Our lives and travels
The holiday in the UK started with an early morning pick-up of a rental car. The first stops included Oxford and a brief exploration and Stratford-upon-Avon for lunch and a visit to Shakespeare's Birthplace. They missed the upcoming birthday celebrations but enjoyed the charming streets before heading to Manchester to visit a friend.
After Chantal finishing the conference, Chris and Chantal explored Hong Kong, enjoying sunset views and traditional Chinese cuisine. Activities included visiting temples, shopping malls, and a cat café. They experienced mixed dining encounters, from delectable pastries to disappointing dim sum. Their exit included a visit to a Buddhist nunnery before returning home.
We started our day with a visit to the quiet Sompo Museum of Art in Shinjuku, enjoying the "the magic north" exhibition and viewing Van Gogh's Sunflowers. After energy-replenishing fluffy Japanese pancakes, we explored Takeshita Street in Harajuku, encountering unique experiences and animal cafes.
We decided to explore Kyoto by electric-assisted bikes. The day included exploring temples, witnessing the oddity of tourists in kimonos, and encountering cats at Fushimi Inari Taisha. The adventure ended with a creepy detour in the shrine grounds.
After a five-year hiatus from international travel (excluding the move to New Zealand), we meticulously planned our Japan trip for 5 months, carefully considering our priorities and desires. Upon arrival in Tokyo, we smoothly navigated immigration, transportation, and obtained SIM cards. We explored Ueno Park, visited a museum, and ventured into the bustling Akihabara Electric Town. Finally, we relaxed at a cat cafe before enjoying a fusion ramen dinner.
Nearing the end of day two, having had a Pina Colada (Chantal) and Whisky Sour (Chris), we write this entry. We promise we will get to the cats part very soon.
Day 11, Sunday 1 May – Chilling back at the park, pancakes, cheese and wine As per our previous post, we intended to take it really easy on Sunday. As it turned out, we had walked 15.17Km on Saturday – we believed we deserved a rest! After a lazy morning we decided that it would … Continue reading Amsterdam – Lots of walking
The day began at 3am in the morning, which is not how I usually like to start my day. Chantal and I were clearly seeing the effects of jetlag. This was the start of my birthday but we weren’t technically able to do anything at this hour. We decided to read through the first few … Continue reading Greece Day One – The Acropolis and Cats
Chris and Chantal 