Okay, so admittedly, I've been off the radar. Due to work, rekindling my fanfiction days as an author and mainly.....POKEMON GO. I am not gonna lie. I am hooked on the game!
Anyway, since I've been silent, I figured I should share a little something about me to make up for it. According to Myers and Briggs' personality test, I am a 1%, one of the rarest personality types in the world.
Oh what a glorious time to be alive in this world. The original 151 Pokemon is back and in the form of a reality interactive app, Pokemon Go. For the children of the 90s, this is a dream come true. From staring and button smashing for hours at our Gameboys to walking everywhere on foot in search for the rarest Pokemon to complete our Pokedex, it is just amazing!
So much thought has gone into Pokemon Go as evident by the types of Pokemon that appears at different places. Water pokemons near lakes, ponds and river, grass, poison, ground types in parks....it really did seem like we were walking all over the Kanto region.
The one and only time I took my sister's new fold-able bicycle out to buy eggs (of all things) was the day I came across a cat that would be named Toufu.
Legs tucked under its dirty body, those mesmerising eyes were hard to look away from and I wondered why wasn't it moving from its spot. When I knelt down to pat it, it scrambled towards me, using its front legs to drag its back legs and one thought crossed my mind.
Otaru was known to be quite a picturesque seaside town, just an hour's train ride from Sapporo. It was also known for its reasonable generous portions of delicious fresh seafood.
And it was with this in mind that I scheduled in majority of the day for us to spend in Otaru, starting with brunch at the Sankaku seafood market located next to the Otaru JR station. It was unbelievable close to the station. Just exit the station, turn left and head up a flight of stairs and voila, we were at Sankaku market.
As soon as AirAsia X announced their flights to Sapporo, Hokkaido mid last year, I immediately locked down the cheapest tickets I have ever seen for myself and the family for a vacay in June 2016. Come 19 June 2016, I was comfortably seated in the Quiet Zone, looking forward to the flight for once. Mainly because I had the whole row to myself and I wasn't the only one. By some miracle, my entire family had a row to themselves in an otherwise full flight.
We landed in New Chitose Airport in Sapporo, feeling refreshed after a relatively decent sleep on-board. The weather forecast warned us of a rainy day but we had no idea how rainy as we took our sweet time exploring the Domestic Airport that was linked to the international terminal.
There was so much more things to see and eat in the domestic side and I only regretted not spending more time there.
With the mid-autumn festival just around the corner, it's time to load up on delicious mooncakes!
The Shangri-La Hotel, Kuala Lumpur is presenting a showcase of exquisite and delectable mooncakes to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival on 15 September.
Twelve varieties of hand-crafted mooncakes, both traditional and five new flavours, are now available at the Mooncake Counter in the Main Lobby. There is time to savour, choose and purchase mooncakes at this counter till 15 September.
The five new varieties of mooncakes include Black Sesame Seed Paste Single Yolk, Mini Ping Pei Spirulina Paste, Mini Ping Pei Avocado Paste, Mini Ping Pei White Lotus Seed Paste with Walnut and Mini Ping Pei White Chocolate with Orange Flavour.
Planning for a climb can be a headache. First you need to ensure that your check-in weight for your flight has enough space and weight allowance for you to bring along your stuff. I flew Malindo for my Mount Kinabalu climb and that came with a 30kg check-in.
But first things' first. What to bring and how to pack. Here is a rough checklist that I put together. I've sectioned everything to when I would need them during the hike and kept them in plastic bags for easy retrieval and to keep them dry should it rain.
With vast lands of flower fields, mountainous landscapes with weaving roads cutting though and alongside the majestic green slopes and flanked by pristine waters rich with the abundance of the sea all year round. Hokkaido in many aspects is younger than mainland Japan and this allows its God-given attractions to bloom and blossom naturally, drawing visitors near and far.
In the winter, Hokkaido undergoes a complete transformation as everything becomes coated in a sheen of whiteness and even the types of attractions change from hiking to skiing for example.
When I visited Sapporo, Hokkaido for the first time this June 2016, it was summer and we encountered its sunniest days as well as its wettest. Here's a quick video of my recent family vacay.
Enjoy!
*Best to watch on desktop as it's not viewable on mobile.
Accommodation: Khaosan Sapporo International Hostel
Flight to and from New Chitose Airport: AirAsia X (link)
Car rental: Toyota Rental
Stay tune for my upcoming blog posts about my itinerary, accommodation, where to eat and what to do.
Whether you’re visiting Hong Kong for the first or tenth time, there are always new and exciting experiences to be discovered. Take a break from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong and explore the other side of Asia’s World City for some experiences that simply shouldn’t be missed!
Here are FIVE spectacular spots to include on your vacay list, courtesy of the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
1. Hong Kong Global Geopark of China
The Hong Kong Global Geopark of China is a dramatic rock landscape in the New Territories that was formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. Explore its vast natural landscapes by walking tours provided by operators around the area, or by boat, starting at Sai Kung pier and winding through other worldly rock caves and beaches for a truly picturesque experience. Visitors to the Hong Kong Global Geopark of China can learn more by visiting the Volcanic Discovery Centre, Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region and Northwest New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region and view geological features such as twisted columns, dyke intrusions and hexagonal volcanic columns.
It's almost a global knowledge that Malaysian drivers are notorious on the roads. Hence why our driving licenses aren't recognized internationally except in some countries. So in order to rent a car in certain countries, we are required to obtain an international driving permit (IDP) beforehand.
Japan is one such a country and for my trip to Hokkaido, I was the assigned driver and had to get my IDP sorted out before the trip. Initially I was informed that I could get my IDP done at the Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) and also at the Road Transport Department (JPJ) office but a quick call and internet search told me that AAM had ran out of IDP until further notice.
So it was off to the closest JPJ office to my house. To get it done, I needed to prepare:
1. Photocopy of my IC and driving license
2. RM150
3. 1 passport-sized photo
