Travelogue

We’re not frequent travelers, but we do write extensively here about the trips we do make.

Planning: I | II | III | IV | V

Day 01 @ Kawaguchiko: Chureito Pagoda | Shimoyoshida Honcho Street | Fuji Q Highland

Day 02 @ Kawaguchiko: Mt. Fuji Panoramic Ropeway | Lake Kawaguchi Sightseeing Boat Ride | Fuji-Subaru Line 5th Station

Day 03 @ Kawaguchiko: Panorama-dai Lookout | Lake Yamanaka | Nagaike Water Park | Mt. Fuji

Day 04 @ Kawaguchiko – Tokyo: Shin Okubo | Takeshita-dori Street | Tokyo Dome City and Winter Illumination

Day 05 @ Tokyo: Enoshima Island | Samuel Cocking Garden | Sea Candle | Iwaya Caves | Winter Illumination

Day 06 @ Tokyo: Arashio-beya Sumo Stable | Cat Cafe Mocha Harajuku | Shibuya Scramble Crossing and Shibuya Blue Cave Winter Illumination

Day 07 @ Tokyo: Mt. Takao | Shinjuku

Day 08 @ Tokyo: TeamLab Planets | Small Worlds Tokyo | Tokyo Station and Marunouchi Winter Illumination

Day 09 @ Tokyo: Kawagoe – Temples and Kanetsuki-dori Street | Candy Street

Day 10 @ Tokyo: Koishikawa Korakuen Garden | Rikugien Garden | Yanaka Ginza | Akhibara Electric Town

Day 11 @ Tokyo – Nikko: Nikko | Tamozawa Imperial Villa | Toshogu Shrine and Shinkyo Bridge

Day 12 @ Nikko: Nikko Edo Wonderland – The Place | The Performers

Day 13 @ Nikko – Matsumoto: Matsumoto Castle and Nawate Street

Day 14 @ Matsumoto: Daio Wasabi Farm | Winter Illumination at Matsumoto  Castle

Day 15 @ Matsumoto: Norikura Kogen Snowshoe Hike

Day 16 @ Nagano: Shiga Kogen and Kumanoyu Ski Area | Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

Day 17 @ Nagano – Tokyo: Ueno

Day 18 @ Tokyo: Returning Home

Post Trip: Hotel Regina Kawaguchiko | Toggle Hotel Suidobashi | Stay Nikko Guesthouse | Tabino Hotel Lit Matsumoto | APA Hotel Keisei Ueno Ekimae | Itinerary Retrospection – Part 1 and Part 2 | Flora in Japan | Mt. Fuji | Dining in Japan – Part 1 and Part 2 | Equipment Comments | Final Notes

Day 03: Daizufu | Fukuoka and Canal City

Day 07: Matsue and Matsue Castle

Day 08: Yuushien Garden

Day 09: Adachi Museum of Art | Izumo Taisha Shrine | Shimane Prefecture Ancient Izumo History Museum

Day 11: Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street

Day 12: Exploring Osaka

Post Trip: The Blossom Hakata Premier | Matsue Excel Hotel Tokyu | Hotel Hankyu Respire Osaka | Dining

Planning: I | II

Day 01 @ Hanoi: Arrival and the Old Quarter | Hoan Kiem Lake

Day 02 @ Hanoi: Kim Ngan Temple and Hanoi Ancient House | St. Joseph’s Cathedral | Train Street and Hoa Lo Prison

Day 03 @ Hanoi: Private Food Tour

Days 04 to 06 @ Halong Bay Cruise: Pictures | A Review | Mon Cherie Cruise

Day 07 @ Ninh Binh: Van Long Natural Reserve – Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – Trang An

Day 08 @ Ninh Binh: Mua Cave – Bich Dong Pagoda – Phat Diem Cathedral

Day 09 @ Hanoi: Rural Hanoi Vintage Minsk Motorbike Tour

Day 10 @ Hanoi: Dining

Post Trip: San Grand Hotel | Itinerary Retrospection | Drone Videography | Equipment Comments | Final Notes

Planning: I | II

Day 01 @ Kyoto: Arrival and Philosopher’s Walk

Day 02 @ Nara/ Uj: Nara Deer Park | Yoshikien Garden and Todaji | Uji-Bashi Bridge and Byondo-in Street | Uji Prefecture Park

Day 03 @ Kobe: Kobe Animal Kingdom | Kobe Herb Garden

Day 04 @ Himeji: Mt. Shosha and Engyoji Temple | Himeji Castle | Koko-en Garden

Day 05 @ Osaka: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan | Osaka Castle Park

Day 06 @ Arashiyama / Kyoto: Arashiyama Bamboo Forest | Fushimi Inari Shrine | Gion

Day 07 @ Kyoto – Kanazawa: Higashi Chaya District | Kazue-machi Chaya District

Day 08 @ Kanazawa: Kenroku-en Garden | Kanazawa Castle Park | Gyokusen-inmaru Park and Oyama Jinija Shrine | Nagamachi Samurai District

Day 09 @ Fukui: Tojinbo Cliffs | Fukui Dinosaur Square and Fukui Castle Ruins

Day 10 @ Toyama: Toyama Castle and Matsukawa Park | Toyama Glass Art Museum and Ikeda Yasubei Shoten | Sogawa Base and Toyama Starbucks at Fugan Canal Kansui Park

Day 11 @ Kanazawa – Takayama: Shirakawa-Go

Day 12 @ Takayama: Northern Alps | Hida no Sato Village

Day 13 @ Takayama – Nagoya: Toyota Commemorative Musuem of Industry and Technology | Port of Nagoya Aquarium

Day 14 @ Nagoya: Yanagibashi Central Market | Nagoya City Science Museum

Day 15 @ Nagoya: Nagoya and Returning Home

Post Trip: Almont Hotel Kyoto | Hyatt Hotel Kanazawa | Residence Hotel Takayama Station | The Royal Park Canvas Nagoya | Itinerary Retrospection Part I and Part II | Flora in Japan | Equipment Comments | Post-Processing | Dining in Japan – Part I and Part II | Final Notes

Part 1 – Decisions and Before Sailing | Part 2 – The ShipPart 3 – The Stateroom | Part 4 – Dining | Part 5 – Activities | Part 6 – Reflections – Good | Part 7 – Reflections – Not So Great | Part 8 – Final Notes

Planning: I | II

Day 01 @ Tokyo: Shinjuku | Shinjuku Terrace Illumination

Day 02 @ Yokohama / Kamakura: Yokohama Cup Noodle Museum | Bamboo Grove of Hokokuji @ Kamakura | Moss Stairs of Sugimoto-dera and Kamakura | Yokohama

Day 03 @ Tokyo: Tsukiji Outer Market | Omiya Railway Museum | Shinjuku Gyoen | Fall Colors @ Shinjuku Gyoen

Day 04 @ Hakone: Hakone Shrine Torii Gate | Mishima Skywalk and Sightseeing Cruise | Togendai to Ubako to Owakudani | Gora Park

Day 05 @ Tokyo – Sapporo: Shiroikoibito and Odori Parks | Mt. Moiwa | Winter Illumination @ Odori Park – Susukino

Day 06 @ Asahikawa: Asahiyama Zoo Part 1 | Part 2 | Shirahige Falls and Ningle Terrace

Day 07 @ Sapporo: Nijo Market | Hokkaido University and Museum | Former Hokkaidō Government Office and Sapporo Clock Tower | Sapporo TV Tower

Day 08 @ Shikotsu-Toya National Park: Lakes Shikotsu and Toya | Mt. Usu | Snow Play

Day 09 @ Otaru: Sankaru Market | Otaru Aquarium | Otaru Canal | Otaru

Day 10 @ Sapporo: Nakajima Park | Moerenuma Park

Day 11 @ Sapporo: Takino Suzuran Hillside Park Snow World | Makomanai Cemetery

Day 12 @ Hakodate: Goryukaku Park | Goryukaku Tower | Mt. Hakodate

Day 13 @ Hakodate: Onuma Quasi-National Park | Motomachi

Day 14 @ Hakodate – Tokyo: Hakodate Morning Market Square

Day 15 @ Tokyo: Tokyo and Returning Home

Post Trip: Itinerary Retrospection Part 1 | Part 2 | Hotel Mystays Haneda | Vessel Inn Sapporo Nakajima Park | Hotel Smile Hakodate | Equipment Comments | Post-Processing | Final Notes

Zhujiajiao Water Town | The Bund @ Evening | Oriental Pearl Tower | Shanghai Municipal History Museum | Chenghuang Temple Bazaar | City Exploration | Holiday Inn Express Shanghai Tourism Zone

Reflections

Planning: I | II

Day 01 @ Fukuoka: Ohori Park | Japanese Garden | Fukuoka Castle Ruins | Rakusuien Garden | Exploration

Day 02 @ Fukuoka: Walking Tour – Jōten-ji | Tōchō-ji – Hakata Machiya Folk Museum | Kushida Shrine – Hakata Traditional Craft Center | Sunset at Fukuoka Tower

Days 03 to 05 @ Tokuyama: Tokuyama

Day 06 @ Itsukushima: Momijidani Park | Mt. Misen Summit | Daishoin Trail | Itsukushima

Day 07 @ Okayama – Kurashiki: Korakuen | Okayama Castle | Shinkei-en | Bikan Historical Quarter  | Traditional Boat Ride | Ohashi House | Bikan Historical Quarter @ Sunset

Day 08 @ Hiroshima: Shukkeien | Hiroshima Castle – Atomic Bomb Dome | Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum

Day 09 @ Fukuoka: Exploration

Day 10 @ Yanagawa / Dazaifu: Yanagawa River Punt-Boat Tour | Yanagawa | Dazaifu

Post-Trip: The Hotels | Eat Till You Drop | Itinerary Retrospection | Equipment Comments | Reflections Part 1 | Part 2 |

Planning: I | Staying @ Private Island | Staying @ Public Island | Equipment Considerations

Day 01 @ Huraa: Flight, Arrival and The Sunrise 

Day 02 @ Huraa: Snorkeling #1 for Noobs

Day 03 @ Huraa: Guest Beach @ Huraa | Snorkeling #2

Day 04 @ Huraa: Sand Bank | Snorkeling #3

Day 05 @ Huraa: Crab Hunting @ Mangrove Swamp

Day 06 @ Huraa: Snorkeling #4 | Sunset Fishing

Day 07 @ Huraa – Olhuveli: The Sunrise Huraa | Huraa Island

Day 08 @ Olhuveli: Olhuveli by Day | Olhuveli by Night

Day 09 @ Olhuveli: Olhuveli by Sunrise

Day 10 @ Olhuveli: Olhuveli Beach & Spa Maldives

Post-Trip: Reflections | Equipment Comments | Post-Processing

Planning: I | II | Itinerary Preparations – Taichung | Itinerary Preparations – Hualien and Taipei

Day 1 @ Taichung: Feng Chia Night Market

Day 2 @ Nantou County: Strawberry Farm | Shengxing Station and the Love Story Hall | Zhongshe Tourism Flower Market | Gaomei Wetlands | Back to Feng Chia Night Market

Day 3 @ Taichung: Rainbow Village | Carton King | Master of Mushroom | Grape Farm and Miyahara Ice Cream

Day 4 @ Xitou/Cingjing: Xitou Nature Education Area | Sun Moon Lake | Old English Manor and Spring Ground Hot Pot City

Day 5 @ Cingjing: Sunrise @ Cingjing | Mt. Hehuan | Cingjing Farm | The Cotswold Villa, Cingjing and Inako Valley View Restaurant

Day 6 @ Hualien: Hualien and Chisingtan Scenic Area | Dongdamen Night Market and Earthquake

Day 7 @ Hualien: Taroko National Park | Kids at Play and Qingshui Cliffs

Day 8 @ Wanli/Ruifang: Yehliu Geo Park, Yin Yang Sea and Golden Waterfall | Shifen | Jiufen | Jiufen Old Street and A-Mei Teahouse Night Photography

Day 9 @ Taipei: Yangmingshan and Beitou Thermal Valley | Tamsui | Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 Photography @ Tamsui

Day 10 @ Taipei: Maokong Gondola | Huashan 1914 Creative Park | Photography @ Taipei 101

Day 11 @ Taipei: Da’an Forest Park | Yongkang Street and Eslite Xinyi Store | Golden Hour Photography @ Xinyi

Day 12 @ Taipei: Taipei and Returning Home

Post-Trip: Itinerary Retrospection Part 1 | Part 2 | Equipment Comments | Final Notes Part 1 | Part 2 | Hannah’s Perspective

Post-Trip: Reflections  |  Hyatt Regency Hong Kong Sha Tin

Planning: Notes , Accommodations | Itinerary Preparations I | Itinerary Preparations II

Day 1: Arrival and Settling In | Kemenuh Butterfly Park

Day 2: Waterbom Bali | Jenggala Cafe Paint-A-Pot

Day 3: Bali Treetop Adventure Park | Bali Strawberry Farm / Restaurant and Ulun Banu Bratan

Day 4: Jatiluwih Rice Terrace | Tanah Lot | Ubud Monkey Sanctuary | Campuhan Ridge Walk

Day 5: Bali Quad Discovery Tours

Day 6: Day 6 – Bali Zoo / Breakfast with Orang Utans

Day 7: Traditional Gastronomy Immersion | Silver Jewellery Artesan

Day 8: Taksu Photography Tour Sunrise, Local Market, Tirta Empul | Taro Village

Day 9: The Villa

Post-Trip: Itinerary Retrospection | Photography @ Villa | Eat Till We Drop | Final Notes and Such

Planning: Initial Planning Notes I | II

Day 1: Arrival and Bang Tao

Day 2: Bang Tao Beach | John Gray’s Hong By Starlight

Day 3: Phuket Elephant Sanctuary

Day 4: Splash Water Jungle Park

Day 5: Phuket Trickeye Museum | Phuket Indy Market

Day 6: Patong and The Kids Club Phuket

Day 7: The Upside Down House | Ikea Phuket and Central Festival Phuket

Post-Trip: Itinerary Retrospection | Eat Till We Drop | Final Notes and Such | Cassia Phuket | Sino House Phuket Hotel

Planning: Initial Planning Notes I | II | III | IV | Accommodation Arrangements

Day 1: Outbound | Fremantle

Day 2: Busselton Jetty & Underwater Observatory | Busselton Birds and Men

Day 3: Treetop Walk @ Valley of the Giants | Ancient Empire Walk @ Valley of the Giants | Walpole

Day 4: Warren National Park | D’Entrecasteaux National Park | Beaches and Birds | Pemberton Tram

Day 5: Beedelup Falls | Amaze’n Margaret River

Day 6: Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse | Whale Watching @ Augusta

Day 7: Animal Feeding | Millers Ice Cream Farm and Cheeky Monkey Brewery & Cidery | MR Chocolate Company, MR Nuts & Cereals, Rotary Park, and Temper Temper Fine Chocolates

Day 8: Exploring Natural Sights with Margaret River Exposed | Lake Cave

Day 9: Animal Feeding (Again) | Bunbury Wildlife Park

Day 10: King’s Park | Elizabeth Quay and Matilda Bay Reserve

Day 11: The Perth Mint | Scitech and Returning Home

Places: Pemberton | Margaret River – Exploring the Town Center | Forest Lodge Resort | Margaret River Hideaway

Post-Trip: 11 Days in WA – Itinerary Retrospection | Airbnb | Equipment Comments | Final Notes and Such

Preparation: Planning | Itinerary

Day 1: Outbound | Melbourne Central

Day 2: Ballarat Wildlife Park | Sovereign Hill

Day 3: Melbourne Zoo | Royal Botanic Gardens, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Street Exploration

Day 4: Sea Life Aquarium Melbourne | Queen Victoria Market

Day 5: Great Ocean Road | A Tour With A Difference

Day 6: Melbourne Museum, Gardens and St. Patrick’s Cathedral

Day 7: Dandenong Ranges | Healesville Sanctuary

Day 8: Exploration and such

Day 9: Queen Victoria Market, Flagstaff Gardens and Homebound

Post-Trip: Retrospection | Pegasus Apart’Hotel | Final Notes and such

Review: The Good | The Bad | Pictures I and II

Review: The Good | The Annoyances | Notes

Planning: Planning

Review: The Good | The Not Good | Kids @ Koh Pha Ngan | Dining

Review: The Majestic | St. Paul’s Hill and Menara Taming Sari | For Foodies, the Good and Decent I, II, III, IV

Post-Trip: Retrospection

Review: 8 Days in China – Part 1: Changchun | 8 Days in China – Part 2: Beijing | 8 Days in China – Part 3: Shanghai

Telunas Beach Resort: Part 1: Arrival and Accommodation | Part 2: Angler Ang Mo | Part 3: Hermit Crabs and other animals | Part 4: Couple’s Candlelight Dinner | Part 5: Jungle Waterfall Hike | Part 6: Malay Village Lunch | Part 7: Makan Sutra | Part 8: Shrimping | Part 9: Overall Perspectives | Part 10: Ang Mo Perspectives

Day 1: From Singapore to Kansai to Chisun Hotel Kobe | Kobe – Chisun Hotel Kobe | Kobe – Kitano-Cho | Kobe – Sannomiya Station

Day 2: Kobe – Mt. Maya and Nunobiki Falls | Kobe – Meriken Park and Harborland | Kobe – Chinatown

Day 3: Kobe through Osaka to Kyoto | Kyoto – Lunch at Nishinotoin | Kyoto – Nijo Castle | Kyoto – Katsukura | Mitsui Garden Hotel Kyoto Shijo @ Kyoto

Day 4: Kyoto – Holly’s Cafe | Kyoto – Yasaka Shrine and Maruyama Park | Kyoto – Higashiyama | Kyoto – Kiyomizu Temple | Kyoto – Gion | Kyoto – Gion Kinana | Kyoto – Takaraya Ramen Pontocho

Day 5: Nara – Deer Park and Todai-ji | Nara – Yoshikien Garden | Nara – Isuien Garden | Nara – Moss Patterns | Kyoto – Harvest Natural Foods

Day 6: Kyoto – Katsura Imperial Villa | Kyoto – Shugakuin Imperial Villa | Kyoto – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Kyoto – The Philosopher’s Walk

Day 7: Kyoto – Arashiyama | Kyoto – Musashi Sushi | Kyoto – Nishiki Food Market | Kyoto – Knives @ Shigeharu I and II | Kyoto – Yayoiken

Day 8: Kyoto – More Ground Patterns | Kyoto – Kinkakuji Temple and Fushimi Inari Shrine

Day 9: Kyoto to Osaka | Osaka – The Mad House | Osaka – Doguyasuji | Osaka – The Lutheran Hotel | Osaka – Umeda Sky Building | Osaka – Lunch @ Namba and Dinner @ Hanshin Department Store

Day 10: Osaka – Yodobashi Umeda | Osaka – Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan | Osaka – Walking about

Post-Trip: Reflections on the Trip IIIIIIIVVVIPanoramas

Boston: Singapore to Boston

Cambridge: Bed and Breakfast @ Cambridge | Cambridge and Abouts I, II,

Boston: Beacon Hill | Old South Meeting House and Old State HouseFaneuil Hall and St. Stephens’ ChurchOld North Church and Charlestown BridgeOld Ironsides and USS Cassin YoungVideos

Boston: Not So Summer

Boston: New England Aquarium  |  Museum of Science  |  Butterfly Garden  |  Museum of Fine Arts | Boston Public Library | Skywalk Observatory @ Prudential Center

Boston: Back Bay, Commonwealth Avenue  |  Bunker Hill ParadeBunker Hill Monument |  Downtown RevisitsBoston Common | Trinity Church

Harvard: Harvard Yard Memorial Hall  |  Harvard Yard  |  Harvard Museum of Natural History  |  Harvard University

New England: Gloucester Road Trip I and II | Whale Watching @ GloucesterWhale Watchers  | Whale Watching @ Boston

New England: How to kill yourself (with food) I and II

Provincetown: Provincetown IIIIII  |  IV

Boston: Blue’s Bed and Breakfast I and II

New York: Niagara Falls IIIIIIIV | Thousand Islands

Boston: MIT I and II

New England: New England Panoramas IIIIII

Post-Trip: Reflections of the Trip

Kumamoto: Arrival and Accommodation

Kumamoto: Kamitori and the City

Kumamoto: How do you say “yummy” in Japanese IIIIIIIVVVI

Kumamoto: Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto: Oishi… and snow…?!

Kumamoto: Kumamoto in HDR IIIIIIIV

Kumamoto: Suizenji Gardens

Kumamoto: Kyu-Hosokawa Gyobutei

Kumamoto: Street Pictures

Kumamoto: Kyushu from the Air

Kumamoto: Departed with Memories I and II

San Francisco: On a cold sunny Sunday afternoon

San Francisco: Watchmen Museum

San Francisco: Pier 39

San Francisco: Museums and Sciences I and II

San Francisco: The Golden Gate Bridge | San Francisco Bay Sea Gulls

San Francisco: Global Village I and II

San Francisco: Yerba Buena GardensUnion SquarePalace of Fine ArtsGolden Gate BridgeSeagulls

Bali: Tepi Sawah Villa by night

Bali: Jati Luwih Rice Terrace | Uluwatu Sunset

Bali: Bali Bird Park

Notes: I: The Villa | II: Temples, Palaces and Monuments | III: Fountains, Lakes and Waterfalls | IV: For Foodies

Phuket: Ayara Hill Tops

Phuket: Venturing into the Andaman Sea

Rawa: Rendezvous  |  Notes Retrospection

Other Trips

Copenhagen, Dec 2004

South Korea, Dec 2006

Medang Island, Jun 2007

Staycations

Naumi Hotel, Dec 2011: Naumi Hotel IIIIII

Capella Sentosa, Jun 2011: Capella Singapore IIIIIIIVActivities with Hannah

Downtown East, Dec 2016: D’Resort Review  |  Wild Wild Wet  |  Activities

Wangz Hotel, Nov 2016: Review

M Hotel, Nov 2017: Review

One Farrer Hotel, Nov 2018: Review

M Social Singapore, Dec 2018: Review

Holiday Inn Express Singapore Orchard Road, Mar 2019: Review

Hotel NuVe Heritage, May 2019: Review

Furama RiverFront, Aug 2019: Review

Novotel Singapore, Nov 2019: Review

Orchard Rendezvous Hotel, Nov 2020: Review

Orchard Hotel, Dec 2020: Review

AMOY Hotel, Mar 2021: Review

Lyn Funan, May 2021: Review

Ramada by Wyndham Singapore at Zhongshan Park, Oct 2021: Review

One Farrer Hotel, Nov 2021 [Second stay]: Review

Oakwood Premier AMTD Singapore, Dec 2021: Review

Park Hotel Alexandra, Mar 2022: Review

Updated December 2023

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