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Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora
The entrance of Hotel Indigo Hakone Gora - a traditional Japanese rickshaw with its vibrant red upholstery adds a touch of tradition.
A vintage-style wall phone with rotary dial.
Our room comes with a private Japanese onsen (hot spring).
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Today we visited Lake Ashi (Onshi-Hakone Park), a stunning crater lake in Hakone known for its natural beauty and breathtaking views.
Lake Ashi was formed around 3,000 years ago after a volcanic eruption of Mount Hakone. It's also famous for its sightseeing cruises, where pirate-themed boats take visitors across the lake for a fun, scenic experience. We skipped the cruise this time - it was a bit chilly at 7°C and windy!
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Last night, we enjoyed a Japanese onsen (hot springs) at Hotel Indigo in Hakone. This area has been a popular onsen destination since the Nara Period (710–794), drawing travellers, monks, samurai - and now us 🙈 - for its therapeutic waters.
Fun fact: Japan has over 27,000 natural hot springs, making it one of the most geothermal-rich countries in the world!
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We found this tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant (Yokohama abura soba in Tokyo) - seats a max of 8 people - with authentic Japanese food. It was absolutely delicious.
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The magnificent Mount Fuji (3,776m) - Japan's tallest mountain. Though it last erupted in 1708, it is still classified as an active volcano.
We were lucky to enjoy clear skies two days in a row!
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I went for a scenic run around the Imperial Gardens in Tokyo - a 5-kilometre loop encircling the grounds. The path follows the palace's moat, offering views of historic stone walls and traditional bridges. So good!
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Everything feels small in Tokyo - apartment blocks, windows, balconies, even doors. It's so tiny that in some places, I don't quite fit!
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Marathon done! ✅
What an incredible experience. Running across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and soaking in the amazing views was unforgettable. The support along the course was fantastic, with spectators holding up funny signs like "Don't be shit" that kept me laughing.
I finished in 5h 10m - not the fastest, but my goal was to finish, so I didn't push too hard.
My plan was to stay in Zone 2 for the first 15km, then stick to Zone 3 as long as possible and I managed to do just that. I hit a couple of cramps in the second half but powered through with cramp shots (disgusting, but they work).
Everything went smoothly, from pacing to nutrition, so I'm really happy with it.
Next year, now that I know what to expect, I'll be ready to push harder! 💪
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Hyrox done! ✅
Happy that I finished but not quite happy with the time. I was aiming for ~1h 30m, but it was a bit heavy today.
Will do it again next year!
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Jul 24, 2020
Reflections on “Atomic Habits” by James Clear
Earlier this year, I finished reading Atomic Habits by James Clear. I'd like to share key insights that have helped me form a couple of good habits. Here is my reflection on Atomic Habits.
James Clear gets to the point of what it takes to build healthy long-lasting habits. One of the ideas he puts forward is the power of compounding effect: changes that seem small and unimportant at any given day will compound into remarkable results, if we are ... read more -
Jan 9, 2015
Four Ways to Develop a Good Reading Habit
I've never read more than 15–20 books in a year. One of the excuses I had was that I'm a very busy person - with 2 children, a full-time job, a local soccer team I play for, plus a million other things to do.
Last year, I set a goal to read 36 books. My objective was to learn more about leadership, business, product management and, of course, enjoy a few fiction books (sorry, “Fifty Shades of Grey” isn't one of them).
What's more, I realised my... read more
