Access Denied

I was prepared to go to Tokyo, bags packed, rail pass in hand...

Everything seemed fine until I was at the gate prepared to board the shinkansen, Japan's infamous bullet train. They stopped me and Donald and the attendant went back and forth in Japanese until Donald turned to me and said "it ain't happenin'." Turns out my scooter is too big and heavy for them to deal with. So power wheelchair and scooter users can probably count the bullet train out when they come here. He went on to meet a friend and I wandered back into Kyoto. I stopped at an internet cafe and then went to check out a shogun's castle. I figured it was all over for travel but the next day Donald and I got on the case and by that afternoon had figured out an alternative plan.




Plan B has been rejected as well by the authorites of Japan Rail. They want to charge me an extra $85 or so for each leg of the journey and they aren't really willing to deal with the scooter. After Shoei, a friend who is from here, talked to them for a long time they determined the only way was to pack my scooter up like luggage and put it on the train. This seems like a long shot and hightly unlikely.

So I may put Shoei on the case again and see if she can get me a refund. This will be a small miracle.

I left the JR Station that day feeling pretty low. Donald continued on his plans to meet Shoei. We weren't prepared to include me and the scooter in this adventure so I headed back to the subway. I was determined not to let it ruin everything that day so laden with all my bags I laid plans on more exploration of Kyoto and eventually navigated to one of the famouse Shogun castles of Kyoto.