Page 17 of Budokan Travel Blog Posts


Asia » Singapore » Changi July 16th 2016

Start: Saturday, 16th July 2016 (1300 hrs) End: Sunday, 17th July 2016 (1600 hrs) This was probably the longest 2-Day 1-Night staycation that I had experienced thus far. We booked our room way in June 2016 taking advantage of the Agoda Secret Deals and the UOB discount program. The day arrived before we knew it. We had the pleasure of checking-in to our Club Room on Saturday afternoon and checking-out at 4pm on the next day. During check-in, we were very pleased to learn that our booking came with a complimentary late check-out. There were other perks too including a complimentary hop-on and off city tour, a complimentary shuttle to Changi Airport and even access to the Airport Lounge which we did not utilise. However, we did make use of the complimentary one hour bicycle rental ... read more
The infinity pool overlooking the coast of Changi
@ the Club Lounge
Our Club Room

Asia » Malaysia » Johor » Johor Bahru July 2nd 2016

Saturday, 2nd July 2016 H was headed to Johor Bahru last weekend to pump petrol and I decided to tag along to stock up on some necessities across the causeway. We made a rather bad decision to stay at the Orange Hotel as the room we stayed in was rather dusty and some of the toilet fittings had collected rust and algae overtime. There were some renovations with tools lying all along the corridor which was rather unsightly. Nevertheless, the saving grace were the nice shopping facilities @ Aeon Bukit Indah and the nearby Tesco. I managed to stock up on the daily essentials and got more décor items for my house at a good price. We had our meals @ the Moonlight Cake House and the Paper Restaurant and both turned out to be rather ... read more
Rather nice dinner
The Paper Restaurant
Hotel Jen, Puteri Harbour

Asia » Malaysia » Johor » Johor Bahru June 11th 2016

Saturday, 11th June 2016 This was more like a feasting excursion as we embarked on an eating spree on this 2D1N staycation in Johor Bahru. I had stayed at the Bello Hotel last year and swear by it that this was one of the nicer budget hotels in JB that have sprouted out in recent times. While the dim sums and dumplings @ Dragon and Canton Is @ JB City Square were forgettable, there was much to rave about for the breakfast @ Restoran Hua Moi and afternoon tea @ the Replacement Lodge & Kitchen. A lot should have been written about these 2 eating places in JB by now. In my humble opinion, the Singapore Fried Bee Hoon was arguably the most divine dish @ Hua Moi while the Salted Egg Churros and Eggs Benny ... read more
Restoran Hua Mui
The usual queues @ Hiap Joo

Asia » Malaysia » Perak » Ipoh April 23rd 2016

Saturday, 23rd April 2016 It was quite a joyful ride as I embarked on the 67km ETS train journey from the iconic Ipoh Station to Taiping. Before that, I made a whistle stop at the Ho Yan Hor Museum at Ipoh's Old Town and was surprised at the warm reception that I received at this fine museum. The train that I travelled on today was relatively new and the cabins smelt really fresh. It had the hall marks of modern train design including clean restrooms, a meal car as well as the train route indicator. I booked my tickets online one month before my travel dates. The train was full on a Saturday morning but it did not compromise on comfort. Currently, the ETS service covers Gemas in Negeri Sembilan to Butterworth (Penang). I had read ... read more
The meal car
My lunch in Taiping
The Railway Station Gallery

Asia » Malaysia » Perak » Ipoh April 22nd 2016

Friday, 22nd April 2016 "This is not an indoor petting zoo," the guide exclaimed as I entered the premises to begin the tour. In the afternoon, I made my way to the Han Chin Pet Soo Museum located next to the Concubine Lane in Ipoh Old Town. Admission is free even though a donation of RM10 is encouraged to keep the museum running. Admission is through appointment only and I booked my 2.30pm slot one week before I arrived. The whole tour lasted about 2 hours and it was fully-guided to enhance the viewing experience. This museum is dedicated to the history of tin mining in Kinta Valley. Occupying the premises of the Hakka Tin Miners' Clubhouse, it is a must-visit to gain a historical perspective of the city through the living exhibits and the furnishings ... read more
Peeping through the times
The bed that got everybody excited

Asia » Malaysia » Perak » Ipoh April 22nd 2016

Friday, 22nd April 2016 They said no visit to Ipoh is complete without paying a tribute to the many cave temples littered around the fringes of the city. Since I did not have my own transportation, I chose one that was relatively near the city centre and accessible through public buses. In the morning, after taking more pictures of the iconic Railway Station, I popped over to the local bus station and hopped on to Perak Transit # 66 that would bring me straight to the gates of Sam Poh Tong Temple. The 20 minutes bus journey was comfortable costing just RM1.50. To made sure I alighted at the correct stop, I switched on my GPS which proved to be really useful in a unfamiliar environment. The area where I was dropped off consisted of a ... read more
Ling Sen Tong
Guanyin - Ling Sen Tong
Sam Poh Tong

Asia » Malaysia » Perak April 21st 2016

Thursday, 21st April 2016 This was an impromptu trip and it was decided sometime in late March 2016. After sourcing for cheap tickets to Ipoh, I was soon on my way to Changi Airport for my 1 hour flight to the capital city of the state of Perak. I wanted to stay near the beautiful Railway Station, take a couple of train trips and visit the famous cave temples. Oh yes, I heard that there were a couple of museums worth exploring and plenty of delicious local foods that I could try. The city of Ipoh is divided into the old and new town separated by the Kinta River. The old town is where the train and bus stations meet as well as where the museums and street murals are located. There are also plenty of ... read more
Embarking on the walking trail
My room
Nice Old Town facade

Asia » Singapore April 16th 2016

Saturday, 16th April 2016 Our staycation in April 2016 took place @ Village Hotel Katong or simply Katong V. This was my second stay at this hotel after a hiatus of 2 years. When it comes to staycation in Singapore, I would alway opt for places that I could rest fully away from the tourist enclaves. Katong, Beach Road and Changi would certainly fit the bill and without the expensive price tag. What we loved about Katong V was its spacious room that came with a powerful rain shower. There was a lingering welcoming scent at the lobby that made guests fully relaxed. Shopping for convenience and the beaches were never too far away and yet this hotel was never overrun with visitors. While service standards might had slipped a bit over the years, this was ... read more
With a nice bathroom
Good space
The smallish pool

Asia » Malaysia » Johor March 12th 2016

Saturday, 12th March 2016 We were back again to the town of Kluang, this time to attend a friend's wedding dinner. 3D2N was kind of luxury for us as we had ample time at our disposal for shopping and eating. To beat the crowds, we took a KTM shuttle train at 10am from Singapore to JB Sentral and in no time we had reached the other side of the causeway. We stopped by at Johor Bahru for a body massage and lunch before continuing our bus journey through Larkin. The air-conditioning wasn't working well and we were happy to disembark from the bus at 4pm - happy that our hotel was just another 5 minutes walk from the station. This was my first time staying at Milano Hotel. And after utilising our loyalty rebates, our 2 ... read more
Favourite Cafe in Kluang
The hallmark of Kluang
Lok Lok Car

Europe » Norway » Eastern Norway » Oslo February 1st 2016

On a cold February 2016, I was here....... My Oslo business trip was kind of last minute before the CNY. I was in the midst of getting my new house ready when I received a call from my boss in Oslo to be there for a week. R was already there since last Monday and I was supposed to join him for the first 2 days. The next 2 days I would be very much left on my own. So with all the mad rush to purchase the winter clothings, to revalidate my passport and getting the flight tickets and hotel ready, I flew off from Singapore on the evening of 31st January 2016 for my 15-hour flight to Oslo (with a transit in Helsinki). Food on the business class flight was pretty good even though ... read more
The Royal Palace
On other days, it is sunny
The City Hall Building




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