Travel Journal: Japan Trip 2016

Buying funny beauty mask is a must! We actually bought  the mini porcelain masks here in a second hand shop!

So finally I scanned my Japan Travel Journal, and I would scan the rest of my travel journal entries from way back when, last entry scanned was India and that was from 2012, there are some mini trips I did after that before life takes over and I moved to Australia.

Talking about moving, we just recently settled down in our new nest, thus the huge time span between the trip and the posting of the blog. Every weekend we are either packing stuffs, putting them in the garage, and scouring for furniture etc since we moved from a fully furnished into an unfurnished apartments.If you would like to see my freshly decorated nest head over to my instagram, it is @shalindrome. 

Well, anyway at first I planned to do a haul post along with this, but actually I didn't really buy that much stuff when in Japan. I brought home lotsa food though but all got eaten straight away.... And Tadaaaaa here's my journal.....

Wanderlust: My 10 Days Packing List for Spring in Japan

So I will be leaving to Japan in a week! Yayyyy! And this is gonna be our first travel abroad as a couple.The trip to Indonesia doesn't count cause well I am just going home, and eating yourself silly with dang delicious Indonesian food is not exactly traveling, plus my sister's husband is driving us everywhere mostly....

Anyway I think it's about time that I sorta update my travel packing-list, use my own photos to you know, really walk the talk, and just do a short post about it. If you want to check my old and more comprehensive post on what to pack just click the link here, and for more inspirations you could also click this and that. 

I do realized that my packing list does not differ much over the years, but I think this time I am a bit over-packed and sorta got a bit crazy on the outerwear, LOL. I don't really need three jacket, one is fine... But when I started to pack my tops and bottoms I found SOOOOO MUCH BLACK, so to inject some colors I decided to bring along a peachy faux leather jacket from ASOS, because it's Sakura season, and a red long cardigan to match the Torii (Shinto shrine gates). I would love to be all serious and  mysterious and stuff and to just wear all black everything all the time. But it doesn't really work with my personality.
The suitcase I used is just some unbranded standard carry-on as you can see above.

soooooo many pouches

In total I brought along 15 pieces (12 packed and 3 to wear), and here's the general breakdown.
Outers
- Peachy Faux Leather Jacket (O1)
- Red Long Cardigan (O2)
- Black Light Jacket (O3)

Dresses
- Fringe Dress (D1)
- Mesh Dress (D2)

Bottoms
- Black Skinny Jeans (B1)
- Black Leggings (B2)
- Denim Shorts (B3)
- Black Laser-cut Skirt (B4)

Tops
- Black Long Sleeve (T1)
- Black Tank Top (T2)
- White Tee (T3)
- Striped Tank (T4)
- Black Ruffle Tee (T5)

1 Sleepwear

I used packing cubes and pouches to organize my suitcase, you might save more space without the pouches, but this way your stuffs are more tidy and you would have less headache when pulling out or putting in clothes from and into your suitcase. It just feels much nicer for me.
Don't forget to try out your clothes before you pack and make a note on the combinations, you could either take a photo of them with your phone or make a simple note in your journal:
Anyway here's a combos that I'm gonna do:

D1   T1 + B1 + O1
D2   D1 + O2 + Scarf (not in suitcase just gonna be in my handbag)
D3   T4 + B3 + O3
D4   T3 + B3 + O2
D5   T5 + B2 + O1
D6   T1 + B4
D7   T2 + B1 + O3
D8   T3 + B1 + O3
D9   T5 + B4 + O3
D10 T1 + B2 + O1

What I have to consider also is days that I have to spend on overnight bus, so I am wearing the same bottoms and just change up the top/bottom so I feel refreshed (check-in time is 3 PM and we arrived very early in the morning).

Above is the content of my red packing cube that I used for my bottoms and sleepwear compartment. Don't forget to always put your sleepwear on top, so you can immediately change into something comfy when you are arrived in your hotel/hostel. Oh yeah, I also put my mesh dress there, I use it as a layering piece since it weights and folds into almost nothing and a great way to change up your look
And here's what inside the blue pouch.

tops and a dress, plus a  camisole and a thin stocking.

 The basic rule of savvy travel packing is do not pack what you only wear once. But I do like to break them and bring a special something, like this dress for instance, I love it soooo much, but haven't find the occasion to wear it in the hot humid heat of Cairns. So yep, it's coming with me and I must wear it!

Updates and Indian Trucks!!

Oy! Longtime longtime.... I KNOW. 

 Anyways, the big reveal. Roll drums please....

MY NEW JOB is in a company called Tulisan (it's super awesome!) I, now, officially have a career in graphic design and whatnots. Ahem! Dreams do come true but  it's far from easy!! I kinda jump on moving train and it's moving really fast. We're prepping our International launch and it's been hella busy for everyone. And I really have a lot to catch up and meet the standards, almost everyone is a perfectionists here, on which I am sooo not. But I'm trying to. 

Meanwhile here are pics from my posts at Tulisan, you'll find links in the photo captions. 

Decor, Dayream, and DejaVu

On the Road: India

Here's the cut-off if you are interested.  If not, well, whaddya know, IT'S MY BLOG! So same result, no matter what.Anyway (geez, I throw a lot of anyways today.) The truck post was supposed to go longer but I kinda edited the last paragraphs, to make it less, rambly/manic/ insane? Actually the term I was looking for is: Work Appropriate. 

Meanwhile here are pics from my posts at Tulisan, you'll find links in the photo captions.

I get obsessed by it soon enough, naturally. But alas, I was always seated at the back (Aria, my sis’ hubby sat in front being the only guy and all.) And our driver is a speed-fiend that suavely swerves and suddenly brakes. 

And I could not find the book about it in the few bookshops I visited.  WELL, THERE SHOULD BE ONE, HELLO!!!

For now I just have to googled my way through to enjoy it, and found out that different states have different ways of decorating (here are some gorgeous trucks from Kerala). 

ANYWAY MY POINT IS; SOMEBODY SHOULD MAKE A BOOK ABOUT IT, SERIOUSLY!!! MY OBSESSH MUST BE QUENCH!!!

And I am not alone in this. Have you check the new No Doubt vid. Do you know what it's all about? A decade after their last album and this is what they chose to feature and show that they're still rocking; INDIAN EFFIN' TRUCKS!!!

Travel Journal: India

I actually scanned these pages like two, or was it three, weeks ago. Staying true to my procrastinating ass, I  made promises to myself and then I stalled. So without further a do, here goes...

Melange, Oh My (last part)

I was texting my mom and dad, they're in Vienna now,  when I realized that me and my sister were traveling there also almost a year ago (and that I haven't continued my posting about it since errr January! Some procrastination!)  And then I called my sister. We'd be as  gossipy giggly with gusto as the Gunawan girls  we are, and have a grand time in conversing on our parents adorable attempts at country-hopping in Europe with their albeit HUGE suitcases (mom brought a mini rice cooker and dried foods). And their skipping on the long-awaited Gondola ride at Venice (too tired walking then overslept) and Budapest Bus trip (forgot to book, at least that's what my father said, I think they just overslept again)

So yeah I gotta do something about it. My post that is. Not my mom's travel decisions (cause you cannot fight a force of nature, you see. Darlings if you haven't met my mom just go swallow whatever it is you plan to utter, and heed my word.)

Kunsthaus Wien front facade

Okay so on the third day we went to Museum Hundertwasser or more famously known as the Kunsthaus Wien. And we love it! The house was just a whimsical! I'm glad that I finally found an artist and that suits my sister's taste. With all those museum walking with me she kinda went "Meh." after awhile. Couldn't blame here. And this Hundertwasser guy who build the house is NOT just a painter he is also designer and architect that was way ahead of his time. He incorporates natural elements decades before "BIO" or "ECO" or "GREEN" went hip. When not doing that, he travels around the world, made film documentaries and whatnots. His biography on the wall was LOOOONG (it fills a whole fucking wall, they even have seats so you'd be able  to read them thoroughly). How could anyone do so much in their lifetime. Even reading his bio is tiring enough let alone living it (shame on you for being lazy, shame, shame, shame)

We cannot take pictures in the museum but we could take pics of the non-gallery interiors.
This is the excerpt I copy pasted from the museum's website

Hundertwasser about KUNST HAUS WIEN

KUNST HAUS WIEN is a house of beauty barriers, where beauty holds the most efficient function, a place of not regulated irregularities, of uneven floors, of tree tenants and dancing windows. It is a house in which you have a good conscience towards nature.
It is a house that does not follow the usual standards, an adventure of modern times, a journey into a country of creative architecture.

Hundertwasser, 1991

 

As you can see the building have an uneven floor. Well there's a reason behind it other than fun and 'different'. Well if ye can't bother yourself to read, in sum it would be be; nature's not flat thus the unevenen-ness. And Hundertwasser never went to Holland. Obviously.

Wanderlust & Wardrobe

Stumbled on this travel-wardrobe planner on pinterest (and xojane are my net-crack nowadays, you see!).
Awesomeness, right?! Should try to do one someday, what a way to make memories!!

travel planner : paris 2010

travel planner: texas 2008

travel planner : northwest 2010

travel planner: new mexico 2009

Head over to bugheart's flickr account for more travel goodness.

Wanderlust: Travel Packing Tips for Girls on the Go

go check her "Wanderlust" VideOHH!

 I could prolly say that I have strong travel and packing genes.  Dad’s a pilot and Mom’s a Neat Freak branched from  generations of clothes merchants.

Much to her duress, her daughters are nowhere near her spotless supremacy in housewifery. We both have knack of knocking things all over the place in less than five minutes (she dubbed us the twin storms) .

But when it comes to folding and packing things nice and tight, I think my mother taught me well. I could even do her boxlike tower of shirts, if I wanted to, but Alas! Old sloth cometh blanket me one too many…

At first I was pretty amused when I found myself carry a whole lot more than most of my peers who pretty much use the equal sized bags.  When their clothes start  running out, I’d still have some spares left.

In the past few years airlines baggage limitations are getting smaller while the over-baggage charges are getting higher. Now not only you have to pack it tight but more importantly , pack it light.

The same rule also applies when you wanna do cheap-trips; cutting transport budget by doing longer journeys in successions of cheaper vehicles aplenty.

Thou shall Travel Light via Bonnie Jones

As a girl of but-I-don’t-have-anything-to-wear kind, the sacrifice is hard. But in my experience wearing the same thing thrice looked way more appealing compared to limping around wearing a grimace of major back-pains (unless you intend to beg)

But I refuse to give up all of my earthly delights just to go low on everything.

Hey! It’s a holiday!

If I want to suffer, I could go to work and get paid.

I cannot afford anything under “splurge” nor wanting to live like a monk . In each travel, I’d found out new things including better packing.  And here’s what I learned so far…

Luggage : Backpack or Wheeled Suitcases?

Consider  where and how you're going to travel.

Backpack is better when you move from place to places a lot and your many means of transportation is rather "rugged".  You’ll need something you can lug easily.

If it is plane then bus then train then bus and so forth, backpack it baby.

If my bag gonna spend a lot of it's time in the room that I'm gonna be staying  and/or  I have better means of transportation, I'd prefer to use ones with wheels. Why hurt my back, if I need  not too. 
Plus it packs  a  whole lot tidier.

 I've noticed most of European traveler prefer the wheelies  instead of backpacks, which made a lot of sense since most  European countries have reliable trains and buses along with their with elevator- escalator equipped terminals. BUT this is not the case in Paris, they have lots and lots of stairs. It's the way they stay in shape.

via Foreign Policy Design

The Wheeled Backpack?

My sister and I tried these mutants. We both find it rather dissatisfying.

First it is not as durable as it predecessors. I have mine burst open during a flight transfer that I have to buy another travel bag in a duty free shop. My sister's broken down after her second travel session. Maybe if you buy better quality bags from trusted manufacturers, you'd have better luck. Still, they will cost more than the usual.

When use as a backpack they weight way more than the regulars’  (hurts more too if you carry them too long, since mostly they're not as  well padded as the normal ones.)

 

Packing

Rolling Rocks!  

This is one of those precious hand-down pearls from my mother.

Fold your clothes normally then roll it as tight as possible. It will save a lot more space than just folding and lessen the wrinkles and creases. On the downside, these rolls unfold way too easily.

Solutions? Rubberbands!

They work like a charm to secure your rolls, so when you need to unpack you could easily put them back  in again.

Do remember that rolling only works for lightweight materials, folding is still the best option for bulky clothing like jackets  and pants.

 Here’s a super-awesome way  to quickly fold clothes.  I wish I found this out when I was still in college…

Beside my backpack/ luggage, I usually carry a handbag to keep my more important stuffs. It’s either a large-ish messenger/ satchel/ tote, since I tend to cram and lug everything around  (oh Angus! The Angst! The Angst!) , I  need them to be spacious yet light (so it’s either fabric or soft leather.)

Backpacking is Fashionable!

Here's a collection of travel-inspired fashion editorials (via Fashion Gone Rogue)

And nope! Nobody looks this good while backpacking. Well, unless models and they're definitely a somebody....with superpowers (I mean look at them heels!)

Tenorio & Dequeker for Vogue Brazil

Mario Testino for Vogue UK

Cedric Buchet for Vogue Paris

Melange Oh My! (part 2)

On the second day in Vienna we chose to go to three museums in a row. Time saving in mind we opted to go in to the smaller ones first; The Mozart House and Haus der Musik.We weren't lost like we often did, but we were wrong about the time saving thing. Dead wrong. Despite the size both museums are really really time consuming, in a good way that is. 

We couldn't take pictures at the Mozart House but I really like the way they display things there; very concise and creative. You got to wear the audio guide for free with its very detailed and not-that-boring instruction and the maestro's music playing on the background while viewing the tidbits of his daily life. I got near the end of the  visit, and Requiem Mass in D Minor was starting to play, and the the museum management board and their cohort got me to shed a tear or two..... Anyway here's  'Amadeus' , go watch, it's good!

Awyea, you also got to see memorable parts of " The Magic Flute" in a aquarium-like stage with hologram people, isn't that grand?!!
As for the Haus der Musik I will just copy you the excerpt I've took from their website.

"HAUS DER MUSIK is an interactive discovery museum located in the heart of Vienna's first district nestled between St. Stephen's Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera. A host of interactive installations playfully communicate openness to new things, understanding and enthusiasm in approaching music HAUS DER MUSIK was awarded the Austrian Museum Prize for its innovative design and is located in the formerPalais of Archduke Charles. You will find all 67 of its new inventions here. A total of 5,000 square meters has been set aside exclusively for areas dedicated to a wide array of approaches to music, and most of all, to the experience of music."

You could sample all kinds of sound from winds,ultrasonics,  major cities' hearts, to the sounds of the sun and planets!!! There are also special rooms dedicated to maestros, it is Vienna after all dear friend! It's mighty mighty fun!

So fun that we lost the track of time, after grabbing get go grubs (big slices of donner-pizza near the metro station yum yum!!!). We head on to the mother of the legions of art museum in the city, the Kunsthistorisches Museum! The museum was nearly close so me and my sister we're running around the museum like crazy. If I have to chose one word to describe the museum, it would be: Grand.

Melange, Oh My!

The dawn was just breaking as we crossed the Austrian border, we were greeted by farmhouses atop green hills  with snow-capped mountains on the background. There's touches of red and orange here and there marking the reign of Autumn in the country. Oh my God this is sooooo Heidi Land, I wanna burst into yodels!!! The view was too fairy tale country side that I won't be so surprised if I found talking animals on the bend. The 8 hours of almost unbearable tiredness of being was instantly disappeared. I should take pics I know, but I'm still too groggy to search for my camera and hungry and just being very lazy.... So you just have to take my word. 

We stopped for breakfast at this really cozy restaurant/ diner/ traveller-stoppy-thingy called Rosenberger where the warm and wide halls with fresh foods are very tempting with its equally mouth-drooling souvenir shop. One word of advice; Buy!!! The price are considerably cheap, and the selections are just beyond cute. We sorta regret that we didn't buy anything here, for we assume that the price was higher than the ones in the city (for most stoppy thingies are tourist traps) on which we could buy later. We were wrong, the branch in the city has very small selection (it was also a much smaller place) and we couldn't find the stuffs that we want anywhere else.

After booking bus seats for the next city, we head to the hostel. We arrived earlier than scheduled but thankfully they let us in. The hostel was  a bit strange since it was comprised of several rooms scattered in several buildings. So we kinda get lost when we try to get to the breakfast room after we left our stuffs at ours. we went round and round for hours and the map we have is not that concise so we're just pretty much hopeless. Good thing that we have few people kind enough to give us directions. We found out that our hostel were situated near cool shops and eateries (on Mariahilfer Street). 

Anyway it was called Happy Hostel. The overall service was good, staffs are friendly and rooms are clean, and you could have free internet at the reception, well situated and the price are reasonable.

After breakfast we decide to take a break and wash ourselves and to really have a proper rest before heading out into town. Our room was actually an apartment and it was huge. Supposedly it was for four people but since we were travelling mid-season, we got the room for ourselves.  

And now we head to Stephansdom. The cathedral was just magnificent! Inside we could also visit a catacomb where remains of Austro-Hungarian bluebloods stashed within metal urns, alongside say 11.000 persons. The underground passage was claustrophobic, cold, dark, and damp with heaps of bones everywhere and skeletons staring at you with their empty sockets. It was everything I expected a catacomb should be. It was great.

It's True What They Say about Waffels! (part 2)

After a very happy breakfast we head down to the tram station and continue towards Heysel , a 5 minutes stop before the ultimate retro-future building of all, The Atomium.The sky was cleared out by magical giant sweeper, the sun shone on our eager faces, and as we held our sight to the majestically enlarged version of  an elementary iron crystal atom, our spirits soared. I fall in love on a first sight.

do believe me when I tell you that it's equally gorgeous in every possible angles

The Atomium was build in 1958 for a World Fair Brussels, and inside you could see pictures of that expo ( a bit disappointing to be sincere)  and even bought retro-inspired stuffs on the little souvenir shop inside (pricey, but pretty nice selections). But the best thing about it is that you could ride one  the fastest elevator in the world, check out the gorgeous retro-future interior (I really should stop saying this word, but hell, Rettrahh Fewtchahhh!!!! is a hard to resist kind of word) of red, teal, and grey, and the 360 degrees view of Brussels from the top.

I went berserk. Here. Say; Beam me up, Scotty!

I fell like I could stay here forever, but we still have a long day ahead of us. So let's continue shall we, perchance by meeting Tintin? (Lemme hear you say YEAHHHH!!!) A visit to Brussels won't be complete without a stop at the Belgian Comic Center or endearingly known as the Comic Museum.

We got kinda lost trying to find it, but it was worth it. Though a bit smallish the museum was fun, informative, and eye opening. What's more is that it's situated in a gorgeous Art Nouveau building designed by Victor Horta.