Life between trips

Morning Start: A Simple In-Room Breakfast Since we planned to head out early to Kamikochi, we kept breakfast simple. The night before, we bought some bread from a local bakery (honestly can’t remember the name), and had it in our room the next morning. I paired it with the Yirgacheffe coffee I brought from home, which turned out to be such a good decision — smooth, fragrant, and comforting. Although the hotel had basic amenities available for use, they didn’t provide coffee or tea in the room, which was a bit surprising. Our room also didn’t include breakfast, but that wasn’t a big issue since there were still options outside if needed. That said, I really enjoyed this quiet little breakfast moment — simple, but peaceful before a full day out. Trip to Kamikochi: Not Quite According to Plan According to my original plan, we were supposed to: 👉 start at Taisho Pond 👉 then walk one-way towards the bus pick-up point But… I completely forgot everything I planned  We arrived at the par...

Omotesando Koffee Kiosk 1, Level 2, Gateway Arcade, Harbour City, 25 Canton Rd, Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong When you think of Harbour City in Hong Kong, luxury shopping and panoramic views of Victoria Harbour come to mind. But tucked away in this retail paradise is a little slice of Tokyo— Omotesando Koffee , a minimalist café that brings Japanese coffee culture to the heart of Kowloon. The Concept Originating from Tokyo’s stylish Omotesando district, this café is all about simplicity and precision. The design is clean and understated, with warm wooden tones and geometric accents that echo its Japanese roots. It’s a calm oasis amid the bustling energy of Harbour City. Finding Omotesando Koffee Harbour City is massive—one of the largest shopping complexes in Hong Kong—so it’s easy to get lost on your first visit. Thankfully, there are multiple kiosks and guides stationed throughout the mall that provide clear directions. Once you know the way, it’s an easy and pleasant walk to the café....

I went to watch the Symphony of Lights near the Victoria Harbour cruise area, expecting the same impressive experience I remembered from years ago. Unfortunately, this time it felt lacklustre . The show was scheduled as usual at 8 PM, but the conditions weren’t ideal—it was a day after a typhoon on 25 Sept 2025 , and the sky was still cloudy. The lasers kept disappearing into the clouds, which really diminished the visual impact. But i can't complain as we are fortunate our flights aren't cancelled. The flights a day earlier are all cancelled.  The skyline lights were still beautiful, and the music played faintly in the background, but overall, the show didn’t have the wow factor I remembered. It’s a reminder that weather plays a big role in this experience—clear nights make all the difference.

Nestled in the tranquil hills of Tai Po, Tsz Shan Monastery (慈山寺) is more than just a Buddhist landmark—it’s a sanctuary for reflection and peace. With its towering Guan Yin statue and serene gardens, this monastery offers a rare escape from Hong Kong’s urban rush Getting There We planned to take the 20T minibus , which heads directly to the monastery, but it only runs at limited time slots. To avoid uncertainty, we opted for a taxi from Tai Po Market , which cost about HKD 86 . On the way back, we aimed for the 4:10 PM bus , arriving at 3:56 PM—only to find it full! So, we waited for the next one at 4 :30 PM (last bus) . Mental note: plan your return early if you’re relying on the bus. First Impressions The monastery’s architecture is stunning—Tang and Song dynasty-inspired structures set against lush greenery. The 76-meter Guan Yin statue dominates the skyline, holding a wisdom pearl and vase of pure water, symbolizing compassion and cleansing. Walking the Compassion Path toward h...

  DO:  Chair lift up Amanohashidate and Amanohashidate Viewland During our recent trip to Amanohashidate, we encountered a massive queue, with wait times reaching up to 80 minutes. This was primarily due to the long weekend, as the next day was a public holiday in Japan. If you're short on time, I highly recommend heading straight to Amanohashidate Viewland for the best views. Tickets for Viewland are sold separately. We initially thought they were included in our rail car ticket, but realized too late that they weren't. Unfortunately, we couldn't get tickets for the rail car. So, remember to purchase your Viewland tickets at the vending machine upon arrival to avoid any disappointment. Besides the stunning scenic views, Amanohashidate Viewland offers a variety of activities mainly for kids to enjoy the ferris wheel, cycle car, mini golf, go kart, archery. One of the most unique and captivating views at Amanohashidate Viewland is the  "Flying Dragon View" . By ben...

Sasebo itself is a city steeped in history and cultural diversity. Located in the northwestern part of Kyushu, it has been a significant port since the late 19th century. Initially established as a major port for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1866, Sasebo later became an American naval base in 1945.  American service members stationed there brought with them a craving for familiar foods from home, including hamburgers.  .  Local entrepreneurs quickly adapted to meet this demand, learning to make burgers that would satisfy the American palate One of the earliest burger joints in Sasebo, Hikari, started selling burgers to American soldiers in the early 1950s.   Over the years, these burgers have evolved, incorporating local ingredients and flavors, but they still retain the essence of their American origins. The star of the show at Big Man is undoubtedly their  Original Bacon & Egg Burger . This special burger features a juicy and tender beef patty that is coo...

Anagomeshi Ueno 1 Chome-5-11 Miyajimaguchi, Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima 739-0411, Japan This is our first time having conger eel. Hubs is super eager as he loves unagi very much. We were kind of worried as its quite late and this place is known to be very popular. We were one of the last customers and it was a decent meal. The eel comes with a green condiment which i originally thought was dried wasabi but it wasn't. It was a green pepper powder.  Do give it a taste as its quite interesting and numbing.  I ordered the small size while hubs ordered the large size anago - meshi (glaze grilled conger eel). The eel has a very charred smoky taste like it has been smoked for a while and drier than the regular eel we are used to.  I thought the taste quite unique while hubs wasn't too impressed with the taste. He state that he would have preferred the sweeter and fatter eel that we eat. Overall, its a should try for conger eel. If there is better alternatives, you have something else...

Japan, 〒739-0411 Hiroshima, Hatsukaichi, Miyajimaguchi, 1 Chome−9−8 １階 Our first hotel on arrival to Fukuoka. Its a 2.5 hrs away from Fukuoka but since i set my heart to visiting    itksukushima. This is the best choice as within walking distance to train station and also ferry terminal to itksukushima.  The view of the bay from the room is great.  Amentities like pillows/chargers and games are available to choose at the reception. We selected memory foam pillow and got it delivered to our room. 😍 To me the memory foam pillow is a life saver.  The room is good size for 3 pax and well furnished.  The breakfast is superb. They recommended their ochazuke and handmade tofu for their breakfast. There is a good mixture of japanese and western breakfast. Its free seating but unfortunately the seats near the window facing the bay is all taken. 

To do: Day 3 is spent on an island hopping cum snorkelling day trip organised by tour agency. Welcome to Nalushan Island This is a very interesting and fulfilling experience. So glad i tried it at least once. This day trip is a pretty steep partly because we booked it through the hotel counter but they accommodated our request to start our day early and end it early. We have highlighted it that we must be back to Cebu City by 4 pm to catch our flight at 7.55 pm on the day itself. They have fulfilled their promise to us with a little extra time for us to freshen up at the hotel before departing for the airport. I am also pleased with the fact that this trip is all inclusive. i.e there are no extra/ hidden costs. What's more food is also included. Our transportation to keep us dry to the big boat This is SO getting all panicky before the boat head out to sea. OMG! What did i sign up for? We are quite shocked that they actually told us that there is may be no...