The Countdown Begins!

The Fastest Route To/From Narita

Such a cool looking train, don't you agree?

The new Skyliner Airport Express connects Nippori station and Narita Airport Terminal 2 in a minimum of 36 minutes, zipping along a new access route at 160 km/h top speed. Whoa! I guess I won't have enough time to catch up on my sleep if I use this train.

The 2,400yen fare one way is a bit steep to us. We actually preferred to use the much cheaper Keisei Limited Express Train at just 1,000yen per way (a 70 minutes ride) although last year, we opted to take the Narita Express (N'EX) because of its Suica & N'EX package which made taking the N'EX quite an affordable option. And we can still use our Suica card this year because the card only becomes void if not used within 10 years.

We'll see if we have excess money at the end of our vacation, then we can probably get on this train. Zaini is a train nut, and I know he wouldn't want a chance to ride this train at least once! And take lots of photos of the exterior and interior of the train.

There are a myriad of options for transportation to/from Narita Airport. For more info, check out Japan Guide.

Riverhills Park . . . Temple Terrace, Florida

Nature is one of God's free gifts that many of us take for granted. Riverhills Park located in Temple Terrace, Florida is one of those gifts that living in Florida provides.

There is nothing like escaping into nature after a stressful day at the office. My boyfriend and I frequently visit after work with a picnic for ourselves and the wildlife who call Riverhills Park their home.

The egrets walk the park in search of visitors with treats for them. We have noticed there are several who hop along on one leg and have summized they are a victim of the resident gator who makes his occasional appearance.

Beautiful Riverhills Park offers access to the Hillsborough River, providing a boat ramp and dock, picnic areas set under the cypress and oaks and a boardwalk that winds along the riverfront.

Additional amenities include a large playground area, two newly renovated tennis courts, and restrooms. Riverhills Park gazebo may be reserved for parties and other functions by calling (813) 989-7180.

Visit my boyfriend's blog for more photos . . .

BACK TO SCHOOL PROMOTION - Unique Gifts

Can you believe it? Some kids are back in school already. 

We have many unique gifts for students and teachers 

Handmade in Peru, many sizes and color combinations.

Over 100 different designs in the popular Satin Stripe fabric. All drastically marked down !

Many titles of 'Survival Kits" including this one - School Bus driver; Teacher; Student; Coach; Karate and many many others.

Perfect for the playground, these visors have a spiral lace that do not pinch or cause headaches.  Washable in the dishwasher too!

So as you can see we have a variety of many different and unique things for everyone returning to school.  You can see them all in our eBay store.

Herb's Crafts Gifts Back to School

Getting High at the Tetons

Without any reservations (the system is first-come, first-served), we went to Grand Tetons National Park hoping that, despite the peak season, we could get a campsite at one of the NPS campgrounds.  Coming in very early, we got 5 nights! From there we also got 4 nights at Yellowstone NP! Let me tell you…Grand Tetons is a breath-taking experience (we tell you about Yellowstone in the next post).

The French fur traders/trappers named the pointed, purple peaks ‘tetons’.  Lonely after weeks in the wilderness, those elegant ‘shapes’ must have evoked memories of the most beautiful forms in the universe…the female breasts. There are three well-known peaks that are close together: the Grand Teton (the highest at 13,770 ft), the Middle Teton, and the South Teton. 

There are other peaks (Mt. Teewinot, the most pointed and closest to Grand, and Moran, a little further removed, with its famous skillet glacier) to the Tetons.  It is a 50 mile mountain range that sprung up about 10-13 million years ago (the Rockies are 60 million years old) when the Teton fault moved and sank the valley below (Jackson Hole).  Thus there are no foothills, making the peaks jaggedly dramatic.  

I thought a chapel with the peaks as background for an altar would be perfect for a stirring mass and that is exactly what the Chapel of Transfiguration in the heart of the Park does! The artistry of the peaks was completed by three glaciations that carved the horns, arêtes, and the U-shaped canyons that divided the peaks.  You have to see it to believe it! Truly there is a Master Sculptor.

We spent the first day attending ranger sessions.  We learned so much about the Teton’s geology, its wildlife, its plants and trees, and history. The next two days we drove on the self-guided tour and stopped at all the overlooks and turnouts.  We share with you here the best of the hundreds of Teton photos we took. From many vistas, across rivers or lakes, those peaks are truly inspirational.

But the last day of our stay proved to be the best. That was when we were driving past herds of cattle and then Bill says ‘watch carefully, sometimes other wildlife graze with them’.  And then suddenly…we spotted a herd of pronged antelope amongst them.  That day we also saw a herd of elk and then a herd of bison.  No wonder they call this ecosystem (including the Tetons) the Serengeti of North America!   

Then there are the interesting towns surrounding the park.  Victor is the small town on the Idaho side of the Tetons. A few miles north of it is Driggs. The Teton Pass gives you easy but steep access from the towns to Grand Teton National Park.  The Pass had 10 % grades a few times for several miles so we could not take our RV through there. Instead we went through the neat towns of Alpine and Jackson.

Before reaching Jackson, across the National Wildlife Elf Refuge, tucked into and almost hidden in the hills is the Museum of Wildlife Art, designed by Curtis Ventriss. Then as you get into the city, the town square featured, at each corner an Antlers Arch.  Pretty cool indeed.  And as we meandered among the shops and cafes, we discovered a lot of neat ‘Western’ things such as this Antlers’ Christmas tree.

Bill and I urge you to visit the Tetons at least once in your lifetime. There are many campgrounds to stay in.  If you are not yet into RVing as a lifestyle, there are many lodges, cabins, and tent campsites available, too.  At Colter Bay, where we stayed, there is a general store, a launderette/shower, and a museum/visitor center, plus an amphitheater for a beehive of activities.

At Jenny Lake, you will get treated to a more intimate setting with the Tetons. At the back deck of Jackson Lake Lodge, on the other hand, is a massive view of the entire range and the Willow Flats of Jackson Hole where the wildlife roam and the drama of predator-prey relationships unfold. You can even see the Hidden Falls cascading down the canyon beside Mt. Moran. 

Next Stop: Yellowstone National Park                                                                                                        

Discover Tokyo, Japan At Just RM1,515.00

Anyone looking for a good deal for airfares to Tokyo? JAL has come out with another great deal for travel between  Aug-Nov and Jan 2011.

Not as cheap as the fares available earlier in the year, but this is much cheaper than what MAS or SQ is offering now.

The fare is only limited to Tokyo and there's no child fare offered, but  it's still a good deal.

For those interested in this fare, here's the T&C:

• Fare includes airfare, surcharges & taxes.
• All Reservation must be confirmed.
• Subject to seat availability.
• No waiting list.
• Reservation & ticketing only available at travel agent in Malaysia.
• Ticket must be issued 3 days after reservation and within booking & ticketing period.
• Date change is not permitted.
• Minimum stay 3 days. Maximum stays 14 days.
• Economy fare applicable for Kuala Lumpur - Tokyo - Kuala Lumpur Route. (JL724 / 723) Same fare applicable for departure from Penang. (without stopover in Kuala Lumpur)
• Other Japan domestic sector available through oneworld YOKOSO / Visit Japan fare or applicable domestic fares.
• Endorsement / Re-routing not permitted.
• No refund. No cancellation after issued of ticket.
• Child applies same fare as adult.
• JMB upgrade, JAL family service & unaccompanied minor service are not eligible.
• 50% of sector mileage accrual. Other terms & conditions apply.

Japan, see you in September.

p.s. Zaini and I'll will be celebrating our birthdays in the Land of the Rising Sun again this year. :)

Discover Your Seoul At Just RM99!

Booking starts 4 Aug 2010 (0000hrs, GMT +8)
	Kuala Lumpur Seoul (South Korea)   New Daily Flight   All-In-Fare from RM one way 99

I wish I have "kaki" to go to Seoul. Zaini still pretty much uninterested in going to Korea, even with a super cheap fare going on sale by Air Asia X this Wednesday. RM99 one way fare to Seoul. Who can beat that?

Now, if only there are cheap flights to Japan. The three of us would probably start spending all four seasons a year in Japan!