Tips for when traveling

Hi guys we  have created a short video for you to watch which features some great travel tips for  when visiting the nations of Sri Lanka, Italy, Japan, Croatia, Vietnam and Bali!
Hope you have enjoyed reading our blog so far and find this video useful.

From the team at the Escapist

Shopping in Tokyo

During my stay in Tokyo, their fashion is what struck me the most. Known as one of the most renown shopping destination in the world, it came as no surprise to me that designers' clothes can be spotted on the street most of the time. The most impressive thing is that each person has their own individuality in fashion sense. Not to mention their concept stores are the most creative stores I have ever visited. There are three main shopping districts you must drop by if you are in Tokyo.

One quick tip of shopping in Japan is that it would be better to buy local Japanese designers than some imported high end luxury brands. Most importantly, always bring along your passport, you can have a deduction of 5% on purchases that are over 10.000 yen for non consumable goods and 5000 yen for consumable good (on condition that these consumable good are unused until you go back to your country).

Ginza

Ginza is known for the destination of mega brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Celine, Chanel, etc. I would say Ginza has all the high end stores you need to see. However, one of the store that make me visit Ginza is Dover Street Market, which is the concept store own by Rei Kawakubo (founder of Comme Des Garcons). 

Harajuku

Compared to Ginza, Harajuku has more local designer boutiques and some imported high street brands such as Supreme or Stussy. Probably when think of Harajuku, you would imagine seeing Japanese young Otaku dressing in Lolita costumes or cosplaying. However, Harajuku has more than that. For secondhand designers store, Harajuku is one of the must go destination. You must visit Rag Tag or Rinkan, good bargain on designers clothes from Chanel, Celine to Comme Des Garcons can always be found. 

Shibuya 

First thing comes to my mind is definitely Shibuya crossing - The busiest crossing in the world. It took me quite a bit of time to find a good spot at Shibuya Starbucks to find a good view of the crossing. However, the effort was really worth it haha, sat there for almost an hour with my boyfriend, we were drawn into the crown below, hurried on their feet walking across the crossings and some tourists tried to take pictures in the middle of the street as well. 

Back to the topic, shopping in Shibuya is extremely popular for young Japanese and Tourists. Having all kind of stores, from global fast fashion stores like Zara, Forever 21 or H&M to home wares and stationary stores. Shibuya is clearly a shopping heaven. Definitely check out United Arrows for local designers as well as high street designers clothes. Also Shibuya 109 fashion building is one of the most popular shopping destination. 

Thanks for reading guys!

-Anne 

Tokyo Must See Pt. 2

Continue with my post last week, today we'll dig more into the historical side of Tokyo.

Tokyo National Museum

Located in Ueno Park, Tokyo National Museum is a must go destination for those history junkie. Known as one of the biggest museum in Japan, Tokyo National Museum possesses the largest collection of Japanese art in the world. The collection ranges from ancient pottery, Japanese sculpture, Samurai swords to ukiyo-e (woodblock print). 

If you have no time limitation, you can as well check out the Gallery of Eastern Antiquities (Toyokan) with a collection of Buddhist sculptures of Asian countries as well as Chinese ceramics.

As Tokyo National Museum located in Ueno Park, you may as well visit the Kaneiji Temple and Shinobazu Pond.

You can get access to Ueno Park via the Ueno Station's "Park's exit". 

Sensoji (Asakusa Kannon Temple)

Sensoji is a Buddhist Temple located in Asakusa, one of the most popular temple. You will find a 200 meters shopping street. Best place for buying souvenirs!!!

Also there are plenty of shops selling Japanese traditional sweets and street food. Prepare to have sugar and carb coma hahaha, 

-Anne

Seeing The Cinque Terre

The Cinque Terre is one of the most beautiful places in Italy. A cluster of five vibrant coastal towns, if you have the time and are in need of some R & R towards the middle or end of your trip, definitely give this area a visit. The five towns of the Cinque Terre are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. 

The beaches, amazing food and views make these towns worthy of a visit but during peak season staying in one of the five tends to be pretty expensive. To save some cash I stayed at Levanto which is only a short train ride away from all five cities.

The beaches are all beautiful and offer a well earned break if you've spent your trip zipping from city to city. Be aware that some of the beaches require a membership or temporary membership but if you're planning on spending a whole day resting it's usually worth the money so you can get an umbrella, bathroom facilities and a lounge chair. 

The coastal location also means that the seafood is amazing. All of Italy produces excellent food but the Cinque Terre really delivers if you're into freshly caught seafood. As always there are plenty of options for vegetarians (including the trusty Caprese salad which seems to be the universally offered dish when the staff realises you don't eat meat). The other food to try would be anything lemons, be it candy or a cake, as along the coast there are lots of farms that specialise in citrus fruits. 

If you find yourself feeling bored after a bit of a rest however the Cinque Terre also offers a truly amazing hike between the five cities. Though the track is broken in there are a lot of steps so consider your fitness before making the hike. It does offer incredible views however so try and give it a go. If you do get tired however jump into the nearest town and hop on a train to get from city to city, as each town has a stop. 

If you've got the time definitely give the Cinque Terre a visit! Hopefully you find some of my tips helpful!

- Liv 

To Tour or Not to Tour in Italy

One of the biggest dilemmas I faced when booking my holiday to Italy was whether or not I should book a tour of some of the country's most notable sights. They're either a great experience or completely shocking, with very little in between. There were a few tours that I'd absolutely recommend and a few that I'd give a complete miss. 

The Vatican - To Tour

The Vatican is one of the most amazing sights in all of Italy, which means that it's also one of the most crowded sights in Italy. It's worth booking a tour, even if it's just to avoid the massive line to get in, especially in peak season.

Pros:

- Avoid the huge wait (Can be upwards of 2 hours in peak season)

- Get a thorough explanation of the most important areas of the Vatican

- Don't have to pay for extra access to St. Peter's Basilica 

Cons:

- Don't get to choose your own pace

- Is one of the more expensive tours in Rome

Naples - Not To Tour

I have to say that of all the tours I took, the short amount of time I spent in Naples was probably the least worth the money. There's not a lot to look at in Naples aside from the Archaeological Museum. I didn't even spend half a day in Naples and that was enough. 

Pros:

- You get to see Naples.

Cons:

- You have to pay to see Naples. 

Murano Burano- To Tour

A fairly short boat ride away from Venice, Murano and Burano are known for their production of glass and lace respectively. They're worth the trip if you're spending a few days in Venice, especially in the warmer months. 

Pros:

- Most tours include demonstrations of how they create glass sculptures and lace.

- Opportunity to pick up some beautiful souvenirs.

- Perfect for a warm day when you want to be on the water

Cons:

- Usually paired with a particular workshop where you're encouraged to exclusively share money.

- Not ideal if you're in Venice for a short amount of time. 

The Colosseum - Not To Tour

The Colosseum is a bit of a catch 22 regarding tour groups. If it's the only sight you'll see in the tour then I'd advise against it. The tour I took though also went through Palatine Hill, which made it worth it. If you're just getting a tour of the Colosseum though, then save your money.

Pros:

- Quick access to The Colosseum

- Can get a tour including Palatine Hill included

- Decent explanation of the history of the Colosseum

Cons:

- Generally massive group sizes

- Expensive if you're only seeing the Colosseum 

- Usually a pretty short tour

Pompeii And Herculaneum - To Tour

I’ve already mentioned Pompeii and Herculaneum in a previous post but I think they’re worth mentioned again. I’d absolutely book a tour for Pompeii and Herculaneum, even if it’s just a day tour. The information you get about the sites alone makes it worth it. But it’s also such a huge site that you end up saving time with a guide.

Pros:

-       - Get a thorough explanation of the history

-       - Avoid getting lost as you explore

-      -  Don’t have to wait for entry

Cons:

-       - Usually quite expensive

-       - You’re on a tight schedule

Tokyo Must See - Pt. 1

Tokyo is a fantastic destination that is a mix of historical and modern culture. Visiting Tokyo can not only give you the impression of visiting a foreign country but also probably visiting another planet. From the historic sphere influenced by the Edo era, the mesmerizing animation world of Ghibli Studio museum to the timeless Meiji Shrine. All will be briefly introduced in this week post.

Meiji Jingu (Meiji Shrine)

Constructed in the late 19th century, Meiji Shrine is known as one of the most important as well as popular Shinto shrines of Japan. Tokyo is known for its concrete jungle with a lack of green within the city, 100,000 trees that were planted in the Meiji Jingu's forest during its construction is surely a place of tranquility and to escape from the hustle of every day busy life of Tokyo.

At Meiji Jingu, you can toss the coin into a box, clap twice, bow once and clap once more for wishes and good luck. Also, you can write wishes on provided paper and tie them on the prayer wall.

The shrine is located 10-minute walk from southern entrance near Harajuku Station and northern entrance near Yoyogi Station.

Ghibli Studio Museum

As a foreigner. obtaining ticket to Ghibli Studio Museum is slightly more difficult and expensive. If you are from Australia, you can buy the ticket from JTBtravel - a Japanese travel agency. However, they just have a limited amount on hand so you have to book for the tickets 1 or 2 months in advance as they are sold out very quickly. Or else you can get them at govoyagin for last minute tickets but it surely will be a lot more expensive. Luckily, I got my Japanese friend buy them for me in Japan since they are sold wildly in Japanese convenience store.

Unfortunately, due to the no photo policy of the museum, I could not take much photos. However, if you are a fan of Mr. Hayao Mizyazaki animation like Totoro, Spirited Away or Howl's Moving Castle, it is a must go destination. The experience there is truly amazing that I would recall it as one of my favorite place in Tokyo.

To get to the museum, take the Ghibly schedule bus from Mitaka Station (Bus stop #9).

To be continue..

Anne