Kanazawa, Japan

Date of Travel: 26-29 July 2014

Kanazawa Station

This is a continuation of the previous post at Takayama & Shirakawa-Go.

3 nights at Kanazawa is too long. You end up doing many things that you normally wouldn't do. So here's our drive trip to some really small towns around Japan. We arrived Kanazawa late at night and checked-in to the newly opened Holiday Inn Kanazawa. At 13,300¥/night with breakfast for a huge twin room, it was worth every penny. On the night that we arrived, we walked to the nearby Omicho market and somehow wasn't impressed with the restaurants there. We randomly picked a restaurant nearby, and wanted to go back to take our car and head out for a drive. On our way back, we heard fireworks and only JUST realized that the big fireworks festival was on that night. We ran back to the hotel and asked them where is the fireworks, and wanted to drive there. The reception pointed us to the 15th Floor. He insisted we go there. And so we did, and we arrived at the hotel's library which was pitch black, and everyone was sitting by the windows catching the fireworks. So lucky, we got to enjoy the hour long fireworks in the comfort of our hotel.

This room has 2 single beds, and 2 toilets! This picture show half of the room, the other half is exactly the same.

Seafood is very fresh in Kanazawa

Takayama and Shirakawa-Go, Japan

Date of Travel: 25 Jul 2014

Shirakawa What?? Where? Huh?
Shirakawa-Go is a UNESCO Heritage Site in Central Japan. It is famous for these houses shaped like hands in prayer, and whose roof has no nails. Most houses have 3 layers, such that when winter comes, you have to go in and out of your house from the top most level door.

We were one of the fortunate few who managed to fly to Nagoya where AirAsiaX once flew to. After landing at 4:20pm, we picked up our rental car for our adventure in Central Japan. It took approximately 3.5 hours to reach Takayama, what I call a transit town for Shirakawa-Go. By 8:30pm, everything was really dead. We were lucky to reach the restaurant on time, before last order of 9:00pm. Try locate Ajikura Hida Beef restaurant, Hanasato-machi 4-147, Takayama. Tel: 0577-371129. After dinner, we checked in to Takayama Super Hotel.

Our rented Nissan March, 4 days rental for 30240¥ (RM967)

The GPS system is really easy to navigate in Japan

Ajikura Hida Beef Restaurant

Ox Tongue is my favourite!

Chiangmai 4D/3N with a big group - Day 3 & 4

Date of Travel: 10-13 May 2014

Waterfall at Doi Inthanon National Park

Day 3

We decided to enjoy nature today, and headed to Doi Inthanon National Park. It is the highest mountain in all of Thailand, 8415 feet above sea level. Entrance fees were THB100/person and THB30/car. Our first stop was this lovely waterfall. The kids went down to the water to play, refreshing cool air.

Chiangmai 4D/3N with a big group - Day 2

Date of Travel: 10-13 May 2014

Making T-Shirts at Borsang umbrella making factory

Day 2

Today is a very relaxing shopping day. We did not want to drive too far out of town, and we do not support riding nor watching animals do silly tricks. So we visited the Samkampaeng area, which is known for their Home Industries. First stop was Borsang paper umbrella making factory. We made history today. We are the first and only group to stay here for 3 hours, when most stay 30 minutes at most. What did we do here??? We made T-Shirts.

Chiangmai 4D/3N with a big group - Day 1

Date of Travel: 10-13 May 2014

At Doi Suthep Temple, Chiangmai

12 adults and 4 children flew to Chiangmai for a fun-filled holiday. AirAsia had a promotion which included the Royal Princess Chiangmai hotel, airfare + 3 nights hotel at RM635 per person. We started out with just 4 persons, and our group size grew really fast. We needed the help of a tour guide to help us move around more easily, and I selected Sutthi Hampitak +66899534407 thihampitak@yahoo.com. He charged us THB15,000 for 3 days in 2 x 12-seater vans, based on my itinerary.



Day 1
Arrived Chiangmai at 8:40am. Sutthi came with 2 x 12-seater vans, and boy were they comfortable. I asked him to bring us to a local market first, then up to Doi Suthep temple. You can climb 309 steps to the top, or pay THB50 for a tram car ride, to and fro. Everyone was already tired from waking up at 4am that morning, so we had a relaxing lunch and back to the hotel. Some of us chose to sleep, others went for a massage at Let's Relax just across the road from our hotel. For dinner, I had reserved a table at a very popular French restaurant in Chiangmai called Chez Marco 15/7 Loi Kroh Road, +6653207032. After dinner, all 16 of us squeezed into a truck to Wualai Road night market, a.k.a. Saturday Night Market.

"Papa, why is it so smelly in here?"

"Papa, why is it still smelly outside?"

Riding the tram to the top of Doi Suthep

Northern Lights in Tromso Norway - Day 3 & 4

Date of Travel: 28-31 Jan 2014

Day 3
Today was our second last day of our 16 day holiday. It is coincidentally Chinese New Year eve, where we would normally be having a reunion dinner with family. But 3 of us are so far north in the Arctic Circle, so far away from any family members. So we shall make the best of tonight's celebration.

Northern Lights in Tromso, Norway - Day 2

Date of Travel: 28-31 Jan 2014

Tromso, Norway

Day 2
Apart from the Northern Lights, Tromso is also famous for the Fjords, which are narrow waterways through steep cliffs. There are many tours offering cruises to see the fjords, some lasting a week long even. I get seasick easily, so I am not one who would willingly sleep on a cruise. And being in such an expensive country, we found the cheapest possible solution to see the fjords. Take the 7:10am Fjordprinsessen from Tromso - Vikran - Tennskjer – Lysnes. Don't get off the ferry, and ride it all the way back to Tromso to arrive back by 9:05am. Cost was 177Kr (RM88) per person for a return journey. The ferry DOES NOT run on Tuesdays & Thursdays, so do check the schedule to plan your itinerary. http://ruteinfo.thn.no/filer/519_en.pdf