Our First Ever Babymoon | 產前蜜月
/（中文翻譯請往下滑）
“Babymoon: traveling while pregnant to enjoy the calm before our family grows from two to four. Recommend to do it during the second trimester. ”
Transportation
We originally planned to rent a car, but considering that getting around in Nikko will require driving through serpentine mountainous roads, we opted to take public transportation instead (a wise choice). From Utsunomiya, we took the JR to Nikko station and hopped on the bus to Lake Chūzenji. The bus dropped us off right in front of The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko, very convenient and affordable.
Hotel
The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/japan/nikko
The one and only Ritz-Carlton with natural onsen, flowing down from the popular onsen town Yumoto. Our room faces Lake Chūzenji, to the right is Mount Nantai, quite a serene scene. The hotel design is chic minimalist, not a lot of presumptuous superfluous decorations, and not too many empty spaces that birth excessive lines and angles. There’s a level of comfort and a sense of coming home as you sit in the lobby (if only my house is this beautiful!). Most impressionable is our host Ms. Inoue, who greeted us and helped us check in. We chatted briefly about the purpose of our trip and why we chose Nikko, and that same night when we returned to our room after dinner, Ms. Inoue and hotel staff surprised us with a “Welcome Baby” balloon and towel cake on our bed!
When we planned our babymoon, I was in charge of picking the location, and UN was in charge of planning the rest. I kept debating if we should go somewhere we haven’t been before, such as Ine of Kyoto Prefecture, or revisit my favorite city in Japan, which is Nikko. I asked UN what is his favorite city in Japan, and as if he read my mind, he answered Nikko without hesitation. Nikko it is!
Nikko’s beauty is unparalleled, ideal for a babymoon. The first day when we arrived it was a bit misty from the rain, quite mysterious and yet romantic. Before dinner, UN and I even walked along the lake with an umbrella in the light drizzle. The sun came out the next day.
Babymoon has been something that seemed out-of-reach. Since getting married, we learned that getting pregnant is not as easy as we thought. There were many hiccups along the way. From being diagnosed with infertility, to considering adoption, seeking treatments, to starting IVF in July 2020, and the many failures in between. When I started opening up to my friends about this issue, I started learning that I am not alone in this journey. I hope infertility becomes less of a taboo topic. At the fertility clinic, I met many ladies who live healthy lifestyles and have healthy diets, the complete opposite of what I have been told about people who suffer from infertility. Throughout the entire IVF process, I’m thankful that UN respected every one of my decisions. January 2022 was gonna be our sixth and the last time going through IVF. God has been so good to us, He blessed us with more than we could ask for, turned one embryo into two. And because of His grace, we were able to go on this babymoon!
Japanese breakfast
Western breakfast
Afternoon Tea at The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
“產前蜜月：帶著在肚子裡的寶寶們出遊，也讓準爸爸和準媽媽能享受小孩們出生前的寧靜，享受最後的兩人世界。建議時間為孕中期。”
交通工具
原先計畫租車，但考慮到我們已去過大部分景點和往日光必經的九彎十八拐，我們決定坐公車（明智的決定）。坐JR到日光站下車換巴士，巴士會在The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko門口停靠，方便又便宜。
飯店住宿
The Ritz-Carlton, Nikko
https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/japan/nikko
第一家提供日式溫泉的Ritz-Carlton，溫泉水源從上次來日光時有去的湯元（非常有名的溫泉聖地）。房間面向中禪寺湖，右邊俯瞰男體山，環境清幽。飯店設計走的是我很愛的簡潔路線，沒有多餘擺設或是過於極簡產生太多線條感，整體非常舒適輕鬆，有種回到家的感覺（只希望我家也這麼美）。最讓我們印象深刻的是我們和幫我們check-in的Inoue San閒聊，我們隨意提到這次來日光的目的和我們有多愛這地方。沒想到晚餐後回到房間，Inoue San和工作人員們竟然準備了Welcome Baby的氣球和毛巾蛋糕，真是太大的驚喜了！
計劃這場產前蜜月，我負責想地點，UN負責行程。我一直猶豫該去我倆都沒去過的地方，還是重遊我們在日本最愛的城市。如果去新景點，京都的伊根是我私心最想去的地方（就是當時UN把伊根和伊勢搞混的地方）。舊地重遊的話，我百分之百選擇日光。所以當時我決定問UN哪裡是他最愛的日本景點，UN像是有讀心術，毫不猶豫回答日光！哈，這就好辦事啦！
日光就是美，babymoon選日光絕對是對的決定！第一天綿綿細雨卻詩意滿滿，完全不會因天氣而破壞興致。晚餐前，我和UN撐傘在外走走聊天，尤其走在中禪寺湖旁特別愜意。第二天天氣放晴，工作人員帶我們到中禪寺學習當地歷史。
Babymoon一直是我不敢想像的事。從結婚到希望有小孩到發現原來懷孕不是件簡單事，這其中發生太多事。知道自己不孕、考慮領養、開始看醫生，直到2020年七月開始做人工受孕，過程也失敗好多次。當我開始和朋友提到時，發現好多人都因不孕困擾，真希望這事能被更多人重視。當我去看醫生時，更發現大多數人都有規律生活和飲食習慣，完全不是外界所想像的刻板印象。做人工受孕的過程中，很感謝UN非常尊重我的每個決定，而2022年一月是我們兩人決定的最後一次人工受孕。神很眷顧我們，一顆胚胎變成同卵雙胞胎，也讓我們這次能到日光一起享受產前蜜月！
