September 27, 2016
I travelled to Japan in 2014, for Cherry Blossom. Japan was one of the easiest trips I’ve done… and I thought it would be the hardest because I was travelling completely on my own and I spoke no Japanese. It was easy because the train system was so fabulous, and there were English signs everywhere. The Nakasendo Way was the…
On the Go tours managed my itinerary while I was in Japan, including where I stayed. I would travel with them again in a heartbeat. I had the flexibility of travelling independently without the drudgery of having to organise domestic transport and accommodation, and I had someone on the ground in Japan if I got into trouble. The standard of…
May 2, 2014
After having a lazy day yesterday, I vowed to be more active today, mainly because it’s my last day in Japan AND I had IC Card credit that needed to be used before going home. I’m on my last ¥1000 ($10) or so, and I set myself a target to go to only free things today, because I don’t want…
May 1, 2014
What a throbbing mass of vibrant hustle and bustle the city of Osaka is! It heaves and spews people out of its subways and stations and shopping strips like a dragon breathes out fire. And amid it all, I wander alone and at peace, but somehow connected to this thriving metropolis, knowing that I’ve really only just barely scratched the…
April 29, 2014
Every trip I take, I always find a place that resonates with me. A place where, if I had to move to that particular country, I could totally live. In Vietnam, it was Hue; in China, it was Shanghai; in Italy, it was a toss-up between Stresa and Assisi; in the Former Yugoskavia, it was Sarajevo; in Turkey, it was…
April 27, 2014
The two and a half hour train ride from Kyoto was nothing short of spectacular. The train snaked through ravines with sheer drops to meandering rivers, only occasionally angry and foaming below; mountains thick with pine forests and splashed white and pink with cherry blossom; rustic towns and villages dotted with thin two story housing, cemeteries, glass houses and manicured…
April 26, 2014
I spent three nights in Kyoto and it wasn’t nearly enough time. This city is a really interesting blend of traditional and modern Japan. Wide boulevards funnel into tiny side streets with limited pedestrian access; department stores compete for the attention of shoppers with local markets selling all manners of goods; space age buildings are within walking distance of shrines…
April 23, 2014
Yesterday I caught the train from Nagano to Matsumoto, where I stayed overnight, before heading to Tsumago today. Matsumoto was a lovely town, albeit chilly. I checked into my hotel, and then walked up to Matsumoto castle, which was a pleasant 2km stroll. The main street looked almost European in the way it was set out with its shopfronts and…
I’ve been travelling since 2010 and this is my first trip ever that I’ve done as a solo traveller. Previously, I’ve relied on group tours to get me around, and up until last year’s trip to Eastern Europe, I was content to be a relatively passive traveller. So what happened last year? This. Three bus tours back-to-back, packed full of…
April 21, 2014
I took the Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagano, and it was a very relaxed and pleasant journey (once I found my way through the organised chaos of Shinjuku and Tokyo stations). Travelling this way – as in local transport options – certainly broadens the travel experience into something personal and unique. It’s almost, but not quite, an immersion.…
April 19, 2014
Tonight is my last night in Tokyo. It’s been a wonderful week, and I’ve packed the days (and some evenings) with all sorts of sightseeing experiences. Here are my highlights, in no particular order: Tokyo transport I must admit I was extremely nervous about using Tokyo’s transport system. I mean, it’s a city of 13.2 million people and HUGE. What…
This a quick post to describe what it’s like not being able to speak Japanese, and how difficult it is getting around only being able to speak English. The answer is: it hasn’t been as hard as I thought I thought it might. Everyone seems to have at least a few words of English, so I can generally make myself…
April 17, 2014
I arrived in Tokyo exhausted after 21 hours travelling – 7(ish) hours from Adelaide to Singapore, 7 hours stopover, then 6(ish) hours from Singapore to Tokyo. The flight was uneventful apart from some slight turbulence. I can’t speak highly enough of Singapore Airlines – they make long haul flying bearable with their fabulous service, food and entertainment. Now if the…
April 14, 2014
Let’s get something out of the way up front: my phone doesn’t work! Thank God for wifi! I was warned that this might happen, so I’m not too disconcerted. I use WhatsApp over wifi to text my daughter, which beats the telcos at their own game. Friends stay in touch via Facebook, Twitter, this blog or email. Tokyo is clean,…
March 28, 2014
I wanted to embed my custom Google map of where I am going in Japan and where I’ll be staying, but WordPress (unfortunately) doesn’t allow this functionality and it’s an ongoing issue. So. Into problem-solving mode I go. You can access my map two ways: by clicking on the link above, or clicking on the picture. Either way, you’ll be taken straight…
December 11, 2013
After this year’s (marathon) seven week trip to Eastern Europe and my (enjoyable) five day stopover in Singapore, I wanted to keep next year’s trip shorter and closer to home. While I’ve fallen in love with Europe (who hasn’t?), I’d forgotten how much I also loved Asia. I wanted to go somewhere where it’s not to hard too travel around…