The unforseen

Mount Fuji

It's well known, when you travel, the unforseen events are plentiful. Bad news are they are usally a sign a problem is coming. One needs to reorganize everything, go back to the drawing table, change plans that were already in their 8.0 version.

Good news are some unforseen events are interesting enough...

I was very clear with myself. Wouldn't bouge. I wasn't going back on that. After establishing my itinerary in Japan, I decided to make it a short stay. Needed to cut somewhere. What needs to be done needs to be done. Taking my responsabilities, I cut my stay short of two or three days, pushing to later the moment where I would need to change the itinerary.

That explains the hard choice not to visit mount Fuji. That mountain might be one of the symbols of Japan, but it doesn't look easy to get there by train. With the bus, it looks easier. Would still have to find out if my JR pass covers the trip. One day, is it enough? Too complicated. Not enough time. No mount Fuji...

But...

When I got in Tokyo, I knew I would be spending two days with Hisai, a Japanese girl I met in New Zealand.  She wanted to show me Tokyo. I didn't know about her plans.

Day 1 :
- Have you seen mount Fuji?
- No. Too complicated...
- Do you want to see mount Fuji?
- Yes but it is complicated...
- I have my car. We can go tomorrow...
- Ok than!

So, by a sunny day, without clouds or almost, Mister have seen mount Fuji under all its angles. Karma was rewarding me for surviving a storm in Tangariro, New Zealand, by letting me see the Cherry Blossom Festival too, with thousands of colourful flowers. Take that, karma!

Those two days allowed me to check so many things on my japanese check-list : okonomiyaki, pachinko, mount Fuji, yakisoba, onsen, Shibuya, etc. Who do you think hate octopus and chicken hearts? Shark eggs? See urchins? And sushis for breakfast?

Here I am, a little sad to leave Japan, a country that is so welcoming. I tried to make the most of every minute, waking up at 6:45 on the last day to wash my clothes. Laundry couldn't wait anymore... Just before I left for the airport.

Met great people again. Hard goodbyes again. Still want to live on the road for a while.

Nagano, nothing to do

Monkey Park, near Nagano

Well, it is said. There is nothing, or almost, to do in Nagano. The might have hosted the Olympics, but the downtown area has no exciting attractions.

I booked for two nights, had one more before I got in Tokyo. The road to mount Fuji seemed complicated. By pure laziness, I chose to stay one more night in Nagano.

First afternoon, I visited the only interesting temple in town, two minutes away from my hostel. For 500 JPY (!), it was possible to go down in the absolute darkness of the basement. Walking along the wall, one wishes to find a metal  key hanging on one wall. It is said that touching it garantees the salute of your soul. The salute of mine is assured since I got scamed in a temple in Pingyao, but I didn't want to risk anything. After all, the Lonely Planet says that 500 JPY for your salute of your soul is worth it.

I then used Nagano as a base to visit Matsumoto and the Monkey Park. Monkeys there are not afraid of humans. They are not tamed, but they are used to see us.

Karma is back. In Matsumoto, a nice old man offered to guide me around the castle for free. He had so many things to tell me. And I could see every room up close because of what he was saying.

What is nice, also, is my hostel. It is a true hostel, but in the house of a nice Japanese woman. She always offers food or suggestions on things to do. It's like sleeping at a local's house, without disturbing them.

Tip

Note that most japanese ATM won't take the north-american or european bank cards. How to survive? Some ATM in the post offices, convenient stores, especially 7-Elevens, work most of the times. With a little bit of luck, you'll find some in Lawson and Familymart. But it takes luck.

All the same

Kyoto

Does Japan make me zen? Looks like I took a break from writing in the last few days.

I would blame the Golden Week, which made me spend a lot of time in transportation.

Like I planned, since there is no available room in Kyoto or Nara (40 minutes away from Kyoto), I needed to go back to Osaka to sleep.

In the end, it was a good thing. Only 15 minutes away with the shinkansen (fast train). The hostel was average, but since there was almost nobody sleeping there, it was fine. The woman working there spent each and every day in a small room with her dog. We would never see her. And all the beds were in the only room on the second floor, with minimal lighting. Nothing fancy. But very good to meet people.

It was even easier to get in Kyoto in the morning, with the fast train, than trying to use the transportation in the city itself.

I spent one day in Nara, known for its huge wooden temple... and its deers. Like everywhere else, the sky was on the verge of tearing itself apart. But only a few drops fell. Japan is almost as bipolar as New Zealand...

That said, Nara, Kyoto, Osaka... one ends up visiting so many temples. And they are all looking similar. Unless you really know the story behind each one. The problem is, Kyoto is THE temple city.

How many, Mam? 1600 buddhist temples. And yes, Sir, you're right when you're adding 400 shinto sites. 17 are listed as Unesco world heritage. And I, who is there, I'm thinking that 10 or 12 temples are enough for me. Enough! Especially when you pay 500 JPY each time to visit.

In most cases, you can't even geet IN the temple. The Golden Pavillon, one of Kyoto's symbols, is supposed to house relics from Buddha. But you can only see it from a distance, stuck in between hundreds of Japanese who are trying to take some pictures. Eight minutes later, your 500 JPY are gone.

Sushis

Japan is the perfect place to eat sushis. Fresh ones. With a conveyor on which the sushis are going around. In the end, you pay for the number of plates you have taken. There is a line at the door to eat in those restaurants. It's not too expensive and it's worth it. Better than eating at home.

Seduction

My theory about white men in Asia is confirming itself. One doesn't need to be good looking to seduce a Japanese girl. That's what a woman confirmed : they all want an eurasian baby, half-white, half-asian. That woman was sorry she married a japanese guy because their children will be totally asian. But be careful. I was told the north-american techniques to seduce are perceived as agressive here.

Anecdotes

Funny anecdote. In the bathroom of my hostel in Osaka, there was a big "Toilet.cam" poster, a poster you can buy on Amazon for example. It shows a lot of things that can happen in a bathroom... Strangely, when I saw it, I had the reflex of looking around to make sure there was no camera in that bathroom...

Still in the anecdotes area, I tried to recharge my new razor, the one that saved my life in Hong Kong, but it looks like the adaptor I bought there isn't working here in Japan. For now, I have two electric razors I can't use. As soon as I get in Tokyo, I'll try to find a new cable which will work for both. Let's see if I can. Japan is the place where all technologies are after all.


Soon the be three months

Times goes by very fast. Soon, half of my trip will be behind me. Still so much to see. But already a lot has gone by. I'm heading to Nagano tomorrow morning (May 7th in Japan). Indeniable sign of time, I'm now ready to use my South-East Asia guidebook. The one as thick as a dictionnary that makes my bag heavy from the start.

Adventures in Himeji

Hiroshima

The sky got grey. And it seems like it chose to rain everywhere I'm going. But I'll have to live with it.

Should have trusted my instinct, when I got in Hiroshima under the sun, and should have gone directly to Miyajima, where is the famous Floating Tori. From there, I wanted to climb a mountain, the Misen, to appreciate the view.

But I decided to push it back to the next day. One afternoon would be too short... But the next day, it was raining. I waited under a small roof, in front of the Floating Tori (covered for renovations), but it wouldn't stop. So I traveled back to Hiroshima.

One day later, I left for Himeji. The only directions I had to get to my hostel : from the train station, walk for 20 minutes.

So I took a taxi, hoping not to get lost. It was 9 PM. But the driver didn't know where was my hostel.

He decided to stop randomly in the middle of an alley. Rang one house door bell. The people living there got out and gave him directions. But it didn't look like he understood. So one woman got in the car with us and helped us get to the destination.

There, it wasn't really a hostel, but more of a guesthouse. A real japanese house, a 100 years old, where you sleep on the floor in the most traditionnal way. It looks like they are Japenese welcoming people in their house.

You know you're not in a commercial hostel when the owner hugs you before you go, and when he waits on the sidewalk, waving at you while you walk away.

Other than that, Himeji has nothing very special. Especially (that is my luck) since its castle, the real attraction there, is closed for renovations until 2015. Scaffolds again. Not allowed to walk in.

After, I got in Kyoto, where it should rain for two days. And like everywhere else, I was told I should visit the aquarium. They are obsessed with aquariums in here. 

Getting in Japon

Like in New Zealand, you need to have bought a ticket to get out of Japan to be allowed in. Having had trouble at the beggining of this trip, I had everything with me. But nobody asked for it.

Vietnam visa

A visa is necessary to get in Vietnam and you need to obtain it before arriving in the airport. So I used the website myvietnamvisa.com. Very efficient, for a small fee, you get a letter which confirms the visa was granted. You then need to exchange that letter against the visa itself once you get in the airport. Crossing my fingers for everything to work well.

Amazing contrast

Osaka

The contrast is amazing between China and Japan. Interesting to see that two asian countries, so close to each other, are that different.

Even if I spent only two days in the rising sun country and I've seen only the ordinary town of Osaka, I can tell I like that country.

First, no smog. No-thing. For now, at least. Two days full of sun with blue sky all the time. No clouds (or rain or smoke).

The streets are clean, clean, clean. No spit anywhere. Noise? Not close to the noise in China. Funny looks at my white guy head? None? Surprised looks when I mime something? None. Japanese try to understand.

For a third consecutive day, strangers ran to help me. I take a picture of myself? Someone run to take the picture for me. I have a big question mark above my head in front of the not-easy-to-understand metro system? I get help to buy the ticket and someone helps me to get to the appropriate platform. Super!

In the innovation category : the three-in-one faucet in the bathrooms. They give soap, water and dry the hands. Also in the bathroom, they thought of putting a seat for a baby in front of the toilet to allow parents to free their hands. I also like the vending machines with which you order in the restaurants... if you can understand what is written on the buttons. You choose, you pay, you get a ticket and the waitress arrives with the meal.

The only problem came from transportation. It is efficient, no doubt about that. But for the foreigner, it is kind of complicated to understand. Because there is the JR, the metro and another train company in the same town. Once you understand how the map works, you need to catch how you're supposed to pay, it gets easy to understand where you go and how much it costs. After, you choose the amount on the machine, no matter what the destination is, and there you go.

No congratulations for the overpacked stuff though. Buying a bottle of water and putting it in a plastic bag? We'll need to tell them.

In the end, the recycling bins are everywhere. Especially next to the vending machines. For the trash can, on the other hand, you need to search a lot. Maybe it helps people to recycle, but if you're a tourist with the first signs of a cold... it's not very nice.

Tip

I don't think I wrote about that earlier. When you leave Canada, it is possible (and recommanded) to register online on the canadian governement website. That way, if there is any security issue while you're gone, it'll be easier to find you and to get in touch with you.

The Golden Week

My luck! Don't buy any lottery ticket for the week-end. Without even choosing the numbers, I know I'll win. Because I have an incredible luck. Really!

You might remember the Melbourne Grand Prix? Here I am in a similar situation, in Japan, because of the Golden week. In fact, the Japanese have holidays on April 29 th and May 3, 4 and 5. Most take the whole week off and travel, get to tourist attractions and use transportation... in their own country. And to top it all, the prices get higher because of it.

Guess who is gonna get in Japan and will be stuck somewhere because of the Golden week? Meeee!

It takes what it takes. I fortunately found out about that two days ago. Using my time while the rain was falling over Beijing, I rushed to the non-censored internet to book hostels.

My original plan holds : two days in Osaka, one night in Hiroshima and one night in Himeji. No problem there. Where I am getting in trouble is Kyoto, where I wanted to spend 5 or 6 days. Everything goes for the first two. But the next two days : nothing. No hostel anywhere. Except in female dorms. Not good for me.

So I booked in Osaka, less than 40 minutes away by train, and I will take a return trip in the morning and in the evening to go back to Kyoto. Unless someone from Couchsurfing answers my request. But for now, everybody declined... because Japanese won't be home on these dates, obviously.

I just take a deep breath, I wait, and I'll see.

On another subject, I am now thinking about the flight I need to book to get back home in August. Because the one-way ticket from Argentina or Brazil, to Montreal, has a long stopover. I'm thinking of taking some "vacations" for four or five days on my way back home. Maybe in Cuba. Maybe in Puerto Rico. Suggestions?

Grumble for the last time

Gilly with my Finnish friend Tua, at Temple of Heaven

Haaaaaaaaa! Done with China. Not that I didn't like it. But it will be good for me to breath new air. Even if I'm not sure there is less smog in Japan...

That said, I haven't been writing a lot in the last few days. It is because my proxy wouldn't let me blog. I could only post short stuff when I was lucky.

The end of my trip in Beijing was interesting. I met a lot of people who I got along with really well. Fate made me meet with Aurelien and Marion, a French couple, for three consecutive days, without any appointment, in three different cities. Who said China was huge?

While visiting, smog and grey skies stole the show until rain brought the dust down. Because dust and pollution, God knows we breath a lot of them in the chinese capital.

I won't miss my very hard bed in the hostel, on which I spent nine nights with hurting bones. It was only a plank of wood with sheets. I won't miss the  «Take a looke... Very goode... Good price for you my friend». Neither those people who gumble all the time and spit in the streets... or on the floor in the restaurants. I won't miss being pushed around in the metro, being scamed in the markets, trying to explain to the waiter that I want to pay the bill, being honked at even if there is room to go around me.

Yes, I liked my time in China, which made me see a different world. We can get used to being a nomad, to see new stuff every day. To the point it is scary to think we can loose the capacity to be amazed in front of the unknown. Even the discomfort brought by the difficulties to make ourselves understood become easy to manage.

But there is nothing better than changing countries to get an electric shock. To loose all marks.

I left Beijing this morning for Osaka. Beijing airport is impressive and complicated. I was sent from desk to desk to check-in. First, thanks to the Chinese who put in the metro a list of all the airlines with the terminal you should step down at... only in mandarin.

My flight was stopping in Yantai, China. Choice # 1 : international terminal or the domestic one? Trying the domestic one. There, I could find the sign for the flight to Yantai with the accurate number. But error! You need to check-in at the international terminal... and then take the plane at the domestic terminal... Why make it simple? You can add one hour of delay before take off to make it more fun...

At the stopover, the plane was emptied for everybody to get a stamp on their passport. And we got back in the same plane a couple of minutes later.

In Osaka, I needed to get my rail pass, valid for two weeks, which will allow me to use all JR transportation in Japan. Without the precious help of Japenese, I wouldn't have made it to my hostel. First because the train system looks very complicated to a foreigner who only slept for four hours the night before. And because the signs are not all as clear as I wished.

A woman who waited for the metro on a different line from mine decided to leave her platform to help me get where I needed to go. She even boarded the carriage with me to make sure I was reading the map correctly while she was counting the stations for me.

Even if I've seen only a beam of 100 metres around my hostel in Osaka, near the Momodani metro station, I can say I like Japan. For its intelligent cash registers. For its toilets with an integrated faucet, which reuse the water we washed our hands with. For its bins for liquids, in the fast-food restaurants, where you put what's left of your soft drink or the ice left in the glass. Smart!

And my sweet tooth, who found nothing in China, is getting back in shape.

* A theory might change the way I was seeing expired food in China. I was told the date we find on products might be the date where the food was made instead of when it expires. The client would then need to know for how long that type of food is good. I still have my doubts, but it makes sense.

Two weeks to go

In two weeks, my trip around the world will have started. But it's not because my departure time gets closer and closer that everything gets done by itself.

I finally canceled my subscription to the newspaper, told the car and home insurances I was going, wrote a will, just in case. Better not to take chances. By taking my car out of the road, I will save some money on registration and insurances. House wise, the beauty of renting a place is there will be no change to my insurance.

I told the SPA that my two cats would stay somewhere else (had to think about that), made photocopies of my traveling documents, credit cards and others, to leave a copy at my parent's house and to have one myself in case of a problem. I also sent it all in my e-mail. Then I'll be able to access my documents anytime.

And I finally ordered my JR pass for Japan. It is a pass for strangers you can order online before you get in the country. You can save on transportation with it. But you must activate it in the three months following your purchase.