Interesting Experiences ... Day 1

More about the interesting start.

Certainly has not been the usual Japanese experiences with the exception of:

• rail system confusion, resulting in yet another wasted ticket. Our 'track' record on dud train tickets over the period of 4 years remains unblemished.

• rail etiquette community education posters - cityrail should take note.

• Lost in translation product descriptions - this is mean to say secret "pouch".

• anpanman mania - anpanman playground was spotted on top of a random building Izumisano. Bad anpanman impersonations were also spotted in a random restaurant in Hakuaba.
  

First time experiences include:

• 15 mins for 5000 yen (correction: 500 yen) shower at airport lounge. Just think portable loos but way cleaner and far more techy. And unlike your normal portable loo strategy, the aim was to maximise time and welfare. Somehow we all could only manage to consume 5 out of the allocated 15 minutes despite our very best efforts to prolong the experience.

• 9 hours for 1900 yen relaxation oasis. Just think 24 hour internet cafe, but with extra comfort facilities, including massage chairs, your own little oasis to sleep in, shelves full of risque comic books and unlimited drinks machine.
  
  
  

6 trains, and 8 hours later, we have arrived at white horse, aka as Hakuba.

Hopefully the snow will come out to play over the next few days.