness Spa & Club.
- We paid NT1099 for a private room, and this mini bus took us to the hotel.
- After, we took a taxi to Miramar to sit the Ferris Wheel. Before that, we went to the building behind and bought some stuff from Carrefour. There was a BreadTalk there!
- Spent about NT6000.

Day 3
- Went to Jiufen by railway train. At Taipei Main Station, we met an auntie who seemed to specially buy tickets for lost travellers/tourists. Anyway, NT52 per person to Ruifang Station.
- Had to take a bus from Ruifang Station to Jiufen.
- Jiufen Lao Jie was great! Ate stewed pork rice and fishball soup at this shop where the walls were plastered with photographs of the lady boss.
- Ate Lai Ai Po Yu4 Yuan - dessert that was something like bubbletea rice balls, but squarish and bigger and purple, yellow and grey coloured.
- Took a different train back to Taipei - zi4 qiang2 - NT80 per person, but stopped at fewer stops, and newer.
- Saw a bit of the underground mall at Taipei Main Station.
- Went to Taipei 101 - expensive!!! NT350 per person!!!
- From there, walked along the connecting bridge to New York New York, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi. Did not see Warner Village; instead, another cineplex.
- Started raining, so we went back to Ximen and ate Yuanyang steamboat at Fei Tian Ma La. Shiok.

Day 4
- Went to Wulai. Stopped at Xindian Station and took a bus to Wulai.
- Walked past Wulai Lao Jie, across a bridge to the Tram Station.
- Took the tram up. You can see the lovely Wulai waterfall right there at the station.
- Climbed a flight of stairs to a building, bought tickets to take the cable car up to Yun Hsien Holiday Resort.
- When we landed at Yun Hsien, we had the view of the waterfall right before our eyes.
- Had alot of fun walking up, up, up to the Mountain Training Field where we played with the bridges and swings, all across the flowing river/waterfall.
- Great place - recommended!!!
- It started raining at the Mountain Training Field, so we went back down to Wulai Lao Jie, ate some Tai Ya Zu dishes for lunch and had a cheap hot spring bath at NT200 per person, private bath.
- Left Wulai and went straight to Shida Night Market.
- Went to Ximending for shopping.
- There's a Anna Sui shop!

Day 5
- Walked about Ximending and bought a Nike bag from Lian Dong Bai Huo.

Interesting facts:
- Shops open late, about or after 12 noon.
- Girls are generally pretty, and they bother to dress up, especially with eye make-up. Fake eyelashes and kohled eyes.
- People are very helpful.
- Sales people are very service-oriented. Ni Hao, Huan Ying Guang Lin, Xie Xie, sorry to keep you waiting...
- MRT has Priority Seats - Bo Ai Zuo.
- People queue to enter train cabins, one side in, one side out.
- Escalator stand right, move left.