The Red Centre 

It’s the time of Covid-19, we've been itching to change our surroundings like most other people around the world probably feel right now. So we made a plan, but had to keep it local for obvious reasons. August 2020 was kinder to Northern Australia than South. With Victoria still in Stage 4 lockdown, we were thrilled at being able to travel but still conscious of any possible change at any possible time. 

Our initial plan was a three hour round trip to Katherine and back via Kakadu which would take three days, however with lodge closures until 2021 and waterfall closures for various other reasons.. that didn’t happen. 

The second idea was then to hire a camper and drive to Alice Springs over three days, visit Uluru and then take the Ghan train back overnight. One night on the Ghan train is barely affordable at the best of times, but it was the dates and the feeling that there’s little point taking a scenic (expensive) train ride across landscape you have just driven through.  

So finally we settled on our third and final itinerary, which was to hire a car and fly back, taking 8 days in total to road trip to the Red Centre, seeing all the quirkiness in between. We used our Territory Tourism Vouchers to book some activities and notch up the luxury a little. It was my birthday after all. 

Darwin to Daly Waters

We broke the six hour drive from Darwin to Daly Waters by stopping in Mataranka to take a dip in the Bitter Springs. Mataranka is about four hours from Darwin and directly en route. Timing, and a homemade egg mayo sandwich lunch on the go, landed us in the water at around 2pm. We dipped into the warm, clear springs and before we knew it, a current was pushing us down the same path other swimmers were moving in. I say swimmers, I mean bobbers. They were all on pool noodles which was wise, while we had an arm workout to stay head above water. It was a nice enough doggy paddle down the creek. The overhead spiders were a bit of a surprise, and the odd slimy rock or branch would rub my leg, but hey, it’s the Outback. We were lucky there weren’t crocodiles. 

By about 5pm we arrived at Daly Waters Historic Pub. There is so much to look at. Allow an hour to get from the car to the front door. The pub was alive and stayed that way the entire time we were there, toning down briefly in the morning for cleaning and breakfast. The bar staff doubled as concierge, they were mainly working travellers from what I could tell. Young, Scottish and task driven.

Our accommodation was basic, but satisfactory and fuss free. The air-conditioning worked, the bed was square and the shower wet. We shared Barra bites (Barramundi), salad and chips for dinner, washed down with a few spiced rums and some ‘Hey Jude’ delivered by the local nightly entertainers; Lou Bradley and Phil. They appeared to be a favourite of the grey nomads in attendance, mostly fresh from South Australia.

After a little lie in the next morning, and a damn good Barista made coffee, we headed off to our next stop.

Daly Waters to Karlu Karlu

There are termite mounds dressed with clothing. This was an unexpected feature striding the Stuart Highway from; pretty much Katherine to Warumungu. We later asked a local why this was, and she simply said she wasn’t too sure, but that it was something that the locals just did. So we asked Google, and she said that it was a recent thing that had started with travelers and truck drivers driving up from South Australia, possibly just passing the time. 

Okay then.

Karlu Karlu or Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve is a few kilometers from Wauchope, which is where we had booked to stay. Devils Marbles Hotel was formerly known, or is also known as the Wauchope Hotel.

We passed by Tennant Creek on the way, an hour before arriving at our destination. I thought of a man I had met in Darwin who had told me he was from Tennant Creek, and had then moved to Darwin. I struggled to imagine growing up in a small, dry grid town like that. But I suppose there is more to it than meets the eye of a passer by.

The boulders called the Devils Marbles were impressive and we walked around them in the late afternoon, which gave the reserve a wonderfully warm glow about it. The rocks have eroded over time and so they look like their name. Not sure how the Devil comes into it.

Before settling into a bottle of Shiraz at our road-stop for the night, we took a dip in a freezing cold swimming pool at the back of the hotel. Our accommodation was a very basic cabin, enough to fit a bunk bed and a Queen bed, as well as allow you to open the front door to get in and out of the room. The bathroom was the size of a wardrobe. I’m so glad we got the bigger room at $135. What would $60 get you? A catheter? 

There was no wi-fi, anywhere, but it didn’t matter, we loved our visit. The hotel was full of history with original architecture drawings up on the wall and a pool table that had been used for everything but pool. We got chatting to another younger couple who were travelling back to Darwin and after an awesome dinner we retired to our built in caravan. We had been told the food was really good at this little hotel, and that wasn’t a word of a lie.

Alice Springs

Road trips are great, they force you to ponder and look around at the world. You’re not racing from one place to another if you plan things properly, and you’re not bent over a phone or some other device. You’re simply present, with whoever it is you are travelling with. Conversation at times, with comfortable silence in between.

We happened to pass over the Tropic of Capricorn without expecting to. We had crossed the same latitude previously in Namibia in 2017, which reaffirmed our initial thoughts at how the landscape mirrored the Namib desert and Soussesvlei. 

Alice Springs is a practical little town, laid out around the Todd River and at the foot of the West MacDonnell Ranges. We walked through the centre of town that Saturday morning, which was also election day in the Northern Territory. It was pretty vibey, although toning down as the afternoon drew in. 

After another freezing cold swim once we checked into The Crowne Plaza, we settled in to our cosy hotel room before realising we probably should have made dinner plans. Saturday night in Alice Springs - make sure you book a table somewhere is all I’m saying. We did manage to secure ourselves a spot at Saltbush after 8pm, a restaurant at the Hilton next door. The food was locally inspired and also really tasty. Our waiter was Mike, also from South Africa and now an Australian permanent resident.

On Sunday we spent the morning at the Desert Park which was a pleasant enough introduction to the local wildlife. I did not know that there are upside down rivers in the desert. This changed my perspective when I saw dry riverbeds later, surrounded by trees. We then headed to the Alice Springs Brewing Co. for a few tasters. This reminded us a lot of the Darling Brewery in the Western Cape.

We visited Simpsons Gap but didn’t do too much hiking, walking or viewing because I still had a troublesome knee after bashing it on the ground in a fall, running on dangerously flat ground.

After trying to find a restaurant that was open on a Sunday night, we luckily ended up at Monte’s which was very awesome. The eatery and bar were founded by the owners of Lola’s Pegola in Darwin, and so we felt special to have been to both. Both places have the same circus flare and grungy patrons. We felt like we’d found the Alice we were looking for.

Uluru

There are three routes from Alice Springs to Uluru. One is a sealed road, the other unsealed and the third I believe is partially 4 wheel drive only. We were eager to get to the rock, so we took the shortest, sealed route which would take us about 5 hours including a break.

We nearly ended up in a serious accident on this road. Two cowboys terrorising the road in their silver ute had sped up behind us, possibly 60km faster than the 110km we were doing. Their intention was to overtake, however a camper was on the other side of the road coming the other way. The absolute piece of chop that was driving the ute, suddenly overtook us on the left which took them off the road and onto the gravel alongside us. He then swung back onto the road in front of us and battled to straighten out (obviously at that speed), nearly hitting the passing camper and completely spinning out across the highway. 

My adrenaline took a good twenty minutes to lower down after that. Thankfully Colin didn’t budge and kept our vehicle solid and straight, without reacting to the potential of being hit from either behind, the side or smashing into the back of whatever train wreck they could have created. 

This should not feature so heavily in my wonderful rendition of a lovely Red Centre trip, but it was such a close call, and made me really angry, and then really thankful that we have had very few incidences in the thousands of kilometers we have driven around this world.

After a toastie at the roadhouse (listen to me, all Australian come American) we continued on to Ayre’s Rock Resort. The roads were in very good shape and the desert was a treat for watching through the car window. Red sand, small green bush, changing to trees in some spots and shapes similar to cactus plants. Rocky outcrops gave us the impression we could have been in Arizona. Haven’t been, so couldn’t be sure. 

When you first see Uluru (Ayre’s Rock), it really does stop you mid sentence. When I first heard about a big rock in the middle of Australia, I didn’t exactly jot it down on my bucket list. I figured it might be cool if I drove past it one day. In fact, Covid-19 probably ultimately got me there and I’m not sure if we would have made that trip if we still had all the options in world to us. That might be one little positive to take from a global crisis. 

It’s a 550 million year old rock, and I tell you, when you’re turning 45, there’s not a lot of other things that will make you feel young.

We did Uluru, and then some. On the morning of my birthday, Tuesday 25th August 2020, we walked ten kilometres around that big red monolith. If my knee had been in normal condition, I probably would have liked to run around it and cycle around it. However, I’m glad I was prevented from doing that, because an early morning walk and a few hours, meant we really took it all in. You see the catch phrase on some of the resort vehicles, saying “Touch the silence”. I get that.

Respect is significant in these parts. Anangu are the traditional owners of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, as well as the land that surrounds them. There is an aboriginal community nearby and signs around the rock request that you refrain from taking photographs in certain sensitive sections, as well as refrain from climbing it. There’s no need to climb it. Take the rock in for what it is. It’s about the land and the people that have lived there for generations, their stories and their peace. It’s not about you and whether you can get to the top or have a photo from a ledge. Climbing the rock was stopped in October 2019, after years of having respectfully asked people not to climb it.

After the walk, an icy cold swim, a margarita and a massage we headed off on a helicopter trip to see the sandstone wonders from above. I know right, what a day! 

Austin, the pilot of the Professional Helicopter Service, put me up front which was a delight. We had to wear masks on the way to the helicopter and on board. This was the first time Colin and I had put masks on, ever. We have been so lucky to be in the Northern Territory and have had no need for wearing masks. Our head gear also had the microphone piece moved up away from the mouth, so no one could ask questions until the end. Not a bad thing if you ask me. I remember the last flight we took over the Grand Canyon, the woman up front would not stop asking questions. Not cool when you’re hungover. 

We flew as close to Uluru as permitted, and to the 36 red rock domes of Kata Tjuta (The Olga’s) and then landed gently at the Airport. After a finger lime margarita back at the hotel, we then headed off on our final excursion of the day which was watching the sun set on Uluru with a glass of bubbly, follwed by experiencing the field of light. We managed a few glasses of bubbly before heading down to the installation, which was 380km of optical fibre lighting up 50 000 handcrafted glass stems. We were tipsy and wound our way through the stems of light which changed from red to green, blue to lavender and all sorts of colours in between. 

Uluru has only recently opened again after the impact of Covid-19. There are signs of a struggling tourism market, but with the support of the Australian Government I’m sure the region will be back to its former glory in time. We felt grateful to be able to visit during this time, grateful that we could contribute to tourism in the area and we were privileged to have had space to ourselves to enjoy everything without many other tourists.

Kings Canyon

When we arrived at Kings Canyon the following day, having driven three and a half hours from Uluru, we were welcomed with a warm ‘sorry we have no wi-fi and very few staff and activities due to around 90 staff members currently not working’. Our friend, Covid-19 again. 

Not a problem, they were open and still ticking over. It didn’t take away from the beauty of the Kings Creek walk or the sundowners viewpoint of the Canyon from afar. The rim walk is the thing to do at Kings Canyon. However, luckily for me I had my knee as an excuse not to walk up 500 steps on a steep cliff. Even if I had made it up there, I would have been petrified at the height. It was also 36 degrees that afternoon, a couple of stubborn flies and not in any way pleasant for a 3 to 4 hour walk. 

The bar and restaurant was the Thirsty Dingo. We did manage to scrounge up a sip from the bottom of an 1800 Reposado and after a dehydrated vegetarian pizza, we turned in, ready for an early morning start to get to Alice Springs Airport.

Some things to consider when you need to get from the middle of the desert to an airport in a set amount of time; 

1. Always set your alarm for fifteen minutes earlier than you think you need to. 
2. Fill up with fuel, even though you think your half tank should get you to the next gas station.
3. Just because there was wi-fi around a sacred rock in the outback, doesn’t mean it’s everywhere.

After several kilometres of unsealed, red, gravel road, an absolutely stunning sunrise, a little concern at having 300km to go on 310km of fuel and only 3 hours to do it, we did somehow manage to get to the airport. 

We were interested to fly, given the current health situation. We needed to wear masks but it wasn’t mandatory on the plane. There were only two flights going out of that airport that day, our flight to Darwin in the morning, and one flight to Adelaide in the afternoon. In under two hours we were back in Darwin, where masks were mandatory in the airport. There was a significant police presence, double the amount of airport staff and people squirting passengers with sanitiser and shouting ‘Are you unwell? Have you been in Victoria in the last 14 days?’ Speedy process though. 

And that was that. It was really one of the best trips I’ve had, and not only because it was adventurous and beautiful, but because of the appreciation that stems from taking things for granted before a global pandemic happened to humanity. 

A Detox Weekend Sounds Great. Until You Actually Detox.

An extra coffee a day has snuck in, you can't remember the last time you didn't have a glass of wine with dinner, and it's difficult to maintain a healthy relationship with your sleeping patterns. So one might decide a detox is in order, which is why I figured a two night break at a health hydro would be a fabulous idea.

The Grand Detox Plan

With my other half away at a conference, I decided a package stay at Brookdale Health Hydro would be a refreshing experience. I enjoy fruit and vegetables and exercise a fair bit, so the detox would not pose too much of a problem. It would be just another day. Just another organic, yoghurt coated, multigrain rice cake.

Brookdale offers yoga and pilates, health talks, daily walks and healthy organic food plus several other wellness related activities and treatments. All of this appealed to me. 

Yes, I have a few drinks from time to time, take a tablet when something aches and breathe in passing bus fumes, so I have a fair amount of toxins in need of some attention.

I arrived slightly later than anticipated on the first day, so I was ushered in, my bags taken to my room and I was straight into a tour of the facilities. I had to fill in a medical questionnaire, hand over my doctors name and telephone number and was given a blood pressure test. Fair warning, one might say.

The Courtyard and Rooms at Brookdale

Working Hard On Relaxing

The establishment is exactly that.. established. It's a smooth running operation with several staff members, all of whom greet you with the warmest smile. Walking along the passages, I couldn't remember the last time I'd heard leaves rustle and looking over the property, I felt refreshed. It was not clinical, not hotel like, nor overly homely. It was the perfect balance of rustic opulence.

I was there as a single, so my room suited me perfectly. For couples and those staying longer, a slightly larger room would be more comfortable. Especially considering the servings of beans, green tea and sprout like ingredients.

Yes. It's like that.

The meals are wholesome and filling, with a starter served at lunch before the main and a dessert served after dinner. There was no coffee, tea or alcohol of any kind. Trust me, I looked. Only water, lemons, fresh ginger, mint and a selection of herbal tea. Meals are plentiful and not restrictive. From roasted chicken and balsamic glazed tomatoes to poached eggs on corn cakes and sweet touches at appropriate times. There are also snacks like smoothies, nuts and fruit made available at tea times.

There is plenty to occupy time, it's understandable why people stay there for a week or two. Treatments are varied and specialist appointments with medical or fitness consultants can be made if requested before time. Apart from a library, two swimming pools, a jacuzzi and steam room, there are also rooms to knit and contribute to blankets made for the community. There are magazines and adult colouring in books. Not 'adult' colouring in books, just, you know.. books to colour in.

Anyway..

You can opt for a room with a television if you prefer. I did. I don't have television at home, so it was my treat.

Now if you're going to wake me up at 6.30am by knocking on my door, it best not be for Rooibos tea of all things. But there you have it, so it was. I should have put the ‘shhh’ bag outside the door. After all, it had been a wild evening prior, listening to a DVD on gut health in the presentation room.

As I was up, I decided to hit the gym. I was not in the mood for a group walk (what if everyone walked in their dressing gowns?). After breakfast at 7am sharp, I had a swim in the beautifully heated indoor pool, then a reflexology treatment, followed by a yoga class. The yoga was different to any of my previous experiences over the years. It was a moody, slow, yin session which included approximately five poses in total, each held for a borderline uncomfortable amount of time. The yoga instructor talked us through the process in detail, resulting in not only a physical practice, but an enlightening one.

Finally, I had my full body Swedish massage in the afternoon (included in the two night package). The deep muscle massage really sorted out the knots in my neck and shoulders; the ones I had just put there with gym, swimming, reflexology and yoga. 

After a shower and phone check, the dull pain in my head turned into a full on headache, and it was only at this point that a dinner companion who regularly visits the health hydro mentioned that she usually brings her own tea for a touch of caffeine, otherwise the detox renders her feeling quite terrible.
If. Only. I. Had. Thought. Of. That.

The Results

I figured going in cold turkey would be great, would be easy. It was only two nights, not a problem. But my word I had a cracker of a headache that night, and the next morning. Thank goodness I had bought the headache tablets along which I was going to leave behind as part of my whole 'wholesome experience'. I was now double dropping and searching the bottom of my handbag for a loose mint or something. 

My headache rendered me unable to do the walk the next morning (which actually was an excuse, I could totally have done it) but opted for the ‘shhh’ bag this time just to prove I was in control. 

I skipped breakfast as the shakes were creeping in and I couldn’t turn my head further than 15 degrees in any direction. I hightailed it out of there to get to the nearest Cappuccino station I could find. I sped into Piggly Wiggly and had, quite possibly, the best coffee ever created. 

This was after basically 48 hours of no caffeine or sugar. Healthy right? Maybe not so much. 

Cappuccino Retox

The bottom line

So I'll tell you what I've learned from this experience: Unless you're treating something more serious, don't go totally cold turkey. Maybe a tea bag of your own, a salty cracker or a little treat smuggled into your overnight bag. Just incase you need to taper down.

Don't try to do everything in one day. Yoga, reflexology and massage can be quite intense if they're done properly and Brookdale does things properly, so beware the after effects of trying to "fix" everything in one go, especially if you're not used to it.

Just because I'm not eating doughnuts for dinner every night, doesn't necessarily mean I'm eating well. There's plenty of room for improvement in my diet and energy levels. The wonderful, organic meals served at Brookdale were testimony to many of the natural nutrients I'm usually depriving my body of to save time.

It was a nice experience to do this solo, it put me in touch with me again. Here I am, writing a blog post after quite some time. My aim was to go up there and catch up on some work because I felt guilty and thought it was an opportunity to use the peace and quiet to get more organised.

Catching up on work is not always the answer. Turns out catching up on myself was.

8 things we wish Motel owners knew

If you've done a road trip or moved through a vast country on a budget, then no doubt you will have some familiar recollections of motel moments. We just hope motel owners stay in their own establishments from time to time, then they'll understand these 8 things we wish they knew..

White Linen

Floral print, scotch guarded linen from 1982 is unlikely to get you a booking unless your price is phenomenal. Go with white linen, please. I know it will show dirt but just buy some bleach, wash and replace them more often if need be. People like to see a clean bedspread, not something built to hide a magnitude of travellers dreams and nightmares.

Ain't no grandmother going to approve of this quilt

Shower

One of the things any traveller will look forward to, and what most motel and hotel owners already know, is that a little water pressure to ease a travellers aches, will go a long way. A solid see-through shower door is also good idea, instead of a shower curtain. We don’t want to be hugged by a wet and slimy piece of plastic. A little something or the other to put our shampoo on would be genius as well. I’m talented, but washing my hair with one hand and holding the shampoo in the other is going to be interesting in a small, wet cubicle.

Milk

A small jug of fresh milk surely cannot be that much more expensive than the little plastic milk tubs left in rooms. Plus, that's a lot of little unnecessary waste. While they aren’t the worst substitute for milk, there’s nothing like a cup of tea with fresh milk when you have been on the road all day or wake up in the morning with jet lag. It shows you care dammit. Just do it.

Wi-Fi

Either offer wi-fi, or don't. Please don't provide half baked, intermittent wi-fi with a password impossible to remember and which needs to be resubmitted every time you log on. There are enough frustrations when it comes to travelling, like language differences, transport options and plastic tubs of milk, so a little smooth sailing internet connectivity is right up there with a good nights sleep.

Beds

On the subject of sleep, a queen, large double, king, twin or whatever bed is absolutely fine. But please, don’t make me roll into the middle of it. I like my fiancé but I don’t want to sleep on his face. And the pillows? Normal is good. Not bricks, not water sachets, just a normal pillow. Much appreciated.

Pretty standard bed - does the trick

Suitcases

I understand that sometimes for a lower rate, the room is going to be small. Instead of putting in some odd coffee table that has no real use other than to hold promotional brochures, put in a fold away bench or chair of some sort. Two, so that two people can lay their suitcases on there and have easy access to their pj's. It’s a mission rummaging through your things in a bag on the floor. A little height will take you places.

Backpack

Hooks

A hook for a towel or two on the back of the door, as well as a towel railing? Maybe? You put signs up saying how we should be eco savvy and re use our towels, so please give us the courtesy of somewhere to hang more than one to dry. We are probably going to use them at lease twice. If it’s a beach front motel, then all the more reason.

Aroma

Absolutely nothing puts me off a room more than an old or wet carpet smell. If the carpets are old, vacuum them daily, refreshen and keep them dry. If the carpets are wet or damp from air-conditioning all day, replace the flooring altogether. Don’t try and cover up the bad smell with some cheap spray either, we know that trick, it doesn’t work.

Check Out

In some countries, 11am is check out time, even noon on occasion. In others it’s 10am. This might be too big an ask, but the later the better. If you are on the move, there is a lot to be done in the morning and just an extra half hour can make all the difference. If someone has to be on the road early, they will get going early anyway. If they have things to do and are running late, they will probably check out a little late anyway, so what have you got to lose? Take the pressure off us and give yourself another plus to advertise.

Time flies when you're having fun

Bedside

Most people now need to have their phones next to them when they sleep. If they are away, they may need the alarm for flights or sending drunken messages to their friends when they get home late. Some sort of bedside shelf is a must. If the room is small and there’s no space on both sides, then perhaps a headboard with a shelf. Not directly over the pillow either, because of the drunken part, but perhaps on the side. Added bonus: A power point near the bed so that phones can be charged overnight as well. Yes please.

Well there you have it. Simple right? But ultimately, we're glad motels exist as imperfect as they can sometimes be, otherwise how would most people get to travel America. And travel you must. 

Top Ten Japanese Moments

Honestly, I tried to keep this short but the memories are just too good. Like me, these are in no particular order. We arrived in Japan on the 31st of August 2015 and flew out on the 10th of September 2015.

The Streets of Tokyo

The streets were extremely clean and very organised. Everyone walked exactly where and when they were supposed to and all at the same time. Some street crossings are six way zebra crossings and everyone crosses at once. If you were to add music, you would have quite a performance. There seemed to be security guards everywhere, guarding construction sites, stations and things I daren't know about.

Arakawa River, Iruma River or Tama River

People moved around without hesitation and when interacting, were friendly without fault. Every couple of hundred meters was at least two vending machines containing a selection of coffee and water, some with fruit juice and green tea as well. It's little wonder everyone moves around so quickly.

There appeared to be a completely acceptable culture of avoiding fatigue with high doses of caffeine. We watched two gentleman sit down to a drink in a bar one afternoon and the first thing they did was pull out two little energy shots which they had purchased from the Family Mart. They downed this and then went on to have a few beers, smoke, drink coffee and chatter away very enthusiastically. 

The general day to day buzz of the city seemed geared at minimising disruption. There were decibel measures at building sites to monitor noise levels and the ambulance sirens were slightly muted, a less piercing noise than most cities. I even found the lighting inside rooms, hotels, commercial spaces and homes quite subtle. Advertising was the opposite of subtle, but it had its place and highlighted the beautiful chaos of the streets. 

Shinjuku at night, obviously

Hair Appointment in Shinjuku

On a four month trip around the world, I was going to have to get my hair cut and coloured at some point. Of course my breaking point came in Japan, land of no speaka de engela. My research involved asking the reception desk at our hotel and googling “english speaking hair salons in Tokyo”. The former didn't pan out at all. When I tried to phone the suggested salon, I had a one way conversation with a very confused and giggly Japanese girl. Option two gave me one or two suggestions so I basically headed in the general direction of where I thought these salons were. 

Not a great plan, however thanks to a sign on a building somewhere, I found myself in a tiny lift taking me up to the third floor to reach the hair studio which welcomed me with open Japanese speaking arms. After a little pointing at the clock, some calculator work and scissor hand gestures, I had a hair appointment for later in the day.

Sun starting to set at around 6pm in the evening

I arrived on time and was ushered through to my seat. The lady who greeted me at reception was also the hairdresser, the tea maker, the hair washer, cleaner and accountant. We so desperately wanted to have a conversation with one another but had to settle for a rather stilted; “Where from?” and “What age?” I’m not sure she understood my answers, or even her own questions for that matter, but we smiled and laughed and understood some common words like “colour”, “eat” and “Tokyo”.

She paid very particular attention to everything she did. My hair was vigorously washed twice and there were little details like framing my hairline with vaseline so as to avoid colour on my skin and covering my ears with little ear caps to avoid dying my ears. So thoughtful.  

After a couple of glasses of water, a green tea biscuit and about three hours, I left the salon feeling accomplished for having pulled that off, looking a little less scruffy and carrying about 8000 less yen in my pocket. All well worth it. 

Tokyo knows how to make a cappucino

A Ryokan in Hakone

We were wondering where to spend an evening before arriving in Kyoto, as our bookings had worked out in a manner which meant we had an in-between night. We looked at a couple of brochures in the hotel reception area and thought Hakone would be good, it was on the way and we could possibly gain a glimpse of Mt Fuji. Well tickle my feet if it wasn’t the most precious place I have ever visited. 

We purchased a Hakone free pass at the train station for two days, as everything we had read suggested that we do this for transport. It was the right thing to do. After arriving at Hakone Yumoto Station, we hopped onto the next train bound for Gora station. The train felt like an old carriageway and we wound our way slowly up into the mountains, zig zagging across from stop to stop. It was raining lightly and the vegetation was a deep green. We crossed ravines and bridges and chugged along without a care in the world. I didn’t want it to end. The train pulled into each station and stopped to let people on and off, and then it took off backwards again and continued to do this until it reached its destination. 

Train to Gora Station

Straight out of the train at Gora, we hopped onto the Hakone ropeway which was a cable car train basically, built specifically at an angle for that mountain. It pulled us up the very steep hill, stopping every few hundred meters. The doors would open one side at a time and the conductor would announce something in Japanese and then they would close and we would take off again. After around about three stops, we hopped off and our Ryokan was a few hundred meters from the stop. 

The surrounds en route to Hakone

Staying at a traditional Japanese Inn (Ryokan) was one of the things I was most looking forward to on our trip and I was not disappointed. We had booked into the Hakone Gora Onsen KaraKara and one of the reasons we picked it was because it had a private onsen. An onsen is a hot spring bath, which are sometimes private, but otherwise shared as a steam room or sauna would be at a health club. We were shown to our door by the hostess where we left our shoes neatly at the entrance. There were several rooms leading off the passageway, all with straw floors and in the middle of the lounge was a table with floor chairs. Just outside the lounge was the hot spring which was a round wooden tub with hot water flowing continuously. Wooden slats surrounded the patio and the view was a misty mountain with fresh rain falling all around. If this was heaven, them I’m good to go. 

Our hot tub

Having not eaten all day, we headed out first to find some food. The only place open in Gora was a pizza spot but I’ve yet to have a better Chicken Teriyaki Pizza or Moscow Mule. Make that three Moscow Mules. The hot spring water warmed our bones when we returned, slightly rain soaked, and the bottle of red wine we bought along helped us sleep on the floor for the first time since arriving in Japan. 

Our Ryokan lounge

The following day started with a proper Japanese breakfast consisting of green tea, noodles, potato salad, ginger and gherkins, rolled egg omelet and Horse Mackerel. That would be fish, not horse, as I briefly considered after reading about the latest Japanese delicacy to hit sushi bars. 

The Shinkansen Bullet Train

The Japan Rail Pass is a must for anyone planning to head out of Tokyo. This gets you on to the Shinkansen, or bullet trains. I spent a good half an hour standing on one of the platforms trying to get a video of one. The first one, I turned around to ask Colin something, and missed it. The second one, I blinked. The third time, I literally stood there and waited holding my phone up in the air, and I finally got one passing by. 

At the platform, awaiting very fast train

The thing to do on the Shinkansen is get a Bento Box, as most of the commuters do. I did not have this opportunity as most of the time I didn't eat on the train. The last trip from Hiroshima back to Tokyo would have been the opportunity and Colin sort of took advantage of this, however we only had about ten minutes to get something and it was still fairly early in the day so I opted for coffee and sandwiches. His was wonderful. I'm still trying to figure out what Burdock root sandwiches are. 

The restroom of the train was fully automated, and very spacious. This, I also only discovered on the last trip or I would have spent more time in there playing with all the sensors. 

The trains are spacious, fast, comfortable and they have sockets to charge your electronic equipment. Coupled with the tray tables, coat hooks, food trolleys and scenery, they basically put air travel to shame.

Oysters on Miyajima Island

We missed the first ferry over to Miyajima Island because I needed to go to the ladies when we got off the train. For the first time in Japan, I was confronted with no loo paper, there was actually a notice on the door which said that you had to purchase from the station. I had little time, no tissues and no change on me either. I was looking perplexed about to head to the station when a very kind Japanese lady offered me one of her tissues. And that just sums up how very helpful and considerate the Japanese people were to me, to us. 

After a lovely and overly expensive coffee, (which in all fairness came with water, green tea, several bows, thankful hand gestures and a little gift) we headed over on the ferry to Miyajima Island. It’s every bit as quaint and beautiful as they say and the deer really do eat whatever they can get their teeth into, including my fiancé. 

Deer Lunch

There were numerous stalls selling all sorts of touristy bits and pieces, but rightly so. We tried deep fried oysters and Miyajima locally crafted beer. Wonderful. The Croissant rusks were a must try, and didn't make it off the island.

Croissant Rusk

The Ropeway up Mount Misen

Whilst on Miyajima Island, we started following signs and headed toward the Ropeway. Because, who wouldn’t? 

Ropeway signage

Before we knew it, we bought one way tickets of 1000 yen each to take us to the top of Mount Misen and we would walk back. It was about halfway there, swinging about in our carriage and looking down at the vast, thick vegetation below, that I decided I would be taking the cable car back again. How I was going to break this to Colin, I was not sure. I held thumbs that they served beer on top, this would help me no end in my quest to lazy out. 

On the ropeway, from our cable car

So we arrived on the mountain and the surrounding ocean and islands were absolutely beautiful. I can’t pronounce any of them, but they were gorgeous. We took a couple of pictures and then I breezily commented on how they make an extra 200 yen off the people who think they will walk back until they see the distance and then purchase a ticket back. Colin was not having any of it though, so we continued on foot. I was feeling put out at having to hike Japanese mountains without being fully prepared. After passing several older gentlemen and a lady in high heels, I thought perhaps I should toughen up a little.  

View from Mount Misen

And so we commenced with our decent through the treacherous mountain terrain. Only we didn’t go down, we seemed to keep going up. We sort of went the wrong way, and once we reached the absolute peak of the Mount Misen, about a bucket of sweat later, Colin conceded that he’d gotten the hike out of him and that we should head back on the Ropeway. I’m glad we did that hike to the top, albeit sort of unintentionally. We really did feel on top of the world for a few minutes. Us and anyone else who made it. 

On top of the World

Fighting Ninja’s in Nakanocho

We knew it would be cheesy, but we had to do this dinner theatre interpretation of a Ninja show. It was affordable, close by and included an authentic Japanese dinner. We threw some Japanese beer and whisky down out throats before arriving at the venue just before the start time of 8.30pm. We were served our drink on the house and a round platter of Japanese bites. They were all delicious, from the purple ninja california rolls and the snapper sashimi to the chicken meatball squares and seaweed noodles. No really, it was fabulous. 

Japanese beer and whisky before the show

The show kicked off with much narration from the Ninja’s on stage. They would talk for about three minutes in very fast Japanese, followed by one or two english words which may or may not have been an interpretation of what was just said. Just as we were wondering how this was all going to pan out, I got pulled up to learn some Ninja moves on stage which I then performed in front of all eight people that were there. Including one with a cell phone video camera. Thanks Colin. 

After my sterling Ninja performance, the show became very entertaining with a vague storyline of Ninja’s fighting one another. The high definition wall screens behind the stage were vey effective and the grand finale was a massive monster prop which satisfactorily ended the entire performance to manic applause from all, including me. 

Eating Sushi at Musashi in Kyoto

We asked at the visitor centre in Kyoto about a sushi restaurant to eat at in the area after booking some shows. Not that there was any lack of sushi whatsoever, we just weren’t sure which would be a good option. Our helpful consultant pointed us in the direction of Musashi on the main street. We poked our heads in and noted a line of people sitting on a bench, waiting their turn to have sushi at the very full sushi conveyer belt. 

We didn’t wait long because they don’t mess around. The sushi is created and loaded on the conveyer belt at quite a pace and those spotted around are eating it just as quickly. Before long we were placed on stools at the sushi conveyer bar and given small ceramic mugs to pour our green tea, straight out of a hot water spout on the counter. 

A stream of delicious looking fish and rice concoctions paraded past me and I started with something I hadn’t had before, crunchy pork california rolls, very delicious. Candied sweet potato was also a wonderful new discovery. I went on to salmon nigiri which was so tasty I went on to another dose of salmon nigiri. A number of fish delicacies passed me by which looked wonderful but were not quite up my alley, these being fattier tuna and salmon and other types of raw white fish meat. Calamari was also a topping, as was prawn, and horse. Not the fish this time, the horse you ride on holidays in the Drakensberg. 

A view of Kyoto from Kiyomizu temple

We learnt that the dishes were coloured differently according to whether they had wasabi in the food or not, and one dish was more expensive than the others, but that was all. They also handed us a coloured plate for the beer we ordered so that all was tallied up by plates at the end.

We loved this meal, neither of us wanted to leave, but we eventually did and our seats were allocated before they even had a chance to cool down. 

A morning ride through Kyoto

We scooted down from our room fairly early on our last morning in Kyoto to claim the bikes which were available for guests to hire. We paid our 600 yen for three hours and despite several warnings from the reception desk that is was going to rain, we finally hopped on to our bicycles and headed off. It was a nice cool morning, not too cold and not hot. It was around 8.30am on a Sunday morning so the streets were quiet.

Our bikes in Kyoto

Our plan was to visit a temple further North of our Ryokan. The temple was a recommended tourist spot, so we thought it would make a good spot to head to. Unfortunately it was a bit early for things to be happening and we couldn't really access it, but we were there more for the journey that day and not so much the destination. As is usually the case.

It would so happen that the very flat Kyoto suddenly developed hills now that I was on a bike, but most of that battle was undertaken on the way to our first stop, so the ride back was a cruise downhill with a brief stop for a coffee. The rain started coming down just before we got back on our bikes but it was light and created a fresh morning mist and a crisp smell of fresh water hitting the warm pavements. There were a few people going about their business, finishing off their bakery duties, waiting for the bus, reading the paper and having a smoke outside their doors as we glided past and became part of Kyoto life for a short while.

The Kyoto Imperial Palace Park

Before heading back, we rode around Nijo castle and its moat. We opted not to go in, we had enjoyed our ride and needed to get busy checking out. We proudly handed the bikes back in one piece and not too wet. I felt better leaving Kyoto on that note, it had been such an amazing place to be and the ride gave me the opportunity to breathe it all in.

A Day in Ginza

We were booked into the Mitsui Garden Hotel in Ginza after arriving back from Hiroshima, partly because it was close to where we would be meeting someone for dinner as well as the station for easy access to and from the trains and airport. 

What a wonderful place to stay. Our room had large windows overlooking the buzzing streets and we were eye level with many of the high rise buildings along the road. It rained from the moment we arrived in Ginza, to when we left about 70 hours later, so there was a continuous supply of romantic rain drops on the glass. You could play some tracks from Lost in Translation and stare out of the window for hours, the only interruption being the motion activated toilet seat. There is a different level of investment into restroom facilities in Japan, they are finely engineered pieces of work, superior to most of our basic equipment back home in South Africa. 

Rain soaked Ginza

Colin and I split for the day, he was going to check out a fish market and electronics and I was going to do some shopping. Everyone in Tokyo was so well dressed, I was feeling very drab.  Besides that, it’s also a girls pleasure to peruse the boutiques, restaurants and streets at her own pace, investigating and stopping to look at all sorts of different things. So that's what I did. My pace was slow because it was pouring with rain and I could only walk so fast in rubber slops along a wet street. 

I ducked in and out of Abercrombie and Fitch, GAP, the Lumineer, Marronier Gate and Printemps. Everything was a bit pricey for a traveler on the Rand but I managed a sale item or two. I stopped later in the day for a coffee and a bite to eat, but unfortunately the cafe I picked did not have an English menu. I therefore ended up having iced coffee and a sweet potato waffle biscuit. It was interesting. 

I eventually headed back to our hotel room and Colin and I then went out to a little spot near out hotel for a Moscow Mule. We had been there the evening before and really enjoyed the ambience. The restaurant was below street level with red brick walls and dark wood pillars. They served tapas style food which included everything from fish to meatballs, chicken and potato-salad salad. I was noticing a trend with the potato thing. We just had a drink and a tuna bite to try it as we were going for dinner later in the evening. The restaurant was popular with the after work crowd and smoking in restaurants and bars is not only permitted in Japan, but very popular. 

The end of our Tuna bite and Moscow Mule

We had co-ordinated travel plans with Robin, a friend of Colin’s from Scotland, so that we would be able to meet up for dinner the day he arrived and the day before we left. Robin is a travel writer from Scotland and so he kindly offered to include us on his dinner plans which included reviewing the Peter at The Peninsula for dinner. 

We were certainly spoilt. Not only was it a pleasure to meet Robin and hear about his fascinating career as a travel writer, but we were able to do this from the 24th floor of a beautiful restaurant overlooking the glowing streets of Tokyo. The food was a different level as well, my charming and punchy ginger and carrot soup starter perfectly accompanied the rain outside, paired with a recommended Chardonnay. The boys had scallops and tuna carpaccio, both of which met with suitable admiration. 

While the men feasted on their red meat and red wine mains, I devoured my grilled Salmon fillet with a range of vegetables and salad to compliment it. It was out of this world. Colin is still raving about his Wagyu beef too, several weeks later. Finally, I opted for the chocolate Sundae dessert, purely for review purposes of course, while the two of them sipped on a fine Japanese whisky.

Chocolate Sundae at Peter at the Peninsula

After dinner, we headed off to two nearby bars to sample their beers, limoncello, grappa, wine and anything else they would serve us. What a great time spent with great company. Just a few hours sleep and then we were up to catch our bus to the airport to fly out. Not our freshest morning.

So while these top ten Japanese moments made my post, there were a dozen more moments that I will never forget. I don't know why I didn't go to Japan before, I feel I've missed out on the Japanese way of life to some extent. It's calm, positive and respectful which are qualities I aspire to.

I intend to return and I'm already looking forward to it.