In hindsight, we are relieved that we were unable to reach Osaka last night. We were so exhausted that we were grateful to have a comfortable bed in a soundproof room and sleep was all we craved. Nonetheless, we enjoyed a few snacks of Inari with tuna and mayo and delicious sweet potato chips shaped like fries as well as Sapporo beer before calling it a night.
The view from our hotel room. With jets taking off constantly, it is remarkable that our room was completely quiet. Our idea of heaven.
Where to begin on the wonders of Japanese toilets. Every bathroom we have visited…in the hotel, in a public space, etc…each toilet is outfitted with a top of the line bidet complete with your choice of sound effects like a fountain or music to ensure you feel private and comfortable. It is kind of like having your own spa as it is fully customizable from setting the temperature….you get the picture.Trust me, if we ever revamp our bathrooms at home, bidets like this will be part of the planning.
A thoughtful touch in the lobby of our hotel. A plethora of supplies and condiments that you might need during you stay: toothbrushes with toothpaste, razors, origami coffee filters ready for pour over coffee, green tea, hairbrushes, etc. We really were impressed and yes, we did stock up on a few choice items.
Barry BartlettTo marilyn swettIndeed. We felt a bit guilty taking extras, but then we noticed it was the thing most were doing. Reply to this comment 1 year ago
Reading other cyclists journals of cycling in Japan, we learned that convenience stores like Lawson’s, 7-Elevens and Family Marts are typically on most street corners and are a good source of inexpensive take out meals. This Lawson’s was by the entrance to our hotel and we certainly took advantage of it.
This photo sums up our experience in Japan thus far. As we got off the shuttle bus, this group of young workers in training rushed over and insisted on loading our trikes on our trolleys.
Our final check in at an airport counter for this part of our trip. We are rethinking the way we have handled the transporting of our trikes. Having followed the videos of Sylvia regarding her travels with her trike, Myrtle the Turtle, we are considering ditching packing them in boxes and simply wrapping them in plastic for the journey. Less wear and tear on us..and less hassle for us and the trikes.
Once again, before we could load our trike boxes on the trollies, a group of ANA workers rushed over and insisted on doing it for us.Honestly, these young women were tiny and dressed impeccably, yet they told Barry that they would load them and they insisted on pushing them out to the arrivals area.
Another sweet memory of our experience interaction with ANA. It was amazing to watch the teamwork of the All Nippon Airways crew at the baggage carousel lift our bike boxes onto carts and push them towards the exit. It all went perfectly until the boxes wouldn’t fit through the door. Barry helped them to stand the boxes up the carts so they would go through the door.
We hired a driver to pick us up from the airport in Kansai. Even if the trikes had been assembled, we would not be allowed to ride from Kansai which is on an island on reclaimed land with a toll bridge. It is about 60 Km to the city and the highway is no place for a bike.
The driver was excellent and accommodating. We gave him the dimensions of our boxes and he wisely brought the largest van in their fleet…they fit with about 1” to spare. We were able to text him last night just as he was leaving home to pick us up. It is nice to be met at the gate by a local who knows the way. A tip…we had booked our hotel in Osaka through Booking.com and as a result we were offered a discount of our booking of the van.
We are staying in a lovely hotel, The Hotel Lutheran. It has lived up to our expectations and is very comfortable and homey. We like its quiet location and proximity to many choices of places to eat. The photos of their menu in the window enticed us to give it a try.
Mary Ellen’s meal features miso soup (never had miso soup that tasted like this…yum), rice with pickled radish and pork in a sizzling plate on an egg based recipe.
