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

Back from a month-long trip......  Home, from a fresh trip that lasted close to a month, I am currently buried up to my nose in work! Ah, the payments for my wanderlust. To be honest, even though I spent a small fortune on my month-long trip across Asia, these are funds that I had already budgeted and put away as spare money since last year. All my credit cards had been paid in full, maintaining my good credit score. That is how I can enjoy my vacations without having to worry about finances. Money matters aside now, in order not to digest from this month's edition of Travel Bits. 😆 After my long trip with many individual travel bucket list items fulfilled, I no longer have any major trips planned or booked. Apart from the yearly sojourns to nearby destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Bali, no major trips are in the horizon on my calendars. Ok, I do have an 8-nights cruise to Bali and Lombok booked. But that trip will only happen in February 2025. Who knows what the world w...

Located in Iwakuni in Yamaguchi Prefecture, the original Iwakuni Castle was built in the year 1608. Sited at the top of Mount Shiroyama, the castle must had looked a formidable obstacle to any attackers in the 17th century. However, merely seven years after the building of the castle was completed, it was torn down based on a decree ( Ikkoku-ichijo ) from the Shogun Tokugawa leyasu.  The present castle at the site was a re-constructed structure in 1962. As in most castles in Japan of today, the Iwakuni Castle is more akin to a museum than a place of residence. Inside the castle are displays of artefacts from the Edo period including samurai body amor and swords. Iwakuni Castle, Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan (2019) At the top of the castle, which is four storeys high, one can get a bird's eye view of the famous Kintai-kyo Bridge. The castle is accessible via a ropeway cable car. The station is a mere five minutes walk from the Kintai-kyo Bridge. From the upper station, a joyf...

United Kingdom, Scotland, Loch Ness Nessie, also known as the Loch Ness Monster is the legendary (or should it be mythical) creature that has fascinated me since I was a 9-year old when I first read about it in a magazine in my primary school library. From then on, I had believed in the truth and existence of Nessie. Well, I still do now. Just that, I also know that the myth of the creature is unlikely to be proven. Neither is it going away either. Thus, when I visited Scotland for the first time in 2011, my priority was to find a way to visit Loch Ness. Driving was not a very viable option as I was travelling alone. Thus, I decided on the easy way out by joining a day tour to Loch Ness from Glasgow. Reaching the famous Loch, I was extremely excited and fascinated as all those landmarks such as Urguhart Castle which I had seen countless times on books, magazines and the internet, materialised right in front of my very eyes. Finally, I had arrived at Loch Ness, home of Nessie...

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...

Both a national treasure to Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site , Himeji Castle and its complex stand tall and proud on a hilltop overlooking the city of Himeji in Japan's Hyogo Prefecture.  Completed in the year 1609, the Himeji Castle complex originally comprised more than 80 different buildings spread out over the complex area and interconnected by winding paths while at the same time, separated by gates.  Visiting the castle complex for the first time in April, I was awestruck by the magnificent castle, its surrounding buildings and well-manicured gardens. This is truly one historic castle complex that made me literally hold my breath as I marvelled at its architecture and grandeur. I shall be following up with a more detailed blog post on my visit to Himeji Castle. But until I get around to writing that article, here is a photo of Himeji Castle that I took with my iPhone X which I would like to share with all of you. Using both my DSLR camera and my iP...