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Published: March 30th 2011
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washboard blues
the new album will be out this summer. Alright y'all!
So this is gonna be my last entry for the blog, as im back home now.., thats ok let the tears flow, your only human afterall. ya might wanna grab a tissue.
So i eventually plucked-up the courage to leave yasato farm on the 16th of february. I dont like good-byes, and when your travelling you have lots of em and they don't got any easier. But this one was particularly difficult because the folks at yasato are wonderful, i felt right at home, it was like family. Also i had been there for two and a half months, making it the place where i stayed the longest (by far) on this trip. I would have stayed there until the end but i also wanted to see another part of Japan before leaving, seen as its so far from the uk and i wasnt sure when i'd pass that way again.
So it was on the 16th of February that i bid a fond farewell to everyone at Yasato. Legends that they are. Arigato gozaimas, ato de ne.
So i had under 2 weeks left in Japan before i had to catch my flight home
misaki -
talks me through the kimono. on the 1st of March. And i decided to head first for Kyoto. It seems just as popular a destination for the Japanese as for foreigners, which must be a good sign. After two and a half months on the farm i was ready to be a tourist again, guidebook purchased and camera at the ready! i take an overnight bus from Tokyo and arrive in kyoto very early morning.
Kyoto was wonderful and lived up to its reputation but i was surprised by how uber-modern a lot of it was. Not that im complaining, the past and the present (and the future!), go together very nicely in Kyoto. I spent most of the time sight-seeing and went to more temples and shrines than i had hot dinners. A lot of these places had a very calming effect, it was extraordinary. Those Zen gardens really do the trick.
I spend just under one week in Kyoto before getting the night bus back to the megatropolis that is Tokyo. Back in the capital i do some more exploring, trying to make the most of what time i have left. But all too soon, its time to go.
At
Iba and Misaki
showing off the kimono this point I really want to say i have a big admiration for Japan and its people. I can only talk from my own experience but i just found most people to be extremely polite, friendly, calm and considerate. And i believe these qualities are reflected in the environment...from the streets, to transport, to buildings etc. I think it all boils down to respect. The whole thing is like a cycle, the two perpetuate each other. In other countries these kind of qualities are usually the exception but in Japan its the rule. Big up the land of the rising sun!
Anyway i depart from Haneda airport at 6am (local time) and i arrive at heathrow 10am (local time). the 12 hr flight went really quickly, ive been on trains from London to Southampton which seem to last longer! going through customs was fast too, and it was funny being able to speak english so freely and being able to understand what people around me were saying. Having been out of the UK for almost 10 months, stepping out of the airport was a bit like stepping into a foreign country but at the same time very familiar. My
quality control
only the finest eggs were sold. these eggs are too fragile or dirty. first impression was that everything seemed to be run-down, including the people and there was a noticeable tension in the air. This is what made me appreciate Japan even more.
Only one friend knew when i was returning, so it was great to be able to surprise people, ha ha ha! There was a couple of near heart-attacks, when i leapt out from hiding places. But what really surprised me was how normal everything felt. Within a day or two it felt like i had never been away, it was really strange.
I couldnt believe what i was seeing on the news (10 days after my return) with regards to the earthquake and subsequent tsunami. I experienced a minor earthquake whilst at the farm which was alarming enough for me but didnt phase the others at all. So i cant begin to imagine how it must have been and is for those effected by this natural disaster. I was impressed by the stoicism demonstrated in my experience and i hope this can be sustained to see them through. My heart-felt thoughts are with these people that had such a huge impression on me.
Thank you for following
my! how they grow
one of the chicks that was pictured in my hand from the last blog. my blog its been great being able to share a bit of my trip with you guys. And thank you for your comments and feedback, it was always a pleasure reading them and hearing what you had to say.
Well thats it for now, take care you lot.
Big R
There is one more thing......................... its been emotional.
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Steve Bateman
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Bloggers united
Rory, good man for completing the blog out and it's been great reading it. All you have to do now is start planning your next trip ;-) Steve.