Day 3: Kushiro → Tomamu

This particular hotel booking on Expedia was made without breakfast being part of the package, so we headed out to grab breakfast at the local wet market.

The bus interchange is literally right in front of the front door and the hotel front desk provided a bus schedule, which is something I have learnt to appreciate here in Japan. What I appreciate to a lesser extent, would be the exorbitant bus fare, of transport fare in general.

So after a 50 minute bus ride that costed JPY 680 (USD 6.30), we alighted at the observatory overlooking the crane reserve wetlands. Well, in winter the cranes look like this.

Photo credit to Murray Foote

However, since it was already the end of spring by the time we visited, and the view was pretty barren.

In fact, not only were there no cranes in sight, there were no other birds visiting the wetlands, and in general no animals except this little serpent that gave us a little shock on the boardwalk.

Thanks to the recommendation of the staff at the observatory, however, we made a run for the crane conservatory, where the resident cranes were conserved and bred.

After a quick dinner near the JR Kushiro station, we boarded the train heading to Tomamu, which was one of the destinations that I really looked forward to for this trip.

The JR Tomamu station comprised a lonely set of tracks and platforms, since I supposed passengers alighting here are predominantly heading to the resort.

The beds were Japanese style futons on an elevated platform.

There is also another sofa which converts to a bed in the lounge.

Day 2: Furano → Kushiro

The morning began with a quick jog down along the motorway downhill, followed by breakfast at the hotel, which was simple though substantial. The rolled omelette (玉子焼き) was exceptionally good.

Nevertheless, the occupancy appeared to be sub-optimal, with a couple being the only other guests that we met at the breakfast lounge.

It was quite impressive that the proprietor kept a copy of the train schedule at the front desk, and advised us on the departure timing to ensure minimal waiting time at the JR station. We requested for a ride to the nearest JR train station, and after a short ride on the local train, we arrived at Farm Tomita, our first destination for the day. 

The lavender was not yet in full bloom, so only patches of farm were blossoming, though other species like poppies and chives complemented the limited lavender flowers.

It was a fairly idyllic place, and visiting after the peak holiday means there is less jostling with other tourists. We had a good chilling session besides the flower fields, feeding on lavender and melon flavoured ice creams.

Since the sightseeing places in Kushiro are fairly far from the city, and there are no major places of interest in the city itself, JJ suggested taking a later train from Furano and spending some time touring Furano town. It turned out to be a great idea.

We rented bikes from the rental shop located just beside the station and cycled uphill to this wine brewery (yes, another alcohol destination), which not only featured excellent still ciders,

but also picturesque view of the bucolic countryside.

I wished I could have bought more of the cider, though with us travelling light it was a foreseeable hassle to carry fragile liquid items. In fact, if not for Wayne and his suitcase, I suspect the bottle would have easily shattered in my duffel.

The shop lady who rented the bikes to us had recommended a restaurant featuring curry omelette rice, which was fairly good. 

After dinner we strolled back towards the station for the train to Kushiro, which is near the eastern side of Hokkaido and known for its wetland reserves.

Day 1: Tokyo → Sapporo → Furano

It was a quick half an hour ride from CTS into downtown Sapporo, with the train ride fully covered by the JR Hokkaido Rail Pass, which we bought while transiting in Narita.

Since we needed a break before continuing on the train ride to Furano, we figured that visiting the Sapporo beer museum would be a good idea.

The museum tour was free, though one would have to pay for beer-tasting, with each beer costing JPY 200~300. We figured that it made much more sense to pay JPY 500 for a premium tour, which included 2 beers.

So the tour started with an introduction of Sapporo beer and its master brewer Seibei Nakagawa, followed by a tour of brewery, or rather what remained of it.

During the tasting session, our guide gave a short session on how to pour beer, which was quite amusing. It was also interesting to note that unlike what we were used to in Singapore, where bartenders are trained to dispense beer at an angle to avoid causing too much foam to accumulate, our guide specifically performed a three step process with great skill to produce a glass of beer with a thick layer of frothy foam.

To be fair it was an informative session, though the brewery site itself was far less impressive than the Tsingtao brewery I visited in Tsingtao back in 2006.

We finished the tour and headed back to the JR station to continue our train ride to Furano, where we would be staying for the night. It turned out that the journey was slightly more complicated than we had imagined. 

Photo credit to Wayne

Eventually, after an arduous uphill route march, we arrived at the Furano Hops Hotel, where we were greeted by an elderly gentleman whom I suspect was the hotel's proprietor. Check-in was done in minute, and we were asked on our preferred timing for breakfast.

The room was fairly large by Japanese standards, and impeccably clean. While the furnishing was not exactly new, they are all in good condition with minimal signs of wear. The TV was small, and more like a LCD screen, but given we were only there for one night, it was not an issue at all.

The bathroom had both shower and traditional Japanese bath featuring water from the nearby hot spring, and was well stocked with Shisedo amenities. In fact, there was even an information folder filled with hand-drawn maps giving directions to that spring, among other sights nearby.

The mattress is also soft, which is a great relief. So thanks in part to the welcoming bed, as well as to the hot bath and a long day of travelling, it took little effort for me to fell asleep.

Flying: Jetstar Japan Tokyo Narita to Sapporo New Chitose 2016

After a quick ramen breakfast at the international terminal, we boarded the shuttle bus heading to Terminal 3, which is a rather nondescript warehouse-like structure that reminded me of unhappy memories at KLIA's old LCCT.

However, once inside the terminal, the bright lighting indicated there is probably more resemblance to IKEA instead.

While there were staff manning the check-in counters, Jetstar seemed to enforce a policy of requesting passengers to print their own boarding pass using the machines above before dropping off their check-in luggage at the counters, which is a pretty smart move given how expensive manpower is in Japan.

Jetstar Japan 111
Tokyo Narita (NRT) – Sapporo (CTS) 
Sunday, May 22 2016
Depart: 12:20PM
Arrive: 02:45PM
Flight time: 2hr25min
Aircraft: Airbus 320
Seat: 19A

Judging from the counters in the terminal, the building is used exclusively for budget airline flights. Nevertheless, while the furnishing is minimal, the lighting is warm at the eateries area with both sofas and other seating plentiful, complete with 

And

Once board the aircraft, I realised that the layout and furnishing is almost identical to the Jetstar planes back in Singapore, save for the lack of a divider in front of seats 1A to 1C, which really gives a lot more legroom.

Despite having slept for almost 5 hours on the previous two legs, as well as another hour or so at Narita, all three of us managed to doze off again on this leg, and did no wake up until the flight stewardess began to remind all passengers to adjust the seats in the upright position in preparation for landing.

It was a smooth landing into CTS, and our bags were already waiting for us on the carousel by the time we walked to the terminal.

Flying: Vietnam Airlines Economy Class Singapore to Tokyo Narita 2016

Since we had checked-in online, it was straight to the baggage drop, with only one other passenger in front of us. Check-in was quick and boarding passes were issued all the way to Narita.

Turned out that the aircraft was parked at A15, one of the further gates in T3.

Vietnam Airlines 658
Singapore (SIN) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN)
Saturday, May 21 2016
Depart: 08:25PM
Arrive: 09:30PM
Flight time: 2hr05min
Aircraft: Airbus 321
Seat: 16A

We pushed off on time at 8:23PM, although the taxi to the runway was somewhat intermittent, perhaps due to the long queue of late evening departures and arrivals. We ended up taking off only at 8:50PM, after several stops during the taxi.

As soon as the plane levelled off, service began with beverages and supper served concurrently. I had the seafood noodles. The appetiser was quite tasty, with the herbs and lime juice giving a fresh after taste to the prawn and  vermicelli salad.

While the noodles are a little mushy, the prawns are quite succulent, albeit fairly tiny, though it should be noted that one seldom finds good noodles on airline catering, and even more so for economy class.

Meanwhile Wayne had the sweet and sour pork, which he also liked.

What I really appreciated was that the crew proactively offered JJ bread and fruits after learning that he was on a vegetarian diet.

After the meal service another round of drinks were offered and the trays were collected, following which the cabin was dimmed. 

Despite the delay in takeoff, we landed at 9:25PM, had a quick taxi and pulled over at a remote parking stand beside a fleet of ATR 72s.

Since SGN is not really that big an airport, we quickly found the transit desk and proceed to the departure gate.

Given that I really wanted to experience the Dreamliner, my heart almost sank when I saw that the aircraft had been swapped to an A330.

However, when we got to the gate, it was a beautiful Dreamliner waiting for us on the tarmac.

And it was like a dream came true, quite literally.

We were again among the last to board, and was welcomed by the in-flight service manager, who was dressed in yellow ao dai.

Vietnam Airlines 300

Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) – Tokyo Narita (NRT)

Sunday, May 22 2016

Depart: 12:35AM

Arrive: 08:00AM

Flight time: 5hr25min

Aircraft: Boeing 787

Seat: 27G

Waiting for us at the seats was a set of pillow and blanket. While a standard offering on long haul flights, regional flights of around 5 hrs are somewhat a grey area on whether such amenities should be provided as a norm.

Soon after we levelled off, menus were distributed together with headsets, followed by Japanese immigration declaration forms.

It really appears that more and more Asian carriers are providing menus even in economy class, or it could be Vietnam Airlines upping the game following the strategic equity investment from ANA.

In any case, the selection is fairly generous, with a good variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

I had the western option, which comprised the standard bacon and eggs. This time round, the pineapple was actually tasty. While the omelette is a little on the salty side, the baked tomato was well caramelised and juicy.

In the meantime, my friend had the Japanese option, but either the food was too tasty or he was too hungry, I didn't manage to get a photograph before he devoured it.

Although I downed a cup of coffee after the meal service, I quickly dozed off again, notwithstanding 007 Sceptre playing in the background. When I woke up we were already beginning the descent on approach to Narita.

At this point the stewardesses began to collect the earphones and...the menus??? And with no entertainment available and fresh awake after a quick wash-up, I started fiddling with the electronic tinted window which has drawn much hype for the 787.

I have read many complaints about the 787's tinted windows not being able to shield out light totally and were an annoyance to a good rest. However, having experienced, I am fairly satisfied with it.

Somehow I managed to fall asleep again even with the seat-back put upright and only woke up after a light bump from touching down at Narita.

Sometimes I just think that hospitality is really deep in the veins of South East Asia, it's only the level of precision at which it can be delivered. And frankly, with the other SEA carriers improving at such a fast pace, the edge SIA used to command may no longer be significant enough to deserve a large fare premium.

Japan 2016: Introduction

Graduation trip, or grad trip, as it was affectionately known nowadays.

Flight: Singapore to Tokyo
Flight: Tokyo to Sapporo
Day 1: Tokyo → Sapporo → Furano

Day 2: Furano → Kushiro
Day 3: Kushiro → Tomamu 
Day 4: Tomamu → Sapporo 
Day 5: Sapporo → Hakodate → Toya
Day 6: Toya → Sapporo 
Day 7: Sapporo → Tokyo
Flight: Sapporo to Tokyo
Day 8~10: Tokyo
Flight: Tokyo to Singapore

Flight

Our original plan was between ANA/SQ, JAL and Delta. Delta offered the best value for money at about $510 round trip. 

Image courtesy of ANA

ANA/SQ and JAL are slightly more expensive, at about $630~650, though it's a fairly good deal since flying ANA or JAL on international segments allows you to buy domestic flights at a discounted rate of JPY10,800 per one way segment. Bearing in mind how expensive long-distance travel travels can be in Japan, that's a real bonus. Not to mention the fact that we can fly into Haneda airport which is way nearer to Tokyo city than Narita airport.

For a moment we considered Scoot, though shot it down since it wasn't exactly cheap. Although the base price was about $400, top up check-in luggage and the price quickly shot up close to $500. Furthermore, it wasn't a direct flight.

So we nearly settled for Delta, until...

It was just a fateful evening trawling the web while on the train home from work and...

If you could imagine my reaction it would be like...

Understandably, it requires a transit in Vietnam, but a sub $400 ticket to Japan is a real steal. Certainly a detour adds distance and travelling time, but given the even departure and early morning arrival, the impact is fairly limited.

Further more, given that Vietnam Air started flying the 787 Dreamliner on the SGN-NRT route, I was keen to try it since Scoot swapped the 787 for a 777 the last time I flew to Hong Kong.

Image courtesy of Vietnam Airlines

For the domestic leg, we had the option of JAL/ANA, or budget alternatives Peach, Vanilla or Jetstar. Full service is out of the question for fairly obvious cost reasons, and we preferred to stick with a familiar name for a peace of mind.

Photo courtesy of BriYYZ

Accommodations

The next part is trying to settle the accommodations, which is somewhat tricky as the itinerary was rather fluid. It was an uncertainty whether the cherry blossom will still be available by the time we visit, as well as structuring of intensive activities along chillax ones.

So we dragged the accommodation booking and played around with the free cancellations on booking.com, but eventually it was time to make a decision.

Since we intend to catch the "Sea of Clouds" or the "Unkai" in Tomamu, so barring an overnight camp at the train station, staying at the Hoshino Resort became a necessity. 

Similarly, since we intend to enjoy hot-springs at Lake Toya or Noboribetsu, finding a lakeside hotel with a hot-spring is imperative. 

So in the end, it turned out to be a balancing act between convenience, comfort and cost.

Given that we splurged on the two bookings, balancing the budget calls for cheaper options for the remaining days, hence I restricted myself to booking accommodations at sub $100 levels, which had been a real challenge for Tokyo. Thankfully, I had some vouchers courtesy of airbnb for inviting my friends to use it, so that reduced the costs for the 4 nights in Tokyo substantially.

And we are booked on:

Furano - Furano Hops Hotel
Kushiro - Hotel Crown Hill Kushiro
Tomamu - Hoshino Resorts
Toyako - Toya Kanko Hotel
Sapporo - apartment via airbnb
Tokyo - apartment via airbnb

Overall, the hotel bill came to ~$1,250 for the 10 nights. Split among three people, that works out to a fairly decent ~$400++ per pax. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the budget hotels would be bearable, the splurge hotels be a luxury well-spent, and the home-stays be an unique experience with locals.

Krabi in 2015: A quick getaway

For a quick getaway, SEA really has a myriad of choices. I once contemplated Boracay, with its powdery beaches. However, flights to Kalibo involve a transit at Manila, stretching more than 5 hours, implying that one day will be lost on flying alone and hence defeating the purpose of a quick getaway.

So we considered Bali. Then the volcano erupted, periodically shutting down the airport. Next, Langkawi, fairly good choice because of the falling ringgit, if not for the visa requirement.

Then, it appeared that Krabi might be a good choice. Its proximity to Singapore, its less crowded beaches, and the flexibility to visit nearby islands. Best part, Air Asia was doing a discounted sale of SGD102 for a return trip.

The hotel was decent, despite the room being on the small side.

Then again, given the price we paid of about ~SGD 80 per night, this is a reasonable offer. Furthermore, the front-desk gave us a complimentary upgrade.

The interesting part is this bath-hub on the balcony. While the hotel, being built on a hill, is indeed secluded, it still feels weird.

However, I must give the hotel credit for living up to its name. The Ao Nang cliff is indeed visible right from the balcony, although the beach is blocked from view by the traveller's palm. Perhaps beach view is reserved for guests paying to stay at pricier suites.

Given that it was a late afternoon arrival, we strolled around the night markets, which was fairly touristy, though I got a cotton shirt for THB 200. Of course, a trip to Thailand would be incomplete without a visit to the massage parlours, especially when you have a day packed with intensive activities ahead. And with prices for a 60 minutes session at THB 200~300, it was almost a given that we patronise one.

The next day was spent island-hopping, starting with a 25 min ride on a fishing boat (the locals insist it is a long-tail boat).

Although we visited during the rainy season, the skies were clear and weather was sunny and warm during most of the trip, which was great for water activities.

However, sometimes when the sun get scorching hot, one needs to count on inner peace to maintain a peace of mind :)