Case of the missing sunglasses

For 2 days I couldn't find my sunglasses, I thought I left them in my hotel in Tokyo so I emailed them but they said they didn't find it. So I thought well, it's time for a new pair, so I went carouselling for a new pair and shortlisted a few.

I couldn't bear to buy a new pair because I only use them a few times a year, usually travelling, but I need a good one in case I drive or take pictures. I love my old pair, I was thinking hard from yesterday till now, there are a few place I haven't search.

1. My winter luggage with my winter clothes

2. The airlines - maybe I left them on my seat

3. My boxes I bought from Tokyo. 

I knew I always put them in my backpack and it was weird that it went missing. That day after my return flight, I unpacked my backpack near my bed. 

Just now I looked under the bed and it was there.

Japan reflections

This trip was so tiring but REALLY FUN.

Bringing a group of 6 people is no joke, Kathy described as baby sitting haha. I had to constantly look over my shoulder to make sure everyone was present. BUT it was also really fun, especially with Neab, Angus and Zac, and everyone enjoyed the trip as much as I did. I'm glad to show everyone my typical Japan holiday with all the food and activities. 

I would have said this was the most fun snowboarding trip but I say that for every trip haha. 

Every trip to Japan is always really fun. 

I love how the both of them could get along so well, we were laughing and joking in Myoko from the rooms to the onsen to the restaurants, and zero complaints about anything. It was fun staying with these two, always up for anything and I feel like I'm the most boring person in the group because I was so tired and didn't feel like talking and always running out of jokes.

Neab and I realised we ran out of cash so fast we didn't understand why lol. I also overspent this trip but worth it. We actually didn't hit the clubs or bars, and as usual, I didn't get my gundam stuff - other stuff are more important. I should have bought business class flight back to sg for the luggage space. Next time. Anyhows Zac wants to go again but I think probably next year Appi, I'm going to ski instead. 

I miss the snow and coldness and my two onsen mates.

2023 Tokyo Day 7, 8, 9

The second day in Tokyo was super rainy and cold. It was drizzling the whole day since the morning, we woke up for the best chicken ramen in the world for lunch. We queued for about half an hour in the rain but totally worth it. Even Angus said it was the best ramen he had lol. No pics coz I go there every trip.

Shopping time in Ginza! We went to Loewe to see the Howl's moving castle collection which was so so cute!

And then I bought 2 bottles of gin, we went to Uniqlo, I bought a pair of Japanese denim jeans, it was like shopping spree for Neab and Angus. They bought so much from Beams, ABC and Uniqlo. I bought more from Muji. 

Walked to Tokyo station to stock up on some Tokyo Banana Creme Brulee, then back to hotel to wash up and ready for dinner. We had MOS as a appetiser haha.

I booked dinner almost 3 months before the trip haha. We are back at Tapas Molecular Bar with a new menu.

 

The first few dishes were not bad but it got a bit boring at the end. It was all their first time and they quite enjoyed it. Neab and I agreed that the previous time was more exciting, the food and presentation were better last time.

After that more drinks at Angus's place again, we had 3 large cans of drinks each but Angus didn't drink and he was more drunk than us? Lol he asked us to drip in his tub together and also shared his single-size bed together and Neab and I learnt many many new things LOL. It was a crazy night until 3.30am and we cabbed back to our hotel. $59 which was ok.

We woke up at 11.30am the next day -_- Neab's leaving for the airport at 2pm so we went supermarketing first, then I went out to Harajuku and Shibuya for some shopping on my own. Managed to see the Chainsaw Man pop-up store.

Miyoshita park too. 

Zac and I met for dinner but I had yoshi first (because it was my last day in Tokyo) and then sushi after. 

Then I realised my luggage was too full for any more things from Donki so I skipped Donki this time round. Sighs. Then more packing in the hotel and then to Angus's place for last hangout and done.

It was an 11am flight the next morning, some shopping at Narita airport and then flight back. 

2023 Niigata Yokohama Day 6 & 7

Because of the Shinkansen timing, we had to take the early Myoko train at 8.39am to Nagano and then to Niigata. We put our bags in the lockers/storage office and off we go. 

The city looked exactly the same 3 years ago, I think they are developing for tourism at the moment, should be ready by a few years time. The sushi place I wanted to go was closed so we went Tomi Sushi (again for me) for lunch, then walked to the sake brewery.

They raised the price for the sake tasting from 500yen to 1000yen but it's still value for money for the amount of sake we tasted lol. I bought 2 bottles of the Koi sake just as I wanted and we had free delivery to our hotel. Compared to the small bottle I bought a few years ago, I think I leveled up haha. 

Anyway we had nothing much to do so we went back Tokyo early, checked in, Zac's favourite Toriki for dinner and headed to Angus's place to collect my boxes. His place is actually quite nice, it's not ready for guest because there's no sofa or whatsoever. Just 2 working desks and 2 bedrooms. He has a heated floor and automatic tub which is always nice during winter. I sprained my feet while running after the last train -_-

Thursday was lunch with cutie Emi! At our usual place Tsuru tontan Udon. She exchanged pokemon with Neab lol but I forgot to bring her presents out so we gotta meet again another day. We took a train to Yokohama to see the gundam. Initially I wanted to skip Yokohama because it's just gundam but I am so glad Neab convinced me to go because the Gundam factory is closing in March.

Chinatown for some bubble tea first.

I was actually very excited for this, and it really lived up to my expectation.

Omg how cool is that. I bought a limited edition gundam model back.

Walking around the pier, red brick warehouse, photo taking, then train back to shimokita for soup curry dinner, shopping at Shinjuku, and then drinks at Angus's house and last train back to hotel. A whole day of walking.

2023 Myoko Day 3, 4, 5

 This year the snow looked really promising. The choo choo train there was really nice and cold.

I stayed at Kogakuro as usual with Neab and Angus but there wasn't enough room for the rest but Mieko-san helped us book another hotel. She's so nice! And she gave us the room at the new wing as well. We checked in, rented and off we go to Kanko first. Angus and Neab skied while the rest of us snowboarded. 

Ah... that feeling. After 2-3 warm up rounds at the bottom slope, I brought them up the cable car and Neab was stuck there lol. It was cloudy and snowy and the snow was so good. 

Lunch was soup curry at the base restaurant, and we went up a few times before end of day.

As usual, we showered, went for dinner at Udon no fu. Everyone was enjoying themselves with curry udon and we drank warm sake. Ah... that feeling. And we were served fried grasshoppers?? Lol.

At night was onsen time with only 3 of us at the onsen and Angus whipped out his camera for pictures haha. 

Second day I took them to Suginohara. The bus ride was 20mins and price increased to 1000yen. I almost forgot the Sugi map and they had so much difficulty coming down after the cable car haha. 

I brought them to a really nice and wide slope but I guess they were too beginner and I overestimated them haha. It was a blue bird cloudless day and Zac proposed to his gf on top of Suginohara. It was really perfect actually but he was so awkward lol.

The skiiers went down and the snowboarders went up again to try the main slope.

The sunset was so nice. We ate at Shibata with drinks and the night was too cold and the onsen really hot. Second night wasn't that nice. 

The third day Neab and Angus gave up so only Zac and I went to the slopes while the rest of them went to the snow monkey park. To be honest I also wanted to go to the park because I was already quite tired and my legs were aching, but I can't bear only 2 days of snowboarding. We stayed at Kanko and did a few rounds, ended up at the onsen slope.

I was so tired at the end of the day. I think I'm a bit bored of snowboarding, I'm going to ski the next trip. Dinner at Yoroku because Shokudoen was fully booked. The BBQ fried rice and the beef was so good. We had crepes after that and drinks at Skate Bar. 

The onsen was perfect. Again we took pictures hahaha. A perfect end to my annual snowboarding trip.

Staying with Neab and Angus was really really fun, we watched videos, played music and talk about lotsa things it's a like chalet haha. The company is really nice. 

I think next trip I'm going to switch things up a bit, head to Appi and do some skiing. 

2023 Nagano Day 2

 We had a good night sleep at the hotel because of the lack of sleep on the flight. Hotel breakfast was quite good (I realised Agoda booking is cheaper and includes breakfast). The roof terrace had a nice view of the Olympic stadium, which was perfect for pictures.

We entered the train 1 minute before the door closed lol the train was too early at 10.48am. Luckily I discovered my boots became like that on the train and I quickly switched out to my sneakers. RIP boots which I only wore for 5 times.

It was many of their first time riding on the shinkansen *low smirk* and reached Nagano, checked in hotel, had mini lunch at family mart and bus to Togakushi. On the way there Jon's phone dropped on the bus and when I alighted the bus driver asked me what happened with the thumping sound and then I said in Japanese - his handphone thump thump thump. And they made that a joke for the rest of the day -_-

It was the same as I remembered 8 years ago when I went there. We started on the snow track which was difficult but ended up on the main road and walked for about an hour or so.

Indeed it was as beautiful as I remembered. We didn't go all the way in because the sun was setting and it started to snow heavily. We took many pictures and went back on the main road, walked about 20mins and then bus back to the city for dinner.

2 words - Nagano Soba. I have missed the soba for so long and it was as good as I remembered. Shopping at Donki after dinner, had drinks with Zac, and back at the hotel for morning train ride. I didn't do the Zenkoji stroll per usual but the forest snow hike was pretty fun.

2023 Tokyo Day 1

In September I was already searching for flights to Tokyo for my snow trip, and in October, 10 minutes after they announced Japan is open for tourist, I immediately booked my flight. Then I told Jessie I booked and she booked the same. Zac asked me about my flight and he booked the same. Neab asked me if I was going skiing and then he booked. And then Jon said he's coming. So 1 became 6, plus Angus, equals to 7 pax. First time I'm handling so many people.

Also first time I'm going on Business Class because I wanted to sleep on the red eye flight, and the business class was so cheap - $700 one way. My parents drove me to the airport - after which they headed to JB, and I had dinner at the lounge. Mine was a dry flight coz Royal Brunei so I stocked up on sparking wine first before heading to the gate.

Ok to be honest I was a little impressed by business class but the excitement went away after a while. I was too full but they kept feeding us. 1hour of transit in the small Brunei airport, and then off to Narita. 

I was expecting myself to sleep well but it was like a 5-6hour flight, 1 hour into the flight I slept about 3 hours, and then it was time for breakfast -_- Ok so I can't fall asleep on flight.

The customs queue at Narita was so long in the morning. After grabbing our luggage, met Neab, bought bus tickets. Some mishap at the bus ticket office because I bought 1 extra ticket but luckily I was able to refund but the guy in front of me was shushing me 😒. 

At tokyo station, we exchanged our JR pass, made reservation for train, took the JR, put our bags at the hotel and off we go for some shopping. We went Shinjuku for lunch first at Sushi Zanmai and then some snow gear shopping at Alpen.

Neab and I went to Harajuku to fix my watch but the staff said it would take 1 month so I bought another one hehehe. First 2 hours in Tokyo I already spent so much but it was such a beauty.

We had coffee at Gyre, and walked around Harajuku, then walked back to hotel to check in, washed up.

Akihabara to meet Angus and dinner at Tonkatsu Maguro. We queued about 30mins but it was a really good dinner. Then uniqlo shopping and second dinner and drinks at Torikizoku. Luckily I asked Emi to help us make a reservation, the food and drinks were as good as I remembered. Zac loves this place.

Jessie took us on a cab ride back to the hotel, we showered at the onsen and then slept for a morning train ride to Nagano.