Rob Jackman – Page 4 – JACKMAN ESCAPADES

A Week In Looe, Cornwall

Our three flights from Melbourne to England all ran on time and were very comfortable. Qantas to Singapore then Finnair to Heathrow. We set a record getting through immigration and customs at Heathrow. It took no more than 15 minutes including picking up our luggage which was first off the plane. A 5 minute wait for the Hertz bus to pick up our hire car and before we knew it we were on the road.

*Finnair Business Class. A step above Qantas*

It was pouring with rain on leaving Heathrow and the M3 motorway was not much fun. We turned off the M3 and headed through the New Forest area, the rain eased, and we arrived in Southampton in reasonable weather.
An overnight stop, a good sleep and we were on the road again, this time to the seaside town of Weymouth. A night in a delightful B&B, explored the town and we were back on the road again this time to Exeter via the coast visiting a number of the seaside towns like Lyme Regis, Beer, Brandscombe and Budleigh Salterton.

An overnight stop in Exeter then we headed to Looe via the Dartmoor National Park. Roaming sheep, wild horses and amazing scenery made the drive to Looe a real highlight. Dartmoor is a wonderful landscape, full of varied habitats, from wooded valleys and hay meadows to magnificent mires and the wild open moor.

Looe… We arrived in Looe and booked into our lovely apartment overlooking the estuary where fishing boats and pleasure craft are moored and sit on the muddy riverbed at low tide. Our first day was spent exploring Looe, it’s winding streets and many tourist shops, eateries and bakeries. It is a beautiful town with a nice beach.

Port Isaac (Port Wenn for Doc Martin Fans)…
The following day we headed for the west coast and visited Port Isaac (Port Wenn to Doc Martin fans). They were filming for a new series of Doc Martin and we were lucky enough to see some of the action. The first was Al Large (Jo Absolom) running into the local pub followed by Policeman PC Penhale driving up to the pub in his Landrover and running into the same pub. All very exciting. Maybe you will see us in the next Doc Martin series.

From Port Isaac we then went on to Trebarwith, a tiny little village with a lifesaving club but no beach. We had a delightful, very late morning tea here sitting on the beach which are only rocks. How strange.

*Trebarwith Beach – No sand, just rocks*

Boscastle …. From Trebarwith we headed to Boscastle. This is one of the few remaining unspoilt harbour villages in Cornwall. Designated an area of outstanding beauty, the National Trust own and care for the beautiful medieval harbour and surrounding coastline. From Boscastle we headed back to our comfortable apartment in Looe.

*Boscastle Estuary and the Harbour Light Tea Rooms*

Less driving the next day exploring the area around Looe taking the Bodonnik Car Ferry to Fowey then on to Mevagissy for a nice lunch in a traditional English pub overlooking the harbour.

To The End…. Our next excursion involved a long drive and included an overnight stop just out of Penzance in a quant little cottage. The following day we visited the Minack Theatre at Porthcurno. This theatre is just amazing. A dream of Rowena Cade, she built this theatre into the side of the cliffs over many years with the help of her gardener. Rowena Cade, who lived in Minack House, decided that the cliffs below her garden would be the perfect setting, and over the winter of 1931 and into 1932 she and her gardener, Billy Rawlings, moved endless granite boulders and earth, creating the lower terraces of the theatre.

*The Minack Theatre. Yes, grass seating*

*View up to the Tea Rooms at Minack Theatre*

Concerts are held almost weekly in this theatre from May through to September. After exploring the theatre and taking in the magnificent views we enjoyed a coffee in the Tea Rooms.

St Ives By Train…. Back in the car and on to St Ives. Like all English villages parking is very restricted and the easiest way to get into St Ives is by train from Lelant Saltings. The train hugs the coast with spectacular views out to St Ives Bay and beautiful white sandy beaches.

*View from the train an the way to St Ives*

A walk around St Ives, a beer in The Sloop Inn and then back on the train. We then took the B3306 coast road around to Land’s End. This is a very scenic drive with views over the ocean, old tin mines, farmhouses and small villages. Certainly better than the main highways.

We made it. Land’s End…. This is the most South Westerly point in England and a major tourist attraction. Huge car parks for cars and buses but because we arrived later in the afternoon and it was only mid May it was relatively quiet. We took the compulsory photo next to the Land’s End sign but refused to pay £10 (A$20.00) for a professional photo.

The views are spectacular out over the ocean and to the Longships Lighthouse. There are a number of tourist activities at Land’s End many aimed at children, along with tourist shops and cafes. It was then a 75 mile drive back to Looe.

Garden Of Eden…. On Thursday we visited “The Eden Project”, about 22 miles from Looe. This facility is nestled in a huge crater which was originally a clay mine. It is now a massive garden with two huge domes (called Biomes) which house a Rainforest in one dome and a Mediterranean landscape in the other featuring stunning plants, crop displays, art installations and exhibitions.

*Eden Project. Rainforest Dome on the left, Mediterranean Dome on the right*

Our Final Day in Looe…. Our final day in Looe we found there is a local train which travels up to Liskeard along the East Looe River. This is not a tourist train but a regular service and the views along the river are scenic. A quick walk around Liskeard, then back on the train for the return journey.

*Looe Estuary upstream from town centre*

Since leaving Heathrow we have travelled 750 miles (1200 km) and mostly in Cornwall. Who said the United Kingdom was small. Many times, you are travelling on narrow single lane roads with passing bays or narrow two way roads with no opportunities to pass. Our observation is that English drivers are much better than most in Australia, they are courteous but they do tend to tailgate.
Tomorrow we head to Wales to stay in a Coach House on a farm inside the Brecon National Park.

Kyoto And On To Tokyo

Back In Familiar Territory …. A 2 1/4 hour Shinkansen trip saw us back in Kyoto for a return visit. My fourth time and Liz’s third. After a nice lunch in a restuarant near our apartment we headed for the Teramachi Dori Shopping Street in downtown Kyoto. It is always interesting as you see locals and tourists seeking out bargains or looking for somewhere to eat. We knew it was a public holiday in Japan but what we didn’t expect were the crowds. It seemed everyone in Japan headed for Kyoto on a public holiday.

There were people everywhere then out of the blue came a protest march which held up traffic and the crowds. We found out it was against Nuclear Arms. After a couple of hours of wandering downtown Kyoto we decided we’d had enough and headed back to the santuary of our modern but small apartment.

Protest march in Kyoto — Protest march against nuclear arms in Kyoto – Don’t think they like North Korea

We Jump On A Bus …. The next morning after a bit of research we decided to take on the Kyoto bus system to explore the city. Our first stop was the Ginkakuji Temple, sometimes called the Silver Pavillion. The main feature of this temple is the magnificent gardens.. It was just stunning with the autumn colouring and the beautifully maintained gardens. We then walked the “Path of Philosophy’, a 1.8 km path running along side a canal lined by cherry trees, gardens and restaurants.

Ginkakuji Temple, — Ginkakuji Temple and gardens – A magnificent display of autumn colours

Kiyomizudera Temple and Gardens — Ginkakuji Temple and gardens – A magnificent display of autumn colours

Path Of Philosophy – A 2 km walk along a canal

Back On The Bus …. Our next stop was the Kiyomizudera Temple, but trying to avoid the tourists we came through the Nishi-Otani Mausoleum and cemetry. An amazing uphill walk through the cemetary to finally reach the Temple and the crowds. The route back takes you down a quaint little street with many gift shops and restaurants.

Our Next Stop …. A must do in Kyoto is a visit to the Issen Yoshoku Japanese Restaurant as it serves only one dish, Okonomiyaki, a delicious pancake style dish with all sorts of ingredients. We then spent a bit more time walking some of the unique parts of Kyoto before jumping on another bus back to our apartment. We really do have the confusing Kyoto bus system mastered.

Enjoying Okonomiyaki — Enjoying Delicious Okonomiyaki at the famous Issen Yoshoku Japanese Restaurant

We Return To Tokyo …. Arrived in Tokyo, jumped on the subway and were soon checked into our apartment in Roppongi. Spent the rest of the day getting some supplies from the local supermarket then dressed for dinner as we met up with friends from Huntingdale Golf Club in Shinagawa, a couple of subway rides away. Great night with plenty of laughs.

Dinner with Huntingdale GC friends – Not sure why the young lady next to Rob wanted to be in the photo.

The Old Haunts …. On our first full day we returned to our old stomping grounds, first to Asakusa, then to Ueno, great for shopping, then to Akihabara, electric town. Returned home for dinner then headed to the bright lights of Ginza. It was nice to revisit familiar territory and we felt really at home.

A Day In Yokohama …. Next day onto the subway in Tokyo rush hour. An experience everyone should have once in their life. We arrived in Yokohama 45 minutes later and within 15 minutes were on a ferry heading for Yamashita Park. The ferry ride was a real eye opener. Yokohama is a beautiful modern city with wide streets, parkland along much of the waterfront and lot’s of things for tourists to do. We walked through two parks, then onto Bluff 99 where there are many European style houses, then down to Motomachi Shopping Street. This street is Toorak Village on steroids. Beautiful shops, boutiques, and restaurants. We took a rest stop in the Renoir Coffee House, a Windsor Hotel style establishment. All very classy.

Motomachi Shopping Street – Very posh shopping area

On To Chinatown …. Next stop was Yokohama Chinatown, the biggest in Japan. It was a hive of activity and very classy. From there we walked to the Aka-Renga Soko (Red Brick Warehouse) previously shipping warehouses and now a tourist attraction with shops and restaurants. It was then on to the Cosmoworld Amusement Park to ride the giant ferris wheel for an aerial view of Yokohama.

Yokohama Harbour from the top of the ferris wheel

A Unique Experience …. By this time we had hunger pains so we jumped on another train and headed for the Ramen Noodle Museum. This turned out to be a real highlight of the day. The museum is set in a mid 50’s Japan townscape with a number of tiny restaurants serving various types of Ramen dishes from all over Japan. After a beer in the courtyard area we settled for one restaurant, ordered from the all Japanese menu and was served a delicious ramen noodle dish. What an experience.

Ramen Museum in Shin-Yokohama. A unique dining experience

Ramen Museum 1950's townscape — Ramen Museum 1950’s townscape

Another Day Trip, This Time Nikko …. Once again we jumped on the Shinkansen for 50 minutes and then a local train for 45 minutes to visit Nikko. This small town has a number of World Heritage sites which includes temples, shrines & mausoleum. The biggest of these was the Toshogu Shrine and we spent around 1 1/2 hours walking this amazing shrine. Then onto the Futarasan Shine and back on the bus to the Shinkyo traditional Japanese bridge and a walk through the town back to the station. An interesting day.

A small section of the amazing Toshogu Shrine

Our Final Days …. Our final days in Tokyo were spent visiting Shibuya, a main shopping district, across to Odaiba Island to visit the Toyota Megaweb and the Tricky Art Museum.

Liz fighting a reptile in the Trick Art Museum

Now who's the biggest — Now who’s the biggest

On Saturday we visited the Koishikawa Korakuen Japanese Gardens followed by a visit to Ikebukuro Shopping District. What an eye opener. As big as Shibuya and equally as crowded.

Sayonara Japan …. So tomorrow we sadly depart Japan. This is an amazing country. Friendly people, world class technology, a transport system the envy of the world and massive building complexes that interlink with train stations, department stores and shopping complexes. At the same time it proudly displays its heritage and culture.

Christmas lights at Roppongi Hills near our apartment

Kyushu – We Travel The Island

A Day Down South …. We started the day early by once again jumping on the Shinkansen for a 90 minute, 250 km journey down to Kagoshima, a beautiful, modern Japanese city. We purchased a one day bus pass and jumped on the bus and headed for the Shiroyama Observatory which towers above the city. A fantastic weather day provided us with great views across the city and best of all views of the active volcano, Mt. Sakurajima.

Views over Kagoshima City and the Mt Sakurajima volcano from the Shiroyama Obeservatory

Back On The Bus …. Our next point of call was the famous Sengan-en Gardens established in the mis 1600’s. These are beautifully maintained traditional Japanese gardens and with the autumn colours, trickling streams and the peacefulness made this a very relaxing place. That was until we came across the filming of parts of a Japanese movie with many actors parading around in traditional Japanese dress. It became an interesting interlude in our walk around the gardens.

Now Onto A Ferry …. Another short bus ride to the ferry terminal and we were on our way to the island of Sakurajima made famous by the fact that it has one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Our one day bus pass entitled us to a tour of the island stopping off at many key vantage points to view the island and the volcano. It was then back on the bus to return to the station and a leisurley 90 minute ride back to our apartment.

Across to Sakurajima Island to see close up the active volcano

An Early Start …. Next morning we jumped once again on the Shinkansen and headed for Oita on the east coast of Kyushu. From there onto a local train to travel to a small town called Yufuin. This 50 km trip was fascinating as it passed through small villages, across mountain streams and rivers with beautiful autumn tonings everywhere.

Scenery from the train on the way to Yufuin

Yes, Another Bus …. We purchased a bus pass for a scenic tour of the town and visited a nursery, then a temple followed by a shrine. The one hour trip was a scream as we were the only tourists on the small bus and we communicated with the driver in broken English with many laughs between us.

Our bus for the tour around Yufuin. Plenty of laughs with the driver

Orchid display at the garden centre on our bus trip

Walking the Town …. After our entertaining city tour we walked the main street of Yufuin which has many tourist shops selling souvenirs, local foods and a whole range of unidentifiable goods. It was then back on the train to Oita for an overnight stop.

Yufuin main tourist street. 1 km long and lot’s of tourist shops

The 'Garden Walk' in Yufuin — The ‘Garden Walk’ in Yufuin. Quaint little gift shops.

We Walk Oita …. Oita is another modern Japanese city with wide streets and of course plenty of shopping. Our hotel was at the end of a long shopping arcade so we took the opportunity to walk the length of this covered mall and take in the local atmosphere.

Our hotel in Oita for a night – I think we left our light on.

We Visit Hell …. Back on the train for an 8 minute train ride to Beppu. Purchased another one day bus pass and was on our way to ‘Hell’. That is the western name given to the Jigoku Meguri Hot Springs area in Beppu. You purchase a ticket that covers the 7 main hot springs which are separated by either a short bus ride or walk between each. You see geysers gushing out boiling water, boiling mud, steam and red ponds called blood ponds. This is a fascinating area and presented in pristine gardens. We even took a foot bath in the very hot thermal water.

The 'Hell' of Beppu — The ‘Hell’ of Beppu. This area is ‘Roturua, NZ’ on steroids.

Boiling mud pools at the 'Hell' of Beppu — Boiling mud pools at the ‘Hell’ of Beppu

Just to prove we were in 'Hell' — Just to prove we were in ‘Hell’

Now Into Heaven …. From hell we literally went to heaven. Another bus ride climbing further up the mountains to the Beppu Ropeway. This ropeway takes you to 1300 meters above sea level to offer views over all of Beppu and Oita. The autumn colours on the way to the top were magnificent.

Beppu Ropeway to 1300 meters above sea level. Autumn tonings were magnificent.

One of the steepest ropeways we have been on. — Beautiful autumn tonings and one of the steepest ropeways we have been on.

We Return To Our Apartment …. We then jumped on another train back to Fukuoka and our Airbnb after two fantastic days on the east coast of Kyushu. Our final day was spent exploring parts of Fukuoka we hadn’t yet visited and the following morning onto the Shinkansen for our trip to Kyoto.