Hi everyone,
Time for an update 😀
Darryl and I had been invited to a wedding in
Italy. The groom is Nick [an English lad, whom Darryl and I met in 2012 when he
was cycling Australia [along with Jimmy [USA], Tommy [UK] and Markus[GER]]
raising funds to plant trees in Australia, and his bride – lady-love, Claudia pronounced Clowdia). Darryl decided that Italy didn’t excite him
and he wasn’t really into those long-haul flights. I then offered him a trip to Japan to visit
my penfriend Yoko – again he said no. 😔
Beckie said if he didn’t want to go, she would but it would mean that he
had to look after the three youngest grandchildren, so he decided he would stay
home and Beckie and I would travel. We
originally planned on being away for three weeks but had to down-scale our trip
due to university commitments for Beckie.
All our planning came to fruition when on the 2nd
August Beckie and I flew to Osaka Japan to meet up with my penfriend of 52
years – YOKO and her family.
I had kept our plans fairly quiet as I didn’t
want to jinx it and have difficulty with the planning.
On the night of the 1st August we
realised that we were leaving from the domestic terminal [NOT the
International] in Brisbane and flying to Cairns – where we had to collect our
baggage and get to the International Terminal before the gate closed.
On
the 2nd August, Ben
drove us to the terminal and we awaited our flight.
heading to plane for Cairns
The trip to Cairns was uneventful but by the
time we collected our baggage and ran to the international terminal - we made
it with 10 minutes to spare and then once we got through security etc and got
to the gate – we had about another 10 minutes before we were due to start to
board. Note to self – make sure time
between connecting flights in LONGER.
heading to security and departure gate in Cairns
THAT is our plane 😀
The flight to Osaka was a good flight and once
we landed it was 34degrees outside and we could feel it.
coming in to Osaka airport
heading to the train to take us to arrivals
Welcome to Kansai ---- YAY!!!
Beckie wondered how we would recognise Yoko
and Kenjirou, but as we came through the arrivals doors, Kenjirou jumped up
with a sign that said ‘Welcome Barbara and Bec’, and there they were with these
huge big smiles on their faces.
Yoko, Hiroshi and Kenjirou
Barb and Yoko meeting for the first time in 52 years
We went
to McDonalds for a coffee (Koohii) and a chat before Hiroshi and his parents
took us to our accommodation. Yoko and
Kenjirou were to come back in the morning to collect us and take us to their
home on Awaji Island (Awaji-shima). We
went to the ‘Lawson’ service station to get ourselves a little snack and some
breakfast for the morning and we couldn’t get over the number of vending
machines that were everywhere. Drinks,
food, cigarettes or even sanitary items and condoms. Everywhere.
10am Aug
3 We had a short wander around the streets of Izumi-Sano whilst we waited for Yoko and Kenjirou.
The street outside our accommodation
One of the very common vending machines
arty-farty shot
roof tiles
Yoko and Kenjirou arrived at 10am to drive us back to their home at Uwara on Awaji Island. We had a lovely drive and couldn’t get used
to all the multi-storey roadways and bridges.
a view of Osaka
on one of the multi-level highways
There is another level above us
Also the fact that there was a service-centre/rest area attached to the
side of the bridge on which we were travelling.
It even had sleeping bays marked and there were so many vending machines
to satisfy your hunger and thirst. Both
hot and cold options.
On the way from Kobe to Awaji you travel on the
Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge - longest suspension bridge in the world. It spans the Akashi Strait. Its central span is 1,1991m and is made up of
6 lanes. It took 10 years to build and
was completed in 1998. Designed to
withstand 286km/hr winds and 8.5 magnitude earth quakes and the two towers of
the bridge reach 298m above sea level. It is 4 kms long.
The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge from Awaji Island
trying to get a clearer shot
trying not to squint or to look hot. It was 38 degrees 😀
Beckies vegetarian lunch
my Japanese curry lunch
We stopped at the supermarket on the way ‘home’
and then, finally, it was lovely arriving at THEIR home. A lovely little place in Uwara (Oo-wah-rah).
Beckie at the front of Yoko and Kenjirou's home. Yoko's little red beast a Suzuki Lapin.
Kenjirou's car - Suzuki Solio
The vine at the front of the house is a Morning Glory vine and this is one of its flowers
Beckie and I were in the Tatami room and
sleeping on shallow futons on the floor.
Tatami Room
with our futons rolled out and ready for bed
We then chatted [and learnt] during the evening. We enjoyed a very lovely meal of freshly
grown vegetables from Yoko’s ‘farm’ and fresh fruit also.
Kenjirou's artwork in the house
August
4 24 degrees overnight and
predicted 38 degrees today. Yoko and Kenjirou kept us entertained this morning
and we were all practicing our foreign language before they drove us to the
home of their son, Jun, in Kawanishi-city, a 2 hour drive away, to the
south-west of Osaka. We travelled on a
new highway and on the GPS in the car – it looked like we were travelling
cross-country as the new highway didn’t appear.
The amount of tolls on these roads is incredible – one was 2900 yen
which is about $37AUD. The little toll
sensor [etoll/etag] actually talks to you as you go through the toll, tells you
the cost and then thanks you for using the toll road.
We talked a lot about the area and Japan in
general. We were practicing our Japanese
and Yoko and Kenjirou would practice their English in reply.
Kumiko, Hinako, Jun, Keita, Barb and Yoko with Beckie at front
Kumiko, Hinako, Shota, Keita, Barb, Yoko and Kenjirou with Beckie at front
Jun and Kumiko have a lovely home and it was
great meeting their children Shota 10, Hinako 8 and Keita 4. We suggested that maybe Beckie’s children
could write to Jun’s children, so addresses were exchanged.
That evening on our way home we stopped at a
Sushi train restaurant called – Kappa Sushi.
It was interesting in that you were allocated a table number, you then
used an ipad to order your food and then when it got near you on the train, the
ipad alarmed and you collected the food from the train.
Free Matcha [Maccha] tea (Japanese green tree
which is different to the green tea that we drink in Australia) was enjoyed
during the meal.
Each evening we were watching the Sumoto-city
festival or Shima-festival and the dancing etc was amazing. Each night the parade through the streets of
Sumoto would last for about 5 hours. Ladies on the Geta (wooden sandals)
dancing on their toes rather than on flat sandals.
August
5 After breakfast we walked to
Yoko’s farm – a small plot of land on which she manages to grow and amazing
amount of fresh fruit and veggies. It is
only about a 5min walk from her home, on a hill-side but amazing just the same.
The skies were clear and a predicted 37 degrees today.
some photos from the farm. Growing Oranges, melon tree, okra, cucumber, celery, rhubarb, spinach, eggplant, tomatoes, watermelon, rockmelon, beans just to name a few.
oranges the size of a hand-span. Will be picked in January when they will be the size of a large dinner plate
melon tree fruit
the view across Uwara (oo-wah-rah)
We then travelled to the
Naruto whirlpools [connecting the Pacific Ocean with the inland Seto sea. It is the fastest moving strait in the world]
that are under the bridge from Awaji-shima to Shikoku-shima. Unfortunately, the tide was too low, and we
couldn’t see any decent whirlpools.
You really can't see the whilrpools but they are there
my hand in front of three onions
A giant onion seat at the lookout
a tree of onions
Awaji is also home to the largest onions that are a sweet onion and
don’t make you cry when you are peeling and slicing them. We did visit the centre near here which had a
really great display of the local onions and other goods.
A poster promoting Onion wigs
Beckie 'LOST' it when she found the wigs
a variety shelf with onion goods
On the way home we stopped at a new restaurant and I had my first Bento with shashimi (raw fish)
we were in a Tatami room sitting on zabuton (cushions) at a low table
We visited a Shinto Shrine and Hindu Temple today also.
Entrance to the Shrine
Koi pond at the Shrine
bridge to Shrine
Entrance
900 year old tree
Hindu Temple
promoting breastfeeding
That night we were lucky to see the hanabi
(fireworks) on television and could hear them going off outside Yoko and
Kenjirou’s home. We could hear the
excited voices of the children in the street as the fireworks exploded.
Yoko peeling an Awaji onion
August
6 we were watching the
Memorial for Hiroshima on the television whilst having Breakfast. There was a minute silence at 8.15am [the
time the bomb dropped]. It was a very moving ceremony and very thought
provoking also. At 10am we packed all
our belongings into the car and we headed back to Osaka and our accommodation
for the night – the Big Tree Guesthouse in Izumi-Sano. We had a couple of stops along the way for
koohii and also lunch. We also went and
looked out of the observation deck to have a 360degree view of Osaka.
Solar panels that cover a whole dam
a vending machine for hot and cold drinks
on another multi-storey highway
multi-storey bridge
noodle lunch
choosing lunch. you get your ticket and take it to the counter and they call out your number when ready
a view of Osaka from the Observation deck
Quite a selection of vending machine food - include hot chips, hamburgers and hot dogs
Osaka port
It was a sad day as we had to say goodbye to
our lovely friends and very charming hosts.
The past three days with Yoko and Kenjirou have been AMAZING.
We arrived at the guesthouse about 2 hours
before official check-in so locked up our bags and went for a walk around
Izumi-Sano.
Stairs at the Guesthouse
our beds
We found a 7-11 and checked
it out. In Japan they sell full meals of
all varieties at 7-11’s and we had been told not to miss it. Unfortunately, by this time most of the
Gluten-free and Vegetarian meals were gone so we crossed the road to a
supermarket where there was plenty of options.
It was quite unusual to find fresh tempura being put out regularly
rather than seeing the usual cold sliced meats etc.
We then went for a wander to the train station
and then timed our walk back to our accommodation, so we had an idea for time
in the morning. We were due to leave at about 7am so that we could be at the
airport in time for our flight to Rome.
August
7. We headed off for the train station and the
train to the airport. It was interesting
watching everyone line up on the specific spot for their trains. You know where the doors are going to open
due to the markings on the platform.
doors will open here for 4 carriages and 6 carriages
There was no crowding or pushing to get on the train, everyone just
lined up and awaited their turn.
Everyone lines up in orderly fashion for their train
It is
hot again today – about 30 degrees at 7am.
The trip took us about 10 mins to the airport
and then we made our way through to security and customs before heading to our
gate.
The first leg of our journey to
Frankfurt [and on to Rome] was a very uncomfortable flight. Our bottoms were numb within the first hour
and I found I was constantly fidgeting trying to get comfortable. Our flight ended up being 1 hour late. We originally had a 2 ½ hour connection time which
was whindled to 1 ½ hour. As we landed
in Terminal B, we made our way to customs/security and immigration. We then had to go through the same in Terminal A and then we had to make our way to
gate A38. Once we got there – the gate
was empty. We then found out that the
gate was changed to A21. We made our way
back there [it was 5pm] with 10 minutes before the gate closed, only to find
that the flight was delayed by 30 minutes. Ahhhh – time to de-stress and relax
until we could board. We were then
informed that our flight would be further delayed as our plane had not yet
arrived in Frankfurt.
(Apparently
that morning a family of 4 persons had managed to get into the Terminal WITHOUT
going through security, which resulted in Terminals A and Z being completely
evacuated and Security then had to check for explosives. When security screened the 4 persons they
were found to have explosives residue on their clothing. This resulted in ALL incoming and outgoing
flights being affected. We did not know
this until we were waiting for our connecting flight to Rome).
At 6.50pm our plane landed, the passengers on it
disembarked and then the plane was readied for us. We were on the plane and on our way after a 2
hour delay. We arrived in Rome 2 hours
late (it was still 29 degrees outside), then instead of catching the train, we
caught a shuttle which dropped us at the door of the accommodation – Federica’s
Home on Via Buonarotti. Thank
goodness they had staff on duty for check-in until midnight, as it was now
11pm. We had a shower and plugged in
phones to charge and fell into bed for a reasonable nights sleep.
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