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Thursdaysd's East Asian Excursion
It feels like I've been in planning mode forever, and I did first float the idea of this trip back in April. ( http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...y-comments.cfm ) April - no wonder it feels like forever. But in just 12 hours I leave for the airport. Thanks to my lovely One World award (150,000 AA FF miles + $400-some for almost 25,000 flying miles) I'll be starting out in First Class. But for a while this evening it looked like I might not be going anywhere in any class - although my first flight showed on my on-line itinerary, it had fallen off (how could that happen?) from the "real" ticket and I couldn't print a boarding pass. Sorting that out took nearly an hour on the phone I could have used for packing.
Although this thread is for Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, I'm starting out by giving New York another chance - but if it's wet and windy this time, that's it! Four nights in New York, a night in transit, four nights in Vancouver, another night in transit, and I'll finally be back in Asia - landing in Tokyo September 20. The First Class flight will be followed by a bus and metro trip to reach my downtown and down-market hotel - the Jane. ( http://www.thejanenyc.com/ ) I am taking a netbook (an ASUS 1008HA) so I'll be tweeting - as mytimetotravel - and blogging - at mytimetotravel.wordpress.com - and I'll try to post here as well, after I get to Japan. |
Hi Thursday, Hope you have a wonderful time. Your trip seems to have come around so soon. Sorry I haven't got any photos up yet of South Korea but I'm sure you are organised now and will really enjoy it. The ceramics are wonderful and everywhere, the scenery lovely and its all quite efficient so you will be fine. There are many many potters and potting areas. All specializing in a particular type so each quite different.
If you do manage to get to the south, the Boseong tea plantation is very lovely and very photogenic. Lots in the south is nice in fact. Roads are good and the service areas excellent all across the country. Museums and galleries everywhere are of a very high standard. English is not widely spoken but people are helpful - skills at charades are useful! |
Bon voyage, Thursday! Eager to read of your exploits! Stay safe..eks
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Yes, happy travels and take care! Amazing how hiccups appear out of nowhere eh? Hope it's all plain sailing from now. I'll be with you vicariously.
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bon voyage
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Wow time to leave already? <i>Thursday's child has far to go</i>
Waiting right here, alert, attentive and anxious for the details. Have a wonderful trip! Aloha! |
Have a fabulous trip! Looking forward to following your blog.
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Have a wonderful adventure!
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Bon voyage!
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Looking forward to it.
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Thanks for the good wishes. Successful kickoff - I'm settled in at the Jane ($99 + tax/night, free wifi) after an uneventful flight and a very good chicken and spinach curry (extra spicy as requested) and forgettable Reisling at Banjara. I did note that while First Class got me an assortment of nuts in a china dish, they weren't heated.
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Have the trip of your dreams thursdaysd.
Bon voyage |
Have a great trip. Vancouver is fabulous. My favorite Canadian city. I'll be looking forward to your trip reports.
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How are you liking The Jane? Based on the photos at the web site, you're going to find Japanese hotel rooms altogether enormous after four days in a "cabin.". I actualyy quite like the train concept---it sort of sounds as if your journey's already begun.
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Therese - well, I stayed at the Jane a year ago, so I'm fine with it. Obviously it's not for the claustrophobic, the seriously disorganized, or people who have to have their own bathroom. Also, I wouldn't stay there in the summer as the AC is too noisy to run at night.
I like the location - killer view of the Hudson (including distant sight of the Statue of Liberty) from the bathroom window, walking distance to Greenwich Village and a number of subway lines. Once I covered up all the little lights I slept well, and the room lights are bright. I've never had to wait for a shower - and there's plenty of hot water and rain head showers. I find it amusing that while the cabins are cheap (great deal for singles) the downstairs bar and cafe are expensive and "in". Friendly staff. |
I'm claustrophobic, but not in a way that The Jane's rooms would bother me (and I sleep with ear plugs, so a noisy air conditioner won't be an issue). It's now officially on my list if I'm traveling to NYC solo, particular if I can't get a decent rate on Priceline. I do so love Fodor's.
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Long day coming up. My flight to Vancouver leaves at 10:40 pm tomorrow, landing at 4:30 am my time.
I'm hoping for good weather tomorrow, but New York, once again, hasn't been too kind to me. Lovely day Saturday, but wet and windy Sunday, and variable today. I did get to walk the Brooklyn Bridge (west, with the sun behind me and the best views in front of me - couldn't believe all the people walking the other way), and ride the Staten Island ferry, and I had a lovely travel chat with nywoman. She also was kind enough to trek out to Queens with me so we could try Sripraphai that I kept reading about here. Afraid it wasn't worth the trek: Ambiance - fail. Too bright and way, way too noisy. Food - mixed. I liked the papaya salad but nywoman found it too spicy. We both thought the duck with Chinese vegetables was forgettable, but loved the pork with long beans. I plan to spend tomorrow at the Frick, the Fashion Institute of Technology and maybe a repeat visit to the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art - but perhaps I should go for a walk round Central Park to offset the linzertorte with whipped cream I indulged in at the Neue Gallery's Cafe Sabarsky today! |
You're headed to my neck of the woods next - Vancouver! Weather's a big of a mixed bag for the next few days I'm afraid.
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Glad to hear you are having fun and I look forward to following along on your trip.
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Reached Vancouver - got to love the free wifi in Canadian airports! Also got to love business class - I had a much-needed shower in the BA lounge at JFK before leaving. My Cathay Pacific flight to YVR (889, goes on to Hong Kong) had lie-flat seats in pods (seatguru said they weren't all the way flat, seatguru is wrong) with lightweight duvets.
I was surprised to be offered dinner - my itinerary said beverage service. I ate the smoked salmon salad and cheese and fruit (nothing special) with port but skipped the main course. The wine choices looked good. Came in over budget for NYC and got some sleep on the flight, so decided not to go for the $109 deal the Holiday Inn Express offered (at 2:00 am), and camped out at the airport Starbucks for the rest of the night. |
Absolutely! As another budget traveller I would have done the same. Presume you can check in early afternoon and catch up. I have to say I wouldn't have passed on the business class wine choices though.
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The Frick!!! What a wonderful respite from the city. Thanks for reminding me; I'll have to go back soon.
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Hi gertie - I already had wine in the lounge - a rather nice Shiraz - and I drank port with the cheese. I wanted to get sleepy, not drunk, lol. Things are livening up around here, think I'll eat breakfast and then head into town.
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I love traveling along with you! Enjoy Vancouver, it's a wonderful city.
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thursdaysd, CX's wine offering in business and first are excellent. Remember this on you future CX flights if you are fond of wine.
I am surprised to read you like their business class seats, I find them extremely uncomfortable. Another complaint is that because of how the seats are positioned passengers can't look out the window. Pity, because CX's service and FAs are usually very good. I've started to avoid CX long hauls now because of their seats. Have fun in YVR. |
Looks like a great start already, have a fantastic time. How long is the trip?
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eks - great find, but I think I'll pass, lol. kathie - thanks.
jsm - I noticed the window problem on CX as well, but since it was a night flight I wasn't too worried. I also initially thought the seat uncomfortable, but since I actually slept, had to give it higher marks. I was on this exact flight, although from YVR to HK, nine years ago, and these seats are certainly better. The service was excellent - aware without being unnecessarily obtrusive. Shanghainese - just over six months - the planning thread is linked at the top of this one. I'm staying at the YWCA (semi-private room, senior rate) - http://www.ywcavan.org/content/YWCA_Hotel/808/26/0 - comfy enough, but $6/day for wireless - I had to come out and find a Starbucks. Weather isn't great but I visited Granville Island (touristy) and the Museum of Anthropology (long trek, needed longer there) yesterday and am thinking Stsnley Park and the Aquarium today before the rain really sets in. |
The Museum of Antropology is a real gem. I'm glad you got there. I love going into the "back rooms" and being able to examine artifacts in the display drawers.
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thursdays -- Granville Island is touristy, but the Indian Candy that you can get there is to die for. 'Indian Candy" is smoked and dried salmon, and it's beyond delicious.
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The nuts weren't warm? That's just not right!
Happy to see you're on another adventure - I love reading your reports. |
Vancouver is one of our favorite cities, but haven't been there for a long, long time. Enjoy! And prowl around Stanley Park and English Bay for me! There's a pretty okay restaurant called Rain City right near English Bay.
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Loved Stanley Park! Also had a very good guide at the Sun Yat Sen garden. So far the aquarium and the "sails" lose to Sydney, but Stanley Park and the setting are winners. The Olympic torch looks a bit sad in daylight, unlit.
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If you have another day and the weather is nice you might want to go to North Vancouver to hike. The scenery is spectacular and the hiking around and over the FREE suspension bridge is fabulous. We went by car, but you can do it by public transportation (water taxi and bus).
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Spent a good chunk of yesterday hiking in Lynn Canyon - overdid it and am now limping!!! Hope this won't turn into a repeat of 2006's Sore Foot Tour. Am planning very slow day today (plus it's raining) - leave for Tokyo Sunday.
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<b>19-20 Sep 2010 - Back to Asia</b>
When I was growing up in the southern UK, and later, living in the southern US, Asia was the fabled, the exotic, east (never mind that I was now flying west to get there). On the one hand, the land of silks, spices and tea ceremonies, and on the other, the land of swords and samurai and sadistic POW camps. When I finally visited for the first time, in 1997, what I found, of course, was some that was cliched and much that was not, along with sights, sounds, smells and tastes that endlessly fascinated. If someone had told me, when I boarded my flight from Jakarta to Sydney in the spring of 2005, that it would be a full five and a half years before I returned, I would have found it hard to believe them. But fate, in the form of two broken bones, intervened. When I was asked whether I was excited about my 2010 RTW, I gave my standard answer: "not until I board the plane", but a truer answer would have been: "not until I board the plane for Asia". Not that I didn't enjoy myself in New York and Vancouver, but they were very much the amuse bouche - not even the hors d'ouevres. So perhaps one reason I failed to sleep on the Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo was due to excitement. Perhaps. The woman sitting next to me would change planes in Tokyo for Hong Kong, and when I mentioned that Cathay Pacific had a direct flight she told me that it was much too expensive. Since I was "paying" with FF miles I hadn't checked the prices, but comparing CX and JL business classes I could well believe that CX was more expensive. Not that the service on JL was bad, but it lacked a certain "edge". I couldn't directly compare the food, as I had only eaten salad and cheese on the CX flight, but I didn't like having the appetizers (cold) and main course (hot) arrive together. I did give JL points for serving Cointreau with my coffee - my splurge dessert on the road is Cointreau and cappucino, although I seldom drink it at home - but CX had had a drinkable port. The real downers were the lounge at Vancouver and the seats on the plane. The lounge didn't just lack the shower I had loved in New York (which I didn't need in Vancouver), but rest rooms. I was limping, and it was quite a long limp from the lounge to the public rest rooms. Then there were noodles and chips, but not much else, to eat, and the wine came in a box. And the seats? Not all the way flat. I don't know why, but those extra few degrees of recline make all the difference, at least to me. Something inside is on the alert for a fall, and I just can't relax. My verdict on JL's business class is that it's Economy Plus rather than First Class Minus, and not all that Plus. I wrote the preceding paragraphs while not sleeping on the plane, followed by more not-sleeping and a ridiculous excuse for breakfast (plain pasta with a few canned mushroom pieces and some tomato dice, with fruit and ice cream???). Then we landed in a driving rainstorm. Not JL's fault, but it was their fault that my pack was delivered thoroughly wet. I had a layer of plastic between the clothes and books and the might-spill toiletries, but of course, it was the clothes side of the bag that was wet! Fortunately, I had put the books and papers in plastic bags, and it seemed that those clothes that were wet were just wet - no black stains, although I have a slight one on my grey jacket from the straps. While my room at the Toyoko Inn Shinagawa would have been plenty big enough if I hadn't needed to completely unpack, it really was on the small side (though still comfortable and well-equipped) with everything I was carrying strewn around. The Inn was conveniently located just down from the train station and a collection of restaurants. Briefly tempted to eat Italian, instead I picked a place with pictures of the food (and English translations) where I ate some very good pork slices fried in ginger, with cabbage, rice and miso soup. I am now getting rather worried about my ankle. I vaguely remember turning it in Vancouver, but it didn't hurt at the time. Then I went trekking in Lynn Canyon, and it did start hurting. Now I can put weight on the foot, but not flex it. Some 'net time suggests a sprain, for which the recommended treatment is: rest! I've done what I should have done to start with and wrapped it,which has gotten the swelling down some, but I'm thinking I may call my medical insurance people from Kyoto - I don't want to do permanent damage. (I know Bob is going to tell me I should have no trouble limping along on the rest of the trip...) |
Sounds like some rest is in order, thursdaysd! Don't you hate when a pack/suitcase gets wet? I've learned to pack EVERYTHING in plastic, and am glad you had taken steps to keep your books and papers dry. Sending lots of good wishes that your ankle is OK.
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Oh, so sorry your ankle is bothering you. I say take care of it now! Wrap, elevation, rest and anti-inflamatories...
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Thanks kja. (Rest, with a whole new country to explore....) Would you believe that in all the months (actually, literally, years now) of traveling I've done with this pack, this is the very first time it's really gotten wet? It has a built-in rain cover I use when it's with me and raining, but I couldn't use it for flights, and in any case it only covers the side that stayed dry!
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I hope you get better quickly. You are in the land of onsen. Get that ankle to one and soak it....works wonders
http://tiny.cc/uzh7x Aloha! |
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