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

China, Hong Kong SAR, South Island Region This article was originally published in this blog in September 2020. Drawing inspirations from travel variety programs from Japan, I had always wondered what would the experience be like if I were to randomly choose a train or subway line, hop on the train and alight at as many stations as time permits, walk and explore around the locale of each station and than hop back onto the same train line, continuing until the last stop. In other words, experiencing a train journey without any fixed plans or maps. Since I will mostly be within walking distance of each station that I alighted at, no maps will be necessary and I can simply explore and enjoy the sights and sounds without having to worry about losing my way. This was what I did when I last visited Hong Kong in January 2019. I chose the South Island MTR Line because this was a line that extended out into the sub-urban regions of Hong Kong, away from the hustle and bustle of Kowloon and the p

Sense of normality......  And so the first week of July saw me complete my third leisure trip of the year. Now, three short leisure trips in a year, undertaken within the same region where I live, is really nothing to shout about. But considering the myriad travel restrictions imposed in the past two plus years because of a global pandemic, three trips within three months certainly do count for something. Yes, the optimist in me will now dare to softly whisper that for leisure travel, we are slowly returning to a sense of normality. A photo to capture the memory of my first visit to the city, Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia (2022) While there are still additional paperwork and administrative matters required before one can travel, these requirements have gradually been watered down by many national and regional authorities, such that they are now at acceptable levels, at least to me. Some inconveniences, but tolerable. I am glad to say that after my three short trips, I had now clocked tw

Switzerland, Interlaken, Valley of the Mountains This article was originally published in this blog in December 2018. This article captured my experience on what was my first visit to Switzerland and Interlaken in 2009. In this re-post, I had added more photographs taken during my trip. Most of these newly-added photographs had not been previously published in this blog or anywhere else. Excerpt from this blog post: "Staying in a valley amongst the mountains, even for only a few days, encapsulated visions that I had from my childhood years, to be able to live in the mountains and enjoy the beauty of nature. Goats, sheep, farms, wild berries, long hikes and rivers that run through valleys. In just a short few days at Interlaken, I experienced and truly enjoyed all these natural wonders and more. A personal bucket list item fulfilled." ****************** Located in a valley in central Switzerland, Interlaken its well-known as a resort town famous for its proximity to Jungfrau. 

And so I just returned home yesterday from a trip to Siem Reap. This trip was my first flight in 30 months and second overseas trip in just as many months. The 30-month travel hiatus was because of international border restrictions that began in March 2020 because of the COVID pandemic. During the trip, I visited Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. This being my second visit to Siem Reap, I limited my archeological sites' visits to just these 2 places, spending more time to study and appreciate the splendour of both sites. In-between, I also had time during the trip to walk around the city of Siem Reap to explore the many back lanes during which I discovered many beautiful and quaint cafes where delicious food and aromatic coffees were served by friendly staff. Indulging in my serendipitous walking tours without maps and fixed plans allowed me to enjoy whatever that came by way. Photo collage of my trip, Siem Reap, Cambodia (2022) Photo collage of one of my cafe stops, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Israel, Capernaum, Historical Synagogue This article was originally published in this blog in November 2018. I love visiting historical places during my travels. For many of these places, what usually remain today are a fraction of the original buildings, structures and artefacts during their heydays. However  the remnants of these once-awesome sites remain hugely attractive to the inquisitive minds of visitors. They tell stories of bygone eras which collectively form the history of all of us. For me, each visit to a historical site is itself a study of history, culture and geography; not in the scholarly sense but one embedded in curiosity and personal interests. My visit to Capernaum and its historical synagogue is one such trip. Author's note (18 June 2022): It had come to my attention that I had previously re-posted this article for my Bucket List series. Nevertheless, I still believe this is a trip that is worth a second re-publish in the same series. 😀 ****************** Tra

Korea, Busan, Train Journey from Seoul Inspired by the first full-length Korean movie I ever watched; Train to Busan, I was excited to take the real train journey from the South Korean capital city of Seoul to Busan. While my short train ride of just under 3 hours was rather mundane compared to the adventures of the characters in the title movie, this was nevertheless still an exciting experience for me because that was the first time I ever took a train in South Korea. The trip was in November 2019. ****************** The Korean movie, Train to Busan , largely served as the inspiration for my decision to fly to Seoul instead of Busan even though the main destination of my vacation trip was Busan. I chose to experience a train journey from Seoul to Busan and to enjoy the scenery of South Korea as part of my rail trip because the rail line passes through other major South Korean cities such as Suwon, Daejon, Daegu and Ulsan. High Speed Train at the Station, Busan Station (KTX), Dong-gu,

World, Anywhere, Once in a Lifetime Experiences This month's take on my Travel Bucket List is different from the usual articles. All my previous articles for my Bucket List series featured either trips that I had taken which had been on my list or new additions to my list as I travelled. For this month's article, I would like to list down 3 trips on my Travel Bucket List that I intend to complete as soon as time and budget permit. Why? Because the World is changing. and changing fast. The old saying that "a place will always be there to be visited" may no longer hold true in our current fast changing world. Climate, Politics, Wars, Revolutions, Pandemics and many other unforeseen events are dramatically altering where and when we can visit. For example, in the near and foreseeable future, it is difficult to see how I can be allowed to travel for leisure to China, Japan and many other Asian destinations. Pandemic-enforced border restrictions mean that some of these des

Estonia, Tallinn, Praying at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral This article was originally published in this blog in June 2018. Visiting the Baltic region for the first time in 2017, I was both amazed and impressed by what I experienced. As I travelled around the region, the ticks in my personal Travel Bucket List keep growing. This is a region deep in history and culture. It will take many trips over the coming years to fully appreciate what the region has to offer to travellers like myself. I will surely return for subsequent visits. ****************** Tallinn is both the capital city as well as cultural heart of Estonia. Located on the shores of the Baltic Sea, the city of Tallinn is both a reflection of new and old. The recent economic growth of Estonia has transformed the country greatly. Evident of this is everywhere including in Tallinn itself, mostly represented by gleaming, neat and artfully designed office towers. Yet, with its UNESCO World Heritage Site-inscribed Old Town, the

Japan, Shiga Prefecture, Otsu, Home of Historical Sites, Temples and Shrines This article was originally published in this blog in January 2020. It captured the memories of my first visit to Otsu, capital of Japan's Shiga Prefecture. My visit to Otsu was unplanned. I had arrived from Takashima, another area of Shiga Prefecture and was enroute to my hotel stay in Moriyama. What was supposed to be a transit stop in my trip became a memorable visit that made it into my travel Bucket List. I will always fondly remember my walking tour of the city, dining on the tasty Omi Beef which was absolutely oishii (delicious in Japanese), visiting the many temples and shrines I came across during my city walk and the beautiful views of Lake Biwa as seen from Otsu. ****************** It was my first time visiting Shiga Prefecture. I had arrived at Otsu from Takashima. It was spring and cherry blossoms (a.k.a.  sakura ) season and I was in Takashima specifically for the purpose of viewing cherry bl