I arrived at Tokyo from Hiroshima a little before schedule, at around 8am. My Willer Express overnight bus dropped me off at Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Shinjuku Station South Exit) and I was off to explore Tokyo! To be honest, I was quite worn out by the time I reached Tokyo, having slept on overnight buses for two consecutive nights with no proper shower. Not to mention, my earrings fell off again — I'm telling you this is a running gag by now!!! (My earrings fell off in Kyoto, Hiroshima, and Miyajima.)

This Japan trip tired me out endlessly because I woke up early to enjoy the most of a city since I was only in it for a day, but I'm obviously not a morning person at all. Nonetheless, I quickly checked in to Tokyo Imano Hostel (review here), changed into new clothes, and continued my solo travel in Tokyo, where I planned to visit Tokyo Pokemon Centre and Shibuya Crossing.


Accidentally wandered into the red light district of Tokyo while looking for a money changer. Thank god it was in the day or I might have gotten lost because that's exactly the kind of muddle-headed person I am.


I ended up changing money at Family Mart because it was offering me a better rate than another money changer recommended by Tokyo Imano Hostel and I assumed that was the market rate for SGD to JPY.

However, later in the day, I discovered more and better money changers scattered around Tokyo — some offering rates as competitive as what I'd get in Singapore! A pity I've already changed most of my SGD to JPY in Family Mart since I assumed most money changers wouldn't accept SGD (my best friend faced this problem and brought USD to Japan instead).


I walked into a shrine which I assumed was Meiji Shrine... Up till my recent Google search showed me that Meiji Shrine looks nothing like this. *shifty eyes*

For our post-graduation trip, Joanna and I travelled to Kaohsiung for two main reasons. 1) Kaohsiung is a relatively small city, just enough for us to finish exploring at a comfortable pace when we only have 4 days. 2) I love love loveeee Taiwan, and I haven't been to Kaohsiung yet!

Flight (Singapore to Kaohsiung direct)


We decided to travel to Kaohsiung at only the eleventh hour so we didn't manage to secure good deals for our flight. Since Scoot only flies to Kaohsiung thrice weekly, and Scoot is the only airline that flies directly from Singapore to Kaohsiung, our choices were limited. To save cost, we decided to only check in our luggages on our way back from Kaohsiung (because we know we were going to be shopping a lot).

Our flight departed Singapore at 6:00am and we reached Kaohsiung at 10:20am.

Kaohsiung International Airport to Kaohsiung City


Compared to Taoyuan International Airport to Taipei City, it was way easier to get from Kaohsiung International Airport to Kaohsiung City.

There's a direct train from Kaohsiung Airport to Kaohsiung City, which costs about NT$20 one way. Take note that you can use Taipei's EasyCard (you-you-ka) in Kaohsiung, but you can't top up there. It takes only about 15 minutes to get to the hearts of Kaohsiung by Kaohsiung Rapid Transit Corporation (KRTC). You should familiarise yourself with their KRTC system as it is Kaohsiung's main form of transport.

I must be one of the few Singaporeans who have never been to Johor Bahru — or at least, I hadn't till a few weeks back. Following the abundance of cafehopping in Johor Bahru guides written usually by Singaporeans, I tagged along Nat and JX's date for a short trip away from Singapore.

I'd expect most Singaporeans to know this route by heart but for reference's sake, we took Bus 950 to Woodlands Checkpoint, then Bus 160 to Johor Bahru Sentral, linked to City Square Mall. If you don't know your way, just follow some Singaporeans and you'll probably reach Johor Bahru in no time.

Since everything was within walking distance, we didn't find a need to splurge on cabs despite the burning sun. However, much to our disappointment, the cafe we initially wanted to dine in, Replacement Cafe, was strangely closed although it was supposed to be opened daily.

By this point we were famished. Helpless without internet connection, we decided to just enter the first cafe we saw, Big Bites Cafe, to begin our Johor Bahru cafe hopping adventure.


Big Bites Cafe

Address
18, Jalan Ibrahim, Johor Bahru, 80000 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours
9am to 7pm daily

Telephone Number
+60 7-221 1475

After a short walk along Omotesando Shopping Street, consisting of me constantly darting in and out of shops for warmth, I finally reached the famed floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine.

When travelling solo, you just have to pose with some tourists to pretend you have friends LOL

Waiting for tourists to get out of my photo be like...

After this photo, I fell down immediately

The floating torii gate of Itsukushima Shrine, spotted only during high tides, was underwhelming for me, to be honest. Maybe my expectations killed the experience because I approached the shrine expecting to be blown away by Itsukushima Shrine's majestic appearance, as raved by many other travel bloggers I read.

The winter winds were strong and brutal — exactly the reason winter is my favourite season.

My itchy fingers obviously wanted an ornacle, but they're all written in Japanese.

Miyajima was considerably more massive than I expected it to be, and I had to utilise Google Maps to find my way to Itsukushima Shrine. Couldn't resist entering these shops along Omotesando Shopping Street because they had such adorable Japan souvenirs for sale!

As previously mentioned in my Hiroshima travel post, Miyajima was not in my original itinerary but the 1 Day Streetcar and Ferry Pass made travelling from Hiroshima to Miyajima worth my yen (¥840 instead of ¥960 if bought seperately). I didn't do much research regarding Miyajima; other than it being an island off Hiroshima, I knew particularly nothing about Miyajima but being clueless is how I travel solo. I only knew I wanted to see one of the three views of Japan — Itsukushima Shrine — for myself.


I slept the entire train journey from Genbaku-Domu Mae Station to Miyajimaguchi Station because I was absolutely exhausted from all the intense solo travelling and my first overnight bus. Since Miyajimaguchi Station is the last station, where everyone gets off, I wasn't too worried about missing my stop.

With my luck, my earrings fell off (again!!!!!!!!!!) when I was sleeping. Thankfully, I had a pair of back up so I hurriedly unpacked when I reached Miyajimaguchi Station, and got a kind Japanese shopkeeper to put it on for me. Yes, I am a loser who can't figure out how to put in my own earrings, even till today. *Hangs my head in shame*


Had wanted to get a fortune-telling strip but unfortunately, I don't know my blood type... I'm the only person I know who still don't know my blood type and am too scared to find out. I'm aware that this post makes me sound like a whiny scaredy-cat but I'm just really afraid of needles!


I'm a sucker for fortune telling gimmicks even though the readings are always kinda general — I relish in that fleeting moment of feigned control I have over my future. Japan almost got me declaring bankrupcy because of the abundance of fortune telling gimmicks!

Continued looking for souvenirs for my family and friends in the souvenir shop right in front of Miyajimaguchi Station, the same shop that sucked the last of my yen. I highly underestimated how expensive Japan can be, and it was glaringly obvious that I'd run out of yen by the time I reach Tokyo, my next stop.


My stomach was growling but I couldn't afford a proper meal in a restaurant setting; we all know how exorbitant a proper meal costs in Japan. No matter, I hunted for food for street food around Miyajimaguchi Station because I wasn't sure how long the Matsudai ferry ride would take.

Unlike Kyoto or Osaka, most of the menu in Hiroshima / Miyajima were in Japanese although it was obviously a tourist spot so I resorted to stores where I could point out what I want. Eventually, I only got a fried crab stick for ¥320 (approx SGD $4) just so I could keep my gastric pains from acting up. #budgettravels


The Matsudai ferry ride to Miyajima took a total of 15 minutes maximum, including boarding and alighting. I initially wanted feel the breeze against my face by the ferry deck but the winds were unforgiving so I hurriedly retreated in, where I found a whole row of seats to myself despite the fact that it was a public holiday in Japan.

The insufferable distance closed as he drew me in. He wrapped his arms around my waist and a familiar sense of longing enveloped me. Warm, safe, tender — what homes are made of. Damn, I thought, how did I get so lucky again. I found home. I never met a person worth staying for, then suddenly I had someone I wanted to return to. I sighed deeply. If this isn’t the epitome of trite and cliché…

Ravished by his sudden embrace, I revealed a beatific smile — a heartfelt one from deep within my heart — and in my chest, a psychedelic of fireworks threatened to burst anytime. The rush of adrenaline was repulsive in hindsight but in that moment, I was light-headed and saturated with euphoria. The bliss I radiated was palpable, unmistakable even to the blind.

But that’s what I was — blind. 

I mistook affability for affection, solicitude for endearment, benevolence for passion. His blithe disregard for my wretched self was blatantly obvious. Etched in his heart was a mission for utter destruction yet he remained ecstasy to my credulous self.

When the next ray of sunshine streamed through my window 1923 kilometres away, the happiness I grew used to dissipate. It didn’t just vanish. No, that’ll be just too mellow, too merciful. Instead, the euphoria that cloaked me gradually waned. Fleeting, ebbing happiness — the kind I’m destined to have all my life. It faded, ever so gently. Just like how he once was with me.  

The comforting voice that I sought solace in has lost its words. One moment I was high on love — that stupid morphine on steroids. The next, darkness swallowed me. Its raucous roar almost deafening, a relentless taunting. That sick, twisted, familiar ache in my stomach grappled what was left of me. The ever-growing, intense fear filled my lungs and crawled its way to my chest with an obstinate refusal to leave. The lump in my throat swelled; even swallowing was arduous.

He left nothing but lingering stains following his evanescence — an unyielding look of disdain in the mirror, and my friends’ assumption that my heartbreak will sink into oblivion eventually.

Memories are easily forgotten.
Photos inevitably fade.
Everything is impermanent.

Everything, but the triumvirate of fear, pain, and how I felt — insolently feel — towards him.

~

Inspired by the novel, The Girl On The Train.