I’m celebrating a milestone in 6 months’ time. Yes, the BIG 4-0.

Is it a time to reflect, an occasion to celebrate OR a time to dread, an occasion to ignore? It’s the former for me! A fabulous time to appreciate how I have mothered myself and lives with 3 kids, 3 businesses and 1 book.

I didn’t like celebrating my birthdays when I was younger. I was afraid that people would figure out that I’m of a certain age by the time I’m older. Haha!

However, the older I get, the more comfortable I am with age. Now, I feel that it’s important to honour ourselves on our birthday, to celebrate the years well lived. So for my 40th, I’m planning a birthday trip to Japan with my family!

Here are the steps I took to plan and book my trip to Japan:

1. Open a browser and go to Changi Recommends

As a busy mom, convenience is my buzzword of the day. To be able to book the air tickets, hotels, Japan Rail passes, attractions/day tours and transport and rent a Wi-Fi router (man, that’s a mouthful) all via one travel concierge such as Changi Recommends is a mom’s lifesaver.

2. Flight booking

I usually confirm my flights before I book hotels simply because there are more hotel options than the right flight with the right timing for my family.

On Changi Recommends, I can search for the best airfares from over 100 airlines by filling up all the necessary details like departure country, destination, travel dates and number of adults and children. You will then get a list of all the flights available, in order of the cheapest ones first.

I like to fly at night and arrive in the morning, so my kids would all sleep throughout the flight. Choose whichever timing most suited for your family’s needs.

3. Hotel booking

Next, we will need an accommodation.

Did you know that you have access to more than 300,000 properties and 5,000 destinations via ChangiHotels? And when you sign up as a member, you can get up to 60% discount, so why pay more for the exact same room in the same hotel booked elsewhere?

There are 160 hotels listed for Tokyo, Japan on Changi Recommends and with young kids in tow, I tend to go for kids-friendly hotels within short walking distance to food and places of interest. So I found the map function on ChangiHotels really useful for shortlisting and finding the right hotel for us.

Use promocode CHILLSTAYS to get 10% off the best-priced accommodations on Changi Recommends.

4. Airport Transfer and Meet & Greet Services

Getting from Narita Airport to downtown Tokyo via the train is relatively simple. However, after a 7-hour flight with my little humans, it is less stressful for everyone when the airport transfer is pre-arranged.

It’s hassle-free and I can rest assure that a reliable driver would meet us from the moment we disembark and get us all the way to our hotel safely.

You can choose between a 5-seater and a 7-seater private limousine and the service is pretty affordable. Yes, you can get instant booking via the same platform at Changi Recommends.

5. Purchase the Japan Rail (JR) Pass

From Tokyo, I would like to visit Nara, Kyoto and Osaka. And the best way to do that is to travel on the Japanese bullet train.

If you’re doing the same, make sure you pre-purchase your Japan Rail (JR) pass from Changi Recommends to save yourself the trouble of searching for travel passes in a foreign country, especially when you are travelling with kids.

Plus, it’s 15% more expensive to purchase the JR Pass in Japan (available at selected stations only) than buying from Changi Recommends!

What exactly is JR Pass, you ask? It is an unlimited travel pass that lets tourists take Japan Railways trains for a fixed duration. There are different variations of passes, ranging from 7-day to 21-day passes and more. The extensive railway connects all the prefectures, and short of taking domestic flights is the most efficient way of traversing across Japan.

The JR Pass is for tourists only and you will need to collect the actual physical pass from the station in Japan. Children below 5 years old can travel for free, but will not be entitled a seat. If you want a seat for your child, you must purchase the Child Pass (which is for those age 6 to 11).

6. Decide Which Famous Attractions to Visit & Pre-Book the Tickets

I’m planning to bring the kids to Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Disney Sea, and Changi Recommends is having a 12% discount for the tickets now! Apart from just money savings, it will save you a lot of time to queue for your tickets since these are major tourist attractions. Trust me, you will do enough waiting once you are inside!

7. Rent the ChangiWiFi

What would we do without the internet? The ChangiWiFi is a WiFi router that is just as good (or even better) than roaming internationally.

I will need data to access Google maps to navigate our way through Japan. Getting lost is NOT an option when you are travelling with kids. In addition to using the service for Google maps, I am able to search for nearby restaurants and update my Instagram story with exciting moments from our trip.

The procedure to pick up the WiFi router and JR passes and to return the device is very fuss-free. Once the reservation and purchase have been made online via Changi Recommends, the next step would be to pick them up from the Changi Recommends counter at Changi Airport Departure Hall right before you check-in for your flight.

The router comes pre-configured to the country that you are travelling to. Connecting to the router works like any hot-spot. Do not worry if this is your first time renting a WiFi router as there will be staff there to guide you on how to connect to the device as well as how to exchange for your physical JR passes upon reaching Japan. And upon reaching back in Singapore, you just have to drop it off at the same counter.

Use promo code 2FREEDAYSCHILL for your next ChangiWiFi booking. The promo code pretty much says it all – you’ll get the first 2 days absolutely free! Book by 31 October and you can use it during travel anytime by 31 December. Conditions apply.

8. Get Some Yen

Now I bet you didn’t know that you can exchange foreign currencies with Changi Recommends too – from the comfort of your own home.

How? Just go here and key in the amount you want to exchange in SGD. You’ll immediately see the amount you’ll get in the foreign currency you want (auto-calculated based on their dynamic real-time Forex rate). Enter your personal details, pay via PayNow or bank transfer. Just like booking a flight, you’ll get a confirmation email with a reference number after payment is made. All you have to do now and wait for it to be delivered to you at an address, date and time convenient to you.

9. Don’t Forget Travel Insurance

While we plan for fun, we should also prepare for the unexpected. Changi Recommends offers one of the most affordable travel insurance with instant claims at Changi Recommends counters in Singapore Changi Airport.

Oh, before I forget, you can also use promo code TCMHYFE19 for a massive 60% off your travel insurance. If I’m you, I’ll bookmark this blogpost and make sure I remember to grab the promocode for our next holiday.

Get a quote and get comprehensive travel protection & coverage here

Changi Recommends is my one-stop-shop for all travel needs

We all know that travelling with kids is never easy so it’s good to plan ahead as much as possible and book everything in advance. As you can see, I really don’t need to switch between different platforms and websites to plan a trip. All I needed to do is just follow the top menu on www.changirecommends.com and it reminds me of all the things I possibly need for my vacation.

I know I’m getting the best deals on Changi Recommends and doing it all on one platform is the ultimate time-saver. And the best thing ever? My overloaded mummy’s brain doesn’t need to recall where and what I’ve booked months from now. I just have to search for ‘Changi Recommends’ on my mailbox and it’ll all be there!

My book is out. Get your copy here!