Showing posts with label CallieThoughts. Show all posts

CallieKaylee x 100 Trip Stories


I've been in love with Japan since young, not due to J-pop of J-drama during that time but rather just fascinated by Japanese culture and delicacy.  Watching my sister go on a home-stay program in Nagoya for 2 weeks, I dread to follow but I was then only 8 years old. Since then I've been dreaming of going on this sorta home stay or student exchange to Japan when I enter secondary school.


My dream came true when I was selected to Osaka student exchange (really not everyone can go coz of its popular demand) and get to extend 8 days in Tokyo and Hakone with mumsie.
  • Universal studio Japan 
  • Nara 
  • Japanese host family (greatest gift)
  • Hakone
  • Fuji mountain sightseeing
  • Black egg
  • Disneyland
  • DisneySea




That was in 2010.


And came another chance, CNY family trip to Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe in 2014.

Despite my crazy expensive air tix from HKG to KIX, a two day spent with my host family prior to my real family's arrival was memorable. And my first experience of staying in a 18-bed mixed dormitory in Kyoto.  Oh boy that's one of the best hostel I've stayed in. 

PIECE Hostel if you're wondering. 


So it was still a trip that was fully funded by my parents, so who else can I thank besides them?

One day, mumsie tagged me on a link. It was regarding a Japanese hotel group, Hoshino Resorts that's having a competition for its 100 anniversary. 


JACKPOT! Never did I imagine I have the luck of winning something, and this is too big a thing to win! I'll just briefly talked about it here.










100 Trip Stories by Hoshino Resorts
100 lucky people who is in their 20s will be selected to get a free 3-night stay in either of these 6 destination: Hokkaido, Okinawa, Nagano, Hakone and Atami, Aomori and Nikko. 50 people actually get to go during the winter while the others during the summer.
Hoshino actually has more than one hotel in some of these places so you can stay in different ones during your three nights.Not to forget your major transportation in Japan when traveling to the hotel will be covered, i.e domestic flight from HND/KIX to Hokkaido or Okinawa, JR train rides, ferry rides and the life saver, FREE portable wifi!

And my session was during the summer, right after my finals. Initially I was facing this dilemma of choosing the destination coz Okinawa is so attractive as a summer vacation hub. Already been to Hakone so I decided to rule that out. So I submitted my application with Hokkaido as my 1st choice and Okinawa as the back up plan. Over the moon when I received the confirmation email and then I begin to worry if my parents allow me to go on this solo travel thingy. Plus I planned to extend my stay in Tokyo for another 5 nights.

Voucher, Map and Activity Pass
Arigato, Hoshino Resorts

Life-saver wifi that allows me to insta anywhere anytime
Arigato, Telecom Square.


First JAL experience and domestic flight in Japan
Arigato, Japan Airlines

It has been more than a month since my #calliegoestoJapan but I can totally re-live it again and again. Still waiting for my trip report to be uploaded on their site. I can't really remember  


I love Japan and I guess she loves me back in someway. Like this golden opportunity. Can I visit Japan every year?

Hello.... Anyone still there?

So... It's been forever since I have updated my blog. Or visited it. Seriously it has been almost a year. Sorry my dear bloggie you knew how busy I was right.. I can't really commit to updating here so often coz of the piling up work in college. SOPHOMORE YEAR IS NO JOKE MAN! Maybe just in Hong Kong yikes.

It's only been three weeks since the start of the new semester and I'm choking up with stuff. From assignments, choosing what society to join, applying for stuff to even worrying about securing an internship for the coming summer (what? this summer hasn't even ended). This explains why I almost *cough blood* when I heard this new freshmen telling me that he thinks the academic environment here isn't really strong.

When I'm handling with the difficult assignments,
How I wish

Btw we had much more Malaysian juniors coming into HKU this year compared to our miserable numbers last year. But sigh.. only one moved into my residential hall. New roomie is fine, our level of cleanliness/messiness is about the same so it is quite good. NOTHING COMPARED TO MY EX ROOMMATE.

Events of the month:
 
Bel's bday dinner @Jamie's Italian

 
The food is mediocre. Bland and the pasta wasn't al dente. 

 
Registration team for mid autumn night! 


That's all for this time.
Not gonna make any promise on blogging.

Thoughts on Uni

It's been a week since I last blogged. Not that my life is boring, I actually went to try a few restaurants and intend to blog about it but many serious and urgent matter are not even lining up to greet me. They basically just gush to me and leave me no where to hide.

A few major things has happened last week. First I collected my A-levels results and it was a satisfying one which got me into my university choices which includes UCL.
A*AAA
I have been struggling for the past few months about how badly I wanna achieve the grades to meet UCL requirement and obtain a scholarship in order to enjoy my 3 years there. On the other hand, dad and mum prefer HKU. I like HKU as well, met with some Malaysian seniors and freshers during the pre-departure gathering in Italiannies and the description about Hong Kong uni life seems enjoyable.
Many people have been asking why am I still going Hong Kong when I can actually go UCL. I have nothing to worry in mind except for the costly accommodation in London. I've compared the differences between London and Hkg and it is about a 200K difference. You would suggest "just go there and work part-time la."Obviously I will but do you think it's gonna help much? It's gonna help me earn some pocket money but definitely not contributing towards tuition or hall fees. The life I want in UK is with some traveling here and there and food hunting of course.
Going there using my parents money to London, I could foresee a merely study-work-study life. Which pratically make no sense for me to go for UCL anymore. #sorrynotsorry coz I really can't sacrifice that much just for a Bachelor title. Forget about Santorini, Paris, Pasteis de Belem again or satisfying my tummy. I'll be eating sardine baked capsicum or bread most of the time NO JOKE. Not only that I might cause my family to go through similar circumstances (maybe better they can still eat out for sure) but maybe they can't enjoy much. All because of my selfish act to go for my tertiary studies in UK.

I really don't want that to happen. Weighing the pros and cons, I don't see much bad in Hong Kong. A top ranked uni among world universities and a perfect financial hub for my studies in Economics. Just a few negatives like no snow, too close to Msia so daddy might come visit often, no Europe trips throughout uni life but can still have Asia trip like going to Japan *woohoo* and no old buddies. HKU will be an entire new environment coz I have no close friends going there with me, but it's kinda good also to meet new friends :)

Now that I'm left with 6 days before departing to Hong Kong, hopefully I get to meet my lovely friends before I go but if we can't there will still be a next time but prolly a longer gap in between.
DO COME VISIT ME!
 
Ending this with a selca with ze sister!


Till then, 
I'll try to update before I fly off  ♥


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