A milestone birthday OW award

[Captain Halliday]

Practical shoes of Disney

On reflection, my cost benefit analysis failed to adequately quantify the health benefits of a day at Disney.



It’s amazing how much walking you do just standing in a line, waiting.

But you can release endorphins and relax your mind while standing in the ridiculously long queues by playing a game Mrs H invented: “Practical shoes of Disney.”

You see, she noticed lots, and I mean lots, of people wearing shoes that just did not seem practical for a long day with lots of walking. Heels, clogs, knee-high boots etc.

The aim of the game is to spot the most impractical shoes before you reach the front of the queue and get on the ride. I wasn’t quick enough to snap the 8 inch sthillettos or the wooden thongs, but here’s a selection of the winners from across the day:

Slipper girl:



Platform slipper girl:



Speckled heels (imagine putting in 17.2km in these!):



And my personal favourite: the golden gypsy (who despite a full costume, was not a Disney staffer):



Once you add the intangible health benefits, the cost of new shoes, a physio and a podiatrist, maybe going across the ditch in J is actually better value!

 

[Captain Halliday]

When a restaurant serves you lemons...

The next day I had to visit the actual Tokyo office for a meeting but on the way I spotted these people on a Mario cart tour.



Miss H tried okonomiyaki for the first time today.





She also ordered “freshly squeezed lemonade” and this turned up.



I guess when a restaurant serves you lemons, you just have to make lemonade!



The office is located near the famous scramble crossing in Shibuya. Busier than Times Square IMHO.



Pro tip: There’s a Starbucks on the crossing where you order on the ground floor but seating is on level 3. I’m no fan of their coffee, but it’s a good view of the crossing craziness and a good photo spot:



It was crazy even in yesteryear:



Finally we visited the Hatchiko statue.



Hatchiko was a very loyal dog who used to walk to Shibuya station each day to meet his owner after work.

In May 1925 his owner Hidesaburo Ueno never came home. He had a cerebral hemorrhage at work and died.

But each day the loyal Hatchiko continued to appear at the same time each day to wait for his master.

Locals began to feed him and Hatchiko continued to wait at the station each day for nine years until his death in 1935.

 

[QF WP]

Once underway and the seatbelt sign was off one of the crew looking after our part of the cabin came to offer Mrs H a wine. My ears pricked up and I turned around so fast I gave myself whiplash.

You see, Mrs H is a NB. She has a different surname to me having not changed it after the wedding and due to using the delayed booking method, she was also on a different PNR to me. The reason for the wine offer to a NB remains a mystery to me.

Well, the CSM does have an iPad full of interesting data on all pax, so perhaps her birthday was noted? Were your bookings linked? If so, then perhaps that's another reason why she knew...

Finally, nobody mentioned it getting onboard?

After what I assume was her rest, the delightful flight attendant reappeared to offer more wine.

She asked if I wanted to stick with the Shiraz, then spotted the mini bootle. A very subtle, but unmistakable look of horror flashed across her face and she whisked away the poison and tainted plastic cup.

She returned soon after with real glass containing Wynns Black Label Shiraz.

I trust you noted down this fabulous FA's name and have said nice things about her to QF ....

but you can’t put a dollar value on a child’s happiness.

So for the joy it brought Miss H, I’m saying it was worth it. But only just.

I understand your conundrum completely

Miss H tried okonomiyaki for the first time today.

By far my favourite Japanese meal of all time. Did they put some dried seaweed on top (I love it, because the heat coming from the okonomiyaki makes them move and they appear to be dancing)...

I'm way down the back in whY, but belted in for the ride...

 

[drron]

It's classically dried bonito flakes on top of okonomiyaki.They certainly dance.

 

[kermatu]

Super TR. Enjoying it all so far.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Day 8: I should have had the VB

As many AFFers would know, Tokyo has many novelty coffee shops and bars. The robot cafe and cat cafes are among the best known.

But Miss H decided the hedgehog cafe was a good option. They were cute, spikey and not worth $38 for half an hour.





TBH, I had mixed feelings about this stop. While Miss H really enjoyed it, I’m not sure the same could be said for the hedgehogs.

Then it was on to the Skytree. The top half was clouded in so we decided not to go up.



Inside the shopping centre below the Skytree we found the International Beer Museum where the only Aussie beer acknowledged was on the second shelf, third from the right.



I guess it could be worse. They could have showcased Fosters.

Still, if they think VB is a Museum-worthy example of Australian beer I decided the other beers they’re offering must also be of dubious quality. No beer for me.

Dinner time and Mrs H was in the mood for Indian. Here’s the children’s butter chicken with Naan bread that was so big I couldn’t fit it all in the photo!



The restaurant artwork was a selection of spices, herbs, lentils etc. They’re unlabelled and a surprisingly good conversation starter.



I correctly guessed 14 out of 25. The waiter gives the answers at the end of the meal.

When we emerged after dinner, so had the Skytree.



On the way back to the hotel we found this and decided to give it a try.



I should have had the VB!

On return to the hotel, the view of the Skytree and temple was especially good.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Well, the CSM does have an iPad full of interesting data on all pax, so perhaps her birthday was noted? Were your bookings linked? If so, then perhaps that's another reason why she knew...

Her birthday may have been noted on the iPad, but as we weren’t traveling on her actual birthday, I think it’s unlikley. The other possibility is than an update was made against her PNR during the BNE-MEL sector after her birthday was discussed with the crew. It may then have shown on the sector to SIN, but an update from one iPad to another within three hours seems beyond QF’s IT capabilities.

And yes, the bookings were linked. This is the most likley explanation. But why not offer wine to the WP first? DTKWIA?

Finally, nobody mentioned it getting onboard?

Not a word.

I trust you noted down this fabulous FA's name and have said nice things about her to QF ....

Of course, but I always find wording such praise tricky. The last thing I want to do is get her in strife for giving the good wine to the plebs or some sort of security matter for opening the door to the crew rest.

 

[kermatu]

Of course, but I always find wording such praise tricky. The last thing I want to do is get her in strife for giving the good wine to the plebs or some sort of security matter for opening the door to the crew rest.

I too am cautious re "outing" what is great customer service but could be perceived negatively by the bosses. This is where generic phrases are your friend. "Outstanding, attentive service". "Made the flight fun for my little girl" etc. That said, I seriously have my doubts that exact feedback ever goes to the employee or the bosses in an organisation as large as QF.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Yokohama: All the bread you could possibly knead

Day nine we decided to head out of Tokyo. But where to?

The only criteria was that we could get there by train as we had Japan Rail passes.

1. Open map.
2. Blindfold wife
3. Spin her around three times.
4. Ask her to point to map.
5. Get ice for injured knee and apologise.
6. Put lamp back on table.
7. Agree that Yokohama seems like a good option.

At this point you might think googling how to get to Yokohama would be useful. But I’d seen signs at Tokyo station for trains to Yokohama, so I didn’t need directions.

So Miss H and I set off walking to the station with Mrs H hobbling alone behind and, frankly, slowing us down.

About an hour, and what seemed like 30 stops later, we arrived in Yokohama.

Now before you all reply asking why we didn’t do the 17 minute non-stop trip on the Shinkansen, remember I didn’t need google maps for this trip.

Of course, I didn’t discover my error until days later when taking the Shinkansen to Kobe and stopping in Yokohama.

Sadly, it was the first of several navigational blunders as you’ll discover later.

On a more positive note, had we not done the trip the slow way we may never have made it to Yamashita Park where we stumbled onto the Yokohama Acoustic Festival.



We had a lovely walk along the foreshore... just the thing for Mrs H’s swollen, throbbing knee.



We didn’t board/tour the Hikawa Maru but continued along taking in the view of Yokohama Bay Bridge.



One thing you notice very quickly in Japan is a distinct lack of public rubbish bins. I found it counter to the environmentally conscious culture.

While many Japanese take their rubbish home with them, that’s not true for everyone.



We were heading for the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse.



The tourist information signs said it housed market stalls. Perhaps it was lost in translation, but it turned out to be a shopping mall just like any other.

However, outside the Yokohama Bread Festival was in full swing.





The place was packed and there were more than 100 bakeries represented along with almost any type of bread, pastry or baked goods you desired.



I think the Japanese might rival the French for their love of fresh bread.

Perhaps it’s my Australian perspective, but I don’t understand leaving products on a shelf all day uncovered. By late afternoon I’m not sure how fresh some of these products really are.



I certainly wasn’t going to touch items like hot dogs, or cheese and bacon rolls that had been sitting out all day.

 

[Major]

A bit late to the TR but now on board

 

[Jacques Vert]

Enjoying the TR and your sense of humour.

 

[QF WP]

Thanks for the heads up @Captain Halliday. I’ll make sure I don’t make the same mistake with my wife on a mystery destination day in our future travels

How are your bruises coming along (I think you forgot to share that with us)

 

[Captain Halliday]

Yokohama: What a workout

Still pounding the pavement in Yokohama we reached the Cup Noodle Museum.

Obviously I reached it first with Miss H, while Mrs H and her swollen knee hobbled along behind a couple of minutes later.



This had me curious.

Adding boiled water to dry noodles... how much history could there possibly be?

I wasn’t curious enough to go in.

I suspected the museum might have been a little like cup noodles themselves - lacking substance and underwhelming.

Back along the waterfront this guy had all the moves.



He held that position for almost a minute. Remarkable.

At the end of the esplanade we found Yokohama Heliport.



I’m guessing the four rigid looking plastic seats and a card table out the front of the ticket office is the J lounge.



Onwards we walked and discovered a small, expensive, crowded theme park in central Yokohama.



My heart rate increased and beads of sweat began forming on my brow as flashbacks of DisneySea played in my mind.

We headed away from the nightmare seeking relief... peace... harmony.

You know, something to calm the nerves.

Like a bar.

Or a pub.

Then, as if my prayers were answered it appeared:



The Yokohama Yoga Festival.



The tension in my shoulders vanished, my blood pressure dropped and the urge to write bad poetry hit me.

My downward dog complete,

Worries of the world were banished.

Then suddenly it hit me,

The family was famished!

Leaving my bad poetry with the yoga class we headed for the Yokohama Sheraton buffet.

 

[Captain Halliday]

Sheraton Yokohama Buffet

The Sheraton Yokohama buffet was around AUD75 per adult. It was comparable to similar buffets you’d find at Aussie 4 and 5 star hotel.

It was of course Japanese in style, so where an Aussie buffet might have a selection of fresh seafood this one had sushi and tempura stations.





In place of the Aussie carvery were ribs and Shabu Shabu.





Other aspects of the buffet were as you’d expect.













There was a limit of 1 hour 45 minutes which was disappointing as we would have liked to have shared a bottle of wine after a long day. Still, that probably saved us 8,000 yen.

And sitting too long would not have helped Mrs H’s knee. Best she get back on her feet and walk it out.

Pros: broad selection, excellent presentation, freshness of sushi and fresh crepes at the desert buffet.

Cons: Time limit, no fresh seafood options unless you could the sushi, price.

Overall: Nice, but not worth going out of your way for. 6/10

 

[QF WP]

Given that Mrs H’s knee doesn’t seem to be getting better, have you sought medical attention for it?

Can’t wait for the next installment

 

[Captain Halliday]

Given that Mrs H’s knee doesn’t seem to be getting better, have you sought medical attention for it?

Can’t wait for the next installment

I’ve looked everywhere for a Japanese version of Bunnings. It’s amazing how hard it is to find cement in a big city.

 

[QF WP]

Oh my, I can’t wait to meet Mrs H. I trust she knows you’re writing about her in such glowing terms....

 

[Boca68]

I’ve looked everywhere for a Japanese version of Bunnings. It’s amazing how hard it is to find cement in a big city.

OH man! you are so in trouble......

Just wait until she catches up with you! I can hear her coming now... Ker-plonk! Ker-plonk! muttering something about "eefin yoga" and "eefin noodles"?

 

[Captain Halliday]

Memo to Google: Just because it runs on tracks doesn’t make it a train

After the success of the train trip to Yokohama, next we were off to Kobe.

At least this time I knew we needed the Shinkansen.



I made sure we had seats on the right and we were not disappointed passing Mt Fuji. Sorry @drron



We also passed what I assume was one of the Shinkansen depots.



When it came time for the meal service I selected the Aussie Bogan Box.



Stop judging me people. I walked 14.2km at Disney.

After the Shinkansen pulled into Kobe it was just a short walk to our hotel.

When I say “short”, I mean it was about an hour.

This was because some of our hotel selections were... how can I put this... geographically challenged.

You see, we decided to get the Japan Rail Pass and commit to trains for our travel within Japan.

In the planning stages I used google maps to plot the things we wanted to see and do, along with our hotels, then cross referenced them with the train stations.

Or so I thought.

Here’s my map for Kobe. The purple coloured bed icon is our hotel.



See it right there next to Kobe Station?

Super convenient.

But that’s NOT actually a train station.

It’s a subway station.

And there’s one big difference: you can’t use your Japan Rail Pass on the subway.

So if I zoom out, you can see the Bullet train dropped us 2 miles or 3.24km as the crow flies from our hotel.



At this point, I was rather unimpressed with Google.

But I persisted and used it to plot the walking route.



Still less than 4km. Easy! And mostly downhill.

Now before you ask, yes, Mrs H did mention that her knee was still stuffed.

She also pointed out Miss H was tired and hungry.

And that we had two suitcases and two backpacks.

All fair points.

So I compromised and agreed we could walk slowly and stop for food.

But sadly for us, and for whomever at google has to read my letter, this scenario was repeated in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.

We ultimately cancelled our Kyoto accommodation and added three days in Nagoya.

But more on Nagoya later, because despite the ground transport challenges, Kobe was one of my favourite stops in Japan...

 

[QF WP]

That is Gold, pure Gold . You owe me a new keyboard @Captain Halliday, I just laughed at a most inopportune time and spewed tea all over my old favourite - it's now out drying in the sun...hoping it will still work. I'm surprised you still have a wife and daughter on the trip with you by this stage

Always cross check Google, who would have thought.

I loved my 2 trips to Japan and can't wait to take my family back...skiing will be high on the priority list.

More please...awaiting the next installment. Just give me time to get another cuppa though