I’ve received a number of complaints about my blogs being too deeply focussed on hotels, food in planes, and lounges. I think I’ve addressed those by mostly avoiding those subjects (well, besides hotels maybe), but so far nobody has complained…
Moscow: meanwhile in Russia…
It’s quite honestly impossible to describe Moscow. It’s a city of wild contrasts – glass skyscrapers right behind the Soviet-era apartment blocks (though it’s not as wild a contrast as Hong Kong, to be fair); Ladas driving alongside Mercedeses (though…
London, or a lesson in reading maps and using elite status wisely
Wise people say that you should read maps. Study them, understand them, and cherish them, for in war they are the difference between victory and defeat, and in travel they are the difference between a boring business trip and a…
Ishigaki: the Japanese tropical island that nobody’s ever heard of
A typical foreigner’s visit to Japan begins with the shrines in Kyoto, and possibly the megapolis of Tokyo. For many people, this is about the image of Japan that they have, and they walk away from it with an impression…
Amsterdam: tulips, red light districts, windmills and a Jaguar
The next grand voyage was to Amsterdam for a few days. It was for work, and I was somewhat disappointed I had to cancel vacation plans to Cambodia and Vietnam (there went my opportunity to try Intercontinental Da Nang, and…
Sydney: lights, water, blue sky, good food and some more water!
I’ve always wanted to visit Australia, and when I got the opportunity, I didn’t hesitate. Helps I had a good friend there whom I’ve not seen in years, and whose time I wanted to needlessly usurp (I feel like more…
Aso-zan, Takachiho and the castle: the not-so-hidden gems of Kumamoto
The following week after my mad blitz to Komatsu and Miyazaki, I continued my visits to places less travelled in Japan, and did a weekend run to Kumamoto. It helped that I had a friend there that I’ve not seen…
Miyazaki, Japan: a place for surfing, chicken, and Mo’ai statues
So after I finished my trip to Komatsu (well, “trip” is maybe a bit too big of a word given that it was a day trip), I still had the Sunday of that weekend remaining, not to mention the night.…
A visit to Komatsu (the city), Japan
So since I have a decent amount of free time on weekends, and a huge stash of Avios points – and it costs only 4,500 points each way (and $3 of taxes), I decided to explore Japan. Today, I’m going to to Komatsu – the only thing the city is really known for is the eponymous construction company. In light whereof, there’s apparently the world’s largest dump truck parked near the main station, as well as a fairly impressive car museum. So here we go.
A few days in Koh Samui
So as I wrote earlier, the ultimate destination for this trip was Koh Samui. Having only been to Bangkok, I wasn't sure what to expect – on the one hand, it's a tropical paradise destination, and on the other, the beaches around Koh Samui didn't strike me as being particularly amazing as far as swimming goes. I am not one to ever miss a mistake fare opportunity, though, and between the Bangkok ticket being incorrectly priced at Hong Kong prices and the villa being given to me for free, I wasn't about to complain!