I Survived Hokkaido!

It has been like ten years since I had a one week vacation flying more than seven hours. Most holiday travels were restricted to four-day trips nearby, at most five. Industry turmoil is taking its toll. It has been more than a turmoil. I have never needed a break quite so badly. So I have chosen what I thought was a perfect destination - Hokkaido in autumn. It was quite a perfect plan. Though I may have been to various parts of Japan many times, Hokkaido was the first time. Not everybody speaks English and I was not familiar with the place and so I decided to go on a package tour. Something I always dislike - an itinerary tour. God help me. I am the free and easy type, unshackled. All we need is just journey mercy. A couple of months came by quickly and now I found myself bidding temporary adios to what Nas Daily said was the almost perfect country. He also said great things about our Changi Airport. Some netizens were picking bones with him. C'mon relax, they are all just one minute videos and he said all things good about every country. In my line of work, I have met many people from all around the world and they always tell me what an amazing place this is beginning from the airport. Perspective. 



When you travel, you will often come across shops and street side stalls selling T-shirts with the words "I survived Bangkok", "I survived Tokyo", etc. I have never bought one but at the end of this trip, I should have a tattoo emblazoned on my chest or an arm. This was what happened...

For all of Changi's comfort, we arrived Tokyo's Haneda Airport in the morning after Typhoon Jebi lashed violently at Osaka flooding Kansai Airport the day before. Maybe there were lots of flights diverted into Haneda. I learnt that it was the worst typhoon to have hit Japan in 25 years. We found ourselves rushing to clear immigration and get to the domestic airport in time for our 9am flight to Chitose, Hokkaido as the international airport was clearly overcrowded. When we got to ANA's counter at 8.45am, we were unable to get onto the connecting flight and were stranded not knowing when is our next flight out to Hokkaido. This was not something new to me about missing connecting flights.



Once when I was in Brugge (Belgium), there was a port strike threatening to turn into a nation-wide transport strike, I had to escape to Brussels to try to get a transit flight out to Frankfurt. I waited for three hours and got stranded at Frankfurt for ten more hours. At Haneda itself, I was once stuck for eight hours to get to Matsuyama and upon returning from Hiroshima I was once again stranded at Haneda for another eight hours. I was just hoping that this was not a terminal illness so finally we got our flight at 3pm with ETA Hokkaido at 4.30pm which means an entire day was gone. The Tour's representative assisted us by treating to lunch as we have too much time at the airport.

It was deja vu for me. Like a flashback.

In Rome we do what Romans do.

Hokkaido

Our tour guide Shallen was there to greet us upon arrival. As it was already evening, we have to get to the hotel at Sheraton Kiroro Resort with Onsen facilities. In fact, all their hotels that Chan Brothers arranged come with Onsen facilities. Shallen got everyone warmed up to her as she explained that changes has to be made and adjusted due to our delayed arrival. 

There is full of greenery just behind the hotel.

The wind was strong and incessant. 

First taste of Hokkaido for dinner with a lot more to come I was thinking.

We were blessed, all 19 of us in this group to get this flagship yellow bus.

We were told that this bus is special as they often use it for adverts and for special tours for TV and movie stars. Wow! We are going to be in a movie perhaps. Life is sometimes like a movie. I mused. Last time a got a new ferry to Bintan, the engine stalled and we were tossed about at sea. Many people vomitted but I survived.

It is a beautiful place with sprawling green and skyline. It was already late and se we just hung around.

The whole itinerary had to be tweaked due to the first day delay. We had breakfast and we have to do some beer stuff.

Their state-of-the-art factory where the beer are not for export.

We learned about the birds and the bees, I mean... the hops and the barley.

Hops are really important.

Among the various ingredients. 

Can you imagine that the first factory I have visited was a brick factory in Jurong when I was in primary school. It was quite interesting. I could have finished school and be in the brick business or brick and mortar business. Well, some famous people were once brick layers.

As much as it is interesting all factories look the same just like every sea port.

Manufacturers are usually exporters and I must have seen my fair share of various types of factories in my time when Singapore was probably the greatest place for MNCs.

This is of course the most handy beer container.

With the history to go with.

The massive storage tanks of beer that many of you would love to swim in.

Here you go, the Humulus Lupulus.

That goes into you. By now, the beer devils are more into the drinking mode than knowing how to make beer. We were given three glasses of wonderful white and black beer.

The bus journey from here on was long. Like one and a half hour. Beer does not discriminate and the problem is when it comes, it can come like the flood from a typhoon. Self control is futile. One hour into the journey, my mind became distorted. This is where the story of body parts arguing with each other who is more important when the asshole refusing to do its part that had all others choking that has made its way into business organisations' training manual and what legends are made of. 

Should I use a bottle and go right behind? No, I am too honourable for that. Suddenly, another beer drinker who looked so cool throughout blinked first. I never suspected he was going through the same ordeal sitting right in front of me. With enough votes, we could have pushed for a forced landing. He shouted to the tour leader for a toilet break. We were told we could in ten minutes. Those ten minutes felt like a lifetime. When the bus got to stop at the motor-way's half way house, the dam was bursting. I was shouting in the head - "Get out of the way!" Unfortunately, not only us but those who never drank were also rushing to use the toilet. Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong and in the worst possible way. Murphy's Law it was.

I am always a grateful person. Grateful for everything and never taken anyone or anything for granted. But all you need is to be denied the simplest thing such as going to a toilet. In the middle of nowhere. Phew!!

Shortly, time to eat. 

A very good ramen on the card.

The gyoza came first. Fabulous.

You could see them joyfully cooking for their customers.

The soup base was entirely different from what we commonly have.

And of course Hokkaido scallops!

A Uniqlo and other huge stores for your shopping needs.

The car park is huge but very few cars.

The Higuma is brown bear that lives only in Hokkaido and is the largest land mammal you can find in Japan. No, it does not speak Japanese. It can be found in 50% of Hokkaido. The male can grow up to 2.4m (almost 8 ft) and weighs 400kg (880 pounds). We are supposed to visit them bears later.

From beer we moved on to 'sake'. Rice wine won't make you pee that much. SO you could have a go at it.

Various kind of rice grains to make your perfect sake.

There is a fountain of youth here.

Natural spring water that you can drink and improve your health or increase your longevity perhaps. That is why you see lots of old folks living around here who come daily to collect the water in containers big and small. The factory is so kind as to make a tap for the community.

Here is our bus captain Yamashita-san. He is such a good driver, careful and steady despite long journeys. Always smartly dressed and when we were taking breaks, you could see him cleaning his bus. He is also very quick when handling luggage. Storing and retrieving in double quick time. Pride in your work is quintessential.

Well, what could be worse than missing a connecting flight and the dam nearly bursting. The best is yet to come I thought.

To Be Continued...