I know, I know. It has been forever since I last blogged. 4 months, that's a record first for me. At most I let the blog go unattended for a month at most, but Term 4 of school has been completely insane and I was just so caught up with a gazillion things that I had no time to blog. But hey, I am baaaacccckkk!!!

I actually just came back from my half yearly trips. This year, because of my hefty investment I made in my car, I decided not to go to Europe. Europe usually makes me a pauper by the end of the trip, cos well, air tickets are generally costly, the damn currency is crazy strong, things are expensive there and I have a weakness for designer bags and I usually leave Europe with 2 or 3 of those damned bags. So I told myself this year,' Girl, you've got to tone it down this year. No crazy shopping trips.' So I thought long and hard and decided...JAPAN! And when I was booking my air tickets, my flight transited in HK so I decided, might as well do a pop over to HK too! And that was that!

And my God, I really underestimated Asia. I have always thought Asia was more of a chill out travel destination. Places I have been to are really mostly for shopping (case in point: KL, Bangkok) or chill out (case in point: Bali, Bintan, Krabi) or are really under developed (case in point: Sri Lanka, Cambodia) or I just hated them (case in point: Taiwan, India). So I really went to Japan with not really knowing what to expect. And I loved loved loved it.

We started off with Kyoto, where I spent 4 nights, then Kawaguchi of the Mt Fuji area, a night there, then Tokyo for 2 nights before ending off my trip in HK where I spent 3 nights.

Kyoto was beautiful beautiful beautiful. It was really cold the few days we were there. So we ate a lot. I swear, I have never eaten so much on a trip before. We visited two temples, one castle, went to Gion and Higashiyama, and we also dressed up in kimonos, or the Furisode to be accurate. Kimonos for all the single ladies! (Cue music).

First meal in Kyoto. Mixed Tempura with rice. I was starving! Cathay Pac had the shiitiest food ever.

The room in the Ryokan we stayed in Kyoto. Very homely.

Our first day in Kyoto: First up on the agenda- Kimono wearing session! I loved being dressed in the kimono. Felt so demure.... This kimono Im wearing costs as much as a small car in Japan. Crazy!

 From the kimono-wearing session, we went on to walk around Gion, the Geisha quarters. Saw some geishas but was raining and couldn't snap a picture of them. And very scared they might scream at us!

 A fountain where you get beauty. I splashed my face with the water so many times!

Night illumination at Kidoji Temple

The facade of the Ryokan we stayed in Kyoto

The Golden Pavilion, Kinkakuji Temple.

Took a break, and had a match ice cream, which cost me $5 SGD. Did I mention Japan is crazy expensive?

 I know. So touristy, taking pictures at a train station. I don't care! I am a tourist! I love their train system. Efficient and organised. The way I like my things done.

 Walk to Hikone Jo, the castle.

 The castle grounds were filled with these gorgeous hued keaves so we went a bit bonkers taking pictures of the leaves.... Not the castle...

The castle

 Gardens of the castle.

 We were trying to be America's Next Top Models here. Failed!

 Higashiyama. Great shopping for knick knacks. Bought so many random things!

From Kyoto, we took a 4 hr trip down to Kawaguchi at the Mt Fuji area. Ok, this is my favourite place in Japan. It was so magical. Everything there. We stayed in a $1200 SGD per night room, which is insanely beautiful, with our own private onsen, and dinner served in our room, with breakfast provided and the view of the glorious Mt Fuji. Money well spent.



 This was at the doorstep of our inn.

Our private onsen.

After a soak in the onsen. I actually tried both the public and private onsen. I was a bit traumatised by the public onsen. Everyone is STARK NAKED. I mean, STARK NAKED. I saw bits and pieces which were...erm...disturbing so after half hr in the onsen, I ran back to the room to use my own onsen. Heaven.....2 deg cold, and you are freezing your ass off, and then you jump into the hot onsen, with the cold against your face and that crazy gorgeous view...Sigh...I loved it.

The very elaborate dinner which was served in our room. We had sashimi, abalone, mushrooms, lobster leg, oyster, scallop, prawns, miso, rice, noodles, strawberrries and mochi....Heaven...

This was what we get from our room. I woke up in the morning, saw Mt Fuji in its full glory, stripped and jumped straight into the onsen! lol!

 Then we headed to Tokyo where we went to Shinjuku, Shibuya & Harajuku. Hustle and bustle. Lots of shopping here.

From Tokyo, I went to Hong Kong. I was a bit fatigued by then, so didn't really do much in HK except for to sleep in, shop and eat. I ate a lot. A lot. A lot. Damn it. This was at the mosque which had halal dim sum. Near Causeway Bay.

The crazy streets of Hong Kong

Lego displays at Lane Crawford.

So yes, that was my year end holiday trip. I toned down on the travelling this year and I am missing it already! 2013 will see me travelling more hopefully! And I promise not to abandon my blog for too long!!!!!