Leaving Tokyo via Seoul to Beijing - 12th July

Leaving Tokyo and arriving in Beijing via Seoul

12th July

Ok so I was awoken at 4.20am (our clocks in the room where not accurate!) this morning by something not sure what but similar to someone shaking the whole bed.  I thought it might be a large vehicle going past the hotel making the building shake but then remembered we were at the back so couldn’t be that.  It felt like someone was shaking me one way and then the other, felt very weird no-one else woke up.  I fell back to asleep again not long after that shaking of my bed and when I woke up a couple of hours later Colin told me he had woken to the sound of someone walking down metal stairs presumably outside.  So yet again I did a search and seemingly there was an earthquake at 4.22am supposed to have been 185 miles east of Tokyo and was closest to the coastal city of Namie.  The news reckoned today’s earthquake was a follow on from the 9.0 magnitude earthquake that caused all the damage to Fukushima in March 2011 and killed more than 18,000 people.  This earthquake that we felt only three people injured and no damage caused to the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.  The report said that the quake was strong enough to be felt in Tokyo with many people woken by earthquake alerts sent by the Japan Meteorological Agency to mobile phones.  I wonder if that is what the person who was running down the metal stairs had received and went to lower ground??  Who knows but we are glad we are getting out of Tokyo as there are more earthquakes predicted over the next two weeks!!!  Now isn’t that something we can say we survived an earthquake well at least I felt it!!

Our final stop of our Big Holiday Adventure which is really scary but also really exciting all rolled into one.  We are all back to having the big mixing bowl of emotions again that are getting stirred around with anxiety, excitement, nervousness, happiness, looking forward to be settling down into a routine, apprehension about all the what if’s, what maybe’s, what will’s questions that we keep coming up with and thinking about relating to work, school life, friends, houses, cars, shopping, food etc etc.  We are certainly reflecting lots about our past 80+days too with lots of laughs, oh yeah forgot about that, wouldn’t go there or do that again!!  Colin mentioned ‘what are we going to do for our next holiday?’ and Amy’s response was ‘I don’t want to go on holiday for a long time as I would like to get into a nice routine of school, clubs and playing with my new friends’, well said Amy that goes for all of us we just want to be settled now.  I think we will hit the ground with a big bump though with everything that we need to organise and arrange in Adelaide but it will be great as everything is building bricks and stepping stones for our future lives in Australia xxx

 

 

Here is Jemima relegated to the suitcase again but she has her favourite blanket as a pillow and has the Lai on to make her smile!!  Our suitcases have done us well and the regimental packing has kept us sane during the trip.  Imagine our two big suitcases (Nelly and Blue) have imaginary lines splitting the case into 4 with the bottom left corner for Amy’s clothes which are split between the 2 cases and her clothes stored in carrier bags, Colin and I’s underwear are split between the 2 cases and placed in carrier bags too on the top left and then Colin’s clothes top right and my clothes bottom right.  The smaller suitcase has the toiletries, winter gear and things we don’t need at least then in the compact and bijoux rooms we only have 2 cases getting under our feet.  All the cables and chargers are all in food bags with labels on kept in my hand rucksack, Colin has the leptop, iPad’s in his rucksack along with the tickets which he organised all the tickets and maps for all the 91 days of the journey into 2 polypocket filled folders, all in chronological order.  I know this makes us sound really anal but do you know what there has only been ‘I can’t find this’ twice which when I did find the item it was in the correct place, all our documents have been easy to find at each step of the way, if needed for VISA checks we have been able to put our hands on the right document quickly instead of fumbling around, we have only left bed socks behind and that was our first hotel we stayed in at Isle of Man Airport which I thought then holy moly we couldn’t even do one hotel without Amy and I leaving something!!!  When we leave hotels Colin, Amy and I do a check of the room, bathroom and under the beds and we generally don’t put anything in cupboards or drawers everything is visible to the eye!!  I think we have done extremely well with the whole adventure and we have only had a few fraught moments but we soon came round which are normally resolved by family hugs and a 3 way kiss!!!

 

Amy took a photo of me ‘in action’ of trying to dry the last of the hand washing for packing

 

Amy having a turn of playing the sock piano with the air from the hairdryer and me making different sounds for each sock!!

 

Yet another purchase that Amy didn’t like, we thought we were safe with these cookies but obviously not, no likey!!

 

Sticker task complete, yeehah!  I didn't think that Tokyo would have stickers as I thought they would think they were too sticky and yucky to produce but obviously not! 

 

And the suitcase is looking pretty full but looks awesome

 

So Peach Tea, fizzy vitamin drink and ……

 

some urine looking drink hee hee!!

 

So those are the free drinks that Colin has won from the 7 Eleven shop.  Now we are about to enter the tasting session, prepare yourselves for the results!!!

 

Not looking forward to this one, the smell is bad enough....

 

No likey, down the sink for that one.  Next one……

 

 

Peach tea

 

Oh that one was okay but was a bit sickly after a few sips so down the drain with that one and finally …………..

 

Mmmmmmm savouring the mouthful and then ………..

 

Smiles and the good boy finished his vitamin drink!!!

 

We had to try out the dressing gowns, so we have experienced Tokyo and it feels very clinical but boy heck don’t we look like Doctors in these dressing gowns ha ha!!!  Let’s get going to the train station instead of messing about!!!

 

Heading towards the train station and there is some of the tracks for the trains above the road

 

Waiting for the largest crossing we have ever been on, suitcases already for the next adventure

 

Patiently waiting for the green man

 

Our last views before we head into the station

 

The cocoon building, love that building and it reminds us of London’s bullet building

 

 

Take a deep breath we are going into the station with 4 cases!!!!  Few ankles were taken out ha ha!!  Well if you don’t look at where you are going then woops another ankle!!!

 

Platform 5 and 6 we are heading for Narita Express

 

Amy has been leading the way, she’s done with carrying her rucksack but she has done extremely well up until now!

 

The leader xxx

 

The follower ha ha xxx

 

So we are all sweaty and Amy and Colin spy an air conditioned seating area on the platform so I stay outside and look after the cases, you guys just sit, relax and cool off I’ll let you know when the train is coming!!

 

The train

 

It is clever that the platform has got the carriage numbers as we have reserved seats on the train

 

And here it is the train to take us to the airport.  We got a half price ticket from the airport into Tokyo but we didn’t get the same deal going out so our train journey cost us about £45.  Amy isn’t impressed as she says that has used up a chunk of our budget and we are only on the train!!

 

Don’t you worry Amy you are the leader so get yourself on and we will sort out the bags ha ha!!

 

Sitting comfortably with Millie giving Narita a reassuring cuddle with it being her first train journey and Yorkie looking cool as ever!

 

Here is Colin taking a selfie of himself in the reflection whilst we are playing Uno on the train, Amy won!!

 

So the train picks up a few other carriages that has come from another part of Tokyo and then we all head out to the airport, clever really, it did this on the way into Tokyo too but I never caught the sign for it

 

Trolley Dolly but surprisingly you can only pay cash on the train too.  Funny as when we are flying they only accept cards.  Just surprising the lack of technology to accept cards especially in Tokyo!

 

Amy is glad we don’t have much cash left as she has spied Horse-Mackerel and Sea Bream Sushi, not willing to try Amy eh no!!

 

So we were sitting on the train and Amy said she just wants to be a normal child again and go to school, have friends and get a new home.  This is great for her progress and settling into Australian life as she has been nervous about our new start.  We are all feeling the same way though ready to settle down and get cracking setting ourselves up with work, friends and our own Aussie routine!!

 

 

Prepare to be hot in Beijing everyone!!

 

Look at how efficient the rail is we have arrived a minute early!

 

So here is our final time being in a lift in Tokyo and without fail we are railroaded again and people without cases pushed past us, chunter, chunter from Colin and then their ankles taken out on the way out, well deserved!!!

 

How cool is that Police on Segway’s!!

 

Oh dear the girls have got through security but poor Col needs searched!!

 

Not sure about that Tokyo!

 

 

The best bit in Amy’s opinion about airports is the travelators!

 

All cuddles whilst waiting for Colin in the queue at McDonald’s – stable diet of the Big Holiday Adventure

 

Here is Amy and Colin spending the last of the Tokyo money in Kit Kats, biscuits and Snicker Bars, nice healthy snacks for Beijing!!

 

We are travelling through Seoul on Korean Airlines, never flown Korean Airlines will they be good??  Who knows but we are away to find out!!

 

Our aeroplane’s nose

 

The snippet of Korean Airlines

 

Sitting all comfortable but the only problem is we are in a 2,4,2 seated plane and we are in the 4 section so no photographs of us leaving Tokyo or arriving into Seoul LL

 

But one bonus is that we have individual screens so we can all sit back, relax and enjoy the movies!

 

Bonus we are getting fed on this flight and it is only a 2hr 20minute flight.  Amy even got a toy from them too, we like Korean Airlines

 

Here is our food

 

Chicken and rice and the chicken was nice and the rice was ......

 

in Amy's plate ha ha!

 

Next to try Ume Jelly, tasting session away to start……..

 

Eh as you can gather no likey, the texture was wrong coming out of a small spout and the taste was indescribable!!!

 

Amy is happy as they have the same games on her TV as Singapore Airlines when we went to Oz 2011 and 2012

 

Woop woop we have made it!!

 

Amy is checking which gate we need to be at for our next flight to Beijing, only a two hour wait in the airport

 

What gate are we then Amy!!  7???

 

Are you sure it is 7??

 

7 sure ?!?!

 

 

Yes absolutely sure it is gate 7!!

 

 

 

Korean Air terminal building then!!

 

 

So we arrive into the terminal building and there is a gathering of traditional dressed people

 

It is the Royal Family of Seoul

 

They were out for short while letting people take photographs

 

But then we found something much for interesting for Amy, a play area!!

 

Weeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

 

And here we are at gate number 7

 

Yorkie’s turn for photograph with the aeroplane

 

Yorkie you are not allowed to sit on top of the plane, naughty!!!

 

Nice Yorkie giving an apologetic kiss to the aeroplane, good girl Yorkie!!

 

Yorkie that isn’t nice at all, ha ha!!!

 

Yorkie is really misbehaving now she might need to go in the suitcase at this rate hee hee!!

 

So as we were waiting to board there was a guy setting up a small video camera on the window looking over the aeroplane, now that rings alarm bells to me are they terrorists trying to work out the system of preparing the aeroplane for take off?  Are they finding out how to hijack the plane??  The questions that are going through my head of why you taking a video of the aeroplane are endless and Colin is saying he is looking at what they do maybe as a curious passenger?  Not cutting the biscuit with me there Col!!!  So anxiety heightened I have my eyes on you MR!!!  There better not be turbulence on this plane as I will definitely think we are doomed!!!

 

So we are on a flight with seats 2,4,2 and Amy and I are at the window 2 and poor Colly is sat by himself

 

The girls are cool!!

 

But then Colin’s travel companion arrives, no excuse me or giving a chance for Colin to stand up to let him in he just squeezes through with his bottom in front of Colin!!  So he thumps himself down into the seat, huffs and puffs, snorts and grunts and then thumps his head onto the seat in front!!  Looking forward to the flight now Col!!

 

We are good though, sorry Col JJ

 

Even though we have a window seat we are not going to have any joy with the photographs as it is still foggy!!

 

Yep that is the visibility for the photograph taking but I just hope the pilot can see longer distance than I can???

 

 

 

 

Beautiful cloud formations though!

 

Our food on the plane

 

Colin is happy the beer is helping to ease the trauma from his companion

 

Oh what it is a ring pull we haven’t seen a can like that for a few years!!  Amy has no clue what we are talking about!!

 

And then to make up for the fog over Seoul I got a free show of an absolutely beautiful sunset

 

and the moon is shining!

 

Beautiful skies

 

The pinks, purples and orange colours were beautiful

 

The final view of the sunset

 

As now we can see Beijing!!

 

 

These were our seats, oh yeah if only!!!

 

Oh yeah we don’t feel like aliens yet!!!  This is the back of the immigration form to enter Beijing, aliens!!!  Not very welcoming!!

 

Here we are after our 2 hour flight, we are now in Beijing!!!  Beijing airport is supposed to be the busiest airport in the world so heaven help us!!

 

Here is Colin getting some Yuan out for our final destination!!

 

Airport Express Train that is exactly where we need to get to!  Skytrain journey and then we arrive at the station for the Airport Express Train.  The station isn’t great to get to the train as we are back to humfing our cases on stairs again!!

 

We grab the tickets for the Train and away we go google maps said it should be a 40 minute flight so good chance for Amy to sleep!

 

Here we are on the train.  Here we go again a guy pushed in front of us to get on the train and jumped into a seat but only one thing for that when he has spread his legs over 2 seats and that is to sit next to him!!! And that is what I did ha ha Mr now you need to share the seat with me!!!

 

And then 5 minutes later he has to share his seat with Amy and I!!!  His whole body language has changed now ha ha!!  Amy did so well with it being so late when we arrived in Beijing that when we got on the train she started yawning, the cute baby yawning like the photo below!!

 

Sooooooooo cute baby Amy xxx

 

First glimpses of Beijing from the train.  Poor Amy got a rude awakening as google maps said our journey would be for 42 minutes but in actual fact we arrived in 22 minutes, so a jump up, throw Amy off my knee and grab the suitcases!!!  Poor tooty didn’t know what had hit her!!

 

Now we are on the subway after humfing the cases on the stairs again!!!  I thought we got rid of those European days of up and down stairs with no lifts in the stations but obviously not!!  An English lady stopped Colin as we were walking through the station and asked if we needed help, I think we are good thanks.  It was lovely of her to stop so we take a look around as how does she know we are tourists other than the fact of the cases and our white skin as everyone that is surrounding us are Chinese!!  Lovely to hear a British accent it has been a while!!

 

This is the station Dongzhimen that we change from Airport Express to subway.  Everything smooth so far!

 

Here we are on the subway and it is busy but not too bad thankfully!

 

Colin looking weary!  Heaven knows what time our bodies think we are on now!!

 

We have climbed a load of stairs to get up to the exit and then we head onto ………….

 

more stairs to exit the train station, holy moly!!

 

Up the stairs we go!!!

 

 

 

We head out of the station and as soon as we step onto the pavement we have guys in bicycle carriers wanting to know whether we needed a ride, no thanks!  So we walk along a bit further and there is another bicycle thing, ‘taxi, Sir’  worst bit is they don’t take ‘NO’ for an answer so follow us down the road, ‘taxi’, ‘taxi Sir’, ‘taxi’, ‘hotel’, ‘taxi’!!  BE QUIET!!!!!! Not pleasant having these guys chunter away in the background as we are trying to figure out which way to get to the hotel and we figured it out from the map at the roadside!!  It was getting late, we were all tired and cranky so we saw a taxi but then we could get into another different scenario and we may be closer to the hotel than we think, so we crack on!!!!

We go to cross the road to get on the pavement away from the subway entrance and nearly get taken out by a electric bicycle thing that doesn't have any lights on, oh yeah it must be a cycle path that we crossed over and no-one has any lights on their motorbikes, scooters or bicycles, keep your eyes WIDE open they are crazy loons around here!!!

 

We walk about 5-10 minutes and hey presto we have headed in the right direction as here is our hotel!  So when we are checking in at the hotel they inform us that there is a choice of rooms, one king sized bed or another room has 2 single beds.  No rollaway beds or small beds for Amy only a cot!!  We opted for the King bed as at least all of us can fit in the one bed!

 

 

Floor seven with room number 736

 

The rooms look okay and because it is really late then we all head off to bed without brushing our teeth, naughty but I just couldn’t be bothered getting the toiletry bag out!!

Night night everyone xxx