Reaching to the Sky I’d like to add one more instance of addiction if I could, the instance that I personally have; an addiction for driving through mountain passes. To satiate such longing, my girlfriend and I decided to head for The Rockies for my long weekend getaway. First, I didn’t want to drive my car to the Rockies as it would be quite a drive from my hometown, San Francisco. But, if we fly, how will we ensure that we get a fun car to drive through the stratospheric mountain passes? Georgetown Our first stop after passing the boring part of I-70 was Georgetown at exit 228. Georgetown in the modern days is a little quaint tourist town with crafts stores, convenient shops, family restaurants, and cafes. Many people visit this town to go back ... read more

Nikko and Iroha Highway Nikko is about 150 km north of Tokyo. The cultural highlight of this region is the Toshogu, Japan's most lavishly decorated shrine complex and mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Unlike most Japanese temples and shrines, the buildings here are extremely gaudy and ornate, with multicolored carvings and plenty of gold leaf. There is the famous three wise monkey wooden carving. These wise monkeys embody the proverbial principle to "see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil". The Nürburgring, known as simply "The Ring" by car enthusiasts, is the famous motorsport race track in Nürburg, Germany. All German car makers and international car makers who are continuously attempting to match and outdo the Germans in driving dynamics come to the Ring to prove their prototypes. The ... read more

Needing more space and Zen My weekday life was filled with meeting with many people in black suits, packed subway trips, and crossing intersections in a sea of people. One of the positives of being in the crowded and electrifying place like Tokyo was the fact that I could sense the buzzing of people’s energy around me. There were so many things to do after work. Different neighborhoods have different characteristics and offer a wide variety of nightlife activities. World clothing designers come to Shibuya and Harajuku to search for inspirations by watching how the teenagers dress and try to outdo their peers in fashion creativities every night of the week. The thirty something crowd dressed for success congregate in Roppongi Hills high end luxury district. The bright and colorful neon sign lit up the Shinjuku ... read more

Driving vacation in Australia When I visit a place, an impression is formed inside me. Often time, the impression can’t be explained logically. It can’t be broken into different categories nor be assigned weighted values. It is just is. In this regard, Sydney is very inviting and welcoming. 180 nationalities now call Sydney home. Undulating landscapes, artful gardens, history-telling structures, modern skyscrapers, charming urban villages, delicious ethnic foods, lively night life, and friendly people are framed in an endearing postcard setting. And together they provide kaleidoscopic life and culture that are unique to this place. Driving through Blue Mountain World Heritage Park, Mt. Wilson, Sydney downtown streets, and the Royal National Park was really fascinating. Instead of being a viewer of beautiful surroundings that lay outside an enclosed space, I am part of the mesmeri... read more

Katoomba Town Earlier this morning on the way to Mt. Wilson, I stopped by the Blue Mountain National Park visitor center in Katoomba town on route 32, Great Western Highway. The panoramic view of the famous Three Sister rock formation and the lush rolling mountains stretches far into the horizon. Blue Mountain is a favorite weekend gateway spot for Sydneysiders. There are hundreds of hiking trails descending down towards the deep lush valleys with electrifying views of the interior of the rain forests. Visiting Katoomba would not be complete without stopping by at The Carrington Hotel. Stepping into the lobby of this hotel was like riding on a time machine and arriving in the year 1882. The interior of this hotel featured the 19th century Victorian orderliness, ornamentation, wallpaper, and woodwork. Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, English Rococo, ... read more