Chasing the Sun – Optional Extension to Kamakura & Hakone

21 guests joined Leslie, Akiko and me on the three-day extension. I was no longer required (or being paid) to be a tour manager, but I was still seen by most people as a TM, but it wasn’t any big deal because this was such an easy and delightful group of people to be with. I enjoyed good conversations and time on my own to contemplate life!

Kamakura is a cute and ancient seaside town where the main attractions are an outdoor Buddha (his temple burnt down) and some great shopping.

The Diabutsu Buddha

We checked into our hotel in Hakone. This hotel is a Ryokan or traditional Japanese spa hotel with natural hot spring waters. There are both private, in your room, soaking tubs and communal baths for both sexes. I tried both and tended to prefer the one in my room!

My Room

My tub – you shower and bathe first, then get in the tub to soak.

We wore robes and slippers once we were inside the resort, even to dinner! It was very relaxing and interesting. The food was very traditional and I tried everything, (at least one bite).

Me in my robe

Our dining tables were about 18 inches off the ground.

Dining in our snazzy robes

Traditional Japanese Breakfast

Tried it

Not going to be a favorite!

We only had one full day for sight seeing. But made the most of it...

The Hakone Sculpture Garden

Via a cable car to see the Hakone Volcano, the source of the hot springs

It involved a nice climb, too!

Bonus! Although it had been raining all morning we got a glimpse of Mt. Fuji as we boarded the buses

Dinner this evening was very interesting because we cooked our food in a paper bowl that didn’t catch fire from the tiny sterno that was lit beneath it.

The next day we returned to Tokyo via the bullet train – it only took 35 minutes!

Checked back into the Palace Hotel, packed and took time to enjoy the view! What a great trip!

Balcony view over Imperial Palace moat and gardens

Bubble bath view

Just chillin’ view

I’m now back in Incline Village, working on getting over the jet lag, writing a trip report and making plans for the next adventure –Biking the west coast of Ireland in early September. I’ve got a few weeks to get in shape and hope to have the energy to begin working on that tomorrow, or maybe the next day!

First Post

Welcome to Out To See!  I have many new adventures to experience as I embark on my new career as a Tour Director. This blog will serve as my journal of travel, events, and adventures; past, present and future.

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My home away from home, San Francisco. Taken from Treasure Island

I commuted into this lovely city for about 10 years volunteering and then working for the California Academy of Sciences. A project at CAS called Gulf of Guinea Expeditions captured my heart and I've continued as their volunteer Education Project Manager. We will embark on our 8th expedition, GGVIII, on April 2, 2014.  Keep an eye out for future posts! Here are a few shots of our biodiversity education project in São Tomé & Príncipe.

 

GGV - Community Awareness Poster Project
200 Posters Distributed

GGVI - Biodiversity Coloring Books
Presented to 2000 3rd Grade Students

          

GGVII - Biodiversity playing cards
Teaching the Memory Game

Such fun!

Windy photo op on
Fam. Tour to Hearst Castle, Feb 2014

ITMI Class #289 went to Hearst Castle for our "real world" excursion. We enjoyed beautiful, sunny weather as we traveled down Highway 1 from San Francisco through Monterey, Pacific Grove, Carmel, Big Sur and on to San Simeon where Hearst Castle is located. We practiced sharing stories and pointing out POI's as the bus wound its way down the highway. The importance of safety and hanging on while the bus was moving was impressed on all of us!

Prague to Paris Tour
 Criterion Travel, October 2013

Criterion Travel invited me to ride along as a Tour Manager Trainee on their Prague to Paris trip last October, 2013. It was a marvelous experience. The 60 passengers on the tour (Harvard and Yale Alumni) were excellent traveling companions and I delighted in watching them enjoy once in a lifetime experiences. I learned quickly that the job of a tour manager is not only to see to all the details and logistics during the trip, but to also keep track of the happiness factor of each individual and the group as a whole. This tour group had a positive and relaxed attitude throughout the trip!