Hatago Kobe

... 10 minuutin päähän Kiotoon. Ja näin tehtiin.

Kiidettiin siis hirmu kyytiä Nagoyaan asti, jossa hypättiin ulos ja alettiin miettimään, että mitäs nyt sitten? Aseman näytöllä luki, että juuri on lähdössä juna Takaymaan, joten ei kun äkkiä ovesta sisään ja matkaan. Junan hurjasta diesel-murinasta jo kuuli, että nyt ollaankin sitten lähdössä hiukan erilaisille reiteille. Sen verran ymmärrettiin Japanilaista kuulutusta, että matka-aika Takaymaan on yli 3 tuntia ...

... on varmasti ihan hyödyllisiä aineita jossain muualla, mutta ei minun teessä! :-) Heh, pieni teevitsi tässä sallittakoon?

Matka Kagoshimasta Shin-Osakan asemalle kesti, kolmen vaihdon kera noin 6 tuntia, mutta matka meni varsin viihtyisästi. Koska olin varannut saman hotellin kuin viime kerralla, niin mukavan helppo oli kävellä Shin-Osakan asemalta tuttuja reittejä suoraan hotellin ovesta sisään. Hiukan olin huolestunut, että jos on sama mies ...

... could find, which just so happened to be a teeny tiny family owned restaurant. Our group plus 2 Japanese people took up the entire restaurant. This little dive did have an English menu, but I'm not sure if one could consider it real English. With menu items like "the eggplant that has grilled the chicken with itself" we still weren't exactly sure what we were ordering. As usual, we overcame the language barrier by pointing at things in the kitchen or on the menu that looked ...

... figurines everywhere, books, Hello Kitty... you name it, it was in there... Makely was first into the lair and said it was a must visit... Lonely Planet missed this one but it will DEFINITELY be in our travel guide. Later, while playing Hold'em, Makely got a special sake from the bartender which was very potent. Not sure what it was, but the sputtering after the first sip told me it was strong. It was pricey too but he ended up getting ...

... but by the bathroom in first class. We got on and had a drink and eventually they brought food, etc. Around 7:30 or so the lights got dim and the movies started on your personal screen. So, we were both getting ready to watch and Debi got up and was standing in front of me chatting. This older Japanese gentleman got up to go to the restroom and said something quite sternly to Debi. She asked him to repeat and he had said, in a ...

... was on time. More on Dubai at a later date! Departure was delayed by about 30 mins or so due to a "very minor technical fault on the flight deck." I managed to keep myself awake for about an hour or so - long enough for the first meal anyway - before falling asleep with 8 hours 30 mins of the flight remaining. Managed to stay asleep for about 3 hours before waking up to the "please fasten your seatbelt" announcement. The plane ...

... but, about a month ago, it finally came to me in a flash. The beginning of April is usually when spring has begun to hit its stride and the leaves and flowers are bursting out everywhere. Well, not in Hokkaido...I actually lost count of the times it snowed last month and there was not a flower bud to be seen when I left to come down here two days ago. Needless to say, I needed the change. My body is conditioned to warm weather by the time mid-March comes around, so I ...

... like to wear bright colours and arty patterns. I never wear make up and on a neat day, I will brush my hair. So the dirty hippie alien walked around Myohodi for half the afternoon trying to find the ward office where I had to get my alien card. Even though the people who I asked for directions were very friendly, none of them could speak much English, if any at all. I was lost. Took a break and went to get something to eat and when I went to pay, I had no idea what the lady ...

... I was surprised at all the layers and ties that are hidden under the outside layer. We (Akemi, Rikako and I) went to Nishiji, an area in Kyoto famous for kimono making and designs. They had some beautiful products there, unfortunately they had beautiful price tags to go with them. Akemi made me walk around (ok she suggested, not made me) the shops and displays wearing the kimono so I felt quite self-conscious as everyone oohed and aahed over the foreigner ...

... information on each, the actual root or flower from where the herb originated, and a decanter with a small portion of the herb inside for sample smells. After walking around the common areas for a bit I decide to try to locate a hiking trail...finding one rather quickly, I venture off through the forests of Kobe. This was not an easy hike! I was winding around and around, up steep trails and down similarly steep descents. I had to stop more than once for a ...