I like travelling alone. That way, I've only got one idiot to worry about.
Think of Japanese trains, and the high-speed shinkansen will probably come to mind before anything else. But some of my favourite journeys were on much slower rolling stock, like the service that brought me from the onsen town of Beppu to the bustling centre of Fukuoka in nearly three and a half hours.
Welcome aboard the Yufuin no Mori.
Continue reading “Rail Report: Beppu to Fukuoka on the Yufuin no Mori, Japan (25 September 2018)”
…mandávit in ætérnum testaméntum suum.
A very happy Christmas to you, gentle reader, as well as to your family and all your loved ones.
In my previous flight report, we saw what it’s like to travel with Cebu Pacific from Manila to Tōkyō. Now let’s see if they’ve done just as well on the homeward journey from Japan to the Philippines.
Welcome aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 5057.
Continue reading “Flight Report: NRT-MNL on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 5057 (01 December 2018)”
In this report, we’ll see what it’s like to fly with the Philippines’ largest low-cost carrier on the busy Manila-Tōkyō run – a route that I travel on regularly since Japan is my favourite holiday destination. Cheap this airline might be, but have they done well enough to woo me back the next time I take this four-hour hop?
Welcome aboard Cebu Pacific flight 5J 5054.
Continue reading “Flight Report: MNL-NRT on Cebu Pacific Flight 5J 5054 (15 November 2018)”
The Mojikō area of Kitakyūshū (in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture) is known for its collection of beautiful Western-style pre-war buildings: a legacy of its past as a major trading port. It is also known for making a rather interesting contribution to the wonderful world of yōshoku, in the form of a dish that turns ordinary Japanese curry into something quite different.
Continue reading “Food Report: Yaki-Curry at Princess Phi-Phi (Mojikō, Kitakyūshū, Japan)”
I’ve been to Kitakyūshū before, but that initial foray was so brief that I had no choice but to come back. And I’m glad I returned, because I found myself rewarded with glimpses at both life during the Edo Period and contemporary expressions of Japanese culture – all in the space of a single morning.
The chaps running Philippine Airlines (PR) have shown time and again that they are capable of delivering a pleasant experience in the air. However, the serious shortcomings of PR’s home airport threaten to stymie its plans for growth, and destroy any goodwill that their decent onboard service might build up amongst passengers on each arriving flight. In this report, we’ll have a look at the PR experience from airport to airport – and in the sky between the two – on a journey from Fukuoka to Manila.
Welcome aboard PR425.
Continue reading “Flight Report: FUK-MNL on Philippine Airlines Flight PR425 (26 September 2018)”
Fukuoka Airport (FUK) is by far the busiest international gateway on Kyūshū, and one of the busiest in Japan. Even so, it’s hard to believe how close this airport is to the city it serves, with the downtown area just a short bus or train ride away. Today, we’ll see if using the international terminal is just as smooth and easy as getting there in the first place.
Continue reading “Terminal Report: Fukuoka Airport (FUK) International Terminal, Japan”
In today’s report, we’ll see what it’s like to fly with the Philippine flag carrier on one of its busy Japan routes: a journey that will take us from Manila to Fukuoka in less than four hours.
Welcome aboard PR426.
Continue reading “Flight Report: MNL-FUK on Philippine Airlines Flight PR426 (22 September 2018)”
Terminal 2 (T2) of Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) was originally designed to serve only domestic flights. However, the great majority of international routes operated by flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PR) are currently based at the terminal’s northern wing. In today’s report, we’ll see what it’s like to fly out of the country from this major gateway – and we’ll gauge whether the building is up to the challenge of hosting flights it was never designed for.
Continue reading “Terminal Report: Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) T2, Metro Manila, Philippines”
Within striking distance