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April 02, 2015

April 2015

The feet is feeling much better, indeed stretches really do work, time is still stretched out too thinly, and now wondering will I ever specialise in a field. #JackOfAllTrades I'd better work on my #PLN


19 April 2015

We got off to a bumpy start. The check-in was not at T1. The self service check-in machine issued me a receipt, directing us to service desk. Before I even got there, one of JetStar staff yelled out "anyone going to Cairns?" She told us to head to the international service desk. We did. The check-in went through smoothly. Then we went to domestic security gate. Upon arriving at gate 12. Sis found it odd, that there was no one else waiting for the flight, and the board beside the gate was not lit up with our flight number, literally no one was there at terminal 1's gate number 10, 11 , or 12. We decided to ask the nearest desk staff and they said maybe it is gate 27. Another lady said nope, all flights to Japan via JetStar goes thorough the international gate now. Sis and I had to dashed for it. Quickly went through security check once again, then waddled through customs, ran past two curvy stupid duty free areas. Then received a stern public announcement warning that we were late for boarding. When we did arrive the correct gate, finally, the lady said to Sis, you were suppose be here at 5:10 and go through international departure gate. Yeah. Right. She said nothing of the sort. Bitch.

Thank god my Sis had her thinking cap on, and was able to run quickly. My mini laptop slowed me down, but I got there. Shit JetStar staff. Both the e-ticket and boarding pass did not state "international terminal". Just stating Melbourne Airport has #PoorCommunication

Well, I gotta hand it to JetStar the plane landed at Cairns international terminal and we didn't need to go through another round of security check for the transfer.

Food-wise we were blessed with left over food from last night's dinner. The spring rolls served as breakfast. The rice paper rolls was our lunch. The OJ was purchased at Replay in Cairns. Still
no free wifi at the terminal, if you were wondering. Yet heaps of power sockets.

To kill time, we played air hockey and Pac man pinball on Sis' mobile phone, we took endless pictures of clouds, and partially watched movies through the gaps of chairs. Ha ha. #HungerGames3 #AmericanSniper Why partially? Because woke up early, I am to dozing off here and there.

The exchange rate was 83.39 tonight. Not bad, more reasonable than 65.89 back in winter 2011.

We browsed through Tsutaya bookstore and found Q-pot spring/summer catalogue book with free tote. The tax is 8% now. The tools they have here for decorating nails is not available in Oz said Sis, I'm perplexed by that, I'm sure there brushes, foil, and tweezers in Oz. The books here on nail polish art is amazing and breath taking end results.


20th April 2015

The hotel we stayed at has no lift for heavy luggages. Well, not that we can find one. After having hoisted up a pair of medium wheelie suitcases. We set off to buy a body spray at the JR station. Then we embarked on finding the Family Owl cafe in Minamimorimachi (subway line: Tanimachi), south of Osaka Tenmangu, near 1 Chome, but it was closed on Monday. Just our luck. Next time we will take the shopping strip passage, instead of the main street.

I came across a few fabric stores near 1 Chome area and I couldn't help but buy some sakura printed fabrics. They are sure pretty alright. ¥380, ¥480, and ¥500 are a bargain, if you ask me.

This area predominately serves udon. Sadly, I don't find udon particularly appetising. We settled for a tapas bar. Which was so so. Sis was not pleased with cold tapas. It rained all morning. Not cold. A bit humid even.

Osaka station has changed some more. Isetan is now replaced by the Luca 1100. Score! Tokyu Hand now offers 5% discount voucher card to when you present your passport at the information desk. Mind you, I was not aware of this, until I got to the counter to pay for my stationery. I love the cute mini usb and iPhone accessories here.The basement eatry offer cheaper prices, but at the same they are very noisy and there long queues. Dinner at the upper floors of Daimaru is less bustling. I had squid ink linguine tonight, while Sis had hamburger doria. Overall, it was a retail therapy day.


21st April 2015

We caught the morning shinkansen to Kitsuki (kit-ski). Indeed the taxi is familiar with ハーモニーランド (Harmonyland). Ha ha. I haven't finished my sentence and he knew, where I wanted to visit. I am that obvious? Perhaps.

The amusement park was very dolled up. Very cute too. Upon entrance we met Hello Kitty and Salmon a new character, Kirimi-chan, in Sanrio. Then we were confused about where to start with first, so we followed a few people to Robot Hello Kitty. Oh, there, we played mini games and sis earned a staff card, which you buy in the end. lol. Also Sis earned a silver medal and I earned a bronze medal on being an assistant to Robot Hello Kitty. There was a mini golf course, but after you have played mini golf in Tasmania, nothing else compares. As we headed over to GoKart (2 laps), we heard music, there was a mini stage on the hill apparently. We watched it. All the rides was closed and will recommence when the musical performance was over. Interesting. I guess, it was implemented to reduce competing interests.


22nd April 2015

Kyoto has so many temples and shrines, we felt obligated to visit one, especially the ones we missed from our previous trips. Yes. We are not diligent enough to go through them all. Today we spent our time admiring cherry blossom at Toji temple. Amazing. The burnt kami statues still held its shape. The brass Buddha statues were gorgeous. We were not allowed to take photographs though. There wasn't enough time to visit another temple or the zoo, as they close at 4pm.

Bloody hot day. It was way more than 24 degrees.


23rd April 2015

Sis knee hurt again. She tripped on a hole made by the rabbits and sprain her ankle. Scared of ants too.

The rabbits were raving mad for food. So hungry, that even after people had fed them carrots and lettuce. We gave them rabbit food pellets from the port information centre. The rabbits went crazy over them. They even sniffed the paper bag to death. lol. Many were golden brown rabbits. There were some dark brown, grey, and white ones. All so adorable. None of them offered us a hug. Many of them did claw at my leg and jump around my bag for food.

Kobe's Harbourland has changed a lot, the Mosaic Garden no longer houses cool amusement rides, some of the shops are beginning to look like one another - snack foods, less of the handcrafts, apartment building has overwhelmed the area, and fairy light up trees are gone as well. It was once the hub of romance, dreams, and fun. Nice of Umie to take over one of the shopping building. Keeps some parts alive.

Spring doesn't have much outfit to for large girls in Japan.


24th April 2015

The train from Tokyo to Shin-Aomori was four hours. Then the local train to Hirosaki was late by 14 minutes and took 45 mins to arrive at Hirosaki. Often it would stop at train stations for no apparent reason for 5 minutes at a time. Seems there are only one track? but the trains opposite of us were running on their own tracks, a freight train went by, and the other was an express train. They didn't seem to need our track, they just passed our train with no troubles. Purely odd.

The towns in between still has sleets of snow covering mountains and farming areas. It must be still cold up here. We saw posters of Niigata offering snow day trip. Apparently, it is 9 degrees there. Um. Curious. Upon arriving we were greeted with sakura displays, stamps, and posters. Oh wow. The Hirosaki JR station staff instructed people to hop on the bus that went directly to Hirosaki garden and castle for ¥100 per person one way. Nice!

Omg! The variation of white sakura along the outside of the garden was beautiful, inside the garden you can see darker and more pink sakura, and the tall grand sakura trees lined the path way to the castle with the moat was romantic. The waterfall weeping tree dangled sakura ever so pretty. We couldn't help but pose among them.

We didn't line up to enter the castle due to the long queue. Many people drank beer under the sakura trees. Sadly, not many people stopped by the food stalls. We were on a tight time budget,and only managed to snap a few pics, and buy up a storm at the gift store, before hopping back on the train. We noticed Hayabusa shinkansen doesn't have non-reserved seat carriages. How odd compared to other shinkansen trains. We ran around Shin-Aomori station in search of the JR Ticket office.

Back in Tokyo they were selling bottle socks with green tea. lol. So cute. Yet people can easily mistaken which sock is which. Overall, Aomori is very far out from Tokyo and very far from Osaka.


25th April 2015

Right back on the shinkansen to Tokyo. Then off to Kichijoji for Mos Burger and swan boat paddling. Even though the cherry blossom season has long gone is this area, it was still fun to play around with the ducks, what we didn't capture a pic of the duck that flew into the water right in front of us with such confident. The paddle boat area slowly started to get crowded by 12 noon. Not long later there wasn't much space for us to paddle. It was a good 27 minutes of fun. The park is pretty amazing. It has nice viewing points along the moat. There is even a zoo, a museum, and so on at the park. To explore next time.

Nakano has so many tiny drinking bars outside of the sun mall. The mall itself has heaps of shops, but it is the Broadway end that you want, three floors of manga and anime merchandise. Sis snapped a few. I found some oddities, which made me giggle.

Q-pot cafe served the usual fair. Only autumn/winter do they offer the teddy bear desserts. The chocolate Melty parfait was delicious, but the teddy bear would have been cuter. Q-pot at Skytree's solomachi mall doesn't have the latest macrons. Well, they aren't due for release until May 2015. Ugh. I won't be here then. Off to Donguri garden. Here I came across new fabulous Totoro merchandises. Transferred subway lines to Tokyo and paid a visit to Character Street. Here I found 3D puzzle of Rikakuma. Yay!

Daimaru has the most delicious bento boxes ever! Sis and I had snapped up two for our shinkansen ride. There were fried chicken. Honey glazed Naruto potatoes. Dried sakura sprinkled on rice. Pickled sakura and edame beans rice. Preserve veggies. Pickled veggies. Egg and veggie patties. Potato salad. Oh yum yum.


26th April 2015

Namba Yasaka shrine has a spectacular deity sculpture. I couldn't help, but pose with it, and ring the bell. It is located south west from Takashimaya and Namba station. Quite the hidden gem. Namba is bustling with tourists as ever. Apparently, soon it is golden week, sales everywhere. I didn't find much interesting this time around. Not clothing and not hand bags.

Tennoji's MIO has youthful clothing alright. Not much stockings though. Not until winter.

Rinku town has discount and tax free offering. Sis and I found a thing or two. However, it was the red sun that captured our hearts. It was gorgeous. Especially with a light blue sky as the back drop, then it changed to a peachy blush pink, before becoming dark purple.

Retail therapy no longer entice me, as it does mesmerise my sister. I prefer playing around with animals, tasting food, and some light physical exercise. Walking, flying fox, go kart, arrow shooting, or driving range would nice.



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