Taiwan : Sun Moon Lake

1h train from Taipei -> tai Chung

1h Tai Chung -> sun moon lake via coach 

Recommended stay: sun moon lake hotel 

Recommended activity: ride the free bicycle from the hotel and enjoy sun look lake!!!

Welcome to Taiwan : Taipei

Famous food: ah Zhong mian xian @ ximending

Recommended accommodation:

Caesar hotel (Kai Sha)

Opposite Taipei main station 

Best credit cards to use when overseas

1. Standard chartered cash back dividend card

One of my fav card for local purchases.

2. maybank horizon card

I use it after my manhattan cash back dividend card has reached it's optimal (which is $4,000) to get the max $200 quarter cap.

I love it that I could change for capitaland vouchers easily!!! Good for travel as the forex rate charged is decent. Heard that standard chartered's forex rate is higher. This can be substantial for big ticket items.

You gain some, you lose some.

As a gauge-- Spending of approx $20,000 gets you $360 capita voucher.

Read more here: 

http://info.maybank2u.com.sg/personal/cards/credit/credit-card-for-travel-horizon-platinum-visa-card.aspx

• Earn 5X tr'eats Points with every S$1 charged for air ticket(s)/travel package(s), purchases at Perfumes & Cosmetics outlets in Singapore Changi Airport, and overseas transactions. Redeem 2 air miles with every 5 tr'eats Points, and  prepare for take-off!
• Free enrolment to Maybank Frequent Flyer Programme and enjoy fee waiver for conversion of tr’eats Points to air miles.
• Complimentary access to selected VIP airport lounges  when you charge a minimum of S$400 in a single transaction on air ticket or travel packages to your Card. Horizon Platinum Visa Cardmember’s accompany guest(s) enjoys:
  • 20% off corporate menu at The Green Market at Changi Airport
  • 20% off walk-in rates for lounge access at Plaza Premium Lounge at Sultan Ismail International Airport,  Kuala Lumpur International Airport & Hong Kong International Airport and The Travelers' Lounge at Hong Kong International Airport.
• Complimentary travel insurancecoverage of up to S$1,000,000 when you charge the air tickets or travel packages in full to your Card.

London- list of my favourite food places

1. Kimchee Restaurant

71 High Holborn
London
+44 20 7430 0956

I know, it's like how cliche can it get right? BUT kimchee restaurant is my FAVOURITE FAVOURITE restaurant.

It's fusion food I know, but it's really delicious. Plus for this ambience, great deco and all.. 2 pax is about 30 pounds (SGD$60).
That's about the normal price when we eat out in SG anyway.

2. Lobster Noodles @ Mandarin Kitchen

14 Queensway
London W2 3RX
Neighbourhood: Bayswater
020 7727 9012

An institution that needs no introduction. Apart from the church, will always bump into some friends here.

3.  Jamie Olivier in Notting Hill

4. Four Seasons Duck

Felt like they recently did a branding exercise.. the signboard looks so... Modern?

The duck... getting fattier. An institution as well.

5. Malaysian restaurant (ok! Hubby corrected me... It's C&R restaurant. If not, no one can find it). Haha :p

6. My fav dim sum in Chinatown - imperial china

25a Lisle St, London WC2H 7BA,England

London- list of my favourite free museums

1. Natural history museum (be prepared for the meandering queues)

2. Science museum

3. Albert & Victoria museum

These 3 museums are near each other, so do 1, 2 & 3 together.

Nearest tube station: south Kensington

4. British museum

Great Russell St London WC1B 3DG, United Kingdom

5.  The National Gallery

Near Trafalgar Square & Chinatown

London- west end favourites

Having gone back to london annually over the past four years, we have indulged in numerous plays and musicals.

The "hall of fame" musicals and plays which I highly recommend are denoted with a *

Year 1 (July 2010)
1. Les miserables*
2. Phantom of the opera*
3. Wicked*
4. War horse*

Year 2 (nov 2011)
1. Mousetrap*
2. 39 steps*
3. (A dancing one that I totally can't rem the name- so not worth mentioning)

Year 3 (sep 2012)
1. Matilda*
2. The wizard of oz
3. The woman in black*
4. Singin' in the rain

(While this is not a play, do check out the Shakespeare tour)

Year 4 (April 2013)
1. The curious incident of the dog at night- time*
2. Billy Elliot*
3. Once*
4. The bodyguard*
5. Viva forever*
6. The book of Mormon (witty songs but I'm not giving it a * simply because of the offensive content)

Conclusion: must always try national theatre plays, because they are awesome!

London- Harry Porter studio tour

Please do your homework on how to get there as you won't want to miss your bus!

Take a train from euston train station to Watford Junction, then take the Harry Porter bus.

http://golondon.about.com/od/londondaytrips/ig/Warner-Bros-Studio-Tour-London/Warner-Bros-Studio-Harry-Potter.htm

London-list of my favourites (All in One)

Favourite hotel for free flow of drinks, fantastic service & fantastic breakfast
Andaz hotel @ Liverpool street (Part of the Hyatt Chain)
Nearest station: Liverpool station (3mins walk)

http://london.liverpoolstreet.andaz.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html?src=phd_ppc_google_adz&mckv=ssXM4813R|pcrid|21701977713|mtid|529agy13788

Favourite hotel near marble arch/ Oxford/ bond street:
The Cumberland (Part of the Guoman Hotel)
Nearest station: marble arch (3 mins walk)

And of course it's near to my favourite Primark and Selfridges!!!

Favourite hotel for its amazing, amazing value:
Citadines Prestige Trafalgar Square London
18/21 Northumberland Avenue
London WC2N 5EA, Great Britain

Favourite quick bites / breakfast / coffee fix:
pret a manger ... free WiFi!!!

Favourite free newspaper:
city am

Favourite Bookshop:
Waterstones @ LSE

Venice- Italy

Venice in a day... Take the vaporetto (water bus).

Line #2 is the fast boat that zips down the Grand Canal in 25 minutes, stopping only at Tronchetto (parking lot), Piazzale Roma (bus station), Ferrovia (train station), San Marcuola, Rialto Bridge, San Tomà (Frari Church), Accademia Bridge, and San Marco (west end of St. Mark’s Square).

Most of the attractions are at San Marco.

It's in venice... Where I learnt about murano glass! You will be able to see through murano glass.. If not, it's a dud. Simply painted over.