The Ultimate Selfie Challenge: Reindeer Sledding w. Tromso Safari

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Rudolph the red nose reindeer…. its the first time in my life that I actually feel like I am celebrating christmas during…Easter. Well, Rudolph has no red nose sadly and they are seriously the shyest animals ever? Its not like kangaroos where you can just pat it whenever you want to in zoos, they literally SHY AWAY FROM YOU. NO CONTACT, not even with food. Well, they do sometimes eat from your hand, but really, don’t bother being cuddly. It does not work. So to all people who want to take selfies with them. Try harder.

Hence, I’m super proud of this picture. Rudolph stared at my camera! HOW RARE. You’ve no idea how many photos Ive taken before I could capture this. Hallelujah. (But, Rudolph gets killed at the end of the day, read more here).

Anyhow this is about reindeer sledding. No idea what it is? View this short clip below!

As a kid, I have always dreamt about sledding with reindeers, pretending how it would feel like if I were Santa Claus, flying above chimneys, distributing presents to kids secretly. When childhood fantasies like this really comes true, I can tell you with 100% confidence interval (I doubt any stats would be more accurate than this), that there is a zero standard deviation that you feel anything like Santa Claus. Simply because the ride is…

SO… S…L…O…W

It’s as though time stopped. Reindeers don’t fly, they stroll. Even though sometimes they want to run, they aren’t allowed to simply because the tour guides wouldn’t allow them to. If I had to give reindeer sledding a target segment, that would be… for the retired or those who are naturally afraid of speed or of course for those who really really want a nice view of the snow-capped mountains. This is where you should be.

So in this 3km long stroll, what happens is that the reindeers will walk and walk and walk, and then walk back the same way, in one loop. So you basically get the same view twice. No worries if you miss out on taking beautiful pictures beforehand, you can always have another 1.5km to take it again later.

Here’s the view from the starting point. Overseeing the lake of ??, I’ve no idea… you do feel a sense of tranquility, as if time stands still for the moment, as the winter breeze brushes past your frozen cheeks. Staring into whiteness, I somehow wished that this place would never be developed and would remain like this forever. After all the hustling and bustling city lives we all lead, this is where you can enjoy a momentary peace of mind…

But the thoughts of city life hits me right again, as I turned around to spot this snowmobile. Ah, the city never leaves us behind. Vehicles. Boo.

Then another turn around, I spotted a tent. Something more nomadic once again, as I entered deep into my thoughts. I can only imagine how tough life could be for nomads last time, having the need to brave through the cold winters without electricity (maybe) and proper shelter (proper in the 21st century understanding with wifi hotspots and your favourite Netflix show on your smart devices)

And one thing really memorable about Rudolphs is that, they do not stink! Even though certain parts of the snow are kinda flooded with reindeer shit, see picture below, you hardly smell anything from it. Perhaps cos of the cold?

So off we go! Reindeer sledding starts. There isn’t much of a safety precaution briefing, except the fact that you really should keep your legs off the ground and just sit down and stone. The guide would then lead the tour. There are around 4/5 sleds, each sled holding 2 people, each with 1 reindeer pulling it.

3km took us around 45 minutes I believe. and even though there were other really more exciting tours in Norway, you might not want to miss this as well. How often will you come so close into contact with reindeers? How often would you get the chance to feed them even, and more importantly… how rare is it that you can just never take a proper selfie no matter how hard you try? THIS IS THE ULTIMATE SELFIE CHALLENGE.

For more details about the tour, read here.

Snapping photos non-stop on my iPhone,
Can’t get the selfie right. Sigh.

 

 

Tainan Anping Treehouse

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What used to be a warehouse is now a banyan tree structure that looms over, draping its aerial roots all over.

The negative connotations that banyan tree has -haunted, ghostly, spiritual- have kept people away from this infrastructure until more recently, in 2004, when the Anping Treehouse was renamed a historical site opened to all.

More than  a century ago, Tait Marketing & Distribution Co., Ltd. (德記洋行) was situated here trading commodities like sugar and camphor, which is used in insect repellents. However, during the Japanese rule, this place was closed down, leaving the warehouse portion abandoned.

Not far away from the main treehouse, there’s a man-made bridge that stretches across a water catchment area and leads to a wooden structure that is elevated. As you climb up the stairs, be amazed at how this newer infrastructure juxtaposes itself against the old treehouse.

Have a sit on the elevated ground and let nature take over you and relax as the summer breeze brushes past your face as you overlook the whole Anping Treehouse. The best selfies can be taken here, possibly.

Address: No.108, Gubao St., Anping Dist., Tainan City 708, Taiwan 

Sunset by the Windmill – Taichung (Tai Zhong)

While visiting Taichung, I was brought over by my Taiwanese friends to this scenic spot where I could catch the sunset. It was really beautiful. Many other Taiwanese were there to catch this amazing sight. Usually when you think of windmill, probably one would think of Holland, however, knowing that windmills also exist in Taiwan came as a surprise to me. Nevertheless, I feel that if one wants to escape from the usual night market or shopping in Taichung, try to ask the Taiwanese in Taichung in your accommodation or tourist centres to see if they know this area (Try asking for sunset by windmill or something along that line). If they do, you are in luck! However, you need your own transport (car or scooter) to get there. As it is not located in the heart of Taichung, you will probably need at least an hour or two to reach here. Please find out more before you rush off on your own, in case you are lost. But who knows, being lost in a country might prove an adventure for you!

Enjoy these sunset photos!!! They are beautiful! Hope this give you an alternative view of Taichung! =) Explore & Mingle to find out other hidden or unique spots in any country you visit!

Shifen: Postcard Writing

When every one tells you that you should write on the sky lanterns (tian deng), pen your wishes down and let your dreams wander and hopefully they come true….just like this…

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why not engage yourself in something different? Along the same Shifen old street, there are a couple of shops that sell postcards. One of the most special postcard shops has to be this…

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Piled up with wooden blocks and a couple of saws, this shopkeeper creates his own handmade postcards with pieces of wood. He then designs these postcards with various landmarks of shifen. The ones you see here include the Shifen train that brings you around the area of Shifen Old Street. Originally built to transport coal, this train has now become a tourist attraction that brings you around this Old Street area.

This shop provides markers and stamps for you to decorate your postcards, and on top of that, provides postage services. You can purchase international stamps and send the postcards to your friends and loved ones. A truly one-stop service.

To find out how to get to Shifen, click here.

Miaokou Market @ Keelong

After a trip to Shifen and Jiufen, do not miss out this amazing food haven.
Called the MiaoKou market, this HUGE night market is located at the downtown area of Keelung.

Walk through the labyrinths of Miaokou market and find yourself swamped with thousands of different food choices. From babecued seafood to freshly squeezed juices to even taiwanese styled sandwiches, you surely will be able to get your hands on at least five dishes that you would want to try again. Of course, the crowd is crazy as usual.
If you do not have any idea what to eat, just look out for the longest queue! That said, the seafood and grilled sandwich are some of the most popular food stuffs there.

What’s the best part about this night hangout? it closes really late at night. So grab your dinner and supper there!

The location is ideal. As it is situated near the railway station, you can just hop on the train back to Taipei after a night out there. The walk from the station to the market is around 20 minutes. After a night full of taiwanese delicacies, it would be a good idea to take a slow stroll along the riverside to the station. Alternatively, take a cab ride. It is really affordable as well.
Don’t miss out this attraction. It certainly will be your loss.

Address: Rensan Rd, Ren’ai District, Keelung City, Taiwan 200

Airbnb @ Tainan

To be honest, Tainan isn’t the most tourist friendly destination. Shops open late in the afternoon so if you’re an early bird, be prepared to plan your mornings well by visiting cultural or historical sites. But nothing beats this Airbnb that we stayed in at Tainan.

Apart from the awesome hospitality that the owners provided, the rooms were huge. Size aside, the cleanliness level is great. Although we only rented one room in the whole multistorey bungalow, the common areas were comfortably spacious.

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During our stay, no one really used the common areas so we had the whole level2 living room to ourselves. WIth a wide 42 inch flat screen TV, purple couches and bar-top tables, it is truly an experience to stay there. Especially so when shops open late in the day, the morning can be well spent in this place.

One disadvantage though, is its location. Located around 5-10 minutes taxi ride from the city centre, if you were to walk, it could be quite challenging.

But all in all, do consider this stay for topnotch service, cleanliness and comfort.

Where is it?

Name of accommodation: 台南安平民宿.台南民宿包棟推薦.花園夜市附近住宿
Link to this accommodation on airbnb can be found here

Nostalgic Rooftop Fun @ Dream Mall, Kaoshiong

With the influx of iPads and smartphones, many of us might have forgotten about the fun times we had as children, riding on small go-karts and pushing kids off colorful slides.

But here at Dream Mall, you can get a taste of your childhood again. Modern infrastructure of the mall interiors juxtaposes with a rooftop play area where you can find everything you can remember from the 1990s.

For those who have been to Suntec City in Singapore after its renovations, Dream Mall, Kaoshiung, is almost as big as it. While you can find all sorts of international brands and amazing delicacies there, do drop by the rooftop play area too!

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A miniature ferris wheel ride of around 10 minutes allows you to overlook the amazing skyline of Kaoshiung. On these cute and cosy ferris wheel compartments, you can also see the whole view of the play area at Dream Mall.

Trampoline mats, fishing for rubber ducklings, basketball shooting machines and etc… It is almost as if you’re brought back to the era of Nokia 8250. Recall those times that your parents ask you to wait for them at X place at Y time and not move until you see them?

It’s time to get nostalgic.

Location: No. 789, Zhonghua 5th Rd, Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 806

For more details, see the website

Click here for directions to The Dream Mall

The Pier-2 Art Center, Kaoshiung

At a quiet corner in Yan Cheng District sits one of the biggest art centers in Kaoshiung. From contemporary art to film festivals, events occur at this bustling area throughout the year. One of my personal favorites has to be the Crayon Shin Chan exhibit that showcased some cute creations of Yoshito Usui.

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Nearing the end of the exhibit, there’s a souvenir shop where you can get all the Crayon Shin Chan collectibles you can ever imagine. The whole collection of Crayon Shin Chan comics were available as well.

Each major exhibit like this takes up a huge one-story warehouse. There are around 10 of such warehouses… so imagine how big the whole area is!

If there aren’t any exhibitions that suit your taste, you can also walk around the vicinity and be amazed by the public art pieces around. The architecture is breathtaking.

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Try spotting “Sit here, do nothing” when you’re there! It is located near the rooftop of one of the warehouses.

Also, do not miss out this retail shop that sells really interesting souvenirs. Check out the range of products it sells, from Tea Mails (Tea bags that can be posted to friends) to old school toys like spinning tops. This place is a must-visit when you drop by Kaoshiung, especially for art fanatics!

Location: No. 1, Dayong Road, Yan Cheng District, Kaoshiung City, 803

For more details, click here

Click here for directions to The Pier-2 Art Centre