Road trip........ to JAPAN!!! >3<

[SOO-DA]

Hmm I intend on booking flight and accomodation end of this week
so for the ppl who answer maybe we would have to do it separately D:
depending on when they finalize their decision there might be the risk of rooms being booked out
Christmas is a busy season although I'm not sure how it works

is it when everyone goes back to their country towns?
Hmmm or that could be golden week

the earlier you can confirm the better
if you leave it to a month before prices will be jacked up


We won't organize sight seeing till we know who's definitely coming
I personally be only going for two weeks with the majority of it i want to spend in Tokyo
I'd like to go to Kyoto as well. Depends on the others DD:

we are going to go see the life size gundam cause Arthur wants to
eve is considering going to Sapporo and try skiing ;DDDD


Peppanda Sean is also a maybe XDDDD

[PenPen-kun]

i'm definitely going. can't use the lab during x-mas break anyways.

[mrgazpacho]

Christmas is a busy season although I'm not sure how it works

is it when everyone goes back to their country towns?
Hmmm or that could be golden week

Bibz, I think you're correct there.
But over New Year I think people tend to take extra holidays and visit shrines locally. So stuff shuts down a bit.

[dragonoor]

Who is serious about wanting to do a language course over there for a few weeks?

Also, anyone interested in going on a trip to Korea or Taiwan after/before Japan?

If I go to Tokyo I will see if I can stay at my host's place again, it can hold a maximum of 4 people. For Sapporo, I will also see if I can stay at my host's place which can hold 3 or 4 people. So if anyone is interested in home stay just tell me.

[æther]

why go to japan to study? aren't you guys going there for a holiday? and eventually you'll pick up bits and pieces of their language if you integrate with the society there.
Oh yea Adam you went over on an exchange program there before? sounds like you from the 'host family' thing

[Afa ◕‿◕]

im going there as a 'free roaming' tourist...

no tours, no programs, no exchange...

everyone else do watcha want.. afa's going freestyle.. (per se)

[dragonoor]

I didn't go on any exchange. I just went with 3 friends on a holiday to Japan in Jan/Feb this year. I came up with the idea of home stay because I wanted to meet the local people and try something different; you can stay in a hotel anywhere in the world but home stay is unique to the country you're in. Home stay is better than any motel, hotel, hostel. It's cheap, includes breakfast and dinner, and the hosts are very nice and willing to take you around to places.

[æther]

oh wow ppl over there are nice lol, but yea like Arthur said 'free roaming' i dont think the host family will like it if u rock up to their home like at 3am in the morning

[SOO-DA]

It's really up to you if you wish to have the authentic japanese experience
I'm with Arthur lol
hotels and touristy things for me DD:
I don't want to have a curfew or be burden to someone
( given I take half an hour in the shower)
I hear baaaad stories about hosts but that's from friends who stayed for a year on exchange


XDDDD
I'm only going for two weeks so doing a language course won't benefit me
did jap1a and I think it's only worth it if you intend to keep pursuing Japanese as a language


But by all means go for it
it's your vacation after all so make the most of it >w<

[PenPen-kun]

i do not mind going free style. might need to buy a map in case i got lost...

[fuzzyorochi]

Not fair..why are you all going to Japan?! >< I want to go...T_T

oh wow ppl over there are nice lol, but yea like Arthur said 'free roaming' i dont think the host family will like it if u rock up to their home like at 3am in the morning

Thats what internet cafes are for nothing like being able to sleep, all you can drink soft-drink and whatnot, and read manga in the dead of night

And yeh, New Years is just a busy season in general, since shrines and whatnot have a few festivals around that time..and...its New Years?

Though the busiest times of the year are definitely November and April, thanks to the Momiji maple leaves and sakura blossoming.

All random comments aside, I'd love to go and experience Japanese life =P money is one thing; being able to go is a completely different issue...T_T

[SOO-DA]

...

didnt like... you JUST went there on exchange? DDDDDDDD:
or do i have the wrong person

[fuzzyorochi]

Nope, right person

Doesn't stop me from wanting to go back though...T_T damn Australia...

[PenPen-kun]

@fuzzy: you are the opposite of boat ppl then...

[SOO-DA]

Hi hi guys ~

This is the week to finalize your availability because prices have already jacked up.
Airfares are now $500 more than last week so the original 1.4k I quoted is now approx 1.9k return




Here's the details, we're flying JAL:

Going there:
20 December 2010
Depart 9.20am from Sydney
Arrive 5.10pm Tokyo
JL772

Coming back:
3 January 2011
Depart 8.00pm from Tokyo
Arrive 7.40am +1 day Sydney
JL771

TOTAL = $1915.41

------------------------------
We booked through STA travel: http://www.statravel.com.au/


Currently on the above flight TO Japan is:
- Viv
- Arthur
- Mai


The reason we chose JAL is because it's a non-stop 9 hour flight. (and Mai had millage)
You will find that other airlines will take up to 23 hours because of stopovers.
They're are about the same price.

The only significant cheaper flight is from Jet star. You're looking at approx 1.2k for return.
It's entirely up to you if you wish to fly with them or with us............ where the cool ppl are at ;DDDDD



So if you wish to join us you know which flights we will be on.
Of course you are more than welcome to get there earlier, later, leave sooner or later.


Will also be looking into accommodation next week.
The hotel which I suggested on the front page isn't cheap but it's reasonable.
Most importantly it's 5 mins walk to Akihabara (and free internet so long as you bring a LAN cable) and the major shopping districts are 5-10 mins by train.
You're looking at approx 115 a night if you're sharing with another person.
The bar and restaurant looks SOOOOOOOOO good.

Again if you have your own preference for accommodation, that is up to you.


Also check that your passport doesn't expire this year.
It's a bitch to get it renewed and takes a while (from what I can recall) so the earlier the better.



YES:
- Eve
- Edwin
- Adam


MAYBE's:
- Chris
- Sean