Japan: the verdict

We have been back now for some ten days or so, the jet lag is a thing of the pass, I am processing images day by day, and so, what is it we will remember most about the trip the the land of the rising sun?

There were so many highlights, it is hard to pick any one thing out. I suppose that for the most part, for me, there seemed to be the worry of arranging the next stage of the trop; reserving seats, forwarding luggage to the next hotel, or the hotel after next in some cases. Then, we on our full day in Takayama, we had sent our cases to the final hotel, and we had reservations on the trains the next day. And then the realisation was that the holiday was coming to an end. Coming to a sudden end in fact.

It seemed a lifetime ago that we were the newbies trying to find a place to eat in Tokyo near the Thunder Gate, rather than the ten or so days it had actually been. We were experienced travelers in Japan now, we could find our way round metro systems, order at restaurants and eat with chopsticks. Back in those first few days in Tokyo, it all seemed so strange and new, even going on the metro was an adventure. Let alone getting aboard the bullet train to take us to Kyoto and beyond.

I suppose finding our way back to the first hotel after our guide had left us at Shibuya, coming out of the right exit, walking down the street to find the doors to the hotel just where we left them. From that moment on, we had no fear, if in doubt, we could always ask, as we knew that people just wanted to help, either employees of the train or metro company, or just ordinary people. We could find our way, one way or another. From that moment the fear of the unknown fell away, and we could enjoy ourselves properly.

The hotels were fine, if mostly compact, and had smaller rooms than we are used to in the west, but for the most part we just needed somewhere to sleep, so no real problem. The ryokans were a different matter. Arriving with cases full of clothes, and having no place to store them, and seeing how we just made the whole place untidy really has us questioning how e live back home, in fact we have begun to pack away books and stuff we have not looked at for years, and might go beyond that to take stuff to the charity shop or the tip. Putting boxes in the loft is just one step from having self-storage, which is another way of admitting you have too much stuff.

Travel in Japan was so easy and painless, it was hard at time to believe this was the same country that we read about. Even in downtown Tokyo, traffic seemed to flow, and for the most part the six lane roads that pass beside the monster skyscrapers were almost empty. Only on one occasion did we come to a metro train so full we could not get on because it was so full; we waited until the next one came along, and got on that.

Toilets were fun, to say the least. We quickly found the flush button at the first hotel, but at Kyoto there was a sensor in the seat so that flushed as soon as you stood up. At the first ryokan, the toilet knew when you opened the door to the toilet, and the lid rose automatically. Flushed automatically as well. All had a heated seat facility, with settings from sort to hard boiled.

It was never that cold!

Then there was the food, which I covered before in another blog. We still laugh about the Conga Eel which we ate on at least three occasions, but for the most part, we enjoyed the food, the way it was presented and cooked. What we did notice that in the two weeks we were way, none of us suffered from indigestion, I did not suffer from night cramps in my legs, and Jools' skin complaint on her back gave her no problems. Might be a coincidence, but I don't think so. We ate hardly any bread or potatoes, and little dairy, which might explain it, could be any one to be honest.

We came back fitter and thinner, what with the walking and only eating things we could recognise. We will try to carry that one, but work keeps getting in the way, of course.

I suppose what we will remember is the people: I mean, we had heard stories about racism from people who had worked there, and a dislike of foreigners. What we found was a wonderful, friendly people, all too ready to help out if we looked like we needed help. Nothing was too much trouble, and at no point did we experience anything other than kindness and friendship.

That about a week into the trip, Jools was asking me when we could come back tells you all you really need to know how much we loved Japan and the whole holiday. I can't recommend it highly enough, and would encourage any of you to go. And the thing that people ask was how much did it cost? Well, not as much as you might think. Much less in fact. And we stayed in nothing less than four star hotels, ate well and drank French or Italain bottles of wine. In other words, we were determined to have a great time, and we did.

So, when can we go back?