3 Teens in Tokyo! A PTR

[battymum]

They say it is best to actually speak to your VRBO owner/ manager before making a payment, to confirm they exist -

Tried to do that yesterday - twice - the language barrier is even harder to deal with over the phone

I got two different people but the second one with perfect English, advised that I have to call today and speak to Wendy -

Waiting for people to leave my office to try again!

 

[Terapin]

This is exciting to read as we are hoping to go to Japan in Spring 2014. We do a major trip every 18 months or so and this is our next big trip. We have friends in Hawaii so hoping to get there, too. Hoping to use DVC points to book a room in Tokyo Disney!

 

[PrincessInOz]

Did the people leave the room...and did you have success??

 

[battymum]

No,

Gosh I hate it when I am expected to do something other than plan my next holiday when I am at work!

I will use my mobile to call, as I have a high amount of included calls that includes international, but I dont want to have an awkward conversation when others can hear me !

 

[PrincessInOz]

I hope you get your accommodation sorted.

 

[battymum]

This is exciting to read as we are hoping to go to Japan in Spring 2014. We do a major trip every 18 months or so and this is our next big trip. We have friends in Hawaii so hoping to get there, too. Hoping to use DVC points to book a room in Tokyo Disney!

Hope my rambling helps!
I have only been to WDW once, and between jetlag and the heat / humidity I spent the week in a fog - but I believe it was awesome!

I am looking forward to the Disney Parks in Tokyo - I have read many reports that tell me they are the best ! The Disney resorts look awesome!

 

[BecBennett]

No,

Gosh I hate it when I am expected to do something other than plan my next holiday when I am at work!

I will use my mobile to call, as I have a high amount of included calls that includes international, but I dont want to have an awkward conversation when others can hear me !

Yeah it's just rude isn't it? The worst part is where you're right in the middle of reading something interesting, and then your phone rings with more work... People have no manners!

I'm the same with awkward phone calls. I often wait to make phone calls until everyone else odd on the phone, so they can't over hear mine!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S2 using DISBoards

 

[battymum]

Our itinerary as it stands -


Wednesday 10th April -

Go to work/school as normal - home by four for early dinner /shower - get picked up at 6 for one hour trip to Sydney airport - Flight at 9:30pm


Thursday 11th -

Arrive Narital 6:30am - I expect at least an hour to get through immigration / customs - then find limousine bus to Sheraton Tokyo Bay - arrive around 11:00am - too early to check in -leave luggage and take a walk around hotel immediate area, find some food.

Check in at 3:00 - shower and chill out for a bit - head to ikspiri for food. Early night.

Friday 12th - Find subway to Tokyo central -

Saturday 13th - Ditto

Sunday 14th - The only day - I know where we are headed - Harajuko !

Monday 15th - We could head into the city again or if we have seen enough there we may start our Disney days.

Tuesday 16th - Disneyland

Wednesday 17th - Disneysea

Thursday 18th - Disney

Friday 19th - we can activate our seven day rail passes now - may take a day trip to Nikko or Hakone - possibly Fuji Q park

Saturday 20th - Checkout of Sheraton - heading to Kyoto on Shinkansen

Sunday 21st - Tour Kyoto

Monday 22nd - Kyoto

Tuesday 23rd - possible day trip to Hiroshima / Mayajima

Wednesday 24th- more Kyoto or another possible day trip

Thursday 25th - heading back to Tokyo on shinkansen -change at Shinagawa - then NEX to Narita - Flight home at 9:30pm!



A very bare itinerary at this stage - I hope to flesh it out some more.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Looks great.

 

[BecBennett]

Your itinerary looks really good! If you get a chance take a day (or even half day) trip from Kyoto to Nara. I loved Nara!

Also, if you go into Shinjuku don't be afraid to wander around and get lost. There are some awesome tiny streets where you may not go in anywhere, but it's so alive and bright! Also if you are worried about getting lost you can just go into any subway station and the signs down there are all in English and will point you the way you want to go

 

[battymum]

DS has been roaming the streets of Tokyo on Google earth he reckons he will be able to show us around!

Its quite amazing - you can actually go into some of the buildings!

 

[DreamSweetsLove]

DS has been roaming the streets of Tokyo on Google earth he reckons he will be able to show us around!

Its quite amazing - you can actually go into some of the buildings!

Smart kid! Google earth and Google maps are a lifesaver in the city. Tokyo in particular has a confusing layout left over from it's past which was meant to confuse enemies that would attack the city. Even for people that live here it's not always easy to find our way to a new place.

 

[battymum]

I have been undecided about booking our accomodation in Kyoto - I was all ready to do it and then couldnt get through when I tried to call - so I left it.

I have been looking at a few more properties - one with a company called Japan.Experience.

Anyway DH comes home at lunch today and says he has been looking too and he showed me the site of the house he likes - turns out it was the same one I was looking at.

So he said "just book it, use a credit card and you will be safe"

So I have, booked and paid for!

http://www.japan-experience.com/voyage-japon/rent-a-house-in-japan/kyoto/bizan-house


OMG - I feel sick!

 

[battymum]

DH is generally pretty happy to let me do the organising and plan our holidays and he happily comes along and goes with the flow.

But he did say to me "we have to do a day trip to the snow"

I hadnt even considered it, we are not skiers and dont especially like being cold - but we live in Sydney and have never seen snow, so maybe it will be a fun day, and it wont kill me to let DH have some input into what we do.

They still sell ski holidays up until the end of April, so I am assuming there will be some snow somewhere at that time. I know it is late in the season, but we will just be playing.

So does anyone have any suggestions for a day trip from Tokyo or Kyoto, that are easily accessible by JR.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Ooooh. Interested to see what the views are on skiing. I've been interested to ski Japan for a while.

 

[battymum]

Turns out he wants to see the monkeys that you often see in pictures sitting in an onsen with snow on their heads!

 

[BecBennett]

Not sure about the snow, sorry. Where are the packages that you've seen?

I would imagine that the snow at that time of the year would be further north... But I have no idea really.

 

[battymum]

Apparently there is a great ski resort 77minutes on the shinkansen from Tokyo - the train takes you right into the resort. Yazawa Gala.

It was open for skiing until May 6 this year - as we will only want to play in the snow there should be enough for us in mid April.

But the monkey park is in or near Nagano which is a little bit more difficult to get to and I think its one of those things that you have to be lucky to see a monkey and its probably not as good as in the photos.

Anyway - i will put it on the list of possibles.

 

[battymum]

Being from Sydney, Australia our cherry blossom trees have been blooming for the last couple of weeks.

On the weekend I had a brilliant idea to go and visit some Japanese Gardens to practice my photography before our trip.


ALONG WITH EVERYBODY ELSE IN SYDNEY WITH A CAMERA!!!!!!!


This is in a "botanic garden" in a suburb more noted for its muslim population, I wouldnt imagine its usually that busy but it was crazy.

Anyway the blossoms were probably past their peak, but the people watching was great - we even came across a "real life cosplay girl " - definitely set the mood for our trip!

 

[battymum]

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