Just An Ordinary Girl

Photo By: Elin Chow
Official Website: Osaka Air Terminal Hotel

Leaving Kuromon Ichiba Market, we made our way back to Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) to collect our luggage from Yamato Transport Service Centre before heading to Itami International Airport (formerly known as Osaka International Airport) for the night.

Osaka is served by two airports - Kansai International Airport and Itami Airport. Itami Airport was the only international airport in Osaka until Kansai International Airport was opened in 1994. Today, the Itami Airport handles mainly domestic flights to more than 30 destinations across Japan, served mainly by Japan Airlines (JAL), ANA and their subsidiaries, Ibex Airlines.


The most convenient way to get from Osaka Namba area to Itami Airport is by the Osaka Airport Limousine bus. We have already bought the bus tickets for the airport limousine bus before we visited Minoo Park earlier that morning.


The bus journey from Osaka-Namba Station to Itami Airport took about 30 minutes, but may be longer during peak hours.


Arriving at Itami Airport, we proceeded to check into our room at Osaka Air Terminal Hotel. We will be spending our last night in Osaka here before we fly back home early the next morning.The Osaka Air Terminal Hotel is the only hotel located right inside Itami Airport. You will find the hotel located on the 3rd floor of Itami Airport, between JAL and ANA Terminals.


Taking the lift up to the 3rd floor, we arrived and was greeted by a lovely young lady at the reception. The process of booking a room at this hotel is not easy. The hotel website is entirely in Japanese, which is not tourist friendly at all. For those who cannot read or understand Japanese like me, booking a room through its website would seem nearly impossible. In the end, I have to use Google translate to translate their website into English in order to book a room. The translation was not perfectly accurate, but it was better than nothing.

Just like many other hotels in Japan, the Osaka Air Terminal Hotel only accept booking up to about 3 months in advance. Once the booking is completed, you should receive a confirmation email of your reservation. Surprisingly, the hotel does not require a deposit or an advance payment of any sort for reservation. You will only make payment when you arrive and check in the hotel, either by cash or credit card.


The hotel offers a range of different rooms - Semi Double Room, Double Room, Twin Room, Barrier Free Twin Room, Deluxe Twin Room and Special Twin Room to suit different needs. Each room has a maximum capacity of 2 persons.


Airport hotels are usually a rip-off, but this hotel is surprisingly affordable, though not cheap. I booked a double room for 11,500 Yen per night, without breakfast. Check in was fast and efficient and after collecting our room key, we walked down a long carpeted corridor to our room. Somewhere along the corridor, you will find vending machines where you can buy some drinks and snacks and a prepaid TV card for pay-TV.


Our double room is spacious by Japanese standard. In fact, the room is bigger than what we expected. and is equipped with everything you will possibly need for a comfortable stay. There are also sufficient space for us to open our luggage, but we could not walk around our room after doing so.


Our double room comes with a queen sized bed, a working desk, individually controlled air conditioning and en-suite bathroom. The room is very clean and quiet even though it is located inside an airport.



There is also a small storage space for you to store your clothes and belongings.


The en-suite bathroom is equipped with a sink, washlet and a decent sized bathtub.



Complimentary toiletries like disposable body sponge, toothbrush and toothpaste, body soap, shampoo and conditioner are provided in the bathroom for guest use.

All in all, Osaka Air Terminal Hotel offers very basic yet comfortable accommodation right in the terminal building of Itami Airport. This hotel has no amenities and is just perfect for anyone who have an early flight to catch the next morning.


Itami Airport has a single terminal building with 21 gates, divided into a "North Terminal" for JAL and "South Terminal" for ANA and IBEX, which are connected by a "Central Block" containing souvenirs shops, restaurants and the Osaka Air Terminal Hotel.

The souvenirs shops allow you to do last minute shopping before boarding. On the 4th floor of the airport, you will also find a rooftop observation deck where you can watch departing and arriving flights throughout the day.


Feeling hungry, we randomly walked into a Japanese restaurant below the hotel to grab some dinner. The restaurant has a Japanese menu with no English translation and staffs speaks very little English. Since we cannot understand Japanese, we simply ordered our food by pointing to the plastic food display found outside the restaurant.

Cold Tempura Soba Noodles

Price: 1,210 Yen

Udon + Tempura Rice Bowl
Price: 1,100 Yen

My husband had Cold Tempura Soba Noodles while I had Udon + Tempura Rice Bowl. The serving size was quite huge and food was delicious and very filling.


After dinner, we went to Starbucks to grab some drinks. I ordered hot Yuzu citrus and tea, which isa blend of steamed citrus juice and black tea with thinly sliced peel of Yuzu.It was naturally sweet and so delicious. I wish we have this in Malaysia.


We woke up at 6 am the next morning with a heavy heart. It was finally time to say goodbye to Japan - an amazing country that never fails to impress in every way.

After checking out of our room, we made our way to the JAL check-in counter to receive our boarding pass and drop our bags. There was frustrating long queues at the check-in counters, passenger security screening and immigration. I would advise anyone to arrive at least an hour and a half earlier to avoid long queues forming at check in during the rush hours.


The rush hour usually happens in the early mornings and late afternoon. Getting there early allows you to get to the gate with a little time to relax before boarding. We thought we will be too early, but we ended up to be almost late for our flight. Luckily, check in has been quite efficient despite the long queue even though it took almost an hour, or else we would miss our flight.


With a heavy heart, we boarded the plane to fly back home. Deep in our hearts, we knew well that this will not be a goodbye forever. After 7 days, Japan has become our most favorite country to visit. Thank you Japan, for such an amazing trip. I shall see you very soon again, Japan. I promise...

If you are interested to know more about our trip, you may want to check out our 7D6N Osaka - Kyoto - Nara - Kobe Trip Itinerary + Overview for the list of attractions that we had visited during our 7 days in Japan. For anyone planning your first trip to Japan but have no idea where to start, you should read my "How To Plan A Trip To Japan" post.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates on my 7 days adventures in Japan! You might also want to check My Wanderlust page for some of my other travel adventures.

Official Website: A Better Florist

Flowers are a beautiful and perfect gift for any time of year, and for any occasion. There is no better way to express your love and appreciation for someone than sending flowers. It is just the perfect way to say "I love you".


I have recently been contacted by A Better Florist, looking to feature their online flower delivery service on my blog. After a quick browse through their website, I find myself falling in love with the beautiful and impressive flower arrangements on offer. So I agreed immediately and since I am currently residing in Malaysia, I specially requested to have the flower arrangement of my choice sent to my best friend in Singapore instead.

For those who do not know, A Better Florist is a Singapore-based e-commerce flower delivery startup founded by Steve Feiner, an ex googler with an aim to provide a better flower delivery service. The company believes that sending and receiving flowers should be easy, affordable and beautiful.

They believed that no matter where your recipient is, you can celebrate any occasion with fresh flowers from A Better Florist. Regardless of the distance and destination, A Better Florist will allow you to express your love and appreciation to the loved one, even if you are not there physically.

The company offers the freshest flowers at a fairly affordable price. All their flowers are grown and shipped directly from farms from Cameron Highlands daily. Every bloom is nurtured with love and care before it is ready to be picked. Only the most beautiful blooms will be picked and used in your favorite bouquets. As a result, the flowers are just 2 to 4 days old when they reached the customers, and will not wilt so quickly.

Limited Selection 

Unlike other florists in Singapore, A Better Florist only offers a limited selections of three types of flower arrangements for customers to choose from - from flower bouquets and arrangements, to beautiful bundles and fruit baskets. This has helped to make the selection process easier and less stressful, which also ensured the quality and freshness of the flower arrangement.

The Signature Bloom

The Signature Bloom includes a beautiful combinations of the freshest flowers of the season. Each bouquet is handcrafted, thoughtfully designed and instagram-ready. The Signature Bloom features the Allision, the Emilia, the Lilah and the Julianne.

The Farmer's Choice

The Farmer's Choice includes seasonal blooms that are sourced straight from the farm. Featuring the Spring Breeze, the Ayla, the Keira and the Hayden.
The Bundles 

The Bundles are carefully crafted combos that are perfect for co-workers and best friends. Featuring the Prince Charming Bundle, the Blissful Bundle, the Wonderland Bundle and the Sugar Rush.

Other than that, A Better Florist is able to customize a fresh flower arrangement to suit almost all other occasions, including weddings, anniversaries and birthdays, depending on your specific needs.

I have chosen to send my friend the Lilah from the Signature Bloom, but unfortunately, due to some miscommunication on their side, my friend received the Keira from Farmer's Choice instead. To be honest, I was feeling a little unhappy and disappointed with their service when my friend told me she received the Keira instead of the Lilah. So I immediately emailed A Better Florist, hoping to get an explanation for this.

Their reply was prompt, and they admitted and apologised for the mistake they made and I gladly accepted their apology. They actually insisted sending my friend the right bouquet to make up for their mistake even though I said it's ok and they do not need to. I am really impressed with their fast response and excellent customer service.


The Keira consists of fresh lilies, roses and ammi majus. The gorgeous blooms arrive wrapped in their signature rustic burlap with silk ribbon, and comes with a handwritten card, containing my personal messages, as well as a flower care instruction card and flower food.


Please follow the instruction card to prolong the life span of the flowers, which arrived wrapped in a water absorbent sponge to keep them fresh.


Just as they promised, my friend received the Lilah a few days later. The Lilah comes in a glass vase as pictured, which makes it perfect for any table decorations.


The Lilah consists of fresh bright blooms with starburst pincushion. It is absolutely gorgeous! Just like the Keira, or in fact, every bouquet from A Better Florist will come with both the handwritten card and flower care instruction card. I really appreciate that little extra effort the company puts in to make every customer's experience a special one.

My Thoughts

I never like flowers because I think they are expensive and wilt quickly. But I would not deny that they will not only brighten and add a splash of colors to the house, but also a great way to express your love and appreciation to your loved one.

Whether it is Mother's day, Valentine day, birthday or any other special occasion, A Better Florist has got you covered. The company offers the easiest and most convenient way to send flowers and makes for perfect last minute gifts idea.

With just a few simple clicks, you can send an arrangement of beautiful flowers to anyone, anywhere in Singapore on the same day at no extra charge, provided if you order before 3 pm.  All your gifts will be hand delivered by the professional A Better Florist courier team by car or motorbike to ensure timely delivery.

Free same day delivery is available from 9 am to 6 pm every day of the week. You can pick the most convenient time slot to have the flowers delivered to your loved ones. Did you suddenly remember a special occasion and last minute flowers? Don't worry, A Better Florist also offers an express 90 minutes delivery, ensuring the flowers will reach the intended recipient on the same day. Unfortunately, the only downside is they do not allow you to choose a specific delivery time.

Overall, I am deeply impressed by the high quality customer service and freshness of the flowers from A Better Florist. Apparently, the company has placed customer satisfaction as a top priority. and is always trying their best to make every of their customer happy. If you are a flower enthusiast, I believe you will love what A Better Florist has to offer!

No monetary compensation was received for this review and all opinions expressed were my own. Thank you A Better Florist for offering such great opportunity to show my love and appreciation to my friend! 

Be sure to follow me on Facebook or Twitter  for any latest updates on my blog. So stay tuned! 

Photo By: Elin Chow

I have been an avid fan of online shopping for years, and I love to shop and order online more than traditional shopping. Online shopping has become my most preferred way to make purchases because it is more convenient and time saving.

I find that I usually get cheaper deals and better prices from online stores because products come directly from the manufacturer or seller. Online stores do not have overhead to deal with so they can pass on the saving to their customers. Besides that, I can also compare product prices from different online retailers easily, and have all my orders deliver right to my doorsteps.

I don't usually post about my shopping haul, but I think it might be a good idea to share some of my purchases from time to time. In this post, I will be sharing my collective beauty haul for the month of May and June. Some of them were on my wish list for a long time, and some were just impromptu purchases.

Cocomo Budget Premium Hair Curler (Straight or Volume Curl)

Price: SGD 30

Recently, my friend introduced to a hair curler from Cocomo, a Singapore based e-commerce company affiliated to the Banobagi Medical Group, South Korea. The company is founded by a team of makeup and beauty veterans with years of experience in the Kpop industry, who aim to bring the best of Korean beauty to Singapore women.

The Budget Premium Hair Curler is Cocomo's first own brand product, and is only available for purchase in Singapore. I fell so deeply in love with this hair curler after using it, and decided to buy it from their online store on Q0010 Singapore.


I have waited for almost a month for this product to arrive because the hair curler was so popular that it went completely out of stock. The product is shipped directly from Korea to Singapore and from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. As a result, it took slightly over a week to reach me. But customer service was excellent with constant updates. A complimentary hair mask was also included to compensate for the delay.


I have flat and ultra-fine hair with dry and frizzy ends. The dryness is due to the regular hair rebonding treatment I do to straighten my curly hair. Even so, my hair still tend to curl out at the ends, often with weird pieces sticking out.


Cocomo's hair curler is equipped with ceramic plates that heats up quickly, which allows fast styling, and glides on my hair smoothly. It leaves my hair feeling very smooth and soft while adding a plenty of volume without making my hair dry.

I have tried quite a few brands of hair straightener that are available in the market. But none of them gave me the same amazing result as this hair curler from Cocomo. It has helped me to achieve straight frizz free hair that I am always looking for. Furthermore, the result is pretty long lasting.

The hair curler comes with a 360 degree rotating cord that prevent the cord from getting tangled. I can style my hair easily from any angle without having to worry about tangled cord.
Lancome L'Absolu Rouge Lipstick
Price: RM 110

I have been wanting to try out the Lancome L'Absolu Rouge range of lipsticks for a while now, but was hesitant to spend so much money on a lipstick. So I made myself to wait for a month in order to prevent impulse buying. But after a month, I still strongly want to make the purchase, so I finally decided to splurge a little on something that I really love.

I bought this from Sephora Malaysia. All products are ship directly from Singapore using Aramex/Singpost to Malaysia. Shipping is free for all orders above RM 80.

The lipstick is available in 44 elegant shades - from nudes, plums, pink to bright reds and 3 finishes - sheer, cream or matte. Its wide range of options mean that there is always something for everyone, every occasion, and every look.

With 44 options available, I have a really difficult time choosing which one to buy. After browsing through the website for hours, I finally decided to buy the 377 O Oui! for RM 110. This is also the color picked by my husband. He will always choose pink instead of red everytime I asked for advice. Priced at RM 110, this is currently the most expensive lipstick I have ever bought.


I love the packaging. It is sleek and luxurious. The lipstick comes in a black lacquered case with a click-to-open case featuring Lancome signature gold rose. The packaging is secure and yet, easy to open for your convenience. Just press the rose emblem on the top of the case and it will pops right open for you.

I have not tried the lipstick yet. But Lancome has claimed that this is an ultra-luxurious and hydrating that is suitable for all day wear. The L'Absolu Rouge lipstick is enriched with antioxidant rich vitamin E and moisture boosting Pro-Xyalne TM that will never dry your lips out. I could not wait to wear this beautiful pink on my lips now!

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam

Price: RM 24

I am running out of my facial cleanser and I thought it might be good to try another brand, so being a huge fan of Innisfree, I bought the Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam from Hermo Malaysia. This was an impromptu purchase.

Innisfree Jeju Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam comes in a cream colored tube containing 150 ml of the product. It is formulated with Jeju Volcanic scoria that absorb excess serum and purify the clogged pores, making it suitable for people with combination or oily skin.


The cleanser is very soft, has a semi-thick consistency and contains exfoliating beads that gently exfoliate the dead and dull skin. After washing, it gives my skin a fresh and clean feel without over drying it.

Laneige Multi-Cleanser
Price: RM 15

I also purchased a travel-size Laneige Multi-Cleanser from Hermo Malaysia as well. The travel-size packaging contains 30 ml of the product. The reason why I bought the travel-size packaging is because it just makes traveling easier, plus it was on sale! Furthermore, I have never used any products from Laneige before, and I thought it would be good to try this facial cleanser this time. Thus the travel size will be ideal for trying this product out before committing to the full size.

The 4-in-1 cleanser that claims to remove makeup, remove sunscreen, exfoliates and cleanse. Formulated with mild plant based cleansing ingredient, and papain enzymes (extracted from Papaya fruit), the cleanser contains fine micro beads that will help to exfoliate and leave skin feeling fresh and clean. The micro beads are gentle that can be use everyday.

This cleanser might be too drying for people with dry skin, but it is great for people with combination or oily skin. Also, I don't trust this facial cleanser to remove all my makeup. But I believe this will able to remove light makeup.

Shiseido The Hair Care Aqua Intensive Shampoo and Treatment 2 - Moist Feel
Price: RM 90 (250 ml) | RM 110.70 (250g) (before discount)

Since I rebond my hair regularly, the ends get really dry while my scalp is oily.  I am picky about the shampoos and conditioners I use because not all products work well for my oily scalp and extremely fine hair. A shampoo and hair conditioner that would cleanse my scalp well, care for my locks and make my hair smell irresistible throughout the day.

Just a few months ago, my hair stylist introduced me to the Shiseido Aqua Intensive shampoo and treatment while I was doing my usual rebonding treatment at his salon. The Shiseido Aqua Intensive line is specifically targeted at frizzy, dry and chemically treated hair. I bought both the shampoo and treatment from Lazada with a discount voucher. It is so much cheaper than buying it from a salon.


The Shiseido Aqua Intensive shampoo remove impurities selectively without stripping the moisture from your hair. My hair feels incredibly soft and lustrous after using it. The shampoo prevents damage and dryness while cleansing your hair thoroughly. However, for people with oily scalp, I will not recommend using this shampoo everyday. It does not help to control itchiness and oil secretion of the scalp.


The Shiseido Aqua Intensive treatment 2 infused hair with intense moisture and locks it in, keeping them healthy looking. My hair feels incredibly smooth and soft after application.

I love the smell of the Aqua Intensive line. It is heavenly, which makes me look forward to using it every single day. For people with hair that is fizzy and difficult to manage, you might want to give these two products a shot. I believe it will not disappoint you.


My purchases also came with a free Shiseido Sleekliner shampoo and conditioner sample. The Sleekliner line is targeted at frizzy, tangled and unruly hair. I am excited to try this out too!

Bio Top Fit Hot & Cold Cream
Price: RM 350 (3 Bottles)

I bought the 3rd generation Bio Top Fit Hot & Cold Cream from a seller from Facebook. I have been a long-time user of the Bio Top slimming cream for years now, and have used both the 1st and 2nd generation.

The reason why I keep repurchasing this is because I find it helps to firm and smooth my skin. The brand new Bio Top Fit is formulated with natural high quality ingredients with 3 new exquisite ingredients added - lemongrass extract, ginger extract and mint, and helps to burn and eliminates fat cells, detoxify and beautify your skin.

I have been using this cream for more than two weeks now, and have already noticed significant results. It has help to reduce cellulite around my thigh area and to tone my tummy and arms areas. The cream is non greasy and can be absorbed into my skin easily.

The newly added lemongrass not only helps to remove gas from the intestine, but also acts as a great insect repellent, preventing bites from mosquitoes.  The ginger extract will help to remove "wind" from the body, which is great for women who have just give birth. Besides that, it is also effective in reducing swelling, backaches and stretchmarks.

Massage the cream onto the areas you want to get slim. I would recommend wearing a plastic glove because the cream is really hot. It gives you a cooling sensation once applied, but you will start to feel a burning sensation after a few minutes. I love the burning sensation because it feels as though my fats are being burned away.

Bio Bright Perfect Shaping Ice Gel

My purchase came with a free Bio Bright Perfect Shaping Ice Gel. Honestly, I do not love this ice gel as much as I love the Bio Top Fit. I find this product a little hassle to apply. You are required to wash the gel off right after application. As such, I usually use this while in the shower.

Once you have washed the gel off your skin, you will feel a cooling sensation. It is cold and I do not like spending extra time in the shower just to apply this. Furthermore, the result is not noticeable.

Be sure to follow me on Facebook or Twitter  for any latest updates on my blog. So stay tuned!