i’m very behind in posting photos, but here are a few shots from this weekend. the four of us hit the road to lake kawaguchiko at the base of the majestic mt. fuji. it was the only day this week i was able to have a clear head without international marketing and strategic business principles cluttering my head. it felt so good to shoot with my long neglected hasselblad and polaroid cameras. less than 8 weeks until i finish my graduate studies. i can finally see the light at the end of this long tunnel and it feels damn good.

fujikawaguchiko, japan | feb 2012

currently listening to: david guetta – titanium

less tolerant of the cold this year, we’ve been spending most of our free time indoors. with the onset of the new (and final) semester, it only seems appropriate. tokyo’s winter light makes these quiet moments at home worthwhile.

tokyo, japan | jan 2012

currently listening to: war stories – the lost get loud

tokyo, japan | july 2011

currently listening to: b. fleischmann – broken monitors

our trips to bangkok were only for a few days on each side of our phuket stay. i’ve heard a lot about the city from various travelers, the point of view usually reminiscent of glory days of singledom. so, i wasn’t quite sure what to expect for phil and myself. we got in pretty late the first night. exhausted, we decided to explore near our hotel in silom for some spicy local eats. the following morning, we were greeted with sunshine and sticky heat. after a dip in the rooftop pool we ventured off to the chao phraya river via BTS.

at the river, we hopped on a long tail boat for a tour. each neighborhood along the chao phraya was assigned a dock where passengers would board and disembark. our first stop was the impressive wat arun, ‘temple of the dawn.’ after trekking up the steep steps and taking in the view of the river from atop the temple, we were off again to see wat pho in all its gilded glory. we ended the night with a dinner cruise along the river and called it an early night as the following day we would hit  the road again to phuket.

our second leg of the trip was an overnight spent in sukhumvit soi 11. the early part of our day was spent wandering around the city and shopping for souvenirs. our flight left at midnight, so we had ample time to relax, gorge on street food, and finally chill at a rooftop bar sipping drinks while the DJ spun records into the ambient bangkok night. admittedly, i was very sad to say goodbye to thailand in general. it was a memorable trip for us, especially in phuket, which i will write about another time.

bangkok, thailand | dec 2011/jan 2012

currently listening to: houses – soak it up

fuji-san, japan | july 2011

tama-gawa, tokyo, japan | december 2011

currently listening to: washed out – feel it all around

i’m far too terrible at writing to convey in any one post how amazing hong kong was. it is a bustling, inspiring, chaotic, raw city. i loved every minute of it. it is by far one of my favorite destinations in asia.

initially, it was a shock to the senses having lived in tokyo for almost 7 years. tokyo with its refined social order and modern newness was a far cry from hong kong’s charming discord and deep rooted ties to its past. the older generation intrigued me most. their active contribution and large presence in the city was so evident.

a city girl at heart, i can see myself building a life here. similar to past entries i have posted a chronological highlight of our journey above (click images to enlarge). enjoy.

hong kong & macau, china | november 2011

currently listening to: the japanese popstars – shells of silver

i have yet to go through the negatives from this trip; however, above is a chronological highlight of our malaysian/singaporean journey from late august/early september (click images to enlarge).

first stop was a one-nighter in singapore. next, we visited langkawi during ramadan whilst a big storm passed through. the locals were warm and charming. we spent a lot of time driving around the island absorbing the local culture.

the city of kuala lumpur was a major contrast to the laid back vibe of langkawi. during our travels, we always make it a point to immerse ourselves in the non-touristy areas—following our feet off the beaten path. walking around the streets outside of the center during the day was a departure from the spectacular night views of the city center. there seemed to be so much going on in KL. from the unrelenting pedestrians dodging the booming sounds of traffic to the elbow-to-elbow bargainers of the open market in chinatown, it was total chaos.

the final stop was singapore (again). we spent our time between the downtown core and orchard road. i must say, the cab drivers (uncle!) are more informative than any lonely planet guide. the sense of pride in the locals we chatted with was palpable. each time we pass through singapore, there is something new to be learned and we are never disappointed.

prior to each new adventure we embark upon, i try to imagine this new place in my mind. what it will be like, look like, feel like. i’m always so surprised by how the reality of it all takes shape.

singapore + langkawi & kuala lumpur, malaysia | august/september 2011

currently listening to: frank ocean – swim good

siobhan & anou | july 2011

it’s been a fast, fun, and busy summer. unfortunately, i’ve been M.I.A. from web 2.0 for quite some time now. my final year of grad school has taken over most of the real estate that is my mind. needless to say, i’ve been trying to strike a balance between working hard and playing hard. in a little over 7 months, my focus will shift entirely toward building something of what is currently a sporadic portfolio.

i’ve been picking up the film cameras occasionally, but mostly documenting my days has been easier via iPhone (shown above). not included are images from our mt. fuji climb and our trip to singapore and malaysia–which i will post in the coming days.

currently listening to: koreless – lost in tokyo

tokyo, japan | summer 2011