A Travellers Guide to Beppu and Kochi Japan

A life long independent traveller, you will learn by reading this book that I like food & beer. This is another of my adventures although much less exciting than my first book The Last Boomer Rides On, also published by Smashwords. You could read that for a more action packed trip+?.
Unless arriving at a destination later in the day I rarely pre-book accommodation as one can find more interesting places to sleep with a greater choice & variety of prices when at your destination. Internet & guide books tend to lead everyone to the same hotels or hostels, these are often busy & due to popularity service lacking somewhat. Smaller accommodations that are not paying commissions to travel websites are very appreciative of their guests, going out of their way to help you.
Equally, rarely do I take guided tours preferring to find my own way around a location travelling by public transport, walking or hiring a bicycle as I did in both locations I visited in this book. Guided tours can be very tiring as many different sights are packed into one day. Too tiring for me, I’m more of a slow traveller preferring to take it easy rather than tick off more countries/sights visited. Taking an “On-Off” bus “tour” as I did in Kochi is about the most organised tour for me. These buses are such good value & I have used them in many different countries. Being an avid paper map person I always use a whole day to explore which every city these buses travel through. Why one can even take time out to stop for a beer here & there!
I love nature, parks, waterways, trees & especially trying local foods. Japan is an interesting country with an age old culture that can be seen in the many different temples, buildings & some of the trees seem to date back to the Edo period which is dated by Wikipedia s 1603-1868. Kochi Castle where I visited here dates to this time & lots of references can be found in sights I saw. I admit I’m not too much of a one for museums & the like preferring to be outdoors.
Japanese food is in a class of it’s own, seafood & fish being prevalent as the country is surrounded by the sea.. The ferry I took from Osaka “steamed” through the Inland Sea of Japan. I only visited two of the many islands. I would have liked to have visited others but time didn’t allow. There were many other ferry trips I could & would have loved to have taken maybe another time?
Although not knowing the language seems a little daunting I can assure you that with patience & a small phrase book one can easily get by. As in many countries where English isn’t spoken many people love to practise the small amount they know, it’s great fun.
A woman travelling alone & now “getting on” a little has surprising advantages. Younger ladies tend to be swamped by local men which doesn’t happen much to us “oldies”(see The Last Boomer Rides On). Instead one is trusted & sometimes confided in. On crowded buses a baby or young child is plonked in your lap for convenience. Looking like a grandmother you are entrusted with someone’s most precious child. Whether older or young, man or woman, single travellers are more approachable hence locals will chat with you. A smiling happy outlook does of course help. Don’t worry, leave your fear at home & travel with courage. Travel with a love of life & craving to learn new things see, & experience unusual places, people & their cultures. Try most things offered (even if it is OMG..whale meat), it’s not anything you will have to do or eat every after.