Quicky: it has been predicted all day, but whereas in the afternoon and evening there was only insignificant rain, presently it’s pouring, it seems.
Quicky: so with the apāto (apartment) I’m currently staying in (still in Ōsaka), was something wrong when I checked in. It turned out it had not been cleaned sufficiently (or at all). After making a complaint about it, it got sorted: I got a refund and the apāto was cleaned during my second day.
Yeah that was a bit of an unpleasant surprise. But the futon and shower were operational, so to speak and that’s ultimately all that mattered to me. Getting the refund was a nice bonus.
Quicky: if you need to purchase a subway ticket, please just insert some money first, before operating the dispensing device. It will make things so much easier.
That is, you cannot make proper selections about your ride on the ticket machine, before you insert money.
(also from the Reverses ‘r Us department)
Quicky: everything is smaller in Japan. Apāto (apartments), kuruma (cars), hito (persons).
Some things are definitely bigger: ringo (apples) and other vegetables and fruits. I suspect genetic engineering… The apple did taste as expected though.
[edit]
I later learned that farmers simply let the apples grow bigger. As in: invest more time into them. I’m not really convinced… But what do I know?
Quicky: at the moment I’m underway back from Nara to Ōsaka. I have lots of time to spare tonight, but not so much interest in sanpo o shimasu (walking) lots more.
Fortunately, I have the ability to travel all the way to Fukuoka and beyond, by Shinkansen. I like that idea. 🙂
Unfortunately, I won’t be getting back to my my apāto (apartment) anymore today.
So, we’ll skip this idea for now.
Quicky: renting a bicycle at Nara station was so totally worth the money when you add moving around quickly to not making existing blisters any worse. Huzzah!
I even got driving on the left side of the road down. xD Misa blending in sa!
Quicky: if there’s a need for it, the Japanese will cater to it. Like mentioned before , apparently it was necessary to have a sign that asks to refrain from gurgling.
Now, there also appears to be a need for women-only carriages in densha (trains), in regard to them being groped otherwise.
Quicky: some things never change. No matter where in the world I am, bugs will find and bite me. Lots.
Thursday 29th October
Today I got up early, had some breakfast and quickly checked out of the hoteru (hotel) in Himeji. A brisk walk back to the eki (station) was all that stood between me and the Shinkansen back to Ōsaka.
It still is a wonderful feeling to get on that densha (train) like it’s nothing more than a glorified chikatetsu (subway train) . xD
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Quicky: as I sit there on the sidewalk, just reading a bit and waiting to be able to check-in, an elderly man comes up to me and asks if I’m lost. When I say I’m not, he excuses himself but joins me anyway. I’m amused because I think he would like to practice his English skills, which are relatively good, I’m happy to say. A short but pleasant conversation later (about where I’m from, amongst other things), the man says goodbye and is on his way again.
Fun fact: he mentioned that he’s 62 years old and learned English in high school some 45 years ago. Well done, sir, well done.
Not so fun fact: the poor fellow got surgery just a couple of weeks ago for having cancer, intestinal cancer if I’m not mistaken.
Quicky: while in Ōsaka, I took a train from Fukushima eki (station) to Nishikujo eki. There I transferred to a non-JR line, so I had to buy a regular ticket. After transferring and getting off at Kujo eki, the gate wouldn’t let me through. The puzzled expression on my face, quickly drew the attention of an employee. He indicated that I had to pay ¥60 (about €0.48) more to complete the trip. Woops. Sometimes freedom comes cheaply. xD
Quicky: so, this morning I was sitting somewhere in Ōsaka, eating some more sushi, when an ambulance (bearing siren and lights) came by and tried to cross the intersection. To my amazement, it appeared as though no driver (of any automobile) tried to give way to the ambulance. Astonishing. I hope I registered that wrongly. And if not, I hope I won’t have a need for an ambulance while being over here.
Quicky: in the Netherlands, we have a silly joke: It’s yellow and when it gets into your eye, you’re dead. Guess what? Of course it’s a NS train (with them being yellow obviously).
Over here in Japan, I made up another joke: It’s white and if it doesn’t get into your eye, you will be dead. Guess what? Of course it’s a Shinkansen, passing by at 1 foot distance.
After getting on the right Shinkansen but before it departed, another one passed the eki (station) on the middle most track. It made the entire train tremble with me along with it.
If you though that regular intercity trains where no fun when passing you by, try a Shinkansen.
(And yes, I am totally calling this fun. W00t!)
Quicky: you leave a copy of your passport when you check out of your hoteru (hotel).
Quicky: so, I got out for breakfast in the hoteru (hotel) restaurant. Even before I was fully seated, the servant was already busy preparing my breakfast.
How I could tell she was busy with my breakfast specifically? Of course I was the only gaijin (foreigner) present and the only one (presumably) who ordered a western style breakfast. And that was exactly what she was preparing: a western style breakfast.
Combine this with the fact that when I got back to the hoteru last night, when the employee knew exactly which room key to give back to me, before I mentioned anything to him and you might see where me taking notice of these things came from.
Either the Japanese are very helpful, mindful and basically very good at what they do, or they’re being very presumptuous. I’m convinced it’s the former.
Wednesday 29th October
More walking.
This morning I had to check out a bit early, so I quickly gathered my stuff and walked to the basutei (bus stop) . Having ridden with the basu (bus) before, this time I confidently got on board, waited for arrival at Hiroshima eki (station), paid for the fare (while apparently somewhat amazing the driver) and got off. Off to the Shinkansen! Booyah!
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Quicky: when walking around town late in the evening, you know you left the touristy part when a random Japanese passing by on his bicycle asks you if you are lost.
Quicky: I read that it’s not done to blow your nose in public in Japan. OK, then I won’t. But slurping your noodles appears to be perfectly OK. I cannot decide which of both I prefer to not hear.
Fun fact: the moment I got to the airport in Ōsaka, there was a sign next to a water tap specifically asking people not to gurgle. OK. A minute later when using the rest room, I hear someone gurgling.
Right, so there actually appears to be a need for such a sign.
Quicky: so apparently Halloween is a thing in Japan.
Pics will follow.
Quicky: as mentioned before, bicyclists ride among pedestrians on the sidewalk. I was remembered of that this afternoon, when I was almost run over. Yes I should have watched over my shoulder before sidestepping. My bad.
Anyways, many roads have got no sidewalk at all. Just so you know. On the other hand, if there is a sidewalk, it will have a guiding strip for the blind. Almost guaranteed.
Guiding strip for the blind (Backstreets (Hiroshima day time))
Quicky: at the moment I’m in my hotel room in Himeji, the first place I’m at that’s outfitted with a television. xD It was an hour definitely well spent, watching Japanese commercials and such.
Japanese TV while in Himeji
Quicky: I have gotten the distinct feeling that I occasionally see Japanese versions of people I know (either personally or from elsewhere).
Quicky: getting on the rail platform is easy. You show your JR pass to the employee in the booth and you’re granted passage. When getting off the platform, don’t just follow the rest of the travelers because you will get caught in the gates. Instead present your JR pass again to the employee in the booth and you’re good to go.
Fun fact: I’m getting more and more convinced that Japanese really like doing things backwards. Instead of the gates opening when you “check in” with some ticket (except the JR pass), they close when you do not. (i.e. by default they are open, instead of closed, like in the Netherlands)
Quicky: while the bus that took me to Rosekitamachi was not really noteworthy, I’d say, the bus that took me back to Hiroshima eki (station) was something else that made me take notice of some things.
Firstly, in general what’s different to what I’m used to is a) getting on the bus not near the driver’s seat, b) paying with cash for every fare afterwards and c) getting off at the front of the bus. Maybe Japanese like doing things in reverse..
Secondly, while the first bus I took appeared relatively modern, this bus I took this morning was definitely old and almost rickety. I even noticed that it had a manual gearbox, whereas the first bus had a stop-start system, as made famous by Volkswagen’s Blue Motion technology.
Yes, opposites, the Japanese haz dem.
(presently waiting for the Shinkansen headed for Himeji, my next stay)
Quicky: is there a thing as someone being too friendly to you? So much so that’s it’s beginning to get creepy? Yes, definitely. Is that the case with Japanese? (eg: clerks, servants, salespeople) I shouldn’t say so… Honestly, this is something to very easily get used to.
Tuesday 28th October
Yes, I did the walk. And didn’t even get blisters. Huzzah!
OK, what I mean is that today I’ve been mostly walking, all around parts of Hiroshima and Itsukushima (an island off the coast of Hiroshima and better known as Miyajima).
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When it comes to traffic in Japan, some things are the same whereas some things are not. Yes, Captain Obvious is reporting for duty.
As said, pedestrian crossing indicators tweet like birds (more on that at the bottom of this post) and the fact that bicycles generally ride among pedestrians on the sidewalk was also already mentioned. That traffic goes on the wrong side of the road (left not being the right side), was probably also already common knowledge.
However, something that you have to quickly get used to is a completely different thing.
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Quicky: if you think that we in Europe have a problem with over packaging everything in plastic? Think again… In Japan, even if you buy one pre-packaged sandwich, in plastic, you get a small plastic bag in which to take it with you.
Quicky: there be pigeons over here (still in Hiroshima). While that is not a surprise to me, it did surprise me that they are way, way less forward than I’m used to.
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