May 16

 Busan - Nagasaki:  Travel Day


Well, that was an early start to the day!  Up about 4:15 and by 10 we were in Japan.  By 5am we had loaded bike boxes on the truck and ourselves & bags onto a bus for the hour-ish journey to the airport.  We were quite a sight; 30 mostly “mature” foreigners with these huge boxes. It took a while for them to start processing us, but once it got underway it all went rather smoothly. Flight left at 9 and took less than an hour. Everything went smoothly at the other end as well, and by noon we were on our way for the bus ride to Nagasaki. 









I don’t think I took any pics of toilets in South Korea, but they are quite the engineering marvel. Here’s the control panel to one at the airport in Fukuoka. Looks like we’re in for more of the same in Japan.  


We have about a 2.5 hour bus ride south to Nagasaki from Fukuoka. We won’t see our bikes again until tomorrow.  I saw the insides of my eyelids for a bit and then did some research on what to see in Nagasaki.  I think it will be easy to put in some tourist time tomorrow, and possibly today as well.  

It’s now 2:30-ish and we’re still on the bus. We’ve had a lunch stop and a pee break. So much automation here in ordering (and delivering) food. And vending machines for everything!  It’s hot out there!  High twenties. I’m a little nervous about how that will be on the bike with all the climbing. 

Oh - and driving is as per England and New Zealand. On the left side of the road. That will take some getting used to!

So - we’re in Japan, but staying in the Chinatown part of Nagasaki. I’m a bit confused as to what is Japanese and what is Chinese. 



While our bodies just wanted to lie down for a long nap, we resisted the temptation. Four of us Ubered to Mount Inasa where there is a tram up to the top of the 300+m summit overlooking the city and out to the ocean. It is said to have some of the best nighttime views in the world. Also - lots of communications towers. Online it looked like there was a restaurant in the observatory. Sadly that wasn’t good information. Just treats. So - we were there a good long time, through sunset and into darkness (which is when most of the locals were going up).  So glad we hauled our butts up there tonight.





















We stopped at a small restaurant (about 10 seats) for tacos & curry on the way home. I really need to start eating a little less!  Ready for bed by then……

Tomorrow we put the bikes together again and play a bit of tourist. 

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