Tuesday, July 09, 2013
Japan July 2013 - Day 1 (Kyoto)
After all that planning (actually there was hardly any planning done because I still don't know what I want to do in Kyoto cos there's TOO MUCH to do here!) Finally it's time for me to buzz off with my mum!!
My mum wants to go to Hokkaido, Alaska and Mt Everest. Mt Everest is out of the question, Alaska, I have no clue what to do there. Hokkaido, I can handle.
The basic itinerary for this trip is thus:
8th July - Transit to Kyoto. Reach at night.
9th and 10th July - Kyoto.
11th July - Transit to Sapporo
12th July - Furano
13th July - Otaru
14th July - Sapporo
15th July - Transit to Tokyo
16th July - Hakone
17th July - Maybe Tsukiji, send my mum to airport, pick up my friend.
18th to 21st July - Tokyo. Fly red eye back to SG on 22nd morning.
As you can see... there really isn't much of a plan for Kyoto. too many places! Probably gonna head to Kiyomizudera, was hoping to go to the Imperial palace but will probably give that a miss... maybe go to Nara or Himeji or other places within Kyoto. I'm more keen to head out of Kyoto cos I have a Kansai Area Pass which covers the train fares.
Anyways, we arrived in Kansai International Airport at around 2130.. or something like that. We were actually quite good on time as we were not at the end of the crowds, but I stopped before immigrations to fill out my mum's embarkation card. I originally wanted to queue and fill in but thought the queue was clearing too fast... so I only joined when I was filling out my card. After that we cleared customs who was a pretty friendly guy who spoke simple Japanese to me heheh. Huge ego booster cos I could understand him!
Popped off to buy the JR Kansai Area Pass and went down to the platform. Unfortunately, the last Haruka had already left 20 mins earlier. Fortunately the staff told me another route to take, so that means that I could still make it to Kyoto tonight! It was rather roundabout though. First, we had to take the Airport Express to Tennoji, transfer to track 11 / 12 for the train to Osaka, and then to track 7/8 for the train to Kyoto. When I reached Osaka, I realised that there was gonna be a Special Rapid service leaving 9 mins later than the local (slower), so we took that instead.
Kyoto, really hasn't really changed since the last time I was here. I went to Lawson's to buy something, which was like one of the first places we went to the last time I was here.
Reached K's House past 1 AM and checked in. The receptionist was very nice given that it was quite late (or rather early). He also remembered that I had a parcel waiting for me so I managed to get my Mifi immediately upon checking in!! Heavenly!
We were actually booked for two nights in Twin B and 1 night in Twin A, but they actually upgraded so that we don't have to move (or at least I think so - probably have to go confirm with them) for no fee :D . We were given the key cards and told that they room was in the next building (like 5 steps away) and I was like "is it gonna be the same room?"
He went on to describe the room being on the ground floor etc and I'm like "Sounds like it!"
After we locked away our shoes and stuff, we went to the room... lo and behold it was exactly the same room that I had stayed in almost 5 years ago! Talk about nostalgia man!
Now all I need to do is to figure out what to do tomorrow (or rather later this morning). Headache... too many options.
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My mum wants to go to Hokkaido, Alaska and Mt Everest. Mt Everest is out of the question, Alaska, I have no clue what to do there. Hokkaido, I can handle.
The basic itinerary for this trip is thus:
8th July - Transit to Kyoto. Reach at night.
9th and 10th July - Kyoto.
11th July - Transit to Sapporo
12th July - Furano
13th July - Otaru
14th July - Sapporo
15th July - Transit to Tokyo
16th July - Hakone
17th July - Maybe Tsukiji, send my mum to airport, pick up my friend.
18th to 21st July - Tokyo. Fly red eye back to SG on 22nd morning.
As you can see... there really isn't much of a plan for Kyoto. too many places! Probably gonna head to Kiyomizudera, was hoping to go to the Imperial palace but will probably give that a miss... maybe go to Nara or Himeji or other places within Kyoto. I'm more keen to head out of Kyoto cos I have a Kansai Area Pass which covers the train fares.
Anyways, we arrived in Kansai International Airport at around 2130.. or something like that. We were actually quite good on time as we were not at the end of the crowds, but I stopped before immigrations to fill out my mum's embarkation card. I originally wanted to queue and fill in but thought the queue was clearing too fast... so I only joined when I was filling out my card. After that we cleared customs who was a pretty friendly guy who spoke simple Japanese to me heheh. Huge ego booster cos I could understand him!
Popped off to buy the JR Kansai Area Pass and went down to the platform. Unfortunately, the last Haruka had already left 20 mins earlier. Fortunately the staff told me another route to take, so that means that I could still make it to Kyoto tonight! It was rather roundabout though. First, we had to take the Airport Express to Tennoji, transfer to track 11 / 12 for the train to Osaka, and then to track 7/8 for the train to Kyoto. When I reached Osaka, I realised that there was gonna be a Special Rapid service leaving 9 mins later than the local (slower), so we took that instead.
Kyoto, really hasn't really changed since the last time I was here. I went to Lawson's to buy something, which was like one of the first places we went to the last time I was here.
Reached K's House past 1 AM and checked in. The receptionist was very nice given that it was quite late (or rather early). He also remembered that I had a parcel waiting for me so I managed to get my Mifi immediately upon checking in!! Heavenly!
We were actually booked for two nights in Twin B and 1 night in Twin A, but they actually upgraded so that we don't have to move (or at least I think so - probably have to go confirm with them) for no fee :D . We were given the key cards and told that they room was in the next building (like 5 steps away) and I was like "is it gonna be the same room?"
He went on to describe the room being on the ground floor etc and I'm like "Sounds like it!"
After we locked away our shoes and stuff, we went to the room... lo and behold it was exactly the same room that I had stayed in almost 5 years ago! Talk about nostalgia man!
Now all I need to do is to figure out what to do tomorrow (or rather later this morning). Headache... too many options.
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