3 Teens in Tokyo! A PTR

[battymum]

Welcome, Minnie Sue,

I am so ready for this trip, we booked flights in July, (got a great price and haven't see them as cheap since) - I think I would go insane planning a trip two years out.

 

[battymum]

This morning I received confirmation of a booking with http://kyotofreeguide.sakura.ne.jp/ !

Our guide will be Miki, she has lived in Australia for two years working as an assistant Japanese teacher, but now working in a youth hostel in Kyoto.
She will meet with our family and spend the day showing us around Kyoto on a tour tailored specifically to our family.

This is a free service, we have to pay for her transport and lunch.
Ii

 

[PrincessInOz]

That's a great service to know! Hope you come home raving about it.

 

[battymum]

53 days to go !!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

That's coming up fast!

 

[thptrek]

Please let us know how your Kyoto guide was. I'm in Japan a lot and have been looking for a good guide to Kyoto. I was going to head over to Disneyland today but its too cold and windy. Good luck on your trip

 

[rgoble5972]

Better late than never (hopefully!). I've read through from beginning to end and have dutifully subscribed to the thread. I'm following with interest because we hope to be able to go (read "afford") to Japan next spring and stay onsite at Disneyland, in Tokyo, and in Kyoto.

I loved your practice pictures of the Japanese garden and am eagerly awaiting your blockbuster trip report when you return!

 

[Aussie Wendy]

Have caught all up now with your planning. Walked virtually right past where your house in Kyoto will be-nice location close to Ginkakuji and the Philosophers Path and an easy bus ride to anywhere else and it looks lovely. I am jealous of your overnighter further north! For your hanging around Sheraton time-the hotel has a lovely pool (not sure if open when you are there) but I would catch the monorail one stop to Ikspiari (the equivalent of Downtown Disney) - for lots of different food and shopping options and the garden area is very pretty in the evening-not many choices to eat at the Sheraton itself. Make sure you buy a monorail multi day pass before first use-I didn't and was annoyed as bought one the next day anyway. The machines are on the station platform. Loved your Sydney " Japan-day" photos!! We never saw any Cosplay girls while we were there-though Harajuku did fill up with teens later Sunday am. We visited the Meiji shrine early on Sunday and DH was feeling a bit off and didn't want to wait around or walk too far that day but the station and Take****a-dori (or however you spell it) was filling up with teens as we were leaving. T-dori was full of what I call girly shops - lots of lace and frills and US hoodies and horrendously dear-DD and I were amused walking through it and you HAVE to try one of their icecream or cheesecake stuffed crepes-served rolled up like an icecream cone.

Your trip is getting very close..exciting!

 

[battymum]

Gosh! It seems as though I have been planning this trip for ages!

50 days to go!!!!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Getting closer.

 

[voleball]

Just read through the whole thread. Sounds like it's going to be an exciting trip!

I just looked up the money hot spring in Nagano because I remember talking about it with my co-worker. So I found it and here they have live pictures (snapped at regular intervals) at http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/english/html/top_e.htm. My co-worker just went there last spring and he said he enjoyed it quite a lot.

I'm planning for my own family trip (me, DH, BIL, DDx2) in spring 2014. Even though I grew up in Japan, I'm not very familiar in Tokyo/Kyoto area, so I'll be taking notes from your upcoming trip!

Link to Live Camera: http://www.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/livecam/monkey/index.htm

 

[battymum]

We can't wait!

 

[Minniemum]

Just under 7 weeks to go Battymum. Looking forward to reading more about your trip.

 

[battymum]

Update: 26 days to go

$A has been forging ahead agains the Yen, we are now at parity or $1 = ¥100, so I ordered cash today, no point being greedy, I plan on paying for our hotels and Disney tickets on credit card - I hope we have enough cash to cover everything else.

Rail passes arrived last week, when I first started planning these were close to $350 each, but with the strong $A I ended up paying $300 - sweet!

I am also happy about the exchange rate being at parity because it makes it so easy to convert back to my own currency on the fly - mentally converting is not my strong point,

My three children have part time jobs, so they all have their own spending money.

Next on the list is to organise Internet - we have 4 smart phones (poor DH has a work provided brick) - I had thought of getting visitor sims for each of them, so that we can split up and still contact each other, but think I will go for a portable wifi instead, with one sim in case we want to split up, we are unlikely to split five ways, unless someone gets lost, we will just go old school wtih this and arrange a meeting place.

Pretty sure I will go with econnect for this..

 

[PrincessInOz]

So nice when the dollar works in our favour.

 

[WAMUMOF4]

I did take notice of the Yen today and thought you would be happy what great timing for you, not long to go now

 

[battymum]

Ordered the wifi and SIM card - used DH's brand new 28 degrees card!

Whats next on the list??

I have to pull out everyone's jeans this weekend, being early fall in Australia at the moment, we haven't worn long pants for 6 months. Lord knows how much 15 year old boys grow in that time, I don't want to pull them out and find they are 2 inches too short!

I hope I don't have to buy any, even in the depths of winter they only wear jeans or long pants if they are out at night, which is not very often.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Ordered the wifi and SIM card - used DH's brand new 28 degrees card!

Whats next on the list??

I have to pull out everyone's jeans this weekend, being early fall in Australia at the moment, we haven't worn long pants for 6 months. Lord knows how much 15 year old boys grow in that time, I don't want to pull them out and find they are 2 inches too short!

I hope I don't have to buy any, even in the depths of winter they only wear jeans or long pants if they are out at night, which is not very often.

Sure hope you find that everything is the right length.

 

[battymum]

Oh, one more thing, it was always my concern about the children missing school, especially DD, as she is in final year.

We are leaving Wednesday evening, which means two days before end of term. I knew this may clash with exam week, and it does, but DD received her exam timetable today and she only has one exam on the Thursday and nothing scheduled for Friday.

There should be no problem doing the Thursday one early, so she will have all exams done with and be able to relax on her holiday!!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Oh, one more thing, it was always my concern about the children missing school, especially DD, as she is in final year.

We are leaving Wednesday evening, which means two days before end of term. I knew this may clash with exam week, and it does, but DD received her exam timetable today and she only has one exam on the Thursday and nothing scheduled for Friday.

There should be no problem doing the Thursday one early, so she will have all exams done with and be able to relax on her holiday!!

That's great! Hope she's happy with this.