Nagoya Women's Marathon 2018 Expo

As far as expos go, Nagoya Women’s Marathon’s expo was by far one of the smallest I’ve ever gone for. I expected it to be bigger, with more grandeur befitting of the world’s largest women only marathon event.

Nevertheless I was excited to see what the expo had to offer. In hopes of getting some event exclusive merchandise, I went on the first day of the expo to collect my race kit. The collection for foreigners and international participants at the Nagoya Higashi Sport Center was fast with volunteers and staff all around to help.

Centurion Ladies Ueno Hostel, Tokyo

I have stayed basically all over Tokyo at this point from Asakusa to Shinjuku to Ikebukuro to even Shibuya and no area has enticed me as much as Ueno. With a park, a zoo, a shopping arcade that was bustling from day to night, a plethora of food and multiple stations to get around, Ueno easily became my favourite part of Tokyo after picking it to set up my base for one week after my adventures in Hokkaido.

Starbucks Bottled Tea-based Frappuccino - Black Tea and Matcha Tea Launches in Malaysia

Malaysians do love their yumcha time out. Be it in the middle of work or at midnight, there is always time to yumcha. And what better way to yumcha than with a chilled bottle of Starbuck's new Tea-based Frappuccino in a blazing hot day. Malaysia is the second country after China to have the Bottled Tea-based drinks introduced to the shelves of 7-Eleven stores, premium supermarkets and petrol marts nationwide.

How to Score Tickets to see Ueno Zoo's Baby Panda, Xiang Xiang

First appeared on Japan Info: http://jpninfo.com/105608 on 14 March 2018

For an animal on the verge of extinction, panda has never been more popular than they are in zoos. And one panda that is taking Japan by storm is baby cub Xiang Xiang. Born to mother Shin Shin and father Ri Ri in June 2017, Xiang Xiang is Ueno Zoo's symbol of adorable or as the Japanese would say in high pitch voices, kawaii~~!

Naturally when the zoo introduced the first come, first served ticketing system to see the baby panda to the public in February, thousands of Japanese and tourists flocked to the zoo in the wee hours of the morning to obtain the viewing ticket (which does not include the entrance ticket). And it just so happened that I was in Tokyo just around that time and decided to try my luck at seeing the celebrity panda.

WWOOFing at Umikaze Horse Farm, Okinawa

I have always wanted to visit Okinawa, having seen photos of sunny beaches, pristine blue water and so naturally beautiful everything. If anything, Okinawa reminded me of home, Malaysia. After three weeks in cold Hokkaido and Tokyo in winter, I was ready for some warmth at my next WWOOF-ing job in Nanjo, Okinawa and boy, did I get loads of that.

You can read all about my first WWOOF-ing experience in Hokkaido here.