After a late and turbulent flight from Seoul, I arrived at Kagoshima airport around 5pm.
From there you have to take bus number 2 to go to the city center, it take approximately 1 hour. When I arrived there yesterday it was quite rainy, the tail of Trami Typhoon certainly. Surprisingly I couldn't find any pocket wifi at the airport and decided to give it a try with only free wifi spot, like in Seoul there is not a lot in Japan, so back to the basic paper map and it works! Well it almost work I've missed my hotel from 2 road ahead and it was night! Haha ...
While I was trying to figure out where I was on the map, in the night, it's raining...very dramatic ! A lady with is little boy ask me if I needed help and after having a look at my map offered to walk me to my hotel!!! Welcome back to Japan! She shown me the directions and I told her that I would be ok to find it! After thanking her I walked straight to my hotel! Looking behind me she was watching and waving at me to make sure I was at the good hotel! That was my first interaction with someone at Kagoshima! What a nice welcome!
For this first night I booked a simple hotel but with onsen. It was cheap and a bit behind the town center, I had the great surprise to find that they upgraded me to a Tatami room, I loved it! Again a very good way to feel welcome, I guess the room was available, I'm a foreigner and they thought that I would enjoy the experience! And I did!
I spent the following day walking around, enjoying some coffee, a nice croissant-omelette in a very nice cafe and I found out where and when I could take a ferry to Yakushima a not so far Island.
What? An Island again!!! You already been to zamami! Yes but this one got a giant and antic Forest with olds trees that I want to meet! Full story short, yes this is the forest who inspired mister Miyazaki for "princess Mononoke"!
I've decided to wake up early around five in the morning to watch the sunrise, with a view like that, that would have been a shame not to!
Mother earth offered me a special welcome too : the sun was rising and the volcano was smoking when I woke up. During the night I felt some earthquakes like vibrations, I thought I was dreaming but it appears that that was real! Nothing to worry about, apparently this volcano is in activity sometime. That's remembered me my good old wellington, New-zealand back in the days. The sunrise was beautiful! That's always a thing when you see the nature and a city waking up at the same time!
Im in the ferry to Yakushima now, enjoying a coffee, waiting for the boat to sail! Four hours trip.
It's 8:13am, an old man just sit next to me opening an Asahi can, apparently enjoying the refreshing beverage. Maybe he had a long night at work and going home or maybe a long night with friends.
Who knows?
it's a curious feeling to find myself on a ferry sailing to an island. Exactly a month ago I was behind my computer working. A lot of people ask me but I have not plan much what's coming next. I'm thinking about it sometime, but I really don't know. When people ask me I have the feeling that it's always about what work is coming next. When you put yourself on the side of the busy world you realize that 'next' can be a lot of thing and not only the next job! Next trip to Bali or to Tibet? Maybe!?
Starting my minimalist life teach me few things so far, including that less you have and less you will worried about the next day or the next week. Yes travelling cost money, but as minimalist your are able to tight your budget. Of course you still need a budget but when you choose to travel like that you won't keep any flat to pay the rent for or any bills. Luckily this part of your monthly expense can go on your trip, at least the first month.
In Japenese ferry, there is an extra features that other ferry doesn't have : a tatami area usually used by family with kids or by traveler who want to take a nap like me. And guess what this is nap time!
