Day 1: Vancouver to Kyoto

We arrived this morning extra early at YVR to check in for the first leg of our journey today to Tokyo. And it was a good thing we did! There was an enormous group of Japanese students who lined up right behind us for the same flight. After a short time we recognized that it was the music students from Asahikawa who had just been to Handsworth on Friday to perform – what a coincidence! Our international flight took 9.5 hours, and in Tokyo we sent one bag ahead to Inage School and boarded our second flight to Osaka. This was another full flight. Some students got to chat with locals who were interested in finding out where we were from and what we planned to see. Another hour bus ride took us from Osaka to Kyoto, and to our Hotel Sanoya just outside the Kyoto train station. This is a traditional style Japanese Inn with tatami mat covered rooms. We’re exhausted after a long day and half of travel – it’s 6am Vancouver time, so we’ve been in transit for roughly 20 hours! Tonight we have a good nights rest ahead of our Kyoto ‘Amazing Race’ day tomorrow! Oyasuminasai / Good Night!