The journey north Today began when Bruce’s phone alarm went off at 0444 and mine followed at 0445. (He has a penchant for using non-standard times!) We both knew that
Category: Asia
Thailand Contrasts (2022): Days 8-11: At Leisure on Phuket
Our room Our Phuket hotel, where Bruce had arrived on schedule on the first day of the new month, was the Hilton Arcadia Resort & Spa, situated at Karon Beach.
Thailand Contrasts (2022): Days 6-7: An interlude in Leiden, then onwards to Phuket
Leiden Yes, Day 6 and I was still in the Netherlands – but on track to travel this evening! I had my usual Hampton breakfast before showering, packing and checking
Thailand Contrasts (2022): Introduction
Although the Covid-19 pandemic certainly wasn’t over, 2022 finally brought a significant recovery in long-haul travel. Bruce and I envisaged one joint-venture extended trip this year, based on Thailand. The
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 6: Last full day in Sapporo
Today, like Thursday before it, was neatly subdivided into three sections. After sampling a McDonalds breakfast (which, if anything, was marginally better than the previous day’s Starbucks experience), we set
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 5: Getting to know Sapporo
Morning … Today started with breakfast at a local Starbucks – the coffee was nice enough, but the food wasn’t so great. After a brief return to the room to
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 4: Onwards to Sapporo
Morning relocation Today began with another fabulous, private-dining breakfast – just as good as the previous day’s, but tinged with a feeling of regret that we were about to leave
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 3: Heaven and ‘Hell’
Breakfast & Hotel Tour A member of staff arrived at 7:30 to begin setting up for our 8am breakfast. Just like dinner the previous evening, but on a smaller scale,
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 2: To Takinoya Ryokan
Transfer to Noboribetsu Onsen Following our inclusive hotel breakfast, we checked out and took the bus to Memanbetsu Airport. This visit brought home what a small airport this is, although
Japan in Winter (2020): Day 1: Disappointment and Delight
Morning: Cruise to nowhere Spoiler alert: the header image above is what we were MEANT to be doing this morning. We got up nice and early, had breakfast at the
Japan in Winter (2020): Introduction
This trip, like many before it, was planned and undertaken as a joint venture with my Bristol-based friend and travelling companion, Bruce. We had both become great fans of Japan