I just have to repeat this:
God pre-arranges our trips. He knew the travel arrangements we would need.
When my niece Angeli was
preparing our travel package, she suggested we take the bullet train from Tokyo
to Osaka. It was the fastest way to go and would have been a novel experience
for us. But her mom, my cousin Belle, who knew my packing habits very well,
cautioned me, “You will have to pack light. Bring only a small luggage with you
because it will be inconvenient with a large one or several bags.” Those were
the days when I had not traveled in a long time and had no clue about packing
for travel correctly. So, I said, “Are you kidney? Me? Travel light?” So, we
settled for the chauffeured van, which turned out to be a blessing considering
the sprained ankle I was going to be afflicted with. The boys really preferred
the bullet train so I promised that the next time we are blessed to visit
Japan, we will take that.
 |
| Japan road trip via a comfortable van |
What should have been a
2-hour and 30-minute train ride from Tokyo to Osaka on the shinkansen became a
2-day leisurely road trip with an overnight stop at a hotel in Shizuoka. Which was
perfectly fine by me because we got to see more of the countryside.
Our first stop was at a
roadside market complex where Buddy got cold Japanese coffee and Toyoko, our
guide, bought grapes for us (I told you she’s such a sweetie).
We saw Mt. Fuji peep a
little from behind the clouds. It was autumn when we were there, and it was not
the ideal time to see Mt. Fuji in all its splendor so I was grateful for that
small blessing.
 |
We took a breather by
Yamanaka Lake where I was delighted by swans: real ones and swan boats, a swan cruise
ship even.
We also did a bit of
shopping at Gotemba Premium Outlet.
What was most interesting
for me was a peek at Japanese life that normal tourists don’t get to see.
Toyoko brought us to the scuba diving shop of her friend. We had a snack with
her former diving instructor and his dog and experienced using a traditional
Japanese toilet with the seat right smack on the floor.
The next day, we made a pit stop by another scenic
spot, Hamana Lake. By early afternoon, we were in Osaka to tick off a longed-for
destination in our bucket list. (Watch out for that in my next post.)
Even if we missed the bullet train, I must say it
was a treat to experience the excellent roadways of Japan.
Travel tips:
1. Invest
in good quality luggage for international travel. Jaffy had a small luggage
that was a gift to all the teachers in their school which was fine if it was
not going to be roughly handled as I guess they do with checked-in luggage.
When we got to Haneda Airport in Tokyo, one of the wheels had broken off and
there was a hole where it was supposed to be. It was a good thing we did not take the
shinkansen to Osaka, so he managed until the end of our trip. We had to tape it
up well (and pray intensely for the safety of the contents) for our flight back
home.
2. When
and if you can, spend even just a little time with the locals. It will deepen
your travel experience and broaden your understanding of their culture.
