My best holiday – Sri Lanka

I have been the unofficial travel ambassador of Sri Lanka ever since my trip there in December 2012. I still think about that holiday a lot. In our 10 days there, we literally covered the hills one day and the safari the very next day and then the beach the following day, travelling on almost all forms of public transport from bus to tuk tuk to taxi, and of course, the wonderful train, especially the one going up the hill from Colombo to Kandy, and the one which runs along the Indian Ocean from Galle to Colombo. Small island, but has so much to offer from culture to nature.

Whenever Sri Lankans from writers to taxi drivers asked where we are from and we said “Singapore”, they would be very envious of how much our country has progressed over the last 30 years. In the 70s, LKY visited the then prosperous country and envisioned to make Singapore the next Sri Lanka, and now they hope they will be the next Singapore. In instances like that, I would be very proud of being Singaporean. Then again, last December, I met a (rich) Burmese lady in Yangon, even she said that Singapore is getting more crowded and dirtier.

We were transported back in time to Singapore in the 1960-70s. If not for the long civil war, Sri Lanka might have been more developed than Singapore. The planning of their efficient train system points to that. Nonetheless, the people are all resilient, friendly and most speak English. (OK, there were also some dishonest people, from tuk tuk drivers to strangers who chatted us up and tried to sell my very trusting Singaporean friend gemstones. But we usually get smarter after every trip). The tourist areas and the country in general are so clean. The most memorable place… a difficult choice because they were all amazing!

Inside a local bus

The comfortable and efficient train. We travelled on first and second class. The counter refused to sell us third class tickets which  was for the locals.
 

• Nuwara Eliya (2 days to visit the tea plantations and do nothing)

Left: Future mother teresa

Relaxing time reading and drinking tea in Sri Lanka. My only gripe was the lack of good coffee. My instant Owl coffee was a saver. Unfortunately I only brought 2 satchets for the 10-day trip.

Very peaceful place, almost a little England. This was where the British colonial masters built their resorts. Cool weather and even cold at night at some 8 deg C. We couldn’t shower in the evening and had to do so in the afternoon. Victoria inn on Park Avenue (I think) is a cozy little inn, but not advertised on the internet (I have since included them in my agoda review), so we could just walk in, looked at all the different rooms and took our pick. Only SGD10 per person, per night for the stay. Breakfast not included.

There is a post office, community library which we walked into to chat with the librarian. They were always friendly and eager to talk to foreigners to learn about other countries. We also ventured into a girls’ school and played a bit at their playground, on their tiny see-saw made for kids. They were all made of iron// metal. It was seemingly school holidays but some girls came around, giggled (at us the oversized kids) and then showed us their kitchen. 2 of them were preparing food for the other 40. One said she hoped to go to the university in Colombo to study, grow up to be the next mother Teresa.

• Safari in Tissa – second largest national park in Sri Lanka.  

Beauty beyond words, or someone like us from an all-city country. We were lucky to go close to a wild elephant with long tusks, snacking; a big, fat owl; and a leopard sleeping in the tree. For safety, we had to stay in the jeep at all times, and all jeeps had to leave the national park by 6pm. This made the experience such an adventure! The silhouettes of the animals against the setting sun, and all the jeeps racing towards the exit made a wonderful picture which still stays in my head.

• Sigiriya, the lion’s rock (half day, but some 4 hours’ drive from Kandy)

The ancient king seized the empire from his brother and built his on the rock, so attacks would not be easy.

It was a challenging but satisfying climb up the rock. We met a 70+ year old man guy from Sweden in our hostel in Kandy and he spontaneously joined us for the day’s trip. He made it to the top! BTW, he was happy that I knew ikea.

Lots of paintings on the war which craftsmen were restoring. Hope they are mostly done by now.

Not Sigiriya, but the old city of Anuradhapura. My best shot of the trip.

• Galle – Fort and beach facing the Indian Ocean.

Couple taking their wedding shot.

Small town, like Penang or Malacca. Expensive place to be, especially with the tourists.hot place and our guesthouse owners were not friendly. I wouldn't be back.

• Other unforgettables would definitely be food: The milk tea, curry (the stunner was the beetroot and banana curries) and rice, hopper (what the Indians here called “appam”) – literally all sorts of fillings can go in, “kuttu” (pancake chopped into slices like noodles, then fried with egg, chicken etc, which is Indian food. The best were the chilli burger we bought at the Nuwara Eliya bus terminal for some SGD0.20, which was just 2 slabs of bread sandwiching super fresh, spicy chilli sauce, wrapped in old newspapers or used exercise books, as well as the bedeviled chicken cooked by a hardworking young guy at the guesthouse in Tissa. We pre-booked our safari tour with the owner as well.

Kuttu

Bedevilled chicken. Bedevilled anything is nice.

Chilli burger

Colombo is for the airport and Kandy is on the way from Colombo to Nuwara Eliya, so I would have skipped them as attractions. Next time, I will want to cover Negombo this time for the fishing villages and fishermen fishing on stilts, as well as go out to sea to whale and dolphin watch. Negombo is only under an hour from the Colombo airport, so one can go straight to Negombo to spend a day before moving towards Kandy.

When we were passing through the immigration upon arrival, we saw the beauty of Sri Lanka from the tourism board’s promotional video and were doubtful. Now, I know I will definitely be back some day.

 

My holiday essentials

After the hard and sometimes mundane work in the office, a holiday is the best way to recharge. Therefore, it's essential to have a GOOD holiday! Here's my wish list:

1. A new destination. In the past, I tended to go back to same old places like hong kong. But, the world is so big and so many new things to see and learn. Once out of my comfort zone, I never wanted to be back in in again. Of course, it's sometimes still nice to go back to a familiar place for a short getaway, do nothing holiday. Wonderful if there are friends there as well.

2. A good and suitable companion. Going to Japan but didn't want to try even a night in a capsule hotel, can't eat beef and sashimi (I'm not even coming to babashi or raw horse meat yet); don't know how to cycle in Vietnam; always in a hurry, even in museums; Must sleep in 5* hotel, even in less developed places; can't walk too much; no eating at roadside stalls; trust strangers too easily; dont know how to areas maps, don't know how to book air tickets and hotels; don't know which hotel we will be checking into; no idea about the destination, not even if you sent them the information... what they need is a travel agent or they can just stay in Singapore. Unless this is my mother then I've no choice.

3. Wifi. I always need to be connected real time to tell my family I'm safe and sound, and to check in on Facebook, telling my friends or just connections what a time I'm having at that MOMENT, otherwise, that day. I talk to my usual friends about the usual things even i was away only for a few days.

My real good holiday was actually a no phone one, seizing the moment to enjoy the view, the company and sometimes even talking to a stranger or even people watch. I was so busy filming the fireworks at Disneyland, I had no recollection of the performance.

Quite a few reasons for liking Kyushu

I travelled to Kyushu with my friend in end March to early April this year, trying our luck to catch the cherry blossom bloom. We were lucky to be there right during the 2-week bloom. The Japanese are very serious about enjoying this season, picnicking or barbecuing under the Sakura tree with their friends and family. We also booked a spot here and there.

And I must say that I didn’t expect much of China Eastern Airlines. We booked it since it was the cheapest, best schedule available. We took the flight from Singapore and transited at Shanghai Pudong Airport for Fukuoka. The flight and food were good, transit very efficient, but don’t expect a smile. And just that the return flight got delayed, gate changed at Pudong airport. We made it back to Singapore, but our luggage did not. Luckily, we bought travel insurance, so not a bad deal that my suitcase earned me a few hundred bucks by spending a night in Shanghai. The Shanghai-Fukuoka leg was very Japanese, from food to crew’s attire to safety video. Lots of Japanese businessmen onboard the evening flight from what looked like a day trip to Shanghai.

The Hakata airport is in the middle of town, it is so convenient to get there – under 15 minutes by normal train. I could imagine the plane landing at the doorstep of my hostel which by the way is a great one Fukuoka Hana hostel http://fukuoka.hanahostel.com/. Very convenient location – 5-10 min walk from train station, through the covered shopping arcade. Lots of food 24 hours.

There are so many reasons to like Kyushu:

1.    Off the beaten track – tourists, if any, mainly from Korea and Taiwan, but a fair share of shopping in Fukuoka like any other Japanese cities.

2.    Kyushu railways and trains – by far the most in variety and color. The bright yellow and red trains are very unique, I haven’t seen them in Tokyo, Osaka or Kyoto. No locals trains in NagasakI and Kagoshima, but they have trams!

3.    Onsen – at Yufuin. We stayed at this ryokan called iyotomi (http://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/ShowUserReviews-g1023445-d1106652-r133727899-Iyotomiso-Yufu_Oita_Prefecture_Kyushu_Okinaw.html), 15 minute walk from the JR Yufuin station. Dinner included, appetizers were great, but not sure of the chicken hotpot. The meat was too salty and tough for our liking. It has an open air onsen and 2 family room onsens.

Such a serene sight, i wondered how these fat ducks will taste like....

On the other side of the main tourist belt in Yufuin are farms and residences. The residents seemed to be living such a peaceful life, it is almost paradise. Of course, Mt Fuji is way more magnificent, but the small town charm of Yufuin is perfect for a relaxing holiday. It is amazing how a touristy town can keep its peace and quiet.

4.    Ramen – Fukuoka is famous for its ramen and is home to the famous Ichiran and Ippudo. The famous Champon noodles of Chinese origin in Nagasaki was however, not something I particularly remembered.

Champon men

5.    People – Those I came across were much friendlier than their counterparts in bigger cities, and spoke more English. Even the old ladies did!

6.    History – the heavier stuff. The atomic bomb museum in Nagasaki is a humble one, but shows a good collection of exhibits, the bits and pieces of the effects of the bomb on Nagasaki (but of course didn’t explain in detail how the war started). Detailed English captions which are rare in Japan. The Peace Park next to it has a melancholic atmosphere.

The Peace Park in Nagasaki with its iconic statue

Kagoshima was an important city of the Meiji Restoration. Statues of important historical figures are all over the city, historical paths are marked.

Sakurajima from afar

And for many reasons to like Kyushu. It's a pity we disdn't cover Kumanmoto, home of the black bear. One thing for sure, I'll be back in Kyushu one day.

My first solo trip!

I recently embarked on my first solo trip – and the destination I had chosen was friendly Tokyo! Traveling alone throughout an entire trip is really different: It forces you to open up and talk to strangers, especially for someone like me who loves talking. I also enjoyed the flexible schedule – own time, own target. You’re fully responsible for the planning (of course, you can book the trip with a tour agency), getting to the destination, or getting lost and making the best out of the experience! You get to eat all the food on the table or have to stuff yourself. You decide where to stay – finally, I made it a capsule hotel! You get all the personal space you want.

But 5 days or at max, 7 days, was enough for me. I missed my mum’s nagging a little, but no way I would miss her cooking.

As always, Japan’s food, people and beauty never failed to impress. Almost everyone is always ready to help. I even got a free sake!

Getting there:

Direct limited express trains via the Sky Access Line connect Narita Airport and Asakusa about every 40 minutes except in the late afternoons and evenings. The one way journey takes 1 to 1.5 hours and costs about 1300 yen.

The thing about Japanese hotels is that generally, the check-in time is 4pm and check-out, is at 10am. Spent under $200 in all. No breakfast, but lots of great food around. After a few trips to Japan, I found breakfast set (local coffee +hard boiled egg +salad +buttered thick toast) at local coffee shops a yummy and great deal at under 500 yen. The coffee alone in these shops can easily cost 500 yen already.

Here’s to share my 5-day itinerary. For the how-to details, Wikitravel, tripadvisor and frommer’s are great references: I stayed at Asakusa Hotel Wasou(浅草ホテル和草) for 4 nights: 1 night capsule and 3 nights ryokan, all within the same building. A little old, but generally clean and comfortable- I slept (and sometimes overslept) like a baby all nights. It is right behind Senso-ji temple. I enjoyed taking the shortcut I picked up from a local granny. The temple area is filled with tourists in the day and becomes serene and almost poetic at night.

 

Day 1:

Hotel check-in in the afternoon. Go up to the rooftop (8/F) of the tourist information center in Asakusa for full view of the area. No admission fee. Can see the Asahi beer tower and Tokto skytree from there as well.

 

Asakusa is a great place for tempura and unagi.Went to Irokawa which is famous for its unagi, but I was already closed (sold out). Ended up in another, what locals said is equally good, place to satisfy my unagi craving.

Irokawa which was closed

 

Day 2:
Shibuya – to see the hachiko statue outside of the Sibuya station again. (If it’s your first visit, then go to Meiji Jinggu first.)

And to start to Daikanyama (more foreigner and cafe setting, small area) and by train to Harajuku. The shopping stretch Takeshita dori is fun to walk along for the crazy fashion, but the 100 yen Daiso shop was really where I spent most of my time. Then, a leisurely walk to Aoyama where all the impressive architecture is (prada, boss), passing through Ometesando dori where the nice cafes and boutiques are.

Harajuku Station

Ended the evening with great sushi (tuna belly is my favorite).

Day 3:
First to Shinjuku for 2 things I didn’t achieve, or rather, failed to do on my last trip:

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, observation deck on 45/F. Free admission. Closed the last time I came.

• Ate Fuunji tsukemen (dipped noodles). Go for the special one at 1000 yen. I came twice in October last year and it was closed. This was the top of my list this time.

The Q was already this long when it opened at 11am.

Then, took a one hour+ train from Shinjuku JR station to Kamakura for a sacred visit to the temples. I had targeted to cover 5, but only managed 3 due to the heavy rain. There’s a rain curtain in most of my Kamakura photos.

One of my rare photos on a solo trip. Some selfies.

Took the train back to Tokyo station to take some photos of the historical station building, and shopping at the largest muji store at nearby Yurakucho.

Ended the evening with a late shochu +BBQ shell fish dinner. Heavenly!

Day 4:
Started the day with Ueno Park, walking in the rain again. The greenery reminds me of NY’s Central park. I could imagine how breathtaking it would be during the cherry blossom season.

The famous golden gate of the Toshogu Shrine in Ueno Park

Statue of Saigo Takamori - a hero in Japan's history.

I went to the nearby Ameyoko bazaar nearby for some shopping. It is more like Temple Street in Hong Kong with all the hawking (and mainland Chinese selling stuff). However, the stretch of shops, mainly restaurants and cafes which housed themselves under the railway tracks, was amazing. And you don’t hear thing from the trains running above when you are inside the shop. Supposedly one of the most relaxing days, but I walked the most trying to locate St Mary’s cathedral after making a brief round in Tokyo University. All established universities seem to have historical buildings – this looks universal.

The iconic main building was unfortunately, under renovation.

Anyway, I had wanted to marvel at the magnificence of the cathedral, walked 4 hours and still couldn’t find the cathedral, not even with the help of locals. I figured I was better connected with temples those few days. I wandered into the Kagurazaka area by chance – this should have been in my itinerary! Such nice restaurants and cafes! I’d choose this over Daikanyama like what most websites would recommend.

Day 5:
On the final day of the trip, it was all about knowing my Asakusa neighborhood better – spending some time in a local cafe, ran out when the cigarette smoke became too heavy; loitering around kitchen town (Kappabashi), enjoying good coffee and cake at my favorite Doutor cafe (read as “dotoru, which is now at MBFC), not before I checked out the famous Akihabara to be amused by the AKB48 cafe cum retail shop, and alike. Then, it was back to Singapore.

Next, I hope to experience Japan in winter, and check out Hokkaido or Kobe area.

BTW, Delta Airlines is simply great – the latest movies, lighting etc was all on touchscreen (but of course, America is the home of apple). Stewardesses are still plain and caring. Food is on par with SQ. I paid only $70 for tax after redeeming my sky miles which don’t have an expiry date.

享受、学习

情人节又到了。单身的同事纷纷在找节目。 我当然也被邀请。对我而言，日常生活也可以是情人节。当然，说天天是情人节就太夸张了- 难道就没吵架、想杀了对方的时候？

走到了轻熟女的阶段，我有了这样的领悟：
首先，享受单身，别因害怕孤单而随便接受一个自己不爱的人，因为你可能得花双倍的时间甩他。而更可耻的是，你可能无形中伤害了一个对你好的人。当然，很多人说试了才知。

其次，所有恋爱模式，都值得享受。无论单恋、暗恋、相恋甚至是失恋，都是人生必经的过程，所以值得享受。从过程中学习- 不重蹈错误，去覆辙美好事物，下次做得更好。

祝：情人节快乐！

New year, new wishes!

Happy new year of the Dragon! May this be a bountiful and happy year! I'm all ready for the new year, with new clothes and shoes:
1) to put on 5-10 kgs of body mass
2) to find new boyfriend(s)
3) to find a new job with more pay, lesser hours
4) to renew my twice a year holiday schedule
5) to live harmoniously with my mom: eat less meals at home and keep my mouth shut!