We’re not frequent travelers, but we do write extensively here about the trips we do make.
Coming soon!
Day 01 @ Cebu: Arrival | SM City Cebu
Day 02 @ Cebu: Simala Shrine | Osmena Peak
Day 03 @ Cebu: Swimming with Whale Sharks | Sumilon Sand Bar
Day 04 @ Cebu: Pescador Island | Badian Canyoneering at Kawasan Falls
Day 05 @ Cebu: Snorkeling @ Malapascua Island
Day 06 @ Cebu: Aerial Videography @ Malapascua Island | Malapascua to Bohol
Day 07 @ Bohol: Morning Sunrise at Alona Beach Bohol | Rio Verde Floating Restaurant | Sunset at Alona Beach Bohol
Day 08 @ Bohol: Cadapdapan Rice Terraces | Chocolate Hills | Tarsier Sanctuary | Bohol Mahogany Forest | Loboc River
Days 09 and 10 @ Cebu City
Day 11 @ Cebu: Returning Home
Post Trip: Itinerary Retrospection | Accommodations | Radisson Blu Hotel, Cebu | Drone Videography | Equipment Comments | Final Notes
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
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 Ship | Part 3 – The Stateroom | Part 4 – Dining | Part 5 – Activities | Part 6 – Reflections – Good | Part 7 – Reflections – Not So Great | Part 8 – Final Notes
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
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 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 I | II | III | IV | V | VI | Panoramas
Boston: Singapore to Boston
Cambridge: Bed and Breakfast @ Cambridge | Cambridge and Abouts I, II,
Boston: Beacon Hill | Old South Meeting House and Old State House | Faneuil Hall and St. Stephens’ Church | Old North Church and Charlestown Bridge | Old Ironsides and USS Cassin Young | Videos
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 Parade | Bunker Hill Monument | Downtown Revisits | Boston 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 @ Gloucester | Whale Watchers | Whale Watching @ Boston
New England: How to kill yourself (with food) I and II
Provincetown: Provincetown I | II | III | IV
Boston: Blue’s Bed and Breakfast I and II
New York: Niagara Falls I | II | III | IV | Thousand Islands
New England: New England Panoramas I | II | III
Post-Trip: Reflections of the Trip
Kumamoto: Arrival and Accommodation
Kumamoto: Kamitori and the City
Kumamoto: How do you say “yummy” in Japanese I | II | III | IV | V | VI
Kumamoto: Kumamoto Castle
Kumamoto: Oishi… and snow…?!
Kumamoto: Kumamoto in HDR I | II | III | IV
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 Gardens | Union Square | Palace of Fine Arts | Golden Gate Bridge | Seagulls
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
Medang Island, Jun 2007
Staycations
Naumi Hotel, Dec 2011: Naumi Hotel I | II | III
Capella Sentosa, Jun 2011: Capella Singapore I | II | III | IV | Activities 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 July 2024