I Prefer To Call Myself Frugal....

When describing an airplane ticket, the adjective most people would use is most likely not "cheap". While many would argue that flying is more inexpensive now then it has ever been in history, most of the flying public still finds it somewhere in their heart to complain about the high price.

Generally speaking, I'm not one of those people. I take the time and effort to thoroughly scour the internet for good deals on the airlines I want to fly. I'm fairly flexible with my time frames and routing, so more often then not I can find a cheap ticket to places I want to go with relative ease. It's not everyday that I can find a $250 dollar ticket to Buenos Aires or a $400 ticket to Tokyo, but it all works out in the end for me.

With all the "cheap" flying I tend to do, I've managed to accumulate a nice little nest egg of frequent flier miles. As a quick explanation, frequent flier miles are essentially "credits" that you earn while flying on a specific airline that you can later redeem for free goods. Most people seem to use the miles for free flights, while others find it more beneficial to use them on hotel stays or magazine subscriptions. Me? I'm the plane ticket type. Yet despite having hundreds of thousands of miles in the bank, I've never once used a single one. Ever. They're just sitting there, collecting cobwebs.

A few weeks back I made the decision to clear out the miles and finally use them for something. Over time, frequent flier miles will only depreciate, so the longer I sat on them the bigger chance I had of seeing them lose value. As an American Airlines customer, I had the choice of a few award types: flying on American to a single destination, flying on American or one of its partner airlines to a single destination, or flying to multiple destinations on American and its oneworld alliance members and be charged miles based on the distance I travel. In terms of "bang for the buck", the last award is amazing. You can fly around the world and stop in multiple cities for the same amount of miles it would cost you to fly to a single city in Europe in some cases. If I could do all that for the same amount of miles, why wouldn't I?

So I sat down and started planning. Where did I want to go? I picked out my destinations and looked at the list of oneworld alliance members and figured out how I could get it all done. I submitted my request for an award ticket and it came back to me as available. It looked like I was about to embark on the journey of a lifetime! One catch though.....

"Where's my money bitch?"

British Airways was the airline I needed to use for about 50% of the flights I was taking. Unfortunately, British Airways charges a "fuel surcharge" to all passengers on its flight, regardless of whether you've bought the ticket or are using frequent flier miles for a "free" flight. My amazing journey around the world on my "free" ticket was suddenly costing me almost a $1000. I was aware that I would have to pay some taxes for the flights, but the addition of the fuel surcharges made the cost sky rocket. After a few days of debate, I decided that I was much too frugal to pay that much money for my "free" trip. I canceled my reservation and went back to the drawing board.

The challenge became finding a way to visit the destinations I wanted to go to without using British Airways. Iberia to the rescue....

"Quieres venir conmigo?"

Unlike British Airways, the Spanish airline has not yet instituted fuel surcharges for those who are using American Airlines miles. Using Iberia required me to change a few of my destinations, but at the end of the day I was pleased with what I decided on.

The original plan for my trip around the world was as follows:

Chicago, USA - London, UK - Cairo, Egypt - London, UK - Cape Town, South Africa - Johannesburg, South Africa - Sydney, Australia - Melbourne, Australia - Los Angeles, USA - Chicago, USA

When it comes to traveling in Africa, British Airways is by far the best bet in the oneworld alliance. While a few others have flights into Africa, no one reaches the level of destinations BA provides. My original plan had me on British Airways flights from the start of the journey in Chicago all the way to Johannesburg, South Africa. I knew I still wanted to set foot in Africa, and I knew I still wanted to touch down in Australia. Taking BA out of the equation meant that sadly Cape Town and it's beautiful Table Mountain will have to wait for another time.

"Where is the love?"

After some thought and a little re-evaluation of where I'd like to go in the world, I came up with the new routing:

New York, USA - Madrid, Spain - Cairo, Egypt - Amman, Jordan - Mumbai, India - Hong Kong, China - Sydney, Australia - Los Angeles, Australia - Chicago, USA

With this new routing, I'm still able to spend some time in Africa and Australia, and I'm able to add small detours in Jordan and India. While South Africa has really been calling my name for awhile, my rampant "frugality" just couldn't seem to swallow the pill of paying so much in fuel surcharge for the privilege of having a free flight. Honestly, I'd rather pay the $1000 for a ticket then pay the fuel surcharge on my award.

I've got my new itinerary solidified and now the search will begin to see if I can make it happen. I have the miles, but the question remains whether the airlines will have the seat availability for me. Cross your fingers!

Newest members of Leo's Around the World trip team.

Safe Travels,

Leo

India - New Delhi, Old Delhi (Part 2)

TRIP REPORT

From this point forward, writing the report would become a little difficult if I did a moment by moment instant replay. Instead, I'm going to address each of the locations we visited and give you some pictures and information on what we saw and did at each. Everything we saw in Delhi was done over the course of 4 days at the beginning of our trip. For the first 3 days me and my traveling partner explored the city independently, hiring a car and driver (for the total price of ~$40 USD for 2 days) to get us across the vast chaotic expanse of Delhi. The 4th day was when we met up with a small tour group we had booked before coming over. This is my first experience with a "package" tour company while on vacation. All my other trips have been arranged and organized solely by me. It was an interesting experience, that had its pluses and minuses, but overall I was very pleased with the tour company and would consider doing another one.

Photographs for this trip report were taken both my me and my traveling partner using a mix of point and shoot digital cameras and DSLR. Again, this trip was planned without the intent of providing some of the finer details of airline travel/hotels, so I'll do the best I can with what photos were taken in our hotels. I've linked each location to a website or Wikipedia article to provide more in depth background information for those who are curious.


The Imperial, Delhi:

Arriving in Delhi was a bit of a whirlwind. Hoping to "ease" into what we rightfully assumed would be a completely chaotic city different then anything we'd experienced previously, I had done a little research and decided to book what was considered a luxury accommodation for our first few days in India. While Delhi seems to have quite a few luxurious options, we opted to stay at the Imperial due to its British Raj inspired historical charm and its proximity to Connaught Place, which is one of the main shopping locations in Delhi.

We arranged for the hotel to transport us from the airport to the hotel. Exiting the immigration/baggage claim area we were met with a wall of Indian drivers holding placards with an endless stream of names. We quickly exchanged glances and split up, walking the length of signs in the hopes of seeing the one that was for us. No luck at first. Another round, and still no luck. Had the hotel forgotten us? For the unreasonable price we'd paid for the transport, I was getting a little steamed. Luckily my friend decided to make one last round of the signs and came traipsing back a few minutes later with a short, turbaned man with a giant mustache and a look of pride and success beaming from his eyes.

Stepping outside we experienced the first blast of India's monsoon heat and humidity. "Feels like Bangkok..." I think to myself. We hop into our car and zoom off toward Delhi. Our first experience with Indian driving scares us a bit. Why do the traffic lines disappear randomly? Why does no one follow the lines when they are present? Is it really safe to have 2 adults and 4 children without helmets on a motorbike? How do you honk while on a donkey? How can 50 cars fit in a 10 square foot area? Ahhhhh the wonders of travel!

We arrive without incident at the hotel and are pleased immediately. The door attendants help us out of the car, greeting us with their hands clasped together and a smiling "Namaskr", and then immediately tag our bags and whisk them off to an undisclosed location. We are given a valet slip and are simply told that the bags will be brought to our room after we check in. Hotel security in India is very tight, which is no wonder after the terrorist attacks in Mumbai last year. Upon entering the hotel grounds our car was searched with mirrors and men crawling through the trunk. We are taken through a metal detector and our backpacks are searched. Check in is friendly and efficient. A young woman in a very beautiful sari takes our information and then personally escorts us to our digs for the evening:

When I had booked the hotel I was under the impression that we were going to have two beds, but low and behold on massive king sized bed was all that sat in this room. It didn't matter to us either way at this point, and we thanked her for her hospitality and immediately started to settle in. As promised, our bags were delivered to our door not more then 2 minutes later.

The room itself was very nice. Parquet flooring throughout with heavy wood furniture. The television seemed to have a sensor so that no matter where you were standing in the room, when you used the remote it would rotate to face you. The bathroom was well stocked and had a separate tub and shower. The only thing I didn't like about the room was that wifi for a day would cost me more then my entire monthly internet bill. Despite having slept so much on the flight over we were still exhausted, and within the hour we had both fallen back asleep.

The next morning we woke to explore the hotel a little more. Breakfast was included with our room and was served in a beautiful area of the hotel in buffet style:

There were western and Indian breakfast options, as well as a made-to-order egg area. We gorged ourselves on hash brown patties, potato curry, masala omelettes, mango juice, and fresh pastries. It is, to date, the best hotel breakfast spread I've encountered.

After breakfast we took a quick peak around the hotel. The swimming pool area in back was not very large but seemed fairly elegant. Surrounded by manicured lawns and Indian style pavilions.

The hotel itself almost feels like a museum. The rooms and decor all echo back to something not of this time period. The chandeliers and lush carpeting, the marble and the fountains. Adding to the museum-like effect are all the flowers and decorations throughout the hallways. Paintings of Indian princes, British viceroys, and Hindu gods.

Overall I was very pleased with our hotel choice in Delhi. When I return to India (and I will be returning!) I think I might enjoy staying here again, despite what I hear are some first rate luxury properties elsewhere in the city. I like atmosphere more then service personally.


India Gate:

India's monument to its fallen soldiers from World War I. A giant arch in the vain of some European monuments, it towers above this area of Delhi. It stands out not only because of its stoic beauty, but also because nothing in Delhi seems to be very tall. Overall, I seem to see it as a very flat city, similar to Washington DC. I'm not sure if that's by design or by accident.

India Gate proved to be an interesting experience because it was our first tourist stop on the entire trip. Up to this point we had been through the airport and essentially coddled while at the Imperial hotel. Our driver for the next few days, Ajay, had suggested that we stop at this location first since it was so close to the hotel and we agreed. The heat today was massively oppressive. It had rained earlier that morning, and lingering threads of fog, mist, and rain were still wafting about. As soon as we stepped out of the car, we were targeted by the touts standing just on the periphery of the monument.

I'd expected to be asked for money at every turn in India, as its commonly the imagine people seem to paint for you. I was surprised to discovered that very few people actually asked me straight out for money. Most people want to sell you something. Necklaces. Maps. Toys. Pens. 32 gig zip drives. While still annoying in terms of how persistent they are, it made me more comfortable that I wasn't being dogged primarily for a handout.

We wandered around the monument for awhile, taking in the grandeur of the stone structure. Indian military guards were stationed in strategic places, but most seemed absorbed in their cell phones or reading books. We were the only western tourists there that morning, but there were quite a few native tourists. They posed with confidence in front of the arch for photos, usually on their cell phones. It was here we also fell prey to what seemed like a popular Indian past time: "Photographing foreigners with your cellphone while pretending you're texting". I enjoyed it. Made me feel famous.

After awhile the humidity and heat became a little oppressive and we decided we had seen enough and it was time to head back to the comfort of the shade provided by our rental car. Similar to this dog we saw sleeping under India Gate, we just wanted a little bit of respite.

Red Fort:

The Red Fort in old Delhi is one of the more iconic tourist destinations you can go to in the Indian capital. Named for the red sandstone it is constructed out of, this fortress served as a military building and a residential palace for previous Mughal (Muslim Mongolian) emperors.

I was excited to be going to the Red Fort because it finally started to feel like India. Sure, up to this point we'd seen lots of Indians, lots of brightly colored saris, and a few cows scattered in the road, but for the most part the architecture was distinctly European. Arriving in front of the Red Fort finally solidified in my mind that I was in India. The intricate lattice work, the towering domed pavilions. Excitement filled me.

Entrance to the Fort was fairly inexpensive by Western standards, but much more then the locals pay. India has adopted a pricing scheme that acknowledges the vast difference in salary between the average foreigner and the average Indian. While most Indians paid between 10 and 20 rupees for admittance into the historic locales we visited on the trip, our average price of admittance was between 200 and 700 rupees. A lot of people seem put off by this, but at the end of the day it didn't really bother me all too much. I gladly forked over the 200 rupees to get into this site.

The Fort itself was very beautiful. Entry into the monument has the visitor walk through a security check (you'll have this at every tourist location) and through a giant arched entry way. Through a bazaar selling golden trinkets, religious figures, and textiles, you'll slowly make your way toward the action in the middle of the fort.

The extravagance of the Mughal court must have been remarkable. The interior of the fort is filled with lotus ponds and mock rivers, designed to provide pleasant fragrance and natural airconditioning. Hundreds of marble columns hold up latticed windows and inlaid ceilings where court officials lounged and conducted the business of empire. Individual palaces for favored queens sit in man-made lakes. Balconies for musicians to fill the fort with music. Each building a testament to the dedicated craftsmanship each laborer must have had. The walls look painted but a closer inspection reveals that its marble inlay, someone having taken the time to chip away the original rock and filled with a perfectly sized piece of a difference color.

One sad part of touring the Red Fort was to see some of the disrepair it had fallen into. While still stunningly beautiful, many parts of the fort were stained or crumbling. The white marble was yellowing with pollution, the red sandstone graffitied by young lovers and foreign tourists. There were many signs that efforts were being made to combat this, as we saw many construction works diligently going about the business of restoring the monument.

The Baha'i Lotus Temple:

The Lotus Temple is an interesting piece of architecture. Designed to look like a lotus flower blooming, the 27 "petals" on the structure do give the viewer an impression of a flower in bloom. I admit I didn't know much about the Baha'i faith prior to arriving at the temple. We walked up the path leading to the temple and were prompted by signs indicated that we should deposit our shoes with a "shoe minder" before attempting to go any further. I'm a big fan of being barefoot, so this pleased me immediately. I kicked off my sandals without any fuss and continued on toward the temple.

Once you reach the front entrance to the temple, you're organized into a neat little row of people. A volunteer from the temple speaks to the group in English, giving you the history and background to the Baha'i faith, which seems to encompass a world view that strives to unify divided people and promote equality. After the English speech, the same speech is given in Hindi for local visitors. You are then told that you can enter the temple, but to remain silent as it is a place of prayer and reflection. We stepped inside and took a look around. The inside structure is very plain, consisting of an alter/podium toward the front and then row after row of seats. We sat in one of the last rows for a few minutes and did follow the advice of the volunteer and engage in quiet reflection.

Qutb Minar:

One of the very first Muslim structures built in India, the Qutb Minar is the tallest brick minaret in the world. It also has the distinction of being the first and only (so far...) location where I was successfully scammed. Upon attemping to purchase a ticket to the complex, I handed over a 1000 rupee note to the government ticket provider. He then asked me if I had anything smaller for him. Assuming things would be fine, I digged around in my bag and found that I had a 500 rupee note and quickly handed it over to him. He then handed over a ticket for me to enter the complex and my change: 300 rupees. I'm not 100% certain, but I believe the entry price was clearly listed as 200 rupees for foreigners. I'm still missing 1000 rupees. I looked back at him expectantly and he just smirked at me, his eyes daring me to demand the money back. I weighed the benefit of making a scene with the likelihood of the money being returned to me and realized I had lost the money the second I hadn't insisted he return the original bill before handing over more cash. I walked off, having learned a lesson that I implemented throughout the rest of my stay in India.

Despite the rocky start, Qutb Minar was a beautiful site. While the Red Fort was beautiful in its own right, Qutb Minar is a little older, and a little more intricate. The Arabic calligraphy carved into the walls are almost hypnotic. You end up wandering from crumbling archway to collapsed wall and just marveling at the time it must have taken to build something this gorgeous.

This location seemed more crowded then the others. There was a tour bus sitting right outside the gates to the complex and sure enough wandering around we did bump into quite a few foreign visitors. The complex is also home to an iron pillar that standings in the middle of a courtyard. Despite being exposed to the elements, the iron does not rust. The courtyard is surrounded by giant crumbling archways of Arabic script, with hundreds of little green birds flitting back and forth between the excellent perches the letters provide.

Akshardham:

The biggest Hindu temple in the world. While it is a recent construction, the beauty of this temple isn't diminshed by that at all. Sadly we were not allowed to bring ANYTHING into the temple, so we had to leave our bags and cameras in the car with Ajay. I searched the web and found this photography on a free use website so you at least have some visual image of what we were seeing.

The temple grounds are massive. In addition to the main temple hall seen above, there are vegetarian food stalls sprinkled throughout, a boat ride that gives you a 10 minute overview of Hinduism and Indian history, an elephant walk that allows visitors to learn how important elephants are to Hinduism and Indian in general, as well as numerous prayer areas where people can bathe in water or kneel in thought.

The interior of the main complex is part worship center, part informative tour. While many of the Hindu visitors engaged in praying, non-Hindu visitors were able to make their way around the inner sanctuary and read informative paintings that explained the origins and practice of Hinduism. Not only was this temple stunningly beautiful and one of the highlights of Delhi for me, but it was a very informative stop where I learned a lot of India and Hindusim.


Rajpath:

We had tried to stop in this area previously but were thwarted by heavy fog and mist at the time. When the weather cleared up a bit, we headed back to this boulevard filled with government buildings.

Rajpath reminds me a lot of Washington DC. Even some of the buildings were designed in a similar vein, but there's a bit more yellow and red stone. Below is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the home of the President of India. It is the largest home of a head of state anywhere in the world. And standing before it, it sure did look massive.

Rajpath itself is pretty stunning. The wide street stretches from its end at the Presidental home all the way across Lutyen's Delhi toward India Gate. While most of Delhi's streets tend to be congested and overpopulated with tuk tuks, cars, and motorbikes, Rajpath always seemed to have a little less of the chaos. The regal government buildings also stood as an odd contrast to some of the grim and grit that seems to plague India in general. The manicured lawns and well maintained facades of these ministries and branches of government almost seem silly when the administrative failures of hygiene and civic services is considered.

Jantar Mantar:

While probably not too high on the lists of most visitors to Delhi, I was deadset on making a visit to this interesting landmark. A movie I really enjoy, The Fall, filmed some of its scenes in India, and used Jantar Mantar for some of its locations.

Though the structures themselves might seem fanciful but useless, their true design is to serve as astrological tools. Each piece serves a function. For example, the staircase below that seems to lead to nowhere is actually a giant sundial.

Similar to the Red Fort, I was a little sad to see that this amazing historical landmark wasn't being curated appropriately. Where as in other locations something as beautiful and important as this would be off limits, people were allowed into the complex and then given free reign. As we wandered around, many people were seen lounging, sleeping, eating, and even canoodling on the stairs, platforms and crevasses. Pollution stains were evident on the buildings, and trash litered the ground around a few of the structures. Small amounts of graffiti could be seen as you walked around. Hopefully some steps are taken in the future to better preserve these structures, because they really are beautiful and a wonder to behold.

Jama Masjid:

Our first venture into Muslim India. The Jama Masjid is one of the highlights of any visit to Delhi apparently. As we were visiting during the month of Ramadan, and a preacher back in our home country was stoking up controversy about Quran burning, I was a little nervous going into this location. Despite it all, I sucked up some of my fears and entered.

Like the Lotus Temple and Akshardham previous, we were required to remove our shoes before entering the mosque. Those of us who had bare shoulders or knees were given wraps to appropriately cover ourselves.

The one thing that immediately struck me about the mosque was how social it was. The previous religious sites we had visited were strictly for worship by those who were of the faith. Yet the Jama Masjid mosque seemed to be a religious and a social center for the Muslim here. While many people were actively engaged in worship, just as many were engaged in having conversations with friends, lay in the shade to escape the sun, or people watching as the tourists and worshippers alike darted back and forth through the courtyard.

Children played games of tag, ran up to tourists to ask for money, or chased pigeons who would congregate in the four corners of the courtyard. It was almost the end of Ramadan, so there were a few vendors set up within the mosque complex selling food and decorations to celebrate the breaking of the fast. If you walked over to one of the outlooks on the edge of the mosque, you could see the busy bazaar atmosphere that stretched from the entrance of the mosque all the way up the road toward the Red Fort.

I noticed that similar to the Japanese, Indian Muslims cleansed themselve before entering the main mosque area. A pool of water was provided so that worshippers could clean their hands and face before entering. In Japan, something similiar is done with a water fountain and the cleansing of the hands and mouth.

As we were walking through the courtyard an man locked his eyes on me as he and his companion headed in our direction. Once next to me, he gave me a nod of the head and proclaimed in a strong voice, "Islam is best." I wasn't quite sure what to make of this. Was he saying this in an assumption that I was anti-Muslim? Was he saying this as an icebreak to start a conversation? Was he saying this because he resented my presence here? I never got to find out, as he continued walking with his friend without saying anything else. I felt a bit accosted and foreign at this point, but all it took was the site of two Muslim girls engrossed in texting on a cell phone to remind me that despite all our difference, we are still the same.

Chandni Chowk:

After our time in the Jama Masjid, we exited and headed toward the major market area in Delhi: Chandni Chowk. It's a beehive of activity. A flourish of commerce. Filled with spices, food, tshirts, pants, backpacks, cds, window panes, and live birds. It seems cliche, but I honestly felt like anything and everything you could ever want to buy was available here.

We also took the time to wander into the back alleys in old Delhi. Narrow and grimy, its filled with men sitting in concrete stores selling betel nuts and tobacco. The elderly sprawled out on straw mats enjoying an afternoon nap in the nooks of the twisting streets. Dogs and cats dart between your legs as you step over discarded water bottles and food wrappers.

It seemed as good a place as any for a little break, so we nestled up to a chai walla and asked for a cup of tea. He silently fired up his gas burner and threw some spices and milk into a kettle, stirring and moving the pot with seemingly effortless ease. After a few minute he removed the pot and poured out the glasses of tea and handed them to us. We sipped and smiled. Delicious. 5 rupees? I'd have paided the equivalent of 500 rupees for something like this back home, of much less quality. I love India.

Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib:

Our last major stop in Delhi was at a Sikh temple. Sikhism, from what we learned, is an off shoot of Hinduism. There is a very large focus on community service within this religion.

In the temple, we again were asked to remove our shoes and this time cover our heads. Sikhs men are known for not cutting their hair and thus wear the popular turban. We obliged and donned the offered bright orange bandanas provided. In the main prayer area, three musicians strummed away at their instruments while worshippers made their way toward a golden altar. Others quietly sat on the floor observing and listening to the music until they felt motivated to approach. We joined them on the floor and sat for awhile, listening to the rhythmic chanting and music while the slow whirl of the ceiling fans acted as a metronome.


After visiting the temple, many Sikhs engage in community service. One of the biggest methods of community service provided by the Sikh temples is free food to those who need it. Regardless of religion or background, people can come to the Sikh temple and request a free plate of food. This operation requires that many Sikhs volunteer to prepare food, cook food, and clean plates. We were allowed into the kitchen area to see some of the massive preparation that must go into feeding the needy. We were even invited to stir dal (lentils) and roll out chaapatis (bread) with some of the volunteers. They asked us where we were from and if we were enjoying India. The replies of "Chicago", and "Absolutely loving it" were crowd pleasers.

Overall:

While Delhi was not my favorite stop in India, it was definately worthwhile. From its giant temples to its garbage strewn alleys, Delhi is a real mix of what makes India.... India. It's beautiful and ugly. It's dirty and clean. It's chaos and peace. It's heartbreak and uplifting. It's modern and old fashioned. It's spiritual and commercial. It's India.

Delhi in my opinion is a good starting point for a tour. My new visit to India will probably start in Mumbai, so I'll have a better idea of which is the better gateway.

Next up: Agra and the Taj Mahal.

Safe Travels -

Leo

India - Temples, Thalis, and Tuk Tuks (Part 1)

TRIP REPORT

Flight Details:



American Airlines Flight 292
Departing: Chicago O'Hare International airport at 7:30 PM
Arriving: Delhi Indira Gandhi International airport at 8:30 PM
Business Class
Seats: 9H & 9J (moved to 9E & 9G prior to take off due to a broken seat)




Background:

India. It's a country that has held my travel fascination since I was a little boy, and despite my enormous desire and curiosity in regards to the world as a whole, it's essentially been my travel "holy grail". I remember telling my Dad once that someday I was going to go to the Taj Mahal. His response? "I dunno, its pretty crazy and dirty over there. You won't like it. Try somewhere else."

Regardless of the lackluster support, India never left my mind. Once my travel odyssey began in 2009, I knew it wouldn't be too long before I was on the subcontinent. Then this spring some motivation and conviction sprang in my head. I knew I just HAD to go to India this year. With a little airfare shopping and some solid persuasion on my part, in no less then 3 weeks I had a travel companion and airline tickets booked. September 3, 2010: my date with destiny.

Check In:

Despite being on the brink of excitement induced madness, I managed to work a full day at home before catching a cab to Chicago's O'Hare International airport. Being late Thursday afternoon, American Airline's Terminal 3 was pretty packed to the brim with business travelers and vacationers alike. While I typically just check in at a kiosk, the chaotic mess unfolding before us convinced me it might be an better idea to head down to the other end of the terminal and use the First Class/Business Class/Executive Platinum desk. Hauling our bags through the heaving sea of people, we arrived at the premium check in counter in about 5 minutes, slightly sweaty but intact.

Check in was neither friendly nor efficient, but the job got done. While walking into the line an American employee darted out of nowhere to immediately ask us if we were flying in a premium cabin with them today. I found this a little odd considering a few others had entered the line with no questioning. I guess two 20-something guys with hiking backpacks looked like they might be lost? The check in agent got us our tickets and handed back our passports in about 10 minutes, and we headed off to the security lines. For some reason the priority pass line was being directed to the new full body scanner. I'm mildly annoyed at this point because this set up seemed highly counter productive. You have a priority access line to facilitate a quick and smooth transition through airport security yet you force those high priority passengers to wait around for the slowest security check currently offered by the TSA? That's cute.

After 15 minutes I got slightly agitated and suggested we sneak over to the nearby metal detector line. We hopped over without incident and were through in 5 minutes. A quick glance up at the departures monitor informed us that we'd be leaving from the very distance L gates in Terminal 3, which was almost as far as one could get from American's Flagship Lounge. Oh well, can't win them all. With the busy Thursday night flights and the inane security circus, we only had an hour to burn at this point. We hauled it toward the lounge.

Lounge:

Despite being an Executive Platinum for almost a year and having a few international flights, this was the first time I was able to access and utilize my home airport's Flagship Lounge. Prior to this flight I'd only been able to used the one in New York's JFK a few times.

First impression? Tiny. Tiny, tiny, tiny as hell. How is this supposed to be a step up from the spacious confines of the Admirals Club? Yikes. First impressions often change though, and that was the case here. Despite being about the size of my apartment's balcony, it did have some nice touches. Unlike the Admirals Club, the food spread was pretty decent. While there wasn't fillets of steak stacked from floor to ceiling, the shrimp cocktail, chicken kebabs, Indian samosas and egg rolls were tasty. The mini bar, stocked with a wide variety of bottled waters, sodas, and beers left my thirst quenched. Sadly I'm a non-drinker, which mean the spread of liquor laid out in one corner did not appeal to me. My traveling companion did enjoy quite a few cranberry vodkas though.

All joking aside, I did enjoy Chicago's Flagship Lounge more then its Admirals Club. The only downside was that I felt very confined and crowded. Hot food and free cold drinks go a long way, but the appeal of these things loses a bit of luster when the Japanese business man sitting in your lap due to limited seating snags a bite of your mini pizza without asking. Maybe that's just me? In the future I'll still be there, angling for a place to sit and playing "Guess My Deodorant" with my other oneworld elites.

Flight:

Soon enough our time in the Flagship Lounge was over and we headed all the way out to American's boondocks. Gate L8, our departure lane for the trip of a lifetime. I was hoping the gate's labeling wasn't an omen regarding the status of our flight, and as it turned out things were looking pretty good. By the time we made it from the lounge to the gate they had already called boarding for first class, business class, and AA/oneworld elites. We hustled up to the gate agent, handed over our tickets, and happily headed down the jet bridge on our way to India.

Business class on American is always an enjoyable experience. I've read and heard a lot of people give some critical opinions on the hard and soft product, but at the end of the day for the average flyer, it ends up being pretty comfortable and nice.

Having never traveled in business class before (similar to my brother and sister in my last post about our trip to Japan in July), my traveling companion immediately set to work testing out his "fancy" digs. For the next few minutes, seat 9H was nothing but a whirl of motions, contracting and extending from an upright airline seat to an almost flat bed and everything in between. I smiled on the inside and enjoyed the pre-departure beverage being served: a choice of sparkling wine, water or orange juice. Again, being a non-drinker, the orange juice went down just fine. I suppose it was a stroke of good fortune when my friend inquired as to whether or not I was going to give my seat a bit of a test ride. More for his amusement then from any need of my own, I poked around with the seat controls.

Sadly, my seat was completely and totally broken. Each time I pressed a button, the seat groaned and moaned as if I were a contestant on the Biggest Loser. You could hear the gears sputtering and attempting to move with absolutely no success. We flagged down the flight attendant working our aisle and she apologized for the issue and called for a mechanic to help out. When he arrived we scooted out of the seats and let him test the controls out. It worked perfectly. How embarrassing. We both knew it hadn't been working just a few moments ago, but right before our eyes the seat was moving with the stealth of a Romanian gymnast. The mechanic grunted a bit and walked off. Taking a seat I tested out my newly working seat only to discover..... the same grunting and groaning.

I quickly put together that the problem seemed to only happen when someone was seated in the chair. The mechanic had tested the seat while standing. Again, we flagged down the flight attendant who called the mechanic back. This time we asked that he sit in the seat while trying to move the chair and this was enough to garner a grunt of disapproval. He tinkered around for a few minutes before throwing his hands in the air and declaring the problem too difficult to fix in the period of time he had. A little creative seat swapping resulted in the two of us moving to the middle section of business class sharing a row of three seats with a rather grumpy Indian business man who appeared rather displeased that the empty seat next to him was now occupied by my 6'2" friend.

Take off was smooth and timely, despite the minor hold up my seat created. Soon enough the flight attendants were heading down the aisle passing out Bose noise-canceling headsets, beverages of our choice, and the signature warmed nuts in little white ramekins. While this all happened, another flight attendant headed down the aisle asking us what we'd like to have for dinner. The menu for the flight was:

Dinner

To Start

Warm Mixed Nuts

Appetizer

Mint chutney shrimp with curried chickpeas and potato salad

Salad

Fresh seasonal greens and an assortment of fresh vegetables offered with classic Caesar dressing or Sapori d"Arte olive oil and vinegar.

Bread Basket

Assorted gourmet breads

Main Course

Mughali Jhinga

Shrimp marinated in a clove almond sauce served with green chutney rice and paneer makhanwala (cubes of Indian cottage cheese immersed in a rich fenugreek tomato sauce)

Paneer Makhanwala

Cubes of Indian cottage cheese immersed in a rich fenugreek tomato sauce paired with lemon rice and channa saag (garbanzo beans in a spinach and cinnamon sauce)

Lamb Medallions with Cardamom Sauce

Lamb medallions enhanced by a cardamom sauce offered with roasted butternut squash, haricots verts and mushroom risotto

Ginger Soy Salmon

Fillet of salmon with a ginger soy glaze offered with haricots verts, carrots and jasmine rice

Dessert

Ice Cream

Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch with cocoa dusted almonds from Ben & Jerry's

Fruit and Cheese

Ancho chile caciotta and Sage Derby cheese accompanied by fresh grapes

Snack Attack

Uno's Pizza

An individual deep-dish spinach and garlic pizza served with a green salad and peppercorn dressing

Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka served with mango cucumber salad and a lemon relish

Dessert

Citrus carrot cake

Breakfast

To Start

Fresh seasonal fruit

Breads

A selection of breakfast breads

Main Course

Cream Cheese and Chive Omelette

Cream cheese and chive omelette served with blue crab sauce, a potato boat with spinach and tomatoes

Vegetable Cutlet with Paneer Tikka

Seasoned potato patty with vegetables and Indian cheese sauteed with spices

For my dinner I decided to go with the Mughali Jhinga. The flight attendant returned after about 15 minutes to provide me with a tray of starters:

The appetizer was tasty but had a little too much garnish. I'd have preferred more edible vegetables or a few extra shrimp, but beggars can't be choosers. The salad was good, the creamy wasabi dressing has a bit of kick to it, helping to clear out any lingering or developing congestion one might have carried onto the plane. One of the unique things about American's Delhi service is that the choice of bread for dinner included a warmed naan, which I haven't seen on any of my other flights.

Having eaten my way through those three plates, I was presented with my main course:

This was singlehandedly the best airline meal I've had to date. Admittedly, my flying career has been very short, but I can't remember actually savoring a dish while in the air before. The shrimp was full of flavor; not over cooked, and the sauce was metered out in just the right portions. There's nothing I dislike more then seafood that's tough and slathered in sauce to disguise the fact. The rice was also cooked well, without any hard clumps distracting me from my dining experience. The paneer side dish was an excellent addition to the meal, adding a spicy, creamy kick to the meaty bites of shrimp.

For dessert I opted for the ice cream, because honestly, is there any other choice? I asked for a nice cup of coffee to go along with the cold scoop of milky goodness, and I sat there for a few minutes content that all my hunger had been sated. This was the first time I can honestly say that I really enjoyed an airline meal. Good job on this flight American!

While I typically attempt to stay awake for the majority of my flights, after the big meal and the dimmed cabin lights, I found myself drifting off in the middle of an episode of 30 Rock. If I'm sleepy enough that the antics of Liz Lemon can't keep my attention, I know its about time I huddled down and counted some sheep. I switched off the TV show, lowered my seat into the bed setting, and threw on my complimentary eye shade. I was out in about 5 minutes.

Despite being the longest flight in American's schedule, I somehow managed to sleep until I woke up and saw this:

So much for enjoying my lengthy business class experience! I'd slept right through the small meal in the middle of the flight. Breakfast was about to make its way down the aisle so I jostled my traveling partner awake and raised my chair. I quickly glanced at the map on my screen and noted that I was about to have my breakfast while flying over Kabul, Afghanistan. I suppose it's not often in my life I'll get to do that. My breakfast choice was the Indian option. I figured I'd better start my transition to Indian food as soon as I could.

The meal was presented to me quickly and promptly:

What a difference this meal was from the one I had right before falling asleep. The paneer cubes were dry. Not dry in a "this is ethnic food you might not be familiar with, so just go with it..." kinda way. It was the kind of dry that suggested it had been cooked, heated, and baked to the point of loosing any hint of moisture. It literally tasted like cubed cardboard. The first bite immediately was chased by a gulp of water. The second cube the same. The third cube never made it near my mouth. The potato side was good enough to keep my stomach from growling, but even that paled in comparison to the amazing food just a few hours before. Oh well, you can't win them all.

Arrival:

Despite being sent around the airport twice because of air traffic issues in Delhi, we were soon on the ground and making our way through Indira Gandhi International airport's brand new Terminal 3 arrivals section. Newly constructed for the 2010 Commonwealth Games being hosted in Delhi, the new terminal had a few pluses and minuses that you notice right off the bat.

Minus: When we exited the airplane we became trapped for 5 minutes because none of the ground crew at the airport knew how to open the sliding glass door at the end of the jet bridge.

Plus: Bright and seemingly clean walls and carpeting.

Minus: The moving walkways to immigration and the transfers area were not functioning, making the trek from the plane to immigration over the carpet difficult and cumbersome.

Plus: The bathroom we stopped at just before immigration was clean and well stocked with toilet paper.

Minus: The airport employees acted as if they had never seen a tourist and stared quite a bit while one "takes care of nature's call".

Plus: The artwork in the terminal and in the immigration hall was very nice -

Immigration itself was interesting. As soon as we got off the escalator there were two immigration booths reserved for First and Business class passengers. We immediately cued up behind a few other passengers. Time ticked on as we realized perhaps this priority line wasn't exactly moving with the speed one would hope. A tip of the hat to the priority security line in Chicago, perhaps? We looked down the hallway a few feet and noticed there was no wait for the regular immigration queues. Time to hustle over to those lines.

I presented my passport to the immigration official with a friendly "Hello!" No response. He proceeded to open my passport, examine the picture, examine me, examine my picture, examine the visa, examine my picture, examine my visa, examine me, pause for a sip from him bottled water, converse in Hindi with the official in the next booth over for a minute, examine my visa, stamp my passport, hand it back and motion me forward without ONCE speaking a word to me. Talent and commitment, for sure. Refusing to speak to newly arrived visitors to your country is never NOT the best way to greet people.

We then proceeded to exchange our dollars for Indian rupees as the luggage carousel looked rather bleak and lonely without any luggage on it. Crowded with people eager to head out of the airport, getting our money exchanged seemed like a better option then joining the growing number of passengers impatiently stomping their feet waiting for any hint that baggage was on its way. The exchange was painless and efficient. During our trip we noted that we seemed to have gotten a fairly good rate, though it seems we might have gotten 1 extra rupee per dollar had we waited till we got into the city. Rupees in hand, the luggage carousel sprung to life and we soon had our bags. Even if it took 45 minutes for the bags to arrive, at least the priority tags on our luggage ensured they arrived at the very start of the distribution. It's the little things.

Overall:

This was one of my best flights to date with American. Mostly because I slept through the entire trip completely content with my meal. I have such a difficult time sleeping on airlines but for some reason I was quickly lulled to slumber. The seat made sleep at least tolerable, though I'd prefer to be completely horizontal. You're in a flying tube of aluminum though, so almost flat isn't half bad. At the end of this flight, I'm was a happy American Airlines elite and passanger.

As always...

Safe Travels,

Leo

Japan - The Long Journey Home

TRIP REPORT

Background:

In a previous blog post I mentioned that Japan is a destination you can typically find me heading off to at least once or twice a year. Not only is it my home away from home, but currently my mother is residing there. Is there a better reason to jet set across the globe then to visit your mom? The answer, dear reader, is no.

Despite having been to Japan a few times in the last two years, this visit promised to be a little unique. I had always traveled with friends or alone, never with family. This time, not only was my mother going to be meeting me in Tokyo, but my brother and sister were going to be making the long trek with me. As children we grew up in Japan, but when I was 13 and my siblings much younger then that, we moved back to the United States. My brother and sister haven't been able to return since then, so this was a big trip for them. The excitement was building as time ticked down. Despite planning a trip for everyone that was essentially a carbon copy of one of my earlier visits, I was excited to experience Japan with my family. We were going to start off with a few days in Tokyo, head over to some relaxing hot springs in Hakone, make a quick day trip to Hiroshima, and then attend the famous Gion Matsuri in Kyoto.


Getting There:

Despite its comparatively small size to other nations, Japan is extremely well connected to the outside world by plane. All major US airlines besides US Airways fly into Japan, in addition to the two big Japanese air carriers. If that isn't enough, you can always manage to connect north or south of the border with Air Canada and AeroMexico, or connect in major European and Asia cities.

While Chicago has direct flights to Tokyo on American, United, Japan Airlines, and ANA, the cheapest option for my siblings and I to get into Japan was to fly on American from Chicago to Tokyo through New York. Considering my brother and sister both list "broke ass college student" on their yearly tax filings, price was of the utmost importance on this trip. Having a few spare upgrades available on American through my elite status, I ended up moving the three of us into first class for our domestic flights and business class for our long trek across North America and the Pacific, while sadly our return from Japan would be in economy.

We arrived with plenty of time to spare and were quickly checked into our flight from Chicago to New York. We quickly grabbed some food to eat in the Terminal 3 food court before heading over to the Admirals Club to partake in some free wifi and assorted snacks. Not accustomed to flying very often, my brother and sister seemed to really enjoy putzing around in the lounge waiting for our flight to New York. Soon we were boarding our flight to LaGuardia and my brother and sister enjoyed their very first First Class flight. The crew was friendly and seemed to take a liking to our traveling troupe, even meeting up with us at the baggage claim and talking to us about our trip while waiting for taxis. We checked into a cheap Priceline hotel near JFK (the LaQuinta, Spanish for "Sometimes I don't change your sheets") and crashed.

Checking in at New York JFK was a breeze. We were able to use the premium passenger check in section which had no line. Anytime you can avoid a line while at the airport, its a good thing in my book. We were handed our boarding passes and quickly shifted our way through security before settling down at the Flagship Lounge/Admirals Club to wait out our boarding time. We grabbed some seats near the big windows and snapped a few pictures of our plane.

Boarding was finally announced and we schlepped our bags through the terminal and boarded the AA 777 that was taking us to Tokyo. We settled into our business class seats. American's business class on the 777 sits 2-3-2, which was convenient for us as we grabbed a row in the middle section. It was at this point that my brother and sister pretty much threw the little restraint they had left to the wind and really started diving into the experience. Pictures were taken, seats were converted into beds, and sparkling wine was offered.

The service on the flight was outstanding. Our flight attendant took very good care of us, always addressing us by name and always checking in on us after waking up from sleeping or periodically while watching movies. Food was ..... meh. You're on an airplane so what can you expect though? I've heard mythical rumors from across the travelsphere that there are some amazingly tasty airline meals out there. My hunt, sadly, continues....


Arrival:

Arriving in Tokyo's Narita is always a fairly easy experience. Generally speaking, landing in most Asian locations I've been to have been fairly easy experiences. The immigration procedure is efficient and painless, though the Japanese do require fingerprints and photographs to enter the country. Despite the hassle, we were all quickly processed through to collect our bags and were waved through customs in less then 10 minutes. While it would have been great to have our Mom meet us at the airport, it seemed silly for her to waste money on a pricey train ticket just to get back on a train and head back to Tokyo, so we agreed to meet her at our lodgings. We purchased local train tickets from Narita into Tokyo for 1000 yen each and boarded our train.


Tokyo:

Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo. A city with millions of people with a million things to do. I've heard a few people nonchalantly mention that despite its size, Tokyo really isn't that interesting of a city to visit. I wholeheartedly disagree. I've never been disappointed with my numerous visits to the Japanese capital, and this time was no exception.

We only had a few days to spend here, so we wanted to make sure we hit up a few of the big sites. We were staying at a little hostel in the Asakusa district, so the first morning we ended up walking over to Senso-ji Temple, which is the largest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. Its historic Thunder Gate with the giant red paper lantern has been the hallmark of numerous pictures and postcards from Japan. We wandered up the covered street lined with various shops hawking trinkets and tasty treats. The temple itself has a fairly large complex with a few sights to see. The giant straw sandal on a gate, the main building itself with murals painted on the walls and ceilings. Dragon shaped water fountains. Jizo statues galore. It's chaotic and frantic at most times of the day, but always an interesting and fun place to be.

We moved on from Senso-ji and hopped a few train stops over to Ueno Park. This green area in the middle of northern Tokyo is always an interesting place to stop by. They were hosting an ice sculpting contest in the open forum area near the National Museum campus. One section of the contest had already started by the time we wandered into the area, but we made sure to grab a good position to watch the second portion. The Japanese summer swelters; the heat is never too high, but it's high enough to make you feel like you're baking when you combine it with the awful sticky humidity. Sitting around blocks of ice while tiny chips from chisels and saws fly all over was a unique way to cool off.

We hopped back on the Tokyo subway system and made our way over to the Shinjuku/Harajuku area to take in the impressive Meiji-jingumae shrine. This is probably my favorite spot in Tokyo. Literally a few steps away from some of the heaviest trafficked streets in the most populous metropolitan area in the world, you have this quiet, forested oasis that offers shade and relaxation. Marked by massive wooden gates bearing the seal of the Emperor, you walk for almost a mile through a heavily wooded path before reaching the serene confines of the shrine. If you're lucky, you'll see a traditional Japanese wedding taking place as you walk through.

The next day we took the sightseeing a little easier. We marched around the Imperial Palace for awhile, taking in the famous Nijubashi bridge (said to resembled a pair of glasses) and wandered over to the parliament building, the Diet. Realistically there isn't much to do at the palace, so we headed over to the touristy Tokyo Tower, which resembles the Eiffel Tower for all intents and purposes. We shelled out for the overpriced tickets and headed up to the observation deck, staring out at the massive breadth of Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolitan building is a much better view if you want to see all of Tokyo, but the Tower was good enough to keep us entertained, especially my brother and sister who got a big kick out of standing on the glass viewing platform to freak my mother out. Feeling the grumbling in our stomachs, we decided to sit down for some nice Japanese food.

We ended the day on the unmanned robotic train to Odaiba, a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. We got our pictures taken with the fake Statue of Liberty (notice a theme with fake replicas of other famous world landmarks?) and then did a little shopping for my sister at the all-women's mall, Venus Fort. Its interior is designed to mimic Venice, Italy. Wandering around, it really just reminded me of the Venetian hotel in Las Vegas.

Weary and exhausted from walking in the heat all day, we headed back to our hostel and prepared for our early morning trek to the mountains.


Hakone:

While at times it seems like a sleepy little town in the mountains, Hakone is a pretty major destination on the touring map, both with foreigners and with the Japanese. Tucked away into the mountains south east of Tokyo, its full of natural beauty, misty lakes, active volcano vents, and natural hot springs.

A very difference atmosphere then Tokyo and a welcomed change at this point in the trip.

Getting to Hakone is a little bit of a pain. You take a short bullet train ride from Tokyo to the town of Odawara where you then transfer to a local train or bus that winds up the mountains. We splurged a bit on the hotel for this location. After sleeping in a clean but cramped hostel in Tokyo, were were looking forward to something a little more luxurious.

The hotel we were booked into sat prominently on the bend of the river running through this region.

Keeping with the traditional Japanese style, shoes are removed when you enter the building and kept in a locker. We shuffled down the hardwood floors to our room, which had an open format and was tiled with straw tatami mats in all directions. We booked a corner room overlooking the river, and we had a wrap around enclosed veranda that allowed views of the mountains and river. On a separate balcony attached to our bathroom, we had our own personal outdoor hot bath. In total seclusion you were able to disrobe, wash yourself clean, and dip into the hot water while listening to the river flowing by and birds chirping in the greenery. Heaven.

Also included in the room was the traditional "gift" when you arrive in a Japanese inn, which for us included delicious hot tea and some citrus jelly snacks.

Having spend half the day commuting to our new location, the only thing we did the first day was enjoy the hotel's facilities. In addition to our personal hot tub, there were men's and women's hot springs on the bottom floor. The family split up and took turns trying the different baths, soaking in the ambiance and just relaxing. To cap off the night, we headed into town on foot and ate some delicious tempura.

The next day we managed to crawl out of the comforts of the hotel, though we did linger a bit to soak up some more of that warm water. The weather wasn't cooperating much, which made it difficult to do much sightseeing. The wind was kicking up pretty strong, which meant the cable car line through the mountains to a lot of the sights was shut down. Of course we didn't know that before we headed up to the cable car station, but that's what travel is all about, right?

We hopped on a bus to Lake Ashi instead. Situated at the top of the mountain, it was an odd change from what we'd seen all day: sunny and windy. Once we reached Lake Ashi, it grew much darker and misty, almost as if we had wandered on to the set of "The Ring". Then again, a foggy lake with a fake pirate ship floating in the middle of it isn't really all that creepy, is it?

After wandering around the lake for awhile, he headed over the to historic checkpoint further around the lake. During the age of shoguns and samurai, the Emperor erected a checkpoint in Hakone to control the movement of people in and out of the region. Hakone has erected a replica of this checkpoint with plenty of markers and mannequins to give you the general idea of how it functioned. Additionally, there is a cedar lined walking path through the woods that was erected to provide shade to travelers on their way between the two regions. We walked down the cedar path through the mountains in silence, enjoying the shade on a muggy summer day.

Before we knew it our time was up in Hakone and it was time to move on to the next destination. We did manage to spend a little time back in Odawara before we caught our train to Kyoto to visiting the castle there. Not as impressive as Himeji Castle which I saw on my first trip back to Japan, but still a cute and nice place to visit.

Hiroshima:

We were staying in Kyoto, but Hiroshima is a close enough train ride that you can make a day trip out of it, which is what we did our first full day out of Hakone. There isn't much to say about Hiroshima that doesn't cause me to get misty and reflect on what it means to be both Japanese and American. Needless to say, our entire time was spent in and around the Peace Memorial Park viewing the monuments and remnants of what the atomic bomb did to the city and its residents. I've been to Hiroshima before, but this was the first time I was able to make it into the museum to see the documents and mementos of that moment in history. It's difficult to explain just how it makes you feel. Sick. Awestruck. Angry. Thoughtful.

Kyoto:

Kyoto is essentially the city people think of when they think of old Japan. Geishas, tea houses, paper lanterns, and austere temples. Any visit to Japan should stop at least for a little while in Kyoto, so of course we did.

We managed to plan our time in Kyoto to coincide with the annual Gion Matsuri, the biggest festival in all of Japan. The night before the big event, we met with one of my mother's friend who lives in Kyoto. He's the manager of a grocery store and his friend owns some restaurants around Kyoto. We were treated to a delicious free meal at a German joint as a result of this fortunate connection.

The big meal helped fuel us the next day, which ended up being particularly fun, yet grueling. The main event of the Gion Matsuri was today, which included a parade. For the festival, different organizations build large "floats" which they drag and push down the street. The big thrill is when the floats get to a bend in the road, where bamboo slats are laid on the ground and doused with water and the massive floats, some of which are 3 or 4 stories tall (see below...), are pushed on the slats around the corner, bobbling back and forth on the verge of tipping. What makes it even more thrilling is the fact that the floats are stacked to the max with riders.

Leading the procession is a young boy who has been selected from a local merchant's family. For the entire week of the festival he conducts his duties and is not allowed to touch the ground and is carried at all times by men from location to location.

After the boy passed our location and a few floats careened around the corner, the heat became too much to bear and we had to retreat to the relative cool of the public transportation system and some lunch.

To finish out the day, we ended up climbing to Kiyomizu-dera, a temple near the top of a hill on the eastern edge of Kyoto. It's a popular destination, so as you laborously climb the hill you are constantly surrounded by people either headed up with you or headed down. The street is lined with shops on each side hawking souveniors, talismans, drinks, and ice cream.

Kiyomizu means "pure water", and this temple is definitely full of water. Though devoted to water, the most interesting piece of the temple is the "stage". Built with no nails, the stage sits on stilts hundreds of meters over a ledge on the hill side. Jumping from Kiyomizu's stage is the Japanese equivalent of the English "leap of faith".

Final Thoughts:

As always, Japan is a first class destination. I'm completely and utterly biased, so take that with a grain of salt. I genuinely feel that its a great destination that is both adventurous on the one hand, and familiar and comfortable on the other. It's foreign and friendly. It's difference but managable.

Its the ideal first point of entry for those who are looking to travel in Asia but are afraid of the language barrier and "chaos" many people associate with the Far East. I invite all of you to go, and to take me with you. I'm happy to play tour guide.

Safe Travels,

Leo