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...

After a very good dinner, I was window shopping in Sha Tin's New Town Plaza when I discovered a beautiful rooftop garden. While the rooftop garden is beautiful, I find the view from this vantage point even more awesome. High hills with residential buildings in the background and children playground in the front, both nicely illuminated by man-made neon lights as well as the fading natural light from the dusk sky.  A photo opportunity that I simply could not resist. Rooftop garden with an awesome view, New Town Plaza, Sha Tin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China (2025)

I have "met"  Godzilla many times in Tokyo! The last meeting I had with the famous and colossal legend was in November 2024. Godzilla, Godzilla Store Tokyo ,  Shinjuku Marui Honten Annex , Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan (2024) I had specifically reserved almost one whole day of my Japan trip just to seek out Godzilla at all the locations it has been known to appear. These include Shinjuku Tôhô Building , Hibiya Square , and of course, Godzilla's very own  Shinjuku Marui Annex (Shinjuku Marui Honten Annex). I also bought a Godzilla-themed t-shirt at Don Quijote Akihabara . Here are some "proofs" of my meetings with Godzilla! Godzilla, Hibiya Square, Tokyo, Japan (2024) Myself with my Godzilla merchandise paper bag,  Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan (2024) A Hobonichi X Godzilla Weeks Diary for 2025 bought at the Godzilla Store Tokyo,  Shinjuku Marui Honten Annex, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan (2024)

Angkor Wat and its archeological sites are steeped in history, religion and culture. Any visitors, will be in awe of all that Angkor Wat has to offer. While one may prefer to look at Angkor Wat from either a historical, religious, cultural, scholastic or scientific angle, but all will certainly agree that this is not simply a collection of archeological sites but a lot more.  In this photograph taken with my DSLR camera from a distance away, two young monks took in the sights, cameras in hand to record the magnificent beauty of Angkor Wat. Monks, Angkor Wat, Angkor National Park , Cambodia (2022)

I have always loved wildlife . But I am un able to take good photographs of wildlife , mainly due to a lack of patience and photographic skills . Whenever, I chanced upon an opportunity when a bird got near to me, I always tried my best to capture a photograph of it, hoping that one of these photographs will turn out well. I am not saying this photograph is good. But it was as good as it got for me. Wild bird ,  Kings Park and Botanic Garden , Perth, Western Australia , Australia (2018)

Most visitors to Cambodia's famed Angkor National Park are interested in its archeological sites, including Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom as well as many others. But for locals, sometimes, it was the natural surroundings of the sites that drew their interests. I was visiting Angkor Wat on my second trip to the Angkor National Park in 2022 when I caught sight of these two local kids admiring flowers on a tree.  From quite a distance away, I lifted my DSLR camera and zoomed in for a close-up photo of this magical moment.  Kids admiring flowers on a tree, Angkor Wat, Angkor National Park, Cambodia (2022)

12 months into 2025 and looking forward to 2026.......  Similar to my Travel Bits article of November 2025, I will start by repeating that I had just returned from another weekend trip to  Hong Kong . This was my 6th visit to the city for the year. However, my next trip will be just a mere month away, in January 2026, on transit while on my way to Osaka . Next week, I will embark on a road trip from Singapore to Ipoh . This trip will wrap up my travels for 2025. Meanwhile, I had already started planning for my first overseas trips in the first two weeks of 2026. I will begin the new year by traveling to Hong Kong, Osaka, Kyoto, Penang and Phuket in quick succession. A busy travel calendar to start the new year. Equally busy is my work schedule. I am expecting myself to be working on the go while I vacation. There are analyses to conduct, reports to write and online meetings to attend. A fast paced December to conclude the year of 2025 and an equally fast paced January to st...