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

Gearing up for my next trip......  In less than a week's time, I will be going on my planned vacation. This will be my second trip of the year. After this, I have no other trips either planned or confirmed for 2024. I am still trying to come to grips with the astronomical increase in travel costs. Thus, I have been searching and waiting for discount deals on flight tickets and accommodations, but no luck so far. And so, the search and wait continue. The coming trip is a relatively short and unadventurous 5 days/4 nights return cruise from Singapore to Penang and Phuket. I had booked this cruise sometime in the middle of last year, paying a lot less than what I would need to pay if I am to book a similar cruise itinerary today. And, I love the ship, Spectrum of the Seas. Sadly for me, this ship will leave Singapore next month (April 2024) for its new home ports in China. Thus, this will very likely be the last time I cruise on Spectrum unless it returns to be home ported in Singapor

After more than 5 years, I visited Phuket again in October 2022. While this trip was a short few hours because I was visiting this beautiful island as part of my cruise ship's sailing itinerary, it was nonetheless nice to be back in Phuket. More than 2 years of border restrictions due to the COVID pandemic, things seem to be returning pretty much to normal in Phuket. Eateries are open for business again, although many do remain shut, tourists numbers are rising again and the locals seem a lot happier to be able to again welcome visitors to lovely Phuket. In my few short hours on shore, we kept to the Patong beach area to dine on our favourite Thai food including Mango Sticky Rice, chill at a beachfront cafe, went for a nice foot reflexology session and just walked along the beach to enjoy the view, the sun and the Phuket vibes. I promised myself I will be back to Phuket soon, for a vacation. See you again Phuket! 😀 A tourist doing the touristy adventures, Phuket, Thailand (2022) A

This was a trip that was supposed to take place in April 2020. But to the COVID pandemic and the resultant worldwide border and travel restrictions, I have had to postpone the trip repeatedly in 6-monthly intervals. Finally, the trip was realised in October 2022, almost 3 years after I had first planned it in September 2019.  I had visited Bali many times over the years, this being my favourite beach holiday destination. This trip was no difference. I did not go around the island to sight-see. Instead, I simply relaxed at the beach resort, enjoying the blissful island life. The resort has everything I need including great facilities and awesome food. There is no need for me to venture elsewhere. Everyday, after  a sumptuous buffet breakfast, I will head for the lounge chairs by the beach; clad only in my swim trunks and with my book tucked under my arms. There, I spent my afternoon reading in-between swims in the ocean, ordering food and drinks whenever I felt hungry. In the evenings,

As the world slowly realises that we simply cannot lock ourselves from each other forever and cautiously begins to open up, I look forward to be able to partake in leisure travel again. Hopefully, I can soon be back to my favourite beach resorts to enjoy a slow night of beach combing and simply enjoying the beauty of nature! I do not catch any wildlife, I only took photographs without coming into physical contacts with those animals I encountered. Wildlife deserves to be where they belong, in the wild. 😊 Take Nothing but Photographs, Leave Nothing but Footprints. Crab, Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia (2018)

Traditional-styled watercraft are unique and defined the people whom the designs of these crafts originated. They are also extremely photogenic subjects even when framed against simple and common backgrounds like the beach or just the sea. When I first visited Lombok in 2014, I had no lack of subjects to photograph while walking along the beach looking for watercraft. The photograph in this blog post shows a fleet of jukung on the beach at sunset. These small outriggers are traditionally used for fishing. More modern usage includes ferrying scuba divers to their favourite dive sites around the many islands of Indonesia.  Fleet of Jukung on the beach at sunset, Senggigi Beach, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia (2014)

Japan, Nagasaki Prefecture, Tsushima Japan is a country which is heavily forested. Close to 2/3 of the country is covered in forests. I had always wanted to travel to and hike in some of Japan's forested areas, preferably in locales where the human population is sparse. Not that I am a hermit but less populated areas usually means more flourishing flora and fauna due to lesser human activities. Over the years and during my many trips to Japan, I had hiked in the Okuhida region of Takayama's mountain range as well as in the forests of Shiga Prefecture. One of my hikes in Japan's forests was in November 2019 when I traveled to Tsushima from Busan (Korea). Located between Busan and Nagasaki, Tsushima is an island group. With a sub-tropical marine environment, Tsushima has unique flora and fauna not found elsewhere in the Japanese main islands. A secluded shore in the n orthern part of Kamino-shima, Tsushima, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan (2019) During my tr