Mott 32 | Hong Kong | Is it worth it?

Mott 32 is a place that always looked funky in photos but whenever I saw the website or photos thought, this is either going to be one of those places that could be simply brilliant or an absolute letdown. We visit Hong Kong quite regularly and have our regular favorite places from old school street style favorites to more upmarket dining and this place was one of those that we left on the back burner for a little while. We finally decided to book in advance and pre ordered their signature duck and iberico roast pork. So after all the hype and wait, was it all worth it?

In a word, ‘YES!’ the only thing disappointing is that it took us so long before trying this place. Going with a couple of locals who know good food but had not tried this place yet, we were all simply impressed.

Words just cant describe how good this signature roasted peking duck was. I would go back and order this 2kg duck to eat by myself!

Have a look here at my new main blog site for my full share and more photos of the place. 

The Front Bar

Not only is the food simply amazing, the setup and decor is very funky, retro, modern, fusion but it just all works together really well.

Each section is different from booth style seats to your more ‘normal’ tables and chairs but the theme that carries through is quality unlike some places where retro finishings make the place feel cheap, this place is just all round quality.

Unlike places like ‘Aqua‘ where we have had terrible experiences for this sort of dining price, Mott 32 is one of those places that I cant imagine not going to again on our next visit to Hong Kong. Keep up the good work!!!

Don’t forget to check out my full blog of this place here with more photos and where I share more about the food and our experience 🙂

 

Universal Studios Japan | How to Book Online

Having been to Universal Studios Japan (Osaka) once before, we experienced first hand how crazy busy it can be and while we got there relatively early, we weren’t able to purchase any of the express passes when we arrived because they were sold out. We found out since that it’s possible to purchase tickets and passes online beforehand even though all my google searching results rendered me useless.

So it turns out that even the official homepage for Universal Studios Japan wouldn’t let me purchase tickets and had links for authorized agents. So what’s the secret? It’s so simple…

When searching Universal Studios Japan, all my results are in English (naturally)… hence even the official website gives me their English version. If you go to the Japanese version of the website, not only does it look so much cooler, it gives you the option for their online store to make online purchases. *facepalm* it was that simple. 

But I cant read Japanese!?!?!??!! – It’s OK… technology works wonders these days. If you use Google Chrome (web browser) there is a translate function which will translate enough for you to make your purchase.

So that being said, you should be able to go to the Universal Studios Japan website and start your booking, but if you need some more guidance, I drafted up a relatively comprehensive guide with screenshots and other useful pieces of information which you can get to here. Another useful link in there is to the parks crowd predictor (a very useful tool when you’re trying to plan ahead to avoid crazy massive crowds).

http://i3ruceky.com/?p=5100 – My comprehensive guide @ i3ruceky.com

 

Mt Fuji | Mount Fuji | Fuji-San

You can see Mt Fuji from Mishima Station

Mount Fuji – One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, it’s a definite must visit at least once in your lifetime if you’re visiting Japan.

In this short blog (click here) I share some photos and some useful links and information from when I planned our first trip to visit Mt Fuji. Having had no background travelling in Japan, and only armed with a few Japanese words (and a smartphone) we managed to travel around quite easily and made it through unscathed 🙂

While Asahi is common, I couldn’t find the gold or black cans in Tokyo

Mount Fuji | Ryokan | Fujikawaguchiko Onsen Konanso

Finally getting a chance to start going through photos and reflecting on our first trip to Japan… this is where we stayed when we stopped over at Mt Fuji for a night… amazing views, such a peaceful place, great cold weather and amazing food to go with Japanese hospitality. Hopefully we’ll get to visit again one day, sooner rather than later… 

Here’s my full blog of this Ryokan (Traditional Japanese Inn for travellers) with lots more photos and my notes 🙂 at http://i3ruceky.com/?page_id=4592

Alpacas in Australia

Having recently been home for a holiday, we got spoiled again and were taken away from civilization to amazing wine country McLaren Vale, SA… But not far away unknown to many is an Alpaca farm with beautiful prize winning Alpacas. I’ve shared a blogged about this place before but since then they have moved to larger pastures and I just had to share some photos of the amazing views and cute little critters.
 Alpacas are pack animals so they like to stick together It’s safe to get in close and they’re really gentle  

 They can spit, but unlike camels and lamas, they are generally much friendlier They usually stay away from you but when they get comfortable, they come closer 

 What a perfect day to be out on the farm 
 They are so clean too they hardly have a smell like other farm animals do 
 Don’t you just want to take one home? But if you do, you have to get at least 2 (pack animals) and have a big garden to keep them fed 🙂 
 So that’s one of the hidden gems I always miss from where I call home.

Mobile & Data Sim – Hong Kong

Being a semi regular visitor to Hong Kong, I was faced with my first experience trying to organize a SIM card for my phone as I’m usually spoilt by friends who have done it for me in the past. Alas, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it might be so I thought I’d share and hopefully help someone through this experience. 

Step 1 – go to the 7/11 convenience store and they sell at the counter. This one was really good and for the most I had excellent LTE data speeds 

 
Step 2 – Insert sim. Sometimes restarting the phone helps it update any network information needed. But wait, don’t start using the data just yet!!!!! If you do, it will eat away at your credit.

  

Step 3 – work out which data plan you want (listed on the back) then simply enter the subscription code on your phone keypad and call. You will then receive some text messages (probably in Chinese) and it’s then all good to go!

Nice and simple. If you are like me and want to make sure but can’t read Chinese, you can always copy the text and paste it into something like google translate which is handy to have when traveling. For a short trip and how much we rely on data these days, I didn’t need to top up after the initial purchase but you always can if you need.

Hope this one helps and safe travels 🙂

Hello Kitty in Hong Kong

 

When travelling with some young ladies, there’s no way to get out of visiting the worlds first official Hello Kitty Chinese Restaurant and when you think ‘yum cha’ or ‘dim sum’, it’s Hong Kong that comes to mind. Visit here for my full notes on the place, but here’s a couple of photos to get you started 🙂

 

As you an imagine it gets pretty busy, they don’t take reservations for lunch time so get in early to avoid the queues, if not make a reservation for dinner but it may pay to book in advance if you’re visiting Hong Kong for a holiday because they were fully booked for the week we were in town.

 

A MUST KNOW! Travelling in Japan – Japan Rail & JR Pass

http://i3ruceky.com/?page_id=4445 – Here is my short blog with some useful links and information.

I thought this useful for the first time traveler to Japan, and even some who have been did not know about the JR Pass which for some may save lots in transportation costs and also help with organizing a travel plan. Having recently been for the first time, I put this short article together to remind myself and hopefully help someone else for the next trip to this wonderful country 😀

Bali – Island of the Gods

This has to be one of my favorite photos that I’ve taken now… 

Bali, what an amazing place from the night life in the tourist areas, beaches, to cultural areas, relaxing getaways, simply amazing sights and of course the food!

http://i3ruceky.com/?page_id=4357 – Here’s a snapshot of what I experienced… I can see why people keep going back because there’s so much to explore.

Aqua (Hong Kong)

Aqua (Hong Kong) – With promise of some great food, great views and a great night out, sadly we walked away bitterly disappointed. 

In a nutshell, the service was plain horrible, the food not much better than mediocre and while the view was great from the 29th floor, we didn’t really get a chance to enjoy it with how rushed dinner service was. Like a lunch time rush in a food court, the aim of the place was to turn tables as quickly as possible.

Have a read here at i3ruceky.com for my summary and full blog of what happened!