It's always tough to leave a familiar place. I got used to China. My longest stay this far and enjoyed every bit of it, especially meeting up old but very great friends here! Yap and wife got to leave earlier. I bid them farewell one last time and thanked them again. I really can't thank them more for all the great hospitality I received. I bid farewell to my hiking shoe! He has been going through the blood and sweat with me at Mt Fuji and Mt Kota Kinabalu!! “You will be greatly missed, bro! May you next owner treat you well!”
Yap, the Kan Cheong Dai Si (Cantonese to mean over cautious) told the cab driver my flight was 10am instead of 12pm. As a result, the taxi was here half an hour earlier. So the cab driver told me he would drive slowly and gave me some life-meaningful lessons throughout the 45minutes journey.
Reached Terminal 2 Pudong International Airport. The queue to check in was like a curling snake. But, it wasn’t a long wait, luckily. After I checked in, I already felt like I was already in Japan!! The security staff was very fluent in Japanese with one of the passenger. The shop assistants were speaking Japanese to the customers. Japanese were heard everywhere I go!! For once, I thought this terminal is specially for Japan flights only!! After breakfast and uploaded my latest blog, it was soon time to board. The journey was pretty quick. Just after I was served the lunch, the announcement to land was made.
At the Fukuoka Airport, I was probably the last one to exit. The custom officer asked me quite a lot of questions; where I'll be staying at Oita, who am I staying with. For how long. Where I'll be going after that. Where I'll be staying at Shikoku. I remembered the book by a foreign henro (the 88 temples pilgrim) and try to impress the custom officer that I'll be walking the Shikoku 88 temple trail, and hence staying at different places. She didn't looked surprise nor impressed at all but gave me that doubtful expression and asked if I was well prepared with the necessary clothing. She asked what's next. To simplify things, I told her I'll be back to Singapore after that from Shikoku. She repeated a few times "from Shikoku?!" as if she was asking me "are u sure!?" I got a bit nervous by now. Probably she knew there is no direct flight to Singapore from there. Next she looked at the amount of money I noted down on the arrival card and doubt I can survive 90 days with that sum. So she asked if I had credit card and even my credit limit. But she did courteously apologized first before she asked that. After hearing my answer, she was more satisfied and let me passed with a final question "you can take such a long leave?!" One more stop, baggage checking. Again the same questions. My new nikko and the laptop were even taken away for scanning. But at least this was less stressful since I have nothing illegal with me to be worried of.
Had to reorganized my backpack after that. Checked the lonely planet but can't find much info on Oita accomodation. So decided to stay at Beppu for the night instead and go to Oita the next day. (Actually, Beppu is at Oita prefecture. I was suppose to go to Ogata) Great! There was a direct for 3100yen only =] The ticket officer guided me to buy my ticket using the machine. I was presented 3 types of tickets but knew nuts about what they meant. Since the difference was only a 100yen, I just chose the more expensive one. 412pm was the next bus and I still have half an hour to text my family on msn that I'd safely arrived, but unfortunately couldn’t go to any websites.
After the bus passed the town Yufuin, the area suddenly got very misty. Couldn’t see much in front. Getting dark very soon too. Wondered if I'll be able to find the hostel. About 2 hours plus, we reached the final stop at Kitahama Bus Station. The driver was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t understand. I followed the Lonely Planet map guide. And in minutes I found the dorm, Beppu 
Guest House. I love Lonely Planet !! And this place is a heaven. For only 1500yen a night, there are free coffee and tea, free laundry, free locker, free internet with wireless, even free shampoo and shower cream, great hot shower!! Clean with great amenities.
Met Mr Atushi Horimoto from Matsuyama, Shikoku. He was 42-years old working as a bartender and camera man at Osaka. He was on the bike tour around Kyushu for weeks. Amazing. I told him I was going to walk the 88 temples pilgrimage. He was shocked and said I am crazy!! But I like it =]
Went to a nearby place for an amazing ramen. Bought some bread for breakfast tomorrow and backed to the dorm to shower. Next, I was stuck in front of my laptop. Met and video chat with my sister. Checked out Facebook. Updated my blog. Charged up my phone and laptop. Sorted out my photos. But too tired to upload some ofthem. Knocked off at 1...
Yap, the Kan Cheong Dai Si (Cantonese to mean over cautious) told the cab driver my flight was 10am instead of 12pm. As a result, the taxi was here half an hour earlier. So the cab driver told me he would drive slowly and gave me some life-meaningful lessons throughout the 45minutes journey.
Reached Terminal 2 Pudong International Airport. The queue to check in was like a curling snake. But, it wasn’t a long wait, luckily. After I checked in, I already felt like I was already in Japan!! The security staff was very fluent in Japanese with one of the passenger. The shop assistants were speaking Japanese to the customers. Japanese were heard everywhere I go!! For once, I thought this terminal is specially for Japan flights only!! After breakfast and uploaded my latest blog, it was soon time to board. The journey was pretty quick. Just after I was served the lunch, the announcement to land was made.
At the Fukuoka Airport, I was probably the last one to exit. The custom officer asked me quite a lot of questions; where I'll be staying at Oita, who am I staying with. For how long. Where I'll be going after that. Where I'll be staying at Shikoku. I remembered the book by a foreign henro (the 88 temples pilgrim) and try to impress the custom officer that I'll be walking the Shikoku 88 temple trail, and hence staying at different places. She didn't looked surprise nor impressed at all but gave me that doubtful expression and asked if I was well prepared with the necessary clothing. She asked what's next. To simplify things, I told her I'll be back to Singapore after that from Shikoku. She repeated a few times "from Shikoku?!" as if she was asking me "are u sure!?" I got a bit nervous by now. Probably she knew there is no direct flight to Singapore from there. Next she looked at the amount of money I noted down on the arrival card and doubt I can survive 90 days with that sum. So she asked if I had credit card and even my credit limit. But she did courteously apologized first before she asked that. After hearing my answer, she was more satisfied and let me passed with a final question "you can take such a long leave?!" One more stop, baggage checking. Again the same questions. My new nikko and the laptop were even taken away for scanning. But at least this was less stressful since I have nothing illegal with me to be worried of.Had to reorganized my backpack after that. Checked the lonely planet but can't find much info on Oita accomodation. So decided to stay at Beppu for the night instead and go to Oita the next day. (Actually, Beppu is at Oita prefecture. I was suppose to go to Ogata) Great! There was a direct for 3100yen only =] The ticket officer guided me to buy my ticket using the machine. I was presented 3 types of tickets but knew nuts about what they meant. Since the difference was only a 100yen, I just chose the more expensive one. 412pm was the next bus and I still have half an hour to text my family on msn that I'd safely arrived, but unfortunately couldn’t go to any websites.
After the bus passed the town Yufuin, the area suddenly got very misty. Couldn’t see much in front. Getting dark very soon too. Wondered if I'll be able to find the hostel. About 2 hours plus, we reached the final stop at Kitahama Bus Station. The driver was trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t understand. I followed the Lonely Planet map guide. And in minutes I found the dorm, Beppu 
Guest House. I love Lonely Planet !! And this place is a heaven. For only 1500yen a night, there are free coffee and tea, free laundry, free locker, free internet with wireless, even free shampoo and shower cream, great hot shower!! Clean with great amenities.
Met Mr Atushi Horimoto from Matsuyama, Shikoku. He was 42-years old working as a bartender and camera man at Osaka. He was on the bike tour around Kyushu for weeks. Amazing. I told him I was going to walk the 88 temples pilgrimage. He was shocked and said I am crazy!! But I like it =]
Went to a nearby place for an amazing ramen. Bought some bread for breakfast tomorrow and backed to the dorm to shower. Next, I was stuck in front of my laptop. Met and video chat with my sister. Checked out Facebook. Updated my blog. Charged up my phone and laptop. Sorted out my photos. But too tired to upload some ofthem. Knocked off at 1...
Hey, why aa? Why did you ditch your hiking shoes? That pair I used to climb Mt. Fuji was left to bury at Nakano Guesthouse. I think I got pictures of them, each shoe and the sole, split. They were not hiking shoes to begin with. That's why koyak kudasai.
ReplyDeleteAnyway... I was singing Kay Tse's song right? Sigh. I wished I wished I saw all these earlier!!! ARGGHH.. I stupid. Sumimasen. But I am your sister. :) xx