Voahangy was in Paris.
We are back from three and a half weeks in France, visiting my 81-year-old mother who recently fell ill. No holidays or road trips in the French countryside this time. Mr T and I have spent most of our time attending a Paris hospital, navigating the French health system, and catching up with my family.
Not here to play tourists, we didn’t visit a single museum, shop, or monument. Yes, I realise how crazy it must sound to anyone wishing they could have three weeks in Paris. But for us, finding ourselves weary after each hospital visit, a simple stroll through familiar neighbourhoods was all we could manage.
With the hospital located in the heart of Paris, it was the occasion to revisit old haunts in the 6th arrondissement. From the Jardin du Luxembourg, a place of many walks as kids, to the St Sulpice square and church, where Mum and I would drive on Saturday afternoons and enjoy a few hours of window shopping. Then there is the Boulevard Saint Michel and the Latin Quarter, our student hub for bookstores, arts, movies, and cheap eateries.
Come along for a stroll…
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Crepe cake, otherwise known as “mille crepe” or “gateau de crepes” is made of thin layers of crepes sandwiched between a creamy filling. It can be prepared with various kinds of fillings but this pandan coconut version is our family favourite. It combines our love of French crepes and South East Asian flavours.
Here we have layers of pandan infused crepes, filled with pandan and coconut cream.
This cake is always requested by Anne for her birthday and has had many iterations over the years. I’ve experimented with so many recipes, to finally settle on a version of my own. It is actually based on Adam Liaw’s recipe for mango pancakes, only tweaked to make it pandan coconut-ey.
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Autumn is the best time to visit Margaret River region in Western Australia. Famous for its stunning landscapes and surfing beaches, this stretch between Cape Leuwinn and Cape Naturaliste offers world-class wineries and restaurants. There is so much to see and do. Spending a week in the area last year was a highlight of our WA road trip! Come along for a memorable adventure when we celebrate the good things in life over 7 days.
When we took off for our tour of Western Australia, we gave ourselves plenty of time to meander along the way. Leaving Sydney late February, the idea was to reach Perth by Easter, 5 weeks later.
Having done an earlier road trip there, we blitzed thru Victoria and South Australia, with 500km days and judiciously picked overnight camps: outback pubs, lakeside spots and rest areas along these interminable highways. It took us a week to get to Esperance. We could finally rest, give the GX a bit of TLC, and plan the month ahead touring the WA South wedge.
The only items on my list were a week in Margaret River, followed by a few days in Perth. The rest of the itinerary would mostly depend on weather, scenery, accessibility and our mood ( in that order ). We followed the south coast from Esperance to Fremantle, with detours inland to the Stirling Ranges and the southern forests.
After the sweltering summer heat of the Nullarbor, the weather on the whole south coast of WA was surprisingly cool. Still, the beaches looked stunning and the lower temperature made the hiking easier.
By the time we reached the Margaret River area, I was looking forward to wining and dining. Mr T and I agreed to a plan.He would be the dedicated driver during the day, as I indulged in wine tasting. Until 5pm, that is. Then, being beer-o-clock, we’d need to be back at camp or close enough. How did we go? Very well indeed.
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Hakone is one of the most popular day-trip destinations from Tokyo.
A mountainous town, it is renowned for its onsens ( hot springs ) and year round green scenery, within view of Mount Fuji. Japanese people have come here for centuries to enjoy the natural beauty of the region, staying in the traditional inns called ryokans. Nowadays, international tourists also flock to the area, for leisure and relaxation. After the buzz and busyness of the city, we are certainly looking forward to a tranquil getaway. All we want is to be close to nature, taste amazing food and experience a Japanese ryokan stay.
I am sitting in our hotel room, on the 22nd floor, looking down over Tokyo. It is the largest city in the world. The vista never ends and I feel very strong vibes of “Lost in Translation”, the movie. This moment has been years in the making: a Tokyo overnight stopover in 2001, followed by plans for a longer trip for cherry blossom season in 2020, only to be cancelled due to Covid. Japan has been that elusive destination we’ve dreamed about visiting for years. Until now.
When our daughter enrolled in an exchange program in Tokyo last year, she nonchalantly asked “why don’t you join me at the end and we can have a White Christmas in Japan?”. That was in July. At the time, we were travelling in the Kimberley, in the confines of WA. But somehow the idea was appealing and soon flights and accomodation were booked for the end of the year.
Fast forward to December and here we are. Welcome to Tokyo! This is where our 24-day family adventure in the Land of the Rising Sun starts.
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