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

Taiwan,  Beitou, Hot Spring Resort Town This bucket list article described my experience visiting the hor spring resort town of Beitou in the mountains slightly north-east of Taipei. Not the traditional off-the-beaten-track location, Beitou is well-known amongts locals and international visitors for its hot spring resorts. Despite having visited Taipei many times, I had only been to Beitou once, just once. Why? I always had so many items cramped into my itinerary whenever I visit Taipei that I simply could not find the time to get away to relax and simply do nothing except to soak in the hot springs. Well, once is better than none and I still have a promise to myself to return to Beitou again. Hopefully soon. ⛰ ****************** Taipei City's Beitou District is well regarded by locals and international visitors alike for its hot springs and the many hot springs resorts in the area. Being a resort town of sorts has its merits. Here, life is noticeably slower than the rat race in Ta

Planning for December Travel......  Traveling in the year-end month of December is different from traveling during other months of the year, at least for me. Somehow, December being the last month of the year, has that festive vibes that make me more relaxed while every part of life simply just seemed to slow down, from work to personal. Travel during the traditional holiday month of December is definitely more expensive in my part of the world. December coincides with the year-end school holidays here in South-East Asia and is also the "last" month when most workers will need to "clear" their annual leave for the current year before the start of a brand new work year. This results in a rush to travel during this period, leading to higher costs in air tickets and destination accommodations. But, there are always ways to mitigate the increased costs of traveling during this period. My strategy is to choose a nearer regional location and to travel earlier in the month

Yatsushiro Port is located on the western coast of central Kyushu, one of Japan's main islands. The port has always been an important center for international trade, such as the distribution of agriculture, forestry, and marine products.  Presently, this Port is one of the largest port in Kumamoto Prefecture. Besides handling cargo vessels, Yatsushiro port also caters to cruise ships and their passengers.    Yatsushiro Port, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (2023) Yatsushiro Port At Yatsushiro Port, a small park has lots of Kumamon on displays. The park is great place for photo shoots with cute Kumamon.  Visitors love Kumamon, Yatsushiro Port, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (2023) Who's hiding? Yatsushiro Port, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (2023) Yatsushiro Port, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan (2023) From Yatsushiro Port to Shin-Yatsushiro Station It is not possible to walk from Yatsushiro Port to Shin-Yatsushiro Station. Taking a taxi from the port to the station is a good option.  For cruise