Travel Bits: April 2026

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Travel taking backseat to work....... 


I have been really busy with work since the beginning of the 2026. Work has been so hectic that I have been working 7 days a week, every week since the start of the year. The only break I had was a short 5-night trip to Hong Kong in February.

In the midst of trying to beat each advancing deadlines, I often looked back longingly on my Japan trip during the first week of January when I visited Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. Another Japan trip at the end of the year maybe, if I can find the time and budget.

Things on the work front should be settling down a bit after this month, April 2026. I have another short 5-night trip to Hong Kong booked for the last week of May 2026. During this trip, I intend to spend some time cafe hopping and exploring more of the Sham Shui Po area, to check out interesting shops (fountain pens shops of course) and hunting around for delicious local food. This trip, I will be flying to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific and staying at the Intercontinental Hotel near Hung Hom. 

Why Cathay Pacific and Intercontinental? I need the extra status point to move up to Silver Tier for my Asia Miles membership and also the 5-night stay to move up to Elite Silver for the IHG Loyalty Programme. But more importantly, I compared prices across airlines and hotels and found that the costs for the flight tickets and the hotel stay are both within my travel budget. In these uncertain economic times, I have to make sure to stretch every dollar I am spending.

After Hong Kong, my next trip could be to Taipei. But this is still very much in the "wish list" phase as in I am still undecided on the trip. It all depends on my work schedule for the second half of the year.  And of course, the cost of air tickets not rising beyond my budget... 🌏

The JR Haruka Express "Hello Kitty" Train, Kansai International Airport (KIX), Osaka, Osaka Prefecture, Japan (2026)

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