calvin crane

We all headed back and those lucky few went to bed, me I was to keep awake for the next hour and leave for the airport. I still wanted to buy fans and the like for gifts. But I relied on getting money out of the cash point. It failed me- I was at an intersection by the hostel and I had 45 minutes it was sunny I felt like a run but I had to go NOW no time to debate it in my head gifts would have to be bought elsewhere the airport as it happens. I had a decent run and on getting back started to panic. I had made some error somewhere with the time. I had assumed there would be a train waiting for me and there wouldn't, I needed a shower, It had to be quick, I needed to pack. Continue reading "The aftermath and return home"

I awoke no problem in fact I think I was excited and also knowing I had a plane to catch put me in my mental state of efficiency I can get in. There was a first underground and we were to set off at 5. I first saw alley down stairs then the rest were just coming through the door. They were merry and they had lost Anders and the Australian couple. Ash the English guy had a flight to Thailand and so decided to not risk it. It was too close to call, and he did right in fact he needed to start for the airport at 6. So we were left with the fish group

It was while I was moving beds (why do they keep doing this) that I met ahmet he seemed really like an American in fact as he had an accent he was chatting to Richard about the fish market in the corridor, he seemed motivated and so the plan was hatched there and then. I am grateful to him as I don't think it would have happened otherwise. He was very likely to go and so then was I. Going alone was less interesting at 4.45 am. Continue reading "The Fish Market and the fish group."

So the trip is pretty much over, I punched out my time card of visiting sites and decided to just spend the day enjoying Tokyo with a new region and one I liked from before both in the east side of Tokyo.
Shinjuku and then Shibuya and Harijuka. I had got already some gifts but decided I needed something for me. I saw some fine things but didn't want to spend the prices they were in Tokyo. For nice items in Tokyo I think they can be double the European prices. Continue reading "The final day what a good one."

Getting back to Tokyo, the shink wasn't the same, along with the experiences of the past day or two, I could tell this was a different Japan. I had found the leisure rush hour and it had meant I didn't get my hike in while gorgeous sunshine had bathed the bus I simply was sat in traffic with all the rest. Now on trying to reserve a seat on the shinkanson back to Tokyo from the closest shink station from Nikko was impossible. All reservations had been made. In this case I was to take my chances in the non reserved and it was a standing affair for an hour or so until we started to reach the Tokyo commuter belt. I did get to sit for some 15 minutes before getting off at Ueno station Tokyo. It was pretty daunting even though I know a little the Tokyo experience flying by the city outside at night. She is massive and I felt also the weight of my impending departure. Though I had a couple of days in Tokyo to do that which hadn't been done that I had wanted to do upon my arrival in Japan and T herself. Continue reading "la retour de Tokyo"

It has been a very mixed day, nothing really great but I got stuck getting from nikko temple area to the lake and the start of some walking and for once the weather was on my side. So what conspired to stop me ? read on... Continue reading "Pure Frustration - Nikko Japan"

I (and i'm not the only one who thinks so) have possibly met the nicest person on earth. Well her name is Nozomi (and that means hope in Japanese) and I feel humbled by such demeanour.
I am sat on possibly my last shinkanson and we are in the final few days of my trip. It has been a constant rain since matsumoto. I am accelerating away as we speak, beer in hand from nagano. Continue reading "The Nicest Person Ever ?"

I will be the last warrior samurai to leave Japan, then will be be no more.

Well its the 24th, due to the speed of things it has taken me 3/4 day to go to a very ancient city called NARA. This has meant that I will arrive in the alps too late for a hotel. I decided it will make little difference in the grand scheme of things.

25th leaving kyoto for....could arrive in sapporo that evening...

26th sapporo
27th sapporo

28th leave morning..
arrive nikko 28th

return to Tokyo even if late 29th and leave for home the 31st.

or

25th leaving kyoto for matsumoto can do a hike that afternoon maybe.

26th matsumoto - nagano region
27th matsumoto - nagano region

28th leave morning..
arrive nikko 28th

return to Tokyo even if late 29th and leave for home the 31st.

Its now the 24th and I will leave for the Nagano area. The Japanese alps. Will have to leave Hokkaido unspoilt ! but this area deserves a longer trip and I will end up on the train too much. So off I will go in search of Nature.

I have returned to Kyoto to go to the theater here, and I was glad I did. I got something from it. Will try to go to more of these cultural things. There were various parts and it was for tourists but it was also good. There was music dance and puppetry which was very clever, three guys in black against a black background manipulate a puppet to great effect.

The plan so far

22nd Was in Osaka, checking out the light show, this is what I went there for, I think it was worth it. Had a great evening as met some English speaking Japanese. I fear now that Hokkaido in the north of Japan will not be possible. This means that I might have made a bad decision not to go to Okinawa ? No decisions are all half chance anyway. I guess now though that I might have had more time in some other places I rushed through. Its all insignificant really. I think my guide book let me down here, I wasn't able to plan things as there is no approximate details on travel times etc..

23rd in Kyoto - finishing off a couple of things I didn't do.
24th Leave Kyoto for ???
25th
26th
27th
28th Leave ???
29th Arrive in Tokyo.
30th Tokyo.
31st fly home this morning. Continue reading "not enough time for saporo ? damn"

I knew at some point it was going to be clear that I was or was not going to get to the southern pacific islands chain i.e. Okinwa etc . I am tending towards not now, and going with the original plan. I'm enjoying this part of Japan (and have places to go) and the pacific Islands have some cool things and great diving, well maybe average ? as there is really a lack of online info. And it is just to difficult to book a domestic flight to get there. The ferry is not leaving when I want it too.

Well crane you cant do it all my son ! You have had a bloody good go of it so far. I think I may head back to Kyoto for a night on the way to Niko, not stopping in Tokyo..and visiting Himiji on the way...

A rough plan .now its the
21st here in Bepu..
22nd return to Kyoto via Himiji.
23rd Niko.
24th to 28th Sapporo and around there.
29th return to Tokyo for meeting storm again and flying home.

Inbetween very doubtful for climb of Mount Fuji. Need to work out things, just read im leaving as the ski season gets going in hokaido.

Here is the background link for you.

I had a run round the memorial park which you can view in google earth click here if you have Google earth installed.

This was yesterday, today it was sunny but I was to check out the Events surrounding this date 1945 August 6th 0815 hrs. I was pretty harrowing and very factual unbiased citing views and politics and the technology of the A bomb. Later we see the effects and this is where it was quick for me to realise that for me it was wrong to drop this demon on this town of civilians, and albeit military objectives. It was wrong to drop this thing on anything anyone anywhere. Continue reading "Hiroshima - 1945 August 6th 0815 hrs"

I'm here in a nice hostel, arrived yesterday quite late from Kyoto , another great Shinkanson experience. Its a J-Hoppers hostel and in a more traditional style. That means no shoes and non western toilets. I'm just about to go for a run round town, finally saw off my jet lag with some saki.

In tradition you must not wear your shoes past the front area, and there are slippers available for the house areas an example being the toilet. This leads me on to the Japanese toilets, they are like a startrek toilet. They have a couple of jets for rinse and a blow dry, how the hell you know when you are clean I don't know, I think it might be an experience thing. Continue reading "Miyajima- and startrek toilets."

This city is amazing, a size able one but not on the scale of the massive Tokyo. It has so many temples I cannot see them all. It is easy to get around and im staying at a very cool hostel on the river and have met some good travelers.

I just cannot stress how good some of my days have been, walking round the temples has been very pleasant indeed, getting old is good if it allows me to enjoy this sort of thing ? Continue reading "Kyoto"