Light Or Heavy Traveller?

My mum always complains I am a heavy traveller. She says who else packs like me - fill up a cabin bag then have a hand-carry at the same time.

However, looking at how my friends pack, in fact I think I am a rather light traveller already. I only pack the essentials - toiletries, enough clothes to last, towel, socks, a couple of books and things like universal plugs and chargers. I do not pack in different kinds of clothes, accessories or shoes like what the Sex And The City girls do.

So how can anyone say I am a heavy traveller? In fact, I think I am a light traveller already! All my friends wonder how I manage to get by with just these few things in a small bag!

But when traveling with my parents, knowing my mum, I try to travel lighter so she will not grumble so much. But when I travel alone or with friends, I also like to dress up and be fashionable although it is impractical and unfeasible.

Hence I go in-between. I still do not bring as many clothes or accessories like my friends but I have more varieties on the things I bring. In any case when I travel in the future it will not be alone so I can bring whichever things I like as I will most likely not be the one to carry my own luggage! :-D

Wine Packaging

My packing is just about done! Last week, I discovered that I no longer have any slippers to wear! At least the slippers I own are not exactly beachwear. Hence I bought a nice pair of thongs last Friday, got them at a good bargain too as they were the last pair so the shop was willing to let them go at a steal. At least now I have a pair of thongs for beach strolling!

Now all I have to figure out is how to pack wine bottles into my luggage. I have quite a lot of wine left over from the party two weeks back, and knowing how my travel companions drink, I am thinking of bringing over one bottle of white wine, one bottle of red wine, the bottle of strawberry wine, as well as cans of beer. In any case, if we cannot finish, I can always give it to my Phuket colleagues for their enjoyment!

So the problem is, how am I going to pack them all in? What my dad did when we brought wine back from kiwi land last year was that, he rolled up the bottles with newspapers, wrapped them up with towels, then put them in my brothers’ suitcase, with all their clothes around the bottles. Needless to say, whatever that could not fit into the suitcase after the wine bottles were all dumped into my suitcase instead! The wine was flown back intact.

My dad is finally coming back this week, before I leave. He has to come back as my mum is going down under on Thursday and I am leaving on Friday, so if he is not around, my other brother will tear the house down. :-p Hopefully I can ask him to help me pack the wine bottles in, and that they are able to last intact until I touch down in my luggage!

Packing For Beach

Packing for a beach resort is not as easy as one thinks. The temptation is to just throw in anything that is sleeveless, any swim suit and wrap. But the trouble is coordinating the outfit. Alright, I know no one is probably going to look at me, but it is a personal thing. I will never be caught dead wearing something totally mismatching.

What did I pack for Bintan all those years ago? I was younger than, barely out of my teens, so wore clothes which kids of those times wore. I remember wearing a jumper with a black T-shirt on the boat ride there. Then I changed into my new (then) olive bikini, and a grey tank top with a short sarong wrap skirt over it, complete with thongs.

The next morning, we spent a day at the beach. I wore the same bikini with a blue sarong wrapped over it. My ex bought me that sarong at a night bazaar near his home the eve of our departure. He has pretty good taste too.

Of all the guys I have been with, he was the only one I actually trust to buy clothes and jewellery for me, because our tastes were pretty similar. The others had tried, but I would much rather buy my own as I would grimace at the things they bought for me! I do not mean to sound ungrateful, but I really do not like what they got for me! Still, I accepted and kept them as it was the thought that counted.

Anyway, after the beach in the morning, we went to the spa in the evening. Then we went back to the resort to shower before going for a night out. I wore the same blue sarong skirt, matched with a white halter top.

The next day, we took a trip to the golf course. It was our last day in Bintan, and we were due back on the afternoon ferry, so I wore a green batik print sundress with a white T-shirt. The effect must have been good, as I look good in the pictures. But then again, at that age, anyone looks good! :-(

It has been so many years now. I am already way out of my tweens, teens and adulthood. I cannot possibly wear the same kind of clothes I used to wear when I was that age. It simply does not work. What looks good on me ten years back will look weird on me now. Nevertheless, there are still some things I can carry off.

For instance, I am sure not going to wear a bikini so exposed anymore, at least not this time. I did not have a slight tummy bulge then, but now….. So I have to resort to a tankini. Even then, my flabby thighs and bum will protrude. Oh well….

Perhaps I just need to pack in a long flowing skirt that can double up as a tube dress too, and also another sarong. It is only a weekend getaway, I do not need to drag a whole cabin bag along, maybe just a backpack will do!

Spring, Summer, Fall And Winter Dreams

Japan is a country with a quite varying climate. For instance, Tokyo can go up to forty degrees in the summer, while in winter, it is just a mere ten degrees or less. No snow. There are still green trees around, although some trees are bare.

For Hokkaido, the temperature in the summer can be from eighteen to twenty-five degrees. Not too hot. But in winter, it can go as low as minus ten degrees, depending on where you are. I have gone to some of the places in both summer and winter, and I must say, the scenes are very different indeed!

For instance, Noboribetsu in the summer has much more steam and a stronger sulphur smell. Noboribetsu in winter is more foggy and there are traces of snow on the top of the valley. The sulphur smell is not as strong.

Noboribetsu in summer

Noboribetsu in winter

Sapporo in summer is a beautiful place of greenery and flowers. In winter, the grounds are white, the trees are bare, the streetlights and road signs are covered with snow! Odori Park in the summer is a lively place of green grass, beautiful flowers and fountains, but in winter, it is a place of hard snow and slush.

Susukino in summer

Sapporo in winter

Susukino in winter

Odori Park in summer

Odori Park in winter

Otaru in the summer is lively and the canal’s water is bustling, but in winter, there is snow and slush everywhere, and parts of the canal has frosted up, with a layer of ice. When I first went to the Ishiya Chocolate Factory, it was a fairy tale land with lots of small houses on the grounds. In winter, there is lots of snow and slush, and Christmas decorations.

Otaru in summer

Otaru in winter

Ishiya Chocolate Factory in summer

Ishiya Chocolate Factory in winter

As you can see, the same place looks so different around the different seasons. The world is a very beautiful and amazing place indeed!

Travelling Light?

I am done packing! I cannot believe I managed to squeeze everything into one cabin bag – two trench coats, a couple of cashmere and angora cardigans, the Mango fur-lined suede jacket, several pairs of tailored pants and jeans, several woollen turtlenecks and knit tops, three sets of thermal underwear, vanity case (consisting of toiletries and makeup kits), three pairs of socks, an extra pair of gloves, chargers for phone, camera and laptop, towel, adapters and the biggest item – a big poncho / windbreaker of sorts for harsh weather.

I managed to zip everything up and did not even need to expand my luggage bag! That is a miracle! Besides that, I will also be bringing along a tote bag consisting of a woollen sweater, gloves, winter hat, wallet, keys, passport, laptop, digicam, mobile phone, lip balm and gloss, hand cream, lenses, glasses, sunglasses (just in case), eye drops, DVDs, Zen MP3, four books, and my Japanese-English dictionary, plus carrying another trench coat along. So there! Does that make me a light traveller since I only have to make do with one hand carry and one cabin luggage?

My mum is paranoid. She told me to just stay in the hotel room or in the transit lounge and not go anywhere. Hmmm… how can I not go anywhere in another country? Then I may as well stay home right? She said if I go to a café or lounge and is offered a drink, please reject. Or if I buy a drink, ensure I drink it all up before going to the washroom or anywhere else, not to leave my drink unattended. Or else I come back and not touch the drink anymore.

Hmmm… why does she think I do not know how to take care of myself? It is not the first time I travel! Alright, it is the first time I travel without anyone, but still, there will be people I will be with once I reach there, not like I will be totally alone throughout the whole journey! And why does she always think the worst of people, that everyone is out to frame me or get me into trouble?

Packing For Winter

Some time ago, Sumiko Tan wrote in her article that she can never understand how some people manage to look so good and perky even after travelling long distance overnight. She herself looks like a fright after an overnight flight. I share her sentiments too. In the first place, is it really feasible to be dressed in a trench coat, knee-length boots and sunglasses, with hair in place and makeup in tact, and not a single thread out of place after sitting down in a plane on a red eye flight?

Movies and dramas always show how glamourous people look after a long plane trip but that is just a show. Chances are those people never did take a plane overnight, and they went to shoot the scene after makeup and hair artists worked on them. Plus there are lots of touch ups after that, so people will look glamourous on screen.

In real life, can this really be the case? It is hard to be really comfortable on a plane, and I, for one, can never get much shut eye even if it is a night flight. With tossing and turning and having the seat belt on most of the time, I will normally emerge out of a plane with my hair in a mess and dark circles under my eyes.

Thus I go for comfort rather than fashion. I wear my most comfortable track suit and walking shoes. With the narrow aisle and small leg room in an Economy seat, it is madness to wear high heels or boots. Makeup for me is a necessity as the cabin air dries up my skin, thus I go for large servings of moisturizers and lip glosses anytime, but after a meal, drinks and a few hours on a plane, my makeup comes out looking distorted rather than immaculate.

Which is why I am having quite a headache packing for my Japan trip. The temperature ranges from less than ten to below zero, so whatever long-sleeves and coat I normally wear and bring to temperate countries will not suffice, as there is a big difference in temperatures above zero and below zero. This time round, I need cashmere and wool. No dresses or skirts, only pants. Even jeans may not help.

Luckily I managed to find some thermal pants which can help if my legs need to keep warm. I will just have to wear a pair of normal pants or jeans over them. As for the top, in order not to be wrapped up like a dumpling, I have to wear cashmere or wool. Luckily, I have a couple of cashmere sweaters and my mum loaned me some wool cardigans and turtlenecks.

Thus, I will be wearing mostly turtlenecks and pants, with the fur-lined suede jacket I bought in Mango a few years back, and perhaps a trench coat. Shoes wise it will be a pair of normal boots, suitable for snow walking. As for my vanity case, I am putting in extra moisturisers and stronger creams, so as not to start peeling while overseas, especially in winter. Now I only hope it will be easy to walk about with all those clothes on!

Getting To The Bottom Of People

A vacation really lets you get to the bottom of people. Even in a family, we lead our own lives, being out almost the whole day, never really spend time with each other except for some conversations in a car ride or over dinner. We do not even have dinner as a whole family, except for the occasional family outings during the weekends.

So this vacation has been quite a challenge where relations are concerned. The last time we had a family vacation was back in February 2005, when we went to Chiang Mai. Even then, it was a package tour and only for five days. Plus, we, or rather, my brothers, were younger then so they took whatever that came.

This time round, they have their own moolah, so was rather resentful of having to stay in budget accommodations and eating economical meals. All of us have differing opinions on what to do, where to go. For my parents, their purpose of going on a vacation is to explore the place as much as possible. So they rather spend on the sight-seeing and guided tours than the accommodation and food. To them, as long as they get a bed and fill their stomachs, anything will suffice.

For me, the purpose of going on a tour is to relax, chill out and explore the place as thoroughly as possible. So I spend on the tour, the sight-seeing and guided tours to explore. I have no qualms sourcing for the cheapest airline or taking economy (heck, I have never even sniffed a Business, let alone a First Class, seat in any airplane!), as long as the plane takes me to my destination.

But I do choose which place to stay in. A plane trip is the same, except some airlines do give better seats than others, but other than that, how different can a plane trip be? But living accommodations are different. There is a difference between being in comfortable lodgings and being downright uncomfortable. To me, I like my own space and not need to wait in queues to use the washroom or the kitchen. That is just me. As I said, I do not need hotels, but a cosy service apartment or motel will do.

Also, I like to experience the culture, but New Zealand has only two main cultures – the Caucasian culture and the Maori culture. Caucasian culture is no different from Australia or England, both which I have experienced, so the food is about the same as well. And we got to experience a bit of Maori culture too. So I have no qualms over the food, although I do wish I had the chance (and money) to indulge more.

For my first brother, he was unhappy over the lodgings and food. To him, going on a vacation means being comfortable, so he needs to stay in comfortable lodgings and partaking good food. He rather cut down on the sights, as he says they look all the same (like the mountains, valleys and sea) and indulge in better comfort. To him, as long as he has a comfortable bed and able to have internet access that is all that matters (which makes me wonder why he needs to go away to do all these in the first place).

For my youngest brother, it is a mix. He was unhappy over the accommodation, but he did not show it. He has no qualms over the food, as to him, as long as it is eatable, anything will suffice. But he did enjoy all the wind in his face and air, and the cool breeze blowing through him. He enjoys communing with nature, so after consensus, he much rather enjoy the sights and spend on the sight-seeing and cut down on accommodation.

Being in such close proximity with each other for more than two weeks really make me realize just how different each of us are, how impatient we can be even to the people closest to us, how intolerant of things we can be. No wonder a lot of couples split up after going on a vacation together, because being in close proximity together only serves to make them closer or tear them apart.

Honestly, this trip makes me realize who I can be close to and whom I have misjudged, even among my own family members. But being a family, we have to stick together no matter what happens. We cannot possibly just go our separate ways because we still live together under one roof. It is debatable whether any of us will want to go on a full family trip again, but despite everything, we, at least I, had fun and really enjoyed myself! At times we just have to take the bad with the good together!

Using My Perks

One of the perks working in my company is that I get to have a free stay at any of the resorts every year. I wanted to go to the resort in Bintan last year, but was turned down a week before as there were no more vacancies. My entitlement for last year will expire in September this year, so I have to use it up by then, or else it will be forfeited. Thus, yesterday I was fretting over where to go and who to go with.

I asked a friend if she will be willing to go to the hotel in Bangkok with me, but she could not confirm. Then I asked my cousin if she likes to bring her two kids along, but she stated that they are probably not interested. In the end, my mum suggested she can go with me as she still has lots of leave to clear. Then I remember that my mum likes Yunnan and would like to go there again, so I told her we can go to the resort in Lijiang if she likes, and she said to bring my aunt along too.

So if all goes well, I may just make a trip to China around end of August, after the Olympics! It will be the first time ever I stepped into China, so it is quite an eye-opener if I do get to go this time! And I am hoping I can go, so my entitlement will not be forfeited, otherwise it will have to be next year before I can use the entitlement again.

Planning A Weekend Getaway

September 10th, and I have officially completed one year in this firm. Quite an achievement actually, as considering my employment history for the past couple of years or so, I have never been in a company for more than half a year, mostly not by choice.

And because I have been slogging and slaving away for this company the past year, I can finally claim my entitlement in the form of a complimentary stay in any of the resorts around the world! Plus half price on all food and beverages in the resorts!

I have a certain yearly rebate, but it is quite impossible to use it all up, because after all, how many times do one really get to go to exotic places and stay in resorts, even for free? Besides I am only entitled for a maximum of three nights per resort per stay for the year.

A plan is in the works. Since Hari Raya Puasa will be on a Saturday, I get to claim an off day anytime during the week within one month from the day, so I am thinking of claiming the off day during the Deepavali weekend, then we can go away for a few days, perhaps to Bintan or Phuket.

What is surprising is that my mum never even disapprove when I told her we (needless to say, the person I am going with is of the opposite gender who is not any of my immediate family members, at least for now) may be planning a weekend getaway. She just told me to ensure I get the air fare or ferry ticket confirmed and that I have enough off days.

Hmmmm.... All these years of not allowing me to go on a trip on my own or even with a female friend, and she never say anything this time, even though she knows I am only booking one room for both of us! Looks like I can look forward to better times ahead!

Hopes Dashed!

The tour plans have been changed again! The return flight cannot be confirmed up to now, so our Spain trip is cancelled. :-( Just when I was so looking forward to this long trip, now all my hopes are dashed again. Initially I thought my mum had said no more changes, but now all hope is gone.

The only other alternative is to tour England and Scotland. Now, that I do not mind, anything as long as I can get to see Stratford-Upon-Avon, Stonehenge, Wessex, Canterbury and Edinburgh! So instead of British Airways, we have changed back to Emirates, stopping over in Dubai. As for the itinerary changes, we will plan along the way and see where to go from there.

Meanwhile I will have quite a busy weekend ahead. I have to go for a facial (now that I am leaving on the 4th, I can reschedule it for Monday night), a manicure and pedicure, hand and feet treatment, and receiving my eldest Aussie cousin and his family over here for the weekend. I cannot wait to see the baby girl, she must be really pretty!

Almost Packed

My luggage is more or less packed, but for the toiletries, which I can only pack before we leave for the airport. I specially went to shop for more comfortable clothes for a long journey. Wearing jeans at such hot climate is madness! So I bought more capris and exercise pants for the occasion.

I had to fill up a whole big suitcase for all my stuff. Men are so much better, as in they only need to throw in a few items. They do not need cosmetics, nor much skin care products, nor shoes or jewellery or evening gowns for the occasion, nor will they have last-minute emergencies which we women always fear. Thus, we have to pack in everything that is necessary in light of emergencies that can happen, and that takes up luggage space.

But at least I am all packed up and ready to go! Then I will not spend the last day before the trip in a fluster trying to see if I have remembered everything that is essential! Now all I need is to wait for the day when I leave!

Change In Plans .... Again!

The Russian trip is off! :-( I feel like crying now, as initially I was looking forward to it so much as I thought of escaping from the heat here. But now that the trip is off, we had to proceed with the next alternative, ie go for the wedding first then tour after that.

So we have to work our way around the wedding schedule, because we are needed in Malta from 4th to 10th July. This is the first time we ever encounter so many problems in planning a trip. Looks like we have been taking travel agents for granted, as all along when we joined group tours, the agents handled everything for us. Now that we have this special request, we realise just how hard it is to fit everything into the required schedule.

I will never ever say travel agents are unprofessional again! The hours they put in, the "babysitting" while on tours and the requests customers come up with... it is enough to drive anyone crazy!

Anyone Game For Home Exchange?

I had been inspired by "The Holiday" (a heartwarming show, by the way) and starting having this idea that perhaps the next time I go on vacation I can just swop houses with someone else from anywhere in the world.

The website used in the show is Home Exchange, which really exists. Out of curiosity, I went into the website and discovered that there are many in the world who are willing to exchange houses with others and go away for a while.

There are even a few where I come from, but the houses are mainly landed properties and condominiums and owned by expatriates. Why is that so, I wonder? There are no public flats for exchange (maybe under government regulations this is not allowed?), and there are no Asian families putting their houses up for exchange.

Somehow it seems like Westerners are more for this idea. Is it because as Asians, people are still rather close-minded and will be horrified if they think of letting strangers stay in their house for a while and vice versa? Afterall, Asians will take it as some form of imposition (which is a no-no) if they so much as stay in another person's house.

To me, I find this idea very appealing. Imagine a cosy cottage somewhere in the countryside. This is one swell way to get out of the rut and get away for some real peaceful relaxation. Besides, if I am to tour the place, there may be a guaranteed place to stay for the duration, instead of shuttling between hotel and hotel or inn and inn.

Searching the website, I saw there is a cottage right in Shakespeare country! Now how perfect would that be! The main problem is to convince my parents to do the same thing, but knowing them, it will be impossible to convince them to swop houses with anyone. :-(