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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Mar 29, 2010 02:00 PM Two more Jimas - two little gems in the sea...
Kerama Islands lie not far from Naha - the bcapital of Okinawa so the return boat ticket to Zamami-jima via Aka-jima cost only 4030 yen.
There are more picturesque, rocky islands in this group, but there is no public transport... Aka-jima 2-kms in diameter has great beaches on every side - like from the perfect picture postcard.
Zamami-jima is little bigger. There are nice beaches too, but I decided t clim to the view points on the green hills to take the panoramic pictures of the turquoise waters, rocky coast and deep-blue sea on the other side. There is paved road linking the 4 viewpoints via the ridge - in total about 7 kms to walk... But at the end nice Japanese couple gave me a lift back to the port.
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Mar 28, 2010 02:00 PM I am on Okinawa Island...
In the high technology-developed Japan of the 21st century I expected to find free internet on every corner... Forget it... Can you imagine? They have here computers with a slots and they charge 100 yen /more then a dollar/ for 10 minute of the connection. Sorry, I cannot write much, it costs... Just put the next coin...
Okinawa was destroyed during the 2nd war, but now is all rebuilt and worth a visit. Naha - the capital city has bright airport and monorail going to the city - I paid 260 yen for the ticket to the youth hostel on Tomari St. whrere I stay paying 3150 yen for the dorm bed.
On the outskirts of Naha there is completly restored castle to see /once in the past the Okinawa area was like separate kingdom/. It is easy to get there by monorail. Day ticket for 600 yen could be the best solution. It gives you little discount at the gate of the palace (regular ticket cost 800 yen)
Tomorrow I plan to take the ferry to the little, paradise islands of Kerama - not far from Naha.
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Mar 27, 2010 07:00 PM Taketomi - jima - old style village
Southernmost part of Japan. They know very little English but they are very patient and polite here. I wanted to buy half kilo of rice. I wrote on the paper *1/2 kg*. They open 5-kilo pack and soon brought me one pack of 1 kilo and second of 2 kilos... 500 g writen works better!
Today I took another noisy and fast boat /1100 RT ticket/ to Taketomi Island. Only 350 people live there. They preserved old architecture of the houses, so it is pleasure to stroll aroung narrow streets walled by coral rocks. Buffalo carts are attraction for the Japanese tourist. There is youth hostel, if you want to spend a night here - just opposite the post office - they charge 2600 yen pp.
Taketomi is small enough to visit it on foot - only 2 by 3 kms... It is worth to try also two nice beaches at the high tide - bring your sbnorkel with you...
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Mar 26, 2010 07:00 PM Iriomote-jima: last frontier of Japan
I use Ishigaki-jima as a base to visit other islands of Yaeyama Group.
It is worth to recommend Yukuru Guesthouse in Ishigaki ph. 080 1545 4211 - this is so far nicest and last expensive place to stay. Old-style house with family atmosphere, kitchen to use - and cost only 1500 yen.
In the morning I went to the port /15 min walk/ to take a ferry to Iriomote island. They write in the guide books that it is the Japans last frontier: unspoiled, less developed, covered with lush jungle... Rt ticket cost 3800. I expected ferry but this was little boat for passengers only, like a glider with turbo engine. They call it Southern Eagle but I think rather Southern Devil - I felt like riding the devil in the noise, vibrations and jumps...
On Iriomote I saw three new waterfalls, to get to the two of them you have to sail river boat up the Amazon-like river...
Great day!
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Mar 25, 2010 07:00 PM Land of the smiling people... Ishigaki-jima
Mosi-mosi! I am already in Japan. People smile around me making me really happy...
I use again the chopsticks and plan my onward travel north...
Ishigaki-jima is the biggest in the Yaeyama group of little islands. Can you see it on your map? It is southern end of Japan. Yaeyamas are the southern outpost of Japan - they are very close to Taiwan and positioned almost on the Tropic of Cancer - so I am still in the tropics.
Lush vegetation around, palms, fern trees, turquoise waters, coral gardens... So far I did not see any other western tourist here...
The marker located in the little city park says that to the Wakkanai on the northern end of Hokkaido Island I have more then 2800 kms to go... I will try!
Tomorrow I want to take littke boat to the smaller Yaeyamas and later - to Okinawa.
Thanks dear Friends for your advice. Do not worry about me - I am doing well and I am very optimistic. I really like this country (but sorry - it is painful, that it is so expensive for the backpacker like me...)
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Mar 22, 2010 07:00 PM I am the victime of internet garbage...
I took in my life more then thousand flights but it happened for the first time:
In Singapore I boarded huge, wide-body boeing 777 heading to Hong Kong. We were already taxing to the runway and captain said we are number 2 to start. Rain started also. Then captain said that we must go back to the other end of runway. And few minutes later - that we must go back to the bay to take more fuel. It took us more then an hour and again taxing we were number 6 to start...
The plane came to HKG with more then 2 hours delay, but I took my connection to Taipei anyway...
Now I am in Taipei.
look at this page:
http://www.tokai-kyowa.co.jp/english/i_ferry01.html
Looks very nice and reliable! But it is garbage!!!
I expected to jump on the ferry from Taiwan - Keelung to Japan. But here I recognized that it does not operate any more.
So do not trust internet... please.
No other ships to Southern Japan.
I am looking for the inexpensive flight...
I am looking for the air solution
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Mar 21, 2010 07:00 PM Singa... Singa... Singapore!
It was early morning and still dark around when I disembarked Jet Star planer in Singapore. Warm and humid again but not as hot as Kimberley.
It is my third time in the City of the Lion. I like Singapore: it is clean end very efficient. People are extremely honest.
I left my backpack in the house of my Servas Friends (thanks a lot Dick and Carol!) and took a walk to see well known places. Singapore is changing very fast: they still built new high buildings and it is hard to see here any sympthoms of world crisis. They built new, huge casinos and office buildings.
But the old Singapore is dissappearing - you can still see some traditional houses in Little India quarter. Backpacker institutions and internet cafes are located there. But no more guesthouses on Bencoolen Street where I stayed years ago. I enjoyed nice city skyline and took one more picture in front of the Merlion. Long walk, lovely day!
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Mar 20, 2010 07:00 PM Qantas - shame on you!
I am in Perth. Qantas cancelled my flight (look! - such a reputable airline! As a result I will fly to Singapore by the low-cost airline. It will be another night on the plane in the crampy seat, without a good service. What I paid for Mr Qantas?
But I had such a situations many times in the past so it does not hurt so much. First rule: do not panic! It is worth to be prepared for surprises and to have ready some options: if this flight will be cancelled I can...
I hope to land in Singapore in the morning anyway. It is interesting to see if there are many changes since my last vist... Keep your fingers crossed My Friends, please... Thank you for all your letters and the warm words you send to me!
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Mar 19, 2010 07:00 PM Broome pearls. Walking the Cable Beach.
Broome in the past was very important place where they were diving for the pearls. At the beginning of 20th century the fleet of some 200 pearl luggers was working here... It is worth to visit local museum to see all stories and old photographs... And in the shops in Broome you can buy today another pearls - from the "plantations".
Early morning I took the first city bus (hefty 3,50 AUD fee!) to get closer to the Gantheaume Point - it is picturesque, rocky cape at the end of Broome Peninsula. Then (it was low tide time) I decided to walk some 5 kms along Cable Beach. More then 100 m wide at the low tide it can be only 5 m wide at a high tide. Some people think that it is one of the 5 best beaches in the world. Hmmm... I think they did not see much... But is was nice (but very sweaty walk) and Cable Beach is worth a visit... They have expensive camel tours here in the evenings...
Soon I will be on my way to Perth and onward - to Singapore... Get ready!
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Mar 18, 2010 07:00 PM 4 WD to Dampier Peninsula... Australia.
North of Broome there is a huge and little developed Dampier Peninsula. I took a full day group tour to the tip of the peninsula - picturesque Cape Leveque.
Why 4WD? There is still like 90 kms of the dirty, red road to go through and other vehicles are risky in this route. Why group? Because the local agencies charge as much as 70 AUD for the day rental of the small 4 WD car.
On the way we visited two Aboriginal communities: Beagle Bay and Lombadina. Beagle Bay has nice mission church decorated with mother -of-pearl. Do you remember similar, but much bigger church on Gambier Archipelago?
Then we were hunting in the mangrooves for the mud crabs (some were catched and prepared for eating in the fire)
Cape Leveque has nice lighthouse and lovel, empty beaches - it was pleasure to swim after the hot day in the turquoise waters. Late return under the Milky Way - the night sky is impressive here! I was singing "The Stardust" unter the stars...
Opps! Do not you think it is the time to get ready for the jump from this hot country to Asia?
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