The entry into Japan had been arduous and the exit proved to be a likewise unnerving ordeal. I had prepared most of my packing the night before and knowing the airport was just some fifteen minutes away by subway I caught some much needed sleep and only got up at five before heading out to catch the plane at 7 am. At five thirty the streets were quite dead, and I had to walk an extra bit with my bags as several subway entrances were not yet open. I don't know why, but a gnawing sense of unease entered mymind and [View Full Entry]

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Drawing so close to the end that I can almost feel the stench of the horrible airline-omelet already. Still, I have one more string to play before the bungy-cord inevitably swings me back across the frozen tundras of Siberia all the way back home to a dreary, miserable and cold November. Still, the good thing about an elastic cord is that it really doesn't manage to keep you in place for long. Anyhow, although I could have made this a fairly lazy day I was determined to end it on a high, and my trip to Kyushu island really could not [View Full Entry]

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The hotel had a fairly early check-out time at 10 am, but it suited me fine anyway, as it would put me on the road to Kumamoto without delay. Through the last days I had seen more and more people walk around town with face masks, and unlike a common belief that this is due to protect themselves from heavy pollution there is another important reason as well, they are not wearing it to protect themselves, but out of courtesy to other people. Yes... it is because they are ill, infectious, contagious, impure, dangerous to the productive society. But in a [View Full Entry]

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Waking up to another beautiful sunny day in Kagoshima I pondered on doing a trip to Mt. Sakurajima for some hiking. However, save for the fact of going there, there wasn't really anything to focus my interest on. There is a viewpoint where you can supposedly get a better look at the crater which spews out smoke pretty much daily, but due to security zones it didn't really sound that promising. Instead I decided to go in the opposite direction, to scale the hills west of town to take advantage of the clear skies and take some good tourist-style snaps of [View Full Entry]

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Well, well... what do you know? As my imminent departure drew near, someone figured it was time to ease up on the clouds. Frustratingly so, the blue sky began to peak out again. I guess someone wanted to make sure the weather wouldn't keep my plane grounded as if to really make sure I got off the island pronto. Naha's immediate proximity to the airport meant that I could just casually check out and walk a few hundred meters to the nearest monorail station, and then find myself at the airport concourse some fifteen minutes later. The whole process of leaving [View Full Entry]

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I had the left the curtains open wide to allow myself to be woken up by the shining light of a new sunny day. Not so. Instead I woke to the sound of noise in the corridor and the hum from the air conditioner. Looking out the window those dreary miserable grey clouds were stll hanging there in the sky, like a carpet of moisture. There was a fine layer of water spreadout on the streets and roofs of nearby houses, light rain seemed to be coming and going. I was not the only one to vent my frustration, angry Hercs [View Full Entry]

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Gniiii.... gniii... ka-ta-KLONK! Hmm... that was the landing gear going down? But I don't see anything? In fact, I can't see anything at all. There is grey all around us. Greyish and white shadows dance around the fuselage. At first I thought I had spotted land, there over at the horizon. A huge dark landmass appearing out of nowhere, still partially hidden in the clouds. But something was not right. The details were so vague, the coastline seemed to dangle in mid-air. Of course, what I had spotted was a dark stream of clouds drifting by in an ocean of grey. [View Full Entry]

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Treated to another fine day in Nagasaki with scattered clouds across the blue sky I considered how to spend my last day in town. Cramming four locations into one week's worth of travel isn't exactly ideal in terms of enjoying a place to its full potential, but I have always been a fan of scouting around multiple locations, and I'd rather return for a longer stay once I know the place would appeal to me. Nagasaki is definitely one of those places. At first sight I immediately took a liking to it, although I quickly came to question my judgment once [View Full Entry]

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It is amazing how quick a week can pass when you are out enjoying yourself. It was with mixed emotions that I checked out from the room which had been my base for the past week, knowing that from this day on the trip would shift into high gear, as I would stay in no less than five cities the coming week. I was also a bit torn about leaving Fukuoka in the middle of the Kyushu Basho, but on the other hand I was also looking forward to seeing a little bit more than half naked men tugging at each [View Full Entry]

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For those of you who don't like sumo; though luck - we're turning up the temperature a couple of degrees today, so you might as well stop reading and hit the next journal link a few times... I started out a little bit earlier this morning (which translates to approximately 1 pm...) with the intent of having a "chance encounter" with some rikishi on the way to the arena. I had noticed a few lower ranking rikishi leaving after their bouts, walking down the street in their robes and sandals. Rikishi waiting at bus stops, sending SMS on their cell phones [View Full Entry]

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