JR Railpass

Japan is a train country. You can get just about anywhere in Japan by train and indeed it is the most convenient mode of transport in that country. Something that makes rail travel all the more easy is the JR Railpass.  It basically allows you to ride any JR train as many times as you want during the validity of your pass.

There are several different types of passes.  First you have the general pass which allows you access to all of JR.  Then you have an individual pass for each region of Japan (Hokkaido, East, West and Kyushu).  Personally I don't know why you'd want to limit yourself to one region.  I wander so much that picking just one region would be extremely difficult.  The passes also have a time limit.  They do not go on forever.  You can choose a 7, 14, or 21 day pass.

If you want to see a lot of Japan easily and in a short amount of time this pass is the way to go.  Not only will it save you money, but it will also save time.  Instead of standing in line to purchase tickets, you just flash your pass to the station personnel and away you go.  The JR pass is also very easy to buy.  I went to JTBUSA, got the contact info and called the Chicago office.  A fax and one more phone call and I had my passes (note that I had to do things differently because my wife is Japanese and you have to do some special things for Japanese nationals living abroad to get the pass, normal ordering can be done online with much less documentation).  The documents you get in the mail are actually vouchers that you must use in Japan to obtain the pass themselves.  Now, you must buy these passes before you go to Japan.  They cannot be purchased within country and you must have a tourist visa.  If you have any sort of long term visa (student, business, etc.), you cannot use the rail pass.

There is one other limitation to the pass: you can't use the Nozomi super express bullet train.  The other two, Hikari and Kodama are able to be used.  Also, keep in mind that not all trains in Japan are JR.  There are other rail companies and you cannot use the pass with them, so please check to make sure that your destinations can be accessed by JR.

I will be using a 14 day rail pass this summer.  I'm looking forward to being able to come and go where and when I please.  It'll allow me to explore at ease and to have a general liberty.  I've used the pass in the past and it was great being able to travel freely.

Neat travel hacks

Ran across this on Facebook.  Pretty cool things you can do to help you in your travels.  Check it out.

The Gulf Coast

Being the typical Southern that I am, I took my family down to the gulf coast for part of our summer vacation.  Actually, my wife had a Zumba course to take so it was an added incentive to hit the Mississippi coastal region.

We went to the Las Vegas of the gulf coast, Biloxi, Mississippi.

I had been to Biloxi once back in 2002.  I went down for a Tool concert with some buddies from college.  We didn't see too much of the area.  Just went to the mall, hotel and arena.  Spent maybe 12 hours there in total.  Not much time to see the sights.

I had been meaning to go back to that area and I finally got my chance this year due to my wife's desire to become a Zumba instructor.  The closest place within a time frame that we could make was Biloxi.  Thus our family summer vacation spot was chosen.

Due to a little communication mix up, the original hotel I wanted to stay at was fully booked (Hampton Inn on Highway 90).  I was pretty heartbroken because I love Hampton Inn.  There will be another blog post soon on the awesomeness of Hampton Inn.  So I had to do a mad dash to find another place.  Most places in Biloxi proper were full.  Made sense seeing as it is in the middle of summer and it is a beach town.  I finally had success at a Day's Inn in Ocean Springs, a small town just across the bay from Biloxi.

Ocean Springs is a pleasant little town.  It's not as touristy as Biloxi, but is only about 5 minutes away.  I actually liked it better than Biloxi proper.  Ocean Springs is quieter and more relaxed than it's more famous neighbor.  It's also away from the hustle and bustle.  In Biloxi, there crowds of people everywhere you turn.  Traffic is as slow as molasses and people constantly tail gate.  I liked being able to go the more populous places, but then retreat back into my nice quiet place.

Ocean Springs isn't without it's attractions.  It's got a very nice beach complete with a kids' park/play ground.  The beach isn't as crowded as Biloxi so if you want some nice family time, OS is the place to do it.  I found the beach clean, quiet, almost abandoned and very relaxing.

The food in Ocean Springs is also pretty awesome.  BB's Po Boys and Seafood was great.  We ate there twice.  I had the roast beef po boy and a cheeseburger po boy.  Both were amazing.  It's a bit expensive, but worth it.  We also tried a couple other places while in town.  Aunt Jenny's was okay.  Not a whole lot of food for the price, but the view from the dining room was fantastic and the food was tasty. Stonewall's BBQ was okay.  Being from Memphis, I'm pretty picky about my BBQ, but Stonewall's was okay.  Not great.  Okay.  Their sausage was pretty good though and if I were to visit there again, I would probably skip everything else and go for the sausage by itself.  I really recommend the sausage.

One of things that I was most excited about was seeing Jefferson Davis' house, Beauvoir.  Now, I'm not a pro-Confederate, crazy racist.  No, I'm a history nerd.  Pure and simple, I'm a history nerd.  My wife showed no interest in going to Beauvoir, so I decided to visit while she was at Zumba.

It was a bit hectic and confused at the historic site.  When I entered, I was told that I would have to wait nearly 2 hours for the tour to begin.  Apparently somebody called out sick in a bid to show their power over the management.  I resigned myself to wandering the property and gift shop for however long my son could last before we would have to leave for lunch.  Miraculously they were able to schedule a tour for about 10am.

The tour itself is short.  Maybe about 30 minutes.  The house is also rather small.  It's amazing to see how little the people of the 1800s lived with.  The house is simple, yet beautiful and the museum and Presidential Library is pretty cool.  Definitely worth the visit if you are into history.

Another place we ventured to was the Lazy Magnolia brewery in Kiln, Mississippi.  It's a bit of a drive from the Biloxi area, but the brewery tour is good and tasty (you get to have samples throughout the tour).  I always enjoy a good brew tour and seeing how things are made.  You really need to call and schedule a tour because it was just dumb luck that I got there and they were just so happening to be starting a tour.  It would be a pity to drive all the way out to Kiln only to be turned away like I almost was.

The trip was a good respite from normal everyday life in the South.  It's a great destination for us Southerners to blow of some steam and enjoy beach life.

I'm dreaming of a white Thanksgiving!?

The white stuff didn't make itself known until we were in Knoxville.  The weather had been cold and overcast but dry.  The further we pushed into East Tennessee, the more the snow built up and the heavier it fell.  The funny thing though was that no one was over reacting like they do in Middle and West Tennessee.

The roads were clear throughout the way from I-40 exit 407 through Sevierville and Pigeon Forge (one of the gaudiest tourist towns this side of the Mississippi River).  We stopped at a Kroger in Sevierville to get some last minute Thanksgiving supplies and to get some directions.  I also took the opportunity to get some info on the road conditions.  According to the locals it was clear through Gatlinburg.  They weren't wrong.

The drive continued South, deeper into the Great Smoky Mountains.  After passing through Tourist City USA aka Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, we entered into a winter wonderland.  This place was amazingly beautiful.  Everything was glazed in white and though traffic was steady, it was extremely peaceful.  The road wound its way through this small portion of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and treated us to the splendor of the mountains that we so rarely get living in the delta.

I was apprehensive, being a flat lander and all, while driving through this gorgeous scenery, but the roads were nice and not icy sheets of death.

That is until we go to the last little bit of road to our cabin.

My mom had warned me that it was a steep climb up to the cabin and the road was icy.  I was now confident (maybe a bit too much so) and went head long up the hill.  It was fine for the first 3 or 4 minutes.  Then we got to the last hill.  It had a good angle on it and sure enough, it was frozen.  We inched up.  The tires would slip and the car would whine.  We'd climb up a few more inches and slip again.  I was nervous, having my wife and young son in the car.  We made a turn and I began to relax.  Then within sight of the cabin, maybe 20 or 30 feet from the driveway, we get stuck.  I can't move forward at all.  I cut the wheels to the left and manage to creep out.  Then I'm stuck again.  I cut more and pump the gas and end up in a shallow ditch.  After a bit of cursing and unnecessary steering wheel punching, I put the car in reverse and out we go.  Suddenly my car can make it up the last bit of hill and we coast into the driveway.

Hugs were given and I got to introduce my wife and son to my cousin Johnny whom I haven't seen in 11 years.  We chatted and unloaded the car.  The boy was whisked off to our room upstairs to get a well needed and earned nap, which he eventually refused to take.

I needed a beer.  We had plenty and lord knew I needed one.  So Johnny and I started early.  After awhile my uncle woke up and joined us in spirits.  It was a fun time of male bonding and catching up.

Early afternoon saw the arrival of my cousin Frank and his family of six.  The quiet cabin was no more.  The day was fun and enjoyable.  Stories were told and everyone caught up on each other's lives.  It was a great time and of course we all stayed up late into the evening talking and just enjoying each other.

Thursday.  I woke up early as  I had volunteered to make omelets in a bag (something I learned from scouting and wanted to try it out).  I crept downstairs and as quiet as I could be, started to make breakfast.  I already had chopped onions and such (you always want to do as much prep work at home as possible).  My little second cousin loved the omelet and begged me every morning after to make "that thing we made yesterday".  It was an easy breakfast and kept everyone out of the kitchen for the important meal.

The rest of the weekend was spent reminiscing about our loved ones who are no longer with us and telling stories and generally updating each other on our lives.

We did manage to get out to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but didn't see much other than from the car.  It was still spectacular, but I felt a bit disappointed that I didn't get to do any hiking.  I guess I have an excuse to go bum around Gatlinburg again.

We were going to go up to Clingman's Dome (highest point in Tennessee), but on the way up I got spooked by the amount of ice that was on the road (I've become a bit more cautious since my son was born.  A couple years ago I would've bounded up the mountain with barely a thought.).  The drive up to Clingman's was great and very beautiful.  I love the mountains!  However, we couldn't find a parking space so we decided to return to the visitor center and then back to the cabin.

The return to the cabin took almost an hour after we left the visitor center.  Keep in mind that the park is only 4 miles from where we were staying.  The entirety of Gatlinburg was crammed full of cars and pedestrians.  We crept down the strip, inching past shops, bars, restaurants, and hotels.  We finally made it back and I vowed that I was not going to be leaving the cabin again until we were heading home.

I kept my promise and only ventured out when my cousin was driving.  The rest of the time was spent eat, drinking and catching up on everyone's lives.  It was great trip and I greatly enjoyed it.  Gatlinburg is on the list of places my family wants to revisit.

Travel Accessories: The iPad

Accessories are important to the traveler.  One always needs equipment, tools, and other items to ensure the trip is good.  On my recent trip to Japan I discovered how nice it is to have a tablet device.

I am an avid reader.  I often read a couple books a week and this number increases when I'm on vacation.  It's also a great way to pass the time while flying or otherwise traveling.  In the past, I used to pack six or seven books each time I flew to Japan.  There were a couple problems to this; one being the weight.  It would add to the difficulty of moving around and would make my back ache.  The size and shape was also a problem.  Trying to fit a book filled bag into the overhead compartment was no easy task and when I wanted a certain book I would often have to dig around for it.  Another problem was that I had to bring the books back home too.  So basically I had a ton of dead weight going and coming home.

The iPad changed all this.

This past summer when I went to Japan I carried an almost empty backpack.  The only thing in it was my iPad, a change of clothes and a couple other traveling essentials.  Basically my bag was super light.  This was a new experience for me.  I was used to lugging a huge and heavy backpack around, but now it was light and easily maneuvered about.

The iPad allows you basically carry all of your travel entertainment needs in one nice, compact and light weight device.  On top of entertainment it serves as a calendar book, address book, internet device, GPS and much much more.  At the time of its first trip it did not have much on it, but now I have a lot of apps and other info to help make trips run smoother.  Among some of my apps I have a couple Tennessee specific ones especially TDOT.  I have Kayak, Expedia, National Parks Guide, and many more.  On top of the ones I have, there are tons of other apps out there that I just haven't gotten around to downloading.  There are several dictionaries and translations apps.  There are even several bag packing apps that guarantee that you won't forget anything if you use it.

Overall, I feel that the iPad, or any tablet for that matter, is an indispensable item.  It'll cut down on luggage and weight.  It will keep all your important items in a compact and easy to use manner.  It's definitely worth the money and I look forward to learning more about mine.

Airfare on the rise?!

Read this article today stating that airfares could go up again.  Seriously?  Plane tickets are already too expensive with all the surcharges and junk they tack on.  At this rate, only the mega rich will be able to fly.

Baby's first international trip

My wife and I became parents just about a year ago now.  Soon after learning that we were expecting, I began to dream of future trips.  I had practically grown up in a car, driving from my home to my grandparents', going cross country to visit relatives and criscrossing the globe as an adult.  I was excited at the prospect of taking my future son or daughter all around with me.  I was so excited.

Well after the boy was born reality set in; he didn't like traveling much after he was three months old.  He would scream continuously for 3 hours while we drove back to Memphis from Nashville.  Every time we would go somewhere, he'd freak out.  We would try to set up long car rides early in the morning so that he'd sleep through most of it.  Traveling went from something I loved to something I dreaded.  It was with this negative mindset that I headed to the airport in late May.  I knew my son was going to be that kid, the one who screams the entire flight causing the parents to be frazzled messes upon arrival at their destination.  I was terrified.

We bade my mother farewell at security.  I nervously went through security.  I was a mess.  I was not the cool, collected traveler that I usually am.  This time I was restless and moody.  I could feel the stress course through me.

The plane doors closed and soon we were off.  The boy nursed for a few minutes and then passed out.  He stayed asleep all the way to Washington DC.  He woke up in time to watch us rush through the crowded airport in desperate hopes to catch our plane.  "Ok" I thought "He's going to lose it this time for sure."  I braced myself for the 12 hours or so of constant screaming.  Then he started.  He let loose with a scream.  "Here it is." I moaned to myself, but after a couple minutes and another nursing session, he was out again.  We did have a little problem in that some paperwork wasn't filled out properly thus causing us to be on the tarmac for about 2 hours.

We sat with this baby who at any moment could erupt in screaming fury.  But he continued to sleep.  He woke up as we rolled out to take off and was awake for a time after that, but again he slept.  He slept almost the entire way to Japan.  He was a champ.  I was a little worried about trying to sleep once we were there, but I was just hoping to make it off the plane before he cause a massive scene.

The crying fit that I was sure to come never did.  He was a perfect little angel the entire way.  Both my wife and I were amazed at this.  We thought for sure he'd be the terror of the flight.  He even slept the entire way from Nagoya airport to my mother-in-law's house.

The flight having been conquered we were free to settle in to our temporary home in Japan.

We lucked out by having the boy sleep the entire way, but it goes to show that babies aren't always disruptive little devils.  They can be calm and content while traveling by air.  Also, it proves that you shouldn't always anticipate the worst.  I certainly did, but was very pleasantly surprised.