Shinkansen and the art of not falling asleep at your stop when you're jetlagged
After the flight, the real work began. The first hurdle was navigating the immigration and security processes, where my fingerprints were scanned and my photo taken then my visa was scrutinised and finally, I ended up with this residence card:
That done, thinking I had the hard bit over with, I now faced the task of getting myself, two large suitcases, my carry-on suitcase and my backpack from Osaka to Hamamatsu with a piece of paper for guidance.
This proved trickier than originally thought as I had to navigate myself around the airport, finding a luggage transport service, communicating with them in what can only be described as pigeon Japenglish with gestures and getting a ticket and the right trains to get to Hamamatsu.
This went surprisingly well and before I knew it I was falling asleep on the Shinkansen. Rookie error you might be saying because that train is fast - well, yes, you'd be absolutely right.
I woke up at the stop before mine and it was such a chore to keep my eyes open but I'd made it. At this point, I've been travelling for a good 18 hrs and I'm on the final leg - all I have to do is find the hotel which is 5 minutes from the station so I'm golden. Right?
Wrong. As anyone who knows me is no doubt aware, my grasp of geography and direction is second to none so this five minute journey took me a mere (twenty) five minutes. This included walking up to the entrance and walking away again. I ended up asking a guard for the building next door, who embarrassingly, actually took me through the door I'd been scrutinising trying to work out the Japanese to see if I could get in that way, and into the lift and pressed the button for me.
I may still be out there now if it weren't for him.
It was these little red hands on the door that made me think no entry but I think it means don't put your hands in the door!
That done, thinking I had the hard bit over with, I now faced the task of getting myself, two large suitcases, my carry-on suitcase and my backpack from Osaka to Hamamatsu with a piece of paper for guidance.
This proved trickier than originally thought as I had to navigate myself around the airport, finding a luggage transport service, communicating with them in what can only be described as pigeon Japenglish with gestures and getting a ticket and the right trains to get to Hamamatsu.
This went surprisingly well and before I knew it I was falling asleep on the Shinkansen. Rookie error you might be saying because that train is fast - well, yes, you'd be absolutely right.
I woke up at the stop before mine and it was such a chore to keep my eyes open but I'd made it. At this point, I've been travelling for a good 18 hrs and I'm on the final leg - all I have to do is find the hotel which is 5 minutes from the station so I'm golden. Right?
Wrong. As anyone who knows me is no doubt aware, my grasp of geography and direction is second to none so this five minute journey took me a mere (twenty) five minutes. This included walking up to the entrance and walking away again. I ended up asking a guard for the building next door, who embarrassingly, actually took me through the door I'd been scrutinising trying to work out the Japanese to see if I could get in that way, and into the lift and pressed the button for me.
I may still be out there now if it weren't for him.
It was these little red hands on the door that made me think no entry but I think it means don't put your hands in the door!
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