Springing into Singapore and Japan.

[GarrettM]

How was MrsGM after the night. Hope she had recovered sufficiently to enjoy the J experience.

She also napped, and watched some tv. She was very comfortable.

Lunch!



More Selbach with the icecream.

 

[GarrettM]

A couple hours before we landed in Singapore, bub woke from her nap, and so it was time for her to enjoy her lunch.

I moved into 11E, and she sat with mum, and that's how we stayed until landing.

 

[GarrettM]

I reckon everyone here as seen the Silverkris Lounge at Changi, so no pics.

Hands up if you've been to the Butterfly Garden though? I haven't. I stayed in the lounge eating and drinking, while the girls went for a walk.

 

[GarrettM]

And before too long it was on to SQ215, for the last leg of the trip.

Not many pics here, as we were just too exhausted.

But at least I had plenty of room to lie down for a nap.


We were really struggling with bub by now, but the staff again did all they could to help. It was a full flight so no spare seats.

It took a couple hours for her to settle down, which she did after eating some of this awful kids meal.


But settle she did, eventually, and the rest of the flight was uneventful. Some bumpiness coming into Perth as usual, but all in all fine.

And then we were home!

 

[GarrettM]

So that was that!
Thanks for staying with me through this. It's taken such a long time to get it done. The whole house debacle hasn't helped. And my wife has been incredibly patient with me, working away on my tablet/laptop at the kitchen table at night, rather than relaxing on the couch with her for instance.

I will gather all my travel purchases in the next few days to get some pics of it all, just cause I threatened I would do it several times.

But first, some reflections on our destinations.

Singapore: excellent. We'd been thinking about going for a while, and it made perfect sense to do so as part of this trip. Close enough to Perth that it works as a long weekend, so that's what we will do from time to time from now on. I'm not too far gone that I don't mind flying Scoot for that. Not AirAsia though. Yes it's humid, but that's why hotels have pools!

Tokyo: wonderfully insane. Just madly busy and active, and I'll never ever see all there is to see. But that's ok. Next time I would like to see Tsukiji, Yokohama, Ginza, and more of the traditional areas.

Kanazawa: it never worked for us, but that was really our fault. Seems like a nice place, and I would go back for the right reason. Definitely if I was going back to Fukui, although I would hire a car next time. Also it's a samurai town and we didn't have time to explore any of that.

Osaka: what a city. Even more enjoyable than Tokyo really. Dotonbori is incredible. The atmosphere is great, the street food is sensational, and there are two excellent baseball venues to boot. I reckon if/when I go back to Japan this will be the entry point. Kyoto was also really nice and there's lots more I'd like to see there. Plus Nara.

Hiroshima: beautiful city. Relaxed. Friendly. Historically significant. Easy to get around, and with plenty of things I didn't get to see this time around. The Mazda Museum, the Carp. I'd also like to do an overnight or more at Miyajima, and explore the surrounding countryside.

Fukuoka: We didn't see much of this one, and once there realised we shouldn't have gone. Again not the fault of the city. I would like to go back and see it properly, rather than tack it on the end of a trip as we did, purely for a flight. By doing that we never really gave it a chance to show us what it was about. Wasn't until we were leaving in the taxi that I saw how cool a city it could be, and I felt we wasted it.

What we should have done was return to Osaka from Hiroshima, and spent a day or so there before flying home.
That would also have seen enjoying SQ's A350 business product on the flight back to Singapore, which I know is a significant improvement on the A330. But when we booked we didn't really know much about that.

Hindsight...

Hope I haven't bored you with this, and I hope the report may help someone else in their planning for a trip to Japan as others have helped me.
Thanks again for sticking with me.

Our next trip is booked for October. Five nights in Broome to mark our third wedding anniversary.
I will do a report for that, but it won't be as long. Probably

 

[LadyC]

Thanks for taking the time to do your report. It was very detailed and I know how long they can take. Especially with a little one.

PS the kids meals on SQ are terrible - I order from book the cook for MasterC.

 

[Lemon_Party]

Really enjoyed your trip report.

I have a love-hate relationship with Japan. My goal is to see as much of the world as I can, and I love Japan so have missed out on other countries by repeatedly returning

Agree with Osaka/Kobe/Nara/Kyoto area - great base and so much to see. And the food.

Anyway - thanks for the detail, the photos and the inspiration for new places to visit.

 

[love_the_life]

Wonderful TR, GarettM. Thanks for taking me along. I have so enjoyed reading and in fact just last week we booked 11 days in Japan leaving on 17 July (day after my 'significant' birthday) although Y both ways as it was so cheap, so I have gone back and read some more!!!!
Glad you are all home and yes, Japan is wonderful, but I love Singapore as well. it is just so easy and as you say, quite close from Perth so doable for a long weekend/short break. Had thought of going there instead of Japan but Mr LtL wasn't keen.

 

[Pushka]

I'm really impressed with how much you covered with a toddler in tow.

Wonderful TR, GarettM. Thanks for taking me along. I have so enjoyed reading and in fact just last week we booked 11 days in Japan leaving on 17 July

Why wasn't I told?

 

[love_the_life]

I'm really impressed with how much you covered with a toddler in tow.

Why wasn't I told?

I didn't want to bore you -only booked a few days ago - a quick decision. Have moved December to Feb for the ice festival in Sapporo. Wanted something quick and cheap (sub 10k). And your next trip is so great.
Will email when 'sober' with details . Sorry GarretM not trying to hijack your great TR.

 

[drron]

Really enjoyed the TR.Brings back many memories.
We also love Japan with over 30 trips already and there will be more.
Have got to say I am impressed with your daughter.She looks like she also enjoyed Japan.Though every where in Asia the people do love young children,especially blondes.Our son was blonde when we took him around Asia.Usually followed by a long procession.
Not a great way to spend you last night in Japan.But everything did turn out well and I suspect those few hours taught you a lot about Japan and it's people.
Finally what great memories you will have of this trip with your daughter.Priceless.

 

[Pushka]

When we ask our now adult kids what they remember most about their childhood, it's always the holiday memories. They don't remember the practical stuff once their basic needs are met. We started at around two also - very challenging but memorable. Reckon this is just the start for you.

 

[love_the_life]

When we ask our now adult kids what they remember most about their childhood, it's always the holiday memories. They don't remember the practical stuff once their basic needs are met. We started at around two also - very challenging but memorable. Reckon this is just the start for you.

Interesting; when I was diagnosed with BrCa (many years ago), I wanted to take the kids on some good holidays so that if I pegged out, they could remember the good times they had. As it was I seem to have survived.
GarrettM, your little one seems to be a wonderful traveller (only a couple of times you mentioned a 'melt down'). She seems to have had a wonderful time.

 

[GarrettM]

Thanks for the kind words. Yes bub generally was excellent throughout, although all credit for that must go to MrsGM. She's a wonderful mum and a pretty good wife to boot.

Bub remembers a lot of it now, and hopefully will continue to do so. She has lots of mementos, and can tell me where most of them came from. And everytime I put on a particular shirt she tells me it came from Hiroshima.

She's a smarty pants.

 

[love_the_life]

Her food interests were fantastic - rice and anything was great to see. She is a real cutie! (I mean bub not MrsG ). Hope MrsGM is recovered now as well.