Jez In Japan

Got back yesterday, safe and sound. although now I really wish I had stayed out there longer. Had a really fantastic time out there and have a lot of great memories, but looking back it all seemed to go by in a flash, with so many things left undone. I didn't want to stay out there too long because of the cost, but compared to the cost of flying out there again ... looks like I'll have to start saving!

Expect a massive left-over photo update (and the Himeji and Miyajima photos) shortly.

Its sad to think that my holiday is ending on a similarly worried note to how it began. The deal with my tickets was that I could return whenever I wanted granted I phone them up 24 hours in advance to book tickets. By Sunday evening and another fun night out in Hiroshima I felt tired and thought this would be a good note of which to end the proceedings and return - besides I had work to do I had been unable to complete before venturing forth. However panic set in again as the ticket company's 24/7 hotline was apparently only open 9-5 Monday to Friday leaving me unsure as what to do next as I could not tell what my options would be. Thanks again to Naoko and her patience and understanding as I attempted to unravel the myriad issues.

By this morning (monday) I had calmed down and decided that I hadn't been to Osaka yet and it would be nice to spend a couple of days there as it was looking unlikely I would be able to return this day, and I managed to get through to the air company here to sort this out. However they weren't going to make this easy for me and appeared not to offer nearly the level of flexibility promised when I purchased my ticket. I could not fly out from Osaka, I would have to return to Tokyo and I had a choice between travelling back on Tuesday or Friday - and I had to decide there and then. Unsure as to whether I could really afford to stay here that much longer I went for tuesay, however the other catch was the flight from Milan back to London would again be the next day (exactly 24 hours later in fact) and this time they weren't going to be putting me up in a hotel, oh and the flight from Tokyo would be fairly early on Tuesday so here I am mid afternoon on the Shinkansen between Hiroshima and Tokyo beginning the three day long journey it will take me to get home.

I'm sure once I have got home and recovered the outstanding memories I will have of this trip will be overwhelmingly positive, but right now I'm feeling pretty down as I now don't yet feel ready to go home and certainly not in as inconvenient a way as this, and am now concerned that perhaps when looking back on this holiday I will regret not having done more, particularly with many of the people I have met on this trip spending a lot more time out here than I. I also feel bad as Naoko was exceptionally generous and patient with me over this last night and realising I don't have her mobile number on me I have been unable to thank her and say goodbye properly as I would have liked to have done before I caught my train this midday, especially as her office is just round the corner from the train station it would have been really nice to perhaps have had lunch with her before I left, but it was not to be and as yet I have not contacted her and for all I know is now rather worried about my situation.

Again, I'm sure I'll look back on all this and laugh as I already have done with the previous nonsense on my way here, but it is sad to end it on a low note.

Miyajima is one of many small almost tropical (by my standards at least) islands just south of Hiroshima and features the following: A big red gate in the water (very pretty), Deer (agressive little gits once they spot your handful of biscuits) and Monkeys (monkeys apparently on holiday).

Despite being a little dissapointed in not seeing any monkeys, Miyajima is a really nice place - warm, pretty and once up to the top of the cable car - awe inspiring. Sadly I cannot show you much of this as upon setting foot on land it transpired my camera wasn't happy and wasn't going to do anything (try to not to panic Dad I'm sure its only something minor and quite easily fixable), so I'm afraid you'll have to wait until Naoko gets her photos developed before I can share the view.

My friend Naoko lives in Hiroshima so I am spending most of my time hanging out with the locals which is cool. Yesterday we did a bit of shopping and had a look around the peace park.

The above photo is a memorial to a young Japanese girl called Sadako who after surving the atomic bomb blast went on to contract leukemia. As my understanding of the story goes, as she was dying she starting making origami cranes and felt that if she made one thousand then she would be cured. With lots of help from family and friends she reached the target, but sadly died. Lots of Japanese children visiting Hiroshima make these cranes which are put on display as a mark of respect for her and the countless other children who died as a result of the atomic bomb.

Its quite strange to think standing in Hiroshima that just 60 years ago this place was mostly destroyed by the atomic bomb, and sad to think after visiting the museum and seeing its effects that to this day we are still developing these weapons. It is fortunate that they have not been used on civilians since (although the use of depleted uranium has certainly not been benign), but worrying to know that they may again and with even more horrific results.

That evening I had a meal with Naoko's family, who were really cool and we all got on really well (although her dogs didn't take to me so well). Unfortunately I was unable to eat as much of the great food that was on offer as I would have liked (I shouldn't have gone to Mos Burger for lunch). As I am sure they are reading this I would like to thank them again for being excellent hosts and I look forwards to seeing them again and being able to speak Japanese with them next time!

Then it was off to Kareoke finally - a week since I arrived in Japan and only now had I got down to a round of it. Kudos again to Naokos wonderful renditions of pretty much every Bjork song on the system, and I think I should remain proud of myself for my rousing performances of RATM's Bombtrack and Nine Inch Nails 'Starf***ers'.

Right! Off to Miyajima I think.

Due to being a day behind schedule, I didn't really have much time to explore Kyoto, but I had a look at some of the more famous sites which are conviently located within a fairly short (and very pleasant walking) distance of each other.

The above shots are from Keyomizu-dera which is a quite awesome place, although sadly not nearly as peaceful as I had hoped due to the excessive number of schoolchildren running about:

The one on the second from the left looks like he's just given himself a hernia.

Other places were pretty kid-free, which was much nicer and really relaxing. Here's some more photos of eastern Kyoto:

Then it was time to jump on a train and move on to Hiroshima.