Sharing My Itinerary - Hokkaido - Day 3

Day 3

Collected car from Times Car Rental, within walking distance from Superhotel Kushiro Ekimae. I made the booking through a website called Tabirai - English-friendly and very responsive to every question asked.

• Car collection on Day 3 at 10am, return on Day 5 at 11am.
• Price 11 800 yen (rental and included CDW coverage) + 3240 yen (for NOC coverage) = total 15 040 yen. NOC coverage is 1080 yen per day, hence for 3 days would be 3240 yen.
• The car was completed with 4WD (four wheel drive), snow tire and a built-in GPS device.
• CDW and NOC are some sort of a safety insurance package and super safety insurance package respectively. You could read about it here. It is highly recommended that you get the NOC package.

The easiest way to navigate in Japan is either with (a) map code, or (b) phone number of the destination. In my case nothing went wrong with map code that I found using this website. Of course, all these research had to be done beforehand.

Visited Kushiro Tanchozuru National Park or 釧路市丹顶鹤自然公园. Entrance fee 470 yen. Free parking just outside of the park.

Drove to Akan Lake and checked in to ryokan (Japanese style hotel).

Visited Ainu Kotan Village. Everthing in the Akan Lake town is within walking distance.

Accommodation: Lake Akan Tsuruga Wings, 12 100 yen per person per night for a 3-person-room, addtional 250 yen is payable for onsen (hot spring) charges. Buffet dinner and buffet breakfast included. Free parking available.

There was no outdoor onsen in the Tsuruga Wings, however there was a passage connected to Akan Yuku no Sato Tsuruga, which had a larger onsen located in the open. Both ryokan belonged to the Tsuruga group, and guests from both were free to use any onsen facility. Usually it is more comfortable in a outdoor onsen as there'll be a good view, and it is less stuffy. It is amazing feeling snow flakes falling on your head and face, while your body stays warm in the sulphur-smelled water.

Kushiro Tanchozuru National Park

Posing in a Winter Sonata feel.

Our room in the ryokan. The futon will be laid by the hotel staff in the evening when we were out for dinner.

Sharing My Itinerary - Hokkaido - Day 2

Day 2

Dog Sledding, 32 000 yen for 3 pax and 1 sled. Pick up and drop off at Hoshino Tomamu Resort included. They provided jackets, fleece vests, gloves, and snow boots, as well as a CD with pictures they took of us. Fun and worth it. We almost lost a GoPro for the dogs were too excited at the beginning. We found it back in the snow afterwards.

Free and easy around Tomamu Resort area. In my case, we went to the onsen (hot spring) to relax. I could understand then why did the Japanese love onsen. Most of the grander onsen are located in the open air. So before you can get in, you need to endure the cold wind blowing against your naked skin. But when you finally submerge yourself into the 40 degrees Celcius water, it is almost heaven. So much so that I didn't want to get up. By the end of the trip I felt the most natural thing to do was to relax in the onsen at least once a day.

In the evening we boarded the free shuttle bus from resort lobby to Tomamu station.

Boarded JR train from to Kushiro station with JR 4-day flexi pass.

Accommodation: Superhotel Kushiro Ekimae, 2700 yen per night per person, for a 3-person-room. Buffet breakfast included.

Superhotel in my opinion, best value-for-money ever. Price per night per pax is approximately MYR100, breakfast included. Where else could you find a decent hotel with such a price? But then again it was also because Superhotel in Kushiro was cheaper since it was not much of a tourist spot. I did check that Superhotel in other places, for instance Osaka, were much more expensive.

Bonding with the dogs.

This was how we looked before the crash.

After crashing once.

This was during the second or third crash.

At Tomamu station.

Waiting for the train.

Sharing My Itinerary - Hokkaido - Day 1

I am sharing with you a very detailed itinerary that I planned for Hokkaido, last January. It was winter.

Day 1

Arrival at Shin-Chitose Airport.

• Purchased JR Pass (4-day flexi), 22,000 yen. The term "flexi" because I could use it to take 4 days of JR, either consecutively or non-consecutively, within 10 days from the date of purchase / collection. In my case, I listed down all the JR train fares for each day that I would be spending, and then I picked the top 4 most expensive days to use the pass.
• Purchased Asahiyama Zoo ticket set or 旭山動物園きっぷ, 6130 yen, which included roundtrip JR train ticket from/to Asahikawa station, roundtrip bus ticket between Asahikawa station to the zoo, and the zoo entrance ticket.

Boarded the JR train from airport to Tomamu station. Since the train ticket for today is not the top 4 most expensive, I bought the ticket separately, 3430 yen.

There were free shuttle buses from Tomamu station to Hoshino Tomamu Resort. It was a ski resort with many other attractions - some sort like Genting Highlands in Malaysia, but better. Note that the restaurants were quite pricey as well.

• Visited Chapel on the Water 水の教会. It was a famous architectural building by Tadao Ando, only opened to visitors for 1 hour starting at 9pm.
• Visited Ice Village. 

Accommodation: Hoshino Resort Tomamu, 13,000 yen per night per person for a 3-person-room. Buffet breakfast included.

The most spacious room I had ever stayed in Japan but, f***ing expensive!

View from the hotel room.

Chapel on the Water

A church in the Ice Village

Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek - Day 3

The best thing about trekking, is that you get to meet strangers. Along the trek you'd give way to a group of Koreans. Upon saying anyo haseyo you'd get a reply that they were on their way to ABC as well. While waiting for dinner at the dining hall, you'd be placed next to a couple from Germany or Canada. And it always seem natural to start an introduction and get the conversation flowing. Or you'd meet two friendly Chinese-Australian ladies. And the next thing you know, you'd be studying Lonely Planet together and recommending good restaurants in Pokhara.

I mean, for me that would seldom happen when I travel in the cities or towns. Hence that was like something different.

Day 3: Dovan - Deurali

On day 3 the hardship continued. Though the trek was easier compared to the previous two days - less steps / rocks to climb and shorter walking time.

And something motivating happened. Living in Malaysia my whole life, I hardly have the chance to experience autumn, let alone winter. So you could imagine our excitement at the first sight of snow.

First sight of snow.

At about 3pm we had already reached Deurali, the place we would be spending the night in. Perhaps it was not peak season in December, most of Deurali guest houses were closed.

Reaching Deurali.

From our guest house overlooking the rest of Deurali. Most of which were closed.

We would be staying in Shangri-la Guest House. What luxury!

That day was an easy day. I remember I still had the energy to laugh along the way and upon reaching. And we had plenty of free time to roam around taking pictures and having snow fights.

One of the many silly pictures we took.

God knows what shit I'd been through for this profile picture.

The trio who made it!

At night, again, the two were getting ready for star-shooting. Come on guys! It became a routine or something?

Ninjas at night.

Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek - Day 2

Day 2: Chommrong - Dovan

The trek was shorter than Day 1, but it was more difficult. We needed to pass by Bamboo to get to Dovan. Bamboo was a valley thus it meant downhill trek and then uphill climb.

According to the itinerary, we were supposed to trek downhill for 30 minutes, and then uphill for 1 hour to Lower Sinuwa. And continue uphill to Upper Sinuwa for 1 hour, and another 1 hour downhill to Bamboo. Then 2 hours of uphill climb to Dovan. I didn't have the energy to keep track on the time. But overall, I kind of made it with 30 minutes (I think) behind schedule.

Just only left Chommrong. Downhill trek.

When crossing the steel bridge, a herd of donkeys were coming from the other side. I was actually brushing past the donkeys and they were like recklessly hitting me with their heads or bodies. It was a cute experience. ;)

Crossing a steel bridge.

This was the distance between Chommrong and Sinuwa. Basically these two places were located at different mountains!

Passing by Sinuwa.

Stopping to catch breath.

Couldn't... go... on...

We stopped for lunch in Bamboo and there was a weighing spring that we excitedly tried out. Feeder's bag was 13 kg, including the camera. Mine was only 4 kg. Due to my incapability Feeder had to put more load in his bag than expected. KC's was 7 kg and the porter's was 20 kg including his own belongings.

The load of Feeder's bag. Plus the camera would be approximately 13 kg.

Eating fried rice in Bamboo.

Upon reaching Dovan. Me - half dead. KC and Feeder - chilling.

There was still sunlight when we reached Dovan so I decided I could still afford to "wash up", while KC warmed my jacket.

KC was warming my jacket as instructed by Feeder. ;)

That night Feeder had an idea. We bought 2 bottles of hot water to put near to our feet, inside the sleeping bags. I slept soundly that night, while Feeder and KC went star-gazing, dressed like ninjas.

Turning into a cocoon every night in order to survive.

Star-gazing in Dovan.

Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) Trek - Day 1

God knows why and how did I agree to go trekking with Feeder. I mean, seriously what was I thinking? Trekking, of all activities, is something I would never, in a million years, do. When I think back on the hardship, it still gives me the shivers. Everyday we walked 5 to 7 hours, depending on the schedule and our speed. Every night we slept in heater-less rooms with temperature as cold as -13°C on the outside of the concrete walls. It required courage to perform simple tasks like showering, brushing our teeth or going to the toilet. The mere thought of having to touch the icy cold water or taking off our clothes scared us. So I didn't shower for 7 days, wore the same clothes and only changed my socks once.

Day 1: Kyume - Chommrong

We started the trek at about 11am from Kyume, as far as the 4-wheel-drive could take us - basically to the end of the road. It was pretty easy at the beginning with mostly flat treks, through some greenery, wooden and steel bridges. But after few hours of non-stop walking, I felt exhausted already. The guide, who looked at me worriedly, said that this part was the easiest of the trek and the real hard work had yet to start.

Passing by residential area on the way.

Crossing a river.

Towards the end I was breathless from the uphill climb and the long hours of walk. I only allowed myself to look at the ground 30 cm in front of my feet. I was afraid that if I looked further, I would lose all will to go on. Feeder and the guide walked behind me, KC and the porter were already 15 or 30 minutes in front of us.

"If she can't continue, she can wait for us in Dovan or Deurali. We can go to ABC and come down and go back together," I heard the guide telling Feeder.

I am not going to make it, I thought.

We reached Chommrong at 6:30pm, half-dead.

The view of Annapurna and Fish Tail from Chommrong. The snowy mountains still seemed far from our reach.

On the mountains we needed to pay to get hot shower, hot water and to be able to sit by the heater. There was no heater in the room. Hence the only source of warmth was from dinner, and my own body heat. I wrapped myself with a Uniqlo heat tech, a long sleeve cotton shirt, a fleece jacket, a Uniqlo ultra light sleeveless down jacket, Nike winter jacket, and a red brand-less down jacket I bought from Kathmandu. Not mentioning a pair of fleece pants and trekking pants from Uniqlo, a knitted cap and a pair of wind / water proof gloves. (I can't believe I need a whole paragraph to list down my clothing.) Well, the result was my transformation into a ball.

A big red ball.

The first night was quite depressing for me. I woke up in the middle of my sleep from the cold. Feeder had just gone back from star-gazing. I cried and told him I was cold despite being in the sleeping bag and the blanket. My feet felt as if they were stored in the refrigerator. But there was nothing we could do and I dozed off.

Feeder's star-gazing.

The next day, we continued to walk...

Open Water Diving Course - How to Assemble the Equipment

Like I said, Feeder and I went for our PADI license in Lang Tengah few weeks ago. It was a four-day theory and practical lessons. Since we do not dive like once a month - in fact, hardly once a year - I thought I'd prepare some notes (before I forget) about things that I've learnt during the four-day-course. So that I can revisit those skills before my next dive. *wink*



Refer to above video from YouTube.

Step 1: Slide the BCD (buoyancy control device) into the oxygen tank from the top. Make sure the O-ring on the tank is facing the BCD.

Step 2: Use one hand to hold the BCD in place, the other tighten the belt. Make sure the O-ring is just above the level of the BCD neck area. If the position of the tank is too high, it may knock the back of your head. Try lifting and shaking the BCD to check if the tank is properly secured.

Step 3: Align the O-ring with the first stage opening. When properly positioned, tighten the yoke screw with three fingers. This is to keep you from over-tightening the screw. Check that the BCD hose and the pressure gauge is positioned on your left, the second stage and the alternate air source on your right.

Step 4: Attach the BCD hose to the BCD inflator. You should be able to hear a click when it's properly connected.

Step 5: While turning on the air valve, place the pressure gauge face down or away from you. This is to avoid injury in case the glass burst due to leakage (highly unlikely). Turn the valve slowly at first. When it is pressurized, turn it fully open, and then close it by turning it one time, using three fingers.

Step 6: Check the pressure gauge. It should read about 200 barg. Test the regulator by pressing the purge button. Inflate the BCD by pressing the red button on the low pressure inflator and then release the air.
Note: During diving, low on air is considered at 50 barg or lower.

How did I survive Paris - the people and their language

All my life I have been fascinated by the idea of staying in a foreign country and experience their culture. I guess I was granted this opportunity last August. I had been sent to Paris, France for a 3-month-assignment.

The biggest challenge I found was understanding the people, and making them understand me - obviously not all of them could speak English.

The most important phrase, to me, is not "bonjour" or "merci". Nor it is "bonne soirée", that is my favourite word instead - something I muttered everyday when it is time to be released from the office. The most important phrase - so important that it involves the matter of life and death - is, "beaucoup sauce s'il vous plaît". That was something I had to say everyday during lunch in the office canteen.

My colleagues who worked in the same project are very nice and friendly people. Some are Venezuelan. One of them told me she had been working in Paris for 6 - 7 years and married to a Parisian. Like me, she was really excited when she first started working in Paris. And traveled almost every weekend. So she could totally understand how I felt - wanting to see and experience as much as possible.

However some Parisian can be really "unbelievable". My first culture shock was on the first day that I arrived to the office. At the lobby we were registered as visitors with a temporary access card, and were told to obtain a permanent one from the administration department. So we took the elevator to the administration floor and apparently we were not able to access the secured gate with our temporary card. We knocked on the glass door to attract the attention of a lady (obviously French) sitting near the entrance. With sign language we tried to tell her we couldn't enter and would she please open the door for us. Perhaps it wasn't obvious to her that three foreign, yellow-skin noobs were seeking help - she took one look at us and continued to her business. I watched in disbelief as she went on typing on her keyboard. My two other colleagues gave me the get-used-to-it-if-you-want-to-survive look (it wasn't their first time in Paris), and turned to the other entrance.

At the other entrance, we did the same trick and this time it worked. The plump lady (also obviously French) let us in. I gratefully thought the world is still beautiful after all. We said thank you and this was what she replied us:

"No English, please!"

When I told my friends this story, CA suggested that I speak Bahasa Melayu to her. And she'd be too frustrated and switched to English herself. But Feeder said given his experience in France, she'd just ignore me. I couldn't agree more.

Had I been treated like this the whole time in Paris? Of course not. Like any other places, there were both good and bad people. The universe always had to keep its balance, didn't it? 

So Feeder and I were near to the Palais Garnier, trying to find our way to Galeries Lafayette. We knew Paris was not a safe place. Hence even when studying the map we were keeping a lookout. Two ladies approached us, told us in English that a few pickpockets were right behind them, about to reach. They only target tourists and obviously we looked like one. They would come ask for donation with a piece of paper appearing to be list of donors as distractions. Do not talk to them - just wave our hands and get them going. We thanked the kind ladies for their warning and was being even more cautious. A minute later a cute guy nice gentleman in suit and tie approached us with the same warning. Wow! Two good deeds in a row! I was rather surprised.

Inside of Palais Garnier.

Another time we were in Dinan, an outskirt town 400 km away from Paris. Again I was studying the map (that's what tourists do). A lady came pointed at the map and said "Vous êtes ici", to which I replied "Merci".

The old medieval town of Dinan.

A similar experience when Nicole and I were looking for the China Town near Place d'Italie (we were craving for char siew and roasted pork). A guy who looked like a gangster gentleman came throwing us sentences in French, which I could catch only one word - "adresse". Obviously he was asking us if we had the address so he could point us the right direction. He performed sign language when I said "China town". Another good deed gratefully accepted.

So, did I enjoy Paris? Yes.
Am I willing to stay there again given the chance? Yes.
Am I willing to stay there for long term (more than a year)? No.

I guess Paris did not live up to my expectations. It was not a city of romance, no! There were always people kissing and making out on the street but city of romance? Definitely not what I had in mind. At least I didn't feel anything when I was travelling with Feeder.
Paris. Is. Overrated.

It's not very convenient when you can't speak French. And the people, no offence but they're not very... patient and considerate. And the weather, towards the end and beginning of the year, was getting freezing cold.

I guess I can give a lot of excuses for not wanting a long stay in Paris. But then it all comes down to one reason.
Do I love Paris? No.

Kyoto - Tofukuji Temple 東福寺

The whole place looked like it was on fire. That was the expression my friend told me, and she was not exaggerating.

This was taken in Kyoto 東福寺.

And this was the price we paid to get a good shot.

It was really crowded in the temple - with the locals as well as the foreigners - despite that we came before its opening time and waited in queue to purchase the tickets. As soon as the gate opened, people rushed into this bridge to the most strategic spot for a picture. But the Japanese are really civilized people. There were limited pushing and shoving despite the crowd. Things will only get ugly when the Chinese (read: from Mainland China) comes in, no offense. :P

Can you believe this? It's blood-red!

Well not everything was red. See! Greenery!

This is called a 枯山水 karesansui. It's supposed to have some religious symbolism to it. Most of the temples in Japan have it. Don't ask me what happens when it rains.

枯山水