In Japan without a plan

It is 6 o'clock and I am awaken by some loud metallic noise. First I thought it was the air conditioner that might have broken (terrifying thought) but no, it is the japanese cicada! Yesterday evening I was wondering how strange it was, not to hear this tipical sound of SE asian summer. Here it is. Means we need no alarm clock. Furtunately, my daughter has a much more profound sleep than me.

My journey started well early in the morning. German Railways were punctual, for a change and I arrived in time in Frankfurt. The flight was pretty full and it took my daily share of patience queing all the way through the various normal procedures.

Finally take-off. Japan, I'm coming!

The flight was pleasant, even though we had some turbulences. When the stewardesses started handing out dinner and told us there was only meat rice, I mentioned that I had pre-ordered a vegetarian meal. I never should have done that! Three off them in panic mode searching for a solution! In the end I got a tray loaded with rice bols (plural!) and several vegatables (all delicious), twice as much as anybody else. Wow!

To pass some time I watched a movie from the chinese film collection. It was quite a nice story about some volontaries durind Corona pandemic. The most interesting thing though was to see how subtle they put propaganda in such a film. Very interesting.

Stopover in Shanghai. People are obsessed with power banks! You see signs everywhere warning how dangerous they have the slightest fault (that includes not having the correct coding printed on it).

Next flight, next meal, next turbulences. We took the long way over Korea, probably because of the typhoon over Kyushu.

FINALLY IN OSAKA!

The first impressions are humid air, gashapons and lots of people.

I am a little overwhelmed and definitively overloaded with my luggage. An hour later I meet up with my daughter arriving from Okinawa. Now I have my private translater with me! This is great as getting the correct ticket and findind the right entrance and plattform for the train heading into town is quite a challenge. Then it finally arrives and....... it is the "Hello Kitty" edition of the Haruka Express! If I didn't realized it before, now I know that I'm in Japan.

Watching the landscape passing by it becomes even more clear that I am definitively in another world. Everything looks so different.

Water reservoir with floating solar panels! Genious!

The weather is cloudy, hot and humid and it dawns on me that it might be more stressful than I thought. August is definitively not the very best time to visit Japan if you can choose. The way to our accomodation is not far but with all the luggage and the sultryness I am sweating like hell. Approaching Osaka's Koreatown we see a man on the other side of the street waving vividly. It is Mr. Choi who came in search for us. He takes my suitcase and us to the house. Fantastic!

On the second floor (floor 3 in Japan) a typical japanese apprtment awaits us: a kichen with low table and floor seats, a bathroom and one big all purpose room with sliding doors and wall cabinet. We will be sleeping on futons (my first time). It is a pity the tatami mats are covered with a PVC lining but understandable.

Mr. Choi has not finished being fantastic. He offers to drive us to Dotonbori after we got a little refreshed. So, we take a comfortable ride in a nice car with aircondition to downtown Osaka.

It may seem very touristy and it certainly is, still it is a place crowded with locals too. Very impressing with all the lights and people. We get the full programm on our first night. JPop show on the river shore included. And firts Okonomiyaki, of course.

We walked our way back home with a small stop at a Konbini to fetch dinner. After eating we still wanted to make plans for the next day but as soon as I touched my futon, I passed out in spite of my sore feet and hurting back.

I will call it a day!

Well, actually it's only 5 1/2 hours. Then it is time to get going.

Ready for take off?

Not that sure!

Then I think of all the great thing that are waiting for me!

Having so much still to do and departure getting close, I am becoming a little anxious.

I still don't get it but in a couple of days I will finally start my journey through Japan.

There is still a lot to prepare though.