March 2010 | Japan's Noodle Culture - New Mekong River Luxury Cruise - India's New Maharaja Express Train - Sri Lanka - Air New Zealand - United - "Zen's Corner"
Greetings friends, clients, Asia colleagues!
Based on the demands of our ever-inquisitive clients, the Lynch Family will be exploring more extraordinary lands in 2010. In addition to returning to Japan for the April sakura, we will travel back to Southeast Asia for the Jayavarman Luxury Mekong Cruise along the Mekong River, our first visit to the amazing land of Sri Lanka, and finally, based on pressing requests from Bev and Zen, travels to Southern France and Paris.
Please enjoy reading our latest Asia travel updates, including the new "Zen's Corner".
Many thanks & safe travels!
Randy, Bev, & Zen Lynch
JAPAN'S FASTIDIOUS (AND WONDERFUL!) NOODLE CULTURE
No doubt Bev, Zen, and I truly enjoy the many amazing eating
experiences throughout Japan,
including the tasteful aesthetic of the kaiseki dinner and all the fresh sushi.
Japan's
wonderful array of slurping noodle dishes may be among our favorite culinary
delights. Whether ramen (spaghetti-like noodles), soba (thin, grayish noodles
made from buckwheat flour), or udon (thick, snowy wheat noodles), half the fun
is eating these various dishes is the slurping ("tsuru-tsuru") – no worries
about proper etiquette here! Zen enjoys visiting Sato Yosuke, a small restaurant in Ginza
featuring Inaniwa udon, a regional premium noodle dating back to 1665 and
produced completely by hand.
Japan
's
noodle obsession is truly a national addiction and still another reason Japan is perhaps our favorite destination in all
of Asia!
JAYAVARMAN LUXURY CRUISE ALONG THE MEKONG!
Bev, Zen, and I have had many wonderful experience along the Mekong River whether river cruising in Laos or walking along the banks of the Mekong in Luang Prabang or Phnom Penh. With the inauguration of the new Jayavarman luxury river cruises, one can now cruise from My Tho, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, and then onto Siem Reap and the grandeur of Angkor Wat. With only 27 luxury cabins, the Jayavarman vessel offers intimate, high-touch service while also introducing Mekong River stops that would be inaccessible if not by boat. A complete report from the Lynch Family coming later this year.
INDIA'S NEW LUXURY MAHARAJA EXPRESS TRAIN
As many of you know, traveling through India via rail is most challenging and not so enjoyable an experience. That's all changed with the launching of the new Maharaja Express Train Service. Beginning in Mumbai, with stops n Udaipur (we feel Udaipur to be a beautiful gem), Jodhpur to Delhi, luxury rail service has triumphantly arrived in India. We look forward to boarding the Maharaja Express for our return to the tiger sanctuary at Ranthambore (yes - the train stops here!).
SRI LANKA
The New York Times recently listed Sri Lanka as it's Number 1 must-visit destination in 2010. Described as having the feel of one big tropical zoo, we have no doubt that sugar-beach-ladened country is on the rise.
Despite our many travels to Asia, we embarrassingly concede that we have never visited this idyllic island nation. Bev and Zen are pushing for a quick trip to Sri Lanka after school ending early June 2010. Rest assured we will keep you updated with high-touch experience that our clients demand.
AIRLINE OF THE YEAR - AIR NEW ZEALAND
Congrats to Air New Zealand for being awarded "Airline of the Year" by Air Transport World Magazine. As a prominent agent of Air New Zealand (NZ), our sister company, travNET, has been a big fan of NZ for many years. We are all looking forward to Air New Zealand's launching of its New Economy "Skycoach" later this year!
UA SEEKS RIGHTS TO TOKYO'S HANEDA AIRPORT!
We are very excited about United Airlines' application to provide nonstop service from SFO to Tokyo's downtown Haneda Airport. With Haneda's close proximity to central Tokyo, arriving here is a huge advantage for travelers vs. the inconvenient far-flung location of Narita.
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ZEN'S CORNER
Hello fellow global kid
travelers!
My family and I are preparing for our fourth
sakura/cherry blossoms trip to Japan. Wow, does time fly, even for a 9
year-old! I love Japan for many reasons. The fact that I need no shots
or pills to travel there is a good start! Also, I really like staying at
the ryokans. The personal attendants are so kind and look so beautiful
in their kimonos. I always tell my dad that I sleep best when lying down
on the soft futons spread out over the tatami mats. (So comfy!) I am
excited about making our first visit to Yoshikawa Ryokan in Kyoto,
famous for its tempura. Take a look at our itinerary. I will tell you
all about my Japan adventures when returning in mid-April!
For fun, please enjoy my haiku:
People in a boat
Flowing down a wet river
Ahhh! A waterfall!
Zennia Lynch
P.S. If your kaiseki dinner is too much
food, you can always hide some under the table!
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Founder Randy Lynch and family, have traveled to many of Asia's finest and most compelling destinations.
Read our past newsletters online.
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Inaniwa Udon Noodles
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Cruise |
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Maharaja Express
Train
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