Hotel Mare Takata
Made it OK to Maizuru. Had a little adveture along the way, the kind that would come straight out of a cheap comedy movie. I lost Thompson on the Shinkansen and he had to do a little unplanned side trip.
We were getting off in Kyoto when we realized that we had left a bag on the train. Now the bullet train is only stopped at the station for a minute or minute and a half. It don't waste no time loitering. I stayed on the platform with the 2 large suitcases and 2 computers and he jumped back on to get it. Unfortunately, he got behind two slow moving old ladies and got back to the exit just as the doors closed. I implored the conductor to open the doors, but he just did the X'd arms. So I did the only thing I could think of. I waved goodbye to Thompson and started schlepping bags across the terminal to our connecting train.
Now, these stations are not set up for having a lot of luggage and you encounter quite a few stairs. I managed to get all four bags down to the main level and through the turnstiles. But it was a real effort. Luckily, no one offered to help, which would have made it much easier. In the effort I managed to drop my computer to the floor no less than 4 times, so I am very suprised I am writing this. By all rights it should have died along the way.
Fast forward a little, I have arrived at track 31 for my connecting train. Now I grab a bench and check the ticket for departure time, which convienently turns out to be 10 minutes ago. Easy enough, I just had to visit to the fare adjustment window to find out the next departure time. In Japan, if you've bought a ticket somewhere, you'll go, even if you miss your original flight or train. In the case of trains and shinkansens, you just forfeit your reserved seat and go into a general admission car of the next thing rolling out. But there's no real hassle to it.
Now that I knew when the next train was leaving, I went back to the track to wait. I was contemplating having to navigate a commuter train with all the friggin' baggage, when Thompson came strolling up and said, "Well, now I've seen Osaka", and asked when the train to Maizuru was leaving. All in all, we just got put 1 1/2 hours behind schedule. No biggie.
Got here and found out the whole hotel is a wireless hotspot, so high speed in the room is not going to be a problem. But no TV in English. So I have been going online and downloading stand-up comedians, Simpsons and The Family Guy episodes to watch at night. With a high speed connection, all things are possible and LIFE IS GOOD.
Chillin', out.
Travelin' Ed
We were getting off in Kyoto when we realized that we had left a bag on the train. Now the bullet train is only stopped at the station for a minute or minute and a half. It don't waste no time loitering. I stayed on the platform with the 2 large suitcases and 2 computers and he jumped back on to get it. Unfortunately, he got behind two slow moving old ladies and got back to the exit just as the doors closed. I implored the conductor to open the doors, but he just did the X'd arms. So I did the only thing I could think of. I waved goodbye to Thompson and started schlepping bags across the terminal to our connecting train.
Now, these stations are not set up for having a lot of luggage and you encounter quite a few stairs. I managed to get all four bags down to the main level and through the turnstiles. But it was a real effort. Luckily, no one offered to help, which would have made it much easier. In the effort I managed to drop my computer to the floor no less than 4 times, so I am very suprised I am writing this. By all rights it should have died along the way.
Fast forward a little, I have arrived at track 31 for my connecting train. Now I grab a bench and check the ticket for departure time, which convienently turns out to be 10 minutes ago. Easy enough, I just had to visit to the fare adjustment window to find out the next departure time. In Japan, if you've bought a ticket somewhere, you'll go, even if you miss your original flight or train. In the case of trains and shinkansens, you just forfeit your reserved seat and go into a general admission car of the next thing rolling out. But there's no real hassle to it.
Now that I knew when the next train was leaving, I went back to the track to wait. I was contemplating having to navigate a commuter train with all the friggin' baggage, when Thompson came strolling up and said, "Well, now I've seen Osaka", and asked when the train to Maizuru was leaving. All in all, we just got put 1 1/2 hours behind schedule. No biggie.
Got here and found out the whole hotel is a wireless hotspot, so high speed in the room is not going to be a problem. But no TV in English. So I have been going online and downloading stand-up comedians, Simpsons and The Family Guy episodes to watch at night. With a high speed connection, all things are possible and LIFE IS GOOD.
Chillin', out.
Travelin' Ed
That's what I'm about. Ramblin' Ed at 9:13 PM
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