Trip series No.3: MOROCCO

16 hours after my return to the UK, I was again out of my Brighton house, this time with Ben and on the way to my trip series last destination, Morocco!

This time we stayed in one of the country's touristic cities, Marrakesh for four nights.

The purpose was for me to calm down and relax after intensive travels and for Ben to get out of all the work and study that he has been doing and relax.

So we did some sightseeing but also just had lazy time at hotel in an upgraded large room by watching films,

We tried also Hammams (Turkish bath), gommage (exfoliation) and massage.

All the dirt (dead skin) of the year, well maybe of my entire life was removed!

Marrakesh was very modern and popular with tourists especially from British and French.

The atmosphere of the city is a sort of mix of Europe and Africa (well, for me Burkina).

The smell of the city was very similar to the one of Ouagadougou (the capital of Burkina).

It is probably simply because of the pollution from the cars and motorcycles...

I had the impression of Morocco as a hot country nearby desert,

but in December, the temperature was about 25-28 degrees during the day and below 10 at night.

with very clear blue sky like English summer.

Very pleasant to walk around. 

I was also surprised of a number of gardens and green (nature) in the city (photo: Majorelle Garden）

Alongside the streets, most of the trees were those of olives and oranges

We wondered who is taking these many fruits,

Or whether anyone is allowed to take them,

Or even whether the person may be arrested if he/she takes/steals them?!

The truth is not found out...

Anyway

We walked alot in Souq (market) by losing ourselves

Tasted street food at Djemaa el-Fnaa square (couscous and grilled mouton)

Had Tajine at the rooftop of Riad (restaurant) and cafe terrace,

Enjoyed beautiful views from there

Went to Bahia Palace

 El Badi Palace

Saadian Tombs

Impressed by different mosques everywhere,

Koutoubia Mosque: World heritage

We both got really refreshed.

On 20th, we said goodbye to Marrakesh and our holiday and headed to Lincoln to attend the wedding of Ben's sister.

On 23rd, we finally came back to Brighton and had relaxing and lazy Christmas between us at home.

After opening our presents, we cooked the Christmas meals of the Wood family,

Enjoyed them very much and spent the rest of the day watching films.

This year (as usual) I was very busy mentally and physically with lots of moving (Norwich→London→Brighton + trips to Italy, Japan and Morocco).

But always with good health and a life partner

I know already that the next year is going to be similarly busy with lots of travels...

But I should take sufficient time and consideration before making important decisions of my life without rushing!

How was your 2011?

I hope that your 2012 will be wonderful with good health, smiles and loves!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012, everyone!

Trip series No.2: JAPAN

30 hours after the delicious and intellectual trip in Italy,

I was already in the bus heading to Heathrow airport to take planes to my home country.

I arrived earlier at the airport than expected.

Plus, my plane was delayed about 2 hours due to the thick fog...

As a result, the 2 hours that I was supposed to have at Amsterdam to get a transfer, were gone...

Instead, I had to dash to the gate of my connection flight.

Just under 5 minutes saved my life...

Anyway I arrived in Osaka on time.

However, my suitcase could not run like me in Amsterdam...

So my return to Japan after one year and half started with only my hand luggage with a computer.

When I was filling the form of delayed/lost luggage, with my lesson learned in the UK to "try to negotiate even without hope", I asked the lady in charge of the issue whether it would be possible to get any compensation.

At first, she said "I am afraid..." but she was kind enough to go and ask her boss.

Then, with the situation where I do not currently live in Japan, she gave me 5000 yen!

Very lucky!

What was luckier was that I had a set of facial care products in my hand luggage that I normally do not carry when I travel, so I can manage myself somehow. 

My first day in Japan was the only day in Osaka for this stay in Japan (until that night to take a night train to go to the North of Japan).

Therefore, I had planned lunch with a friend who studied at UEA with me,

afternoon tea with my undergrad French professor at my Japanese university, and

Dinner with the university friends.

If I had missed the connection flight in Amsterdam, I could not have made all these plans.

Plus, I could not have met my dad to take the night train together.

So very very lucky me!

I have a great time with them each time.

I met my dad since 1 year and we headed to Yamagata.

I did not sleep almost 2 days so had a deep sleep in the train.

In the North, I met my grandma and told her my (unpredicted) marriage and gave her the invitation for the Japanese marriage ceremony in the South next summer.

There were also my another grandma's first anniversary and her house moving packing.

After a couple of quite busy days there, at the end of November, I went back to my home in the South since 1 year and half.

Before taking a break, I had to finish my research assistant job and a project web management job.

Then, thanks to facebook connection, I met some high-school friends that I had not seen 1-5 years.

It was all fun like when we were at the high-school.

(source: a friend photo from facebook)

Then the biggest task of this visit: preparation for the marriage ceremony next summer.

Normally, a couple takes several months to decide the hotel, dresses (not a dress but plural!), flower decoration at each table, etc...

But thanks to my mum who had pre-booked a hotel and collected much info, I could decide these things pretty much on one day!

Well, it does not mean that I lowvalue these decisions but simply no time! 

Then as I had to go to Tokyo for an interview, I took the advantage of it and met other high-school friends that I had not met since about 10 years!

But again, once we met, we went back to our high-school time.

We naturally talked in our local accent about the topics with which we had laughed at that time.

I had a brilliant time with them!

What was more, I could meet up with some friends who studied with me in Norwich as they were by chance in Tokyo.

All found their new job and were about to start their new life.

They gave me some pressure as well as courage for my career (job hunting).

But, I would never do again a round trip from Kokura to Tokyo with only sleeps in the night bus (my stay in Tokyo was only 14 hours with one way bus for 13 hours!)

It was cruel... I would pay more for comfort and my health for my age...

I could do all I wanted to do in Japan and on 15 December, I returned to the UK.

The biggest fruit of this visit was the reunion with old friends.

Each has been taking big decisions in their life such as marriage, having kids, job position promotion or job change, etc...

Their efforts gave me much courage and occasions to think for my life from now with professional career...

Next year, I WILL find a proper job!!!

Trip series No.1: ITALIA

Mi-November, my first trip of the 2011 end of the year trip series started in Italy.

Italy has been one of the countries for my next destination list.

So to reward myself of the completion of my master degree, I took a plane for 9 day-trip to Italy.

I had so many cities that I wanted to visit in the country, it was hard to choose only some for 9 days.

But I chose the following 4 cities:

①Torino : I asked a favor to a friend from the same school of master living there

Alps from the plane on the way to Torino

An Italian passenger sitting next to me who travels quite frequently told me that he had never seen the Alps as clear and beautiful as this time!

Lucky☆

He gave me lots of information about Turin where he is from and recommended places to visit in the cities that I will visit.

On the whole way to Turin, we had also good discussions about tourism, environmental problems,  English education in Japan and Italy, etc...

Plus, he was kind enough to take me on his car from the airport to the Turin city centre where I was going to meet my friend.

The first contact and impression of Italian was great!

My friend in fact lives in Asti, about one hour from Turin by car, in an enormous country house.

I stayed there for 4 days.

Every morning, since she had to go to Turin for her work during the morning, we left together to Turin at 8am.

While she was working, I exploited the city.

This is fake tap!

The church in Asti

A community band?!

Some shops sell these little dolls representing the birth of Jesus with the traditional clothes of different countries.

In fact the year 2011 was the 150th anniversary for the unity of Italy.

The first capital of Italy was indeed Torino!

There are many posters and flags for the celebration in the town (Unfortunately most of the festive events have done in the summer).

 My friend was very kind to spend her afternoon with me every day after her work.

I had a great time with her family by discussing many things in a mixed language of English, French and Italian. What is more, her mum's home made meals with local products were so delicious including her tiramisu !!!

 Tricyle, which we cannot find easily in the UK and Japan!

②Bologna

I had to spend one afternoon before arriving in Rome.

At first, I wanted to pass Florence.

However, some friends told me that one afternoon will be too short to visit Florence while I have heard of Bologna just because a very well known Japanese football player, Nakata has played in Bologna.

Plus, when I looked for the information about the city, I found out that there would be a chocolate festival from the day when I pass there.

Hmmm, chocolate everywhere with people's big and happy smile:)

 These are all made in chocolate!

Many museums in Bologna are free or with little charge (1-3 euros).

③The Italian capital, Rome where another friend from the master school lives

In this city, there are buildings and churches from Roman and Greek eras everywhere,

There is also Vatican City, the smallest country in the world within the city,

There is of course the Pope living there...

For me, the atmosphere of the city was a very unique and strange in certain sense.

Piazza Venezia

Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II

There are always two guardians protecting the monument with the golden wall behind 356 days a year.

 Palatine Hill

 Colosseum

You can try these Roman style clothes outside the Colosseum.

Pantheon

There are a large number of fountains in the city.

Each has the unique characteristic with different size and sculpture.

Sunset from the top of the Spanish Steps

This friend was also so kind and took care of me so much by taking me to the great tour of Rome with amazing knowledge of Roman and art history.

She also cooked often for me at home.

This night, she was making carbonara.

④Naples (Napoli)

I had only one day, precisely maybe full one afternoon in Naples but I noticed the great difference in the atmosphere and the appearance of people living there, compared to those in other northern cities that I have visited.

In fact, I could feel the atmosphere of Africa there.

For example, there are rubbish everywhere and people drive motorcycle without helmet, sometimes even little boys about 10 years old...

Unfortunately, my camera's battery died on the second day in Rome.

Stupidly I did not bring my battery charger so no photo after the day...

But instead, I saved all the memory in my brain well.

I appreciated so much the architecture, the atmosphere and food of each city.

I also had great discussions about different culture, religions, customs, (e.g. the origin of Japanese people's name), etc... with my friends, their friends and families, and the receptionists of a hostel in Naples who were foreign students at Napoli univerisity.

It was very refreshing and fun trip!