I have fond memories of visiting Wales when I was younger. It took forever to get there and when you arrived at your cottage it was always raining, which is probably why I remember the country as being ‘very Green’. If you drove 20-30 miles further though, you could find sandy beaches and sunny weather. … Continue reading 9 Wales
Prince Edward Island (PEI) is known locally as the Birthplace of Confederation, as it was here in Charlottetown in 1867, that the British Provinces of Canada (current day Ontario and Quebec), New Brunswick and Nova Scotia first joined together to create the British Dominion of Canada in response to a growing threat from the expansionist … Continue reading 8 Prince Edward Island – Canada
I’d been putting off visiting Canada for quite a while, as I couldn’t think of a compelling enough reason to go, after all what could the country that gave us Nickelback possibly have to offer? In the end I did some research and discovered ‘The Canadian’, a cross-country sleeper train that runs from Toronto to … Continue reading 7 Canada
Visiting New England in the fall is on lots of bucket lists and for good reason. In mid-October the trees turn from green into a riot of reds, yellows and oranges. A swathe of colour can be seen all the way along the East coast of the United States and up into Canada. Many Americans … Continue reading 6 United States of America
Kawaguchiko The reverse of the Yen 1000 banknote features an iconic image of Mount Fuji, shown reflected in the surface of Lake Motuso. If you want to replicate that shot, then Kawaguchiko, in the five lakes region, is the place to head for. It’s a few hours by train from Shinjuku to Otsuki, from where … Continue reading Chubu Region – Japan
Broadly speaking trains in Japan are punctual and keep to their published schedules, but no system is perfect and even one of the most efficient railways in the world has its off days. Continue reading Tohoku Region – Japan
I had originally planned to use Busan as a transit point to Japan… but my plans evolved and instead I had a rest day in the city. Continue reading 24 hours in Busan – South Korea
The Chugoko region is the five westernmost prefectures on the main island of Honshu. Cities to the South of the region are well connected by the Shinkansen between Kyushu and Osaka, with regular fast trains to Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and Kagoshima. A mountain range runs East to West and therefore the North is less densely … Continue reading Chugoku Region – Japan – Sights
Nagasaki As I climbed off the train at Urakami, I thought that this unremarkable high street could be any medium sized Japanese town. Around me people are going about their daily business, the day is warm and it is cloudy, much like the 9th August 1945, when the US detonated a second atomic bomb over … Continue reading Kyushu Region – Japan – Sights
Shikoku is the smallest of Japan’s main islands and the place to visit for rest and relaxation. Continue reading Shikoku Region – Japan – Sights
Twintail 