Transport

We all have bikes to get around. Mine doesn't have any gears, and I have to ride very upright or else I end up with my elbows tucked against my ribs. I felt incredibly unsteady, until I figured out that you're not supposed to ride it bent forward like you do on a "modern" bike. They all have a basket on the front. We've been riding around town a bit, and it's quite an experience. Nobody wears a helmet, and sharing the road with the (rather slow moving) vehicles is a bit intimidating on such narrow roads. Then we rode down a mall. The mall was packed with both pedestrians and cyclists, all somehow managing to avoid each other. If you want to go into a shop, you just park your bike outside, and head in. All the AETs who have been here a few days are feeling saddle sore, but that is something we have yet to enjoy. It's quite easy going though, as, unlike cycling in Aus, you just amble along slowly, as it's not possible to get any speed up in the traffic. As an aside, we were riding around in business suits. We're definitely not in Aus anymore!

Our humble abode

We have our own apartment. It's bit old and shabby, but I'm very excited to have a place of our own that we can (within budget constraints) decorate how we want. We have two rooms each with a size of 6 tatami mats (a mat is 91cm x 182cm. We have one room set up as a bedroom, and one as a living room/office. There is also a pretty large kitchen/dining area (with a dining table to seat 1), and a bathroom with a fairly large area outside it. Yesterday, we vacuumed it out thoroughly, and re-arranged furniture, and today I went shopping for a few basic home supplies. As Hunter and I are the first married couple, we needed to buy bedding for ourselves (last night we slept on separate single futons). I bought a double set, including a double futon (thin mattress that goes on the floor), feather doona and 2 pillows for a little over $200, which I think is pretty good, considering what you'd pay in Australia. Also found nice sheet set for a reasonable price, and a few other bits and pieces. Sill need to get a few more things (such as a dining table), and some fabric to spread over shabby furniture. I'll post some photos when it's nice, Hunter has some of before and after the clean up already.

Other interesting things to note - the washing machine walks all over the bathroom in a spin cycle, and we don't have an oven :-(. Overall though, I'm very happy.

We're in Japan!

Well we had an early start this morning, waking up 5am, and arrived at our hotel room just short of midnight, Australian time (11 here). The flight was uneventful, watched The King's Speech, Red, and also managed to both start and finish a book.

The fun started when we hit Kansai Airport. Due to flight pricing and a specific allocated arrival date, we decidced that it would be best to arrive a day early (much cheaper flights), and stay in a hotel, to be picked up the next day. This may have been an ok idea, but we should have made sure the travel agent booked us a hotel close to the airport. As it was, we got in a taxi, and enjoyed a nice trip into town that only had me feeling unsafe sporadically. Then when we got close to where the hotel was, it became apparent that the taxi driver didn't know exactly where he was going (the Japanese addressing system is crazy). He drove around for a bit, then stopped the metre, admitting he wasn't exactly sure where to go. He drove around for a bit, nad we thought we found the hotel, so he dropped us off there. It wasn't the right hotel... However, the friendly receptionist gave us a map and showed us where to go. Another 15 minutes or so of walking around with alll our luggage, and we reached the hotel.

I've had a shower now, so feeling mostly human, going to crash now. We will be picked up at 10:30 tomorrow morning and taken to Takatsuki (assuming they can find the hotel to pick us up from, I'm not feeling entirely confident about that one after today's experience...)

At any rate, we're safely in the country, and with a night's sleep, will be ready for whatever adventures tomorrow throws at us.

Travel Plans

We have had many people ask us if we are still going after the earthquake/tsunami disaster and nuclear power plant issues that have struck Japan (as well as a few suggestions that an extra head could be an improvement).

At present, we are proceeding to pack and continue to make plans for our trip. Takatsuki has not been affected by the earthquake/tsunami (except some minor tremors) and is over 550km away from the damaged Fukushima power plant, and not in the path of the prevailing winds. Needless to say though, we are carefully watching developments, and checking multiple sources for travel advice. Takatsuki International Association will not hold us to our contracts if we wish to pull out due to safety concerns. Hopefully, the next week and a half will see the reactors brought under control, and a better understanding of radiation spread.

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