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LIVE WITH ME THE EXCITEMENT OF TRAVELLING!!
Travelling is the first thing I will do If I won a million dollar (what an emagination!!). As a child, I've been with the family to Singapore, France, Turkey, England. Maybe that is why I like to travel. I invite you to share with me some of the loveliest memories of my recent trips. Journies to new nations, cultures, and worlds can never be forgotten....
Trip's pictures will be posted soon in (My Photos Gallery) ...........:)
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My Trip to Japan (June 2002):
This time, I went alone and I had to use Saudi Airline from Jeddah to Singapore and from there to Tokyo, I took the Northwest airline.
Day one (June 6th, 2002):
I arrived to the international Narita airport by 1:55 pm. You can find an information desk in the 1st and 3rd floor of each terminal. Also, ATMs, currency exchange offices, post office, Tactile flooring to assist visually-impaired people, and Japanese and Western restaurants are available in each terminal.
I took a transit train to Ueno station, Tokyo, for about 1920 Yen (~) and it took me 71 minutes to reach Tokyo. You will arrive Tokyo faster by using the JR (Japan Railway) train which is more expensive.
As soon as I arrived Tokyo, I went to the world cup 2002 sale office in Regus Hibiya Center and got my ticket for the match between Sweden and Nigeria in Kobe city. By the night, I took the JR Shinkansen (bullet train) for almost 2400 Yen to Kobe. I arrived Kobe in only 3 hours ( it takes 8 hours by bus) and find a room for 9600 Yen in Holiday Inn.
Day two:
As soon as I arrived Kobe, I can tell it is much cheaper than Tokyo. I took the Subway to the Wing Stadium and around the Stadium; I purchased my Nigerian team's T-shirt and colored my face with white and green. The match started by 3:15pm with a crowd of around 42,000. Even though Nigeria scored first, they lost the game for 2-1. Sweden tied Nigeria before the end of the first half and the Swedish crowd at the Stadium was loud enough to push their team to win after a penalty kick in the second half. However, I had so much fun and I enjoyed the game.
Again, it wasn't easy to find a hotel that night because of the World Cup visitors that day. The area next to the Shin-Kobe station has a lot of good and cheap hotels and many traditional cheap Japanese restaurants. Yet, I was lucky enough to find a local Japanese Inn to stay that night for only 6000 Yen (~). Typically in all over Japan, these kinds of hotels and some families who own their homes have traditional Japanese room to rent. A Minshuku is similar to a bed and breakfast and you rent a room in someone's house and eat meals together with hosts and other guests. Usually they only accpet cash. A more expensive and luxurious but still want to experience something Japanese will be the Ryokan (6000-9000 Yen).
For Ryokan Reservation in most Japanese cities, visit http://www2.eryokan.co.jp/e/list/13.htm
Also the Minshuku Center in Tokyo can be reached at (03-3216-6556, Fax:03-3216-6557) or e-mail aaa@minshuku.co.jp
Day Three:
I spent the day mostly visiting the Kobe beach and the port of Kobe. If you took the subway to harborland subway station, you can reach the port easily, besides shopping from the cheap and traditional shops in the Duo Kobe. Also, a stop at the sannomiya subway station will lead you to major streets with many traditional and exciting shops and restaurants. Parks, Temples, and Museums are the most visited sites after the port. An interesting fact is to know that the first mosque to be built in Japan is in this city in 1935. In night, I took the JR bus from shin-Kobe station to Tokyo. The trip will take 8 hours and cost about 8700 Yen. This means a cheaper way to get to Tokyo and saving the money that I would've spent if I arrived Tokyo early and had to stay the night in a hotel in Tokyo. (Remark: if you want to travel by bus between cities, try to reserve the ticket one day ahead since it gets crowded very often and tickets are sold by the early morning)
Day four:
The bus arrived Tokyo station by 6:45 am. I called a tourism company a night before to visit the Fuji Mountain. I met them in a hotel and our trip started by 8am as an international group of 20 other people. The trip took the whole day from the time we reached the mountain which is a live Volcano that elevates to 3776 meter above sea-level. The last eruption was in 1707. I was surprised to see some snow at the top of the mountain and we were in the middle of the summer. I claimed the mountain up to 3000 and couldn't continue! There were a big lake next to the Fuji Mountain and we had the chance to sail with a ship to the other side where spots of hot spring water are steaming out and Sulfurous gas is filling the atmosphere. I tasted an egg that they boiled in these spots and guess what? That egg was delicious! We arrived Tokyo back from our trip by early night and I spent my night in a local hotel. Remember that Tokyo is the most expensive capital in the world.
Day five:
I visit the Embassy of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic center. I also entered the Mosque of Tokyo that was built by Korban Ali who was an immigrated Tartaric Daiyah and funded by the Turkish Government in 1938 (http://islamcenter.or.jp)
However, an troubled occurred to the Kessie line which delayed my arrival to Narita airport and I had to stay one more day before leaving Japan with a compensated flight from the North West airlines.
Day six (extra):
The delay gave me the chance to visit the Ueno Park next to the Ueno station. In that park, you can visit the national museum of Tokyo and the national science museum. Usually you can get a free enter and English tour if you showed your passport there. Oh, do not miss the Emperor Palace. A fact says that the Emperor returned to Tokyo by the end of the Edo period in 1868 and the Meiji period started which formed the Japanese current industrial age and interactions with the outside world.
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What should you know about Japan?
1- Do not stick your chop sticks vertically in your bowel or food. This is usually done to dead people in traditional Japanese ceremony for dead loved people or for ancestors.
2- Do not say to a Japanese person "I like you." Usually to like someone in English means to like his personality or attitude. However, most Japanese think of like as a similar word in Japanese which is only said to a lover. To like in Japanese is like to love in English!
3- Bring a Japanese phrase book. Believe me; you will need this very much in Japan since most of them do not speak any English word.
4- Do not worry about menus in restaurants. Usually they show outside the restaurant plastic models of the special available plates.
5- Usually if you are going to ask in English, try to catch a group of young teenagers or professional business workers. Sometimes individuals and elders may fear foreigners or escape their questions since they can't speak English at all.
6- There are two types of bathrooms. A Western one and a Japanese style one which is almost like the Arabian one (a hole in the ground).
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