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

Travel Year 2026 has commenced.......  I am a little late with my monthly Travel Bits post for this month because I had been traveling and only just returned home less than a week ago. Then, there were the office work, the home chores and of course, the usual procrastination to deal with before I could actually sit down and start writing this blog post. Truth be told, I am behind in lots of work and chores but I will just have to manage each task as they come! So where have I been traveling to? I started the year with a trip to the airport on 1 January 2026 for my 1.30am flight on 2 January to Hong Kong. I was actually on my way from Singapore to Osaka but transited in Hong Kong to meet my partner at the Hong Kong International Airport before taking the onward flight to Osaka.  It was a really short trip to Japan as we only had 6 days before we need to return to Hong Kong and Singapore respectively. This was because I had a cruise scheduled on 8 January from Singapore to Pena...

The port city of Kobe is one of the largest cities in Japan and has a population of about 1.5 million. It is also the capital of Hyogo Prefecture. Personally, I feel that Kobe is most beautiful and romantic in the night as the city lights up in a kaleidoscope of colours. I took this photograph on my mobile phone in April 2018 and it has remained one of my favourite photos of Kobe, reminding me of the magic and beauty of this city. The photo shows a view of the Meriken Park which is located in the port area. The Kobe Tower in red-orange colour is in the centre while the Kobe Maritime Museum is the curvy structure lighted in green colour to the right. This beautiful night view can be enjoyed from the shopping and entertainment hub of Kobe Harborland which is within walking distance from the JR Kobe Station. View of the Meriken Park, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan (2018)

One Trip, Multiple Destinations....... Those who know me know that I usually do not packed too many destinations into a single trip whenever I travel. I typically planned my itineraries such that I do not travel to more than 2 cities within a single trip. Usually, my trips were planned around a single city. This is because I definitely prefer to have sufficient time to explore the destination, to sit and people-watch, enjoy a cuppa at local cafe, to visit the local markets and eateries and to observe how the locals live, rest and play. The serene and tranquil neighbourhoods of Omihachiman with its traditional houses dating back to the Edo Period of Japan's history was an amazing personal discovery when I was in Shiga, Omihachiman, Shiga Prefecture, Japan (2018) However, in my most recent trip to Japan in early April, I did what previously to me was the unthinkable. I actually broke all my personal rules and traveled to multiple destinations within the 12 days of ...