Alila Wuzhen Oct 2023

Before I flew to Shanghai we decided to go Wuzhen for a weekend trip because of Alila Wuzhen. On Satuday we had Lao Wang delivery for lunch and drove all the way to Wuzhen. It was a 2hours drive and the weather was sunny and amazing.

We reached around evening time 5pm, the sun was setting and it was so beautiful at the reception area.

Alila Wuzhen is by far the most beautiful hotel I've ever stayed in. We got upgraded to their biggest room - the pool villa because of his status lol. Everything was so zen and artsy. Everything was so big in the room, the bathtub and bathroom etc. 

After exploring the place we had dinner at their restaurant, which was quite good and value for money. The set dinner was only $50 per pax. Their bar was just ok.

At night it was drinking time, we closed the glass panel doors because it was too cold and I drank till I puked because I mixed wine and whiskey -_- a little hangover the next day.

Their breakfast was just average, typical chinese breakfast with ala carte menu, didn't taste really good. We decided to go out to explore Wuzhen town. It was just a typical touristy water town haha, totally not worth the ticket price. 

We ate late lunch there at a beef noodle shop then headed back to hotel and then back to Shanghai for BBQ hehe.

Tokyo Oct 23 Day 4,5,6

Next morning I woke up quite late so brunch was tonkatsu curry near the hotel. 

I went to Shimokita for APFR and it was better than I thought. I bought so many nice smelling sticks haha and they were not too expensive! 

Day drinking strawberry gin tonic at a pop-up Beams shop, then back to Harajuku to send my watch for fixing and walking around cat street to Shibuya. 

Ate at a standing sushi bar at Shibuya, went to Oimachi to buy my supermarket stuff and my plates before Angus texted me to see if I wanted to hit the bars haha. Yes of coz! I was so glad I was staying near the bars at Shinjuku so I could walk home from the bars. My luggage was almost full...

Next day lunch was the omakase I booked a month before, recommended by my team leader and it was absolutely lovely. All the sashimi were so fresh and sweet, and we were so full after that. The grape was the biggest and juiciest grape I had ever had.

We walked around to Tokyo station, then to Tomigaya for more tableware shopping recommended by Julian. Kihara Porcelain was amazing. Just look at the designs and solid plates. I bought an alcohol cup while Angus bought 3 haha. We went back to put down our shoppings and he was shocked my luggage was so full already haha...

I was crazing gyoza so he brought me to a famous gyoza shop at Shinjuku.. we ate some snacks at family mart while waiting for our table. The gyoza was quite nicely done and very fresh and cheap, but I don't think it's worth the wait. We hit the bars again after...

I had an early flight next day and it was so sad to leave Tokyo. I bought some breakfast and did some duty free shopping - snack buying.

JAL had the best plane food period. They even had this limited JAL Haagen Dazs flavour which was urgh amazing. I'm booking JAL for my every flight to Japan.

Tokyo Oct 23 Day 1, 2, 3

I did the same routine with Malaysia airlines with the short transit period so I was hoping my luggage got delayed. When I reached the Narita belt, I saw the staff holding up 3 names but none was mine and I saw my luggage -_- 

Off I go to the new hotel that I booked near shinjuku at a pretty cheap rate, they said I could do a early check in so I went for brunch nearby at an oyakodon shop. I miss oyakodon so much.

The hotel provides free flow of tea and coffee bags, facial products and other stuff so everytime I went downstair I just took a few. So first order of business: Akihabara for my gundam paints. I headed to Yodobashi Akiha, took all my paints and stuff very excitedly and then went to the tax-free counter to pay. 

"Paints and Solvents are not allowed to be checked into the plane, carry on also not allowed" - That's what the staff told me, and then I googled and it turns out to be a true plot twist for my Japan trip. -_- A very sad day for my model kits. 

Anyway I went to get a nice donut to console myself, went to my familiar Matsumoto and life shop to buy more stuff, headed back to the hotel to put down my stuff. After that met O, toured Park Hyatt Tokyo hotel suite, then met his friends for dinner at Toriki - one of my fav restaurants in Tokyo now.

After that we bought drinks and back to drink at the suite. At night one of the staff came to tell us to turn down our volume coz we were too loud, then O went down to argue with the manager lol. Anyway it was too late so I stayed over.

Next day I went down to Tokyo station to look at some furniture, and ate Oyakodon which was quite good.

I also got my gin bottle at Ginza, shopped around and went to check out the new Andaz hotel and drank free flow sake at the lounge lol. Sushi zanmai for dinner.

Next day was my favourite chicken ramen for lunch - I got their seasonal oyster and clams ramen which was so sweet and savoury, went for more shopping, checked out the Andaz suite and drank for free at the lounge again lol. Dinner at the hotel restaurant wasn't too expensive, the view was so good. 

I have been buying snacks and desserts from the 7-11 and family mart near my hotel, they are just so addictive urgh.