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

Sightseeing vs Self-rejuvenation....... This issue of Travel Bits is about two vastly different types of vacation. Sightseeing vs self-rejuvenation.  We all know that friend or two who will meticulously researched on the travel destination weeks or even months before a trip. That person will have read and knew so much about the destinations that by the time he or she hits the location, each and every corner of the city will already be known by heart, including all the must-see places, must-visit museums or malls and must-eat diners or cafes. The travel itinerary of this person will be jam-packed with activities, typically starting from early in the morning until the wee hours of the day or the last hours when the places to see, to visit or to dine at have long closed for the day. Each day of the vacation will be a long checklist of to-do activities. The benefits of such trips will be that one gets to see, visit or eat at all the places that people talk or wrote about. One ...

It is generally agreed that most places look different in the day and at night. Experiencing cities at different times as the day wore on is like visiting two different places without actually traveling. In the city of Nara, the streets looked distinctly different between day and night. At dusk, when the streets light up and the shops, walkways and trees are illuminated by man-made neon lights, both the ambience and spirit of the place is totally transformed. It is almost like walking through a time portal and emerging into a different place through the fabric of time and space. Dusk paints a different picture, Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan (2018) Thus my personal take when traveling is I do not packed too much into my itinerary. I would rather take the time to explore a particular city at my own pace and see it in different lights; both literally and figuratively. When travelling, less is most often than not, more.

Views from the top has always provide a fascinating insight into the immediate surroundings of an area, be it stretches of sea that extends far into the horizon, man-made architecture of an urban cityscape or the expanses of greens of a tropical rainforest from a vantage point. In Singapore where the amount of lush forest is shrinking as a result of urban development, forested areas are becoming more rare and precious as the clock ticks. Apart from the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and other small pockets of forested areas still remaining on the main island of Singapore, the only other place with a sizeable amount of suburban and forested areas and is opened to public access is the island of Pulau Ubin. Here in Pulau Ubin near the mangrove areas of Chek Jawa stands a lookout tower. The view from the top of this tower provides a sweeping view of the forested areas of this small island. This awesome view never fails to provide me with a deep appreciation of the abundance of nat...

Located just next to the busy Paddington Station is a quaint neighbourhood nestled amongst a mix of several canals. Little Venice, Paddington, London, England, UK (2017) Known as Little Venice, one can see many houseboats berthed alongside the canals or sailing in it. Some of these houseboats are actually Food & Beverage outlets which offer a nice English Breakfast that comes with a nice view. A Houseboat which is also a cafe, Paddington, London, England, UK (2017) Whenever I visit London, I will always take time to visit this part of the city. Sitting under the shade of the tress lining the canal while tucking into my breakfast of toasts and eggs and sipping my latte, I simply enjoy the beauty and serenity of Little Venice. Life is alway beautiful here and this is one of the many reasons why London was, still is and will continue to be a favourite vacation city for me. Breakfast set, Paddington, London, England, UK (2017) View of the con...

Travel Hassles....... We all love traveling. However, like all things in life, the unexpected can happen. And when unexpected and unpleasant incidents happen, they can totally ruined that dream vacation. Here are what I associate as the top five travel hassles: 1. Missed Flight or Missed Flight Connections - This is probably one of the travel hassles that is most likely to happen to anyone. Most of us have experienced this hassle or at least know of someone who had. I remembered some years back when I was traveling home after a very stressful working trip when I got stranded at Heathrow Airport due to a strike by the Ground Crew. As I was on transit and on my way home, most of my daily necessities were already packed into my check-in luggage. Thus, there I was at the airport, with only my office laptop in a small haversack and no flight home. The earliest I could get on a flight was 4 days later and I had to spend 4 days in London with no change of clothing and no toiletr...

The smelly tofu is a street food mostly associated with Hong Kong. While the smell (or aroma) of it from afar can be a put off for those who have yet to acquire a taste for this street delicacy, it is a snack popularly enjoyed by locals and those tourists who have developed a taste for it. Smelly tofu is made from fermented tofu (bean curd) which is deep fried to a nice golden brown colour and served with locally-made condiments such as chili sauce or sweet sauce. Best eaten while the tofu is still hot and crispy, this locally well-loved street food is widely available in Hong Kong, especially in the areas of Mong Kok around the Yau Ma Tei and Prince Edward MTR Stations. The smell does not justify the taste and those who were brave enough to eat it despite the smell, will usually fall in love with, or at least not hate it! In Taipei, smelly tofu can also be found in the many night markets of the city. Personally, I find that the taste and texture of the smelly tof...

Indigenous art typically consists of symbols and date far back into the earliest histories of mankind. The earliest indigenous art that we still have today are those carved into rock faces and preserved in the dwellings of our early ancestors, such as caves. Australian indigenous art probably holds the record as the oldest traditional art in the world. In the aboriginal culture, life is typically based on the foundation of "The Dreaming"; the beginning, ancestors, life and death, and power. All Australian Aboriginal beliefs shared this common foundation. Today, indigenous art is often depicted on canvas, sculptures and even body art. I have always been fascinated with Australian indigenous art. The flowing patterns created by the symbols and the artistic deployment of vibrant colours used to depict the stories in each art piece is as fascinating as the talent of the artists who brought these art pieces to life. They all look so beautiful and similar but ye...