Relieved: “Finally!” I told myself, giving a sigh of relief as I saw the sign of the hotel after driving for 3 hours in what was Hokkaido’s heaviest snowfall in 50 years. Visibility was poor and a route which the GPS directed us to on was temporarily closed, forcing us to detour. Read about our 1st self-drive experience in Hokkaido here. I was even more relieved when help in the form of 2 ladies and a man, impeccably dressed in uniform, came forward even before my car was parked, … [Read more...]
GoSnow Niseko: Ski School for Kids
This post is dedicated to the instructors at GoSnow, particularly Mel, Alexandra and Connor whom we are indebted to for initiating the love for skiing in my daughter. It’s not everyday that this happens – me standing in sub-zero temperature with snow blowing in my face, fingers frozen but standing mouth wide open, in awe as I saw my 8 year old daughter skiing down unaided on the ski slopes of the Grand Hirafu in Niseko – one of the top ski slopes in Asia no less… AND WAVING AT ME! 4 days … [Read more...]
So Sofitel Bangkok – So Absolutely Unforgettable
The So Sofitel Bangkok is a truly exceptional hotel. Very few hotels can invoke in us that longing to return so strongly. In fact, that feeling is growing more acutely now even as I pen this post. Just what is so unique about the this hotel? Sanctuary Imagine a hotel that invigorates every aspect of your senses - your sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste. Imagine being invigorated from the intense sensory assaults of the Bangkok streets the moment you step back … [Read more...]
Self-Drive Hokkaido: Winter Driving Tips
Hokkaido is a popular winter destination for families like us wishing to experience fresh pure ‘powdery’ snow without having to travel halfway around the globe. For those who wish to travel at their “own time, own target”, self-drive is an attractive option. We recently did a self-drive Hokkaido trip and here are some useful driving tips to share. For the record, we rented the car only for 3 days: picked it up in Sapporo, drove to Lake Toya, Noboribetsu and returned the car … [Read more...]
Packing for a Winter Holiday (Kids’ Edition)
All Mommies will concur that packing for vacations for the entire family is no laughing matter, much less packing for winter holiday. How are we supposed to pack light for cold weather travel when we need so many items to keep us toasty? We’re leaving for Hokkaido this week for our first snow trip and after several weeks of planning, I've finally completed my packing list. The Key to Packing Light The key to packing light for Winter holiday is layering. Always start with a base … [Read more...]
Le Meridien Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok: An Oasis in the Land of Smiles
“What? We’re here already?” I quipped, after hardly warming-up my seat in the hotel’s transport from the airport. In less than 20 minutes, we went from the stresses of clearing immigration, collecting our baggage, negotiating the human traffic to arriving at the foyer of our 5-star luxury resort in Bangkok, in air-conditioned comfort, being greeted by warm, friendly faces – something that always draw us back to this Land of Smiles. Looks like our well-deserved holiday is off to a good start! … [Read more...]
Bangkok Safari World – A Drive on the Wild Side!
We visited Bangkok during the National Day long weekend in August. Because we were travelling with kids, we deliberately incorporated some kid-friendly activities into our Free & Easy itinerary. Our favourite was the visit to the Husky Cafe followed by the Airplane Graveyard. The Bangkok Safari World ranked third. The website provided scanty information so I turned to my friends' blogs, A Million Little Echoes, My Lilbookworm and Growing with The Tans before I finally decided we … [Read more...]
Staycation at DoubleTree by Hilton (Johor Bahru)
So there it was, the moment we stepped right up to the reception counter, catching us totally by surprise - “Mr. Sim, here’s a cookie for you to enjoy” said the receptionist sweetly before she processed our check-in…and the cookie was warm and it tasted good. We're impressed! Welcome to the Double-Tree Hilton, Johor Bahru. It’s been awhile since we stepped into a Hilton hotel – the last time was 17 years ago for our wedding banquet in Hilton, Singapore! So imagine our … [Read more...]
Angry Birds Activity Park, Johor Bahru – A Comprehensive Guide
They are here! The world’s cutest, liveliest and 'angriest' birds are now just a stone’s throw across the causeway at the Komtar JBCC Mall! In fact, just take a short 5 minute walk from the CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine) building in Johor, you’re already face to face with these little critters that took the world by storm (and still is!) with their funny, addictive antics of whizzing through the air, hitting each other as targets and landing with a crude thud accompanied by their … [Read more...]
Reflections from Bangkok Airplane Graveyard
This was originally intended as a plain (pun unintended) travel post but two things have changed it. First, the actual visit to this Airplane Graveyard itself. This is not a commercial tourist attraction. It is, technically, a junkyard that happens to house the fuselage and parts of three large commercial jet planes, one of which is that of a B747, Queen of the skies no less, left unceremoniously on this weed-infested land. It is obvious that whatever was the plan for this had not quite … [Read more...]
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