#139 Singapore

Singapore is a very interesting little place. It's both a city and country in one, incredibly multicultural, vibrant and modern, and best of all everyone speaks English and it is very clean and safe. However it is also one of the most expensive places to visit in Asia, so best for a short trip or as part of a long stop-over. Overall I really enjoyed my short visit, and honestly it looks like a cool place to live.

The highlights of the city are the gardens, in particular the Botanical Gardens (which are free) and the Gardens by The Bay (paid attraction). When I visited it was in the summer holidays and the height of the Pokemon Go craze, so there were lots of young people crowded around the Botanical Gardens on their phones. I appreciate nature and getting out  for a nice walk but I'm not hugely interested in types of flowers etc so in hindsight visiting just the free Botanical Gardens would have been more than enough for me, and probably for most people too.

Cloud Forest

The Gardens by the Bay were quite expensive but since it's one of very few attractions there I splashed out to pay for it. The Cloud Forest was really cool, but you have to be careful as the misting only happens for a few minutes every few hours and unless you're there for that it's a bit pointless, so plan in advance. I was lucky and happened to be walking in just as misting started, so I ran around the different levels taking as many photos as I could while it lasted, then when it was over I finally relaxed and went back around again taking my time. I had an enjoyable time and since the domes are temperature controlled it was really nice taking a break from the heat, but overall unless you really like flowers it's not amazing and probably isn't worth the money.

The Gardens by the Bay area is also where you will find the Super Trees and also for a good view of the Marina Bay Sands hotel with the Infinity Pool on top. The only way to get to the pool is to stay at the hotel which is obviously very expensive so I didn't do this. The absolute highlight of my visit was the SuperTrees light show in the evening. They change the music and theme every few months, and when I went it was a 70's disco theme which I absolutely loved beyond words. You can pay to walk around the trees but it's only a small walkway between two of them so it didn't look like it was worth the money.

Shopping

There are tons of shopping malls and high class boutiques around the city, which for commoners like me aren't exactly budget friendly. Despite this I liked my visit to The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, it had a little Venetian boat ride going through the mall which is a first for me. It also had a deck out the front with a great view of the water and city skyline, I came here in the evening at sunset and waited around until it got dark.


The good places for eating, shopping and souvenirs would be Chinatown and Bugis Street which both had lots of stalls. There were also two malls beside Bugis which had familiar high street brand names and restaurants.

The Shoppes

Chinatown

Bugis Street

Transport

The best and only way to get around Singapore is the MRT (underground trains) which is very easy to use, very clean and safe and quite cheap too.

For getting to the country itself, I incorporated a visit to Singapore as part of a wider trip which included Thailand and Malaysia, which I think many tourists do. There are a few options for this including train, plane and bus, and in the end I flew to Thailand, flew to Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, got a bus to Singapore and then flew back to Thailand again. It's slightly more expensive to travel from Sinagpore to Malaysia than vice-versa which is interesting, and therefore I decided to go to Kuala Lumpur first and travel to Singapore.

I had originally planned to get an overnight train but they changed the schedules and routes shortly after I booked so I had to think fast, and opted to get a bus instead. The bus was luxury and the ticket was quite cheap, but the downside was it took a long time - we left KL at around 7am but didn't arrive in Singapore until around 1pm. Sinagpore Changi Airport is supposed to be the best in the world with all these crazy attractions - but to be honest I saw very little of this - there was a small Japanese garden, a small sunflower garden on the roof, and a small cinema room, which were nice but nothing particularly amazing like I had imagined.

#138 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Unfortunately, I had less than 48 hours in Malaysia's capital of Kuala Lumpur. Thankfully, it's quite small and I found I could just about get everything I wanted to see done!

Getting to KL

My first piece of advice is to try plan carefully when you will arrive in KL. I got an early flight from Bangkok and arrived in KL early afternoon on a Monday - and immigration was absolutely madness. I had to wait in line for 1hr40mins, there were hundreds of people in front of me and very little/no information from staff. I think avoid Monday mornings/afternoons as it seemed to be clearing up by the time I finally got through.

So when I finally arrived at my hostel, showered and prepared to go out it was about 5pm and quite late. I made friends with a Spanish girl who was also in KL for the same amount of time as me, and we went out together. First we headed to the Central Market, Chinatown and City Gallery (home of the I <3 KL sign). Thankfully these were all within walking distance of each other and easy to find. There weren't particularly spectacular and we didn't spend a long time, but they were nice and a good place to visit in the late afternoon or early evening before dinner.

Food

Our hostel was located beside the popular Jalan Alor street food street and we ate there, although be careful where you eat as some of the Chinese restaurants have giant menus and are not actually so cheap (and forgot to put in our order, so eventually we left and went somewhere cheaper further down the street). Make sure to watch out for all the durians (well...more like smell out!) too.

Batu Caves

On our second day we headed off to the wonderful Batu caves. It was very cheap and easy to get to, we simply caught one of the regular trains from KL Sentral for only 4ringitts (90c!) return that took about an hour. The train is very clean and modern, and there are even women only carriages! The caves themselves are free to enter and look very remote and exotic despite being so close to the city. It really is an amazing, WOW-factor destination without all the hassle. Perfect!

Best Place for a View

On our way back we visited the famous Petronas Towers. I wasn't eager to actually go up the tower since it was very expensive (85rm/€18), and it turned out tickets were completely sold out for that day by the time we arrived (around 2pm) so if you do want to go up make sure to go early in the morning or get tickets in advance.

We went to the Skybar located at Traders Hotel that night to take photos of the Towers at night. It was quite busy and there were no seats at the window, but we found a couch at the window and sat there and took photos. No staff approached us to take our order, and so we got away without even having to buy a drink. They also weren't strict on dress code - we didn't look bad but we also didn't dress up either!

Although my time in KL was very short, I felt I could still get a good feel for the place and I had a very enjoyable time. I didn't get the opportunity to visit the Islamic Arts Museum but I have read good reviews so I would encourage you to visit there too.

#132 Preparing to Climb Mt Fuji 2016

EDIT: To read about my climbing experience and for details on the Fujinomiya trail please check out my most current post here.


I currently live in Shizuoka Prefecture, which is the “Home of Mt Fuji” (although part of Fuji also lives in Yamanashi Prefecture too!). Since it’s nearby, I decided I had no excuse not to climb Fuji before I leave this summer.

Getting There

Firstly, there are English language tours for around 20,000yen departing regularly from Tokyo, so if you are a tourist I would probably recommend booking one of those for a totally hassle free climb. However, it’s not difficult to do it yourself, as there are daily buses to/from Tokyo all through the climbing season (check out Willer for bus information)

You can also reach the mountain by getting a Shinkansen to Shin-Fuji station, and from there a 2 hour bus.

When to climb

Fuji is only open from around mid July to early September. This short climbing period means it’s always busy. Weekends and basically most of August (from around 10^th to 20^th maybe) are particularly crowded, and it’s possible to wait in line to get to the summit, especially at sunrise when lines can become quite long. I’ll be climbing on a Sunday-Monday because of work restrictions, but ideally I’d have liked to climb mid-week.

Night Hiking or Sleeping Over?

l  Many people choose to hike through the night and reach the summit at sunrise. This is officially not recommended as it can cause more accidents since people are tired and sleepy, and also climbing quickly increases the likelihood of altitude sickness. Despite this, thousands climb at night every year and experience absolutely no problems, and it is a cheaper, easier and faster alternative to sleeping over.

l  I will be sleeping over, mostly because I am worried about altitude sickness and the detrimental effects on my poor fitness level. You need to reserve your space in the hut well in advance of your climb, especially at weekends and the middle of August. Unfortunately many huts still only take phone reservations, and only some speak English. This website lists all the huts on the Fujinomiya route, including information like prices and availability, as usual it’s just in Japanese but is very easy to Google translate. You can also find more basic information on all the routes on the JNTO website.

My mountain hut in 2016

So, you just reserve your place in good faith and pay cash when you arrive. The prices are around 5,500yen for sleeping and 7,500 including breakfast and dinner. Dinner is usually something basic and filling like curry rice, but I have no idea what to expect from breakfast (EDIT; It was bread and not worth the 1,000yen). Dinner is served until around 6pm, since many climbers sleep early and wake up around midnight and in the early hours to climb again in order to reach the summit for sunrise at around 5am.

The huts are in no way glamorous – you will be in a big room in a sleeping bag with 250 people on either side of you. There doesn’t appear to be much personal space and I’m a little concerned about the smell after everyone hiking all day – but I’m sure it’s all an experience! 

I booked the 8^th station (Ikeda Kan) on the Fujinomiya route online via their website – it was in Japanese but I translated it and their confirmation email was in English, presumably because they saw my foreign name. This also leads me to believe that even huts that officially have no English are probably so used to foreigners that they can communicate at least a little.

Fitness Level

Everyone hears stories about children and little old ladies climbing Fuji every year. However, there’s a reason why the Japanese live so long – they are very active into old age, and these little old ladies are probably out doing calisthenics at 6am in the local park every day so it would be foolish to underestimate their fitness level and compare them to the average old ladies in your country.

Now, from what I hear Fuji is not a difficult climb – you don’t need specialist climbing equipment or a Sherpa to help guide you. However, it’s still a mountain and should be treated as such. Taking your time, sleeping over and carrying the appropriate clothing and supplies will make it much easier.

Route

There are five routes total, but to be realistic and save time I’ll only tell you about the two popular routes.

l  Yo shi da – This is the most popular route, probably due to ease of access from Tokyo. It is also the most crowded but has a large amount of facilities such as toilets, huts and stores. It starts from quite low down but the incline is reasonably gentle (for a mountain anyway).

l  Fuji no miya – This is the route I will be climbing (just because it’s nearest my house), and is accessed by Shin-Fuji station. It is the shortest climb to the summit, but it is steeper than Yoshida. My friends said that it took them about 8 hours climbing all night, taking long breaks too. The estimate is about 4-7 hours to climb up and half that to descend.

Equipment and Gear

You need to be prepared for cold weather; although it may be 30 degrees Celsius outside, by the time the bus drops you to the 5th station it's quite high up and already you'll feel a slight chill. If climbing at night be prepared for it to be especially cold. The weather is also said to be very changeable so raingear and a change of clothes is also advisable.

l  Renting: I found Kobe Outdoor (mtfujirental .com) was very useful – their website is modern, fully in English and they deliver to hotels/AirBnBs from 3 days before your climbing date so you have time to change sizes etc, and you can return them within 24 hours of climbing at a convenience store. I have ordered hiking boots from them, so I will update and let you know if they are as good as they seem! (EDIT; They are! Even delivered a day earlier. Great service).

l  Walking Stick – This costs about 1,000 yen and is available at all the stations. You can get it stamped for 200yen at each station on the way up and is a popular souvenir (although awkward to fit in a suitcase coming home perhaps…)
Here's a few other things you should definitely take with you;

l  Hiking boots + thick socks

l  Oxygen cans (available at the base stations but very expensive so buy in advance)

l  Sunscreen

l  Sunglasses + hat

l  Rain coat and pants

l  Thick coat

l  Thermal top + leggings

l  Hat + gloves

l  Headlamp (night hiking)

l  Eye mask + Ear plugs (if sleeping over)
l  As much water as you can carry - prices get to 500yen for 500ml from the 7th station...

Last summer I met a guy with incredible sunburn – turns out he was recently climbing Fuji at night and was so busy preparing his gloves and coat that he forgot that he would be climbing down the mountain in daytime in the height of Japanese summer….needless to say I learned from his mistake and sunscreen and a hat are top of my list!

More Useful Links

• Japan Guide - Mt Fuji
• Official Fuji Website
• JNTO Fuji Information

The famous sunrise - actually seen from the 8th station

#130 No More Sleeper Trains From KL-SG/SG-KL

As of 19^th May 2016, the timetables have changed and getting the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore (or vice-versa) is no longer a viable option.

Unlucky for me, the change was made one day after I finally booked my flights, one arriving into KL and one leaving from SG, which means I need to find another way to get from KL-SG.

You can find more info about the updated timetable here on Seat61: http://www.seat61.com/Malaysia.htm#Train_times

“There are no more overnight sleeping-cars on the Malaysian north-south route. You now need to change at Gemas when travelling from Johor Bahru [Singapore] to KL.”

The new schedule means the train now leaves Kuala Lumpur at 1.22am, and you must get off and switch trains at somewhere called Gemas. You arrive into Gemas at 3.40am but you won’t leave until 4.10am. You’ll arrive into Johur Bahru [Singapore] at 8.10am.

While not impossible to do, the very late departure time and changes in the middle of the night now makes this route a no-go for most people, including me. If you’re still interested, the total trip costs around 52rm (11eur).

The Bus

Since you couldn’t book the sleeper train until one month before departure, I had previously decided to also look up alternative options should I be unable to book online in advance, or the train be fully booked. I could always get a flight, but that would waste time and be more expensive. Thankfully, there’s a bus.

The bus from KL to SG takes around 5 hours (estimates range from 4.5-5.5hrs depending on traffic) and costs range from 30-45sgd (20-29eur), but the average is 37sgd (24eur). Just like with the train, it is more expensive to go from SG to KL, so keep that in mind. It appears you can book the bus much further in advance, at least 3 months, and I have read that they work with foreign credit cards.

Most of the buses appear to be luxurious. There are large, individual, reclining seats with lots of legroom, built-in massage functions, entertainment system and charging point. It is similar to first or business class on an airplane, and totally different from your average bus in most countries! They also provide water, hot drinks and a meal during the journey, and make rest stops for the bathroom along the way.

The first buses leave KL at 7am (arriving around midday) and cost 37sgd (24eur), and the last bus leaves 11.30pm. Since the journey is only around 5 hours, it would mean arriving into SG around 5am, which unless you’re heading straight to the airport I obviously wouldn’t recommend.

The buses from KL usually leave at Berjaya Times Square (a central hub of the city and near many hostels and hotels) and arrive into SG at Golden Mile Complex, a mall which is a 5min walk from Nicholls Highway MRT station so convenient for transfers.

The bus ticketing sites I found are busonlineticket.com  and easybook.com. I have yet to use these sites so I cannot verify their trustworthiness, but easybook seems to be…well…easy to use, but busonlineticket is quite similar, and the times/prices are all the same. You can also book direct from the company, so it might be a better idea to use the aforementioned sites to find the bus you want, and then book it directly from the company.

I have read many reviews online about Transtar Soliataire bus service, and that is also the one that leaves first at 7am, so I will likely get that one. However, I have also read some reviews that said the bus was an hour late. This would be very unfortunate, as I had first planned to take the train and arrive in SG at 9am, and now it will be around 12pm earliest. I have seen mentions of Aeroline, but when I look at the bus options on the ticketing sites it is not one of them, so perhaps it only works SG-KL direction.

While at first I was obviously annoyed my best laid plans have come apart, and that I’ll now have to spend more money on an extra night in a hostel and a more expensive bus ticket, and also that I will be arriving into SG a few hours later than expected, it’s not all bad.

The bus looks like a fun experience, and by Western standards the ticket is very cheap. It’s also easier than trying to figure out the Johur Bahru-Woodlands shuttle, and the new collection and drop-off points are very close to both my hostels in KL and SG.

Basically, I’m just glad I noticed the timetable change now and can figure out the bus and book another night at my hostel. I’m just worried for people who were expecting to get on the sleeper train soon and have not been made aware of the changes.

UPDATE: I took the Transtar bus from KL to SG last week. It was a good bus and good service, the only downside was it took the full 7 hours - we left 7am and arrived 2pm.

#129 Hamamatsu, Japan

Hamamatsu is a city on the Shinkansen line about halfway between Tokyo and Osaka.

Ieyasu Kun at Hamamatsu Castle

It has a population of about 800,000 people. It is home to Japan's cutest mascot Ieyasu-Kun, and is famous for it's japanese eel unagi.

There are a number of attractions in Hamamatsu, the most apparent being the only skyscraper in Shizuoka Prefecture, Act Tower. For a small fee of around 500yen you can get a great view of all of Hamamatsu from the top.

Hamamatsu has a small castle, which was built by the famous shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa (who also inspired Ieyasu-kun!).

Hamamatsu is also sometimes known as the City of Music, and is home to the Yamaha world headquarters as well as a music museum.

However, most of the attractions are near a big lake called Hamana-ko.

About a one hour bus ride from the city, you can find many attractions such as Hamamatsu City Zoo, Flower Park, Kanzanji Onsen (hot spring), an amusement park, cablecar and boat rides.

One of the best times to visit would be during the Hamamatsu Festivall, which is held during Golden Week every year. There, at Nakatajima sand dunes, you can find different neighbourhoods take part in kite battles in the sky!

Hamamatsu has many hotels, so it is convenient as a hub for visiting other places in Western Shizuoka such as Kakegawa which has a castle and bird park, Kikugawa which is famous for it's green tea fields and Iwata which is home to the EcoPa stadium which hosts music concerts and sporting events.

Access

The Shinkansen from Tokyo takes either 1.5/2 hours and costs 7,700 for an unreserved seat. There is also a 4 hour highway bus from Shibuya/Shinjuku for 3,800 one way or 6,700 return.
From Nagoya Chubu Centrair Airport it's about a 2 hour direct bus for 3,200.
From Osaka it's either 1.5/2 hours and 8,400 for an unreserved seat.

View of Hamamatsu city from Act Tower

#95 Yes, it is cheaper than flying

I'll be getting the bus to London (from Ireland) in a few weeks.

After searching through a few forums online, and after getting a similar reaction from anyone I've told - I would like to clarify and say that the bus is cheaper than flying. It is a fact.

Since I don't live in Dublin it will cost me €30 for a return ticket to Dublin Airport. A return air fare to London will be about €50, and then once you get to London you'll need a transfer to the city which will be about €20. So flying will now cost €100 total. With only hand luggage.


Now for the bus. Since it leaves from where I live, and arrives into the centre of London, there's no transfer fees. The bus ticket is €53 return. And I can bring as much luggage as I want. So what's the total cost? €53. Half the price of flying.

Apart from the price, everyone's talking about how long it takes. The bus leaves around 8pm and arrives 8am the next morning. So I acknowledge that it is 12 hours of my life gone, but it's all night time so realistically I should be sleeping soundly anyway.

"But flying only takes an hour". No sir, no it does not. That is a lie.

Anyone who has ever flown anywhere knows you have to get to the airport at least two hours in advance of your flight. And then there's the aforementioned connections - so for me it would take 3 hours to Dublin airport, and about an hour once I get to London. So that's 7 hours, and this would be probably during the day.

Oh, and there were a few who said I'd spend all my money at the petrol station stops buying food and coffee etc. Like, I'm travelling at night. I dunno about you, but I'm not one to tuck into meals at 3am. And even if I did buy coffee, I'd have to buy a lot for it to make a dent price wise in comparison to flying.


Now, if you lived in Dublin and only wanted to bring hand luggage then yeah, flying could work out about the same price as the bus. But, for me, getting the bus is a far cheaper option, and since I have very little money to spend on this trip, it's the only option.

Am I looking forward to sitting in close proximity to a stranger for like 7 hours (I get a 5 hour break while on the ferry)? Not really, last time I got a long distance bus (Oslo-Stockholm, night bus, took 7 hours) I had a friendly but odd woman fall asleep on my shoulder and it was terribly uncomfortable. But let's face it, it's €53, and I'd say I'll be getting what I paid for. If I had more money I would definitely fly, but the reality is that I don't, so I will be bussing it, and I will let you know how it goes.

(Oh, and before you say I could get the train - it's more expensive than the bus, and cheap is the name of the game).