For a Life Less Ordinary.
Well…my time in Japan is as good as over! I can’t quite believe it’s the last day. My bags are all packed, and my passport and airline tickets provide a constant reminder that for today, all roads lead to the airport, and away from Japan.
Well last night was quite eventful! Was a crowd of about 15 of us. After quite a hunt to find a cash machine (helpful hint…go to 7 Eleven!!), we went to a few bars and then ended up in Kareoke. Rolled back into the hostel at around 4 am…excellent stuff.
Another early start today to make sure I got to Miyajima when the tide was in – which is important….all will be revealed. Weather has been fantastic yet again. Bumped into a couple of Austrian girls from my hostel on the way, so went over with them. The tram ride was around 45 mins. Arrived at the ferry with some time to spare so wandered into a cake shop to have a look..and end up buying a small cake, and the lady behind the counter ended up making me a present! It’s a paper crane….ever so slightly better than my effort last night! Ferry crossing only takes about 10 minutes and it takes you right past the famous floating Shinto gate, which isn’t really floating, but if you catch it at the right time of day its surrounded by the sea – quite a sight to behold. And that’s why you need to go when the tide is in.
Nagasaki was great, but I was ready to move to the next destination after 2 nights! Headed down to check out at 8am and the owner gave me a present! It’s a banner type piece of cloth, with Japanese writing on it. It’s pretty cool, although there are 4 possible ways that it could go…and I don’t know which on it is. I’m sure it will end up upside down and backwards when i put it on my wall back home. Made for the station…even then the sun was way up in the clear blue sky and it was once again roasting. The Limited Express to Hakata was only 15 minutes wait – great start. There’s that Japanese efficiency again.
So today would be my day of ‘proper’, jam-packed sightseeing in Nagasaki. I had prepared quite a list of activities, so I got up early. I slept very well on the Futon. The air con, or boilers, or something kept coming on every minute….thankfully I had some spare ear-plugs for when I decided that it was probably going to go on all night. Which it did.
Today I headed south of Kobe for the first time since coming to Japan. Very south in fact – off Honshu and into Kyushu to visit the first of the two A-Bomb cities on my itinerary: Nagasaki. At 6 hours, the trip down was a bit longer than I expected, but there was lots to take in. Plenty of idyllic city settings; large buildings offset against green country side, with the occasional Japanese roof poking out of the trees inbetween the built up areas.
ust stayed local today, had quite a long walk! Went down to the Pearl Bridge again and just sat for a while.
Went to a 100Yen plaza earlier, and it’s amazing what you can actually get for the money. We have “pound shops” over here but they suck. They 100yen stores are half the price and are infinitely better! I picked up 3 ties, a camera case (as I lost my other one!), and some souvenirs for under £5! Now that’s a bargain.
So today I ventured into Osaka for the first time. Andy was off work so went with him and his girlfriend. Osaka is cool but it’s not as nice a city as the others I have visited! Still good all the same, although as was the case yesterday, the weather was not so good! But it’s been improving and apparently tomorrow is going to be glorious sunshine.
When my alarm went off at 8am this morning, I felt utterly shattered. Yesterday was a long day and took it’s toll! However, I noticed that it was absolutely chucking it down outside. Apparently a Typhoon was on it’s way and today’s weather was not going to be favourable. So I went back to bed for another hour!
Learning from the previous nights mistake, I wore earplugs to bed last night and slept like a baby and I was up at the crack of dawn (well, 5.45am…) to get myself ready to go to the famous Tsukiji Fish Market. I managed to take a wrong turn from the hostel, and get hopelessly lost. Eventually got my bearings and I was miles off course…but fortunatley I was close to a subway station, so all was well again. I noticed a street aerobics class going on, with all the old folk from the area doing steps etc in the street…quite funny, especially considering the time! The Japanese are VERY early risers. The subway this morning was the quietest yet; in fact, most people were asleep. The train was packed with black and navy blue, and there’s me, in 3/4 shorts and a bright green t-shirt, seemlessly blending in to my surroundings.
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