Planes, trains and automobiles. Typically these are the things that little boys like and Reni is no different.
Of the three, trains are by far Reni’s favourite. Not a day goes past without him uttering the word, “train”. His love of trains has developed out of a passion for the “Thomas The Tank Engine” series.
You probably are familiar with this series. It’s extremely popular. Ringo Starr has even narrated some episodes of it.
Besides Thomas there are a multitude of other trains and vehicles. Reni is exremely knowledgeable about their names. He can even tell the difference between ‘twin trains’, presumably because they have different engine numbers. The boy is a train expert!
Archive for April, 2006
When travelling by car here in Japan there are two options, high roads or low roads. The high roads are the expressways and the low roads are the local roads. There’s quite a difference between the two.
The high roads are admirable feats of engineering, impervious to the terrain. Take Shikoku, a rugged, mountainous island, for example. From here in Tokushima in the north-east to Kochi in the south there are over 20 tunnels on the expressway, the longest of which is over 4km long!
Obviously the high roads are conveniently fast but the tolls are also quite expensive. They’re also rather monotonous. I mean, there’s not a lot to see in a tunnel, is there? Outside too, since these expressways are often elevated much of the way, views are limited by barrier walls.
The alternative is to go low and slow and take the local roads. These roads often go around mountains rather than through them so they take a lot more time. They can be a bit sketchy too with their narrow hairpin bends. They can’t always be used either. Snow build-up or landslides triggered by typhoons can lead to road closure.
During my spring break while Yoko and Reni were in Kyoto, I was fortunate enough to have the time and weather on my side to take the low road, Route 195, to Kochi. I was also lucky to have fellow Aussie, Cameron, accompany me. He helped out with navigating and directing through tiring 20-point turn-arounds. By taking the low road we could enjoy the following spectacular views and breathtaking scenery.
A brief photo entry in praise of the spring blossoms.
Hanami is looking at flowers. Looking at cherry blossoms, in particular. It’s more than just looking however. It also includes eating, drinking and partying. It’s like a way of saying thank god the miserable, freezing cold winter is over (and I can go surfing again without risking hypothermia). The delicate sakura’s pink petals are like a symbol of relief and happiness.
