Osaka bound - destination reached

Day One - Anticipation
Still in Cairns - very muggy weather - its the am, and we are rushing around weighing things. Eric has left his packing til this morning- talk about nerve wrecking for me!

I've packed exactly 7kg of timtams and chocolate to give to our Kyoto Free guide and our various Air B&B hosts.

I still have to find my earjack splitter, otherwise I guess it will be movies for one. In view of economy I have resurrected my old Jetstar care pack, hopefully there is no hole in the pillow.

It's always difficult leaving home when you've got kids staying behind even if they are adults albeit one is only 17. I've had so many lists to check that I've got a headache from them. Bring on the actual plane so I can go to sleep!

We had quite a good flight enjoying the timtams, pringles and other junk food I had packed, i watched The Second Best Marigold hotel again  ( i must've done my normal falling asleep act the first time because it was all new to me!). We did really well catching the train to our destination mastering the vending machine in record time. Finding the airbnb was not that easy but should have been because the last pedestrian crossing spans our street and from there its a 2 minute walk. Thank god we didnt catch a cab. Instead we spent an hour asking people ( should've  listened to the first woman and not be foiled by the pretty business woman who sent us off on a wild goose chase when we were 10 mins from the doorway )

Entered the tiny apartment - although its a lot more space than the hotel rooms we've had in the past. The kitchen was just a sink with a kettle, cups,  glasses and spoons. The bathroom/toilet was adequate - lots of hot water. The bed , hmmmm , our poor backs.

Anyway we went down the 4 flights of narrow steep steps and ate ramen in a tiny restaurant below our apartment.  It seated 8 people and honestly had the best broth I've ever tasted. The pork was amazing aswell but just one slice -- what's  with that!? Anyway delciois noodles which Eric devoured , i am a broth only person, so he was fullafter having two bowls of noodles. Back up the stepp staircase .......

Well well well,  tucked up on our  thin mattress stand ins on the floor now , no sign of tatami mats, with the heater cranked up as high as possible.  Luckily I'm well padded because its like laying on a quilt! We've cranked up the heater and that's our first day done!