Wednesday 8 April Melbourne Singapore Osaka

Managed to get sleep overnight which was just as well with a 2:45am alarm. Quick shower and cuppa to be checked out for our shuttle to the airport. We were early but the lovely fellow on duty at reception took us straight away. Simple process through check in and time to head to the Silverkris lounge. A much needed coffee, vegemite on toast and a yoghurt have sufficed as breakfast. 2 hours til our 5.55am flight so nice to be comfortable while we wait. Time to board and find my pod for the next 7 1/2 hours.

Service great as usual, as is the food. Should have done a bit better homework though as I pre ordered prawns in ginger sauce for my main meal and it was also the entree, with prawns as a starter as well. Just as well I love prawns. Forgot to photograph the chicken satay inital dish! The chocolate coffee mousse cake was delish.

We had been flying more than 2 hours when the flight attendant asked me if I would like a drink as I had already had a coffee while most other passengers were sleeping. I asked her if it was too early for a wine and she said that it was never too early for wine. I think I've found a new friend! Now far be it for me to dob in a mate, but J1 did manage to knock over her glass of water whilst trying to remove the tail from one of the prawns on her entree plate.... At least it didnt require tongs or an engineer to clean up. LOL! Smooth landing in Singapore and time to find our way from terminal 1 to 2. The airport really is amazing. there are so many shops, but it is the theme gardens and sculptures and waterfall and sensory areas that make it so enjoyable to wander around. Just love the overhead lake.

Up to the lounge to then await our next flight which will get us to Japan. Soon enough we head to the gate for our 5h 45m flight.

Excellent service once again and food aplenty. The lobster thermidor was exceptional.

We were 20 minutes late departing and once we arrived at Osaka it was a good 15 minutes before we were cleared to approachthe gate but we finally made our and then worked out way through immigration which was no mean feat for poor J1 who had to deal with a pedantic officer who workaholic accept the description of tour on the firm whereas as the venue I had didn't bat am due at the same description for address while in Japan. Next stop was the luggage carousel. Then through quarantine and out to the arrivals hall where we eventually located our driver who was holding a sign 'Wenzel with Ponant'.Somehow he worked out who we were for Travelmarvel! A 45 minute drive later and we were deposited at our hotel, Doubletree by Hilton. Took a bit of working out that the arrival lobby was just that and we had to go to the 6th floor for reception! Duh. An easy check in and off to our hotel room which was really nice. It is now almost midnight. There have been 2 time changes and I'm seeing double vision so it is well and truly time for bed. Welcome to Japan.

Japan here we come Tuesday 7 April

Japan here we come, but via Melbourne overnight as it’s an early flight Wednesday morning. Nothing like a complimentary car to pick us up for the airport. Bit of a drag to have to wait with the general public for our flight as we couldn't see the value of paying for Business class on a one hour domestic flight. Mind you, my one and only Business Class domestic flight last month resulted in J2 dropping an airpod down the arm rest tray holder, and then dropping the tongs the flight attendant gave her to retrieve the ear bud! The pilot had to be advised to arrange for an engineer to be waiting when we landed, to retrieve both items! C'est tellement embarrassant! I'm quietly confident that J1 won't replicate these actions, plus she isn't blonde so we should be safe... Our driver was 15 minutes early but I was ready and a pleasant drive to the airport. Easy check in but I wasnt happy having to go through the general public screening line as my legs definitely wanted to steer me towards the priority line! Thankfully not many going through so I managed to ward off a panic attack. Now to fill time until our flight. I knew we wouldnt be offered a meal in Economy on a 1 hour flight so I had made sandwiches which we consumed in the waiting area. J1 decreed that it was wine time, and who am I to argue? A nice lttle Sav Blanc helped pass some time.

Our flight was 35 minutes late leaving but we finally got away and landed in Melbourne 57 minutes later. Not a real big fan of Virgin. I am the first to admit that I am a flight snob these days, and sitting in a cramped seat next to a large fellow who hogged both arm rests plus some of my knee space made it clear that one hour is the maximum I can manage in cattle class without alcohol!!!! Anyway, safe arrival and our cases arrived on the baggage carousel so all good so far. A 10 minite walk to our hotel, Ibis Styles, and we are checked into our room for the night. A much needed cuppa is the first order of business. Then we head down to reception to book the free shuttle for the morning. It is probably about 15 minutes to walk but at 3.30 in the morning we are opting for the hotel shuttle. Now time for for more wine!

We decided to stay in the hotel tap bar and have dinner. We will need an early night but chances of sleep aren't promising. Dinner was nachos and chicken spring rolls. Food was okay but took a very long time to be served. Even though it is only about 8pm local time we have headed back to our room and are ready for bed. Just hope I get some sleep before our very early start in the morning. Our holiday truly gets underway tomorrow as we head for Singapore and then Osaka.

Monday 5 January

Packing morning and J has decided that she is simply going to throw everything in her case, sit on it and close it. Somehow that worked but please don't ask me to lift her case! I have bought very little so am able to pack easily enough however I can't find a souvenir wall tile that I bought yesterday. I'm worried that J has grabbed it up and thrown it in her case but she assured me she hasn't. So I head to the downstairs Cafe where we had coffee yesterday afternoon and thankfully the assistant had found my little bag that I'd managed to leave behind. All our bags now successfully packed. Off to breakfast we go. We have late checkout so are able to relax for a while before it is time to check out and hopefully get a taxi that will accept credit cards as very few do, and I don't have enough cash for the 45 minute ride to the airport. Time to check out and wait for a taxi. Even though from 2026 all taxis must accept credit cards, apparently there are more than 18,600 taxis here but less than 500 currently accepting credit cards! We were so lucky when we arrived here and eventually got to the head of the extra long queue, that our taxi was one of the few accepting credit card for payment. Hotel staff tell us that we have to have cash and we are adamant that we don't have enough. Finally a senior person from the hotel comes outside with us and tells us that he still order a taxi that did accept card for us but it might be a wait. Our wait was only about 5 minutes so with all bags burbled into the taxi we head to the airport expecting a 45 minute ride. We were there within 25 minutes. It is a huge terminal and we manage to find our checkin counter and then work our way through the scanner where my carryon case needs to be searched. I'm asked if I have pepper spray! What??? After searching my little case we find the culprit. It is the Singapore Airlines gift cosmetic bag that they have me on a flight over that I sieved in my car and forgot about. Hadn't even opened it, but it had a tiny pump spray spritzer in it. Hilarious! I am then waved through. Will have to tell Emily about it when I give it to her. When then go through 2 lots of have scan and passport scan, where J gets stoppe at the final scan as the camera doesn't recognise her. How can it not recognise the only woman in the entire airport who has white hair with pink steaks through it! We have a laugh, shrug our shoulders and head towards the lounge where we are very happy to sit and eat and drink until it is time to board. While we imbibe I can catch up on the blog, plus add some photos that J took and has sent me. New Year's eve harbour cruise.

Learning my future by shaking the sticks.

My delicious seafood pizza!

We have had a great time and as I always say, I don't go anywhere to have a bad time! Time to board our flight to Singapore. Goodbye Hong Kong. You've been great!

Food was great as always. Loved the Laksa. No room for desserts. And soon enough we were watching the sunset as we arrived in Singapore.

About a 4 hour wait for our next flight which is due to leave just before midnight. I have to admit that I'm ready for bed now! Our flight home was uneventful and I enjoyed my lobster thermidor but only drank orange juice and water.

Easily enough through immigration and I remembered to collect the duty free. No was or wonderful chauffeur who collected us from the airport and so now safely back home. Time to throw everything in the washing machine. But don't put your passport on mothballs a we are off on our next overseas adventure in April. Safe travels!

Sunday 4 January

Late breakfast this morning which I only just made as they have changed the hours to finish at 10 am and I was there at 9.55. Thank goodness J had already grabbed me a yoghurt and coffee! We then head down to the ferry terminal and into the Tourism office which had been so helpful previously. I asked what there would be to see and do if we took the ferry to Wan Chai such is more business and local residential. We were told about a market which works be about a15 minute walk from the ferry terminal. So off we head on another adventure. We have mastered the ticket purchase system so are soon onboard the ferry. Weather is perfect again.

Now on dry land and attempting to follow a map to the market area, we set off.

At traffic lights I am getting my bearings when am Indian man asks if he can help us with directions. I show him on the map where we are aiming for and he tells us that he is heading that way so to follow him. Trust is a must, as we follow him. Just as well as he took us the door cuts to go on overhead walkways. He leaves us on a main street as he is off to temple but tell us that we just need to stay on that road. We have a lovely time wandering along. This really is where the locals shop.

There was nothing to tempt us to try or buy so decide to head back to the ferry terminal. We could have taken the MTR but the ferry is more scenic. We are able to retrace out steps back to the very terminal so have a walk along the promenade before heading to the ferry.

Back on the ferry and then a walk around near our hotel, where I find a souvenir shop that has a HK wall tile which will be hung out on my verandah. Back to the hotel for a coffee in the Cafe area. It isn't cheap but it is good. A short test in the room and then we head to high Tea at the hotel. We had previously booked on the Tuesday for today at 3pm. High Tea is advertised as being served every day in the middle row bar where we have happy hour. On Thursday night at 10pm we got a phone call in our room to tell us that high Tea is cancelled as there is now a party booked for the room. Anyway, Friday morning we excited our disappointment at being messed around, and we are advised that we can still have our high Tea on Sunday, but in the dining room. So that where it high Tea was today. Not nearly as nice and private a seeing as staff were cleaning the floor and setting tables for the evening buffet. It was quite noisy so when we were finally offered the high Tea (20 minutes after we were seated) we said how disappointed we were as although the high Tea would not doubt be nice, the room was not and had spoiled the experience. J suggested that a complimentary wine would help so we both got our free balls of wine, plus when I asked them to confirm the price, we were offered 20% discount so that helped too.Mind you, they add 10%to every bill...

Time to head back to our room for a rest before happy hour. LOL! This is our last full day in HK and we have certainly packed a lot in. The weather gods have been very kind and there isn't much more that we think we could have fitted in apart from going to see the pandas at Ocean world, and as we can see pandas in Adelaide, we don't feel that we've missed out. Happy hour is a nice end to our evening. We got to speaking to an American couple nearby who have just finished a cruise and are also heading home tomorrow. Was nice to swap travel stories. Their luggage was missing for 5 days so they certainly had stories to tell! Apparently San Francisco is notorious for delayed luggage. Anyway time to head back to our room and bed. We've had a ball!

Saturday 3 January

Another day tour booked and today we head off to Lantau Island. Great weather again too so we are very fortunate. We head to the Tung Chung Cable Car terminal where we have to queue to board the cable car. The Ngong Ping 360 cable car is the longest bi-cable ropeway in Asia. It is 5.7km. High rise apartment buildings galore.

It isn't a long wait as in a tour group we get priority. Fabulous views along the way!

Once we are all at the top of the terminal we head through to the bus park where we now have a20 plus minte wait for 2 Russian eomen, members of our group, who speak no English and have managed to get lost between getting off the cable car and walking to the bus park.

Our guide,Ben, keeps going to look for them with no success so eventually as we beat the 25 minute mark he phones his office to get permission to go on without them. You can guess how long I would have waited!!! Anyway, we now head to visit Tai O fishing village which is the oldest fishing village in Hong Kong.

No way Im trying any of the good on offer. Nope, nope nope. However we do take up the optional boat ride around the stilt houses.

Our little boat then heads out to see in the hope that we might see some of the local white dolphins. There are apparently about 20 in the pod but we don't get to see them today. It was still a lot of fun looking for them and bouncing around the waves in our small craft!

Time to head back to the coach to take us back to the big Buddha.

We have booked the tour that includes lunch so Ben takes us with 4 other women to the dining hall. Lunch is a very simple vegetarian affair and we thought we were being given a pot of tea which turned out to be just hot water.

Lunch is a quiet affair and reasonably quick. In hindsight we wouldd have done better buying our lunch at one of the numerous eateries nearby. We now have about 45 minutes to get to the Buddha and climb the 268 steps. Somehow we manage to do it without needing resuscitation! This Buddha is the second largest outdoor seated bronze Buddha statue.

Some lovely statues up the top and good views.

Time yo head down again which is much quicker but not good for the knees.

We then make our way back to the designated meeting spot. Where we now have a further 10 minute wait for an Indian fellow who never had the good have to apologise for keeping us all waiting. Still not sight of the Russians.

Now back in line for the cable car and our ride back down

Back on the coach and to our bemusement, the Russians are already sitting on board. WT? We set off thinking we are heading for our hotel but instead we are taken to the same jewellery store we went to yesterday. I tell Ben that I will stay in the bus as I don't want to go there again and put up with hard sell, but he is most insistent that I have to go in or he will be in trouble with his boss for not taking people into the store. I can't be bothered arguing with him, especially as 3 other people didn't get off the bus. Unsurprisingly no one bought anything so we were able to get back on the bus fairly quickly. Time to head back to our hotel and bid farewell to Ben.

Another great day had and now time for a cuppa and feet up for a while before we head to compulsory happy hour. We settle in for happy hour and are feeling a bit peckish so J orders fish and chips while I decide on a seafood pizza. My pizza was delicious but as there was no way I could eat it all, I discarded crusts (my hair is curly enough) and then just ate the toppings when I could eat no more pizza base. I was stuffed but well satisfied. J is a bad influence on me as we had 3 wines (the lovely male attendant let us share the second round so we could have a different wine each) and she argued convincingly for a fourth. I acknowledged that I wouldn't be driving or operating heavy machinery so bowed to her insistence and we had another wine even though we were well outside happy hour times. Our barman gave us happy hour rates and we were very happy and slightly inebriated customers. So it became time to head for our room and bed! Yet another lovely day in HK. We certainly have the tourist personal down pat...