A world of hang nails, sore feet, and awkward bags. Trying to navigate the stairs in the train station with a backpack almost a third of my weight was no easy task. Osaka to Hirakata was the furthest route we had journeyed since we arrived here in Japan, and the one where we made the most mistakes, including not being able to find the platform, getting on the rapid train that didn’t stop at our destination, and forgetting to download some crucial maps which would have helped along the way.
But, all in all, lesson learnt, and we arrived at our accommodation in one piece. We are spending the week here in a home-stay, in a traditional Japanese house with shoji sliding doors and wooden paddle stairs. We are about 15 minutes outside of Nara, where we will see lots of the things we have been eagerly awaiting, but a little part of me was sad to leave Osaka behind, after seeing all of its simple wonders.
