SC writes: After a couple of wet days we were blessed with some lovely weather yesterday, so we decided to go on trip to the seaside...with a difference. We had managed to get seats on special tourist train which runs an hour down the very scenic coast to Ibusuki. There are hundreds of such special trains around Japan, but they are hard to find out about and even harder to gets seats on. Our JR passes are good on many of them, but you still have to book. Anyway we did book, and a very enjoyable trip it was too. We even got a nice clear view of the volcano - Sakurajima. I got into the touristic mood by having an Instagram type shot taken, but Cathy was less enthusiastic as you will see.We were headed ... read more

SC writes: We are using Fukuoka as a base to explore Kyushu in the west of Japan. Yesterday we headed off eastwards to Beppu, billed as a resort sort of town on the coast and famous for a string of hot springs, too hot to be Onsen. We’re talking boiling mud, great clouds of steam and water at 99 degrees C. Collectively there are 7 sites, known as “Hells”, each with its own unique attraction. These range from boiling mud that creates gloopy circles of toned grey - see photos - to steamping pools of various colours, to crocodiles. Yes that’s not a typo! All very interesting and we had to make our way to them by bus. From there things took a turn for the worse. Beppu the town was disappointing despite more good weather. ... read more

SC writes. For our second full day in Kanazawa we explored the various parts of the city that include original timber buildings, where you can explore some but others are cafes, boutiques (mainly selling ceramics), and of course temples. This was all done with the benefit of a one day bus pass and some further sunny weather, with the temperatures just right. New experiences today include:Soy sauce ice cream: as the sign in the shop window said: “enjoy the unexpected match, make smile after eat”. It was indeed delicious and we had to buy some special local sauces there. Also canal paddling as Cathy details below. When looking for lunch we stumbled across what I’d describe as a food fair on the top floor of a department store. Lots of tasty samples...mmm! Speaking of food, we ... read more

(SC writes): so we hired another little car for the last two days to give us flexibility. We've been all over Praslin sampling beaches and restaurants. I've enjoyed a lot of fish, often served with local creole sauces - generally delicious. Cathy has found some decent steaks but reckons the Seychellois food is a bit bland. E.g. A chicken curry last night. We found some lovely restaurants, several of which were attached to posh hotels ( and were priced accordingly). Cathy has already talked about "The Pond" for her birthday..it was really something special. Cathy had her favourite: Rib eye steak and fries...brilliant. I had a seafood medley thing with fish, green lipped mussels, prawns, scallops etc.. Again very enjoyable. No picture from that night unfortunately. Last night we ate on the beach..more simple fare but ... read more

(SC writes) Yesterday we hired a car and toured Praslin. The waether wasn't great but it didn't matter too much as our first stop was at Vallee de Mai: a two hour walk and climb through an ancient palm forest and the home of the famous Coco de Mer. We covered up to avoid being eaten by bugs, but, boy was it hot and sticky. Worth it though and a very enjoyable look at the interior of Praslin. See pix of the infeasibly large nut with all sorts of sexual overtones and the frankly phallic male flower. (CJ: the female nut takes seven years to mature. It is contained within a fleshy, heart shaped exterior which must rot away pretty quickly in this climate, leaving a nut weighing 18kg or thereabouts. The male flower is about ... read more