Schnitzel Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Think it’s been far too long since we had a travel pic thread and since I’m all for generating new content on here and avoiding the “back in the days” nostalgia thought I’d put my photos where my mouth is. It was a gloomy rainy day last April when I looked at flights. And since I have the right combo of a bit of spare cash and a TOTAL lack of long term planning Ibooked some flights for last September to Japan. The plan was to fly to Tokyo, then to Okinawa for one week where we would drive around, and then to Osaka before flying home from Tokyo. This way we hoped to combine Japanes-y stuff ( for me) with tropical warmth (my wife), Japanese food (me), Disneyland/colossal aquariums (kids), bullet train (my son), and J-Pop and kooky fashion (my daughter), animal cafes (my kids). So, hope you enjoy. Had a crazy moment when my wife (for some reason I cannot fathom) packed my daughter’s old and new passports but forgot my son’s and we nearly had a big old argument. Had to fly to Sydney and overnight there. 7 years ago when I left Sydney I was stoked to see a tag on this wall but the scene has gotten way more hardcore. Flying over PNG Sunset ooks cool through the Polarised windows Landed. Japan really doesn’t trust gaijins you have to give some of your fingerprints before you even get to immigration. NOTE the stupid fucking sushi soft toy my daughter insisted we take Made it to the house. Kids to bed Schnitzel to 7/11 for beers 2 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Dope! Is this the same trip as the cliff fishing for dorado? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 Up at usual time. One of the dope things is that Adelaide and Tokyo are only ½ an hour apart so jet lag was nil. Our apartment was pretty bloody close to train tracks IMG_5916.mp4 Skatepark in this wicked spot under the train tracks for several blocks Took the train into town Graffiti at Ebisu as per usual. Shibuya scramble not as hectic as it used to be with one street closed off. Schnitzel with bandages to hide the tats/provide much-needed support to left knee. Fuck this was a nice coffee and so sorely needed. Hit up the Gashapon place. Big mistake because my daughter got so hyped about it and we spent a lot of money in these places throughout the trip. The Iceman MQUE Tower Records Good lord the older fatter me loved fried stuff on a stick so I was pretty hyped on this one. Takeshita street Harajuku Corn dogs or what I imagine corn dogs are. Some Korean hotdogs Animal café (very dubious animal welfare standards I suspect) Gigantic fairy floss is another big mistake from me. but the kids loved it and they crashed hardcore when they got home. then because the kids were cactus and Disneyland was tomorrow we headed back for some relaxation with the kids hitting the Ipad and schnitzel trying to convince mrs Schnitzel to add another stamp to our passport so to speak doradao day is a couple days in future 7 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 6 minutes ago, LUGR said: Dope! Is this the same trip as the cliff fishing for dorado? yep Dorado is coming up! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misteraven Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Amazing man, thanks for sharing. Love seeing threads like this. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 The big day for the kids Tokyo Disney land Breakfast of champions Pork Buns and iced coffee. manhole cover shot because it was nice In our $150.00 Uber to Disneyland because where we were staying would have involved 4 trains to get there. Monorail from train station before we hit the queue. Fuck me it was like 5,000 people long and it was 25 minutes before opening time. But being Japanese it was fast to get in and no bad vibes. The same queue in Australia would be full of people complaining about it. Everybody was decked out which was really cool. I was 100% in the top 10 fattest people in the entire 20,000 people there that day. It's funny the Japanese seem to like nice, clean-to-eat food until you get to Disneyland in which case everybody is walking around chomping on a big ol greasy smoked Turkey leg good thing about riding the teacups was that the parade came out while we we in the queue right next to it Thicc? (mrs incredible haha) biting this tshirt for a piece one day. I thought it was pretty cool to wear some bootleg disney shit at disneyland Had to stay for the night time parade the exit was also mobbed as was the giftshop - this shit was like the last dry deck on the titanic. then we got outside and discovered that an uber was going to cost about $250.00 and would be a wait so I grabbed a taxi. The one taxi in Tokyo where the driver spoke not a word of English and could not read a word of English so I had to set up google maps and pray my phone didn't go dead on the 40 minute drive home. One thing is for sure. TOKYO by the freeway at night is a beautiful experience. it's just a sea of lights as far as the eye can see. would have taken photos but my phone was dying and I had to wave my arms to describe which way to go to the cabbie. Until we reached the home area and he understood what I meant by "OTA CITY" then we high-fived. more later 2 hours ago, misteraven said: Amazing man, thanks for sharing. Love seeing threads like this. Always. I always keep 12oz in mind when traveling. 6 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Awesome! I went to Tokyo Disneyland when I was around your kids ages in 1988. It was so much fun! I am sure they had a blast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 @LUGR they did but the queueing was bonkers so we didn't see much. somehow I couldn't sort out the express pass so we waited like suckers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 Had to be up semi early the next day love all the train posters they have in japan my inner rail nerd wanted to steal it. Airport where we found out the robotic baggage check-in does not mess about with weights. We had to repack all the bags just right and eat all the snacks etc. Tokyo goes on forever from the air. Landed in Okinawa. can of coffee. Rental car The Toyota TANK lol! Then 37km drive along the main north-south freeway. Okinawa is the only Japanese prefecture with no rail at all. During WW2 the United States bombed the railways so heavily that it was eliminated and during the occupation, the US put in freeways instead of rebuilding. Driving in Okinawa is pretty fun. The top speed limit is 80 km/h but I was doing 100 km/h and still being overtaken by everyone. The apartment was fucking sweet was a bit scared it was gonna be a shithole but I needn’t have worried. Cool bus for a restaurant. The creatures are called Shisa and they came to Okinawa from China in the 14th century. Closed mouth – good spirits in Open mouth bad spirits out Love a good Asian restaurant. Eating would be so much more fun if Australian restaurants decked out like Las Vegas. The tank in all its glory. Looks like a piece of shit but was great for parking with sliding doors and the back was flush so you could park real close to a wall. went to American Village for dinner in Chatan. it's close to Kadena Airforce base and was packed with African American servicemen and their ultra tanned Japanese girlfriends. 8 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mauler5150 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Travel threads are always cool to see. Japan to Me is not a destination I have any desire to travel to as to Me it is just the land of eels in the ass and Genki Genki, which is the result of posts on this forum educating Me of such things. Given that other than Japanese guitars, based on what I know of the place there isn't much more of a reason for Me to personally go there other than the fact their culture has "respect" built into it unlike My country where it is either every cunt and their dog thinks they have the right to worry, discuss, or involve themselves in other's lives as they have nothing going on in their own, which is at the extent of Me hating this place and needing an escape. Even with that said, I exist in a machine whereby metal gear blades that along with a gravity machine are programmed to churn Me and My avatar up so that the brain dead zombies of this land can feast upon My flesh while retarded corrupted and soulless Corrections Officers" whose financial incentive of electing to waste time in their life fucking with Me to get paid money continue abusing the Security Certificates I entrusted Developers with to feed Me a steady diet of their shit. Sorry for the digression, I congratulate you for escaping the prison colony of Australia for a time as the only thing that exists in a colon is shit - likr the majority of people in this place. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KILZ FILLZ Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Me gusta 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fist 666 Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Sick. Thanks for sharing. Japan is my top want to visit destination. Maybe next year? Def in the next five though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fat ralphy Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 Awesome fucking trip @Schnitzel - Japan is on my international to do list. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 6 Share Posted March 6 14 hours ago, Mauler5150 said: Travel threads are always cool to see. Japan to Me is not a destination I have any desire to travel to as to Me it is just the land of eels in the ass and Genki Genki, which is the result of posts on this forum educating Me of such things. Given that other than Japanese guitars, based on what I know of the place there isn't much more of a reason for Me to personally go there other than the fact their culture has "respect" built into it unlike My country where it is either every cunt and their dog thinks they have the right to worry, discuss, or involve themselves in other's lives as they have nothing going on in their own, which is at the extent of Me hating this place and needing an escape. Even with that said, I exist in a machine whereby metal gear blades that along with a gravity machine are programmed to churn Me and My avatar up so that the brain dead zombies of this land can feast upon My flesh while retarded corrupted and soulless Corrections Officers" whose financial incentive of electing to waste time in their life fucking with Me to get paid money continue abusing the Security Certificates I entrusted Developers with to feed Me a steady diet of their shit. Sorry for the digression, I congratulate you for escaping the prison colony of Australia for a time as the only thing that exists in a colon is shit - likr the majority of people in this place. Bro….you really need a trip to Tokyo Disney Land. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 6 Author Share Posted March 6 4 hours ago, Fist 666 said: Sick. Thanks for sharing. Japan is my top want to visit destination. Maybe next year? Def in the next five though. 3 hours ago, fat ralphy said: Awesome fucking trip @Schnitzel - Japan is on my international to do list. it's rad I love Japan because it can be pretty economical in Australian dollars. in a lot of ways, it's becoming cheaper than Bali which used to be Australia's number one destination. We did a lot of eating at 7/11, Lawson, and Family Mart. 14 hours ago, Mauler5150 said: Travel threads are always cool to see. Japan to Me is not a destination I have any desire to travel to as to Me it is just the land of eels in the ass and Genki Genki, which is the result of posts on this forum educating Me of such things. Given that other than Japanese guitars, based on what I know of the place there isn't much more of a reason for Me to personally go there other than the fact their culture has "respect" built into it unlike My country where it is either every cunt and their dog thinks they have the right to worry, discuss, or involve themselves in other's lives as they have nothing going on in their own, which is at the extent of Me hating this place and needing an escape. @Mauler5150seriously man it's great the respect thing is so ingrained. Imagine being in a crowd of 20,000 + people in Disneyland. In Australia, you'd have the tattooed FIFO/ bikie/ roid monster cunts walking around like they own the place and pushing and shoving and if you respond negatively you'll get the "what's ya problem cunt?" type aggro. None of that in Japan. A packed subway car in Tokyo is quiet and not stressful in the same way a packed Transperth train would be after the footy with that air of violence waiting to happen. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 Took the kids to the massive aquarium in the north of the island. Reefs all around the island mean it’s great for snorkeling Was unbelievable how big it was Kids are big fans of pufferfish Whale shark These little eels hang out in the seabed Deep sea fish Saw this and knew it had to be posted here. Not sure if it validates what somebody was thinking but the combo of dogs and whales had be shown. Hotdog decked out like one of those eels On way home hit up a supermarket Awesome chips – if you see them try them (we never saw them again) Okinawan specialty goes back to the postwar period when the only land-based protein came out of GI ration packs. Spam and egg Onigiri. So damn good, has some type of toasted Miso sauce in it. Okinawan dishes have lots of American influence like these and Tacorice. But this was the winner random wedding on a beach Got home. Kids discovered wardrobes were a good spot to chill Forgot my beer in the freezer so it partly froze but the wide mouth can is a nice touch. Blackhawks or something flying out from Kadena base. 5 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 The next few days were kind of blended we didn't do much Okinawan flavor noodles let him have a taste of the local beer Went to a cave complex tourist village. GPS took us the strangest way we were driving through sugar fields and there was flooding everywhere Kids had a good old laugh at this claw machine session. went to the far south of the island because I wanted to get some WW2 sites visited. was a massive fail because my kids were being little turds and I didn't want to be disrespectful to the dead. 4 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 somebody recommended a beach to me but they must have gotten the name wrong because it was utter shit hermit crabs everywhere had to refill the car and this was a bit hard until the attendant got out an English translation on his phone thank god he did because I had zero idea how to do it. never manged to tan at all. shisa shop 6 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 2 hours ago, Schnitzel said: Bruh…….! This is amazing. I pass you the exotic glizzy crown. 2 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 Dorado Day for @LUGR Morning snorkel with the boy - visibility was shit. found a wicked concrete pipeline I could walk along to get miles out in the water. Probably a sewage line but it meant we could walk out rather than swim out. An interesting thing from the US occupation was the rise of drive-in diners all over the island. we were told to go to Cape Zanpa Drive-in. So we did. Coffee and burgers and shakes went up the lighthouse and watched a guy frantically casting to take advantage of the Dorado kicking around the deep water cliffs (my wife's camera has a piece of dust stuck in the lens can you tell?) 2 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 So epic to see something like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 Breakfast then off to town Largest city is Naha traffic sucks so they have a monorail that goes around town. Pokemon trains etc. Samurai mac but I can't recall what made it special. went through the centre of town to kokusai Dori coffee obviously didnt work on this dude 2000's era graff at Xlarge went to DonQuiote discount store. this shit is an institution in Japan. I love it for the bonkers signwriting in the store - all hand cut hand painted lettering. each store employs a full time sign painter to do their merchandising and it rules. found paint so I decided to go scope a spot out under the freeway near our apartment. Went back that night expecting it to be a ghost town and came face to face with a group of bus drivers eating noodles round a card table. 3 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 4 minutes ago, LUGR said: So epic to see something like that! yeah was pretty sweet. they were like brightly coloured bullets flying through the water. guy was stoked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 last night saw some cultural performances at an all-you-can-drink for $50.00 restaurant. schnitzel got into the whiskey was cool but then tried some awamori which was hands down the worst alcoholic drink I have ever tried. my daughter made friends with the little girl in the window so the next day her mum snuck us into the 5 star resort they were staying at was sweet. figurines in the drive-in saw lots of these taking off while waiting for our flight to Osaka. decided I wanted more Spam onigiri so grabbed a bag as I left the airport. 4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 Did you kick it with the bus drivers? Sounds like the build up to your very own Lost in Translation experience. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 6 minutes ago, LUGR said: Did you kick it with the bus drivers? Sounds like the build up to your very own Lost in Translation experience. it was not the scenario as I was very obviously trespassing. Just turned and retreated to the car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 2 hours ago, Schnitzel said: it was not the scenario as I was very obviously trespassing. Just turned and retreated to the car. Should have passed out some big Orion’s. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LUGR Posted March 7 Share Posted March 7 4 hours ago, Schnitzel said: Saw this and knew it had to be posted here. Not sure if it validates what somebody was thinking but the combo of dogs and whales had be shown. Dang……so @DRUNKEN-ASSHOLE-ONERwas right all along. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 Now here is where I fucked up. In Tokyo, we were in the boonies so it was pretty quiet Okinawa was like a Japanese Hawaii so it was chilled but Osaka I booked us an Airbnb in the fuckin' guts of it and it was chaos and my kids hated it. Right in Nippombashi in a tiny apartment. the apartment was so packed with furniture and stupid lamps and space invader machines and more In the end, we stacked about 20 things on the veranda so we could turn around without knocking something over. not sure if a love hotel or brothel across the road. was packed 24/7 in Dotombori another dubious animal welfare scenario pork roll more Donquiote (think I took pics of over 100 of these placards on my trip) took kids to another aquarium to kill time. I remembered it from 20 years back but it wasn't as amazing as I recalled. went for some Takoyaki here was still super busy at night 5 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schnitzel Posted March 7 Author Share Posted March 7 2 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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