Post from: Let's Visit Asia

Once the menu is presented, the strange and often thrilling journey outside the comfort zone begins. Though Japanese cuisine is based on the familiar — rice, noodles, soups, tofu, fish, livestock — it also appears to embrace most of the other creatures that inhabit the region, with the exception of Hello Kitty. About 450 types of seafood are sold at the city’s Tsukiji fish market, the main restaurant supplier, and chefs aren’t shy about serving up their odder parts, such as abalone liver, fugu fins and those squid guts.

“One of the interesting things about living in Japan is that you end up eating things you have no idea what it is, so you just have to go with it,” Spreckley says. “As long as you view it as a constant adventure, it can be fun. Things change all the time.”

Of course, for more enlightenment and ideas on what you should look out for and which you should better not dare try, head on for more Tokyo eats at the Tokyo Traveler.

Photo Credit: Gustty

Post from: Let's Visit Asia

Dear Valued Passengers

We would like to inform you that during 22 July 2008 – 15 September 2008 we are operating a reduced schedule.

We apologize for any inconvenience to your travel plan and thank you for your kind understanding.

One-Two-Go Airlines.

The reports that are circulating, however, say something different. According to Bangkok Post, the 56-day grounding is due to “mounting cost pressures spurred by ballooning oil prices, fierce competition from rival airlines, falling domestic passenger demand and the poor business outlook”. Bloomberg confirms that the suspension in operations is a financial move.

However, another report in Bangkok Post says there is another reason for the suspension:

The Civil Aviation Department has ordered One-Two-Go airlines to halt operations for 30 days due to substandard operations and revoked or suspended the flying licences of nine of its pilots.

The department had found shortcomings in the airline’s aviation operations, flight schedules and maintenance, along with a lack of quality assurance.

The low-cost airline had violated aviation safety regulations and lacked proper airline management.

Now that, coupled with financial issues, would make it tremendously difficult for One-Two-Go to make it back in the scene!

Post from: Let's Visit Asia

Now I understand how airlines can advertise that they haven’t increased airfares, and in fact are still offering discounted fares. As usual, the trick is in the small print: plus taxes and surcharges.

Considering the trend in fuel prices is going, I wonder, are we seeing the end of real low-cost travel?

Post from: Let's Visit Asia

If you’re headed to Korea, make sure you read Matt’s experience of South Korean local cuisine, as he spends a spent a week “eating the weird and the wild, the tasty and the comforting, and, more than once, the sublime”.

Read his experience from his NY Times report.

Post from: Let's Visit Asia

Here are the Top 10 Must-Try Dishes:

1. Chili Crab
2. Rojak
3. Hainanese Chicken Rice
4. Bak Kut Teh
5. Satay
6. Char Kway Teow
7. Fried Carrot Cake (no, there’s no carrots in there at all)
8. Fish Head Curry
9. Roti Prata
10. Laksa

For tourists, just present your passport to any of the Singapore Visitors’ Centres (located at the airport, Orchard Road, Little India, and Suntec) and you get a Singapore Food Sampler vouchers for a FREE portion of any three local delights.

Image: Screenshot from the Singapore Food Festival Website

Post from: Let's Visit Asia

From 17 – 26 October 2008, embark on an exciting journey to celebrate the Art of Living Well through over 90 premium lifestyle and arts events encompassing Music, Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Wine, Cuisine and Wellness. Join over 250 artists, musicians, chefs, writers and celebrities at various beautiful locations along the Singapore River and Marina Bay throughout the 10 days.

Check out the calendar of events and ticketing details from their official website. If you book until end of July, you can get early bird discounts!

Post from: Let's Visit Asia

Based on our own travel experiences and extensive research, we are certain that the items we offer are the best in each of their respective categories. We spend considerable time carefully selecting thoughtfully designed and well constructed products that appeal to various ages and interests and that respond to the travel needs of today’s families.

From the website, you can shop for kid travel stuff by category, by brand or by price. You can also shop by age, too (the link is easy to miss if you go to the website).

So the next time your kids ask, “Are we there yet?”, what are you going to whip up?

Post from: Let's Visit Asia