Trip to Tokyo, Japan – 15D14N

Our vacation trip to Japan is like out of as sudden – while waiting for buka puasa we both chatting and tiba- tiba keluarlah idea untuk melancong ke Japan.

At that point of time terus browse for flight tickets and surprisingly harga tiket consider okay.. affordable. Terus beli tiket tanpa fikir panjang sebab for other arrangement mcm places to visit and stay we can always plan and arrange later. (5 months to go)

Once heard tips from a frequent traveler – “grab cheap flight first and plan later for the trip + savings because if you WAIT you will never get chance to travel”.  This will be a pushing factor, once ticket bought its time for you to properly plans and work your plans out.

Starting from that day i started to prepare an itinerary for 15 Days 14 Nights of our stay in Tokyo. Tokyo isn’t the first time for my husband but to make it interesting he let me do the planning so i can learn and understand more and plan / find activities that suits  for our 3 kids & Parent in Law.

Here is my itinerary;

Japan itinerary – travel plan

Deciding on places to stay

Our plane arrival and departure at Haneda Airport, so from there i have to make sure our stay must accessible by public transport. Flight scheduled to arrived at 11.30 pm Japan local time and train service end by 12am. We have to opt for a cab,

We used Airbnb services to search for homestay and decided to stay somewhere in Shinjuku. Lucky our host very helpful and responsive every time we need to get info about the property or Tokyo generally.

There was a variety of choices for a homestay and my criteria in choosing home as per below;

  1. have two rooms
  2. must have Lift / elevator (most walk up distance and some lift restricted to senior citizens and handicap only)
  3. near train stations
  4. near convenience store
  5. must have Halal restaurants nearby
  6. Washlet (clean toilet)
  7. spacious (most hotels and places not offer that spacious stay)
  8. provide facilities – washing machine, drier, microwave, TV,  portable wifi, cooking stove – utensils.
  9. Portable wifi provided

Our trip was end year ~ consider peak time of the year. We have to make a quick decision so we can take a whole stretch stay at one place. Once you decided full payment have to be made so your booking is secured.

Arranging for communication facilities 

Our Airbnb host provide portable wifi for our stay and we can bring out while we touring Japan.

Devices are fully charged with data available for our access. But to make things easier since will be going touring we need at least two wifi so whenever we split we can still communicate.

So we need another one of the unlimited portable wifi data which we make an advance purchased and collected at airport –  KLIA. This would be cheaper compare you do roaming.. your phone bill will explode.

We all just share the wifi data – we can still communicate through watsapp text and call – also facetime. No worries!!

So i will continue with the places the we visited in next – next – next post yeah … adios!!

 

Day 1 – Yoyogi Park & Takeshita Street

Day 2 – TMGO

Day 3 – Shinjuku Gyoen National Park & Shibuya Crossing

 

My Amazon Books Delivery is Delayed

I ordered few books at Amazon.com on 8th September 2018. According to Amazon, I shall get the books by 24th September 2018. Unfortunately till 27th, I haven’t received the books.

amazon order delivery
amazon order delivery

 

It worried me. Then I complained to Amazon via Live Chat. The customer representative told me that Amazon delayed the order processing and expected the books will be delivered to my house by 11th October.

The good thing the customer representative offered postal refund of USD19.96.

amazon live chat
amazon live chat

Wow it really impressed me. Give me confidence buying more from Amazon!

Pending Maid iKad – MYEG Renewal

In my case it is a bit prolonged to get iKad. During my collection of permit sticker none of the MYEG rep told me about the iKad. Only on my way home I realised that I should have it and give them a call.

Immediately I contacted MYEG call centre and was informed that due to delay printing by PNB they have to release the permit first and I have to follow up with PNB on the card issuance.

I tried to call few given numbers from fixed line to handphone number but no one pick up.

Clarify with MYEG that the card issuance not for free and I was charged when I applied for the processes initially.

Decided to also emailed PNB at inquiries@printnasional.com.my to get them revert on the status. Their feedback;

ikad delay - Maid permit
ikad delay – Maid permit

My case – my permit sticker was released between (1 Aug 2018 – 24 September 2018) and for all releases within this period are affected due to card run out of stock.

Expected by October they will courier following to the permit addressed.

ikad release date

Kitchen Gas Stove Time For Service

Last week, we had to service our kitchen gas stove caused it was hard to ignite the fire. I never serviced my kitchen stove for the last 5 years.

How do you know when it is time to service your gas stove?

When you try to ignite, it is hard to get the fire as in video below.

When you get the fire, the fire is immediately switch off after you take your hand off from the igniter.

How to service it?

At first, I tried to do it myself to clean and service my gas stove. I read the internet on how it should be done. I tried to take out the fire burner but I couldnt remove it. Afraid that I might break my kitchen gas stove so I decided to call in professional repairman.

Hire professional to service my kitchen gas stove

I called few professional repairmen. Of course as usual, I tried to get the cheapest one. I got one repairman that would service my kitchen gas stove for RM80 – RM130 only. I set appointment, unfortunately the appointment was postponed few times.

I got fed up then I got one repairman who charged higher price (RM160), after calling he immediately set appointment and kept his promise to come to my house.

How the professional service it?

First he unplugged the gas hose from the gas stove and switched on the kitchen gas stove to burn all remaining gas inside the gas stove.

Then, he removed the fire burner by using a special hammer. He did it cautiously not to break the gas stove.

used special hammer to take out sticky fire burner from the stove
used special hammer to take out sticky fire burner from the stove

After removing the fire burner, he unclogged the burners using a metal brush. Then the repairman used high pressure air to remove the hard debris inside the fire burner.
He cleaned it using soap, wiped it with cloth and let it dried.

He then scrubbed the stovetop using metal brush and some soap. He used cloth to dry the stovecop.
Afterwards he used vacuum cleaner to clean any debris around the stovetop and holes in the stovetop.

vacuum the stovetop to take out all debris
vacuum the stovetop to take out all debris

 

vacuum the stovetop hole to take out debris inside the stove
vacuum the stovetop hole to take out debris inside the stove

After cleaning up the fire burners and stovetop, he adjusted the fire using levers under the kitchen stove.

after cleaning, adjusted the fire using levers under the kitchen stove
after cleaning, adjusted the fire using levers under the kitchen stove

Finally, he spray painted my stovetop to grey and it looks like new stove!

The service took around 1 hour to complete.

My opinion on the kitchen gas stove repairman.

I highly recommended this guy as he is really professional keeping up to his promise and he knows his trade very well.

Kitchen Hob Serviceman
Danni
017 373 6210

Collection of Maid Permit from MYEG

It took me almost a month after submission of Permit Renewal application via MYEG to get the permit sticker.

Luckily all settled before her permit expiry. Now only pending to get ikad which i need to follow up with PNB (National Printing) folks.

During application i need to choose either

  1. MYEG will physically send permit to employer or;
  2. self collect at delivery center @ IBM Tower, Bandar Utama
windmill genting highlands 6 pax 2 rooms with balcony
Advertisement ~ Windmill Upon Hills Genting Highlands ~ 6 pax ~ 2 rooms with balcony

I chose #2 and since am not the named employer i need to be ready with all the documents as per below;

  1. Employer ID copy
  2. Maid original passport
  3. MYEG original payment receipt (just print after make transaction online)
  4. Letter of authorization from employer to the collector
  5. collector original ID

Sample letter of authorization /Surat Wakil kuasa

collect maid permit by other party

Note :

  1. to get all those info i contacted MYEG customer service line and gather info through FB chat with Friends of MYEG.
  2. Maid passport expiry must no less than 90 days of the permit expiry.
  3. after renewal of Passport – must update through immigration system so next time can used MYEG for renewal.

 

Refer to my previous post Steps for Maid Permit Renewal

Top Property Investment Books That I Recommend

Assets & Liabilities Concept

1. Rich Dad Poor Dad

This book is an eye opener for me as it made me understand the difference between assets and liabilities. It teaches us to increase our financial literacy. A lot of adults make wrong financial decision due to lack of financial knowledge and never been taught at school on personal finance.

This book triggered me to read other books on investment.

rich dad poor dad
rich dad poor dad

Manage Effectively Own Personal Finance Before Investing

Rich Dad Poor Dad made me wants to invest in real estate and stocks. However, I didn’t start investing directly as I think I need to manage well first my personal finance and to have the right behaviour to become financially free.

1. The Millionaire Next Door – Thomas J Stanley

The Millionaire Next Door is based on real survey on millionaire. It concludes most millionaire doesn’t spend their money extravagantly. They are frugal! I adopts few of behavior of millionaire into my lifestyle. Example, before reading this I was driving expensive car, now I just drive small non expensive but reliable that is no loan on it!.

the millionaire next door
the millionaire next door

2. Total Money Make Over – Dave Ramsey

Total Money Make Over, push me further on handling my personal finance. No debt and have emergency fund for rainy days. Only then start investing aggressively.

total money makeover
total money makeover

Investing In Real Estates

After I have my monthly budget, settle off certain of my debts. I started to invest in real estate. I scout around a lot of properties, evaluate based on given tips, add my on way of evaluation. Do the ROI calculation etc. I do that based on below books.

1. The Weekend Millionaire’s Secrets To Investing in Real Estate – Mike Summey & Roger Dawson

It taught me how to invest in real estate, how to come out with a deal and at same time how to negotiate. The steps mentioned are clear, pragmatic and realistic but of course not all can be applied in Malaysia. I read lots of property investment books this is one of my top choices.

the weekend millionaire secrets to investing in real estate
the weekend millionaire secrets to investing in real estate

2. How You Can Become A Multi Millionaire Real Estate Investor!

I read this book to understand what is the cost of legal fee on Sales & Purchase agreement, loan agreement and others where it is applicable in Malaysian properties investment. It taught me how to understand the process as well.

how you can become a multi millionaire real estate investor
how you can become a multi millionaire real estate investor

Occupying Kids at Their Best Interest

We started sending our kids to pre school starting age of 5 years. Selection of school are based on syllabus or activities which are balance between education, social skills and creativity development.

Since they went for kindy for 5 days a week, normally we will sent them to a play area during weekend and swimming class. (more to surviving skills)

At age 6-7, we sent both to music classes, which enrolled our daughter for Electone class while son went for drum class.

Our daughter only last for 1 year half and decided not to pursue anymore. As we observed that she likes to climb and jumping then we sent her for a gymnastic class. Seems that she is happy jumping, cartwheel, forward roll, front flips …  we let her continue doing;

And the brother still drumming…

Here some of the shots;