island – belleelene

Day trip from Tokyo: Sarushima island

Today we will talk about Sarushima, an “Uninhabited island in Tokyo Bay”. As the name hints, no people live on the island, and no monkeys (Saru-shima means monkey island) for that fact. The area of the island is approximately 55.000 km, equivalent to 4 times the area of Yokohama stadium, while the maximum altitude is 40Continue reading “Day trip from Tokyo: Sarushima island”

Attempting Oshima # 2: A weekend in Izu Oshima

Ok, by now, I guess everyone is familiar with how bad my trip to Amami-Oshima failed in September. As this was not enough to stop me though, a month later I tried my luck with another Oshima: Izu Oshima. If you are curious about the repetition of island names, it is because Ooshima (大島) meansContinue reading “Attempting Oshima # 2: A weekend in Izu Oshima”

Imo-re to the Amamis: A turbulent stay in Amami-Oshima

This summer is different from most. International travel has not bounced back yet and everyone is understandably nervous about how to take all precautions in order to travel safely. This is the reason why this time we delayed our summer vacation to the Japanese tropics (the only choice since foreign residents were allowed to freelyContinue reading “Imo-re to the Amamis: A turbulent stay in Amami-Oshima”

10 days in Thailand (Part II)

Part I of travelling in Thailand (about Bangkok and Ayutthaya) is here. Elephants are must-see in Thailand, aren’t they? Thai people adore elephants, so they put everywhere statues or drawings of elephants, called Chang in the local language (like the popular Chang beer). But how can one spend time with elephants responsibly? I chose toContinue reading “10 days in Thailand (Part II)”

10 days in Thailand (Part I)

If you are a casual traveller who has explored the US or Europe and now is looking to expand their horizons in Asia, then Thailand is the obvious choice. Located in the middle of Southeast Asia, it can be either a standalone destination or the start of a multi-country trip. I’ll be honest. My expectationContinue reading “10 days in Thailand (Part I)”