AT THE SPEED OF NOOR

On day 1 of 2020, some  KL Sketchnation  friends and I decided to have a simple picnic to celebrate the new year. It wasn't anything fancy - we were basically just hanging out at the river - but it was the most fun New Year's I've ever had. (Credit: Anonymous child, using Hakym's phone)

Nara is about  an hour's drive from Kyoto . Located in the Kansai region, it is home to many beautiful temples and shrines,  and, like Kyoto, cultural/historical sites. If you're curious to see the more (agri)cultural side of Japan, Nara is a wonderful choice.

Kyoto was once upon a time Japan's capital, before Tokyo. It is a charming historical city well-known for its temples, shrines, and eyegasmic landscapes. My family and I went to Kyoto on the same day we went to Nara . Our tour group spent (only!) the morning here though, which is obviously not enough. The trip was a nice teaser for another trip to Kyoto, I suppose.

If Cambridge were a person, I imagine the city to be a beauty with brains. 50km north of London, the city boasts exquisite architecture, gorgeous natural surroundings, and generations of scholars produced by the local colleges all grouped under the world-famous Cambridge University. When ISH Travel Club promoted their cycling tour here, I was intrigued. The day trip was short, but it was fun nonetheless as we breezed around the city to learn of its history, traditions, and quirky rituals.