Giving Thanks

As I'm writing this, it's already our second Thanksgiving in Japan.  We are all relaxing today, and meeting our friend from Bremerton for dinner tonight at The O' Club.  I am happy  to lounge around in my purple robe, sip coffee, read and feel absolutely no guilt about not preparing a meal today at home.

Celebrating Thanksgiving with Larry.

I am grateful for things big and small.  Even when things seem bleak, or frustrating, I try to look at the bright side.  Here are just some of the things I am grateful for:

• I'm thankful for my family near and far.  Being across the world away from family has been hard at times.  I have been homesick for California and realize its been 15 years since I was home for the Holidays.  Also, being a spouse and parent isn't always "a bowl of cherries", but I wouldn't change a thing!

• I used to love going to see my grandparents in the desert for Thanksgiving.  Good company, my gramps cringing as we all ate turkey (he didn't like it), my grandma's coleslaw, and our tradition of going to the movies in the afternoon.  

• Thankful for the people I met in AOB, The Navy Lodge and after the earthquake.  Many have become my closest and dearest friends in Japan.

• I'm particularly grateful for my job, my co-workers and my awesome volunteers.  I have a team that works well together, knows how to have fun, gets a lot accomplished, and are just plain dedicated.  I never knew going into management could be such an enriching experience.  

• I'm happy to have re-discovered exercise.  I like how it makes me feel, the camaraderie I get at the gym, and being challenged has been so rewarding.... even with all the ice packs, Ibuprofen, massages, and crazy stretching I've found myself doing lately. 

Hiking Trails Around Yokosuka

I feel like I need to apologize for my lack of blogging.  I used to try to blog every week, but time is passing by very quickly this year!!  We are still enjoying our adventure, but this fall has been crazy with work, school and other activities we are doing.

That being said, Yokosuka has some great hiking places.  These hikes are relatively short, but offer some interesting scenery and also a chance to get some exercise.

Mt. Takatori

You can take the Keikyu local line and get off at Keikyutaura (listed as such on Hyperdia) station to access the trail.  Once out of the train station, you turn left, then head up to the first road you see.  You'll turn left at the road, go under the Keikyu railway, and wind through a neighborhood.  Once you walk for a bit you'll see a little intersection where you can turn left, or go straight.  Stay straight until you see some steep stairs at the end of the street.    Once you climb the massive stairs, you'll be on the trail.

There are a variety of things to see on the trail such as rock climbers, a stone Buddha, an observation area, and if you're lucky, a temple.  There is such beautiful scenery and you can finish the climb that ends near Higashi-Zushi JR Station in about 2 hours.  The trail is pretty well marked, and there are bathrooms and vending machines by the rock climbing area.  The base does regular climbing tours to this area for a fee.

The steep stairs.

Impressive!

One of the many areas to climb.

If you take the correct trail, you will end up here.

Kannonzaki Park

Another great place my friend took me to this past month was Kannonzaki Park.  It only takes 15 minutes from main base to get there and I was sorry that I hadn't been here sooner.  We went on a weekday where we were able to park in the parking lot for free.  You have to pay for parking on the weekend.

There was a ton to explore in this park and it is a great place to take kids.  They have a variety of play structures and roller slides.  They also have some lookout areas, a suspension bridge, and some open spaces.  We went on a beautifully sunny day.  It would be a perfect place to picnic and relax.

Cutter on the huge roller slide.

Other Places worth checking out  

• The Plum Grove in Taura.  So beautiful during the spring when all the plum trees are blossoming.  Once to the top of the plum grove, you can continue your hike across the highway overpass and through a forest to my old neighborhood Minatogaoka.  This is a great loop what we've done many times.
• There is a wonderful park above Anjinzuka station.  You can hike up there to view the cherry blossoms in season.  So very pretty.  Its also bike-friendly. 
• Kurihama's Hana no Kuni.  I believe I've written about Flower World before but its still one of my favorite places to go.  Good exercise, the Godzilla slide, a foot bath, and glorious scenery to see.  They also plant seasonal flowers that you can pick.

Fish Pedicure

Yokohama fish pedicure.

One of the most unusual things to do in Japan is to have a fish pedicure.  They are very popular in Asia, and in other parts of the world.  The species of fish used in such pedicures is simply called "Doctor Fish" or Garra Rufa.

Locally, you can go to Chinatown in Yokohama to Doctor Kiss Fish.  The cost for the pedicure is 1,000 yen or $12 USD for 15 minutes.   Before putting your feet into the water, you have to rinse them. The sensation is very ticklish, but the main purpose of these pedicures is to have the fish eat the dead skin off of your feet and legs.  This process is supposed to have many benefits with renewed skin being one of them. 

The fish liked my friend in the middle!

Fish pedicures are banned in many places in Canada and The United States.  They have been thought to be unsanitary and that the water could pass harmful diseases.  While this may be true, I've realized that each country has their own standards of cleanliness, or what they consider healthy.  Its very common to have communal foot baths in Japan, so I didn't think twice about a foot bath with fish in it.  

We also did this at Yunessun in Hakone.

Cambodia

With all the crazy drivers and seeing a tour bus on its side in a ditch, we were very grateful to have made it safely to the Thai/Cambodia border.  The process at the border took us about 1+ hours of waiting in line to both exit Thailand, and enter Cambodia.  I was relieved to see our driver who unfortunately had been waiting for us for hours.  I felt bad, but they said they are used to waiting for their clients.  We were then escorted onto a bus that was about a 10 minute ride to a bus station where people can meet up again with their hired drivers.  I found out if you hire a driver, that they cannot take their own vehicle to the Cambodian border and park.  Below is a small video I took on our bus ride.  Its hilarious if you can view it.

The scenery in Cambodia was nice and rural.   It took about 2 hours along the countryside to drive from the border to where we were staying in Siem Reap.  We stayed in a nice hotel that had very nice rooms, a great pool, excellent customer service and a superb breakfast buffet each morning.

Angkor Wat.

We decided to hire a guide and driver for our 1 day to Angkor Wat.  The one day pass to Angkor Wat is $20 for adults, and kids 11 and under were free.  The temples were spectacular.  We went to Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and to Angkor Thom.  There is so much history and the places are so old its hard to fathom, but having a guide to explain things to us was nice.  The pictures we took don't even do these temples justice.  Although it was scorching hot and humid, I think we all mostly enjoyed ourselves.

'Tomb Raider''at Ta Prohm.

"Faces" in Angkor Thom.

The day after going to Angkor Wat, we hired our guide again and he took us on a Tuk Tuk tour around Siem Reap.  He took us to an indoor market, to a Silk Farm, to one of the small 'Killing Fields', and to Cambodian Village. This day was busy and hot.  Unfortunately, Danton started feeling sick at Cambodian Village, so we cut our tour short.  We think it was the flu, because Justin also ended up with similar symptoms a couple days later.  Overall, Cambodian was full of very sweet people, good food, and a good time.

Silk

Performers at Cambodian Village

You can become a monk at age 10.

Killing Fields Monument.

Petrol is being sold on the side of the road.  It is very expensive.

We even saw a family of 4 on the same bike.

Conquering the Mountain

On August 19th, me along with a busload of others, started our 2 day journey to climb Mt. Fuji.  I wasn't worried about doing the trek without my family because I figured I'd meet new acquaintances on the tour.  I knew I was more prepared than I was last year since I had a better attitude, trekking poles, two cans of oxygen, my IPOD, and beautiful weather.  I was ready to conquer this mountain once and for all!

Beautiful weather for the climb.  Happy there was no rain this time!

By the time the bus pulled into the 5th Station at Mt. Fuji, it was close to 10am.  The temperature was comfortable, the trail had few climbers on it and I think it was a perfect time to climb.  I started and climbed with the same few people most of the day, but I wouldn't say it was any easier this year.  The one thing that made a difference was not having any time constraints.  

With a nice leisurely pace, many of us arrived at Fuji-San Hotel (the 8th Station) by 4pm.  The hut where we were sleeping in was cozy.  It was like having a big co-ed sleepover.  There were two levels of bunks and people were to sleep right next to each other.  Many people were resting as soon as they arrived to the hut, but others ordered food (curry, ramen, etc) and drink.  The ramen and beer were a good treat after making it to the 8th Station.  I was just happy I made it this far!!!   

The cozy sleeping quarters.

Lights out was at 8pm, and I couldn't sleep.  I didn't come equipped with earplugs, or my IPAD, so I was literally tossing and turning for hours.  Between the snoring, being too hot, and anticipating the remainder of the climb, 1am couldn't come soon enough.  The night before, our tour guide suggested to many of us that we could take the bulldozer route to the summit.  He said it would be less-crowded than the main trail.   I was worried I would be taking the easy-way-out, but our guide said that there is no easy way to climb to the top of Fuji-san.

So, at 1:30am, a number of us set out on the bulldozer trail.  Man, was it cold but the view was one of the most spectacular sights I've ever seen in my life.  You could see the city lights as far away as Tokyo.  With one foot in front of the other, the thin air, the body slowly warming up, and a slew of others wanting to conquer the mountain, we managed to make it to the summit by 3:30am.  I was beyond elated to see the torii gate before me!!

With a little less than two hours until sunrise, it was hard to stay warm.  It was absolutely freezing. Luckily, they have vending machines, vendors that sell hot cocoa, and have warm food to pass the time.  The shrine that stamps the walking sticks didn't open until 4am, so once we finished that, we walked around with hundreds of other people trying to find a good place to view the sunrise.  

Top of Mt. Fuji just after sunrise.

The sunrise was worth the climb.  It was beautiful and you could see clouds hovering below.  Once we got a peek at the crater, we decided to head down the mountain.  Many people don't like the trek down, but the trekking poles were a tremendous help this time.  I made it back to the 5th station in less than 3 hours.  I was really enjoying myself and my accomplishment even though my camera battery died.  I am relieved to have this climb behind me, and am grateful for the friendships I made along the way.  

Visiting Thailand

Bangkok

Uncle Scott at The Dangerous Market.

I know that many of you have been waiting to hear about our trip to Thailand and Cambodia this summer.  Honestly, I've needed up until now to process exactly how I felt about it and to write about it in a way non-offensive way.  What I do know is that I was the one who planned our itinerary and dragged the family to the  various places knowing that we may encounter some unpleasant situations.  We'll, let's just say that it didn't disappoint....we got more than we bargained for.  Overall, I think that the trip was an eye-opener which isn't a bad thing no matter what age.  Here are some of the highlights of our Thai adventure:

Floating Market

Bangkok

• We stayed in Siam Square which was pretty decent.  Easy to get taxis, tuk tuks, and our hotel was a block from the Sky Train.  
• Beware of motorized vehicles (buses, taxis, POV's, tuk tuks, mopeds, motorcycles, etc)  when you are on foot because the Thai drive like maniacs.  I've never seen so much chaos with motorized vehicles in my life.  Tailgating and speeding are normal. For instance, our drive from Bangkok to the Cambodian border was one of the scariest experiences of my life.  
• Browsing does not exist in Thailand.  We were hit up at the markets, on the beach, for massages, on the street...for everything.  Use your imagination.  The Thai's do not discriminate on age, gender, etc.  
• Bargain at the markets, for tuk tuk, taxis, you name it.  We walked away from a Tuk Tuk driver who gave us a cheap price, but wanted to take us to a Tailor Shop en route to China Town.  There are a lot of scams in Thailand regarding gem shops and tailors.  I think we dodged a couple bullets.  
• There are often times no seat belts in tour vans or taxis.  When we went on a day tour with our lovely tour guide "A" to the floating market outside of Bangkok, we were flying down the highway without seat belts on.  Such a strange feeling since the U.S. is so safety conscious.  
• You can't wear leggings as pants (if you're a female) to visit the Grand Palace.  My tour guide rented a sarong/skirt for me from a street vendor.
• There are an abundance of 7-11 stores in Thailand.  This was helpful when we needed to get some Baht out of the ATM.
• The food vendors pretty much close up shop by 10pm.  So strange to see empty sidewalks, and so early.
• I know that the Baht is cheaper than the yen, but I didn't think that we saved a lot of money in Thailand...especially with all the tipping we had to do with our drivers, tour guides, etc.

Pattaya

• We found out after the fact that the area we stayed in was not the best.  I picked the location because of its proximity to the beach, shopping and restaurants.  This was not good investigation on my part.  If you ever visit this area....especially with a family, stay in North Pattaya, in Jomtien Beach area, or don't bother.  As much as the guide books say that this area is getting better for families, its not.  I'm not prudish, and am pretty open-minded, but this would be a place for a person without children, say in their 20's.
• We couldn't relax on the beach because of all the people hitting us up for Jet-ski's, massage, food, etc.  It was pretty bothersome, but in reality, this is how the people make their income....from tourists.
• If you don't stay in a secure hotel, or at a resort, be prepared to hear screaming, domestic violence and prostitutes outside your door at around 4:30-5:00am.  This happened to us twice..at two different hotels.  We came to the conclusion that this behavior is a strategy for the prostitutes to get more money before they leave.
• We did go on a nice dive/snorkeling boat for the day.  The water wasn't clear like in Guam or Hawaii, but we did see some fish, I heard the lunch was good (I was seasick and spent the latter part of the trip laying down on the boat), and our Australian guide was great.
• We rode on a Songthaew (a mini-truck taxi) which was pretty cool.  You still need to barter with the price before getting in the vehicle.
• We had a great driver named Adisak that came from Bangkok to pick us up and return us to our hotel  in Bangkok.  It is very popular to hire a driver or a van in Thailand for a set price.

Pattaya

Although we had a few rough patches in Thailand, it still hasn't deterred us from wanting to see more of what the country has to offer.  Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand is supposed to be beautiful as well as Phuket and other islands nearby.  I am bound and determined for us to have another Thai vacation that includes some much needed R & R.  I'm hoping to combine it with a trip to Malaysia, but we'll see.

Guam

The blog was mostly on hiatus for the summer because of all the wonderful travel opportunities I've had while living in Japan.  My store was closed for one month, so I was able to Space A to Guam for almost a week.  With only 7 passengers on the plane, I arrived at Andersen AFB where I was met by our friends who live on the Navy Base in Santa Rita.  Since the island is quite small (approximately 30 miles long and 4 miles wide) and no major highways, its still a relatively short trek from base to base (normally 40 minutes without traffic). 

Guam is the largest of The Mariana Islands and is full of lush jungle, fantastic weather, warm water temperatures (about 85 degree Fahrenheit), terrific Chamorro food, and a relaxed island life.  While many tourists visit Guam for shopping, there are also a variety of things to do and see around the island.  I was fortunate to have friends that were wonderful hosts and tour guides, so I saw probably much more had we had gone there on our own.  Here are some of the highlights and recommendations I have if you ever have a chance to go there:

Go Snorkeling

No only is the water warm, there are many locations on Guam to snorkel.  Some of the best snorkeling I did was down at Gab Gab Beach on the Navy Base.  Equipped with diving boots I was able to venture down the stairs into the water at Gab Gab and literally see a ton of fish.  There are also many dive boats for people who want to snorkel and dive.  Best thing about this is that you don't need to bother with a wetsuit.  There is supposed to be great diving and I presume snorkeling on Saipan...another of the Mariana Islands that I'd like to visit while we still live in Asia.

Chamorro Village on Wednesday Night

This was a terrific night market with tons of food, crafts, vendors and entertainment.  I had some of the best BBQ there, and got to pose with a crab and a old guy wearing a native costume.  The location is easy to find along the main highway, and well worth checking out.

Chamorro BBQ.

Tumon Bay and Two Lovers Point

Tumon Bay was inundated with a lot of tourists.  It is close to the airport, to the major hotels and to shopping.  The beach is nice, and you can take a bit of a walk to some of the area restaurants.  Not far from Tumon Bay is the popular Two Lovers Point.  We went for sunset and the view was spectacular.  The monument is set high on the cliff and boasts an ancient tale about two young lovers.  Kind of a Romeo and Juliet type of story with a tragic ending.  The scenery and grounds were breathtaking.

Hotels along Tumon Bay.

The southernmost part of the island is also worth checking out.  There are villages, lookouts, tons of history, a chance to see or ride a carabao (not caribou), and a trip to Jeff's Pirate Cove restaurant in Talofofo.  We didn't eat at the restaurant, but I did shop in their gift store which has some interesting things.  Overall, my experience in Guam was fantastic.  So much to see and do.