I had Bamberg recommended strongly. Loved Dresden. Is it worth spending more time in Berlin? Potsdam?
There are a few must-do’s in Nuremberg…War Trials, Rally grounds (you’ve got to walk about two thirds of the way around the lake from the never-finished Kongresshalle. We went up to the castle…near Dürer’s house (which was closed on a Monday).
I already have a personality.
What are seppos?
To me, and this may sound extreme, but when I go on holiday I feel like I’m representing my country. I dont want the locals to think the Australians are loud, rude ■■■■■ and if they’ve already had ■■■■■■■■ Australians I dont want them to think that all Aussies are arseholes and rude.
Septic tanks = Yanks
Ah, fair enough. Rhyming slang.
I had a couple of yanks, or seppos, act like total wankers at a restaurant in venice. Waiter dropped water on a lady and the husband/boyfriend was like “get a towel, you know a towel, to dry up, do you understand towel?” Added an expletive as well. His missus just ended up walking off crying. I said to the waiter, “it’s only ■■■■■■■ water”. The waiter felt really really bad for them and tried to help as much as he could. Thought it was an overreaction.
Another lady on the bus to Como (in her 50s)
Plus more but that’s its. In Asian haven’t noticed anything terrible (or I’m more tolerable*) just mainly in Europe. Haven’t been to Bali or Thailand so cant comment on the bogans that go there
*unlikely
Do you like castles and German beer? I could happily town hop around Franconia/Bavaria for a week for those things.
Prague is magnificent though. Worth the effort.
Fixed.
A day with a maid as a tour guide - check.
A session in a maid cafe - check.
An evening with maids as dealers playing poker - check.
Getting the missus to cosplay as a maid - check.
You dirty bastards think I was up to something else right? - check.
Bali’s great if you stay away from the congested areas. It sure is bogan in parts but it’s a bit like saying you went to Australia and hung out in King St, Melbourne on Saturday night and it was full of yobbos.
There are quite a few groups that do this sort of thing.
Just on the JR pass as well, they are only worth the money if you are actually going to use a bullet train. If you are staying in one city only you are better off buying the local myki (Pasmo for example) card.
The JR pass can only be purchased from your home country. Can’t be bought in Japan.
Aussies in speedos or bikinis wandering around the shops and streets of Kuta, Bali with a beer bottle in one hand and a cigarette in the other is a disgusting sight. Boganism at its purest and culturally appalling.
I’ve planned my first 18 days in Japan which is basically following the bullet train to as far south west as you can go. I’m really really hoping we get snow!
This will be my fourth and fifth month visiting Japan (previously did Spring and Autumn) so my destinations aren’t quite the popular ones as we may have done them already. We’ll be revisiting some though as they are really nice!
Work Thursday, Fly out Thursday Evening (i.e. Friday Morning)
Arrive Tokyo Haneda Friday Afternoon (relax day 1)
Tokyo Intercontinental Night 2 (relax day 2)
Atami (Izu Peninsula)(Otaki) - 2 Nights.
Car being hired for this location. Seems easier to get around.
Jogasaki peninsula, Waterfalls, Tsumekizaki park, Mt Omuro.
Nagoya - 3 Nights.
Covered over 3 days will most likely be Legoland, Nagoya city science museum, Osu, Train Museum, Atsuta Shrine.
Kyoto - 4 Nights.
Higashiyama District, Ryoanji Temple, Nanzenji Temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine, Sagano Scenic Railway, Kyoto rail museum, Kyoto aquarium.
Hiroshima (Miyajima) - 2 Nights.
We love this island. So we are staying on it for two nights this time. Sort of middle of the trip rest. Ryokans and pampering.
Hiroshima - 2 Nights.
Haven’t fully planned this one yet. Might move along the train line elsewhere if need be.
Kagoshima Chuo 2 - Nights.
Sakurajima hopefully. If it doesn’t blow up too much. It’s an active volcano! From here we will fly back into Tokyo (8 hours by train vs 1 hour flight).
Check In Tokyu Stay Aoyama - Most likely the rest. Use as base for rest of trip.
Using a 14 day rail pass in that time.
Now to plan days 19 to 53!
This will cover places like Mt Fuji but from the opposite side of the tourists.
http://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/special/sp_yurucamp/story2.html
Mt Takao.
Omiya Park.
Cup noodle and ramen museum (make your own cup noodles!).
Edo Tokyo museum.
Mt Mitake
Tempted to go to Nikko again but read the mountain passes can be closed in winter.
Akiba (duh).
Nakano mall.
Tokyo tower (did skytree last time).
Want to see a baseball game live or big sport equivalent!
Maybe catch a concert at Tokyo dome.
Spend way too much time in a Bic Camera.
Hopefully it will give those a bit of an idea what to look at.
Happy for input as well!
Input: I hate you.
Hi Gnik,
Thoroughly enjoyed both hikes, although I completed a two-day hike along the Kohechi Trail and a one-day hike along the Nakahechi trail (not 4-5 day/night ones).
In terms of the Nakahechi Trail, I completed the Ogumotori-goe section (starting at Kumano Nachi Taisha and finishing at Koguchi) only. Highlights were the Nachi Falls, the brilliant Seiganto-ji (Temple of the Blue Waves), and the Kawayu Onsen (in the river) across from Pension Ashitanomori (where I stayed). The hike is a bit of a slog through mainly cedar forest, but you can find little things along the way (jizo statues, etc) to keep you interested.
You are blessed for choice. I am currently (and very slowly) ticking off the ‘hyakumeizan’ (100 famous Japanese mountains). My last epic two day hike was in Yakushima. Easily the most beautiful place I have ever visited. It would entail a flight to Kagoshima and connecting flight to Yakushima (about 35 mins). Otherwise, closer to Tokyo (in Kanto) there is a challenging hike to the top of Mount Nantai (hike starts at Lake Chuzenji in Nikko) and took me about 5-6 hours to the top and back. I would stay overnight in Nikko and climb the mountain in the morning and return to Tokyo the same night.
p.s. Avoid the Alps in April unless you are very experienced. Melting snow and plenty of avalanches. There will be snow on Nantai at that time (near the top), but should be fine.
Kagoshima city is a bit of a hole (I didn’t go to Sakurajima though), but from there you can catch a 45 minute light plane (or a much longer ferry) to Yakushma which is (alongside Tokyo) my favourite place I visited in Japan (after having lived there for 3 years). Definitely consider working it in if you haven’t been.
Thanks for this! I’ll look into it see if the time permits. Very pretty images so far.
Also was consdering Kaimondake volcano for the half day.
Kuta Beach and Bali were fantastic
… In 1972.
Place not to go now. Too many yobbos from Perth.
Still plenty of fantastic spots in Bali but definitely avoid staying in Kuta. As a rule we usually head into Kuta for a couple of hours on the way to the airport if we need to pick up any cheap sunnies, clothing or souvenirs.
The Perthites are migrating further now, every second person in Langkawi/Phuket/Koh Samui is from Perth it seems but with those fares who could blame them. I’d be over there every second weekend at the price they pay for flights
It seems the poms have been onto Pasikuda way before us. This place is like paradise
anyone who has done Melbourne to Japan.
Is there any places that are stopovers worth including as part of the trip?