We took the shinkansen early the next morning in an attempt to maximize our short stay in Osaka. We arrived early afternoon, which left us time to see the main places we wanted to go. Since our check-in at the capsule hotel wasn’t until later, we dropped off our bags and immediately went out exploring. … Continue reading →

We arrived to Hiroshima via the shinkansen (bullet train) and rode a tram to our hotel. The tram system was established in 1910, and after the atomic bomb devastated the city, it was back up and running in just three days. The trams here symbolize survival and rejuvenation, according to BBC News. When we arrived, … Continue reading →

Since we arrived slightly later than planned, we went straight to the women’s association for our cooking class, luggage in hand. We met a very kind French couple, who enjoyed making a couple friendly jabs at our nationality. The four of us put on our aprons, and were instructed by a Japanese guide in English on … Continue reading →

We arrived to Hakone via the “Odakyu Limited Express Romance car,” which was very roomy and surprised us with the snowy top of Mount Fuji peaking over its foothills as we approached the main station. We had the 3-day “Hakone Free Pass,” which granted us access on the local buses and entrance to most of … Continue reading →

The classic airport saga: my flight from Taipei was delayed; Brian’s flight from Seoul was delayed. Delays, delays, delays. But alas, we both made it to Narita Airport, if slightly later than we hoped. I arrived earlier than Brian so I immediately jumped at the chance to have some Japanese food, even at the airport. Immediately after … Continue reading →

I admit that I was apprehensive about going, since the HESS company banquet was the night before and I heard it could go late into the evening. All of my work friends would be there. The banquet was filled with dancing performances, raffle prizes, and free food and drinks. I almost made it out to … Continue reading →

Whenever I ask people where I need to go in Taiwan, they always say Hualien. Hualien is the home of Taroko National Park, a marble-walled gorge cut out by the Liwu River. The gorge began forming 5 million years ago from coral deposits deep underwater. Under pressure from geologic force, the coral turned into limestone, … Continue reading →

On the morning of New Year’s Eve, we all packed into a taxi and were off to Taoyuan International Airport. We had breakfast there, unaware at the time that in an hour we would be split up on our journey to Hong Kong. We snapped a quick photo of the beginning of our New Years … Continue reading →