<bgsound src="http://www.ijigg.com/songs/V2BFBCGCPAD" > My Big Big Adventure: July 2008

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

My lavender brief encounter: 15-22 July


Just got back from my lengthy but fun and exciting trip to the Land of the Rising Sun. First week was mostly with the tour agent, Apple Vacation to the north side. After much calculation, it is still worth it to take on a tour as the long journey require travelling and much time to cover so many beautiful places. I strongly recommend this company for the Lavender tour.

My general schedule for my two-week excursion is as follows:

15 July - arrived at Narita International Airport and put a night in Narita Garden Hotel awaiting for the next connecting flight to Nagashibetsu, Hokkaido.


16 July - arrived at Nagashietsu around noon. After lunch, visited Lake Mashu, a lake is obscured by swirling mists and thick clouds and the most transparent water in the world. There is an Ainu myth, whereby a grandmother lost her grandson around Lake Mashu and her tears turned into the mist, which surrounded the lake. Another pit stop was Ryuosan Boiling Volcano, where the sulfourous fumes raise from the rocksand. At night, we put up at Utoro's Shiretoko National Park main onsen resort, Shiretoko Hotel to enjoy hotspring while overlooking at the Sea of Okhotsk.

17 July - In the morning, we left the shore of Utoro to see the rocky cape and waterfalls over steep cliffs into the sea on a cruise ship, which in the winter time used for the ice-breaking tour. On the cruise, I met a couple from Osaka and took photo with them. Along the highway, we visited the Oshinkoshin Falls droped from a 50m height signifies two beautiful women. The magnitute of the fall is magnificent. We then visited Abashiri town, which is famous for its Okhotsk Drift Ice Museum, with a taste of Okhotsk's harsh winter. That night, we stayed in Mombetsu Price Hotel, which we also managed to experience Mochi-making in the lobby hallway. Great experience and excitement. Not forgetting the good hotspring experience.

18 July - Visiting the Sea of Okhotsk, one of the busiest fishing port in Hokkaido. We went for Cherry and strawberries plucking and also enjoyed the wonderful meal of Shabu-shabu with delicious local poultry, such as pork and beef. We went to visit the Asahigawa zoo to see the rare polar bears, seals and penguins. After a brief journey there, we went along to Otokoyama Sake Museum to learn about Japan sake making, and sake-tasting too. The night, we stayed in Tomamu Hotel, another hotspring hotel which has tall modern architectures, which features a famous Church, which faces out to a pond and natural greens, and luxurious Spa and hotspring.


19 July - Leaving for Biei is the main event of this tour, as we are expected to see magnificent view of the hill and also the highlight of our tour - Lavendar Temptation at Tomita Lavendar Farm, Flower Land, Cheese Kobo and Wine House. All the natural temptations are the most interesting part of the event, as everyone was captivated by the beauty of the Biei hills and mountains. We stayed in Rusutsu Ski Resort, which hosted the G8 summit recently. That night, we had a chance to enjoy the hotspring,the outdoor fireworks and ride on the century-old carousal from Germany. What a splendid treat!

20 July - early morning leaving for Otaru via Sapporo. We visited the famous Otaru Canal and glass handicraft and music box house. The famous landmark is the steam-engined clock, which whistled every 15 minutes. We tried delicious bitter sweet chocolates and lovely cakes. After Otaru, Sapporo is the next stop. At Sapporo, we passed the clock house and Sapporo TV tower and the Odori Park, which is part of the city's cityscape., and also the see Sapporo's landmark of the former Government Building which had an English touch to it. Tanukikoji underground shopping street allows us to enjoy shopping in Sapporo. Stay for the night was at Sapporo Novotel Hotel.

21 July - the last day before departing from this tour. Early morning, the park faces Novotel allowed us to enjoy the beautiful park and its flea market. There's a natural treasure house in the park, where the emperor used to live in as a holiday home. Inside the building, there is an old grandfather clock, which is worthwhile to see. We visited the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium, which is hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1972. After a brief stop at the observation deck, we headed to buy cameras and also branded Burberry's goodies. Lunch time was to head to Sapporo's biggest morning market, where we had big Trabagani Live Crab and abalone for lunch. A special arrangement was made to visit Rera Factory Outlet Mall for bargain branded items. Hotel for the night was at Hotel Com's Chitose.

Though the journey was short, it was an exciting adventure to Hokkaido. Lush greens and beautiful landscape. Great place to feel relax and recharged.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

唉!

最近查詢我朋友的部落格,發現了一個很大的唉。有點唉哉。我已經詢問過了,他説是要來提醒自己的一件納悶事情。

時下年輕人,何時變得如此消極還有納悶?我也百思不解。雖然現實生活是多麽不順利,也應該積極面對吧。人生不如意之事十之八九,看開點吧。好好充實自己,不讓生活中的不順利的事情纏身,好好地生活下去。

我在想要是把變成,世界會不會變得更美麗了呢。

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

雙喜臨門的好友

很久沒有看見我的好朋友依正了。今天終于約到這位大忙人吃飯,而且他還帶了雙喜臨門的好消息:找到理想的工作,還有交了漂亮的女朋友呢。女孩子的名子好像是叫惠娟(譯音), 很好聽的名字。我的弟弟認識這位女子。聽説是個品格優秀的一個不平凡的女子。

工作上從他口中知道是他夢寐以求的工作,打從心裏面暗暗替他感到高興。沒想到除了我弟弟之外,原來還有其他人找到他們所想要做的事情。是一件讓我振奮人心的事。

人家說魚與熊掌不能兼得,我看我的好朋友依正是兩者兼得,贏得美人歸還不要緊而且還事業順利,是多麽的幸運。心裏想著想著,不禁也羡慕起來了呢。

祝福我這位摯友:永遠幸福,快樂。

Native and Aborigin

After I have been to Taman Negara, and seen the Australian outback Aborigines, I could make an assumption that natives come from the root of African origin. Because these aborigines shared similar traits: curly black hair, high melanin skins, live in the open wild nomadic life, hardy, highly adaptable to changing environment, and simple and shy in nature.

This is an interesting observation because they are among the first explorers across the globe, way before Columbus discovered new land in America, nor Marco Polo traveling to the East.

Maybe any of you could provide some observations to add to my simplistic theory of natives from African?

Taman Negara: 4-6 July


Taman Negara, two words in Malay language that means National Park. I have been to Mulu National Park in Sarawak, and this is the one nearer to home that it is only by this coincidence which I joined my fellow colleagues to explore a new world.

Located in Kuala Tahan, Pahang, just off Jerantut. It is one of the oldest rainforest in the world, which is estimated to be at 130 million years old. It is rich in nature and a treasure of ecosystems existing in fews of the planet earth.



On top Bukit Terasek (L-R): Teoh, Valerie, Sharon, Shi Han, Shin Yeen and Kotomi

The trip with our sports club serves as an eye-opener. We traveled to Gua Telinga (Ear Cave), where we did some caving exercise, night safari to see animals out in the dark, and one of the world longest and high canopy walk, a hike to Bukit Terasek, visit to Orang Asli settlement to learn about their culture and lifestyle, rapid shooting at Sungai Tahan, and boating upstream of Lata Berkoh cascades to view the small stream leading to the natural forestry trail and waterfalls, where the Ikan Kelah lives and breed.

The trip ended in a high note as everyone has been enjoying themselves with the nature itself, away from city's hustle and bustle, with starlight shining above us all night long, where only birds and cicadas' sound permeate the air. Taman Negara, the nature treasure which everyone must experience, as we have the privilege to enjoy the natural beauty of the nature and its flora and fauna inhabitants.