TANKS Travel Tales - a travelogue.......

The year-end holidays coupled with the festive period typically see many people taking that long deserved vacation break after a year of working hard. During these overseas travels, there are always the obligatory and must-see tourist spots or iconic places to visit for that instagramable photo to share with family and friends on social media. Besides famous places and spots, there are always that familiar icon. And none more than the world famous Hello Kitty character. Produced and copyrighted by Japanese company Sanrio, Kitty is instantly recognisable around the world. In Kitty's home base of Japan (as well as many cities around the world), there are lots of merchandise and products featuring this famous character.  While in the city of Himeji to visit the famous Himeji Castle, I chanced upon a Hello Kitty Cafe while walking from the train station to the castle. Being a Kitty fan myself, I made a mental note to stop by for a coffee and some desserts after my castle visit

Travel Planning....... When it comes to travel, it is always good to do some advance planning. I am not suggesting that we have to plan to the last minute details of each trip including the waking up time for each day of the trip and so on and so forth. What I suggest is some form of broad planning that helps to make the trip more hassle-free and enjoyable. These are the tips I myself follow for each trip that I took. For shorter trips, I may skip some of the steps. But in general, following these trips has always help me to ease easily into my travel and help take away some of the stress of going to a new place each time I travel. Air travel has made airports the typical gateway for most overseas trips. Departure Hall, Hong Kong International Airport, Hong Kong SAR, China (2017) Research - I typically read a bit about the country or city before each visit. With smartphones and connectivity to the internet readily available, it is always easy to find some time durin

Officially a suburb of the Western Australia state capital of Perth, Guildford is only about 15 minutes drive from the city centre. Besides driving, Guildford is also accessible by train and bus from Perth's city centre. This is a suburban area with nice quaint shops and historical buildings. The Guildford Railway Station is particularly interesting as it is a relatively sparse infrastructure with a small building serving as the hub of the station. It reminds me of those old railway stations seen in movies set in the 1950s and 1960s. Beside the railway station, other interesting historical building include the Guildford Hotel. The present structure is a restored building. Originally built in the 19th century in 1886, it was only reopened in 2016 following lengthy restoration works after a fire in 2008. The hotel is just a short walk from the railway station along the main street.  The heritage building that is the Guildford Hotel, Guildford, Perth, Western Australia,

Traveling to places of historical significance has always been a favourite travel itinerary for me. These trips allow me to visit in person the locations of places I read about in the history books. Amongst the many historical places I had visited, one of my favourite has to be Capernaum. History and Geography  Frequently cited in the Gospels, Capernaum is located on the shores to the north of the Sea of Galilee in Israel. Reportedly inhabited since the 2nd century BCE, the town was abandoned in the 11th century. Capernaum was originally a small fishing village, probably because of its close geographical proximity to the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee, also known as Lake Tiberius, is the largest freshwater lake in Israel. It has an area that is approximately 167 square kilometres (about 65 square miles). Climate The weather in Capernaum is typical of the weather throughout Israel. The coldest months are between December to March when the daily average temperature us

Packing Travel Essentials....... What are travel essentials? Well, this typically differs from person to person. It also differs depending on the type of trips one is embarking on.  The travel essentials which I usually pack for my trips are light-weight items that add conveniences during my stays abroad. Whether its for a beach vacation, a short country-side or nature park trek, sight-seeing tours, shopping trips or a self-drive holiday, the list provides me with the bare necessities to enhance my travel experiences. While most of the items in the list can be easily purchased during my travels, it is usually more convenient and economical to pack and bring them along then to buy them on arrival at a new city. For example, they may not be sold in singular or small quantities or you may not be able to find the right size even if you can find the same items in the shops. Here is my top packing list: 1. Plastic Cutleries -  I usually pack a set of plastic cut

The beach at Nusa Dua is amazing. At low tide, one can literally walk far out into the sea where the water only ever reaches to the ankles of an adult. Small rocks with seaweeds growing on them exposed during low tide, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (2018) Combing the beach at low tide to observe the small animals that come out to forage for food and engage in their own little things to do is a joy. I do not advocate removing or even touching any of the wildlife at the beach because many of these animals are extremely fragile and may not survive physical human encounters. My advice is always to just observe and take photographs; nothing more than that. The beach at low tide, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (2018) Small air-holes created by crabs and other crustaceans are clearly visible at low tide, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (2018) Crab spotted at low tide, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (2018) At low tide, the small animals are extremely vulnerable. I hav

Serving more than 20 destinations in China alone, Hebei Airlines debuted their first international flights outside of China in Match 2017 with flights to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. In October of that same year, the airline started flying to Singapore. This photo of a Hebei Airlines' Boeing 737-800 was taken at Terminal 1 of the Changi International Airport in Singapore in October 2018. A Hebei Airlines' Boeing 737-800 at Terminal 1, Changi International Airport, Singapore (2018)

I was at Singapore's Changi International Airport Terminal 1 in the late afternoon of 26 October 2018 and walking towards the boarding gate to board my flight to Bali when I saw this Air France plane parked at one of the gates. Taking out my mobile, I took a couple of photographs of the plane. Subsequent research online reveals that this is a Boeing 777-300ER with the registration number F-GSQF. It has been years since I last flown with Air France. I can still remember that it was a working trip to Paris. But I could not recall much details of that flight other than I was flying in Economy Class and the service from the crew was excellent. Maybe I shall plan a vacation to France soon. :-) Air France Boeing 777-300ER, Changi International Airport, Singapore (2018)