Golden Week 2011 Travelogue

Date: 2nd May 2011

Objective: Riding lots of trains and hiking in the Minami Alps

Budget: 7,000 yen approx.

For our Golden Week holiday this year we wanted to save money by keeping all of our travels within our local area of Shizuoka, so I set about researching some day trip options for us.  This trip along the Oigawa and Ikawa Train Lines was suggested to me by one of my students who brought in some photos of his excursion.  It struck me as some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen in Japan.

Reunion

At long last! We have finally been reunited with our belongings!

Moving people to different countries is easy: just get a passport and away you go – sometimes at a moment’s notice. Moving a person’s stuff is quite a bit more involved. When Japan Luggage Express came to load all our boxes in a van and take them away, I was ecstatic. However, the feelings of “Good Riddance!” soon turned to longing once we got to Canada. I needed my stuff to bring familiarity to new surroundings.

Japan: A “To-Do” List

Our time in Japan has come to an end. The past three years have absolutely flown by thanks to many adventures into the country’s far-reaching corners. As with any love affair, my fascination is sustained by the limited nature of the beloved object. After three years of immersive experience, Japan keeps me coming back for more. Here is my list of things as yet undone: