Dili District, Timor Leste (Part 1 of 3)

Content : Dili | Airport | Visa | Hotel



Have you been to Timor Leste? This little country has beautiful sea where many tourists flew there to dive. I am not a diver, but my friend is. She flew in a week earlier before the mission trip team, just to enjoy the sea and dive. She managed to see dolpins in her diving trip. If you enjoy a slow pace country and a place to walk down memory lane, then Timor Leste may be a place you are looking for.

Dili Airport

Firstly, when you touch down, don't expect world class airport. The size of the airport is about that size of Tenah Merah Ferry Terminal. There is no bus to take you to the arrival hall. You would need to do a bit of walking under the hot sun. At the end of this cover-link way, you would need to queue to apply for you visa first before you can enter into the immigration check point.

Visa Counter

You won't be able to get visa before leaving your own country. Visa which costs USD30.00 can only be purchased at this spot which is at the end of the covered walkway. Fortunately, not many people go to Timor Leste, hence the queue is not too long. No one likes to queue under the hot sun and breathe in the 'nice' smell coming from the cigarette.

Departure Hall

Departure Hall

You can stay at Audian Hotel which costs USD45.00 for twin sharing room. It is nearer to shops and restaurants. Just a bit of walking you can find a chinese restaurant open by a Malaysian. There is a security guard to watch over your rented car at this hotel but for breakfast, I would prefer another hotel.

Audian Hotel

Receptionist Counter

Front of Audian Hotel

I personally prefer Tropical Hotel which costs USD40.00 for twin sharing room. Simply because it provides better breakfast and room, although the appearance of the building doesn't look as attractive as Audian Hotel. You just park your rented car infront of the hotel or the empty space opposite the hotel.

Tropical Hotel

Room View

Room View

Breakfast Area

Bacon, Egg, Toast Breakfast

Updates @ 12.05.2012
Audian Hotel increased price from USD45 to USD50
Tropical Hotel increased price from USD40 to USD50

Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan (Part 2 of 2)

FCBC Love Japan Crisis Relief Trip, 6-13 Apr 2011 (Part 4 of 4)

No idea where to stay during your trip to Japan. These were the 2 hotel that we stayed. Shinjuku New City Hotel will require a bit of walking to JR Shinjuku Station. The hotel does provide shuttle bus to the station, so don't worry about the walking.

Shinjuku New City Hotel

Triple Sharing Room

Toilet

If you prefer to have one that is nearer to the station, then consider Kadoya Hotel. It is very near to the station.

Kadoya Hotel

Double Sharing Room

Twin Sharing Room

Shinjuku, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan (Part 1 of 2)

FCBC Love Japan Crisis Relief Trip, 6-13 Apr 2011 (Part 3 of 4)

As this is a mission trip, we were not there for shopping. Hence there wasn't much chance for me to explore Japan. I hope I will be back in Japan one day for a holiday. At least, I got to visit a shopping centre at Tokyo on our last night stay in Japan on 12 Apr 2011. After we purchased our next day limousine bus tickets for the team, we just shopped around Shunjuku Station. Just the shopping centre at the Shunjuku Station was huge enough to occupy the rest of our night. Every food looked so delicious and the decoration of them just made you hungry and wanna ate all of them. Photo taking was not allowed here, but I managed to take some from my mobile. Don't they make you hungry and have the impulse to buy all of them?

 

God's Creative Power for Finances by Charles Capps

Many times we have forgotten the power of spoken words. Words have the power to destroy and the power to bless. We have to declare, we have to proclaim that we are free from financial burden. For christian, it will be for us to lay hold of God's promises and power. As for non-christian, then it will be a hope for you to work towards financial freedom, an inspiration that you can be debt-free. This is one of the short series of God' Creative Power by Charles Capps for anyone who is going through financial difficulties.

Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

FCBC Love Japan Crisis Relief Trip, 6-13 Apr 2011 (Part 2 of 4)

Next time if you do visit Japan, don't just stay in Tokyo. Food are so cheap outside of Tokyo. We had a good time having sushi at this resturant on our 4th day stay at Miyagi. There were many variety of raw seafood and they were fresh. We just go for plate after plate of sushi. The chawamushi was delicious with many igredients inside. Singapore chawamushi can't compare to it.

This Kappa restaurant have a number of outlets over Japan. Do visit their website at http://www.kappa-create.co.jp/ and you would be awe by the food.

We were lucky to know the locals, so they promote onsen to us and brought us there to have a taste of the community pastime. Local family like to go for onsen together, as it is their culture to build relationship with family members through this pastime. It costs about SGD3.00 for onsen.

Kurihara, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan

FCBC Love Japan Crisis Relief Trip, 6-13 Apr 2011 (Part 1 of 4)

You will not find me writing my experiences on the crisis relief trip here. The journaling was done elsewhere. It was intended to bring about only places to eat and shop, where most travel blogs or websites will not have information on unreach places in the country.

I ended up in Japan early April, where radiation situation was a threat and many aftershocks continued to occur. Lives are per normal for those who are not affected by the earthquake. Those who are living near to the affected areas will ration the food to be sold, electricity to be used, fuel to be pumped etc, as there are still shortage of supplies in Japan.

On some days, shops were not opened due to electricity cut and we had to depend on our biscuits and energy bar. On other days, we just dropped into any shop that was opened and willing to serve us food.

We had dinner at Joyfull on our first night stay at Kurihara. They served quite a variety of western and japanese food. The waiter was patient and polite throughout. This is the side view of Joyfull. The building may not look appealing, but food was delicious.

Here's another place where you can have good dinner if you do visit Kurihara. The serving portion was quite huge, even the guy can't finish the soba.

Unigi Gohan Set

Soba Set

Tempura Soba Set

Tempura Udon Set

Tempura Gohan Set

Bonding with kids during school holidays

School holiday will be coming soon. Are your travel trip to Japan cancel due to Mar 11 earthquakes? Are you considering staying in Singapore due to the various disasters happening around the world? Spending this school holiday in Singapore? Fret over where to bring your kids, how to keep them occupy during school holiday?

Check out the all time favorite places that kids enjoy visiting. There are promotion (check out Deal n Discount for the offer from PAssion card) during school holidays at Singapore Zoological, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park. These are great places for parents to spend time with kids and once again develop a close bonding with your kids. It is important to develop a good relationship with your kids when they are young. This will help in understanding your children and communicating to them. Nothing is more rewarding then spending every precious moment with your children.

Your Daily Walk by Walk Thru The Bible

Your Daily Walk by Walk Thru The Bible has 365 daily devotions to read through the bible in a year. It provides summary of the books in the bible, hence gives one an overview on the books in the bible. It is an useful tool for anyone who like a systematical way of reading the bible in a year. However it can be taxing at some point of times, when a few chapters need to be read for a particular day. A good book for discipling one to read through the bible in a year.

The Fragrance of Beauty by Joyce Landorf

I was given this book when an ex-colleague decided to clear her old books. It talks about the differences between Christian women back then and now. Traditionally, women wore dull clothes and looked dull, and this linked to one's spiritual maturity. The Fragrance of Beauty by Joyce Landorf proves that biblically, women should dress up and look good for the Lord. Interesting concepts that people had in those days and how it revolved over years. A handbook focusing on the inner you.

Bible Clues for The Clueless

If you are someone who does not have much time to spend on reading and is someone who goes for instant stuff. Then this Bible Clues for The Clueless by Barbour Books Staff, Christopher D. Hudson, Carol Smith and Valerie Weidemann is just for you, who want instant overview of the different books written in the Bible. New believers may want to start off with this book, before moving on to Study Bible.

NIV Study Bible by Zondervan

Do you have problem understanding the bible? Are you clueless when reading the bible? This NIV Study Bible by Zondervan talks about the custom, the culture, the history etc in context and explains the passages clearly for one to understand. It is a great study and learning tool. You can get one with soft cover at around SGD30.00 at Tecman during special promotion