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Sayonara Japan

Saturday, March 24th, 2007

The permanence of my departure from Japan has left me switching back and forth between feelings of excitement and apprehension. I’ve left plenty of places, but there’s always been some kind of physical anchor left behind, something to make me feel like I have to return. Since my girlfriend is moving to Portland, that anchor’s gone too. As I’ve spent the week packing up boxes I know Japan isn’t my home anymore.

I have my boots,

my backpack,

and a huge stack of Chinese cash we used to play poker with last year.

I was the only one among my friend’s willing to buy the gambling stack and I never got around to changing it before I left. Good thing I’m going back.

I was the only one among my friend’s willing to buy the gambling stack and I never got around to changing it before I left. Good thing I’m going back.

This trip is unique in that I have the most freedom in my travels and route. No flights are booked, and trains and boats will be the transportation of choice. I head to Tokyo tomorrow night, then to Osaka by night bus. I’ll spend one day and night in Osaka, then catch the Tuesday ferry to Shanghai.

A week to go: The Capitals Tour rough itinerary

Saturday, December 16th, 2006

In 9 days I’ll be heading to Seoul to begin my two week “capitals tour” of Asia.  The capitals tour, as I’ve started calling it, will begin on Christmas day in Seoul.  My girlfriend and I will be spending three nights, which if Seoul is anything like Tokyo, will be plenty of time to soak in the major sights.  When Chiaki heads back to Japan, my journey truly begins and the schedule is thrown out the window.  I’ve got two weeks to wander back to Tokyo.  From Seoul I will head north to the demilitarized zone.  The North Koreans have been digging tunnels across the border for 50 years and tours are available.  I’ve heard from friends that the DMZ experience is surreal.  Each side is still locked in a steely stare, looking through the cross hairs.

From there I will catch the evening bus south to Gwangju, where I will meet up with my Ozzy buddy Scott.  Scott’s place will provide a good base to see some of the sites of the southern peninsula.  Eventually I’ll head over to South Korea’s second largest city, Pusan, and arrange ferry accommodations to Hiroshima.

The Japan leg of this trip is all about living cheap and seeing some of Western Japan’s sites that haven’t made the itinerary during my first two years.  The list includes Hiroshima, Himeji castle, Kobe, Nara, and Osaka.

The three yearly school holiday periods in Japan provide excellent travel opportunities.  Sure, some of the attractions are a bit crowded, but most everything is crowded in Japan anyway.  The main cost-cutting  comes with the  seishun  ju-hachi kippu, or  youth  saver  18 ticket.  For 11,500  yen,  you  can  travel  for five days unlimited on local and rapid trains.  This is a steal in Japan, where transportations costs are some of the highest in the world.  This ticket doesn’t allow you to take advantage of the modern high-speed trains, and shouldn’t be used by tourists staying briefly.  But if you have the time, a stack of books, and enjoy the slower lane of life, this ticket is for you.

My budget for this trip is thin because I am saving for my Silk Road journey from Shanghai to Germany that will start in March.  I had these 17 days off during the holidays and wanted to go somewhere on the cheap.  While I had hoped to go somewhere a bit warmer, the tickets to Korea were too cheap to pass up.  It will also be nice to get my last big dose of Japan before leaving this country, a place I’ve called home for over two years.

Planning your plan: Trip Preparation

Wednesday, December 13th, 2006
It doesn't matter if you’re planning a vacation, a trek, a round-the-world trip, or a weekend getaway; whatever the scope of your adventure, a little planning is essential and can be almost as enjoyable as the trip itself. If ... [Continue reading this entry]

A brilliant end to a new beginning

Monday, February 6th, 2006
The last week of my life in Japan had to be the best I can remember. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who moves around a lot. In the times I've departed in the past there was ... [Continue reading this entry]

One week to go…

Saturday, January 28th, 2006
Backpack...check. A couple of paperbacks...check. Map...check. Guidebook...already read it and gave it away. Maybe I'll write my own when I get there. Where is there? Pretty much the rest of what I haven't seen. ... [Continue reading this entry]