12th April
I enjoyed my stay in Kawaguchiko Lakeside, nestled amongst the mountains. I was up earlyish again trying to squash everything into my rucksack..... Sis Em sent me a timely picture, & it really does feel like this atm
In fact it was hilarious, as I got to the bus station I bent down to scan a QR code at the bus stop & the weight of the rucksack pulled me back & I fell on my ass.....fortunately being crouched down I didn't have far to fall and I burst out laughing.......it must have looked funny to all the people waiting at the bus stop too.
Never trust online information!! Rome2Rio told me I couldn't book the Mishima bus I was hoping to get............but the QR info told me all buses were fully booked all morning, the first one I was able to get a seat on was the 12.20 pm & that was the last seat!!!
However I was unfased as I had nothing else booked at this point, just a vague plan to try to make it to Kyoto, getting the train from Mishima.
I then booked the bullet train online - an hour or so after my bus arrival time, then a hostel in Kyoto - back to a dorm.
So the Bus was £10, the bullet train £66 (but worth it I think as its a long way & its the bullet train so I'm super excited) and hostel £47 for four nights.
There were plenty of coin lockers for storing luggage at the station, so I put my bag in one & went off for a final walk around Kawaguchiko as I had 3 hours to kill.
'Cutsie' is how I'd describe the feeling of Japan. The little tunes and jingles, the cute cars the 'cube style ' houses. Funny little cartoon animals on signs everywhere. It's the home of hello kitty after all.
I walked around the town a bit & sat by the lake where people were taking pedloes & speed boats across the water.
The bus came on time & the journey was only I hour 50 minutes. On the way I was reading that you are only allowed to climb Mount Fuji in the summer, (July to early September) and even though its s hike rather than a climb, its quute strenuous and you may need to acclimatise to the altitude & you have to apply for a permit to do it & pay 4000 yen.
I had a 2 hour wait for the bullet train. It was pretty cool & fast - only 2 hours for a 4-5 hour journey by car. It didn't feel that fast inside but it did tilt a bit which fell strange.
Here it is slowing for a station
Just outside Nagoya, it had to stop at a red signal & was delayed ......typical... must have know I was on board 🤣.
In Kyoto I got a local train out to the hostel. The light was fading a little at 6.30 pm
I got checked in & had a quick trip to the supermarket where they were reducing a lot of stuff (the girl at reception had mentioned this) so I got some tea & something for breakfast too.
The hostel bar area is quite quaint with 50 - 60s style pots & telephones. And him:
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