JAPAN WINTER TRIP 2018 ( KYOTO ---OSAKA---KYOTO---NARA)

YAY !! finally time for another travel blogggg !!

AFTER A LOOOONG WAIT. FINALLY another family trip and this time ---> to the land of the rising sun

JAPAN 

KONNICHIWAこんにちは !!

PRE-JAPAN PREPARATION 

1) Air-tickets : I actually bought the flight tickets prolly more than a year before the trip actually takes place. I bought it during the airasia promo during March 2017 ( which they have it anually).  To and fro tickets to Japan from KLIA2 costs about : RM 955 ( inclusive 20kg luggage and in-flight meal) .

What a great deal right? ... not really tho, apparently they have these promos going on sometime around June/ July as well, which i found it to be a bit cheaper and with a more preferable departure time. :( 

Anyway, $$ has already been deducted from my bank account and it is near to IMPOSSIBLE to make any changes given that the whole AirAsia system is very VERY rigid ( expressing my grudge against AirAsia ..ugh long story..)  

WHAT TO DO NEXT?  Since we are going on a free- and -easy trip to Japan, me, being the tourguide for this family trip have a GREAT CONCERn----> Language.  I have been to Tokyo once in 2013 basically following my Aunt around (my aunt speaks Japanese) navigating the subway of Tokyo. When i mean follow, i legit meant BLINDLY FOLLOW. No research or anything is done before the trip. Basically, i dont even know where we are going. 

2) Learn Japanese : I actually signed up for a 3 months language course for Japanese (Level 1) in YMCA Kuala Lumpur which costs me around RM360++ including the annual member fee. The classes are good but I managed to attend only 5 class out of 10 because the weekend class just seemed to clash with a lot of events and mid sem breaks. (money flies away :() 

Nonetheless, the journey to learn Japanese did not stop. I watched youtube videos ( japanese pod 101, Japan Society NYC(Uki Uki) I highly recommend these two channels as they are comprehensive yet easy to understand.  

3) Accomodation: I have had a headache deciding on where to stay as you will have at least some ideas of where you want to visit and which city you planned to stay). Well, in the end i decided to spend 3 nights in Kyoto and 3 nights in Osaka. I booked the accomodation through airbnb.

Kyoto airbnb : RM1418.97 4pax 

Osaka airbnb : RM1031.50 4pax

RM612 per pax for 6 nights 

Note : thiis can go wayyyy much cheaper if you stay in youth hostel or backpacker hostel. But since i am travelling with my parents, they prefer having some privacy. 

It is better to stay in Osaka for the last few days because it is nearer to the Kansai International Airport (KIX) around 45 mins from Namba Station. 

4) Tickets: (bought through klook except for the icoca pass)  Note: icoca card can be purchased through klook as well.

Universal Studios Japan: RM299 

Osaka Amazing pass (1-day): RM86

Hankyu Pass: RM29

Wifi rental (7-days) : RM119

Icoca- haruka pass :https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/icoca-haruka

Kimono rental : RM153.50 (include hair-do) we cancelled the plan due to our pack schedule which will leave us with no time to spend to take LOADS of photos. However totally no regret as the winter in January is pretty unbearable in kimonos ( saw tourists in Kimonos shivering in cold and surprisingly the number of tourists wearing kimono was less that what i've expected. ) 

5) Plan your itinerary . i attribute my itinerary planning to all travel bloggers out there!!! THANK YOU ! well i guess it is now my turn to give back ? haha hopefully it will be helpful to those travelling to Japan during winter next year and years to come :) 

That's it !! basically these are what you have to do before embarking on your Journey to Japan! Will be updating with my detailed itinerary + photos soon !! (pray hard for me to not procrastinate) 

*off*

Taiwan winter trip 2015 (DAY 1 , 14/2/2015 Saturday )

There's nothing much going on for the first day because most of the day was spent in the aeroplane. FORTUNATELY with tv as well ! yay ! My dad got the air ticket (Dragon air & Cathay Pacific) at a really good price which is for RM1000+ per person. Since we are departing from Penang , we have to transfer at Hong Kong International Airport but only with one an a half hour gap in between our connecting flight !

Up Up Here we go !

Me and my in-flight meal 

UNFORTUNATELY, the flight from Hong Kong to Taipei delayed for an hour or more which is still acceptable la... i've been through worst . However , the initially estimated time to land in Taipei airport is 7.30 pm. but we ended reaching there at 9.30 pm.

Upon the arrival in Tao Yuan international airport, we headed straight to the tele-communication counter to buy ourselves some sim cards. To get there, just turn right after getting out of the err... arrival hall.  There's signboards everywhere, so not to worry :)

I planned to buy Taiwan Da Ge Da but due to the slow service and long queue , i decided to give other mobile opetarors a try. Look at me, i cant even remember the name ! haha for me i dont think there is much distinctive difference regarding network coverage. But my friend says taiwan da ge da has better coverage . But i'm pretty satisfied with mine. The rates are all the same , so you dont really have to compare. Just choose how many days u need the mobile data for , seek for the mobile operator you desire and go for it. 

After buying our sim card, we went down to the bus ticket counter and bought the bus ticket to Taipei Main Station.  PS i got confused for the chinese name of Taipei Main Station . Take note that 台北车站and 台北火车站 is the SAME LOCATION。 Two names for one location, nearly gave my weak heart a heart attack.

Terminal 5 and my head 

Bought our bus ticket (Guo Kuang Bus ) 121 Taipei dolar each { approximately RM13+}

Our easily identified luggages :)

After reaching Taipei Main Station, we took a cab to Hotel Puri. Cabs were queueing up for passengers outside TPE Main Station. You will definitely get a cab there . I would suggest to take a cab from Taipei Main Station to any hotel in Xi Men Ding if u carry LARGE luggage ,so big that i can squeeze a body in it haha (exaggerating oops) . Because to reach Hotel Puri, you have to take an exit at exit 6 from the MRT Xi Men Ding Station.. The hotel is really near Exit 6 (5 mins walk) but there are some 'annoying' staircase to climb before reaching the exit. But if you are travelling with small bags or luggages , do proceed on taking the MRT from Taipei Main Station to Xi Men Ding station.

To reach hotel Puri from exit 6 :

From exit6, you will see a 3-storey Watsons right in front. walk straight towards the direction of watsons , walk straightttt . U will be passing by some shop lots. there will be a candy shop  and Tomorrow hotel on your right. Walk straight and make a right turn at the first alley . At the turn, there is a shop selling shoes and clothing. Just walk straight in the alley and tadaa !! Hotel Puri will be on your left. 

My cab driver don't know the location of Hotel Puri but luckily i've see this coming and i was well prepared !!! haha Just in case u need the address for hotel Puri  : 108台北市成都路27巷6號(西門捷運站6號出口) // No. 6, Lane 27, Chengdu Road, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108  Remember to save this address and just show the driver. Easy as ABC. the phone number :+886 2 2371-8616 

For more information, here's the official website http://www.hotel-puri.com.tw

Dont be shock if you are staying at Hotel Puri. The hotel is located in a small alley . I am sure that my parents thought that i brought them to the wrong hotel at first, through their 'too obvious to not see" facial expression . However, worry not because the alley was pretty safe. There are several shop lots in the alley and a 7-11 just a few steps from Hotel Puri . Get out from hotel Puri, turn right and walk about 15 steps and tadaa ! u've reached your destination .

Just like what i've read from the hotel reviews from agoda.com and tripadvisor. The hotel is indeed Small but clean in a strategic location. I couldn't ask for more. 

But the Toilet is really really SMALL and the has see through doors haha. Oh my gosh, the toilet is so small that you couldn't sit properly on the toilet bowl if you close the door. The door will be a few inches away from your nose. but despite that, everything was pretty good. 

Two single beds. 

After settling down in the hotel , we headed out for some food by then, it was already half pass midnight . Maybe it was because of valentine's day , the town is still happening and most of the street foods are still selling hot.

The everyone said must try "cong zhua bing" tastes like roti canai for me . 

 After some food hunt and visiting the convenient shops, we headed back to hotel. After one whole day of travelling. All of us were EXHAUSTED . I seriously slept like a PIG that night after some preparation for tomorrow's trip . My first time being a tour guide in a foreign country . I must create a good beginning for my role as the Lee's family Tourguide :)

Weather In South Korea during July

Suddenly i have the urge to post this blog post regarding the matter of weather of South Korea in July.  Why so ?

Recently ,i've been doing research about taiwan because i'm going to embark on a free and easy trip on my own and as my family's tour guide. FIRST TIME EVER. Pretty excited about this and i get the most useful tips and information through BLOGS ! I would likt to convey my utmost appreciation to all the BLOGGERS out there, willing to sacrifice their precious time to post.

However, throughout my research , I find it hardest to find about the weather. I don't trust weather forecast....... some bad experience i've had back during my trip to Japan. *i know i am not suppose to blame the weather forecast for the unpredictable weather... but still, i love to put the blame on something hahah* I find it hardest to search for blog post regarding the weather because most of us focus more on introducing the places to visit, things to do, and FOODS to eat. (my stomach just grunted)

So this will be a very short post.

I went to South Korea in Mid July 2014. and the weather was .... well..UNPREDICTABLE
But definitely not cold because it was Summer.
The weather was cloudy most of the time which i hated the most because u don't know whether it will rain or not , pretty frustrating when you're on a journey to somewhere far, looking at the grey sky , praying so hard that it will not rain when we reached the destination.

So basically, the first day when i reached everland ,it was raining CATS AND DOGS. wrong timing. but it eventually stops and the good thing about it is, the crowd was not that much compared to usual days according to my tourguide , so basically after the rain, after waiting for a few test-runs , you are ready to go ! the longest queue for me was only 20 mins. Looking at the bright side .

owh the only time when the weather is cold is when i was visiting YongPyong area which is the coldest region in South Korea during winter, But the temperature is just like being in a air-conditioned room . Just adequate, just nice. Better bring along a sweater though. better be safe than sorry.

P.S if any of  you happened to visit YongPyong resort , please help me search for my favourite  baseball jacket which i accidentally left it in the hotel room .* proves that the weather is really bearable by forgetting my jacket*

The next few days in Seoul were pretty Hot. the day when i visited Myeong Dong, the sun was scorching and i was sweating profusely .kinda ruined my shopping mood.

We human beings are hard to be satisfied haha , hot also complain,cold also complain, raining pun nak complain (forgive me for my rojak language)

I've searched on some websites and it was highly encourage to travel to South Korea during Mid -august. *i'm not sure about this, weather is unpredictable yepp.. haha

Lastly, DONT BE influenced by the weather . We go on a vacation to explore different culture and to search for our true self. Weather will not change this . SO forget about the weather and start planning and pack your bags because F the weather, I'm still going to conquer South Korea !

 (Sorry for any wrong information, these were made based on my own personal experience:) Peace )

PS: bring umbrella and raincoats (or you should buy it there, they sell pretty raincoats and umbrellas there )

Off