Having spent a few hectic days in Tokyo, living at the same fast pace as the heart of the city, we were ready for a rest – a retreat. However, as tourists, an eagerness remained to see and experience Japanese highlights that had previously only been ideas tacked up on the wall, famous landmarks only pictures in a guidebook. The perfect combination of these two sentiments was to travel to Hakone, an area not far from Tokyo that also provided…
The journey began in Tokyo, which we reached in the evening after a train ride from Narita. The bustling hubbub of the airport retreated until we were left with only the occasional conductor’s announcement in Japanese – the very first times I would hear public broadcasts in a completely unfamiliar language. I have found that there is something very intriguing about knowing that information is being imparted but receiving none of it – it is both worrying and relaxing at…
I have officially left British soil for the next five months – though I’ve headed not to Korea but Japan. I’m grateful to say, my family has joined me on this first journey, primarily for an amazing holiday but also to soften my transition to life alone at university. We left home in the morning of July 31st, travelling first to Heathrow then efficiently boarding our flight at the scheduled time. The aeroplane then handily teleported to Narita and we…