First leg - JAPAN

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First blog off Australian soil. Journey from Australia to Osaka via Singapore and Bankok. Arrived 6am, and travelled by Bus and Train to our hosts appartment in Itami. Spent our days travelling the rail system visiting Temples, castles, temples, buddhas, temples - yeah ok "lots of temples"
Much of Japan is very modern, but the best bits are the older quarters with there little side alleys and shops - sooooo cool.
The food has been interesting, as there is such a large variety. Sometimes it is a little hard to distinguish between traditional Japanese and western influences. Saturday night we were treated to dinner at a very nice resteraunt where we had our own room with traditional service but modern food (no not hamburgers!!!)
Tamiko and Hidenori are the parents of Maimai who we had as an exchange student ~7 years ago, and who were our hosts and guides till we left them and headed for Tokyo this morning. Both Emma and I are about 50cm shorter from all of the bloody walking, but that's the way it goes I guess - wouldn't trade places with you lot for quids. Would be great to get a message back from someone, just so we know if this is working now 😊 - see you next Blog

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Photos

Himenji Castle
Emma and I at the gateway to Himenji Castle The place was built so long ago that time has been imortalised within the place - Absolutely fantastic.

Tamiko and Emma at one of many Temples
Temples are dotted all over Japan it would seem. Outside each temple there is a place to wash your hands before entering the Buddhist shrines

A popular park at Nara
These cool little deers run around free in an open park in the middle of the town or Nara. Here Hidenori and I are feed the deer which was sort of cool!!

Comments

[anonymous]

Good Piccies
Pleased to hear you both arrived safely and appear to be well. Nice piccies, turned out quite well. Seems like you have mastered this TravelBlog thing :) Have a great time for the next leg of your trip. Your house hasn't burnt down yet anyway :) Look forward to the next blog. We're all doing fine over hear. Look after yourselves. - KB

[anonymous]

Hello
Great to here from you, everything here still the same. Enjoy your next blog! xx - Kat