MONGOLIA, AUGUST 2024
Mongolia trip to the Land of Eternal Blue Sky was so memorable. I am moved to record it as a beacon for those who have never visited. Go for it at the next invite for the following reasons:
- Experience, get overwhelmed by the immensity of the landscape of endless grasslands/steppe against white clouds and blue sky. As far as the eye can see.
- Grasp physically the nomadic way of life. See, feel, and taste what the nomads experience living in their abode; round tents called Ger and with their livestock around them. They also use modern technology eg vehicles, mobiles where they can. Our Gers out in the grasslands have full amenities, comfortable.
- The horse is ultra-special to the Mongols. On visiting a horse farm, we were dramatically greeted by a racing herd of horses; accompanying our arrival. Life in a horse farm was shown us. Some of us capped the visit with a 1 hour guided horseback ride into the rolling hills.
- Our lunches and dinners were superb in quality and quantity. Salads was surprisingly fresh and tasty, different from the servings at home. All table meats are grass-fed; unlimited pastures.
- I had thought of Mongolia as an underdeveloped country. Wrong. The capital, Ulaanbaatar, is as modern as S’pore. Purple/blond hair and ripped jeans are common. Traffic jams in the city are worse than ours.
- Highlights of shopping are pine nuts and cashmere apparel.
- Education wise, we learnt primitive as they were, the Mongols conquered/ ruled the Asia-Europe continent through Chinggis Khaan (aka Genghis Khan) and his successors. The national museum showcasing the history and artefacts were impressive, attesting to their supremacy in those days.
- Our local travel agency and accompanying group manager (Jimmy) coupled with our host guides and drivers rose to the occasion for us. We give thanks!
Dr. Chin Wah Seng
CHENGDU & JIUHZIGOU, MAY 2025
Before our tour we were quite anxious about the weather. However, it turned out just nice, no heavy rain, no sweltering heat – we were truly blessed. The hotels were good, although some had minor problems.
At the Dujiangyan Panda Base, we met Le Le, (Singapore born, 14 August 2021), who returned to Chengdu in January 2024. He was very busy having his bamboo lunch. In Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou we visited many scenic places, including the Diexi lake and the Songpan Ancient town.
The Min River flowed endlessly through, while our coach followed faithfully along its twists and turns – a marvelous sight. In Jiuzhaigou we saw glimpses of snow-capped mountains, waterfalls, and true-blue lakes. Huanglong was challengingly freezing and oxygen scarce. But we survived the cable car ride, bus rides and endless walking!
Three of our members (Karuni, Irene and Lena) managed to climb down to the temple and viewed the colorful ponds and climbed up again! They were our heroes!
At the Chuancais Museum, we learned to cook the world-renowned Sichuan cuisine, namely the Panda steamed dumplings, Ma Po Tofu and Kung Pao Chicken. All passed with flying colours. Sichuan Opera was an eye opener, showcased the Face changing skills and Hand shadow skills.
Also in Chengdu we learned the history of the three Kingdoms, at Wuhou shrine, about Zhuge Liang, Lui Bei the empower of Shuhan and Chow Chow. History repeats itself – a lot of fighting and many perished.
The food was the best, we were feasted at every meal, no complaints except some of us had numbed tongues after tasting the peppercorns! Last but not least, we enjoyed the shopping along the way. Thanks to Travel Hub (Alice) for such an enjoyable and great experience in Chengdu, Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong!
OKINAWA, MARCH 2025
After a long hiatus, Silver Horizon organised a tour to Okinawa, Japan in March 2025. A group of 25 participants left in the early morning of 11th March for Naha, Okinawa and returned safely in the afternoon of 16th March.
The group itinerary consists of visits to farms, castles, gardens, and other tourist sites. We stayed in Hotel Collective throughout our week-long stay. This hotel is located along the famous Kokusai (Shopping) Street. Shopping was very convenient in the evenings after our dinners.
The weather was good most days except for the last two days when it rained a bit. Food was good; we had tonkatsu, teppanyaki, and the usual buffet spreads. Mainly international cuisine for breakfast supplemented by local Japanese dishes.
For the last day, we indulged in a Traditional Japanese dinner before going home!
Day 1 started with a visit to Itoman City Market. We were served breakfast and then we proceed to browse the area’s markets which sold fresh seafood, and other foodstuffs. We also visited a Premium Brands Factory Outlet nearby. We then checked in to our hotel on the famed Kokusai Street in the late afternoon. Dinner was an Okinawa Dining Experience at a restaurant nearby. We went shopping along Kokusai Street after dinner.
On the second day, we visited Okinawa World Culture Kingdom in the morning. Within Okinawa World, we explored Gyokusendo Cave, a large, 5-kilometer-long cave system, considered to be the most beautiful in East Asia, and other attractions such as a snake museum. We also watched an Okinawa Eisa Drum Dance Show. In the afternoon, we visited the Peace Memorial Park. It was followed by a stopover at a sea grape farm where we observed how it was farmed and harvested. We then had a grand teppanyaki dinner at Kokusai Street.
For Day 3, we stopped by a supermarket on the way to a Salt Factory where we saw how salt was harvested from the sea. We had a simple lunch at the salt factory before we proceeded to explore the nearby park and beach. We also visited the beautiful Royal Shikina-en Gardens, a UNESCO Heritage site after lunch. We also indulged in a Coral Dyeing Workshop where we used corals to create artwork on T-shirts, tote bags, scarfs etc. A final stop was the Royal Mausoleum where the urns of the ancient royal family was kept! We then had pork tonkatsu for dinner today!
We crossed the Kouri Bridge on the fourth day to visit Kouri Island. Unexpected rain denied us a good view of the scenery as we went up the Kouri Ocean Tower. We then visited the famous Churaimi Aquarium after lunch where the main attraction was a massive whale shark in the main tank! In the afternoon, we visited the Nakajin castle ruins and the Heart Rock at Tuni Beach. The final activity of the day was a cooking demonstration where we also had our dinner.
On Day 5, we were divided into smaller groups for our home visits. We spent some time with an ordinary family in Okinawa and experience their lifestyle, learn Japanese and Okinawan cultures while enjoying lunch with them. We also visit the Okinawa Prefectural Museum that provides a superb overview of Okinawa’s history from the late 19th century onward. Our final dinner was a traditional Japanese dinner where we also bade farewell to our gracious local guide Aki, and we wore traditional Japanese clothes for the occasion. Everyone had an unusual and fun experience in Okinawa! We flew home on the morning of 16 March.