We Leave for Japan!!!

The day finally arrives. The bus arrives at 5.10am - we are not ready and there is no time for checking and rechecking. We trundle our suitcases out to the bus and have the pre-take off photo - the bus driver is not amused, but we go on regardless - we are bleary-eyed but excited and this is our big trip!:)




Dodgy Jetsar turns out fine - apart from a boring time being offloaded at the Gold Coast into a very primitive and squashy transit lounge.
Once we are going again, the flight is fine -probably better than the airline starting with Q, esp as it is an airbus configured with just 2 seats to the side rows - they are comfortable and roomy ( as far as airline seats go!!). Excitment builds the closer we get to Kyoto and Chris!:)

We arrive at Kansai!!We clear C&I.
We are so excited to be in Japan!:) There is slight angst as we try to figure out how to buy a train ticket from the ticket machine and some to-ing and fro-ing between the queue in the ticket office and the macIine on the platforms. Eventually all is resoved and we are Kyoto bound. We arrive -.
Kyoto station is an engineering feat -

so grand and amazing and has the most beautiful Christmas tree! -We look around with delight and awe , but our focus is on the Hotel Granvia -built on top of the station- where Chris is wating for us We are wondering if he'll be asleep in his room- No as we go upthe escalator and along the walkway, there he is coming to meet us!! Yay!! Such excitment -..we do a quick sightseeing tour of the station then go to our rooms, drink wine and catch up... before bed -
It is the end of the day...we are tired and exciterd and happy and it is very late and we have lots of sightseeing ahead....but so happy!!:)