Sushi, Shrines and Shinkansen; 8 Days in Tokyo and Kyoto
May 3rd, 2011, 10:39 AM
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<b>Flight on SQ11 LAX to NRT</b>
We left Los Angeles on a Friday afternoon and arrived in Tokyo on Saturday night. This flight was supposed to be on the new Airbus A380, but after the earthquake, Singapore decided to delay the launch for the new aircraft on that route. Instead it we were on a 777 both ways.
Because we bought the package though a travel agent we were unable to pick our seats in advance. No amount of phone calls or emails to Singapore or the travel agent could change this. I was never able to get a reason as to why this is their policy either.
Forty eight hours in advance, we were able to check in online and selected two aisle seats in middle section with an empty seat in between. But we gambled and lost and had a guy sitting between us for the entire flight.
It’s been over a decade since we’ve flown on Singapore Airlines and while they are known for Business and First, Economy is also pretty good. The seat pitch is tight, as is the recline, but there are good footrests and the food was decent (we selected the Japanese meal both directions). They even have good snacks available between meals. The wine however, was awful. The entertainment system is excellent; a 10” screen at every seat with video on demand. I watched 3 movies on the flight over and could have watched more.
We arrived around 7 PM on a Saturday night and it was very fast going through customs/immigration. There was no line at all and our bags were coming down when we arrived. As part of our package, we had tickets for the airport limobus which goes directly to the Hilton. We simply took our vouchers to one of the many “limobus” desks in the arrivals terminals and got a ticket. They told us where to go and we waited about 5 minutes for the bus to come. Our luggage was tagged and put under the bus. It took about 90 minutes to get to the hotel.
At check-in we were told we were “Upgraded” to deluxe room on 25th floor, but only seemed to be higher floor (nice view) with no extra amenities. There was no art on the walls, no robes, but it did have a very large safe, flat screen TV (the only channels in English are BBC news and CNN), and hot water kettle with teas and instant coffee (no coffee maker). The bathroom was very tight with plastic walls and decent toiletries (lots of choice) and a Toto washlet toilet (see my observations post for more about toilets in Japan).
Tip: Some mornings we used the hot water kettle to make packets of oatmeal we brought with us for breakfast because we were up so early (4:30 AM most days). The Starbucks about a block away does not open until 7:30 am. Breakfast in the hotel is 3600 yen (about $40 per person) for the buffet and was not included with our room.
We left Los Angeles on a Friday afternoon and arrived in Tokyo on Saturday night. This flight was supposed to be on the new Airbus A380, but after the earthquake, Singapore decided to delay the launch for the new aircraft on that route. Instead it we were on a 777 both ways.
Because we bought the package though a travel agent we were unable to pick our seats in advance. No amount of phone calls or emails to Singapore or the travel agent could change this. I was never able to get a reason as to why this is their policy either.
Forty eight hours in advance, we were able to check in online and selected two aisle seats in middle section with an empty seat in between. But we gambled and lost and had a guy sitting between us for the entire flight.
It’s been over a decade since we’ve flown on Singapore Airlines and while they are known for Business and First, Economy is also pretty good. The seat pitch is tight, as is the recline, but there are good footrests and the food was decent (we selected the Japanese meal both directions). They even have good snacks available between meals. The wine however, was awful. The entertainment system is excellent; a 10” screen at every seat with video on demand. I watched 3 movies on the flight over and could have watched more.
We arrived around 7 PM on a Saturday night and it was very fast going through customs/immigration. There was no line at all and our bags were coming down when we arrived. As part of our package, we had tickets for the airport limobus which goes directly to the Hilton. We simply took our vouchers to one of the many “limobus” desks in the arrivals terminals and got a ticket. They told us where to go and we waited about 5 minutes for the bus to come. Our luggage was tagged and put under the bus. It took about 90 minutes to get to the hotel.
At check-in we were told we were “Upgraded” to deluxe room on 25th floor, but only seemed to be higher floor (nice view) with no extra amenities. There was no art on the walls, no robes, but it did have a very large safe, flat screen TV (the only channels in English are BBC news and CNN), and hot water kettle with teas and instant coffee (no coffee maker). The bathroom was very tight with plastic walls and decent toiletries (lots of choice) and a Toto washlet toilet (see my observations post for more about toilets in Japan).
Tip: Some mornings we used the hot water kettle to make packets of oatmeal we brought with us for breakfast because we were up so early (4:30 AM most days). The Starbucks about a block away does not open until 7:30 am. Breakfast in the hotel is 3600 yen (about $40 per person) for the buffet and was not included with our room.
May 3rd, 2011, 03:07 PM
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Kyoto and Shinjuku (Tokyo)? Then I would say the station staff somehow printed the reservation in Japanese and did not bother re-issue in English.
> BTW, a friend told me last night these melons are typically given to terminally ill patients in the hospital. She said the family does not tell the patient they are going to die ...
The first answer I got was from a lady friend. She has never heard of such either. Just laughed about it. She is in her early 50's and have lived all her life in Tokyo. I also did a google search in Japanese and found no suc story, although I only did a quick search. I'm curious, is your friend who told you that a Japanese ?
> BTW, a friend told me last night these melons are typically given to terminally ill patients in the hospital. She said the family does not tell the patient they are going to die ...
The first answer I got was from a lady friend. She has never heard of such either. Just laughed about it. She is in her early 50's and have lived all her life in Tokyo. I also did a google search in Japanese and found no suc story, although I only did a quick search. I'm curious, is your friend who told you that a Japanese ?
May 3rd, 2011, 03:59 PM
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Not so sure about the melons theory. I've eaten gift melons friends (Japanese) have received - those friends are neither sick nor dying, nor hospitalized. The melons - look beautiful wrapped in tissue, packed in a special box. The pattern of the melon skin is flawless. The melon itself, I found too soft in texture and too sweet in taste for my liking. But, it's a gift, and not so much about the taste as the gesture and perceived value. Gifts are taken very seriously, and a gift of melon or very special mango is indeed an esteemed gift. I really don't think it has to do with terminal illness. It is, however, true, that some families do not wish to inform their loved ones of their terminal diagnosis, though that is becoming less the norm.
May 3rd, 2011, 05:44 PM
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Yeah, I don't know about the melons, I'm only reporting what my friend said. She is half Japanese and this is what she was told by family living in Japan. I'm sure everyone has a different experience. I can only talk about my own and I just thought the whole concept of these pampered fruits was interesting.
May 3rd, 2011, 05:47 PM
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<b>Did I go all the way to Japan to have my first meal at a Denny's?</b>
By the time we’d checked in and were ready to go out to eat it was about 10pm. In the immediate area surrounding the Tokyo Hilton there just aren't a lot of restaurants open very late. There are very few restaurants visible at street level, but most of the big buildings have an underground mall area with restaurants. Unfortunately, most were closing at that time. If we had known a little more, we could have walked about 8 blocks to the main Shinjuku area where there are tons of restaurants, though I doubt we would have found a lot open because many places seem to shut down around 10pm.
It's funny how we have this image in our heads about how things should be. I wanted noodles for our first meal and was determined to get them. Who would have thought I'd find them at Denny's? But that's where we ended up, jet lagged and famished, unwilling to search further.
The Denny’s near the Tokyo Hilton is open 24hrs and is only about a block from the hotel (exit hotel, turn right). To our surprise, we found a restaurant which very much <i>looks</i> like a Denny’s, but with a completely different menu. Gone are the Grand Slams and Chicken Fried Steak, replaced by Japanese favorites including fried pork cutlets, gyoza, and a decent bowl of ramen. In addition, they serve Asahi beer! There are big plastic menus just like in the US, but (of course) they are all in Japanese. We were thankful for the photos of each menu item (point to order works!). The menus also have a calorie count for each item, like many chain restaurants now do in the US.
Like Denny's in the US, this place had similar late night demographics. There are the teenagers crammed around a big table, eating ice cream and looking at their cell phones and video games. There's the single guy, chain smoking, reading a magazine. There are the lovers, canoodling in a booth, oblivious to the rest of the world. We were the only dazed tourists in there.
On each table is a little bell/button. Press it and it will chime, signaling the server you are ready to order. They probably won’t come until you do. Smoking is still allowed in restaurants so it’s likely even if you sit in a non-smoking restaurant, you will still smell cigarette smoke.
We both opted for a bowl of ramen and shared a large beer. While it wasn't the best ramen I’ve ever had, it was tasty, filling, and hit the spot after the long flight. Satisfied, we were able to go back to the hotel and get some sleep in preparation for a big day of sightseeing to come.
By the time we’d checked in and were ready to go out to eat it was about 10pm. In the immediate area surrounding the Tokyo Hilton there just aren't a lot of restaurants open very late. There are very few restaurants visible at street level, but most of the big buildings have an underground mall area with restaurants. Unfortunately, most were closing at that time. If we had known a little more, we could have walked about 8 blocks to the main Shinjuku area where there are tons of restaurants, though I doubt we would have found a lot open because many places seem to shut down around 10pm.
It's funny how we have this image in our heads about how things should be. I wanted noodles for our first meal and was determined to get them. Who would have thought I'd find them at Denny's? But that's where we ended up, jet lagged and famished, unwilling to search further.
The Denny’s near the Tokyo Hilton is open 24hrs and is only about a block from the hotel (exit hotel, turn right). To our surprise, we found a restaurant which very much <i>looks</i> like a Denny’s, but with a completely different menu. Gone are the Grand Slams and Chicken Fried Steak, replaced by Japanese favorites including fried pork cutlets, gyoza, and a decent bowl of ramen. In addition, they serve Asahi beer! There are big plastic menus just like in the US, but (of course) they are all in Japanese. We were thankful for the photos of each menu item (point to order works!). The menus also have a calorie count for each item, like many chain restaurants now do in the US.
Like Denny's in the US, this place had similar late night demographics. There are the teenagers crammed around a big table, eating ice cream and looking at their cell phones and video games. There's the single guy, chain smoking, reading a magazine. There are the lovers, canoodling in a booth, oblivious to the rest of the world. We were the only dazed tourists in there.
On each table is a little bell/button. Press it and it will chime, signaling the server you are ready to order. They probably won’t come until you do. Smoking is still allowed in restaurants so it’s likely even if you sit in a non-smoking restaurant, you will still smell cigarette smoke.
We both opted for a bowl of ramen and shared a large beer. While it wasn't the best ramen I’ve ever had, it was tasty, filling, and hit the spot after the long flight. Satisfied, we were able to go back to the hotel and get some sleep in preparation for a big day of sightseeing to come.
May 3rd, 2011, 11:44 PM
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> BTW, a friend told me last night these melons are typically given to terminally ill patients in the hospital. She said the family does not tell the patient they are going to die ...
Just for the record、3 friends of mine (all Japanese living in Japan) have answered. They all answered that they have never heard of it. They come all from different area originally as below
-Above lady friend : in her 50's, lived all her life in Tokyo
-Another friend in her late 50's, born and lived half her life in Kanazawa then the rest in Tokyo
- A man in his late 50's, born and lived in Aomori (north of japan), now in Tokyo.
So I'm pretty confident that what I state on my first post is the general case. Your friend could have got it somehow wrong (or just maybe it is a VERY local custom.).
Just for the record、3 friends of mine (all Japanese living in Japan) have answered. They all answered that they have never heard of it. They come all from different area originally as below
-Above lady friend : in her 50's, lived all her life in Tokyo
-Another friend in her late 50's, born and lived half her life in Kanazawa then the rest in Tokyo
- A man in his late 50's, born and lived in Aomori (north of japan), now in Tokyo.
So I'm pretty confident that what I state on my first post is the general case. Your friend could have got it somehow wrong (or just maybe it is a VERY local custom.).
May 4th, 2011, 04:48 AM
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I have seen those expensive greenhouse melons on display at a fruit store in Ginza, Tokyo, but have not seen the inside of these melons until last November when I visited my mother in Taiwan.
My mother is elderly, but not in a hospital nor terminal. A family friend brought a pair of Japanese melons imported from Shizouka (静岡), Japan to visit my mother. Inside the gift box there is a pamphlet that says these dear melons are nice gift for special occasions such as birthday, promotion, graduations etc.
The melon was soft, very juicy and sweet, as KimJapan said. But considering its cost, I would not buy it for myself.
My mother is elderly, but not in a hospital nor terminal. A family friend brought a pair of Japanese melons imported from Shizouka (静岡), Japan to visit my mother. Inside the gift box there is a pamphlet that says these dear melons are nice gift for special occasions such as birthday, promotion, graduations etc.
The melon was soft, very juicy and sweet, as KimJapan said. But considering its cost, I would not buy it for myself.
May 4th, 2011, 06:01 AM
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I had no idea the melon comment would generate so much discussion. As I said, I was only reporting what my friend was told. Let's all assume that's <i>her</i> experience and leave it at that. I'm not going to go and tell her she's <i>wrong</i>, but it does sound like the consensus is that it's not typical (which is why I asked about it).
Photos for my last post are now on my blog at:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/2011/0...l-at-a-dennys/
Photos for my last post are now on my blog at:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/2011/0...l-at-a-dennys/
May 4th, 2011, 09:11 AM
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Hi Kristina,
Great report; both the blog & photos are excellent!
I'm reading it with bitter sweet feelings as we should have been in Tokyo about the same time as you but cancelled at the 11th hour.
We had been on the fence but the decision was made just a week or so before we were due to leave as my daughter's school band was selected to play at Symphony Hall in Boston.
The performance would have cut short our trip by 3 days and as we had the option to cancel without penalty we did.
Even though we did squeeze in a quick trip to Mexico as a consolation I'm having 'trip envy' right now.
I hope we get to Japan in 2012.
Great report; both the blog & photos are excellent!
I'm reading it with bitter sweet feelings as we should have been in Tokyo about the same time as you but cancelled at the 11th hour.
We had been on the fence but the decision was made just a week or so before we were due to leave as my daughter's school band was selected to play at Symphony Hall in Boston.
The performance would have cut short our trip by 3 days and as we had the option to cancel without penalty we did.
Even though we did squeeze in a quick trip to Mexico as a consolation I'm having 'trip envy' right now.
I hope we get to Japan in 2012.
May 8th, 2011, 03:26 PM
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<b>Sunday in Tokyo-The 1/2 Day Tour </b>
As part of our airline package we had a half day tour of Tokyo. I contacted the travel agency before we left, asking about the tour and they automatically booked the tour for us for the day after we arrived, without asking. Fortunately, we decided that doing this on our first morning would be the best time anyway.
This is the same tour offered by just about every travel agency and booked through Grey Line Tours. It normally costs 4,000 yen per person and includes a visit to the Tokyo Tower, the Meiji Shrine, a drive by of the National Diet building and Aksaka Guest House, and a final stop at the Imperial Palace garden. Typically we would not choose to do this type of tour, but since it was included, we thought it might be a good introduction to the city. Plus, I wanted to see if I was missing something by usually avoiding the “get on the bus and follow the tour leader” type of tour.
The pick-up time at the Hilton is at 8am. There was some confusion about our guide (one showed up, but we weren't on their list), but they took us anyway, because as I said, every company uses the same tour in the end and no one else showed up for us.
We spent almost an hour driving across town with one stop at another hotel to pick up more passengers and then a stop to change buses (split into half day and full day tour groups). This would have bothered me if we’d paid for the tour as it seemed like a huge waste of time. In the end, there were only 12 people in our group. I asked the guide if this was typical and she said no. Typically they would have 60-80 people at this time of the year, and in the past month she had days with only one or two people because of the downturn in tourism. We were extremely happy not to be on a bus with 60 other people.
As part of our airline package we had a half day tour of Tokyo. I contacted the travel agency before we left, asking about the tour and they automatically booked the tour for us for the day after we arrived, without asking. Fortunately, we decided that doing this on our first morning would be the best time anyway.
This is the same tour offered by just about every travel agency and booked through Grey Line Tours. It normally costs 4,000 yen per person and includes a visit to the Tokyo Tower, the Meiji Shrine, a drive by of the National Diet building and Aksaka Guest House, and a final stop at the Imperial Palace garden. Typically we would not choose to do this type of tour, but since it was included, we thought it might be a good introduction to the city. Plus, I wanted to see if I was missing something by usually avoiding the “get on the bus and follow the tour leader” type of tour.
The pick-up time at the Hilton is at 8am. There was some confusion about our guide (one showed up, but we weren't on their list), but they took us anyway, because as I said, every company uses the same tour in the end and no one else showed up for us.
We spent almost an hour driving across town with one stop at another hotel to pick up more passengers and then a stop to change buses (split into half day and full day tour groups). This would have bothered me if we’d paid for the tour as it seemed like a huge waste of time. In the end, there were only 12 people in our group. I asked the guide if this was typical and she said no. Typically they would have 60-80 people at this time of the year, and in the past month she had days with only one or two people because of the downturn in tourism. We were extremely happy not to be on a bus with 60 other people.
May 8th, 2011, 04:22 PM
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<b>Tokyo Tower</b>
Our first stop was the Tokyo Tower, a bright red copy of the Eiffel Tower, built to house communication equipment in 1958. We were taken by elevator to one of the viewing platforms and the guide walked us around, pointing out various landmarks and buildings in the slightly hazy view. On a clear day you can see Mt Fuji from here, but it wasn't really visible to us today.
There are other things to see at the tower, including an aquarium and a floor with souvenir shops and restaurants, but we didn't see any of it. We were scheduled to have another 45 minutes there, but because the group was so small, the guide went off-script and gave of the choice of staying at the tower or visiting one of the neighboring temples. Thankfully, everyone agreed to a change.
<b>Zojoji Temple</b>
We walked through a section of Shiba park to the Zojoji Temple which was built by the Tokugawa family in 1393 and moved to this location in 1598.
Inside the temple grounds we saw the Daiden (the main hall) , hundreds of jizo statues placed there to commemorate and protect children who have died before their parents, and the Sangedatsu Gate (the main entrance), a massive structure by which passing through its doors one can rid themselves of greed, foolishness and hatred.
Of course, we exited through this gate and all wondered about the ramifications of <i>exiting</i> and not entering. ;-)
Our first stop was the Tokyo Tower, a bright red copy of the Eiffel Tower, built to house communication equipment in 1958. We were taken by elevator to one of the viewing platforms and the guide walked us around, pointing out various landmarks and buildings in the slightly hazy view. On a clear day you can see Mt Fuji from here, but it wasn't really visible to us today.
There are other things to see at the tower, including an aquarium and a floor with souvenir shops and restaurants, but we didn't see any of it. We were scheduled to have another 45 minutes there, but because the group was so small, the guide went off-script and gave of the choice of staying at the tower or visiting one of the neighboring temples. Thankfully, everyone agreed to a change.
<b>Zojoji Temple</b>
We walked through a section of Shiba park to the Zojoji Temple which was built by the Tokugawa family in 1393 and moved to this location in 1598.
Inside the temple grounds we saw the Daiden (the main hall) , hundreds of jizo statues placed there to commemorate and protect children who have died before their parents, and the Sangedatsu Gate (the main entrance), a massive structure by which passing through its doors one can rid themselves of greed, foolishness and hatred.
Of course, we exited through this gate and all wondered about the ramifications of <i>exiting</i> and not entering. ;-)
May 8th, 2011, 07:00 PM
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<b>Meiji Shrine</b>
Our next stop was the Meiji Shrine, located inside Yoyogi Park. Relatively new, it was built first in 1920 by the imperial family, destroyed by Allied bombs in WWII, and rebuilt in 1958. A long gravel road leads from where the bus parks to the gigantic tori (gate), the largest Shinto gate in world. It’s a lovely walk, shaded by large cedar trees, and along the way there is an area bordered on one side by donated wine barrels of all the great French Chateaus and on the other by brightly decorated sake barrels.
Outside shrine’s entrance, there is a water fountain fed by a natural spring and used for ritual purification before entering the inner courtyard . The guide demonstrated what to do, showing us how to rinse our hands and mouth using a bamboo dipper in the water. This was a handy piece of knowledge and experience for us and we used it on future visits to other shrines.
It was a sunny, beautiful Sunday in April and there were two weddings going on while we were there. We were told it was perfectly acceptable to photograph the wedding processions; the only place we were not allowed to take photos was inside the temple itself.
The brides were stunning in their traditional white kimonos with high heavy veils. The guide explained to us that for a traditional wedding, the bride rents the kimono for about $6000 for the day, and then rents 3 other dresses to change into during the wedding and reception. The average cost of a wedding in Japan is $57,000, supplemented mostly by cash gifts from the guests.
Inside the temple we were shown how to perform a traditional prayer; toss a coin into large wooden box on the other side of a gate, bow, pray and clap our hands. The guide also explained to us the wooden prayer plaques we saw hanging around (people buy the plaques, write their prayers on them and they are blessed by the monks). After that, we were given 30 minutes to walk around and make our way back to the bus. There is a snack shop near the parking lot with clean restrooms (and heated seats!), where we got a drink and a meat filled bun.
The drive by of National Diet building (like Capitol Hill in DC) was fairly boring as was the Aksaka Guest House which looks almost exactly like Buckingham Palace and is used for visiting dignitaries. More interesting was the running narration we got during the drive of what is going on with royal family. Our guide did not hold back on giving her opinion about how the press treats the wife of the crown prince or how things are changing for the Imperial family in general.
<b>Imperial Palace Garden</b>
Our last stop was the Imperial Palace garden. It’s very pretty, and filled with cherry blossom trees, naturalized irises, ponds, streams, and waterfalls, which were turned off to save power. There are some very colorful carp in the ponds and we saw a swan building her nest in the outer moat of the palace. The emperor still lives in the palace, so it is not open to the public except for a few days a year.
Our next stop was the Meiji Shrine, located inside Yoyogi Park. Relatively new, it was built first in 1920 by the imperial family, destroyed by Allied bombs in WWII, and rebuilt in 1958. A long gravel road leads from where the bus parks to the gigantic tori (gate), the largest Shinto gate in world. It’s a lovely walk, shaded by large cedar trees, and along the way there is an area bordered on one side by donated wine barrels of all the great French Chateaus and on the other by brightly decorated sake barrels.
Outside shrine’s entrance, there is a water fountain fed by a natural spring and used for ritual purification before entering the inner courtyard . The guide demonstrated what to do, showing us how to rinse our hands and mouth using a bamboo dipper in the water. This was a handy piece of knowledge and experience for us and we used it on future visits to other shrines.
It was a sunny, beautiful Sunday in April and there were two weddings going on while we were there. We were told it was perfectly acceptable to photograph the wedding processions; the only place we were not allowed to take photos was inside the temple itself.
The brides were stunning in their traditional white kimonos with high heavy veils. The guide explained to us that for a traditional wedding, the bride rents the kimono for about $6000 for the day, and then rents 3 other dresses to change into during the wedding and reception. The average cost of a wedding in Japan is $57,000, supplemented mostly by cash gifts from the guests.
Inside the temple we were shown how to perform a traditional prayer; toss a coin into large wooden box on the other side of a gate, bow, pray and clap our hands. The guide also explained to us the wooden prayer plaques we saw hanging around (people buy the plaques, write their prayers on them and they are blessed by the monks). After that, we were given 30 minutes to walk around and make our way back to the bus. There is a snack shop near the parking lot with clean restrooms (and heated seats!), where we got a drink and a meat filled bun.
The drive by of National Diet building (like Capitol Hill in DC) was fairly boring as was the Aksaka Guest House which looks almost exactly like Buckingham Palace and is used for visiting dignitaries. More interesting was the running narration we got during the drive of what is going on with royal family. Our guide did not hold back on giving her opinion about how the press treats the wife of the crown prince or how things are changing for the Imperial family in general.
<b>Imperial Palace Garden</b>
Our last stop was the Imperial Palace garden. It’s very pretty, and filled with cherry blossom trees, naturalized irises, ponds, streams, and waterfalls, which were turned off to save power. There are some very colorful carp in the ponds and we saw a swan building her nest in the outer moat of the palace. The emperor still lives in the palace, so it is not open to the public except for a few days a year.
May 9th, 2011, 05:29 AM
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After the garden, the bus brought us to the Ginza neighborhood for a drop off around 1pm. Everyone was on their own to get back to hotel. In all, for about $50, I’m not sure if this tour would be worth the expense because many of these sites are free and can be easily seen while sightseeing on your own in the various areas of the city. On the other hand, if you are pressed for time it could be a good choice to see a lot all at once. For us, it was a nice option to have so that we did not have to think on that first morning. However, of all the places we saw, we probably would have only sought out the Meiji Shrine on our own, and while I’m very appreciative of some of the cultural information we got from the guide, we both agreed we are still not fans of the “get on the bus and follow the leader” style of travel.
Photos for this section (tons of them!) are now up on my blog:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/2011/0...ow-the-leader/
Photos for this section (tons of them!) are now up on my blog:
http://www.wired2theworld.com/2011/0...ow-the-leader/
May 9th, 2011, 08:12 PM
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Nywoman-Thanks! I'm working on it. More to come!
aprillilacs- You really should try doing a blog if you feel inspired, they are a fun way to keep track of your trips. But warning, they are a lot of work (or can be if you are obsessive about it like I am).
aprillilacs- You really should try doing a blog if you feel inspired, they are a fun way to keep track of your trips. But warning, they are a lot of work (or can be if you are obsessive about it like I am).
