The Journey Begins

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

Following in my Daughter’s footsteps.

All my life I’ve enjoyed travel. Mostly the journey has been part of the adventure whether it be by train or car. This has limited / focussed the trips to Europe. Very good trips they have been. Spain, France, Italy etc. you have done us proud. Not that we dont fly, more the worsening experience of airports has diminished the draw of that mode of travel as “we’d rather not”.

Then my girl goes off to Japan.

So there is a conundrum, stick to my guns and stay to Europe or bite the bullet and commit to a trip. The decision was made a bit easier when Patricia said “It’s too far, too long and strange food, but you can go if you want” After thinking about it for about 2 seconds. Japan it is.

Should MI5 be reading, the above are just metaphors. and seeing that i’m typing in an airport on open WiFi thought it best to state.

It’s a long way

When you look at a globe and put the UK central and then you look for your destination and it’s not there, you know then, that it is a long way. It’s literally the other side of the world.

To try and make things shorter, (seem shorter!) the journey will start with a hop over to Amsterdam from Leeds-Bradford before the long haul to Tokyo Narita. 10:00 start arriving 15minutes less than 24hrs at 09:45 Friday, Japan time.

There is a plan

Day 1. Find my way out of Narita, to the busiest train station in the world, Shinjuku, find my way out of that to my Hotel. Then an evening drinks and bar tour.

Day2. Bullet Train day trip to Kyoto. Visit the old capital and it’s ancient buildings.

Day3. Bullet train across to Niigata, food capital of the West Coast

Day4. Coastal train up to Akita

Day5. Long train trip to the North Island and a night in Hakodate.

Day6 & 7 Sapporo and meet Lucy, horaah!

Day8. Up to Japan’s northernmost point at Wakkanai.

Day9. Flight back to Tokyo

Day 10&11 try and relax before flight home

Tuesday Feb 12th fly home.