Tokyo - back again!
Maybe we have been lucky so far, but our bicycle checking in process at Heathrow has been pretty easy, and this time 40 minutes from leaving Ripley to sitting down airside.
So here I am bemusedly watching as all sorts of stickers are attached to the bike boxes, which this time are even smaller, having disassembled them even more than last time. One of the joys of cycle touring is not taking more clothes than you need, so I am essentially wearing my Sunday best here. You may also note that colour coordination is not my strong point.
Glad to say that everything arrived safely in Tokyo, although one of the wheel hubs had managed to make a small hole in the side of one of the boxes. Patching with some gorilla tape I had brought and a very useful copy of the local tourist guide sorted stuff out nicely.
Airports, and especially airports in Japan are geared for transporting just about anything.Anyone that has witnessed some families going home especially to perhaps less developed countries may well have been in awe as to the amount that needs to be carried. So getting this lot across Tokyo to it's other airport wasn't difficult, once we had purchased a ticket from the "Friendly limousine bus company". Which was just a large orange bus.
Overnight at Haneda ready to fly onto Osaka, and a little quiz. What is the purpose of the following items found in our hotel room? Answers at the end.
Item A
Item B
Item C
We've been to Japan twice before, and have never managed to see Mount Fuji as it has always been shrouded in cloud, which it often is. You'll be relieved to hear that once again we have missed it as it was raining overnight. As a result of being before, I did teach myself to read the simple Japanese script ( Katakana and Hiragana). Each symbol represents a sound, so stringing them together means that you can recognise place names and "borrowed"words - such as the word terminal - which is phonetically spelt as Te Ri Mi Na Ru, the last bit being because the "l" sound doesn't exist in Japanese. What can be hilarious though is using the google instant translate app. Worryingly it described some cakes in a shop as having "a laughable nature".
So on the left is the original picture of the AC remote control in our room, and on the right is the google instant translate. The bit that has interpreted the two triangular buttons as "Umm" also changes to "Uselessness" on occasions.
Next step is a short flight to Osaka, reassembly of the bikes and our first bicycle ride in Japan.
Item A - remote control for toilet, including the usual spray and bidet facilities. I haven't actually worked out the difference between the two, and am reserving that as a project for tomorrow.
Item B is described as a face moisturiser, but given the fact that the little hole pushes out the distinctive smell of ozone, I think it's just an ioniser.
Item C is a humidifier. So once the AC has removed every trace of moisture out of the air, you can switch this back on to replace it.
So here I am bemusedly watching as all sorts of stickers are attached to the bike boxes, which this time are even smaller, having disassembled them even more than last time. One of the joys of cycle touring is not taking more clothes than you need, so I am essentially wearing my Sunday best here. You may also note that colour coordination is not my strong point.Glad to say that everything arrived safely in Tokyo, although one of the wheel hubs had managed to make a small hole in the side of one of the boxes. Patching with some gorilla tape I had brought and a very useful copy of the local tourist guide sorted stuff out nicely.
Airports, and especially airports in Japan are geared for transporting just about anything.Anyone that has witnessed some families going home especially to perhaps less developed countries may well have been in awe as to the amount that needs to be carried. So getting this lot across Tokyo to it's other airport wasn't difficult, once we had purchased a ticket from the "Friendly limousine bus company". Which was just a large orange bus.
Overnight at Haneda ready to fly onto Osaka, and a little quiz. What is the purpose of the following items found in our hotel room? Answers at the end.
We've been to Japan twice before, and have never managed to see Mount Fuji as it has always been shrouded in cloud, which it often is. You'll be relieved to hear that once again we have missed it as it was raining overnight. As a result of being before, I did teach myself to read the simple Japanese script ( Katakana and Hiragana). Each symbol represents a sound, so stringing them together means that you can recognise place names and "borrowed"words - such as the word terminal - which is phonetically spelt as Te Ri Mi Na Ru, the last bit being because the "l" sound doesn't exist in Japanese. What can be hilarious though is using the google instant translate app. Worryingly it described some cakes in a shop as having "a laughable nature".
Next step is a short flight to Osaka, reassembly of the bikes and our first bicycle ride in Japan.
Item A - remote control for toilet, including the usual spray and bidet facilities. I haven't actually worked out the difference between the two, and am reserving that as a project for tomorrow.
Item B is described as a face moisturiser, but given the fact that the little hole pushes out the distinctive smell of ozone, I think it's just an ioniser.
Item C is a humidifier. So once the AC has removed every trace of moisture out of the air, you can switch this back on to replace it.
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