Well I've worked out my itinerary and am happy with the result. I knew I was going stay the first seven nights in Kyoto and the last four nights in Tokyo, but I was stuck on how to spend the three nights in the middle . After asking for ideas and advice and then researching some places (don't you just love google?), this is it:
Day 1 - Mon 6 June: Melbourne to Tokyo to Kyoto
Day 2 - Tue 7 June: Kyoto
Day 3 -Wed 8 June: Kyoto
Day 4 - Thu 9 June: Kyoto
Day 5 - Fri 10 June: Kyoto
Day 6 - Sat 11 June: Kyoto
Day 7 - Sun 12 June: Kyoto
Day 8 - Mon 13 June: Kyoto to Kanazawa
Day 9 - Tue 14 June: Kanazawa to Takayama
Day 10 - Wed 15June: Takayama
Day 11 - Thu 16 June: Takayama to Tokyo
Day 12 - Fri 17 June: Tokyo Sanno Festival at Hie Shrime
Day 13 - Sat 18 June: Tokyo
Day 14 - Sun 19 June: Tokyo
Day 15 - Mon 20 June: Tokyo to Melbourne
This will give me a nice balance and seeing and staying in the Japan Alps will be a rewarding experience. I'm working out day trips and such, most of which will be done by train.
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Friday, 2 October 2015
Thursday, 1 October 2015
3. On Using a Communal Bath or Onsen
Would you? In a country such as Japan, where Sentōs and onsens abound, would you avail yourself of them or would you feel uncomfortable? How does a westerner overcome their feeling of self-consciousness and embarrassment on having to parade in their birthday suit? The last person to see me like that was my mother.
Seeing as how I will be travelling to Japan next year, this topic interests me greatly. There are rules which one must follow - The Protocol of the Sento when first I glanced at the photo on the right, I thought they pictured a row of potties! On closer inspection, they are little buckets on which you park your posterior while your wash yourself.
And then having to walk and get into the water - I wonder if you have a good figure if you'd feel less embarrassed than someone who has dangly bits that all head south and gravity has forgotten. I can imagine the thoughts running through the minds of the other bathers - "Gee she's got a big bum", "Look at that stomach and the disgusting rolls of fat", "God, she's obese", "Here comes thunder thighs", while in the men's section they'd probably be thinking, "Mine's bigger than his."
The accommodation place at Takayama has a scenic lookout large communal hot spring bath which has a wall painting over 50 years old and the outdoor scenic lookout hot spring baths look enticing but, well...I don't know if I will have the courage.
Seeing as how I will be travelling to Japan next year, this topic interests me greatly. There are rules which one must follow - The Protocol of the Sento when first I glanced at the photo on the right, I thought they pictured a row of potties! On closer inspection, they are little buckets on which you park your posterior while your wash yourself.
And then having to walk and get into the water - I wonder if you have a good figure if you'd feel less embarrassed than someone who has dangly bits that all head south and gravity has forgotten. I can imagine the thoughts running through the minds of the other bathers - "Gee she's got a big bum", "Look at that stomach and the disgusting rolls of fat", "God, she's obese", "Here comes thunder thighs", while in the men's section they'd probably be thinking, "Mine's bigger than his."
The accommodation place at Takayama has a scenic lookout large communal hot spring bath which has a wall painting over 50 years old and the outdoor scenic lookout hot spring baths look enticing but, well...I don't know if I will have the courage.
Thursday, 24 September 2015
2. Where To Go
Now comes the next part - where to go. On previous overseas trips, I've had a good idea where I want to visit and stay and usually just needed a bit of fine tuning. With Japan however, I'm in a quandary. I know I wish to see Kyoto and have known this for a long time, and of course Tokyo. The rest of the country I'm not sure about. Yes, I've heard of Mt. Fuji (who hasn't?) and Yokohama and Osaka and Hiroshima and Okinawa (I loved Teahouse of the August Moon), but this is, or was, the extent of my knowledge which now that I think about it, is pretty woeful.
Remembering there is a Malaysian Tourism office in my city (from which I found brochures and leaflets), I checked online for a Japanese counterpart but alas, there is none in my state. Not deterred, I emailed the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) asking if they had any leaflets they could send and received a lovely reply from them.
In it, they said most people travelling for the first time tend to go to Tokyo, Kyoto/Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima. They will send me some general brochures and once I've decided where I will go, can request additional brochures from them. This is good and I can hardly wait until they arrive, which should be some time early next week.
I'm going to do some day trips from Kyoto - Nara and Osaka have been suggested. Researching a bit about Hiroshima at the moment and am taken with the red pillars standing in the water - the floating Torii.
Someone suggest spending the three days in the Japan Alps - one night in Takayama and two in Kanazawa, or three nights in Osaka, with one day trip to Okayama and one day trip to Himeji or three nights in Hiroshima, with one dedicated to Miyajima island and perhaps another day trip somewhere.
At this stage, I have no idea where or what to do with those three days. For the benefit of those reading this, this is my itinerary so far:
Day 1: Melbourne to Tokyo to Kyoto
Fly Melbourne to Narita airport, arrive 9:05AM. Train to Kyoto
Day 2 to Day 7:Kyoto
Day 8: ?????
Day 9: ?????
Day 10: ?????
Day 11 to Day 14: Tokyo
Day 15: Tokyo to Melbourne
Remembering there is a Malaysian Tourism office in my city (from which I found brochures and leaflets), I checked online for a Japanese counterpart but alas, there is none in my state. Not deterred, I emailed the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) asking if they had any leaflets they could send and received a lovely reply from them.
In it, they said most people travelling for the first time tend to go to Tokyo, Kyoto/Nara, Osaka and Hiroshima. They will send me some general brochures and once I've decided where I will go, can request additional brochures from them. This is good and I can hardly wait until they arrive, which should be some time early next week.
I'm going to do some day trips from Kyoto - Nara and Osaka have been suggested. Researching a bit about Hiroshima at the moment and am taken with the red pillars standing in the water - the floating Torii.
Someone suggest spending the three days in the Japan Alps - one night in Takayama and two in Kanazawa, or three nights in Osaka, with one day trip to Okayama and one day trip to Himeji or three nights in Hiroshima, with one dedicated to Miyajima island and perhaps another day trip somewhere.
At this stage, I have no idea where or what to do with those three days. For the benefit of those reading this, this is my itinerary so far:
Day 1: Melbourne to Tokyo to Kyoto
Fly Melbourne to Narita airport, arrive 9:05AM. Train to Kyoto
Day 2 to Day 7:Kyoto
Day 8: ?????
Day 9: ?????
Day 10: ?????
Day 11 to Day 14: Tokyo
Day 15: Tokyo to Melbourne
Wednesday, 23 September 2015
1. How It All Started
It all began on Friday (18 September) with an ad on the television - Jetstar have a sale. Fly to Japan from $349 and fly back for free! Ooh, that sounds good, thinks I. No, no, no, no, no - you can't afford it, forget about it.
Saturday, I remembered that ad, no, no, no, no, no, don't go there. Don't even look online. Ha! Famous last words.....I did look online, selected some dates, yes, $349 from here to Tokyo, and yes, $0 for the return. But - there's always a but, isn't there? The $349 does not include checked baggage or meals. And you don't get to choose your seat. Hmm. So, automatically the checked baggage comes up at 20kg for each leg at $35 a pop. Now, if you're like me, you'll be smart and know you don't need the same amount of luggage weight setting off on your trip as coming home. After all, most people end up with more stuff coming back than when they set out. Souvenirs and all that.
So, I altered the checked baggage weight from 20kg to 15kg - a saving of $5.00. Meals? At $24 that's a fair whack on money. And you don't need to eat in the middle of the night on a plane when your flight leaves at 15 minutes after midnight, you'd normally be asleep at that time, not filling your stomach. So no meals there. A saving of $24.00. The return flight was another matter. Departing at 12.15PM, you will need food, so it makes sense to book your meals. I chose the chicken something or other - found out it's two meals.
Anyway, getting back to things, what with charges for baggage, meals, seat selection and - get this - a $25 fee for credit card (gee they know how to get at you) it came to over $400. I was already to hit the "Confirm" button, but held back. No, no, no, no, no, I told myself, walk away. Do not pass go, go directly to gaol (Monopoly). So I walked away. Shut down the site and walked away.
Came back later for a second shot now didn't I? This time I did pass go, this time I went directly to gaol! Have booked myself a two week trip to Japan. I would have preferred 11 nights, but the flight out was $100 dearer, so I thought better to have an extra three days in Japan, and spend that $100 on three extra nights. (I will be staying in hostels). I'm very glad I decided to do this (I almost wasn't going to you know), but something held me back. Luckily for me, when looking at the flight on the 9th June, I found it wasn't a direct flight. It was Melbourne to Cairns, Cairns to Tokyo, flying time of around 14 hours. That flight leaves Melbourne at 6.10AM and arrives in Tokyo at 18.45PM.
So, went for the 14 day option, direct flights both ways, flying time just under 10 hours. Will be flying out on Monday 6th June and departing from Tokyo on Monday 20th June. If flights go to schedule, I will arrive in Tokyo at 9.05AM and arrive back in Melbourne at 11.10PM.
Adding fees for checked baggage, meal, seat selection (I always have an aisle seat) and the $25 credit card fee, it came to the grand sum of $478. Not exactly the $349 advertised but a bargain nonetheless. Now all I have to do is start saving like mad.
Saturday, I remembered that ad, no, no, no, no, no, don't go there. Don't even look online. Ha! Famous last words.....I did look online, selected some dates, yes, $349 from here to Tokyo, and yes, $0 for the return. But - there's always a but, isn't there? The $349 does not include checked baggage or meals. And you don't get to choose your seat. Hmm. So, automatically the checked baggage comes up at 20kg for each leg at $35 a pop. Now, if you're like me, you'll be smart and know you don't need the same amount of luggage weight setting off on your trip as coming home. After all, most people end up with more stuff coming back than when they set out. Souvenirs and all that.
So, I altered the checked baggage weight from 20kg to 15kg - a saving of $5.00. Meals? At $24 that's a fair whack on money. And you don't need to eat in the middle of the night on a plane when your flight leaves at 15 minutes after midnight, you'd normally be asleep at that time, not filling your stomach. So no meals there. A saving of $24.00. The return flight was another matter. Departing at 12.15PM, you will need food, so it makes sense to book your meals. I chose the chicken something or other - found out it's two meals.
Anyway, getting back to things, what with charges for baggage, meals, seat selection and - get this - a $25 fee for credit card (gee they know how to get at you) it came to over $400. I was already to hit the "Confirm" button, but held back. No, no, no, no, no, I told myself, walk away. Do not pass go, go directly to gaol (Monopoly). So I walked away. Shut down the site and walked away.
Came back later for a second shot now didn't I? This time I did pass go, this time I went directly to gaol! Have booked myself a two week trip to Japan. I would have preferred 11 nights, but the flight out was $100 dearer, so I thought better to have an extra three days in Japan, and spend that $100 on three extra nights. (I will be staying in hostels). I'm very glad I decided to do this (I almost wasn't going to you know), but something held me back. Luckily for me, when looking at the flight on the 9th June, I found it wasn't a direct flight. It was Melbourne to Cairns, Cairns to Tokyo, flying time of around 14 hours. That flight leaves Melbourne at 6.10AM and arrives in Tokyo at 18.45PM.
So, went for the 14 day option, direct flights both ways, flying time just under 10 hours. Will be flying out on Monday 6th June and departing from Tokyo on Monday 20th June. If flights go to schedule, I will arrive in Tokyo at 9.05AM and arrive back in Melbourne at 11.10PM.
Adding fees for checked baggage, meal, seat selection (I always have an aisle seat) and the $25 credit card fee, it came to the grand sum of $478. Not exactly the $349 advertised but a bargain nonetheless. Now all I have to do is start saving like mad.
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