Homeward bound

Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Contrasted nation
Chaotic serenity
A people of grace.
With a very early morning and a shuttle bus from the hotel, we were at Terminal 1 of Narita Airport. It was quiet and not quite ready for business. The security screening didn’t open until 7am and none of the coffee shops were open, apart from Maccas and they had a very long line. By the time we could screen, it was almost time to board. None of the shops were open past security either, so we bought ourselves one last iced coffee from a vending machine.
The flight was uneventful and we landed in Singapore under very cloudy conditions. We had a very short stopover, straight into the boarding lounge and were soon back in another plane and on our way home. The weather hadn’t improved and we flew through a little storm. There was a very close flash of lightning and quite a bit of turbulence. We had a guy sitting between us who was a bit concerned. After the incindent on Singapore Airlines yesterday, we were getting a lot of reminders to put on our seat belts.
Japan has been a fabulous country to visit. It is a land of contradictions. The big bustling cities and the serene green landscapes of the country. The full on technology and the traditional ways of providing services. 
We have divided our trip into 3 different sections, which has made it feel much longer than the 16 days away. Kyoto was full of tradition. As the city that escaped being bombed in the war, it has retained an historical atmosphere which is so special to be in. 
Our Onsen and Gastronomy Walking tour gave us a great opportunity to see the wilderness and rural areas of the country. It is stunning scenery and the places we stayed and the food we ate gave us a  cultural experience like no other.
Tokyo was alive! It is a big bustling city, full of life and full of people. It is an exciting place to be and we know we only just touched the surface.
Every hotel welcomes you with pyjamas or yukata robes, socks and slippers. We were lucky to have a onsen in each of our stays and enjoyed the opportunity to partake in this tradition and to soak our muscles weary from walking.The toilet seats are warm and the toilets offer many options to clean your nether regions. All public toilets are extremely clean.
The convenience (konbini) stores are abundant, and the food in them is pretty good. Food everywhere was cheap as the yen is weak against our dollar. Food is delicious, from the konbini stores to the restaurants and there are so many options.
The people are so nice and very polite. We were welcomed into shops and farewelled when we left. Public transport is awesome. You never wait long, it’s reasonably cheap and having the Suica card on my phone made it easy. Google maps got us around and almost every time it was hassle free.
The city buildings are large, some of them are loud and bright. They are contrasted with the spiritual shrines and temples.
This has been an amazing holiday in a country that has retained its own personality, so different to our culture. 
Other Entries

Comments

2025-02-18

Comment code: Ask author if the code is blank