The sucky thing about early spring is the unpredictable weather. While the south of Japan is getting beautiful sunshine and already enjoying the beginning of sakura season, Iwate is getting royally screwed. Yesterday there was a severe wind warning and all night, it snowed and snowed and snowed. Today, it's still windy and snowing. It's March! Enough, already! I'm going crazy trying to get through all the move out processes and just dying to spend all day outside again.
Like those terrifying little raptors in Jurrasic Park, I'm lurking in the dark inner sanctum of my apartment, scratching the floorboards and growling in hungry anticipation.
Just a week and a half from now, I'll be on my way! It's time I wrote down my itinerary for my family and friends' sakes...those who actually look at this weak little self-indulgent blog, anyway. Love you, guys!
Day 1, March 21
Move out day. Utilities Man will come and turn off all the knobs and gouge me for the last month's bill. Then I will lock the door, slip the key through the mail slot and turn my back for the last time on my apartment. I will walk to the station and take the train or shinkansen. I'm not sure yet if I will ride the "shin" all the way to Tokyo or if I'll get a night bus from Sendai. Ugh, decisions.
Depending on which I do, I do want to get to Kyoto for a day or two. Kyoto in spring? I'll weep bitter tears if I miss that!
March 24
Hiroshima Day 1. I want to make the pilgrimage to the memorial park, see the eye-sore statue, and learn a bit more about the Japanese perspective of the war. I learned a lot from my trip to Sendai last year and want to see what else has been glossed over in the US history books.
Day 2. Get out of the city area and see the coastline. There's a nearby island called Miyajima...you may be familiar with the orange tori gate in the water? Yeah. That place. There are also monkeys.
March 26
Fukuoka. Spending most of the day on local trains probably and checking in just in time for the night life to kick in. I need some Hakata ramen in my life...preferably without the pork and bone broth. Maybe I'll find Allan, too.
March 27
Sasebo Day 1-4! Back in Sasebo, I have a lot to do. Over the next few days, I'll meet with a local historian, investigate my grandmother's family records at City Hall (if they have anything), check out Nagasaki, visit the 99 Islands, and just get some more atmosphere of the area.
March 31
Fukuoka Flashback. I'll set up camp for a few days in a hostel and use that as home-base. Then, I'll check out the city life, ride the train west to check out the west coast towns and get my bearings together before finally leaving Japan.
April 3
FWOOSH! Off to Thailand! I'll land in Bangkok and spend two nights there checking out wats, night markets, and soaking up a new country.
April 5
Chiang Mai. I'll ride the train to Chiang Mai and enjoy the countryside the whole way. I'm spending one night in a hostel in the city center, so I'll check out some night life...maybe see a lady boy show.
April 6-11
Elephant Nature Park. I'll be picked up from Chiang Mai and taken to the northern jungle to stay at the ENP for a week.
http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/enp/en/visit-volunteer
The difference with this volunteer program is that this isn't about riding the elephants. It's about helping them and being a volunteer at their sanctuary.
April 12-16
Chiang Mai. Songkran begins! I'll be dropped off at my hostel for a few more nights in northern Thailand. I'll get to experience the big "water throwing" festival which actually marks the Thai New Year. The whole tradition of water sports began with bathing your grandparents' heads and feet in respect, but now it's all out water-war!
On the 14th, I'll take a break from getting doused in the streets by taking a cooking class at the Baan Thai Cookery School.
http://www.cookinthai.com/activities/activities.php
Prepare yourselves, friends: I'm cooking dinner for you!
April 17
Le ZIP! Off I go to gay Paris! These plans aren't so nailed down yet. My general idea is to stay just 3 days or so seeing the sights, checking out cemetaries, the Seine, Versailles, Notre Dame, Moulin Rouge, street art, the catacombs, and the foooooooood!
April ? - 23
Have Eurail pass, will travel. I want to trek around for a few days and be homeless, sleeping like a hobo on night trains while I spend the day checking out provincial towns.
April 24 - May 8
Amsterdam! On the 24th, I'll land in Amsterdam and check in to the apartment building I'll be staying in, take a long overdue shower and get ready for two weeks of exploration! My dad has a good friend in the Netherlands who I'm hoping will help me get my bearings and will recommend a few good "browns."
Some highlights on my list:
Museums
Parks
Flea Markets
Flower Markets
Red Light District
Cafes
Canal tours
Architectural Delights
Baked Delights
Art Shows
Delft, Hague and or Haarlem
Tulip fields and windmills
Day trips to Ghent, Belgium and north maybe to Edam for good cheeses!
And who knows what else! I'm open minded!
On May 8th, I'll catch a plane (the same airline my father took when he did his Euro Trip a good century and a half ago) and land hopefully at a reasonable hour and sans derecho Friday evening.
And here's a fun little thing: I'm bringing my camera of course, so if anyone who reads this has photographic requests during my trip, please let me know and I'll do my best to be accommodating! Do you want to see me can-can under the Eiffel Tower? Should I fist-bump a monkey? Want to see me eat raw pickled herring? I'm up to the challenge!
I just tried to post a comment and I don't think it went through -- oh me and technology -- so I will post again.....I know I already mentioned it, but I would love to see some pics from the elephant sanctuary.....it is an adventure close to my heart, and it is so cool of you to do and help out....And what an amazing adventure overall...so many cool places! Soak it in and have a wild ride!
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