166 days since I booked the trip.
163 day to departure.
There is so much work to do between now and then. Real tough work-related stuff. Like delivering on a project that I expect to fail hard at - and that we're accepting more projects just like it even though I asked not to.
I will admit to becoming one of those eejits who keeps everything for their holiday on a spreadsheet now. In part because I'm terrified of fucking it up - I could probably afford to fix it, but it'd ruin my mate's holiday and since he's mostly on the dole it'd leave him with nothing. It's also handy to keep the spreadsheet open on the work computer in the background just to remind myself that I have *something* to look forward to.
It turns out I've got our names backwards on the JAL internal flights. Apparently it happens so often they don't care - and since it's not international flight, so long as the words on the ID match in any order it'll be fine. And me mate has a comma in his name which always raises weirdness about how to represent that on an airline booking. I just put in all the letters it'd let me and left the comma out. Should be fine. But still, it's for me to worry about.
The currency has been bouncing around enough to change the trip price by +/- 200 euro - which is crazy. Going diamond hands on not paying the hotels early still seems to be the smart option. Currency markets be weird. Something called the Yen Carry Trade seems to be keeping it down so long as the US Fed keeps raising interest rates.
I've bulked out a lot of what we'll end up doing.
On landing - have to pick up camera film in Shinjuku before making a train. It may be a way to meet up with a friend who'll be in Tokyo at the time for a quick pint.
In Hakodate:
-Goryokakku fort
-Hot spring hotel
In Sapporro
-Nikka distillery - Sapporro Brewery
-Jigokudani - maybe with a stop at Lake Toya if we could rent a car and the weather allows. (Yes I know there're tour companies that do that - but nah) . Did think about stopping at Jigokudani on the way to the hotel from Hakodate since it's on the trainline. Lake Toya will need a car - but it looks like a cool Caldera to visit.
In Miyajima (By internal flight because it really worked out cheap)
-Climb Mt Misen.
-Local microbrewery I liked.
-Oysters might be nice
--- This is a really chill place and night here seems like it could be amazing when the other terrorists leave for the day.
In Osaka
-Likely a base for getting to and from Nara/Kyoto because it's cheaper, but there's a pub I liked here and a brewery built in a bath house to look at.
-I do want to see what the quiet lakes are like in spring rather than autumn, and spend more time at the train museum - so that'll be that. Avoiding the real touristy places.
In Tokyo
-There will likely be an Irish-themed event the weekend we are there. The government usually sends a minister on Japan for it - sticking a protest sign in my backpack with 'It was cheaper to fly to Japan to protest the cost of living than do it at home' might be funny to me. I hope to fuck it's Jack Chambers because he's my local TD . I don't think anyone else will find it funny though.
-There's this really cool tankered-onsen like place that might provide a space to relax before we leave the city.
-Theres that teamlab glowing art thing - then Small Worlds - I'll have to get camera film developed (It'll get microwaved at the airport)
-I've also had a few night places recommended - like a Jazz club called Jazz Spot Intro - and another chance to meet up with different friends
-There's also shopping at Nakano broadway for shameless disgusting weeb shit, and a beer hall that sells beer in the 3-litre amounts
-We leave Tokyo on March 17th - and I'm back in work the next day. .
Our todo list is nicely turning into a mix of breweries, distilleries, hot springs, and some random nightlife. I'm scared of nightlife and our trip is lacking in the appropriate amount of extroverts but we'll manage. I am afraid of ruining shit by being an utterly misereable bastard - I booked it to escape the black dog, but I've been chewed on by the black dog since booking it - and I just won't be a nice person to be around which won't be fair on my mate.
But Three of our hotels have a hotspring or bath component. This is going to be a Japanese Booze and Bath cruise. There're already things that feel like I'd need an extra day or two to explore, but that's always the way. We're constrained by that internal flight now. But that's a reason to go back later.
I don't get enough time off work to make a 3-week trip feasible - I'd spend the next 11 months working flat out which would suck. Although some of my colleagues do that by remote working for a chunk of their trip - which would work oddly well for a Japan holiday.
And a Useful website I found for finding craft breweries
163 day to departure.
There is so much work to do between now and then. Real tough work-related stuff. Like delivering on a project that I expect to fail hard at - and that we're accepting more projects just like it even though I asked not to.
I will admit to becoming one of those eejits who keeps everything for their holiday on a spreadsheet now. In part because I'm terrified of fucking it up - I could probably afford to fix it, but it'd ruin my mate's holiday and since he's mostly on the dole it'd leave him with nothing. It's also handy to keep the spreadsheet open on the work computer in the background just to remind myself that I have *something* to look forward to.
It turns out I've got our names backwards on the JAL internal flights. Apparently it happens so often they don't care - and since it's not international flight, so long as the words on the ID match in any order it'll be fine. And me mate has a comma in his name which always raises weirdness about how to represent that on an airline booking. I just put in all the letters it'd let me and left the comma out. Should be fine. But still, it's for me to worry about.
The currency has been bouncing around enough to change the trip price by +/- 200 euro - which is crazy. Going diamond hands on not paying the hotels early still seems to be the smart option. Currency markets be weird. Something called the Yen Carry Trade seems to be keeping it down so long as the US Fed keeps raising interest rates.
I've bulked out a lot of what we'll end up doing.
On landing - have to pick up camera film in Shinjuku before making a train. It may be a way to meet up with a friend who'll be in Tokyo at the time for a quick pint.
In Hakodate:
-Goryokakku fort
-Hot spring hotel
In Sapporro
-Nikka distillery - Sapporro Brewery
-Jigokudani - maybe with a stop at Lake Toya if we could rent a car and the weather allows. (Yes I know there're tour companies that do that - but nah) . Did think about stopping at Jigokudani on the way to the hotel from Hakodate since it's on the trainline. Lake Toya will need a car - but it looks like a cool Caldera to visit.
In Miyajima (By internal flight because it really worked out cheap)
-Climb Mt Misen.
-Local microbrewery I liked.
-Oysters might be nice
--- This is a really chill place and night here seems like it could be amazing when the other terrorists leave for the day.
In Osaka
-Likely a base for getting to and from Nara/Kyoto because it's cheaper, but there's a pub I liked here and a brewery built in a bath house to look at.
-I do want to see what the quiet lakes are like in spring rather than autumn, and spend more time at the train museum - so that'll be that. Avoiding the real touristy places.
In Tokyo
-There will likely be an Irish-themed event the weekend we are there. The government usually sends a minister on Japan for it - sticking a protest sign in my backpack with 'It was cheaper to fly to Japan to protest the cost of living than do it at home' might be funny to me. I hope to fuck it's Jack Chambers because he's my local TD . I don't think anyone else will find it funny though.
-There's this really cool tankered-onsen like place that might provide a space to relax before we leave the city.
-Theres that teamlab glowing art thing - then Small Worlds - I'll have to get camera film developed (It'll get microwaved at the airport)
-I've also had a few night places recommended - like a Jazz club called Jazz Spot Intro - and another chance to meet up with different friends
-There's also shopping at Nakano broadway for shameless disgusting weeb shit, and a beer hall that sells beer in the 3-litre amounts
-We leave Tokyo on March 17th - and I'm back in work the next day. .
Our todo list is nicely turning into a mix of breweries, distilleries, hot springs, and some random nightlife. I'm scared of nightlife and our trip is lacking in the appropriate amount of extroverts but we'll manage. I am afraid of ruining shit by being an utterly misereable bastard - I booked it to escape the black dog, but I've been chewed on by the black dog since booking it - and I just won't be a nice person to be around which won't be fair on my mate.
But Three of our hotels have a hotspring or bath component. This is going to be a Japanese Booze and Bath cruise. There're already things that feel like I'd need an extra day or two to explore, but that's always the way. We're constrained by that internal flight now. But that's a reason to go back later.
I don't get enough time off work to make a 3-week trip feasible - I'd spend the next 11 months working flat out which would suck. Although some of my colleagues do that by remote working for a chunk of their trip - which would work oddly well for a Japan holiday.
And a Useful website I found for finding craft breweries
Oh sweet meteor of death
Fall upon us.
Deliver us in fire
To Peace everlasting.
Fall upon us.
Deliver us in fire
To Peace everlasting.