Hello from Japan! I'm in Okinawa waiting for the ferry to Kyushu (which should take anywhere from 16 to 36 hours according to Pawel). After flying for 15 hours we arrived in Tokyo, slept briefly, then hopped a 3 hour flight to Ishigaki in the Yaeyama islands, then took a short ferry to Iriomote-jima, a tiny island in the East China Sea which is very close to Taiwan. My first impressions of Japan are that it's the most civilized and clean place (showers everywhere), everything is really small (like everything), and the people here are really nice (even strangers on the street will go out of their way to help you). It's really hot here and the humidity is probably 100%, but the food is really good (although I just point to something on the menu and take what I get).
The last 5 days were spent on Iriomote-jima. We pitched our tent at a campground next to an incredible little beach where each grain of sand is shaped like a star (Hoshizuna). I watched the sunrise and set everyday on this beach which was littered with washed up coral and dotted with volcanic rocks. Other highlights included touring around the island on a rented 100cc scooter, hiking through the jungle and walking through the stream of the waterfall, visiting my first onsen, and snorkeling at the coral reefs of the north coast of the island. The coral reefs were amazing, it was like National Geographic (the picture is from the Ministry of Environment website, since I forgot buy an underwater camera). We took a boat tour and stoped at 3 different places. I must have seen over 50 different kinds of fish, not to mention all the brilliant colours and interesting shapes of coral. I even saw a few families of clown fish in their anemone homes. That was yesterday, it was an amazing day and I only got a mild sunburn. Last night we slept in a nice tatami room hotel (which is a room with mats on the floor for sleeping) which had a nice balcony for hanging up laundry, and free internet. Today we'll find out what the ferry schedule is like and when we can leave for the "mainland" of Japan.
The last 5 days were spent on Iriomote-jima. We pitched our tent at a campground next to an incredible little beach where each grain of sand is shaped like a star (Hoshizuna). I watched the sunrise and set everyday on this beach which was littered with washed up coral and dotted with volcanic rocks. Other highlights included touring around the island on a rented 100cc scooter, hiking through the jungle and walking through the stream of the waterfall, visiting my first onsen, and snorkeling at the coral reefs of the north coast of the island. The coral reefs were amazing, it was like National Geographic (the picture is from the Ministry of Environment website, since I forgot buy an underwater camera). We took a boat tour and stoped at 3 different places. I must have seen over 50 different kinds of fish, not to mention all the brilliant colours and interesting shapes of coral. I even saw a few families of clown fish in their anemone homes. That was yesterday, it was an amazing day and I only got a mild sunburn. Last night we slept in a nice tatami room hotel (which is a room with mats on the floor for sleeping) which had a nice balcony for hanging up laundry, and free internet. Today we'll find out what the ferry schedule is like and when we can leave for the "mainland" of Japan.
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2 comments:
HEY! I have been watching your blog like a hawk! sounds like you guys are off to a wonderful start in Japan :)
Have fun! Miss ya! MH :)
We are soooooooo jealous.
Joanna and Viktor
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