travelling allrite

The problem with Japanese airports, I've decided, is that they are too stuffy. As I was flying straight back to work the next day I wanted to be fresh and clean, but that's rather hard when, after having a shower using the airport facilities, you just start perspiring again. Plus it makes me feel a little queasy. Or maybe that's nerves. I rarely look forward to the flight home, no matter how much I want to see my family again. I spent the remaining time I had in Japan shopping for rice crackers (a good selection), sweets (they had sold out of mango fettucine Gummies!) and watching aircraft from the outdoor observation deck. Dinner was Japanese style hamburger patties and salad. I like some of the more down market shopping landside at Narita, but once airside it is mainly luxury in nature. I glanced through the electronics offerings, but the only thing that caught my eye was a Japanese bidet toilet seat. Pity the price tag was around Y80,000. I had to ca...

What will it be, where will I go? So many potential destinations from Nagoya. But I am up against a hard limit. My flight leaves from Narita Airport at 8.30 pm and I intend to be on it. The last three days of travel have left me exhausted, so I allow myself a bit of a sleep in and a Google Hangouts video chat with B and Alex. It's a lot of fun seeing them again. Alex tries to tickle me through the screen, the tease that he is. It's been difficult to find a time when we are both awake and have internet access to make the call. The hotel supplies a free breakfast of salad, rice, miso soup and a variety of buns. It's not terribly exciting but it is always a pleasure to eat fresh salad in pickled Japan. Most of the shops surrounding Nagoya Station are closed when I cross over to catch a train. Do I try for a trip up through Central Japan and ride on some more rural lines? What about the Kansai Main Line, now partly local services only to Osaka? Will I still get to Nari...

It was a long day. By the time the Shinkansen pulled into Nagoya station it was twelve hours from the first train to the last. But my Sanin line journey was complete. One of the nice things about this trip is the lack of alarms. Not that I sleep in much, especially considering how late I stay up. Like last night, when the washing was finally done by 3am. Well, it's not like I need to concentrate at work. About 8am I checked out of the hotel and headed down to Matsue station. This time I was going to have my breakfast. I found just what I wanted, a small station cafe selling a Y500 breakfast of thick toast, scrambled eggs, ham, potato salad, a tiny bowl of spaghetti, a salad and a cup of lemon tea served in an exquisite china cup. A western breakfast with Japanese sensibilities. It feels like a very civilised way to start the day. Now it was time to go forward by going back. With the help of the tourist office I caught a bus to the station of the private Ichibata Dentets...