Autumn Snaps 2020

 

♤ Pond on the Rocks ♤
As it was seen at Mifuneyama Koen in Takeo, Saga.

Indeed a cool place to wind down on a hot day.

Looking down from Oka Castle Ruins in Oita. Even the car-park is ahhhsome.
Can you spot Billie Bee?
Happy camper, way to go.

Good Morning.
A slightly different start if our Sunday. Luff it too.
Happy camper here at Mt Aso National Park.

Excuse me, do you have a moment to dream away... ?

Remember adventure SHOGUN?

Well, she found a new owner and left Fukuoka this November.

Bon voyage.

File photo of camper customers from Israel.
Their 6 weeks camper trip started in Tokyo and finished in Fukuoka.
Can you guess what an amazing experience they had?

One of the things we celebrated in November:

NORI, 

Happy 18 birthday!!!

Time to wind down, stroll the alleys, take in the sights..... and dream away.
Oh, and of course go for a long soak in one of the many hotsprings.
As it happens in Kurokawa Onsen in Kumammoto.

Japan has many extremes.
Like: shinkansen & steam train. This one is the Yamaguchi Express.
To be able to see it chuck-chucking along the countryside is so exciting.

Guess why we like to roam the often narrow roads with our camper.
Bonus of course are the autumn colors.

This time of the year it's Ahhh & Ohh and More.
Be prepared for some jaw dropping.

A bit of this and a bit of that.
ゆ is the sign for sento (bath) or hotspring.
P in this case for parking, pizza and pasta (confused?).
The hotspring is a short walk down from the road, at the base of the cliffs.

Early-early morning. Best moment of the day.
Misty conditions makes it more magical at this perfect overnight stop we shared with 1 more camper.
Location: SE of Mt Aso.

Time for a break. Always plenty of rest areas available.

Undeniable, we had awesome autumn weather and spectacular colors all around us.
Now heading into more wintery weather... but that doesn't stop us from exploring Nippon by camper.

What to say?
Probably you say something like: Wish I was there !
Camper rental, way to go and enjoy Kyushu in autumn.
And winter.
And spring.

Magic in the Air. As seen in Sawaraku, Fukuoka.

Care for a snack?
How about a very tasty and amazingly fresh UNI, also known as sea-urchin.
Here for sale at the morning fish market in Yobuko, Saga Prefecture.

Salute 

 

Remember September 2020

Well, indeed September 2020 will always remembered.

Not because of the Covid troubles but mainly for all the good moments we had.

See here a few and more.

All dressed and covered up for the Sunday Morning fish market.

 

Meanwhile, somewhere sometime some campertrip.
So cute in Saga Prefecture.

Oh oh oh, and when you are driving along nicely, you suddenly hit this view.......

Would you think driving a camper in Japan is stressful.....?
Need more proof?

Driving along and then suddenly ....

What a fun way to experience this part of the Japanese culture.

Last summer trip we ventured into Honshu.

Pretty things to see there as well, but better be early in the day as it can be crowded.
This is Motonosumi Inari Shrine.
And like most inari shrines: a wee bit too commercial.

Billie Bee Bus.

Our home on wheels.

In its first year, he drove us smooth and safe 10.000Ks

Looking forward to many more to come.

One trip we took Billie Bee Bus up the Nita Pass at Mt Unzen.
One of our favorite destinations in Kyushu: 

Happy camper, birdwatching and hiking paradise.
Bonus: GREAT views!!

Half way stop at the Izehaya Dam in Nagasaki.
Ignoring the mountain in the distant... you could imagine being in Holland.

Don't forget to add Takeo hot spring in Saga Prefecture to your camper trip.
First time we took a bath here was >30 years ago: memories forever.

One of our campers parked in good company.
True is true, those small ones are nice cars..... but horrible to sleep in.
Rental camper, way to go, explore, camp and ...sleep of course.
Pict. @felixcatmary

As it happens at Fukuoka Fismarket.
Some of our catch from the other day.
Took us 6 hours to land these .... took them 1 minute auction the lot.
.

Happy big fat old trees can often be found at temple grounds.
Boy, can you feel their power & hear their stories?

This is me and my Toyota Coaster Camper.
My humans drive me where i want to camp. 

Life is good.

It's always nice to meet a cousin. Here at the Kurume Camping car Show.
Toyota Coaster, way to camper.

Knock knock, who's there.. ?
Good morning, this is typhoon Haishen.

Advertised as a severe typhoon...

but more or less we were disappointed in its blow-power. 

Oh yeah it rained a lot and there was some wind, from the south..our least favorite directions in our harbor.

But touch-wood, we have had worse.

Care for something to eat & drink? Don't speak or read Japanese? NO worry.
Sadly these kind of displays are getting fewer and fewer..

Hitting autumn...

Billie Bee Bus took us to Mt Kuju for some bird watching and hiking.

And 0f course we went for a long soak in a hot spring.
Yeah, Early autumn colors are here !
Next time, join us.

Salute

Moments of Summer 2020.

Summer of 2020 moments.

Despite Covid spoiling the normal freedom-of-movement 

we were still able to undertake exploring trips with Billie Bee Bus.

Here follows a random order of pictures.

Oops ......
But overall, the hiking trails in Kyushu are awesome.
Even in the rainy season.
Want to go?

From Fysio to Fishio.
And luffing it.
What career change have you made in your lifetime?

Hiking in Japan.
So many trails, so few people.
Even all by yourself: " You Never Walk Alone ".
Yappari Kyushu.

One Sunday we took Billie Bee for a spin in our backyard.
Recharged all our batteries.
Magic.

Greetings.
... this time from Yamaguchi.
Spent a comfortable night at this michi no eki @ Kitaurakaido. Super clean place !

This was our camp for the night at Hiraodai, Kitakyushu. 

Only had to share it with a zillion stars.

Not bad at all :-)

Next day, up and early and ready for a hike.

Our michi-no-eki camp for the night at Tsuwano, Shimane

Next to a super nice hot spring.

 Good for clean and sweet dreams

Yappari Kyushu
..... in Tsuwano.
Where we found a Heart.
Can you see it too?
Explore Japan by camper, stay and way to go.

Village Welcome Committee.
These fish-dragons are roof decorations. You can imagine their duty.

Yappari Kyushu
... in Hiroshima.
On a very hot day we found this cool spot for the night. 

Nori the Cat was even tempted to go for river dip.

Your friendly neighborhood police station, aka Koban.
Guess why we like it here.
You would too.

Yappari Kyushu
... in Shimane..
Parked for the night between a superb hot spring and a cool mountain river in Mito.
After a long soak, in the onsen, and an "on board " spaghetti meal... we slept like roses.

Neat and orderly.
Zen vibes abundant.
That's why we like it here.
Bet, you do too.

Yappari Kyushu
.... greetings from Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Up and about early. Best moment of the day.
Take care, it looks like it's gonna be another >> 33C one.

Yappari Kyushu
... in Kitakyushu.
Again an early morning moment. It's nice here at Hiraodai.
So happy to be able to go & stay with our camper Billie Bee Bus where the hiking is good.

Because of the Covid slowdown, yours is 2~3/week deckhand onboard a japanese commercial fishing boat.
Meet Rinzo san, my 81!! year old co-worker.
This is Rinzo Power

Some of our catch.

Ooop, unfortunately not that tuna.

That came from Tsushima Island.

Do you like sushi?

Another Escape The City Heat Let's Go to Kuju 

camper-hike-birdwatching trip.

Hiking together at Mt Kuju...

During the last heavy rains, this area saw many landslides.

That was the only surviving cabin.

Feet having a well earned rest and view after a stiff uphill hike.

Mt Aso and fellow Neko Dake as seen from Mt Kuju area.

Yappari Kyushu
...oh yes August can be hot. Here it shows 37C !!
Too hot to do any outdoor unless it's up mountain high 

or down by the river or sea.
So if neither, best to go for a drive with the aircon on duty.
Drive safely.

Yappari Kyushu.
Akatombo. Lets go and find it.
And muse about our childhood.

And of course i have to mention the 3Seven stand 

at the Kumamoto Camping-car Show.

3 days of rewarding but hard work to promote:

Camper life, Way to Go.

Salute.