TravelStream™ news feed for member jay29 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/jay29 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sat, 28 Jul 2007 18:43:22 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185571800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185571800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185571800/tpod.html Sat, 28 Jul 2007 18:43:22 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada

back in Canada. Still haven't had a poutine. It's on the top of my to-do list.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1184769000/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1184769000/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1184769000/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 15:18:11 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

almost a week in Hawaii before back to Canada. crap. Entry to come later. Pics later too. Too tired right now. 19 hour time difference. dammit.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185292800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185292800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185292800/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:51:28 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Volcano, Hawaii, United States

You know your bad-ass when your town is named Volcano and it sits on, literally, the lip of two active volcanoes. I would hate to think how much volcano insurance costs in this town.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185217200/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185217200/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185217200/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 14:17:30 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Hilo, Hawaii, United States

Got a cheap flight to the Big Island of Hawaii. entry coming later.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1184336100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1184336100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1184336100/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:11:54 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Tokyo, Japan

In the meantime, please enjoy some pictures...(or not)...
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185528600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185528600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185528600/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:08:37 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

er....last flight of the trip.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185490800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185490800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185490800/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:05:18 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

transit only
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185472800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185472800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1185472800/tpod.html Fri, 27 Jul 2007 01:03:44 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Kona, Hawaii, United States

transit point
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1183730100/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1183730100/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1183730100/tpod.html Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:49:50 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Kyoto, Japan

Land of 10,000 temples. After a couple days visiting Kyoto I think I fulfilled all known temple urges I may have had. Near the end of the first day I was already starting to tire of temples but then we visited the Kiyomizu-Dera temple, which was recently nominated (and lost) a chance to be one of the new seven wonders of the world. It was pretty impressive.

At the temple I was able to drink from the mythical fountain which, if everything works out, should mean I will have many years of prosperity. At least I hope so. There are three streams to drink from and each stream apparently symbolized a different trait the drinker would achieve. But, you can only drink from one because if you get greedy and drink from them all you get nothing. I just hope I didn't drink from the "crappy life" stream.

Kyoto is also known for the mysterious Geisha. They seem to hang out in one area of town. So, armed with our cameras, Paul and me went on a Geisha hunt. We caught a couple too! Crickey! I still don't know what they do but I hear it is very expensive.

I ran out of cash in Kyoto and tried to find an ATM to get some more. What a hassle. Japan is the first country I have been where I have had trouble accessing money with my bank card. Even in developing countries like Cambodia, India and Ukraine I never had a problem finding multiple machines that took international cards. Not so here. I think it took us almost an hour and six different ATMs before someone told us the only one we could use was on the seventh floor of a department store. I don't really understand why so many of their ATMs are for domestic cards only.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1183953480/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1183953480/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/jay29/rtw-2007/1183953480/tpod.html Mon, 16 Jul 2007 10:01:38 -0400 World Container

Jump to the full
entry & travel map

Nagoya, Japan

Nagoya was the host city for the Expo 2005, the last world expo to occur. Back in 2003 I was very close to coming to Expo 2005. I had researched flights and costs but then I took a promotion at work and found I was working way to much to even consider a vacation...especially one to Japan.

Since Nagoya is only one stop past Kyoto and rather close to Osaka (thanks Shinkansen!) I popped over to check out the Expo grounds and see what remained. The grounds are very much out of the way. Not really in Nagoya necessarily but on the outskirts in the Aichii prefecture and a couple train rides away. It looks like they have turned much of the park into greenspace but have kept a few interesting buildings and a very large Ferris wheel. A large ice rink is on the grounds and a museum. I went on a Monday though and the museum was closed when I visited so I just got to walk around a bit.

They have built a skytrain-like system that is probably only a few years old, and two stations before the grounds I saw a huge Toyota building. They have a factory tour and museum here so I stopped on my way back. Closed. Monday. geesh. Mondays suck. Either you have to go back to work after the weeekend, or - if you are an unemployed like me - most things are closed up so you can't see much.
]]>