Faster Than a Speeding…

Day 9 ~ 12,120 Miles

Shinkansen = Bullet Train.

It was a bad news/good news morning!

The bad news: As we waited for our coach to arrive we received news that it had broken down.

The good news: Our trip leader was somehow prepared for something of this nature and marched our group single file down the roadside with luggage in tow to the public bus stop. We packed in like sardines and made the hour long bus ride to the train station with luggage on our laps with time to spare.

I barely saw the first Shinkansen whiz past the platform. The sleek white and blue train was already a dot on the horizon by the time I managed to switch my camera to video and find the record button (but I did get a nice video of the platform and empty tracks).

Our Shinkansen arrived at the exact minute it was scheduled and departed seconds later, even before everyone had luggage stowed and got seated…there are schedules to maintain!

The ride was remarkable.

We changed trains halfway through to an Express Train. The schedule was still precise but the second half took 3x the time.

Our hotel in Kanazawa has more western style beds and I just ordered a non-buckwheat pillow…sleep is calling my name.

Our hotel once again has onsen (hot springs baths) but this hotel provides directions too.Read more