July 18, 2018 by findingbackroads

Surprise! New blog name!

Yes, I have changed my blog name!

My original blog name was Sandier Pastures, a name I picked when I started blogging when we moved to Dubai from Japan in 2007. I was happily blogging for eleven years and used the handle @sandierpastures in my social media accounts. Everyone who knows me connects that name automatically to me that PR people started addressing their emails to me as “Dear Sandie”.

I started blogging using Sandier Pastures without thinking of anything at that time. That at one point in time, we could move somewhere where there’s no sand.

TIP TO NEW BLOGGERS: Pick a blog name that is not restrictive either by your location or your life situation. Also, pick a blog name that’s easier to understand.

I struggled a bit with my old blog name, with even some people wondering, “is it English?” Sandier Pastures was born from a play of the idiomatic expression, “greener pastures” which means a better life or situation than what is now. Most people move abroad to work for better opportunities, however, our main intention of crossing over to the desert land of the UAE was to experience living abroad as an expat family and for my daughter (then 3) and husband to be able to learn English. Thus, our pasture wasn’t really greener, just sandier.

It’s been half a year since we moved out of Dubai and relocated to Japan. It made me cringe every time I use my blog name and social media handles. I don’t know if my followers/blog reader felt the same but I know I had to change it. To be honest, I had a hard time choosing a new blog name. I had some brilliant ideas but then the domain would not be available or very expensive or the Instagram/Twitter is already taken.

WHY “FINDING BACKROADS”?

Because I love backroads?

A backroad is defined as a little-used secondary road, especially one through a rural or sparsely populated area. I chose this new blog name (and URL to boot, thankfully it’s available) because we live in a place with so many backroads right now and more so, “finding backroads” reflects how I travel; how my family travels.

A few days ago, my husband and I were looking for this certain shrine. A few minutes into the drive, he said, “do you want to take that backroad over there?” And I realize, we do this a lot. We don’t just from Point A to B. Most of the time, we find backroads to discover off the beaten path tracks, often without anybody there, just the way we like it.

WHERE THIS BLOG IS GOING

Blogging has been quite challenging right now, time wise. But I think I couldn’t quit writing just yet. I’d be updating this blog every chance I get to share stories, discovering backroads and showing you another side of Japan that you may not know. (Yes, there are rice paddies in Japan and there are places where the streets are dark at 8 pm)

I am going to explore this new home of ours, my husband’s hometown and hope to share the Japan that we love to anyone wishing to visit through my new project called Travel with Grace!

Please subscribe to get first hand information when I launch the project soon!

February 21, 2018 by findingbackroads

Sand dunes, in Japan?

Oh, in case you’re new here and/or not following me on social media, especially on Instagram, we’ve moved to Japan. It’s been a month since I started sleep talking in Nihongo again. And if you ask me how we’re all doing, thank you, we’re all doing fine (except that – my daughter claims that I have started snoring frequently something that I didn’t do in Dubai…)

We were in Tottori prefecture for ten days last January.

When we decided to leave Dubai and settle in Japan, my husband’s birth place and the place where I spent 10 years before we moved to Dubai in January 2007, we brainstormed where to live and work within Japan. Can we handle densely populated Tokyo where life happens in fast forward or would we be happy in the countryside? The range of choices for place to settle was varied and then there was Tottori prefecture.

Tottori. WHERE THE HECK IS THAT? I bet not many of you have heard of such place.

Tottori is located in the southern part of Japan, along the coast of Sea of Japan. The nearest international airport is Kansai International Airport in Osaka. From Osaka, it’s about 2 hours by bus or car.

WHY TOTTORI?

Everyone gives me a blank stare when I say we plan to move to Tottori and quickly ask, why? First let me say – people, there’s more to Japan than just Tokyo or Osaka or Kyoto. 🙂

There was a job opportunity for me at Tottori and the city government had a program called “Ijuu taiken” (trial residence) where you can rent a fully furnished house for a maximum of 30 days (based on the availability) for only 1,200 yen per day, including water, electricity and on winter, kerosene for the heaters. That’s merely US$11 or about AED40 per day for a full house furnished with the basic things to function.

I think it’s a really great program because after all, you’ll never know how you’ll feel about the place and how it is to live there if you don’t try to live there. In those thirty days, the city government provides support with connecting you to employment agencies so you can find work in Tottori and eventually settle there. Why do they do all these?

Tottori prefecture is the least populated prefecture in Japan and they need more people.

To know more about trial residence in Tottori, please check out this link (only in Japanese language though): Trial residence in Tottori

WHAT IS IN TOTTORI?

Aside from the possibility of work for me, there is plenty of nature in Tottori. There was a lake just beside the house we stayed. I love that the kids are closer to nature, which was one of the reasons we left Dubai. The house provided for us was located outside of the city proper. It was such a stark contrast from the big city of Dubai. There are no skyscrapers nor bright lights and we loved it.

It was also near to the famous landmark in Tottori, the Tottori sand dunes. We can walk up to the lift station and cross to the sand dunes. Benjamin was so thrilled of all of these new experiences! (Pristine joined a local school so she wasn’t in most of our pictures except if it’s a weekend)

Unfortunately, the possibility of residing and settling in Tottori did not work well with us – this is something you can’t know till you actually live in a place. I am glad and thankful about the trial residence program, it helped us decide things better but mostly, we can’t avail of the national health insurance if we don’t have a permanent place to live and then of course, we can’t commit to rent an apartment if we didn’t have jobs…the job would come eventually but that would take a bit of time, minimum of a month maybe to settle? With kids in tow, we cannot risk not being covered by the national health insurance, especially snow season has started. What if they slip? Or catch a cold or something worse?

Also, I know this sounds strange but I feel something was missing in Tottori. It was a beautiful place and the house we stayed temporarily was near to the sea (my happy place) and there was a lake too. But walking around, I can’t imagine myself living there for a long time.

And…then there’s the famous and only sand dunes in Japan!

To be honest, I wanted our move to Tottori to work for a bit of a selfish reason: there a desert there or specifically, sand dunes. The largest in area in all of Japan.

Imagine if we lived here, I then wouldn’t have to change the name of my blog!

THE TOTTORI SAND DUNES

Since we were already there, we wanted to check out the Tottori Sand Dunes and without a car, we’re lucky the house we temporarily lived was near to it.

It snowed the day before so there’s a layer of snow above the sand, to the delight of the tourists (including my kids).

There was a huge and steep hill that Benjamin and Pristine really wanted to climb. It must be the main attraction in the sand dunes area as all of the people did climb. So I had to, if I didn’t like to! However, the view at the top was well worth the sweat! (Please tell me I’m not the only one sweating in winter!)

This is the Sea of Japan. The body of water on the other side of Japan, in the Kanto region (Tokyo, etc) is the Pacific Ocean. Places along the coast of the Sea of Japan are know to have really heavy snow fall during winter and Tottori isn’t an exemption.

We left Tottori heading to Niigata prefecture, my husband’s hometown. It was a long travel by bus (!). Tottori to Osaka was 2 hours and then we got on night bus leaving Osaka at 8 pm and arriving in Niigata at 6am the next day!

I would love to visit Tottori again, when it’s warmer season and discover so many off the beaten tracks there. There’s definitely many things to discover. I found this on YouTube:

Our time in Tottori was memorable because it was like a relief from the chaotic move from Dubai to Japan. Now, we are settled in our new ‘home’, with my husband’s folks. I’ll write more about our new life here but do check out my account on Instagram as I post updates there more frequently!

November 12, 2017January 31, 2022 by findingbackroads

Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob, Cebu

This year, I took the kids again to the Philippines so they can spend the rest of their summer vacation (2 months!) after our 10 days vacation in Japan. We started to let them stay with my parents starting from last year because they’re better off there than being cooped up indoors in Dubai during the hottest time of the year.

My home town is an hour and a half airplane ride south of the capital Manila. Like I always, do, the kids always look forward to see the beautiful sight outside as the plane approaches Mindanao island.

I was to stay for only ten days before I needed to go back to Dubai so I wanted to take the kids for a small adventure: we go to Cebu island by sea transportation and see the whale sharks in Oslob!

WHERE IS OSLOB, CEBU?

The town of Oslob is located 120 kilometers south of Cebu City, in Cebu island, central Philippines. It is said that the residents of this coastal town started seeing whale sharks around 2012.

I have a long time friend who lives in Cebu so it was a perfect way to meet her again and for our kids to finally meet. This is my friend, through time and distance ~~and weight fluctuations~~, we never lost touch and have been friends since we were 13!

HOW TO GET THERE

Oslob can be reached via domestic flights to Cebu or Dumaguete (from Manila) and then from Cebu City, which was our base, Oslob is at least three hours by car.

TIP: Leave Cebu City as early as possible to avoid the rush of tourists at Oslob. Aim to leave at 4am so you can reach just before 8am.

We left past 5 am and reached Oslob before 9 am and it was already full of tourists and the moment we finished everything from payment to the brief seminar about the do’s and don’ts of swimming with the whale sharks (DON’T GET TOO NEAR, MAINTAIN AT LEAST 4 FEET DISTANCE FROM THE WHALE SHARKS + NO SUNSCREEN LOTIONS), the sun was already high up and getting hot.

From the internet: Dumaguete/Sibulan port is closer to Oslob than Cebu City. It only takes a 30 minute boat ride from Sibulan port and then a Ceres bus ride or motorcycle ride to get to the whale shark watching area in Tan-awan town in Oslob.

TRAVELLING BY SEA

The kids and I got to Cebu City from Cagayan de Oro by sea transport – with a passenger ship leaving at 11 am and arriving Cebu City at nearly 8pm. The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands so commercial ships are still a popular mode of transportation when crossing one island to another. I used to travel this way in the 90s, since there no budget airline that existed that time and airplane fares were really expensive.

Usually, trips from Cagayan de Oro to Cebu leave at night at 8pm and arrive in Cebu at just before sunrise. But I wanted the kids to see the sea and the islands we pass by as the ship cruises through so I picked a day trip.

This was on the deck of the ship, many people were outside just soaking in the warm sun and inhaling the lovely sea breeze.

More than the kids, I had so much fun on this boat ride because it brought back so many wonderful memories – like the time I went to Manila (it take 30 hours!) to take the scholarship examination for Japan. I remember looking out into the sea, alone in the deck early in the morning with these thoughts running through my mind, “Lord, your will be done. If you think I need to be in Japan, then be it. I’ll accept it with all my heart…in fact, let me go there, Lord!” 🙂

SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS

After a couple of days in Cebu, we set out to Oslob with my friend’s family. They have four kids and plus two of mine, their big car was full. I’m so happy her kids got along really well with my kids. Long car rides don’t matter much if you’re having fun.

After we paid the fees and finished listening to the briefing, we waited for more than one hour for our turn to get on the small, wooden boat. The boat left the shore and after just a few minutes, we were already in the deep end and finally near the whale sharks!

Life vests are provided and mandatory while on the boat but you should remove it so you can dive with ease. Presenting: the overly enthusiastic kids who immediately removed their life vests without batting an eyelash and got in the water!

Pristine had been waiting for this moment for a long time! These photos were taken by our diver/guide using the action camera we rented (PHP500 and they transfer the files to your mobile afterwards).

I am so proud of her!! I am so thankful the school she attended from Year 1 to 7 had a swimming pool because that’s where she learned how to swim and to be confident in the water.

Benjamin, though was in the water too, wasn’t able to swim underneath – I didn’t take off his arm floaters (there were no life vests small enough for him that was available). I felt he was too young to be submerged in the water long enough so the guide can take a photo of him. However, he was still able to see the whale sharks up close.

These pics were taken when they come up to feed.

Meanwhile, you can see that at this point, only the adults are left in the boat! LOL. Me, my friend Divina and her husband are all non-swimmers. It was nearly noon and getting really, really hot. I was so, so tempted to get in the water just to cool off!

I wasn’t able to bear the heat, I jumped in!! There was something wrong with the way I put on my life vest, it was trying to get into my head and I hated it but at least my body is cooler now.

Confession time. I am scared of the deep blue sea. Mostly, maybe because I don’t know how to tread when the water is too deep (shame). And next, I am scared of what lies beneath. I am cringing just by writing this post. Our diver/guide told me so many times that our limited time (30 minutes!) was running out and that I had to take off the life vest now so he can push me underwater and take a picture of me with the whale shark in the background. For, you know, BRAGGING RIGHTS.

Some pics of Pristine swimming around with my friend’s kids. These bunch earned some serious bragging rights at this young age.

After so much hard thinking about this very important life or death decision, I decided not to take off my life jacket because trust me, I know I’m going to sink faster than the Titanic to the bottom of the sea. The diver/guide who was with us assured me he will not allow me to drown and would save me, if ever but no, no, no!! My kids still need their mother so I was just there, floating and sighing, hearing my daughter shouting YOLO, mama! YOLO!! (YOLO = You Only Live Once)

Do I regret not removing my life jacket? Kind of. Don’t get me wrong, maybe 95% of me still say I did the right thing of choosing safe than sorry but 5% is whispering, what if.

The what if that I’m going to live with for the rest of my life.

That said, I am happy my kids are braver than me or rather, are able swimmers than me. Pristine had been wanting to do this since she was 8. And Benjamin, well, maybe next time when he is older.

The whale sharks are beautiful and peaceful creatures and is an awe to watch and our experience watching them up close is definitely unforgettable.

TIPS BEFORE YOU GO

1. Go early. Whale shark watching starts at 6 am to 12 noon only. Cut off is 1130 am. The earlier you are, the less crowd plus the water is clearer early in the morning.

2. Though the “whale watching fee” includes gear (snorkeling), it’s best to bring your own goggles.

3. Wear long sleeve rash guard/UV clothing as it gets really hot before you notice it. Sunburns are no fun! Also, sunscreen lotions are strictly NOT allowed so protect your skin.

4. The “whale watching” time is just 30-minutes so if you can, jump as soon as your boatmen signal or you will waste/miss the chance.

5. The charge for whale shark swimming is PHP1,000 ($23) for a half hour session. Fess can be paid in cash only before the tour at Barangay Tan-awan Beach, Oslob so prepare cash.

DO I RECOMMEND SWIMMING WITH WHALE SHARKS IN OSLOB?

Swimming with the whale sharks in Oslob was an incredible experience. You might have read somewhere though, that some environmentalist groups are against this activity due to injuries to the whale sharks by boat propellers but this is outdated info as the boats that were used were all trimarans with no motor/engine, only oars. Another controversial thing is the guides feed the sharks; the animals expect this now so it affects their usual routine and behavior. The feeding sessions make the whale sharks overly dependent on the handouts. But, the boom of this tourism activity is helping the local economy. The whale sharks contribute tremendously to Oslob’s income, helping to create much needed infrastructure, jobs, and opportunities for growth with neighboring municipalities. Nearly 300 staff work at the feeding site, under local government management, to safeguard the sea creatures.

It’s a difficult balance.

But, personally, I find that the government is working hard to protect these creatures as much as they can by strictly regulating the time when to feed and see the whales and conduct clear briefing on the do’s and don’ts. I’ll leave the decision to you whether you’d go for this or not.

I would say go but be a responsible tourist and follow the rules.

October 24, 2017January 31, 2022 by findingbackroads

Visiting Japan’s small town charm

I’ve been thinking a lot about Japan lately. I blame my husband – we have been watching Japanese news on the TV almost every night at bed time. Everything sounds and feels familiar once again. I blame my mother in law who, right now got addicted to sending Japanese foodstuff lately. Or this is just plain nostalgia attack for me, which happens every now and then. I don’t know. Japan has always been that place that hold a very special place in my heart. I’ve lived there for more than ten years, starting when I was nineteen years old. It’s hard to forget.

Japan has appeared in my dreams lately, too – suddenly, I see myself living there again and I wake up, say to myself, yeah why not?

The horror, right? People who’d hear me right now would probably recall the reasons I told them why we left way back in 2007: the work-life balance sucks (at least for us middle class working parents in the city), the lack of available domestic help, etc., the cold winters.

But that place would always be our home. When and if all else fails, we know we would have Japan as a place to go, a retreat, a place to reset, if we want to.

We were in Japan last summer and I took the kids to their grandparents in the countryside. It’s a long way from Tokyo – 2 hours via Shinkansen or the bullet train and another hour by regular train. It’s Benjamin’s first time to see his grandfather and grandmother from his father’s side. This visit was long overdue.

We know it’s nearing Niigata prefecture when the buildings disappear and replaced by two to three storey houses and rice fields upon rice fields as far as the eyes can see.

MEETING BENJAMIN FOR THE FIRST TIME

My in-laws had been looking forward to meeting the kids for months. Now, my father in-law is a workaholic, has a day job but also maintains a rice farm. At 68 years old now, he should have retired already – which he did three years ago, however after only a month, he volunteered to work again at the same company 3-4 times a week and still maintained his rice farm. For more than thirty years, he is proud to say, he has not applied for any leave, whether medical or for vacation.

But when I told him I’d be visiting them with the kids in tow? He took a full week off!

He said he’d meet us at the station but I didn’t expect he would be waiting for us at the train platform, right where we get down the train! I didn’t even see him when he scooped Benjamin up as soon as he got out of the train!

Here’s the thing, he has not seen photos of Benjamin before.

WHY? By some kind of sorcery, my in-laws do not own a smart phone and there is NO internet at their house. So there’s no way I can send pictures of the kids. The last time we met them, Benjamin wasn’t born yet.

I asked him, how did he know it was his grand child? What if he took the wrong child? It would have been a disaster. He simply told me, Benjamin’s face looks familiar that without a doubt he knew he got the right child to hold. Benjamin looked like my husband when he was younger. Benjamin on the other hand, did not protest as well, even if he has not seen this man in his whole life!

It was raining when we arrived but grandpa took us to the groceries and told the kids – go crazy and buy anything you want!

My crazy kids went straight to the food aisle. They’re definitely my kids.

My FIL even picked up a cake from the bakery and we celebrated both Benjamin and Pristine’s birthday at home, complete with candles. “This is for all the birthdays we’ve missed!”, the grandparents said.

TOURING AROUND THE SMALL TOWN

The next morning, the weather cleared up and FIL didn’t waste time and drove us around the town. The kids just finished breakfast and were still in their pajamas.

He then took us to see all the rice paddies. It was summer and this part of Japan was bathed in sea of green patches of rice plantations. Another first for my father in-law: driving an automatic car! He only drives manual transmission but then had rented a van for us. The available vehicles to rent were all automatic so he drove one.

(He’s that type of being picky about things he is not familiar with but he endured this!)

Ah, the serene countryside in Niigata prefecture. My husband was born and brought up here. There’s nothing fancy, no bright lights, billboards and crowds you would see in the streets of metropolitan Tokyo. It’s dark after 8pm and in the summer time, you’d hear the chorus of the frogs which is annoying at first but kind of becomes white noise that lulls you to sleep. The kids hyperventilated at the sight of fireflies in the pitch black garden at night.

I love summers in Niigata though it can be hot and humid because this prefecture is coastal. But it’s when the Earth comes alive.

The kids had a lovely time walking around but the most exciting part for Benjamin must be getting on one of his grandfather’s tractors (for farming)! It must be every boy’s dream to get into these real life monster trucks!

My mother in-law has clinical depression and had been in and out of the hospital and on medication for so many years. During summer though, she is well. She has tried her best to be in her ‘best form’ (her term) to meet the kids. She told me she’s thankful I took the kids to visit them, it dispelled the loneliness of their home, if only for a short while. It was enough that they know they aren’t truly alone and that they have something to look forward from now on.

My in-laws don’t speak any English. Pristine can converse with them in Nihongo but Benjamin cannot – we have to work on that (thankfully, the big sister is always there to translate). That didn’t hinder him from getting close to them and for the short time we were there, he has constructed short Nihongo sentences and blurted them out proudly.

I am grateful my kids have sweet and kind grandparents on my side and I am equally thankful they have another set from my husband’s side. What lucky kids.

You may ask, why do the grandparents NOT visit us here in Dubai and we have to go to Japan? Good question, actually since we’re almost eleven years here and they have not visited even once. For my in-laws, who has lived in this small town from the day they were born, travelling is this big, insurmountable thing that takes too much energy and COURAGE to tackle. It’s simply not their thing and we have accepted that.

And besides, I don’t think the kids mind hopping on the plane and riding the bullet train to get to them! I definitely don’t! (Although it’s a bit stressful to sync the time and meetup with them because as I have mentioned, they do not have mobile phones! I had to plan the time we get on the train, let them know what time we arrive and on which train and STICK to it. Hello the 1980’s!)

Are you an expat family living away from the grandparents? How often do you visit them?

October 5, 2017February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: a Medieval gem you can visit now

Europe, Travels
Europe, German, history, medieval, Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Travels
Leave a comment

Photo credit

I love places that makes me feel I am in one of the pages of a fairy tale book. I love old German inner cities that I have only seen through books, magazines or travel blogs and Rothenburg ob der Tauber could be my favorite. The architecture is very well preserved, you can’t help but ask yourself whether time has stood still.

Rothenburg is named in part after its location on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is translated in English as:”Red fortress above the Tauber”.

WHERE IS ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is situated in Bavaria, halfway between Frankfurt and Munich.

HOW TO GET TO ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER (from Munich)

We were based in Munich, coming from a direct 6 hour flight from Dubai. Rothenburg ob der Tauber is three and a half train ride away from Munich. It’s not near but heck, we were already there so better take this opportunity to visit!

The German railway offers several regional tickets to travel around the country on a budget. We got the Bayern ticket, this ticket is valid for as many journeys as you want in Bavarian region during its period of validity, regardless of the connection indicated. Children/grandchildren (any number) aged 14 and under can travel with you when you buy for one or two people. Discounts are available for up to four people travelling with you, paying only an additional 6 Euros per person. For example, 2 adults would pay only 31 Euros total.

I only paid 25 Euros, my kids aged 13 and 5 travelled for free.

From Mon-Fri, the Bayern ticket is valid from 09:00 to 03:00 of the following day; on Sat, Sun and public holidays, it is valid from midnight to 03:00 of the following day.

TIP: Check timetables and connections using the German public transport app, DB Navigator (Android, iOS).

We left Munich early and arrived three and a half hours later to Rothenburg ob der Tauber’s small train station around 11:30 am. To get to the charming medieval Old Town, we need to walk for about 10 minutes before arriving at this walled village, with thick walls at the entrance. We crossed the wall and this was our first glimpse of Rothenburg.

Now, this is not a theme park with cute houses built for entertainment. These are normal houses where normal people live. Most of the houses had been here for hundreds of years yet when you see these buildings, it seems that it has been untouched by time.

We headed to the Rothenburg Tourism office at Markplatz to take brochures and guides on how to navigate this small town.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is only a day trip in our itinerary. After all, our main destination was Austria but we happen to just have chosen Munich as our landing airport and Rothenburg just happens to be in the same region as Munich and the picture perfect town is worth the long train ride.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER?

We were in Germany on the last week of August when most of Europe is still enjoying the last days of summer. However, the day we were in Rothenburg (August 26), it seems that we have brought the Dubai heat with us. The mid day temps were high, it was actually so hot! Still, it was beautiful and fascinating to wander around. From the half timbered houses, to the uneven cobbled stone streets, to the ancient walls that surround this city, there is so much to explore.

I can imagine how beautiful this town will be during winter especially on Christmas time.

So in short, I believe this place is beautiful any time of the year!

The views around the town are tremendous, from the main square, to the towers to the alleys. We were only there a day, but would have loved another!!

CLIMBING THE CITY TOWER

Upon the suggestion of the Rothenburg ob der Tauber tourism office, I gathered all the courage to climb up the 65 meter city tower. I have climbed towers and love the views from the top. This tower though is perhaps the most interesting and most treacherous so far! The kids seem to be enthusiastic about it, in fact, I didn’t want to but they insisted! We entered a wide spiral staircase in the Rathaus, just off of the main square. Soon the stairs start to get narrower and steeper. By the time we arrived at the last stairs it’s shocking to see that it is less like stairs and more like a ladder. The inclination is almost 90 degrees!

The viewing platform at the top can only hold only a few visitors at a time. Benjamin was delighted to be at the top but Pristine was scared. She actually froze and cried. Me? I don’t like heights but I had to take pictures.

THE PLONLEIN (“Little Square”)

One of the most famous postcard images from Rothenburg ob der Tauber is definitely the Plonlein. A narrow half-timbered building with a small fountain in front, it is framed by the Kobolzeller tower and the higher Siebers Tower, with lovingly restored townhouses to the right and left, creating a charmingly picturesque effect.

You can say that people who come to Rothenburg come here to take pictures at this very spot. It’s the place that I had specifically searched out because I have seen so many photographs of it and wanted to capture one of my own.

By the way, can you imagine Belle from Beauty and the Beast coming out from one of these houses and belting out the song Provincial Life?

HOW MANY HOURS SHOULD YOU SPEND AT ROTHENBURG OB DER TAUBER?

We were at Rothenburg for a day trip from Munich and calculating the total of seven hours train journey to and fro, we were at Rothenburg for only four hours tops. It was enough to see the major streets and sights (the ploinlein!) but if I had to do it all over again, I would choose from the list of charming hotels or inns at Rothenburg and I would gladly spend a night or two so I could explore it more/travel slower.

Rothenburg Tourism suggests Hotel Rappen, a hotel located right before you enter the gates to the town. We had lunch at the restaurant’s beer garden and can’t forget the delicious bratwurts, spinach & cheese pancake and of course, German beer that we had!

Now, I have this uncurable addiction of scrolling through booking sites to see prospective hotels and I’d probably choose Romantik Hotel Markusturm or Hotel Reichs Kuchenmeister next time. I see there will definitely be a next time!

We loved, loved, loved our time at Rothenburg ob der Tauber – old, classic, historic, clean, quaint, just lovely. I loved feeling like I had been transported to another time and place, so different than my life back home.

It is definitely worth a stop if you’re in Bavaria region because nowhere else will you find such a wealth of original buildings dating from the Middle Ages. We just roamed around the cobblestone streets, visited the Christmas store (it’s surreal to see vast collections of Christmas decorations in August), checked the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments (!), climbed the city tower, and peeked through windows of souvenir shops.

I saw my favorite chocolate shop!

Though it could get touristy at peak times during the day when the tour busses arrive, it’s just so lovely to wander around and walk around the wall and the main square is picture perfect. There are lots of lovely little shops, bakeries and restaurants and the atmosphere of this place is just wonderful.

I am glad we went, thankful both my kids weren’t bothered with the long train ride. As for me, I am so happy to be able to fulfil one of my travel dreams with them at my side.

Lastly, there are several “Rothenburgs” in Germany. Make sure you are going to Rothenburg ob der Tauber as it seems that people really do sometimes drive or ride the train to other, nondescript Rothenburgs by accident.

Do you like charming little towns? Which one is your favorite?

September 30, 2017 by findingbackroads

Where we stayed: Grand Hyatt Dubai

Way back in 2007 when we were new in Dubai, we needed to meet some people who set the meeting place at Grand Hyatt Dubai and I could not forget being so impressed the moment I entered the hotel. After all, we just moved here from Japan – the land of mini this and that. Small apartments, small cars, small portion sizes in restaurants, modest hotels.

And then boom, the first five star hotel I visited in Dubai was the Grand Hyatt with huge entrance hall, massive pillars, a gigantic chandelier and high, high ceilings! They really meant to stick by the word “grand” in the hotel name for a reason.

[envira-gallery id=”77079″]

My awe of this hotel did not end up in the lobby. As we moved forward to the restaurant, I could hear the sound of a waterfall and saw a large green patch area right in the middle. I thought, wow, I should take my daughter (who was then 3 years old) here! She would love the feeling of like being in the middle of the jungle inside a hotel. Now, it took us 10 long years to finally book a room at the Grand Hyatt

[envira-gallery id=”77082″]

The UAE enjoyed a long weekend last week for the Islamic New Year so we thought to have a family staycation at a hotel but didn’t want to drive far. There are many hotels in Dubai that’s located at the heart of the city but offering resort-like facilities. The Grand Hyatt was an easy choice.

It was the last few days of September and while it’s starting to cool down on most parts of the northern hemisphere, transitioning from summer to autumn, Dubai is perpetually summery with highs of still on the high 30’s (celcius) late September. That said, the hotel’s main swimming pool was the reason why we decided to give this a hotel a try.

This isn’t actually our first time to see the pool at Grand Hyatt, we visited last year when we were members of Privilee and Grand Hyatt was one of the participating hotels and have never forgotten the wonderful experience, especially how Benjamin loved the kid’s pool with mini water play with slides!

And if you think the main pool is awesome but don’t want to toast, that’s sorted out too with their indoor pool with jacuzzi on the side. However, save for the small area with 0.43 meters depth, the wonderful temperature controlled indoor pool has a uniform depth of 1.60 meters so if you are non-swimmers like me or with small kids without swimming aids, that would be an issue though you can still stay at the shallow side or stick to the sides. The indoor pool is open 24 hours so anyone can enjoy it, whenever they feel like.

LOCATION

The Grand Hyatt Dubai is about 20 minutes from Dubai International Airport and located at Oud Metha, near Dubai Healthcare City. Though public transport is not near, there are many taxis that could take you wherever you like. Downtown Dubai (where the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa is located) is only 15 minutes away by taxi.

OUR ROOM

We booked a standard room but surprisingly, was upgraded to club room which we truly appreciate! The rooms were bigger, comfortable twin queen size beds and spacious bathroom. We were at the 14th floor of the hotel with sweeping views of the city, with downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa on the horizon.

I’ll be writing a post why it could be smarter to book a club room than a standard room, depending on your stay needs. So watch out for that!

BREAKFAST

[envira-gallery id=”77095″]

The main breakfast is at The Collective, at the ground floor. Extensive, international flavorful breakfast with many healthier options like fresh fruit smoothies, fruits, detox drinks. It is right beside the indoor waterways and green space and with plenty of natural light coming in from the roof, so it felt like having breakfast on a garden, with a waterfall only, it is indoor (and without bugs hovering around!)

HOTEL RESTAURANTS

The Grand Hyatt has 13 award winning bars and restaurants. We used the Entertainer voucher to get buy 1 get 1 free at Wox Asian restaurant for lunch. It’s a delight to see the live cooking station at this open kitchen style restaurant and the food was great too (simple noodle soups for the win!). We have to go back again.

For Friday dinner, we tried Andiamo, described on their website as “Northern Italian cuisine in a light-hearted, contemporary atmosphere.”

The newly renovated restaurant’s ambiance was impressive, cozy and rustic. Food was authentic, delicious and prepared fresh! I’ve been in many restaurants where the only Italian thing was the name. Finally, upon the suggestion of a blogger friend, we tried “Andiamo!”

After eating so much stuff, we were contented and did not think to have dessert. But the server suggested that we should have their Tiramisu. OMG, I hope you saw my video post on Instagram about this tiramisu, it’s easily the best Tiramisu in town. You can hate me if you don’t like it. It’s not your usual made-days-before-and-refrigerated tiramisu. The cream was soft, velvety and not too sweet. It’s made fresh they even leave the sprinkling of the dark chocolate powder to the diner. It was heavenly. This tiramisu would haunt you when you have that sweet cravings.

I highly recommend Andiamo! to those seeking to eat authentic and freshly made Italian food. And believe me, you would want to go back for the Tiramisu!

FINALLY

If being near the beach is not a priority and you’re looking for a city hotel in Dubai that provides resort-like facilities and guarantees a grand time for everyone, kids and adults alike, Grand Hyatt could fit the bill. All of us are overwhelmed by the wonderful service and overall experience we asked ourselves, why did it take us 10 years to finally consider this hotel for a family holiday?

If you’re living in Dubai and have not been to Grand Hyatt, don’t miss it or don’t be like us and wait for ten years before checking in. It’s worth a stay or even just a visit.

P.S.
At Grand Hyatt’s sprawling gardens, you could even meet and make friends with ducks!

We booked a deluxe room at Grand Hyatt but was upgraded to club room with access to the executive lounge (THANK YOU!) however all opinions are mine.

September 26, 2017February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

The Sound of Music tour in Salzburg

I have visited the Austrian city of Salzburg in 2015 and since it was a very short visit (I only spent 24 hours in Salzburg), I know I had to go back, with the kids one day. Salzburg – I can’t say this word without the songs and hymns of the movie The Sound of Music playing in my mind. Though you must know that there’s more to Salzburg than the classic movie that was set there in the 1960’s (yes, that sounds ancient but I like ancient movies) the whole reason of visiting Salzburg with the kids for me was mainly, The Sound of Music tour.

WHAT THE SOUND OF MUSIC MEANS TO US

If I remember correctly, I chanced upon the movie when I was a teenager and instantly fell in love with it. I mean, who won’t? It’s a clean, entertaining movie that has no boring moments. Plus, hello pretty Austria as the location!

When my kids turned 2 years old, I took out a heirloom from my precious trove of trinkets – the Sound of Music DVD that I had for more so many years and played it for them to watch. Pristine was ready when she was two and she watched through the whole movie with the same enthusiasm from start to finish. Benjamin wasn’t ready at two, and he watched it when he was 3 and a half years old.

Yes – the first movie that my children ever watched was this musical. It is two hours and 54 minutes long.

It has since been played at my house at regular times again and again and again. We never get tired of it.

When our trip to Austria was finalized, there was no way we couldn’t squeeze this tour in our itinerary!

We were based in Innsbruck while we were in Austria and Salzburg is a good hour and a half train ride away. We left Innsbruck in the morning and arrived at our accommodation in Salzburg just before lunch time, checked in at Motel One Mirabell and headed towards the meeting place at Mirabell Gardens (it’s a 10 minute walk).

It was raining in Salzburg that time. Summer I guess was slowly fading away. It was difficult for my 5 year old son to understand the concept of wet weather, especially those rains that last for hours and hours on end. After all, he was born in the UAE and had been living here all his life, where the sun shines on the average of 330 days out of 365.

FIRST STOP: Leopoldskron

The bus was full with Sound of Music fans from all over the world. Despite the bad weather (the rain didn’t look like it was stopping) everyone was keen to see where the movie was shot. Our first stop was just a few minutes outside Salzburg’s Old Town – Leopoldskron. This was the world-famous former family seat of one of the prince-archbishops as well as an original shooting location from the movie “The Sound of Music” as the von Trapp family residence.

You can actually stay at Leopoldskron Palace and feel like you’re in a movie because this place has been converted into a hotel, thus the main reason tour groups weren’t allowed in the premises so we only get to see this across this lake.

THAT 16 going on 17 GAZEBO

We didn’t spend much time looking at Leopoldskron from afar and we got on the bus again to Hellbrunn Palace. We passed by that yellow building called Schloss Frohnberg that was used for th exterior shots of the Trapp villa. This was where Maria first entered the gate singing I have confidence as she reports to the family to serve as a nanny.

The path outside, which Maria skips down when she first arrives, is pedestrian only so we weren’t allowed to visit, but we did drive past it on the main road. I can only imagine walking through the lines of trees there or riding a bike!

One of the highlights of this tour (for me and my daughter!) was to see the white gazebo where Rolf and Liesl dance and sing Sixteen going on Seventeen. Originally, the gazebo was at the Leopoldskron grounds but it had to be moved to Hellbrunn Palace ground for better safekeeping.

GAH. It was so beautiful I could cry. I actually shed a tear or two, especially when I read the tribute to the late actress Charmian Carr who passed away in 2016. She played Liesl, the older of the seven von Trapp children in the movie.

Unfortunately tourists are not allowed inside because of safety concerns – the tour guide said a middle aged woman has broken her hip trying to imitate the dancing and skipping around the benches inside so they had to lock this gazebo. I don’t know how true!

OFF TO THE LAKES REGION

Now, we were off for a longer journey to the lakes and mountains region. Austria’s Salzkammergut area (Lake District), with a total of 76 lakes, is one of the most impressive regions in the heart of Austria.

We only passed by the abbey where the nuns and the real Maria von Trapp lived. I am not sure why were didn’t stop there. The Sound of Music movie soundtrack was played to keep us entertained during the long ride and people sang along. It felt so wonderful to be able to take a trip down memory lane to the movie, while listening and singing to the well loved songs and looking outside at the beautiful country side.

We headed up into the mountains surrounding Salzburg, giving us a gorgeous view over the entire city, and drove upwards through the Austrian countryside, past the most beautiful lakeside villages against that mountainous backdrop. It had been raining non-stop but the views were still beautiful.

The Wedding Chapel

We arrive at Mondsee, a cute little town with colorful restaurants and shops and probably the most popular spot – St. Michael’s Church, where the wedding scene was filmed. Buses were prohibited from driving into the town so we had to get down and transfer to this chug train like vehicle, to the joy of my son.

Here, we were given 30 minutes (?) to see around and shop or try the recommended apfel strudel from the nearby cafe.

The kids and I opted out the cafe business and went straight to church. Just like me, they have this fascination with churches in Europe, because…we don’t see these in the UAE, of course!

Do-re-mi time

We were taken back to Salzburg and dropped near Mirabell Gardens. We were hungry after the 4 hour tour that lasted from 2pm to 6pm. We had early dinner first and even if it was still drizzling, I couldn’t let the chance go by without seeing Mirabell Gardens. There is that hedge tunnel where Maria and the children run through.

At Mirabell Garden there is the hedge “tunnel” that Maria and the children run through. There is the pond and fountain they dance around and also the set of steps where they sing the finale of “Do-re-mi.”

IS THE SOUND OF MUSIC TOUR WORTH IT?

Short answer, yes. Especially for Sound of Music movie fans.

For those otherwise, my answer would still be YES. It’s a beautiful way to spend half day in Salzburg and driving through the lakes district. Despite the weather not in our favor, we had a magical day. The scenery on the way out to Mondsee (where the wedding church is located) is breathtaking, and singling along to the movie’s soundtrack with fans from around the world will warm your heart. We were in a big party and our tour guide was brilliant. His narration was very informative peppered with anecdotes and jokes. Also he gave a narrative about the original book.

Panorama tours conduct the Sound of Music tour, dubbed as “the original”. The tour promises to “follow the traces of the Trapp family and take a tour through Salzburg and its surroundings and visit all of the original film settings.”

A few notes before you buy the tour (because they’re not cheap at 42 euros for adults.)

As someone who has experienced it, I’m going to share what you need to know before you go.

It’s important to understand going into this tour what you will see, and perhaps more importantly, what you won’t. Note that many of the film’s most iconic scenes like the gazebo dance scene and the graveyard were filmed in Hollywood, not in Salzburg. In addition, you won’t be able to get very close to some of the filming locations you will visit. For example, you will only see Leopoldskron which were used for the back of the family’s home from cross the lake. The abbey (I was hoping to see the square where the nuns were singing How do you solve a problem like Maria). Similarly, the gazebo cannot be entered, but you can take pictures outside of it. There were several people on my tour who weren’t aware of some of these restrictions ahead of time (me included) and may have been slightly disappointed.

With all of that said, now you know more than I did before I went with the tour so you can manage your expectations better and will have an absolutely magical time.

So, if you’re a big Sound of Music fan, this tour will become one of your favorite things. And if you have kids who love the movie, you may want to take them before they become 16 going on 17 (when they’d probably think it’s too cheesy!).

Have you seen the Sound of Music movie?

September 19, 2017February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

Dealing with food allergies while eating out or travelling

My son Benjamin (6 years old next month) is allergic to all tree nuts – almonds, pecans, walnuts, pistachio, cashew, etc. We’ve had accidental ingestion in the past where he ended up in the emergency so we are very careful with his food but alas, sometimes even I fail.

The last incident was a year and a half ago when we were dining in a dimly lit restaurant and the staff served brown bread, not informing us that it was actually walnut bread. I didn’t check as well because I avoid eating bread and normally Benjamin doesn’t eat bread that much but that night, he did and boom.

We’ve survived a year and half without any allergy related incident after that, we even travelled and stayed at four different countries without any awful surprises.

WHAT ABOUT EATING OUT?

Whenever we eat out, we always stick to Japanese food – mostly because that’s what we like and prefer and because Japanese dishes are not too complicated. You’ll have plain rice, miso soup with some tofu or vegetables/seaweeds and a grilled fish or meats with vegetables. Sauces mostly consist of only soy sauce, some mirin. We have a Japanese restaurant we always frequent every weekend at lunch and not once he had some sort of allergic reaction to the dishes we’ve ordered so far for him.

However, this week, we wanted to try a new Japanese restaurant.

Benjamin said he wanted to eat ramen so we ordered that and he was looking forward to it with gusto. Japanese restaurants usually serve small appetizers at the start and the waitress brought in what seemed like harmless tofu with some miso paste on top. Benjamin took a spoonful and I did too. I realized that it’s a different kind of tofu – it’s goma tofu (tofu mixed with sesame).

A few minutes later, Benjamin fell ill. He is fighting through it telling me he is just tired (from his earlier swimming lessons) and that he is also sleepy. He leaned on me with teary eyes, asked for hot tea and water. I suspected something was not right and gave him Aerius, an anti-histamine that I always carry in my bag wherever we go. Two minutes later, he laid down and started to sneeze. His bowl of ramen came but he was surprisingly disinterested, though saying earlier that he was hungry.

A few seconds later, he gagged and my daughter was quick to carry him out to the restaurant, to the nearest toilet. I followed behind them.

We didn’t reach the toilet.

He projectile vomited just a few steps away, to the shock of the manager at the reception desk at the restaurant’s entrance. At the toilet, his small body was lurching forward, throwing up all the things his body considers as poison. When the vomiting stopped, nasal congestion set in and he wasn’t able to breathe from his nose.

While comforting him, I managed to do a Google searched about sesame seed allergy. And voila – it seems that people who are allergic to tree nuts could also be allergic to seeds. Who knew. It was my first time to learn about it, and we had to find out in a very scary and messy way.

Ambulance was called just to make sure his blood pressure and oxygen levels were not dropping. Thankfully, his vitals were stable and save for the nasal congestion and watery eyes, he was fine. He was tired from all the vomiting though so we stayed a bit.

WHAT ABOUT TRAVELLING?

Now you may ask, with my love for taking the kids to travel with me, am I not discouraged to go out at all? Was there a time I didn’t want to travel because of Benjamin?

I admit, I get anxious whenever I take him out long enough for us to eat outside during meal times i.e., travelling to another place, including plane rides. However, I don’t want this anxiety to take over me, restricting my son of going out and seeing the beautiful world outside.

We just have to accept and deal with this health matter and do whatever we can. We do not want this ‘disability’ to overwhelm us and keep him inside all the time, after all, Benjamin LOVES travelling – he loves planes and airports and now I just found out from our recent trip, hiking in the mountains!

His allergic reactions so far had been rashes/hives, nasal congestion and vomiting. No anaphylactic reaction so far (thank GOD!!). It’s not life threatening now and hope it stays that way. But still we take precautions whenever we are out and about.

HOW TO TRAVEL WITH KIDS WITH FOOD ALLERGIES

1. Stay at accommodations with a kitchen, fridge or microwave, as much as you can.

It would be easier and safer to cook if the allergies are more complicated. When we were in Japan, we stayed in an Airbnb rather than a hotel so we make some our meals there especially breakfast. It does require some additional work, but I had piece of mind knowing my child is safe. Another bonus is that it’s very cost-effective.

2. Find a local grocery store.

After you have reached your destination, the first stop you need to make is the grocery store in order to stock up on safe foods for your child.

3. Research area restaurants.

There is nothing worse than getting to a restaurant with your hungry brood and finding out you can’t eat there.

4. When eating out especially in a new restaurant or in another country away from home, always ask what is in the menu.

5. Always order the simplest dish as possible.

No complicated sauces. When we were in Germany and Austria I just ordered sausages and french fries – I know, I know, not the healthiest options but when it comes down to food, I’d rather opt for a bit unhealthy but safe rather than healthy but unsafe or with questionable ingredients.

6. Pack safe foods.

For road trips, it’s more convenient to pack safe foods for your child with allergies rather than be wary what to give him during drive breaks. For airline meals – For people with food allergies, airline meals pose a particular risk. Many airlines will organise a special meal according to individual requirements, so mention it during booking and when they serve, check again.

7. Take note of emergency numbers at the destination and save it your phone.

8. Always pack allergy medication wherever you go.

To avoid problems at airport security, pack the medication in safe ziplocs and bring prescription, if available.

9. Don’t expect the general public to understand.

THIS. There’s so much stigma around food allergies that some people shrug it off as “disease of the rich kids” or “just an excuse for picky eaters”. Unbelievable because many people actually die of food allergies every year all over the world.

10. Despite all of the (minor) discomfort, ENJOY YOUR VACATION.

Food allergies don’t have to rule your vacation, but you do need to pay attention. With a little preparation, you and your family can enjoy your family time together in a fun and safe environment.

Our travel experiences with Benjamin have been very positive so far. We understand the nature of his allergies and make careful choices based on this information. So far, Benjamin (6 years old next month) had been to Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Prague, Germany and Austria. Travelling with a child who has food allergies requires some extra planning, but the rewards of seeing him with sparkle in his eyes at each new place or new experience is well worth it.

Do you have a child/children with food allergies? How does this affect your travels?

September 15, 2017 by findingbackroads

Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum – is it worth it?

One of the “must do” things to do on our trip to Japan was to EAT. And oh boy, our list was long! There’s simple eats at the convenient stores to that special soba in Niigata (my husband’s hometown), summer sweets, curry rice, gyoza and of course, RAMEN! My kids are crazy with ramen which is quite understandable because their parents bonded really well during ramen dates years ago.

While Googling to create itinerary for our short stay in Tokyo, I came across the words: Shin Yokohama RAMEN MUSEUM. For a die hard ramen afficionado, including that in the Japan itinerary is a done deal.

The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum (spelled “Raumen” on the building’s facade) was founded in 1994 as the world’s first food-themed amusement park.

How to get there

The JR Yokohama line is the only way to get to Shin Yokohama station directly from Tokyo. You can also get here via Shinkansen, if you happen to be in Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya or other places on the Tokaido line. The ramen museum is only a 10 minutes walk from Shin Yokohama station.

The museum spreads to three floors with the ground floor a store then basement 1 and 2. There is a small museum section with the history of ramen and such on the ground floor, plus the official museum shop. You can purchase ramen sets to go here.

A walk down a few flights transports you to 1958 Japan – the era when the first instant ramen was introduced to the Japanese market. The place is complete with cramped alleyways, old neon signs and vintage Japanese movie posters. It’s a delightful treat and a huge contrast to the modern scene outside.

Entering the museum was like entering time machine that brought us back to the Japan’s good old days in 1958. There’s a bar at the center, surrounded by ramen shops.

We met a policeman from the past, wearing old uniform popular during those days. It’s a very strange yet fascinating feeling.

And after appreciating the trip back in time, we went on to decide which ramen we’d like to eat!

Ramen varies by region in Japan, and there are at least 30 distinctive types hailing from various regions. There are nine ramen shops at the ramen museum from Sapporo, Tokyo, Hakata, Kumamoto and other local areas, and each of them serves their own flavor of ramen such as soy sauce, miso, pork bone broth (tonkotsu) – my favorite.

Each restaurant has a vending machine outside. This is where you order. Deposit your yen, select your meal, grab your tickets (one for each item you order) and give them to your host. The machines are entirely in Japanese but they do have laminated menus in other languages including English.

At 1,100 yen for a bowl of ramen, I thought it was expensive but also realized, you’re just not paying solely for the ramen but the ambiance while eating the ramen. Okay, you already paid 310 yen for the entrance but then again, I still feel it was worth it in the end when I see how my kids loved every nook and corner of ‘old Japan’. It got me in a very natsukashii mood.

Is it worth a visit?

Being transported to an old Japanese village brought the magic for us at the Ramen Museum. And to explore every nook and cranny was such a joy. Despite some reviews at Tripadvisor saying it’s not worth your time and you can actually have all sorts of ramen anywhere in Tokyo anyway (true) but the quirkiness of the place actually appealed to us. This place is not exactly a museum in my opinion, but more of offers a sample of ramen variety.

If you’re coming to Yokohama for the day, I would suggest combining a trip to the museum and then a sidetrip to the very real and vibrant Chinatown and Motomachi area in Yokohama.

July 20, 2017February 3, 2022 by findingbackroads

Our trip to Japan, summer 2017

It’s currently summer vacation for all of the kids in the UAE. It’s actually over a month already since most of the schools have closed for the school year 2017. Since classes will start on September 10, that’s about 12 weeks long of holidays!

When I planned where to take the kids in summer and though our family budget is tight, I couldn’t let them just stay at home for 12 long weeks and wait for the weekends for me to take them outside. I work full time so yeah, I can only take them out on weekends because this mom is lazy to take out people and drive after work, except maybe for groceries.

The peak of UAE’s summer is these months of June-September so playing outside isn’t really an option. This is actually the challenge for families staying in the country during these months. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of entertainment options, indoors usually inside a mall but if given a choice, I would love the kids to be outside than in the malls.

Anyway, I managed to find fairly inexpensive airfare for the three of us from Dubai-Narita via Singapore on Singapore Airlines last March. It’s been four years since our last visit to Japan and it got me really excited!

The last time we traveled to Japan, Benjamin was less than two years old. Pristine was nine. This was them when we landed in Narita in 2013.

And this was them in the same spot in 2017!

I couldn’t remember their original pose but know that Pristine was carrying her little brother so we tried to replicate the shot. What difference four years make!

We took Singapore Airways and I don’t know, I felt our flight was really long this time. Seven hours from Dubai to Singapore, a couple of hours layover at the wonderful Changi Airport (probably my favorite airport in the whole world, after Dubai International) and again another seven hours from Singapore to Narita.

The kids were really great during the flight, as they’ve always been. No fuss even with the disturbing turbulence as we approached Narita. The captain announced bad weather and we’d have a bumpy ride. There were many kids on the flight and I heard a few vomiting sounds…I was scared Benjamin, who is prone to motion sickness would follow too but thankfully, he didn’t!

KOMBINI!

The first thing we did when we got out security? Go attack the first convenience store (kombini in Japanese colloquial) inside the airport! It was a small store but it already got our spirits high!

Who buys 2,000/3,000 yen worth of stuff from convenience stores?! Us, obviously. We have a love affair with with Japan’s kombini. Located on every block in urban areas, the Japanese convenience store is much more than a ubiquitous repository of junk food. Konbini food, believe it or not, is actually pretty decent. They’re more than the microwavable chimichangas you’ll find in other country’s convenience stores, konbini food is delicious and always kept fresh.

It sells the ever handy cure for mild hunger: onigiri, bento, seasonal dishes and sweets, sushi and soba, manga and medicine, alcohol and many, many more you can think of!

It was late when we arrived at the station near our Airbnb so we bought food stuff in case the kids (and I!) get hungry later in the night. Nah, we were just really excited to buy the stuffs we missed!

OUR FIRST MORNING IN JAPAN

We arrived around 10 pm after a long flight from Dubai and Singapore and I learned a valuable lesson: our morning after itinerary should have been: SLEEP ALL DAY.

Because anyway, we had our kombini food already in case we get hungry, we don’t need to go out really. The kids were heavily jet lagged or just plain tired and showed no signs of rousing from their sleep even if it was already 10 or 11 am or even 12 noon!

(It might be because our modest Airbnb was so nice and comfy – it deserves a special blog post soon!)

Our time in Japan is very limited and I didn’t want to waste it so I had to wake them up just before 1 pm. Fair enough, no? They were fully rested and ready to tackle the day.

We were in Tokyo on the last week of June and OMG, the weather was really nice!

Japan is still in that tsuyu season (rainy season just before summer). The temps were already warm enough for the locals but coming from a place with 45C temperature in Dubai, 27C in Tokyo was HEAVEN. We were walking and would stop on the side of the road to just close our eyes and feel the cool breeze whenever it comes.

Our first order of the day? LUNCH!

I have listed the restaurants to go and food to eat while in Tokyo months back before our trip. Our every meal has been planned already, well, except for the random kombini visits where we buy snacks while we are on the move. We went to Coco Ichibanya because we missed the Japanese curry!

EATING OUT IN JAPAN ON BUDGET

If you think eating out in Japan is expensive (Tokyo has this notorious reputation of being expensive generally), take note that there are several food shops where you can have a great inexpensive meal. Some of our favorite go to’s are: Coco Ichibanya and also C & C Curry (located at most train stations), and on most streets in Tokyo: Sukiya, Matsuya and Yoshinoya.

When we finished our hearty lunch, the weather was really warming up. It’s supposed to be rainy season but we were lucky enough not to get wet – it was sunny and nice in Tokyo (although we were ok to get rained on or perhaps buy the transparent umbrella from the kombini!).

We could feel the early pangs of summer heat as we got out of the basement restaurant.

Our very important itinerary for that day was a visit to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka at 4pm. I’ll write a separate blog post about that but do any of you reading this post know about Hayao Miyazaki’s wonderful animes? If you haven’t, I encourage you to start watching them. You can start with Spirited Away or Totoro or even Howl’s Moving Castle.

We had yakiniku dinner with friends on our first night at Shinjuku. Some of you might have seen my Instastories on Instagram and asked, “you make your own dinner at the restaurant table?”

Yes, yakiniku – from Wikipedia: yakiniku refers to a Japanese style of cooking bite-size meat and vegetables on gridirons or griddles over flame of wood charcoals carbonized by dry distillation or gas/electric grill. At yakiniku restaurants, the meat grillers are on your table and yes, you cook your own meal (which is fun). We had 90 minutes of yakiniku tabehodai (eat all you can, including rice, salads) for 1,980 yen (US$18) per person.

It’s eat all you can for 90 minutes. Can you still say Japan is expensive?

We went home late tired but very satisfied with our first full day in Japan. I am so happy to be able to roam around Tokyo with my kids, now both of them walking really well (no more baby carriers! no more strollers and diaper bags to lug around!). They are also both aware now which is really nice because I get to tell them stories of the time I was a student in Japan roaming in these familiar streets. And they actually listen AND ask questions which throws me back to memory lane time and time again. Ah, those were the days!

Never in my imagination that years after that point in my life that I’d walk around Tokyo with my own kids!

It seems that our travel to Japan is following a pattern: every 4 years. The last time we flew to Japan was 4 years ago in 2013 and before that was also 4 years ago in 2009. I hope it won’t take another 4 years before we go there again.