Accommodation - updated

Whoop!! I've booked my accommodation. Contrary to what was written in my previous entry, I was given confirmation that I had the time off at the end of December.

I haven't paid for it yet, as with most places either you pay when you get there or as you depart. I really wish that I could pay for it now. At least that way I'll know that I won't spend my money on anything else while I'm waiting for March to come.

So the hotels...

As I said in the previous accommodation post, I'm visiting three cities, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo so I've booked a hotel in Osaka and Kyoto (actually in Otsu), but I've booked two places in Tokyo. I wanted to stay in a ryokan but they are seriously expensive, so I'm only staying for two nights.

So far these are the places I'm staying. I decided to go for 3* because I'm a bit of a snob and wanted to make sure I was comfortable. I don't think that the prices are too bad and a lot of the cheaper 3* hotels were booked anyway.

Osaka
Shin Osaka Esaka Tokyu Inn £216.81 (¥30, 800) for 5 nights.

Kyoto
Seta Urban Hotel £301.28 (¥42,800) for 6 nights. This hotel is actually in Otsu which is apparently 10 mins (or miles. Can't remember which) away from Kyoto. More exploring to do. Yay!

Tokyo
Grand Park Hotel Panex Tokyo £349.15 (¥49,600) for 8 nights.
Ryokan Kamogawa Asakusa £137.97 (¥19,600) for the last two nights.

I think the prices aren't too bad for the length of time I'm staying in each place. And if I remember correctly (without checking each hotels' website) I get free slippers, bathrobe, breakfast and WiFi at a couple of the hotels. Can't knock that.

Hit a wall

I'm a bit frustrated at the moment. I'm pretty much set to start booking flights, transport and accommodation for Japan however I don't necessarily have all my annual leave booked. Basically what has happened is that I have booked a week at the end of the financial year (25th - 31st March), and it's been confirmed. You write ya name down on the request form and when it's reprinted if ya name has been typed in, that means you've got the time. Either that or the person in charge puts a signature next to it.

My problem is that the request form for the next financial year (April onwards) isn't out yet and won't be out until our manager allows it. I spoke to him about my annual leave and he has said that it shouldn't be a problem as we have more staff. But.... grrrr!!.... I can't go ahead and book anything on that alone.

So yes, I feel like I've hit a brick wall.

I've emailed him and even put a printed copy of the email on his desk. As it's Crimbo, he's off. Fair enough. But I sent that email the day before he was due to work and I know that he's been to work and opened Outlook because he's sent emails to the everyone.

So annoyed, impatient, itching to go, etc.

Day tours

Things to do... Places to go... Sights to see... Dear lord, there are sooo many things I could potentially do/see and not enough time to do it and not enough money. I looked at 12 different tours, some in Osaka, some in Kyoto and the majority are in Tokyo.

I have considered doing all of them, but I'm wondering if it would be too much. Most of the tours are 5-8 hours long and start about eight in the morning. Luckily all of then have English tour guides as well.

Osaka
- Osaka Bay area half day £77 (half day, hence the name 'half day' :-P )
- Osaka full day walking tour £104.60 (6hrs 30mins, not really a full day tbh) I don't mind walking, but 6 hours?! O.o

Kyoto

- City of culture - small group tour £37.01 (3hrs, 30mins) This tour takes you to see temples and Gion, Kyoto's geisha district. I want to do this one.
- Kyoto and Nara in one day £99.00 (10 hours)

Tokyo
- Ghibli museum afternoon tour £47.19 (4 hours) I'm definitely doing this one.

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- Nikko and ninja Edo wonderland day tour £110.10 (8 hours)
- Ninja and samurai tour £109.32 (3hrs, 15mins) You get to dress up like a ninja and samurai and play with weapons. Yay!!

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- Panoramic Tokyo £77.86 (8 hours)
- Mt Fuji and Hakone day tour return by Shinkansen £110.10 (8 hours) The Shinkansen is the bullet train. This is a must as well.
- Japanese Tea ceremony £47.19 (2 hours)
- Tsukiji outer fish market and sushi workshop £114.04 (4hrs, 30mins)
- TOKYO SKYTREE ® and Asakusa tour £51.12 (5hrs, 40mins) I have to do this as well.

 

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And the grand total is... £984.60. I may do most of them but have to look at my budget. :D

Accommodation

Man, why is it so difficult? For whatever reason I'm finding it difficult to decide on what sort of accommodation to choose for this trip. It supposed that planning your trip at 0355hrs is never a good idea, because all you want to do is sleep. It really should be an easy choice, shouldn't it? I was thinking about going for an expensive hotel, but then I thought, 'I'll only be sleeping there.' Then I thought about a cheap hotel or hostel and I thought, 'is my stuff going to be safe if I'm sharing with a stranger?'

Now I have to admit that I'm somewhat of a snob. Hate to say it but it's true. I have stayed in a hostel and it wasn't so bad. Nevertheless I had to lug my stuff down to a locked room when I went out and then back up to my room (which I was sharing with my best mate and 5 other people) when I came back. I'll be honest with you, I've had my fair share of people stealing my stuff so I've become a bit wary of where I leave things.

That's not the only thing that's on my mind when choosing somewhere to stay.

Sharing a bathroom. Omg, there are some seriously skanky people out there. I've seen things (*shudder*) and it's not nice. I also don't feel like waiting in line to use the toilet or shower. And someone else's pubes in the shower. Sorry... had to be said.

Anyway, I have to find three hotels in three different cities, Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo. I have to make sure that I'm close to good touristy spots as I'm definitely going to get my 'tourist on'. My camera is going everywhere!

I better start trawling through websites and hotel review pages. The search continues...