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

  " The world is a book , and those who do not travel read only a page  ." - Augustine of Hippo (a.k.a. Saint Augustine, 4th Century AD) , T heologian and Philosopher and the Bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa Japanese island south-east of Kyushu, East China Sea (2023) Note: While often used as a travel quote, the above quote may not be actually meant to inspire travel. Instead, it could be meant by Saint Augustine to be used in a biblical context. In any case, the author of this blog is not a historian and will thus leave this argument to scholars of history and other well-read researchers.

Located between Japan and Korea, Tsushima is an island group of Nagasaki Prefecture. With its sub-tropical marine environment, Tsushima has its own unique flora and fauna. The relatively low human population density in this island group has generally allowed the local flora and fauna to flourish without much human intervention. Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan (2019) During my recent trip to Tsushima in early November 2019, I did some hikes around the northern areas of the main north island, Kamino-shima. Armed with my DSLR camera fitted with a standard 60mm macro lens, I digitally recorded the natural beauty I encountered during these hikes. Getting ready to disperse its seeds when the next wind blows, Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan (2019) Wild daisies, Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan (2019) More wild daisies, Tsushima Island, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan (2019) This plants has prickly seeds that stuck to my pants as...

Vacationing....... in your home city's less visited neighbourhoods....... When we think of going on a vacation, it is usually about taking off to some distant destinations. While it is the much accepted idea of an "ideal" vacation, there are times when we couldn't just pack our holiday bags and go off to that far-flung dreamed destination. We are all bound by commitments such as family, work or budgets. So if you only have the luxury of a day or two for a break and are limited by constraints such as family and budget, how do you take a "vacation"? Over the years, I had found myself in similar situations. When budget permits, I typically booked a nice local hotel for a luxurious staycation. In times when budget got a bit tight for me, I just took a day off work and visited local neighbourhoods for walks. Often,  I found that I could enjoy myself just as much as going off on some distant holiday trips. A throw-back to what Singapore was like ...