The Adventures of Gimpy Girl

Shanghai! Bright lights, big city!

2005-05-13T17:14:00.000-07:00

We finally got to Shanghai and it was almost the end of our trip. Traveling was not quite so tramatic this time. We arrived early in the day and headed downtown. I was immediately impressed by the architecture and energy. Shanghai is very metropolotan and huge and has lots of inviting neighborhoods. We walked -- and scootered down the streets. I had run out of supplies so we steered into a pharmacy and although they didn't have what I needed it was a fascinating stop for the group. We wound our way through the shops and cafes down side alleys to the Yu Garden. This was definitely a cool spot. A beautiful garden scullpted in the middle of this area of town.

http://static.flickr.com/22/29596493_07778893da.jpg

Later we took a nighttime boat ride and got to witness the city lit up. It somewhat reminded me of Vegas but more metropolitan.

Xian and big mounds of dirt

2005-05-11T16:53:00.000-07:00

The next morning after slugging down another breakfast of congee and dragonfruit, we headed out to the infamous mounds where a whole army of terra cotta soldiers were unearthed. It was pretty cool actually. I've got bundles of pictures that show these. Here are a few.

Onto Xian-- Touring madness

2005-05-10T22:07:00.000-07:00

This is a day I will always recount when someone wants the hear about traveling with a tour group. We woke up early and I joined the others on the top deck where we were docked in Chongqing. I watched them do Tai Chi while photographing the fantastic view of this metropolitan port situated at the northern end of the Yangtze River. After breakfast we left the ship. Our bags and my scooter had already been sent to the airport where we would arrive after our adventures is Chongqing. The first adventure was getting from the boat to the bus. This required getting me up a huge flight of steps that would tire the most hardy traveler. Larry and Patrik, our tour guide, negotiated a price and four men carried me in my lightweight wheelchair up the foreboding incline. Somewhere near the top the carriers started trying to renegotiate the deal. I don't know if they decided I was a heavier load than they anticipated or what but the 100 yuan suddenly didn't seem like enough. Back and forth haggling while I was suspended atop the staircase and eventually they agreed to take me to the top despite Larry's refusal to cave into their demands.
Chongquing
Once we made it to the bus we zigzaged through town to a famous szechuan restaurant where we got to experience some of the best food we'd had yet in China. Then back on the bus and to the zoo to see some of China's dearest inhabitants, now on the verge of extinction, the panda. Unlike in the States there were no long lines and fanfare. Just us and the panda while he enjoyed a lunch of bamboo. Then after a few pictures we were hurried over to the monkey cage, and then to the bengal tiger. At the end of the zoo circuit we stopped at the gallery and Larry purchased some amazing white purple jade statues of quan yin and I stocked up on art supplies.

Back on the bus and we were off to the airport. This time it was an impressive modern airport and we had a much easier time getting through with the scooter. Larry and I scored seats in the bulkhead and shortly after taking off they started a movie (in Chinese) and fed us a meal of some kind of frightening substance. An hour and a half later we were landing in Xian and I was wishing I'd taken more of this opportunity to sleep. Onto the next bus and a new local tour guide spent the entire ride into town telling us of local history, most of which I slept through.
First stop in Xian was at the ancient gate, from which armies would protect the city from invaders. While everyone climbed to the top of the wall, Larry and I waited below. Once everybody had time to circle the wall the climbed back down and into the bus and bedraggled as most of us were beginning to feel it wasn't time to go to our hotel yet. Instead we were of too another culinary treasure of the local, this time it was dumplings. We decided we'd also enjoy some local delights of a potent plum wine and bitter melon beer. But shortly after the flambe finale we sucked up our wine before rushing off to yet another activity. It was on this night that our tour group was to see the "most amazing show that I guarantee you will absolutely love" as Patrik did all he could to convince us that this would be better that relaxing and returning to our hotel.
bitter melon beer
So despite protests of the weary group we left the restaurant and again borded the bus. The dropped our scruffy group at the Vegas-style show and we were escorted to a table at the back of the room where we were offered more alcohol. We propped our heads up and watched as the razzle dazzle unfolded. But no amount of show-stopping glitz would open my eyes further than a slit at this point and I spent the whole show wondering when it was going to be over. On a different day I might have found it to be amuzing but it was all just a little much at this point in my day. I was certainly not alone in my sentiments. Heads laid on the table all around the group as we all were way past being easily amuzed.

Yangzte River, Day 4 ShiBaoZhai!

2005-05-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

Early today we went up to the top deck to a spectacular view of the famous Red Pagoda. Too bad I left my camera in the cabin! After breakfast we set out to see this amazing place. It was a huge climb up a hill so I took the easy chair... otherwise known as the sedan chair! After a session of haggling I was carried out of the ship, through the marketplace and eventually with more haggling up to the base of the pagada.

The point of negotiation to get all the way to the top!

A view of our boat from above

No, that's not me waving. I couldn't talk them into taking me up this far.

The resting place at the base of the Pagoda

Yangtze River, Day 3

2005-05-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

We awoke early for tai chi and chi gung practice. Besides the teachers we were traveling with the ship's acupuncture doctor also taught tai chi. This is one thing that was much more regular on the ship. There was always a good place to practice.

We were setting off early for an excursion down the Shennong Stream today. This required moving to a smaller boat and then eventually boarding even smaller sanpans to explore the very shallow part of this river. As usual there was always help to get me to the more challenging areas.

China: The Yangtze River, Day 1

2005-05-06T20:39:00.000-07:00

Despite the staircase access to any other part of the ship, the cruise felt like the most accessible part of the trip. Here I floated through the beautiful scenery which could be enjoyed by simply stepping out onto my balcony. The help was everywhere when I needed it and often I was carried up or down the staircase. The schedule became much more relaxed and we could spend much of the day doing what we wanted or just resting (which I did often). One of my favorite places on the boat was at the very top. I could sit up there and watch everything float by at 360 degrees.

The first day we set off early on a side trip to see the imfamous Three Gorges Dam up close. The Chinese government has built this dam to provide a much-needed energy source but in the process are wiping out all of the towns and civilizations that lived near the bottom of the river. In fact, once the Dam is completed in 2009, everything 175 meters from the bottom will be submerged. The government is spending a huge sum of money to relocate all the people who lived in these areas and rebuild town that are lost. It's very contriversial and is changing the ancient landscape forever. I have to admit it is better than burning coal which has been their main source of energy. The air in China can sometimes be extremely thick.

Our ship went through the locks and it took about three hours and provided some unusual views.

A tight fit!

The Joys of Travel

2005-05-05T20:42:00.000-07:00

After a late night flight into Wuhan and a bus ride to Yichang we finally arrived at the cruise ship. It had been an epic day of travel. Our plane was delayed which was lucky because our experience at the airport was anything but smooth. When I arrived on my scooter, ready to board as I have dozens of times, the airline looked at me as though I had just arrived riding a Harley. All the convincing our guide gave them in didn't seem to make a difference but eventually he got them to aggree if I took off all of my batteries and wrapped them up separately. I thought Patrik, our guide was going to have a nervous breakdown but we all made it to the gate in time and I even managed to get a bulkhead seat so I could sleep as much as possible. Of course it wasn't long after take-off that they were serving some kind of meal and ruining my chances of good sleep. The airport in Wuhan was something from around fifties, with alot of the very dated space age architecture that was like an old bachelor pad that hadn't been touched since about the same era. The help arrived quickly with the wheelchair and whisked me off to an elevator that didn't seem to work. Larry was ready to take me down the stairs and I wasn't feeling at all in shape for this, but at the last minute it miraculously started to function again. We got in and rode this little rocket down to the first floor. By the time we got to baggage I decided I better use the restroom before getting on another bus. This turned out to be a big mistake. The attendant wheeled me into a dimly-lit wretched smelling room. I spied all the porcelen holes behind half-height doors with the sound of running water echoing throughout the room. She wheeled me to the western style toilet. I ventured in and lowered myself down to a resounding splash! I screamed and melted into an ugly American. With no toilet paper in sight, she wheeled me back out and I got onto the bus with a wet ass.

Just before midnight we arrived at the ship. I had slept most of the bus ride and was roused up with discussions on how I was going to get down to the ship. It was decided that we would pay the porters to carry me down in my wheelchair. So down I went carried like royalty to the ship on what looked like a mountain of stairs. My scooter was carried in pieces and stored separately on the ship. Up one more flight of stairs to our room.

Despite the staircase access to any other part of the ship, the cruise felt like the most accessible part of the trip. Here I floated through the beautiful scenery which could be enjoyed by simply stepping out onto my balcony. The help was everywhere when I needed it and often I was carried up or down the staircase. The schedule became much more relaxed and we could spend much of the day doing what we wanted or just resting (which I did often). One of my favorite places on the boat was at the very top. I could sit up there and watch everything float by at 360 degrees.

Beijing, Day 3

2005-05-05T12:19:00.000-07:00

On the last day in Beijing we got up early, Larry practiced Tai Chi in the Black Bamboo Garden and I went swimming. We packed our bags and took some extra time to walk over to the Garden. The park was accessible but we were stopped at the gate and not allowed to enter. Apparently my hotrod looked a little too much like a motorcycle or bicycle and the wouldn't let me in. I was ready to get arrested but Larry didn't we had time to get arrested since our bus was leaving in an hour.

We hopped on the bus and headed for the Summer Palace. This is a beautiful place the emporer and his family would go during the hot summer days. It is set on a lake. We took the scooter and they tried to keep us out again but someone to argue in Chinese and eventually they allowed us in. Some strongarming was required here as well. We wound around the lake and took a really cool looking boat arcoss the lake that looked like a dragon.

This boat is made of marble! Made by the navy to demonstrate... something.

We got off on the other side and onto to the bus and across town to the Temple of Heaven. It is here where people go to socialize, play music and cards. My favorite part was hearing some of the local musicians. We never would have time for this if our plane hadn't been delayed!

China, Beijing, Day 2

2005-05-04T12:11:00.000-07:00

The next morning we visited the Ming Tombs which I had to experience from the courtyard.

This trip was followed by a trip to the Great Wall which was a harrowing climb to the top. I was unable to convince my group of strong men to carry me to the top of this staircase but the stories when they got back told me that it was no small feat for the well-abled.

A day off from the tourgroup allowed us to get some special teachings from great Chi Gung healers. One of the healers was an old lady from rural China. She performed a Chi generating exercise that had everybody tingling. Larry's hands swelled up. This was a common side effect of intense chi through the body.

Besides this Larry and I mostly took it easy except for discovering some tunnels that I could cross the street safely through (only after playing chicken with the cars up top). In the tunnels I got a lesson on how to play to bamboo flute gourd for the price of the instrument.

China: Beijing, Day 1

2005-05-03T19:09:00.000-07:00

This adventure I am doing in Tour Group style with Larry and his Tai Chi comrades. We arrived at a very fancy Hotel Nikko. Kind of funny to be at a Japanese hotel in China. The very next morning our bus set off to Tianamen Square. Beijing has created passageways and bridges for the bicylces and pedestrians to get across the streets. The only problem with this is that many of these passageways require navigating stairs. By the advice of our tourguide I my lightweight wheelchair. This was good because with the help of our team of tai chi strongmen I could be carried wheelchair and all like ancient royalty. So into the Forbidden City we traveled, exploring the world once only reserved for the emporer's family.

The cobblestone was a nightmare for the wheelchair. Eventually Larry abandoned it and resorted to piggyback style. In the background you can see where the Forbidden City is getting a face-lift.

Later that afternoon we were treated to Chinese acrobats and dinner. They definitely keep us busy!

Sionara!

2005-03-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

Well I did it. I caught the plane with 3 hours to spare. I wasn't taking any chances today. It wasn't bad though. Kansai Airport has wireless internet and plenty of shops to keep me busy. My new moto in travel is to be at the airort with at least 3 hours to spare. Airports are kinda cool anyways. I didn't drag Donald along for the trip this time though. I strapped everything on my scooter (including my extra bag!) and chugged along okay. Anything's possible with enough bungies and tape!

Good-Bye Donald!

All I can think about now is when I will be back again! I will miss you Japan!

Keep your eyes peeled for my next adventure to the far east: China!!

Ja mate ne!

too late!

2005-03-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I learned a valuable lesson about travel. Always leave twice as much time to get where I am going as I think I might need. When I started out for the airport four hours before my flight I thought that would be enough time. But I should know that when I get to the station I can't just hop on the next train. I have to wait until they come out with the ramp. When I got to Kyoto station I attempted to get a pass that would cost about a third of the price to get to the airport, but after I was told to go to different ticket offices repeatedly (Kyoto station has about a zillion JR ticket offices) and wait in lines, we stood in the last line and watched as the clock ticked by until it was evident that we weren't going to catch the train we wanted. Once we were on the platform the attendents could not help us and Donald ended up being handed a ramp to use himself. We felt really put off by this and I was especially concerned that a solo traveler would be screwed. But Donald dealt with it and we got on the train. When we got the ETA from the conductor I knew that only a miracle would get me on that plane. We got off the train pretty efficiently and made it to the terminal, but no swiftness was going to save us now. The United coordinator actually tried pretty hard to get me on the flight but with a scooter to deal with it just wasn't happening. She generously booked me on the same flight the next day without charging me anything extra. We headed back (I had no problem getting the elusive Kansai regional pass here) and phoned another friend who happpened to have just arrived in Kyoto and went to have okinokiyaki at this great restaurant down the street from Donald's house.

So one more meal and today an early start to the airport. Yesterday was my dress rehearsal. Today I do my solo performance!

Back in Kyoto

yummm... okinokiyaki!

A Chu Hai is good anywhere in good ol' Japan!

Access Denied

2005-03-21T02:47:00.000-08:00

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.

subways, trains and Japanese ori

2005-03-19T21:30:00.000-08:00

Last night Donald had a show in Osaka with two members of the Boredoms. I was excited to go to the city and experience my first show in Japan. Shows start early here and Donald needed to be there early to prepare. We left in a rush around 3pm. We started at the very familiar subway station near his place, caught the train downtown and did a very complicated transfer to the Hunkyo line with impressive efficiency, just catching the express train to Osaka. (This line had a really great solution to no elevator: a stair lift!) It never would have happened if Donald hadn't thoroughly checked out the elevators at this station ahead of time. But having caught that train we thought we would make it in time and maybe even have time to get a bite to eat. We arrived in Osaka at 4:35 and raced off to find the elevators in unexplored territory. We went back and forth, talked to station agents, went outside found elevators at the top of staircases, talked to maintenance staff, security agents of the building... nobody seemed to know how I would get to the subway. Eventually they caved in and four security agents carried my scooter in pieces down the stairs. But we still were far from where we needed to get on the subway. When we were finally on the subway it was after 6pm. We had more confusion and lengthy routes getting out of the station, we ran into Yamamoto on the street and walked to the club. I parked outside and climbed down into the most inaccessible club I could imagine, but we made it.

Stair lift in action

From the first act (Psychic Salary Man) to Donald's performance it was mesmerizingly bizarre entertainment. Donald amazed me by singing almost completely in Japanese, and if you are familiar with Donald's style you know he makes this up as he goes - ori style.

psychic salary man

Donald dazzling his audience

Rumi and Donald

Many of Donald's friends and classmates had come to the show, so afterwards we ate dinner there and headed to the train together. This time barriers be damned--I had a whole pack of friends to get me through anything we faced. We were in it together. So when there was no elevator to get us to the platform we needed brut force went into action and we quickly disassembled the scooter and took it down the steps.

Later we found out that the way to do it was to take the train two stops down and it would turn around. It was late so I still don't know if that would have worked. But we had fun on the ride. We got to witness late night drunken passages of our fellow riders. This inspired a long cross cultural discussion about puke.

Seth is trying out the cool ride

Donald fits right in on the subway

Nara

2005-03-18T06:03:00.000-08:00

Friday Donald and I took a trip to Nara. Nara is easy to get to from Kyoto because you can take the train/subway from Kyoto. Nara is known for the influx of deer that have made this their permanent stomping ground. It is very amusing to watch as the locals try to feed them. It appeared the Japanese are rather wary of these seemingly docile creatures. The common practice is to buy these wafers for the deer, so if the deer spot these in your hand they won't be timid in their approach. The funnest part was watching people being chased by deer. I have to admit alot of these dear looked a little worse for wear, so I kind of wonder if these wafers are the best diet for them.

We wandered through the park discovering a classic Japanese castle on our journey.

Dibutsugi is the large temple in Nara that houses the Giant Buddha along with other prominent figures in the lineage. I was impressed by the labors made to make these ancient temples accessible.

This is one big buddha!

Inside the temple is its own mini-me.

Going past the barricades!

I think he wants to race.

a solo adventure

2005-03-17T00:10:00.000-08:00

I made my first solo adventure yesterday. I ventured downtown while Donald was doing his studies. I made my way to the subway. Once at the toll booth I had the attendant's attention holding out maps and speaking english. It worked well. They made sure to have someone meet me at the train with a ramp to get on and one to get off. Next I needed to make a transfer to a different subway line.

Once I found the next subway line they tried to tell me that I couldn't bring my scooter on that line. There was some confusion and she told me I could do it just this one time. So I went down and she got on the train with me. When I got to the other side we met up with two other attendants. Next thing I knew we were sitting in front of an escalator. I got off the scooter and they took it up the escalator! When I got off they showed me a button to push when I came back that would alert them to come up and help me, although they would only be avaiable for the next 45 minutes so I knew I would have to find my way to the other station. They showed me how to get to the temple and I headed off.

The first temple I found was not the one I had set out for but had a beautiful garden and I took off my shoes and climbed inside. I listened to a woman sing and then took some pictures of the garden.

Eventually I found the buddhist temple that had inspired the journey, the Sanjūsangen-dō Temple. This is the kannon bodhisatva, the 1000 arm kannon. I snuck in right before closing. They cleaned off my wheels and allowed me in.

I left here and wandered through downtown Kyoto, past the river and pachinko halls. I found Kyoto to be surprisingly metropolaton. Eventually with some guidance I found the station and then the elevator. I got onto a very packed train, sharing the car with another wheelchair. When my stop came, an attendant was waiting with a ramp. I got off and found my way back to Donald's without a wrong turn.

diner delights and dolls

2005-03-15T17:09:00.000-08:00

Donald's friend Rumi came to visit yesterday and we went to lunch at a funny little curry diner. It reminded me of a kind of Japanese Waffle House (if you've been to the south you'll know what I mean).

Yummm

Afterwards we walked to a doll gallery. There were some really cool dolls in there. Before we left we asked if we could take a picture and the gallery keeper excitedly pulled out some of the very valuable children's dolls I could pose with. Some really interesting dolls were in the back of gallery. I wish I could show you those but I was too shy to take my camera inside.

Later Rumi and I went to a shinto shrine, the Goryo shrine,that is right around the corner from Donald's apartment.
We had fun there.

These gates are a minurature replication of the original which consisted of hundreds according to Rumi).

Wyndee
ウェンディー

White Day

2005-03-14T21:28:00.000-08:00

In Japan there is a holiday called White Day, similar to Valentine's Day except the tradition is that men give presents to the women and on Feb. 14th the women give presents to the men. Donald and I went downtown to check out a popluar shrine. Upon arriving we couldn't resist going to McCafe and ordering a soy chai and caramel latte. Afterwards we walked down the outdoor/indoor market. It was covered from above while being on the street. We found a place with grilled and sashimi bluefish, which Donald declared as his favorite fish, which tended to shock locals since many of them found the taste too strong. We ate outside next to the multimedia vending machines (they play music and videos).

Our adventure finally led us to the shrine just after the sun had set. It took us a while to circumnavigate the stairs. Once we reached the top we did our prayers and got our fortunes.

Japan in the snow!

2005-03-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

Cold Days...

Saturday morning Donald and I set off for a cooking class. He lives near the subway so we were able to make it across town quickly. We learned something important about the subways by talking to the attendant (with Donald's translation). I had been doing an evil kneival maneuver getting on and off the trains to cross rhe 3 or 4 inch gap and similar height difference. I would get a running start and gun it...but if you go up to the front car the conductor will put out a little ramp. Not as much excitement but what the heck. So far all the stations have been well furnished with elevators, so we haven't had too much trouble getting around.

The cooking class was fun. They were very excited to have foreigners in the class and split Donald and I into different groups for cultural exchange. We made a sushi rice dish, clam soup and canola greens with mustard sauce. Afterwards everybody said something about themselves. Donald got up and told everybody about his upcoming show and passed out flyers. He told about his singing and the 'underground' music. (Underground was about the only word I picked out from what he was saying in Japanese.) They wanted him to sing but he had to explain that he doesn't really do solos in the tradional way. By the time we got home rain had turned to snow flurries.

Me trying to julienne eggs

Donald making more refined cuts

A completed meal

Yesterday we awoke to more bitter cold temperatures and little snow flakes. We decided to see the Rokoun-ji Temple or Golden Pavillion. We attempted to take the bus and after a discussion with the man at the information desk we were told that the bus we wanted was hours away. We waited a while by treating ourselves to mister donut but eventually decided to see how my scooter batteries would hold up. We made it there in about 30 minutes and did I mention in was cold? We got to see the temple as the snow fell down. It was very beautiful. For our trip back we thought we would try the bus again. We had noticed that many of them had a handicap symbol and large doors on the side so we suspected that the very rare buses we had been told to take were not the only option. We waited for about twenty minutes while freezing under some pretty serious snow and a bus finally arrived with the handicap sign. We rang the bell on the side but were ignored as the bus filled up. We still don't know if we were left because there wasn't room or because he couldn't accomodate the scooter.

At this point were really cold but started the treck back. When we saw a bath house we went for it. Luckily they provided everything we needed. What a wonderful feeling! There was a washing area, and hot tubs, picturesque outdoor hot and cold tubs, a sauna and something totally different: eletric water. It's a combination we've been told to fear and it is freaky enough that I did not spend much time in it even though it did give me an energy boost. Donald was next door experimenting with it but since I couldn't read japanese for all I knew it was a mistake. Next time maybe I'll be more daring.

We ended our adventure stoppping in a tiny ramen shop. The ramen was excellent, but without a translator it might have been tricky to order. I feel lucky to experience the places only locals go with my own personal translator.

Ja Mata Ne!

Watashi wa Wyndee des

2005-03-10T21:10:00.000-08:00

10-9-8-7...Houston we have a problem. It was yesterday.. or two days ago when I got to the SFO airport two and a half hours ahead. Larry and I parked in the lot got the scooter put together and all the bags out when I realized I had left the most crucial thing of all behind... the scooter key! Panic started to rise but almost two hours later Dave, my hero, called. "I'm two minutes away... from the Oakland terminal" I guess he figured my heart wasn't racing quite enough. He was there a couple minutes later and I was soon dashing to customs. By the time I was sitting in my seat I was still rattled but I was on my way!

Eleven hours of inflight entertainment later and I was landing at KIX airport in Kansai/Osaka. I waited in my seat after landing as I usually do and a woman came up and told me a wheelchair was on its way and soon they met me with a aisle chair and took me off. On the way I got introduced to the special escalators that can lift wheelchairs. Very cool! I got service all the way, breezing through immigrations to baggage and help strapping all my bags onto my scooter. I had one extra bag and he carried it through the last few stops until I was greeted by Donald. We took got a train ticket and headed toward Kyoto. One thing I learned at the train station I wish I had figured out earlier is that there is a significant discount for disabled travelers but I brought no proof. Crutches and a scooter were not good enough evidence. So I could have saved a significant amount on my rail pass if I had just asked. Now I will try to get this documentation somehow to save a little money on the other train tickets I will want to buy.

We arrived in Kyoto, caught the subway and around 3am San Francisco time I took a shower and got ready to go out to dinner. We missed the first choice restaurant but the second choice was really good udon. We had a tasty dinner but I was falling asleep at the table, so we went back to Donalds, rolled out the futon and fell asleep.

Today, after checking out Donald's latest video project, we headed out. Our first stop was at a bakery where we bought a bunch of yummy pastries and went to see the Shimogawa jinja (shrine). We made wishes to our animal signs and washed our hands in the ceremonial waters. We finally got to eat our pastries outside of the temple by a creek. It started dripping on us so we headed back, making it just before the serious rain.

An important sign to learn:

(bathrooms)

Sionara for now!

Two more days to go!

2005-03-06T22:59:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday night and I have two more days to get everything ready before I leave. Yesterday I secured a new battery for my scooter which greatly relieves much of my anxiety. My scooter doesn't have the best range, and I have had many worries about being stuck in the middle of Japan somewhere. I also am upgrading to crutches from a couple of canes, which I found a stylish pair of down the street at Johnson's. It's all about the style, right? I found out about a lecture that promises to teach me how to read Japanese in an hour being taught on Tuesday evening, the day before I leave. Well, it's a big promise but it'd probably be fun if I can settle down enought to take the time. I very anxious and can't stop worrying about forgetting something I need to do. I'm only going to be gone for 19 days. Still, it's a long way from home.

Time for some sleep.

Taking the wheels on the road

2005-02-25T18:24:00.000-08:00

Preparing for another trip into the unknown.

It was last October when I set off for Mexico, not knowing what to expect. I am traveling alone and using a scooter. That was a liberating experience. I was scared as hell, like jumping into a black pool off a very high rock. I just had to jump for the experience of hitting the water, and swimming in the pool. That's what living is all about. Letting go of the reins and experiencing what life has to offer, despite all my 'limitations'.

So here I go again, jumping into a new pool called Japan. This time I want to share the experience as I go--so here I am with my first blog! Friends and family can see what I'm up to, but I am hoping this will also be useful for people who want to know more about traveling in Japan and doing it from a wheelchair or scooter. I know I have only dug up a little information on traveling from this position.

Less than two weeks to go! Yesterday I talked to the Japanese Consulate in San Francisco and they directed me to an excellent website: http://www.wakakoma.org/aj/. I finally have a glimpse of information about the accessibility of the trains. Thank goodness! I was pretty worried I'd buy a rail pass just to find out I couldn't get on the trains. I sent an email to them and now I've had several correspondences with a girl there who has been able to reassure me that I will be okay on the trains. Most trains are accessible and all the stops are documented on the site so I will be able to check ahead of time and not get off at a stop that I can't get out of. I'm feeling much better having a personal contact.

Time for some R & R. I'll keep you posted!