travel
The iconic Itsukushima Shrine is considered as one of the three most beautiful locations in Japan. The floating tori gate sits in the middle of the water during high tide and is visited by many during low tide. Picturesque and varying times of the day, visit during high tide if you wish to see the tori gate floating on the water, or if you'd like to try your luck at throwing a coin onto the base, visit during low tide.
You know when you just stumble across a bookstore that embodies everything you love about pages and books and culture and art? 0fr. is that bookstore. And I was smitten. It's one that focuses on the haphazard placing of stories where you must climb over piles of hardbacks and carefully step over magazines to experience fresh worldly encounters with new friends and foe that belong in the well written pages.
It is an independent bookstore for those in love with illustrators and story-tellers. You can pick up a couple of underground magazines and trendy flick books, not before admiring their changing art gallery through the corridor. Visit during a book signing or a miniature film screening if you so please, or just peruse the countless books stacked upon books. A bookworm's cocoon.
Square du Temple
3 rue Paul Dubois
75003, Paris
Tokyo is a vibrant metropolis and like any other city, navigating your away around can be difficult. In Tokyo, the neighbourhoods are marked by their train stations. Here are some of the most notable.
Akihabara or Electric Town as it is also known offers endless entertainment in the form of comic childhood come to life. This virtual playground is awash with colour, sounds and nostalgia. Game centres, maid cafes and electronic stores line the streets. You won't see billboards of models here - rather large manga characters promoting the latest drink and people cosplaying. Manga book after manga book stock the shelves in most stores and you can choose to purchase all of your friend's keychains from musical machines. The lines between real and anime are blurred here. Try your luck at the skill testers and aim for those action figures. Make like Ash Ketchum and catch them all.
Home to Tokyo's oldest temple and attractive destination, Senso-Ji, Asakusa maintains the balance between locals and tourists. It's where you can wet your tastebuds with a taste of the old Tokyo. Women in kimono still wander through this part of town in Tokyo, just beware of staring at their beautiful dress. Lining the path to Senso-Ji are various food and clothes stalls. Walk a little further and you'll reach Ueno park, a popular spot for locals to picnic during cherry blossom season. In May, Asakusa heralds the Asakusa Sanja Festival honouring the three founders for the Senso-Ji shrine.
For luxury shopping and upscale retailers look no further than Ginza. This is the base for most of the flagship retailers (um Uniqlo's 10 storey store? and Sony's flagship product show room) and for glittering and exciting bars and restaurants. In fact, most of the Michelin star restaurants are found here. At night it's a neon paradise and in the day full of modern and chic sophistication. That goes without saying, the food found in Ginza is wholesome and delicious with many bakeries situated here. Although modern and sleek, Ginza still maintains its traditional aspects.
It's quirky, colourful and fun. Takeshita Street is famous in Harajuku for its literal street style shopping. If you want to find out what the essence of a Harajuku girl is, you must visit . Crepes are all the rage, with must visit places including Marion Crepes (since 1976) and Santa Monica Crepes with lines for crepes blending into the crowds of Takeshita Street.
Nakameguro is the most well known for its cherry blossom trees that over look the canal that runs through the district. It's a famous local destination, with cafes and food stores located along the canal offering their seats outside under the cherry trees. Nakamaguro is suburban and a cool sneak into relaxed local life.
For a blatant mix of contemporary and modernity, Roppongi is the place to go. The neighbourhood is full of cool clubs, bars and pubs. Galleries and interesting art installations filter through the streets. It's also one of the best places to view the Tokyo Tower.
I almost feel as if Shibuya needs no explanation - rather it is somewhere that has to be visited in order to fully appreciate and understand the surging crowds and neon lights. It is often seen as the core of Tokyo, but in reality it is a fast paced fashion capital. Don't miss absorbing the story around Hachiko, the dog who waited for his owner everyday at the Shibuya station's entrance for nine years. Shibuya is loud, noisy and full of energy. Yoyogi park during the day offers just as much excitement as Shibuya Crossing, especially in Hanami season.
A metropolis in itself, Shinjuku boasts some of Tokyo's tallest buildings and is known for that famous Lost in Translation scene with Scarlett Johansson overlooking Shinjuku from the Park Hyatt. You can too - the Park Hyatt heralds some amazing views over Tokyo and if you visit the bar you can revel in the structure of Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building also provides an amazing sky high view. Shinjuku sits ontop of Tokyo's busiest station.
Full of art and culture, Sumida is also the location of the Tokyo Sky Tree - the world's third tallest building and Tokyo's tallest. The views are incredible. It doubles as an observation tower and restaurant hub. Art and cultural museums open their doors to the public in Sumida and often you'll find yourself stumbling across relished sumo wrestling sights and hot bath houses.
If you like seafood as much as the Japanese do, you'll feel right at home in Tsukiji. The world's largest fish and seafood market has patrons waking in the early hours to bring home a catch. The restaurants throughout Tokyo that offer sushi and sashimi would purchase from the Tsukiji Fish Market, the freshest fish market in Japan.
On the water, Vierwaldstattersee.
There is a quote that I am fond of. Many of you may already know of it, however the author is unknown.
Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.
The attribution of being rich has such a relative meaning (or so I would like to think) with it being in the same ranks of what it means to be happy or what it means to be successful. In this context, richness is not attributed to that of monetary meaning, although undoubtedly it does cost money to travel.
I have certainly found that travel has made me richer. Made me a better person. Stronger, more confident and more experienced. My appreciation for things, people and cultures has grown. So too has my self understanding, my compassion and patience. The ability to take the right risks and to adapt have developed as a result of my travelling.
When I was young I had vivid dreams of waking up on the other side of the world to the sound of rain and laying in grass miles away from home. I thought of what it would be like to wear a kimono in Japan or the experience of seeing a show in the West End.
As I grew older the idea of travelling was all the more fervent, the promise of stamping that passport and boarding a plane had drifted. Complexities arose and money got tight. As I got older, my responsibilities grew too. I have to admit that it wasn't some strange change in will that caused me to book a flight out of Perth to a place I wasn't familiar with. It was a bit of coaxing from Jason and his spontaneity that influenced me to actually take that step and commit to an adventure. Even now, I still have a lot to learn and there is still room for growth. Travel helps to fill the gaps.
National Gallery, London.
Travelling the world equips you with a sense of self and your place in the order of things. How fortunate or unfortunate some people are or aren't reaffirms privilege or contests it. It's easy to get caught up in the minuscule things of the everyday and lose sight of struggles occurring around the world, until you witness it with your own eyes. You also gain an understanding and appreciation for different traditions and beliefs. How something is cooked the way it is, why it is cooked the way it is. How something is done the way it is and how it was done centuries before.
There is only so much you can learn from a textbook education - the rest must be first-hand education of cultures, languages and the values that come with them. You come back with an appreciation for the people and your own life, a changed perspective and intense understanding of the lives of others. Travelling opens up your perspective, intensifies your appreciation and adds to your understanding. Three important lessons that I carry with me in everything that I do and lessons that continue to grow as I continue to travel.
You understand how far your body can take you - and a great deal of the time it's really further than you think. You can test your limits and understand your ability to reach them. You find out more about yourself in this sense both physically and mentally. You can break past boundaries, pay caution to the wind and perhaps even sign up to paraglide off a mountain in Switzerland.
When you travel you learn so much about being able to accept changes and to adapt. Your ability to adapt is certainly challenged by stepping foot on foreign ground. You may not understand a drop of the language, the mattresses on the floor of your cousin's room that you sleep in may not be as comfortable as your bed at home and cultures may be completely different.
Usual nuances may not necessarily be accepted in foreign countries and there's a great deal of adaptability in that. From holding hands out of habit and the transition of not doing so in Dubai, to requesting for the cheque at the end of a meal in France, these are things you learn to adapt to. Even just being able to adapt to the time changes makes you a better person - and guess what, you learn how to handle the lack of sleep in good time.
Your ability to accept change and not to resist it allows you to marvel in the unexpected. Being out of your comfort zone makes you better off at coping with things - a fantastic transferrable skill to gain. The ability to roll with the punches and adapt to changes allows for a shift in focus and enables you to cope with change in a positive way. One of the most enlightening things that can be gained is to embrace the changes around you of another country, city or town and to see the world as a global citizen.
Lion Monument, Lucerne.
There's no better way to make yourself more adept at problem solving and analytical thinking than some sort of challenge or random change in plans outside of your influence. A map that you were referring to on your phone may refuse to update in real time. Because of that you may be stuck with navigating yourself home. But it's okay because you learn along the way that you're actually quite intelligent and more than capable of doing so. You can rely on your own abilities rather than that of your technological device. It also reminds you that you're actually not in control sometimes and you just need to do the best you can with the best you have.
Challenges come in many forms. Sometimes it's trying to navigate yourself around a Japanese metro station or attempting to ask for directions in another language. You'll learn so much more about yourself, limits and abilities by uncomfortably pushing them through challenges. Which brings me to my next point.
Travelling is all about jumping out of your comfort zone. You're propelling yourself into a different city, country and part of the world. Throwing yourself into a place where the language you speak may not be the native language takes a lot of confidence. Further to this, sometimes you'll find yourself talking to a complete stranger. It may seem frightening at first, but with enough confidence you can do it and return home with more positive experiences under your belt - and who knows, perhaps a new friend.
Don't let a lack of confidence hold you back from a life changing experience. Be positive and proactive. Even if it's to ask for time off to grasp an amazing opportunity to travel the world. There's no better time than the present. Things do not fall perfectly into place all the time. You need to want it and go get it. I've certainly found that since travelling, I have gained confidence in just asking for what I want and have gained confidence in my abilities.
There is no doubt that in financial terms, travelling is an expense. It's more money spent than what is brought back in as income. But travelling has positively impacted my ability to budget and manage my finances. Take actually getting yourself to that destination for example. It's about saving, monetary self control and seeking out deals. It's actually a practical way to learn what you can and perhaps should not purchase. Once you're there, it's about being aware of your finances and not allowing yourself to be tempted by Printemps (experiences > materials) while still remembering your monetary responsibilities at home. I have certainly needed to keep a float and enough in the bank to pay my rent fortnightly while travelling.
'All of this belongs to you.' Victoria Albert Museum, London.
Experiences when travelling give you a taste of the world. They provide you with memories and lessons. Boarding the plane and stepping through the gate is an experience. Crossing continents and lining up for that famous chocolat chaud is an experience. Learning what it is like to live as a local allows you to understand your similarities and differences and incorporate the positives into your own life. Tasting and eating food and learning all about the way it's made is an experience.
There is a thrill and an excitement about new experiences that perhaps you can't get when you're living at home. Even when purchasing items as keepsakes or souvenirs, they only become keepsakes because of an experience or a memory attached to them. I've definitely learnt that purchasing material things is low in my hierarchy of importance. I'm more likely to spend my time hopping on boats and travelling by cable car to the highest point of Central Switzerland, rather than shopping at a department store.
I think with every trip I am learning more about myself and tapping into my tolerance and patience. When I am tired or hungry I tend to be quite moody. I realise because of this, I have to be double tolerant in the event anything goes astray (not after a couple of trivial dummy spits and learning from these of course). When flights are delayed, lines were long or people stepped on your toes unknowingly - you have to be tolerant and patient.
Learning how to be tolerant and patient helps to control your mood and this ability honestly helps with the overall outcome of your trip. Maybe you lost the tickets for an exhibition you had pre-purchased and had to line up again. You shouldn't let something like that ruin the rest of your day. You're in an amazing city that has so much to offer and so little time to soak it all up, you don't need to waste time complaining about trivial matters and souring the mood. Having a little patience and tolerance goes a long way.
A stranger's kindness and ability to go out of their way for you will be both grounding and thought provoking. You will be surprised how many people are so willing to help a stranger in need. Trust that help and then be that kind stranger for others. When in a complicated situation, the kindness of people will stop you and remind you how amazing people can be. What I have also learnt is that people are people - no matter where you are in the world. All have thoughts and judgements. They can be happy, sad, generous, lonely or greedy. Just be kind. When travelling with people you learn a lot, you learn how to trust them and how to remain kind throughout the unexpected. And sometimes, sometimes trusting yourself is the hardest thing to do.
Westminster Abbey, London.
I would like to think I'm quiet an independent young woman. Even before all of this travelling business. Travelling teaches you all about understanding your own abilities and self-sustainence.
Travelling gives you a sense of belonging, which for me has provided a sense of fulfilment and a sense of happiness. I know that travelling for the sake of seeing new things, having amazing experiences and increasing my appreciation for the world makes me happy. It's something I do because it makes me feel these positive energies and knowing this... well there's a sense of solace in that.
Travelling is an investment. The more you adventure, the more you see and the more you experience. The more you experience, the more you grow. As you grow and experience you change and evolve as a person, opening yourself up to different possibilities and cultures and understandings. It's a direct way to learn and see and do. To me, it's far better to take home than a purchase. You can spread around your positive changes and influence others around you for the better.
And you know what? Those dreams are now memories. Go out and see the world, you'll be better for it.
Once you go Business, you never go back - or so I have been told. I was also quite convinced of this after flying Emirates from Perth to Dubai and then on from Dubai to London and Paris to Perth. You also never forget the feeling of flying on the A380. I was also incredibly lucky to experience all that it had to offer.
The A380 is the only aeroplane in the world with two full-length decks - and is regarded the double decker of the sky. The lower deck houses economy seats and the upper is home to first and business class passengers. For those in business class, the upper deck is also home to a sky bar.
You may think that Emirates is synonymous with gaudy woodgrain and Dubai bling, however I think that's one of the perks of flying Emirates. It's awesome. Besides, the smooth woodgrain actually grows on you almost immediately. It all adds to the experience of flying one of the leading airlines in the world. It also feels a little like Christmas. You're gifted with amenities of which include eyeshades, a Bvglari amenity kit containing a toothbrush, shower gel, cleansing cream and towelettes. You are also given fast track cards which allow you to skip the lines at Dubai Airport if connecting to another flight.
You can sit and look through your goodies bag, or maybe if you're like me, you would have already fully reclined your flat bed and begun to learn how to use the Information Communication Entertainment (ICE) System and settled on one of the many new releases, full television series and recommended picks. The large iPad pops out only after taxi, however you can use both the iPad and the remote to select what you want to watch, listen to, read or play
Or if you're like Jason, you would have set your screen to display two of the three possible live feeds of the journey ahead from the plane's external cameras. There are cameras situated on the underbelly of the plane, which when taking off shows you a steady but sure accent and then the scenery below. You could also enjoy the views that the pilot delights in with the forward facing camera or on the A380, a special third camera which is attached to the tail fin providing glorious views of the aircraft flying through the clouds.
Emirates prides itself on its in-flight food and beverage menu and rightfully so. It was the first time I actually thoroughly enjoyed airplane food. Served on ceramic plates with stainless steel and silverware, the food is restaurant quality in both taste and presentation. I even admit that my entree has been better than some I have had in expensive restaurants offering similar.
You're offered a drink while you wait for take off. Champagne anyone? Once you're in the air a range of salted macadamia, almonds and other nuts are given to you in a dish and you are gently reminded of the menu and your food and drink options. Options included lemon marinated crab, beef short ribs in barbecue sauce, seafood biryani and a traditional Arabian Mezze. A raspberry and chocolate dome and a salted caramel cake were the options for dessert. An extensive bread basket is also brought to you, from which you can make as many selections of as many breads as you like.
The stars that twinkle on the ceiling when the lights are dimmed also add another dimension to your flight. Some things appear ridiculously over the top however are also considered somewhat of a necessity. Take the mini-bar on the side of your seat for example - although it is not refrigerated, if you're thirsty and like the comfort of reaching into your own personal stock and don't quite like entertaining the idea of flight attendants, it's a great benefit.
I however do love the thought of interacting with flight attendants that actually want to be there. The international cabin crew are friendly, remember your name (or at least double check on their notepad before addressing you) and are so willing to make your flight a comfortable one. Generally, three to four passengers are assigned a flight attendant who then attends those co-located. There's also the chief steward or stewardess who swings past every now and then with a bottle of wine asking you how you are.
The flight attendants could not have been more friendly or attentive. They are also incredibly interesting people and are more than happy to chat about their travel adventures, your travel adventures and future travel adventures. And when the flight crew are part of an illustrious long-haul provider, they must go through various psychoanalytic tests and intense training until they they are of course given the iconic red hat and badge.
What I love about Emirates is the detail. Little lapel pins in the shape of flags sit on their uniforms, denoting which country they are from. And when they're hired from over 130 countries, it isn't surprising that on our particular flight from Dubai to London, between the pilot and the crew, fifteen languages were spoken with fluency. It's a minor detail, but is something I get ridiculously giddy about - knowing that for some passengers, it is unlikely that they will have to struggle to get their wishes across to the staff due to a language barrier. Emirates is all about providing you with service and comfort on what could otherwise be a less than comfortable flight.
Speaking of comfort, I could have a nice nap in the fully lay-flat seats, in addition to the added mattress. And so I fell asleep listening to Fleetwood Mac in the comfort and privacy of the seats - many thanks to the staggered seating arrangement. Although we were situated in the middle aisle, the A380s only house two aisle seats in comparison to three in most other models. The private partition went up and I snuggled down.
The seat reclines flat, with your legs moving forward below the hollowed out space of the seat in front of you, however there is more than enough room for you to lay on your back and on your side. This doesn't at all impact the storage above it for your bag, blanket or shoes if you decide to kick off your sneakers.
The flight was overall very smooth and we experienced very little turbulence, if at all. The plane was also very quiet and I didn't need to wear earplugs to block out the standard humming in most other planes. Overall, I was incredibly impressed - flying Emirates business certainly lived up to its name and the expectations attached to it. Going back to economy will be a little hard, however I'm pretty defiant in showing to Jason I can make do without business on the long haul, but with all of these perks and the amazing feeling of being treated like a princess, it does make it hard to be resistant to it.
P.S. Other perks include on-air wifi, power points, the fact that they don't make their cabin an ice chiller (it was the perfect temperature) and you get to hear this sweet tune when waiting for others to board. If you request the cabin crew to take a photograph for you, you can ask for them to take it on their Fujifilm - they store a polaroid camera specifically for snap-happy travellers like us.