Started our full day exploring Kyoto by visiting, all with JR Pass:
Arashiyama Bamboo Forest
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Nara Deer Park
View from Kyoto Station
We decided to do the journey in reverse direction, first taking the JR train from Kyoto station to JR Umahori station (which is covered with JR Rail Pass), and from there a short 5 minutes walk to Kameoka Torokko station..
The monkeys statues at Torokko Kameoka Station
"Romantic Train".. how is it romantic?
Finally reach the Bamboo Forest
Moving on to Fushimi Inari with JR train to JR Inari station, again, it's covered with JR Rail Pass.. Back here after 2 years..
This is called pattern duo duo - act one kind
If you have hiked up far enough, the view gets bizarrely amazing.
In after that, we continue on with JR train to Nara, settled down for some dessert to cool the hot day off.
This deer aiming for my Coke!
Back n Kyoto city.. went and explore some secluded temples...
It is said that you tie your bad luck predictions on the strings and don't take it with you
Who's up for some fortune telling?
Just another Kyoto street
The main street
Issen Yoshuku - Kyoto Pancake
Issen Yoshuku - Kyoto Pancake
Issen Yoshoku - Kyoto Pancake
My dining date
Hmm...
Outside a mochi shop in Gion
Different kinds of mochi
Lots of 18SX obscene pics in this shop
Next, we head to Gion Tsujiri for the green tea dessert..
Half and Half
Our last day in Kyoto is spend exploring Nishiki Market.. I ate the Big Cup Nissin Noodle.. The ingredients are filled to the brim and so full.. and it cost like 210 yen..
Temple before Nishiki Market
Shopped too much buying Yuzu honey that we scored ourselves a member's card
Bought leaf sushi from Isetan Kyoto Station for our lunch back to Tokyo on the Shinkansen..
The sushi are all individually wrapped in leaf
Lunchbox
The toilet of the Hikari Shinkansen
Toilet in the Hikari Shinkansen
And when we pass by Mount Fuji on the Shinkansen, it was a sight to behold... a fantastic unobstructed view of Mount Fuji!
This is way long overdue.. almost 2 months late.. hahaha.. been back from Japan mid-June but now only I'm writing about my second day in Tokyo/Kyoto..
We departed Shinjuku station towards Shinagawa station to catch our Shinkansen Hikari train to Kyoto using our JR Pass..
If purchase ticket, a return ticket would have cost ¥28,000, which is more than the cost of the JR Pass itself, so a round trip Shinkansen would have already pay off the JR Pass, a huge savings!
Boarding at Shinagawa is much easier and faster compared to Tokyo station due to the station layout.. As you exit JR Yamanote Line at Shinagawa station, just head across the terminal towards the Shinkansen entrance gates.. Tokyo Station is a mess and a labyrinth of platforms on so many levels, both JR Yamanote Line and the Shinkansen line is at extreme ends of the station..
Shinkansen gate (Shinagawa Station)
An approaching Shinkansen
For those holding JR Pass, you cannot take Nozomi trains.. I repeat, you cannot take Nozomi trains.. You can only take the Hikari or Kodama trains..
Now they all look alike, you need to check the train arrival timing on the electronic board for your train number and board at the correct platform.. There will also be signages on the train itself indication what kind of service it is..
Technically the Nozomi leave one after another alternatively on both sides of the platform interchangeably every few minutes.. Whereas the Hikari and Kodama service comes along twice within the hour, from different platforms as well alternatively..
Our first stop was Kiyomizu-Dera temple as it was just across the road from our AirBnB accommodation, and while it's still very early to check-in, we decided to just walk around and explore this grand temple first..
Kiyomizu Dera temple
People mountain people sea
The whole main hall is currently under renovations
Kyoto city
Nobody would know this.. it's off the beaten track and right at the other entrance, free entry to Kiyomizu-dera..
The famous waterfall streams, did not go and partake because of the long queue
Kiyomizu Zaka street
Magic. People all disappear!
Totally void of people
My friend from KL, and we bumped into each other in Kyoto after 15 years of not meeting!
Normally, I write about my trips in a consequential order by the day.. My last post was on my Japan holiday which I barely have written about the second day when I had to fly off to Gold Coast for work..
Being routinely, I would have finish writing about my Japan holiday before I begin writing about Gold Coast.. but allow me to just skip everything else to the end of the trip as I boarded AirAsiaX D7 207 on 3 July 2017 at Gold Coast bound for Kuala Lumpur..
It was supposed to be a routine flight like any other flight, but as the world have come to learn, it wasn't..
D7 207 was scheduled to depart Gold Coast at 10.20pm, having stopped for refueling on an earlier leg from Auckland.. So we boarded, took our seats and ready to get some sleep..
However, the plane did not back off until 10.50pm.. and minutes later we took off from Gold Coast Airport..
Barely 5 minutes later at around 3,800ft, there was four or five explosions at the right engine, we could see bright orange fireballs and it went "boom, boom, boom", as I would have described it in my Facebook which news globally quoted me..
The Star TV ... fast forward to 1:59
People were crying out "oh my God, oh my God" as the explosions went.. Some put on life jackets while others tried to take photos and videos..
We were later told to turn off all our phones and electronic devices..
The plane stopped climbing, the engine went silent.. at this stage, honestly, we did not know if we'll make it back to land, or to brace for a water landing.. everyone was very quiet and calm but the situation was very intense.. some people got up and away from the wing fearing fire..
Minutes later the captain spoke, "be seated and remain calm".. and a few minutes later the captain spoke again and this time telling us that we will be making an emergency landing in Brisbane Airport in about 10 minutes and that the airport has been very helpful..
Screen capture of the engine brightly engulfed.. Taken by a passenger seated in business class
We touched down in Brisbane Airport without any further incident and was escorted to the terminal by emergency vehicles and firetrucks..
As we parked, we were not allowed to disembark for another 20 minutes while the emergency services inspected the damaged engine..
Finally when the aircraft door opened, the captain walked out of the cockpit and greeted us as we left the aircraft.. Everyone praised the captain for his professionalism and calm in handling the situation..
Captured this photo from the terminal
Fire truck inspecting
After clearing immigration and collected our baggage, we spent another couple hours sitting and sleeping in the terminal waiting for further information.. we knew we had to spend the night in Brisbane but nothing was forthcoming and nobody was around to tell us anything..
Just a waiting game
2 hours passed before the airport announced that hotel and transportation arrangement is being made and that we will be taken to hotels..
The police and airport security were there together with airport staff managing the distribution of the hotels to the passengers..
At 2am, officers can only began to be seen with us
The first news broke with New Straits Times and The Malay Mail heard about it from my Facebook and quoting my Facebook post as it was..
Moments later, the Australian media outlets began picking up news and by morning, reporters found us at our hotels eager to interview us..
We reached our hotel the Oakwood Hotel & Apartments in downtown Brisbane about 5am and I only have a few hours nap before I was woken up by notification buzzes on my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram of reporters wanting to talk..
I agree to talk to 2 TV stations which were already at the hotel lobby as I went downstairs for a quick breakfast.. but I forgot the stations names and now I have trouble trying to find the clips..
We stayed put in the hotel waiting for further updates which unfortunately, AirAsiaX needs to buck up and improve on.. The update on the replacement flight came by telephone around 2pm something and the hotel went around giving 5 minutes notice "you have to leave now now now, the bus is here". and 5 minutes later the bus left..
As you guessed it, my group and I did not get the news on time and left stranded at the hotel.. we called for a taxi and sped to the airport mad through Brisbane CBD..
Replacement flight was an empty aircraft sent from Kuala Lumpur and was scheduled for departure at 6.10pm as D7 689 (my friend was tracking the plane on Flightradar24 and providing me hourly updates on the aircraft whereabouts).. When we arrived at the airport at 3.40pm there were like 300 over passengers ahead of us in the check-in queue..
Check-in took about 3 hours plus and while waiting in the queue, several reporters tried to get interviews and photos and videos.. Some of us talk, while some declined to be interviewed..
TV crew taking a rest
Queue starts here. 3 hours to counter.
AirasiaX call sign at Brisbane Airport departure screen
1 hour to counter
Boarding beginning 7pm
Check-in finally closed at 7pm and boarding then soon began.. D7 689 finally took off from Brisbane at 7.45pm amid heavy security presence at the gate.. Everyone on board were given complimentary meals and then we settled in and got some sleep..
D7 689 boarding pass
Nasi lemak/chicken rice meal for everybody
Landed safely at 2.30am and again, several reporters were waiting outside the arrival hall of KLIA2 trying to get interviews.. Once out, I made an Uber request and went home at around 4am, and by 5am I was already on my own bed and dozed off.........
My Facebook post which media outlets across the world picked up my line..
Below these are just some of the news outlet picked up on my Facebook and quoted me as saying, "boom, boom, boom"..
