Day 17 - Osaka to Brisvegas

Today was the last day of my Japanese Journey as I had a flight home booked for 9.45pm. it didn't end up leaving until 11.45pm, but what is a couple of hours between friends...

Sadly, I was casually abandoned by my erstwhile travelling companion, now that she had better friends to play with. After an early breakfast with them at 7am, Gabby, Craig and Kate left Osaka to go on another (not quite so) epic series of transport journeys to get to another mountain to start their skiing holiday.

That left me with a whole day, and more, to kill, and a wet, miserable day at that. Fortunately, we got a late check-out arranged when we booked in yesterday, so I didn't have to officially give up our room until 2pm, so I hung out there until closer to 10am and then bravely ventured forth out into the wet, after borrowing an umbrella from reception. I was on the hunt for souvenirs and ended up at one of the shops we took a photo of yesterday (although I didn't realise it at the time), called Don Quixote Dotonbori. (It was the one with the Ferris wheel and cartoon characters...). It was 7 floors of tourist and travel and snack paraphernalia. All I ended up with was a set of chop sticks that I obviously mis-read the price tag on, because they cost more than double what I thought they were, but they are very nice, so I still got them (and I could not be bothered trying to find the place I actually found them again, to be honest).

After a couple of hours of wandering, I went back to the hotel, and hung out till check out time, having a shower and trying to work out how best to re-pack my now overstuffed (and, did I mention, heavy) bag.

I didn't have to start heading to the airport until 5.30pm so I still had several hours to kill, so I left my bag with reception, borrowed another umbrella and ventured out again, to continue the hunt for a couple more souvenirs and to get some food for lunch.

It was around this time I got the message that the flight was delayed (happy days!), so I ended up dragging out the afternoon by slowly eating lunch, and then later sitting in a coffee shop having coffee and chocolate mousse and then sitting in the hotel lounge, until I decided to have a change of scenary and headed to the airport to sit in one of their lounges instead...

I am urrently in the air about half way through the flight and looking forward to being home with the fam (and my bed!!). Due to land about 9.20am Brisbane time.

It has been a fantastic trip, and Gabby has been great to travel with, only slightly marred by the whole abandoment issue on the very last day. She will have to lift her game next time...Läs mer