Health Tips

Cairns, Queensland, Australia

Day 2 is more travel…I should have listened to my mom and kept a travel diary so I could keep the days straight and it would have been easier to remember which day I went where, but did I listen? Nooooo.

So I am going through photos now and trying, with this sun-baked brain to put everything in order. Maybe another beer will help. Another thing I noticed here – back in the States there is a church on every corner, here there is a bar. I have to say I like the logistics and planning here much better.

Anyway, these should be photos from more of the rainforest and some of the outback (although I didn’t get SO lost that I managed to make it all the way out there).

Enjoy.

from: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/daniaspeak/1/1262347625/tpod.html

Taketoyo, Aichi, Japan

Disclaimer: This is not a blog about my hometown, Taketoyo, or my travel experience.

My Past Destinations in Japan
I would like to summarise the tourist sites I have ever visited in Japan here. I have travelled not only internationally, but also domestically in the 35 years of my early life. Japan is definitely a part of the world and without Japan, the world does’t complete. So my country is not an exception as one of my destinations. Unfortunately, I have not blogged about all the destinations, but before I forget them, I would like to jot down at least the names of all the places, events, and things. From the northernmost and easternmost part of Japan, Hokkaido, to the southernmost and westernmost part of Okinawa, I listed as many places as possible below.

Prefectures (30 Visited, 17 Not Visited)
1. Hokkaido (Sapporo, Snow Festival, Otaru, Sapporo Olympic Venue, Shiretoko Shari, Abashiri　Prison, Lake Akan Ice Festival, Lake Mashu, Lake Kusharo, Mihoro Mountain Path, Drift Ice)
2. Aomori (Nebuta Festival, Mt. Osore, Lake Towada & Oirase Stream, Shirakami Mountain Range, Hirosaki)
3. Akita
4. Iwate (Hiraizumi Chusonji Temple)
5. Miyagi (Sendai Star Festival, Matsushima)
6. Yamagata
7. Fukushima (Aizuwakamatsu Castle)
8. Ibaraki (Tsukuba, Tsukuba University)
9. Tochigi (Nikko Toshogu Shrine, Taiyuin Temple)
10. Gunma
11. Chiba (Tokyo Disneyland & Disneysea, Funabashi, Kujukuri Beach, World Judo Championship 2005, Narita International Airport, Makuhari Kaihin Park Mihamaen, Matsudo, Kashiwa Festival, Nagareyama Gymnasium, NAS Nishifunabashi)
12. Saitama (Tokorozawa)
13. Tokyo (Mitaka Gymnasium, NAS Kichijoji, Yotsuya, Myogadani, Kanda Antique Book Stores, Odaiba Gundam & The Statue of Liberty, Asakusa Hanayashiki, Asakusa Rockza Theater, Sensoji Temple, Ghibli Museum, Sumida River Firework Display, Tokyo Great Firework Display, Koganei Edo Tokyo Outdoor Architectural Museum, Tokyo Dome, Korakuen Amusement Park, Kodokan, Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Tower, Ueno Zoo Panda, Ueno Park, Meiji Grand Shrine, Hibiya City Ice Skating Rink, Tokyo Dome Skating Rink, Tsukiji Fish Market & Honganji Temple, Hotel New Otani, Akasaka Prince Hotel, Ameyoko Shopping Street, Yasukuni Shrine, Yushima Temple, Yushima Seido, Tsukishima Monja Street, Akihahbara Electric Town, Chinzanso Garden, National Museum of Western Art, Yoyogi Park, Yoyogi Olympic Pool, Tokyo International Forum, Nihon Budokan, Shimokitazawa, Torasan Museum, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Joypolice, Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, Shinjuku Hanazono Shrine, Komabano Park, Keio University Judo Practice, Harajuku Takeshita Street, NHK Broadcasting Centre, Akasaka Detached Palace Geihinkan, Rikkyo University National Examination, Takushoku University, Meisei University, Machida, Haneda Airport, Shinjuku Takadanobaba, & Kanda LEC, Imperial House Marathon, Lantern Procession, National Theatre, Power House, Shibuya Six Way Scramble Crossing)
14. Kanagawa (Yokohama Chinatown, Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum, Miura Coast, Kamakura Tsuruoka Hachiman Shrine, Kotokuji Great Buddha, Enoshima Island, Hakone, Hadano Sophia University Campus, Yokohama Grand Intercontinental Hotel, Yokohama Municipal Sport Medical Centre)
15. Yamanashi (Fujikyu Highland)
16. Nigata
17. Toyama (Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, Kurobe Dam)
18. Ishikawa (Kanazawa)
19. Fukui (Fukui Academic Meeting)
20. Nagano (Matsumoto Castle, Tsumago, Komoro Judo Camp, Karuizawa, Kamikochi)
21. Gifu (Gifu Castle, Nagaragawa Fireworks Display, Takayama, Shirakawago, Magome, Shin Hotaka, Ota Post Town, Tajimi)
22. Shizuoka (Mt.Fuji, Shimada Horai Bridge, Arai Post Town, Shizuoka Academic Meeting, Nakatajima Sand Dunes)
23. Aichi (Nagoya Castle, Atsuta Grand Shrine, Nagoya Port Aquarium, Osu Kannon Temple, Higashiyama Zoo & Botanic Garden, Noritake Square, Nagoya Design Expo, Love the Earth Expo, Mt. Sangane Skyline, Noma Daibo Temple, Tokishi Kannon Temple, Meijimura Museum, Little World Museum, Inuyama Castle, Japan Monkey Park, Minamichita Beachland, Tokoname Motorboat Race, Bolshoi Circus, Ichinomiya Star Festival, Sophia Nanzan Exchange Meeting, Takeshima Island, Tsushima Tennoh Festival, Shurakuen Buddha, Shinnittetsu Festival, Lake Souri, Agui Industrial Festival, Oike Park, Red Brick Beer Factory, World Collaboration Festival, Kainan Kodomonokuni Park, Kariyado Park, Okazaki Iwazu Tenmangu Shrine, Arai Post Town, Hekinan Wave Pool)
24. Mie (Toba Aquarium, Ise Grand Shrine, Kumanokodo Ancient Pilgrimage Route, Akame 48 waterfalls, Nagashima Spaland, Suzuka Race Circuit, Korankei Snake Centre)
25. Shiga (Hikone Castle, Mt. Ibuki)
26. Kyoto (Chionin, Uji Byodoin Temple, Kiyomizu Temple, Golden Pavilion, Fushimi Inari Fox Shrine, Uzumasa Movie Village, Ryoanji Temple, Ninnaji Temple, Myoshinji Temple, Nishi Honganji Temple)
27. Nara (Horyuji Temple, Todaiji Temple, Kofukuji Temple, Nara Park Tokae Festival, Sarusawa Pond, Kasuga Grand Shrine, Murouji Temple)
28. Osaka (Dotonbori, Universal Studios Japan, Tsutenkaku Tower, All Japan Powerlifting Championship, TOEFL venue)
29. Wakayama (Mt.Koya, Okunoin Approach, Kongo Sannoin)
30. Hyogo (Kobe, Nanjing Chinatown, Luminarie, Himeji Castle, Port Pier 81, Human Renovation and Disaster Reduction Institution)
31. Okayama
32. Hiroshima (Hiroshima Castle, Atomic Bomb Dome, Peace Memorial Park & Museum, Miyajima, Itsukushima Shrine, Kiyomori Shrine, Five-Storied Pagoda, Daishoin Temple)
33. Tottori
34. Shimane
35. Yamaguchi
36. Kagawa
37. Tokushima
38. Kochi
39. Ehime
40. Fukuoka (Fukuoka Dome, Tsukushi Mayer Meeting, All Mission University Judo Championship)
41. Oita
42. Saga
43. Nagasaki
44. Kumamoto
45. Miyazaki
46. Kagoshima (Shiratani Cloud Water Valley, Oko Fall, Yakusugi Land, Kigen Ceder, Nagata Inakahama, Hirauchi Kaichu Onsen, Shitogo Banyan Tree, Kagoshima, Saigo Takamori Statue, Sakurajima, Sakurajima Lava Nagisa Promenade, Sakurajima Shirahama Onsen Centre, Karasujima Island Observatory)
47. Okinawa (Naha, Shuri Castle, Churaumi Aquarium, Ryukyu Mura, Southeast Botanic Garden, Nakagusuku Castle, Cape Manza, Shikinaen Garden, Seifa-Utaki)

Any prefectures have attractions, but I like visiting the places which are unique to Japan. However, I should be careful of cheesey tourist sites. Honestly, all the destination above mentioned were easily accessible compared to overseas destinations, which means I was likely to be trapped by boring nearby attractions.

Typical Boring Sites
As a backpacker, I make it a rule to visit a few best attractions in one place and move on to the next. On the other hand, any countries, cities or towns have several attractions to some people. However, it seems that there are some places which don’t have any interesting sites for general tourists, but to attract tourists, the local governments advertise even boring spots. For example, Icchoda wetland is a tourist spot of my hometown, Taketoyo, but a lot of tourists or hikers would be disappointed at the small wetland. To avoid this kind of tourist traps as far as possible, I always carefully get enough information for the tourist spots before departure. Because the vacation time is always limited, not to waste my time, and as a budget traveller, not to waste money, I try to be specially careful of the spots below, when I make up an simplified itinerary.

1. Temples, Shrines, Churchs, and Mosques
2. Museums, Art Gallery, Memorial Halls
3. Palaces, Mansions, Residential Houses of Famous people, Castles
4. Gardens, Parks, Botanic Gardens, Zoological Parks, Squares
5. Towers, Skyscrapers, or Night Views, Cityscapes
6. Local Festivals or Events
7. Amusement Parks, Swimming Pools
8. Grade B attractions

Even a single boring site could degrade whole the travel. Especially big cities have a tendency to advertise these possibly boring sites for tourism. From my experience, it seems to be better to choose a destination from at least nationally famous spots. Needless to say, there are a lot of exceptions and interesting sites depend on individuals and travelling comanions, though.

from: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/misocutlet/4/1260099748/tpod.html

Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand

TIPS FOR TRAVELERS
If you find yourselves in Wanaka, do not miss the opportunity of a visit to The Paradiso Cinema. (see story below)

OUR BLOG
Easy day today. Clare wants to copy all the Skydive photos on a single DVD for her and us.We also persuaded her to copy some of our USA, Samoa,Tonga and Fiji photos onto a couple of DVD’s so we can send a copy home and keep a disc with us..This should make sure we do not lose photos like we did on our last trip in Asia when one of our Memory sticks packed up.
At 3pm everyone came home from work and we all got ready to go to the cinema.Not so unusual you might say but this is The Paradiso Cinema…..a small building attached to a cafe and owned by a man who must be worth a bob or too. The cinema has 40 normal style cinema seats but then has the capacity to seat another 30 people on old sofas of varied descriptions, sofa cushions on the floor and an old yellow Morris Minor to sit in. The place was packed and when we left there was another crowd to come in. He does 4 or 5 sessions a day with different films. They do their own homemade cookies and ice cream.
We went to watch Sherlock Holmes a new release and we all enjoyed it tremendously.
One other great thing is that there appears to be no system to control who goes where at the start of any performance. We had pre-booked tickets but arrived a bit later than we wanted so the place was packed with a long queue of ticket holders blocking the door. There were also people trying to squeeze past to get to the counter to get drinks and sweets. Others like us trying to get in to collect tickets and others not going to the cinema trying to get served. Great fun and a great atmosphere.
The best bit was that the intermission lasted right up to the point where the last person in the queue was served with drinks, cakes, sweets, burgers and ice creams…..funny that!!

After the cinema Todd and Cody went home and Paul, Jane, Clare, Byron and us went for an Indian meal at a relatively new Wanaka restaurant called The Spice House. We ordered our meal, had a couple of bottles of wine, and I thought “not enough food”. As it was we had some food left at the end…….yes you did read this correctly……with Paul, Byron and Tony at the table we just could not finish off everything.
Tony and Hels paid for the meal as a thank you to Paul and Jane.
Off home after another stupendous day……………….

from: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/tony-helen/2/1262267345/tpod.html