I’ve been putting things into bags all day. The clothes were easy, it was the random trinkets that caused the most thought. What am I bringing to leave as offerings etc. I almost went to Shikoku instead of Kumano Kodo and there was an earthquake there just recently. Not a huge one but enough to remind me that I’m off to a place where tsunamis happen. I’ll be doing my best to appease the spirits of the land and sea out there with my trinkets and woowoo.
Next stop Shanghai for my 11 hour layover. I’m not sure how best to make sure I get there full of beans but I think it involves going to bed early today. The last thing I want is to miss an opportunity to see Shanghai because I’m too tired. So I’m running a bath and I’ll be asleep by 8, which is 3 in the morning Japan time. If I set my alarm for 3am and get up then all I have to do is get some Actifed once I’ve cleared security and send myself to byebyes on the plane. It’s almost twelve hours flight to Shanghai.
I’m sure I’ve forgotten loads of really basic things but it feels like I’m pretty well packed now. I wish I could find my travel pillow as that’ll be an expense again if I’m gonna sleep on the flight. Hark at be trying to be organised for once in my life.
My first few days in Japan are slow, to acclimatise. I’m mostly going to be checking out Osaka, tuning in and shopping. I’m gonna have to get to know the buses as I’ve decided not to rent a car, partly to make it cheaper and partly as it isn’t going to be about luxury solutions, this trip.
But it’s five past seven and I’m intending to be dead to the world in an hour. So I’m signing off and who knows what time the next blog will land, I’ll be somewhere very different.
AlBarclay 