Jul 16, 2021

Arbutus #MyFirstAutomatic with @aliciasoh (Part 3)

Part 3: My First Trip with Him @aliciasoh

Meet Alicia Soh, also known as @aliciasoh on Instagram. Here she shares with us her first experiences with Arbutus and how Arbutus Dive Automatic AR1907SBS is an ideal choice of gift for her boyfriend's first mechanical watch.

Where was your first trip with him?

Our first ever trip together was back in April 2017, to Osaka and Tokyo. It was the most excited we’ve ever been as this was our first overseas trip together. It was also a trip that marked the end of National Service for my boyfriend. It was a smooth 7-hour early morning flight as we wanted to reach Japan at around 10am, where we would start the day fresh and also not at a peak hour. We spent 5 days in Osaka before taking the train to Tokyo where we spent 4 days. It was the perfect time of the year to visit Japan as it was during the Cherry Blossom season.

What are the things you considered on your first trip with him?

Our main concern was the budget of the trip, and how much cash we needed to change. To make sure that we did not bring too much, or too little. We prepared for this concern by planning out our itinerary for every single detail, from transport cost to the average costs of each meal. Once we budgeted our daily spending, we made sure not to exceed that amount.

What are the things that we should see and do in Japan?

Our favorite bowl of ramen that we had was from Ichiran Ramen. In terms of destination, we both thoroughly enjoyed visiting Universal Studios Japan and Disney Sea. The Osaka Castle was also a great monument that was unlike any other.

Did you face any challenges when travelling with your boyfriend for the first time?

As I am a vegetarian, finding places to eat at was a challenge. There were places where my boyfriend would have wanted to eat but couldn’t as there weren’t any dishes that I could consume.

What are your tips for surviving a trip with your boyfriend?

Not being too held up on the itinerary that you have already planned. We were there to have fun, and if it meant having to side-track or miss certain things in our itinerary, go for it.

What’s your most unforgettable experience at Japan with him?

The entire trip was an unforgettable experience. It did not matter where we went, ate at, or visited. What mattered was that we were there together enjoying ourselves.