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Ahh Japan. The destination that many travellers desire. The perennial trending subject on social media. Japanese cuisine, culture, quirks, technology, and everything kawaii have inspired endless posts, stories, reels, YouTube videos, and TikToks. If one didn't know better, you'd think it was the dream destination on this planet. While I love the food, the service and the shopping, the sheer number of tourists (me included) has become a turn-off. I'm not talking about those who inconvenience locals by blocking the road to take photos (that's another story) or about badly behaved tourists (also another topic for another day). Tokyo is crowded even if you avoid the obvious tourist destinations. (Image: Benjamin Wong, Unsplash) What is annoying is seeing tourists everywhere, even in previously quiet spots. It seems like there's no place in Japan that goes unvisited (an exaggeration but it feels like it nonetheless). If I seem like I'm only realising this now, it's because I only travel to Japan once a year. Where to find peace and quiet? Omotesando, located just behind Harajuku, used to be quiet, because it was away from the main road. But thanks to social media, that's no longer the case. Tourists also throng its narrow streets, filling its boutiques; jostling with them is not my idea of a holiday. I can do that anytime in Singapore. When will Meiji Shrine feel this quiet again? Perhaps when the yen appreciates and makes travel to Japan expensive. (Image: Alex Rainer, Unsplash) Meiji Shrine, which felt like it was previously only visited by locals, is now filled with tourists filming videos. The last time I visited the shrine was to enjoy the walk through the canopy of trees outside and hear the crunching of gravel underfoot. During my last trip in January this year, I still heard the gravel. But sadly, it was accompanied by the incessant chatter from groups of tourists. So, next year, I'm giving Japan a miss. There are other cities in East Asia that are just as worth a visit, and probably not as crowded, too. – Jeremy (Main image: David Edelstein, Unsplash)

How to fit 266 people in one carriage

Everyone complain about the high COEs prices and overpopulated car ownerships in Singapore, but there seems to be no solutions. I hate people who likes to complain but offer no solutions. So I propose some ideas of mine.. 1. COE. Scrap the current, all successful bidders will pay the minimum COE price for that bidding. New changes, for example, there are 1000 COEs but 2000 bids for them. So 1000 successful bids will pay the COE prices accordingly to what they have bidded. Some will pay few dollars for their COEs while some will pay tens of thousands for their COEs. This will keep the COE prices in check. 2. One household/address can only own 1 car. If within that same household/address, want to own a 2nd car or third car, can.. For the 2nd car, pay 1.5 times the price of the more expensive car. The 3rd car, pay 1.75 times. 4th, pay 2 times. Of course you may say, register the address to another address, where there is no car ownership, can.. no problem, just pay $$$ to keep the bugger from exposing the deed. But when dealing with $$$, sure will have some arguments and most likely will kenna exposed.. Thanks for reading, how's my solution to the overpopulated car ownership in Singapore?