When we arrived in Pisang, we had the option of staying in Lower Pisang at the base of the valley or hiking a hundred to two hundred meters up the valley wall to Upper Pisang. The choice was easy. The higher location means better views and the absence of modern structures makes it more atmospheric. On the other hand, it's much smaller and we knew there were only three … [Read more...]
No Foreigners Allowed in These Parts
They say that getting there is half the battle, but that was not often the case in China. Don't get me wrong, getting anywhere in China is rarely easy—take my two attempts to make my way west to Sichuan province while I was living in Shanghai; once foiled by a snowstorm and once by an earthquake—but things don't generally get any easier once there. In fact, they often get much … [Read more...]
Viewing Mount Aso’s Crater…For 30 Seconds
The next morning, we hopped on a bus and headed up toward the most active of Mount Aso's craters. We were dropped off at the bottom of a rope way, from where we could either walk the rest of the way to the crater or pay 1000 yen for a roundtrip ticket and ride up. I'm sure you can guess which option we chose and before you decide to write us off as lazy, keep reading. Once … [Read more...]
If You Can’t Take The Heat, Get Out Of The Onsen
Once we got to the hot spring, it was time to split up. You may have noticed I was the only guy in the picture from the first part of this series, so I had to head off to the male room to sit in some water on my own. The whole experience was uncomfortable in every sense of the word. First of all, the water temperature was ridiculous. I've boiled eggs in cooler water. It took me … [Read more...]
Braving Japanese-Style Accommodation on Mount Aso
Accommodation is easily the biggest expense when traveling in Japan, but you can cut down on your costs quite a bit, if you are willing to move away from the standard western hotel or hostel experience. In most cities and towns, the best value is found at a minshuku. This stripped-down version of a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) has little, if any, of the amenities and … [Read more...]