I like travelling alone. That way, I've only got one idiot to worry about.
In a quiet corner of Shiga Prefecture, on the slopes of a thickly forested hill overlooking Lake Biwa, I came across the scattered remnants of what was, for a few glorious years, the mightiest fortress in all of Japan. A castle to end all castles, unequalled in size or grandeur by anything that had come before – and, in some ways, not even by those that followed.
In my previous post, I’ve set out my thoughts about what it’s like to fly with Jetstar Asia from Manila to Ōsaka-Kansai. Now let’s take a look at their performance on the return leg, flying back home from Japan.
Continue reading “Flight Report: KIX-MNL on Jetstar Asia Flight 3K764 (2nd edition)”
I’ve written before of how Jetstar’s become my airline of choice when flying between Manila and various cities in Japan. (Well, when they’re available anyway. The flights aren’t daily and the routes are seasonally operated, so other carriers come into play when I travel outside those periods.) Reasonable prices are a major factor, good schedules – early arrivals coming into Japan, later departures coming back out – are another. And they’ve done a decent enough job so far that I’ll happily fly with them again, as I’ve just done on a recent holiday to Hiroshima by way of Ōsaka’s Kansai International Airport.
Continue reading “Flight Report: MNL-KIX on Jetstar Asia Flight 3K763 (2nd edition)”
In this post, I’ll take you to the ruins of a hilltop castle in Hyōgo Prefecture: a place where stone walls, sheer drops, and fantastic views come together to create one of the most splendid castle vistas I’ve seen anywhere in Japan. Some people have dubbed it “Japan’s Machu Picchu” – an exaggeration, to be sure, but it’s not difficult to see why.
Continue reading “Field Report: Takeda Castle, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan (02 May 2017)”
With just hours remaining before I was due to fly home from Busan, I ventured out for one last round of sightseeing right in the city centre. My final target: a modest house of brick and tile, the refined simplicty of which almost seems to mask the important role it played in Korea’s modern history.
Continue reading “Field Report: Three Days in Busan, South Korea – Day 3 Part 2 (06 June 2017)”
Before I came to Busan, I’d been quietly nursing a preconceived image of this bustling port city: namely, that of a boring industrial area with little to offer in the way of history or culture. On the last day of an incredibly rewarding 3-day visit, a clutch of sightseeing spots north of the city centre completely dissolved the last remnants of that misguided view – and, in the process, firmly cemented Busan’s position amongst the places in Korea I’d like to visit again as soon as possible.
Continue reading “Field Report: Three Days in Busan, South Korea – Day 3 Part 1 (06 June 2017)”
In the past couple of years, the Jetstar group has collectively become my airline of choice when travelling to and from Japan. Attractive fares have played a key part in that rise, but a more important factor is the increase in the number of Japanese cities they now serve directly out of Manila, along with schedules that suit my preferences (morning arrivals in Japan and afternoon/evening departures for the return). Today, we’ll see what it’s like to travel with Jetstar Japan (IATA code: GK) on their Manila-Tōkyō route.
Continue reading “Flight Report: MNL-NRT-MNL on Jetstar Japan Flight GK40 and GK41”
Busan is a coastal city, so it should come as no surprise that several of its most popular attractions have something to do with the sea. There are its famous beaches, of course … which I avoided like the plague, since I hate beaches. No matter – there were other views to admire and sights to enjoy, even for a sand-loathing chap like me.
Continue reading “Field Report: Three Days in Busan, South Korea – Day 2 (05 June 2017)”
Even though I travel to Korea at least once every year, I still wasn’t sure what to expect on my very first trip to Busan (부산), a place far beyond those parts of the country I’m most familiar with (namely Seoul and Gyeonggi-do). Yet after spending just three days in this incredible port city on Korea’s southeastern coast, I emerged absolutely sure of one thing: I can’t wait to go back.
Here’s day one.
Continue reading “Field Report: Three Days in Busan, South Korea – Day 1 (04 June 2017)”
I’ve taken high-speed rail services countless times in Japan, but not (until recently) in Korea, even though I holiday there at least once every year. That changed one bright summer’s day this past June, when I broke away from Seoul to spend a few days in faraway Busan – and rode Korea’s blazingly fast KTX to get there.
And I’m happy to report that there wasn’t a single zombie in sight. There, I’ve said it. No more 부산행-derived jokes, okay? (^_^)
Continue reading “Rail Report: Seoul to Busan on the KTX, South Korea (04 June 2017)”
Within striking distance