A ferry trip to Japan and then riding into a massive storm
After customs and immigration, we started the embarkation process at 8 pm. Thank goodness we didn’t have to wait until closer to 10:30. When we took this ferry to Busan, the ferry had few passengers, 50 at the most. On this sailing, the ship is completely sold out. We booked this sailing because it was the only date until well into December where we could get a ticket, let alone a place to sleep.
Our stateroom is the most basic economy room with beds. The other option in our budget is to be in a communal room with 8 or perhaps 12 and sleep on the floor on futons. We got the last available room with western beds for the next month. Grateful.
It promises to be a rocky night as heavy winds are predicted for the sailing. A small pharmacy at the terminal was very busy with passengers buying anti nausea meds. Luckily we had gravol. When we got on the ship, all doors leading to the outside decks were locked…enough said.
We are fortunate to secure a private cabin on the voyage. We feel for those who have to sit up in the lounge with the lights on through the night. Our wee cabin has two bunk beds and a sink…toilet is down the hall. It feels like luxury just to be able to lock the door, turn out the lights and crawl into bed.
The announcements began at 6 AM, encouraging people to get up. This will be ongoing. We were in bed, trying to sleep by 10 pm before we had left port. We know that we have a substantial ride ahead of us tomorrow, so we need to rest. We were able to relax even with the heavy seas.
Upon arrival, we cleared customs and were excited to see our trikes waiting for us with the cargo. The worker rushed over to help us wipe down and sterilize our tires.
Our trikes are too big for the elevators..the alternative is to carry them down 3 floors. We chose the origami method of squeezing each trike into an elevator.
In Busan at customs, the agent detected our bike batteries and we wondered if we were in trouble. Her solution was simple…each battery was put into one of these bags and our responsibility was to pass them on to the ship manager on the ship. No problem. Sigh…
The New Camellia ship of this line has been our transport to and from South Korea. We know her well. Our tip is to bring your own food as what is on board it is pretty minimal (if at all) and not very tempting.
Dunkin’Donuts are very good in Japan…endless coffee refills, savoury offerings and of course donuts. Check out the special Pokémon inspired donuts below.
Breakfast was pretty minimal in our room on the ferry..we made coffee and had some yogurt and granola. So we tried their hot dog with cheese and sauce…tasty.
Not only do they provide coffee refills, they serve you at your table. It’s funny, at home we never go to Dunkin’ Donuts, but every trip to Japan, we try to go once.
We knew the weather would turn ugly, but it quickly turned from rain to much worse. We are used to riding in the rain where we live on the coast. But this was unusual. It was so cold, the wind gusts were making it difficult to ride and the rain became like heavy icy sleet. It hurt when it struck our faces. We’ll see how we do. 36 more km to go.
Karen PoretNoticing no headlights are on the vehicles (in this photo)in the rain. Guess it is not a law/rule there. Too bad, as we all know how much easier it is to see ( and be seen) if your headlights are functioning. Reply to this comment 3 weeks ago
We realized that this was unridable and dangerous. Despite having prepaid for our booking in Karatsu, we will not make it. We pulled into this shop’s overhang, decided to go inside and regroup.
We went into a Conbini and this couple sought us out. They had seen our trikes outside and had bought us these treats to have on our ride. Welcome to Japan! Amazing.
This immaculate cafe became our place to dry off and regroup. Hot tea did the trick. In our travels, we have never not been able to make it to a hotel we have pre booked. We always find a way. But common sense has prevailed…we can’t do it. We will find the closest hotel and book…2 bookings for one night…not our style. Suffice it to say, the weather has given us a scare.
Karen PoretGlad to see you stopped and are safe. And, I am sure the glasses on Mary Ellen’s face are a big help compared to sunglasses! Reply to this comment 3 weeks ago
Barry BartlettTo Karen PoretThanks Karen. We both knew that we could ride but it would be foolhardy. And having glasses is wonderful. Reply to this comment 2 weeks ago
The rough ride left us both short of breath. It was a ride of determination. We arrived at our hotel looking like drowned rats but the staff were gracious and welcoming. The level of luxury is a step up from our usual hotels, but all we were focused on was a hot shower, eating food from the 7 Eleven next door and crawling in to bed and reading / watching Netflix.
The only hotel we could find was 6 .5 km away. It was truly a struggle to get there. At this point the hail/sleet is a challenge but more of an annoyance. The biggest problem is the heavy wind. We are riding as hard as we can, we have motor assist and it is hard to propel ourselves forward. This is the view from our room.
