The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps
Our trip to Phuket was planned to be a relaxing one, one that doubled up as a birthday trip for Grace. So it was–we mainly hung around, used the facilities and swam at Avani+ Maikhao and its sister resorts. The two girls are water babies …
Many people told us to go on a holiday as a couple, notably a babymoon, as much as possible before the little one arrived. Glad we took the advice and went for a last-minute babymoon trip to Taiwan. Travelling with a baby is a different …
Continuing from Part 1 with useful information of transportation in Hokkaido, I was contemplating whether to write about our experience. I decided to go ahead because I know it will prep you better for whatever that might happen while travelling on the JR Train in Hokkaido during winter.I must mention again as in part 1, if you are planning your train and subway journey, hyperdia.com/en is a really good website! Their app is not available in Singapore, but key in ‘Hyperdia’ in your app store and you should get some good ranking apps! :)
We were leaving Tomamu for Noboribetsu, and we have to change train at Minami-Chitose. If not, the train would bring us straight to Sapporo. We were scheduled to wait for an hour before the connecting train to Noboribetsu came.
There was another option with a 2-minute stopover. We wanted to go for it, but the JR staff advised us against it. Because the time is too short for the train transfer. The train arriving at Minami Chitose might be delayed and we will miss the connecting train. Thank God we heeded their advice, more on it later.
The snow was heavy and wind was strong when we left The Tower for Tomamu JR station. Read more about our experience in the cold while waiting for the train to Minami-Chitose. The ground was covered with snow, so a local advised us to get on the train first and then roll the luggage to our cabin. There’s no need to drag your luggage along the platform in the snow.
The train came quite late and by the time it was here, it was super duper crowded! We assumed it’s because most people were heading towards Sapporo. We boarded the train and were shocked to find people on our seats! We didn’t know how to communicate in Japanese and hence pointed to our tickets and in English said, “reserved seats”. The guy brushed us off and pointed to another cabin up front. Another tourist group from Hong Kong had the same problem too. In the end, we just grabbed any other seat that became empty.
I did walk in the direction where the man pointed and it was the Green Car cabin (not valid for Hokkaido Rail Pass). Super luxurious, spacious and quiet. Read: Not crowded. There’s even a lady attending to them like an air stewardess. So I asked her about my ticket and she said I was on the correct train and rushed off.
Later we realised the truth!
Several trains were cancelled because of the bad weather condition (heavy snow). Hence the reserved cabins of the current train were turned into unreserved to squeeze in more people. Wah, at least we didn’t buy the standalone reserve ticket, otherwise it’s so not worth it!
As mentioned earlier, good thing we didn’t get the 2-minute transfer train option. Because firstly, our train from Tomamu really got delayed, although the connecting train was also delayed. Secondly, it will take more than 2 minutes to get from one train to the other. We had to carry our luggage up and down the overhead bridge without escalator. And then we had to ask around for the train track we should head to.
That’s me in the photo, before the wind blew and I slid across the ice with my luggage. Didn’t fall! Phew. We were on our way to Rera, Chitose Outlet mall because we had an hour to kill at Minami-Chitose. Put your luggage in the station’s luggage locker if you have the budget. After we rushed back to the train station from the mall, we realised the connecting train was delayed further!
After a night in Noboribetsu, we headed off to Niseko and had a rather shocking experience. Without unpredictable weather conditions in Singapore, we were not prepared for all the last minute disruptions weather can cause. What happened next shed the light as to what happened yesterday from Tomamu to Noboribetsu.
photo taken around Noboribetsu train station
On the morning we checked out of Noboribetsu, we asked the receptionist for the bus timings towards the JR station. To our horror, she told us in limited English that all train operations has ceased! *Gasp* What?! Are we going to be stranded in Noboribetsu for another night?! We are going to miss our ski lesson at Niseko!!
The receptionist told us to go to the train station and wait for the train service to resume, depending on the weather. So we skipped our lunch plan at the Onsen Town and headed straight to the train station. Thank God we did that and reached early, because we managed to buy tickets for the next available train while other travellers who got off the same bus as us, but queued behind us, got a later one.
photo taken around Noboribetsu train station
But still… we spent the whole day waiting and travelling. The train delays made the schedule so unpredictable that we were prepared to stay at a very small rural town, Oshamambe (stopover station from Noboribetsu to Niseko) for the night. This is when our internet on mobile came in handy as we googled for accommodation options.
Because of the never-ending wait, not knowing when’s the next train, a group of travellers took taxi at Oshamambe.. but it’s too expensive for the two of us to take a taxi to Niseko! But thank God a train soon came! Phew, we reached Niseko grateful but super tired.
photo taken during a long wait in a crowded Noboribetsu train station
If the same thing happens to you, you will find a crowded Noboribetsu station with limited seats. So if you are trying to kill time and/or find food, you can go to a nearby cafe (straight ahead from the station exit) or buy food from a convenience store (that’s quite a distance away, turn right as you exit the station and keep walking straight).
Tip: We booked the next available train without paying for another train ticket because of the Hokkaido Rail Pass. Not sure about normal train ticket, but at least we didn’t have to worry about paying extra or getting refunds.
Related Posts: Overview Itinerary: Hokkaido and Tokyo (Winter/Spring 2016) Tomamu, The Tower (Resort) Pocket Wifi or Prepaid SIM Card in Japan? Top 5 Things to Do in New Chitose Airport Sapporo
Travelled in February/March 2016
All Rights Reserved: All photos (unless credited) on travel.joogo.sg. Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Travel.joogo.sg and/or the author shall not be held responsible for any injury, loss, expense or damage of any kind whatsoever suffered or incurred by any person who accesses or uses the information and external websites stated above. Full disclaimer here.
I think it really pays off to research about the transportation in Hokkaido, Tokyo, or Japan for that matter, before you fly over. It will save you time and money, and you will less likely be overwhelmed and be lost in the complex transportation system. A Singaporean friend living in Tokyo for a few …
This post is following Part 1 of Travel in Paris With Young Children by our guest writer Jane! Find out more about her in Part 1. :) Today, she’s going to share her trip to Disneyland Paris with young children. As mentioned in my previous post, the main highlight …
Today I’m really delighted to introduce Jane, who is going to be a guest writer of this space. She is currently based in the South of France as her husband is posted there on a work stint. She has hung up her corporate suit for now and is currently a full time chauffeur, among other things, to her two young children (a toddler and a pre-schooler).
This is my fourth visit to Paris and it couldn’t have been more different as we now have two very young kids in tow. The main highlight for them is Disneyland! Oh well, I have to confess that I was very much looking forward to Disneyland as well and to introduce Mickey and the classic Disney characters to my children. More on Disneyland in Part 2.
The city of Paris is divided into twenty arrondissements municipaux (administrative districts), which is simply referred to as arrondissements. We rented a Parisian apartment in the second arrondissement through the website Kid and Coe.
This website is a great place to discover kid friendly homes away from home. It’s something like Airbnb, but specifically more family-
The location of the rented apartment was perfect for us. It is a walking distance to the Louvre and Galleries Lafayette. And only a few steps away from three different metro stops.
Moreover, just a few streets away, there is a mini Japan town with lots of authentic Japanese restaurants, bookshop and supermarket. Having lived in the French Riviera for almost a year, we were just craving for authentic Japanese food that was not sushi. The hubs and I were beyond happy and decided that we were just going to have ramen and bento sets for the next few days.
The kids loved their ‘hotel’ in the city as they had the space to run around. There were also plenty of toys left by the owner for them to play with. That kept the two of them occupied in the early mornings when we just wanted to snooze a little more. There were also a crib and a high chair for our toddler which made breakfast time in the apartment easier for us.
You can check out this wonderful space at: [URL of the rented apartment]
For this trip, we decided to take it easy for the little people with short legs who can’t walk very far. Hence, we had a very light itinerary for Paris this time round and I wasn’t planning on being ambitious at all. Moreover, we only had three nights in Paris. Thank goodness, I had done most of the touristy things previously and I wasn’t stressed about covering too much sightseeing this time round.
There were however a few places I wanted to check out during this trip. We planned a few parks which Paris is so famous for. I am embarrassed to admit that I have never visited any in my previous trips. There is simply too much to see and do in Paris. One can never get bored in this city of lights!
First up was the UNESCO world heritage site, Tuileries Garden, located in the first arrondissement. I cannot believe I have not stepped into the Tuileries Gardens during my previous trips.
We headed there immediately on the first day after we checked in. Filled with fountains, ponds and sculptures, there are many seating area scattered in the garden which is perfect for resting those tired legs and to simply relax and take in the sights.
It was Sunday the next day and most shops are closed. Hence, we decided to take a train to Versailles to visit the renowned palace–Chateau de Versailles. The train ride was pleasant and not too long for the kids. The novelty of taking a train kept them excited and well behaved on-board.
We arrived in Versailles and was surprised to see a long queue of people waiting to enter the palace grounds. It was equally crowded once we reached inside. I can’t even imagine what it would be like during the peak summer months!
We managed to push through the crowds and head to the King and Queen’s chamber and the famous Hall of Mirrors before calling it quits. It was not easy to navigate through the crowds carrying a toddler (no pram on palace grounds) and dragging along a pre-schooler who could only see other people’s bums.
The choo choo train at the palace would have been a highlight for the kids but unfortunately there was a line of people waiting and my son desperately needed a nap. We ended up having crepes and coffee at one of the bistro and rested our poor tired feet while the son napped.
Although a short visit, it was nonetheless impressive and I was glad we got to admire the famous gardens of Versailles which was so beautiful. And it was funny how my pre-schooler was actually very interested to see how the king and queen’s room looked like.
The next day, we had an appointment at the embassy and we passed through a beautiful park called Parc Monceu. The kids had some time to run around while we sat on the benches and basked in the glorious sunlight and people watch. We simply love the parks in Paris.
So many to visit and we didn’t even make it to the one on my to-visit list: the Luxembourg Garden, located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. Oh well, save it for the next trip. I am sure we will be back!
We then took a train to the Montmartre area of Paris, another area I wanted to visit.
There, we had tea in the Café des 2 Moulins (French for “Two Windmills”), one of the filming location for the show ‘Amelie’. I loved that show and I read that the café served decent food. So we ended up at the Café for our afternoon tea.
Halfway through sipping my café crème, I suddenly remembered why I wanted to visit Montmartre. This happened only because I left my notes, of places to visit in Paris, at home.
Somewhere in my notes, I had wanted to visit the Le mur des Je’taime — a wall with ‘I love you’ written in 250 languages. And it was in Montmartre! I urgently told the hubs we had to leave and get there before it turned dark.
We searched online for the directions to the wall. Then I hurried everyone towards the exit and up the hilly streets in search of the wall. Along the way, the hubs was attracted by some shoes but I told him he could see them another time. We needed to stay focused and find the wall. After walking for a bit, we saw a group of people leaving from a gated park of sorts and the hubs said that it has to be the one.
We walked towards it expectantly and to my great disappointment, the park keeper was shutting the gate! I asked if I could take a picture from the entrance and he was kind enough to allow me in just to take one shot of the wall. I ran in with the son and took a couple of shots. We were thankful that it was not a wasted trip and I was so glad I denied the hubs the chance to check out those shoes. Those can wait for another day!
Other than those above-mentioned, there were a few other places we went to. We managed to pop in to Galleries Lafayette and stood admiring the giant Christmas tree and beautiful decorations. We also had a long walk along River Seine and ended up in Laduree along Champs-Elysees for lunch.
I love the architecture of the buildings in Paris. I love it that young and funky brands are housed in classical buildings. Just look at the front entrance of Abercrombie & Fitch!
Travelled in 2015
All Rights Reserved: All photos (unless credited) on travel.joogo.sg. Disclaimer: All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Travel.joogo.sg and/or the author shall not be held responsible for any injury, loss, expense or damage of any kind whatsoever suffered or incurred by any person who accesses or uses the information and external websites stated above. Full disclaimer here.
The reason for our Japan trip was to ski in Niseko, Hokkaido! We could have bought the return air tickets from Singapore to Hokkaido. However, it turns out that the “direct” flight from Singapore to Hokkaido is not that direct. We will still need to …
The reason for our Japan trip was to ski in Niseko, Hokkaido! We could have bought the return air tickets from Singapore to Hokkaido. However, it turns out that the “direct” flight from Singapore to Hokkaido is not that direct. We will still need to …