Arrive as a Tourist: Depart as an Ambassador

Japan has been hovering near the top of my ‘bucket list’ for many years, so I am delighted that Tom had booked an all-inclusive cruise and tour from Singapore to Japan through Imagine Holidays.

Shortly before we depart, I pull out Dad’s old photo albums, tomes I had rescued from the rubbish bin after he died. This treasure trove of standard-issue photographs and postcards from the British Commonwealth Force along with the photographs he had taken himself with a 35mm compact camera purchased in Japan in 1946, is a stark reminder that Japan’s involvement in the war, especially in the Pacific, was significant.

It occurs to me somewhere between visiting the Battle of Okinawa sites near Naha and the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima that my father must have been somewhat conflicted especially during the early years of my parents’ marriage. Despite the horrors of Hiroshima in particular, his experiences in post-war Japan and working with Japanese people desperately trying to put their country together again were generally positive. On the other hand, my maternal uncle’s lived experiences fighting for his life against the Japanese in Papua New Guinea were horrific and his lifelong attitude toward the Japanese was a far cry from that of my father. I suppose both knew of the other’s war service and respected each other by not discussing it. Perhaps this is why the photo albums were relegated to the back of a cupboard then tossed away. I’m glad I rescued them.

Travelling has a habit of taking book learning and turning it upside down. On numerous occasions it has forced me to examine closely what I have learnt and compare it to what I see in front of my eyes. Apart from irrefutable facts, much of history is subjective, written from the point of view of the writer and their personal involvement and opinion. Without overthinking things, it is important to not only look at what is on show for the public to see but also look beyond the obvious for what may be missing. Museums have a tendency to tell the story from one perspective and skip the bits that are not complimentary to them, as do tour guide commentaries.

Travelling has exposed me to people from all walks of life. People, like the lady I met in the Canadian Arctic who told her story about being marched by Japanese guards across Java as a child as written in my first post before this trip started. The conversation I had with Canadian author Margaret Atwood, or the discussion with astronaut Charlie Duke of my childhood memory of the moon landing in 1969. And there are more; too numerous to blow about here. The people we meet along the way are important to our travel stories. They are woven into our experiences and eventually into our memories. Some meetings are fleeting, like the explorers, the artists, singers, and authors. Others form closer bonds, which remain unbroken for many years because of those shared experiences.

The route taken by the Azamara Pursuit from Singapore includes stops in Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, before reaching Japan. Sailing up the Saigon River toward Ho Chi Minh City reveals huge infrastructure projects that are either currently in progress or recently completed. Since our first visit in 2008, it is barely recognisable. But once inside the city centre, it is easy to locate known landmarks, and I feel that soul of the city is largely unchanged. Motorbikes, fruit vendors hauling their wares on shoulder poles, smiles, traffic, good coffee, the good humour and friendliness of people who ask where we have come from. It seems that no number of new metro stations, freeways, bridges, or skyscrapers can take away the warmth of its people.

We trust a tout in Da Nang. Well, I do not at first. All the safety warnings clang through my head before trust is won and then we have a wonderful day travelling to Hoi An and back. Sometimes you need to trust your gut. Some of our most memorable experiences have happened because we have placed our trust in someone.

We are not as lucky with touts in Keelung, Taiwan. Their aggression and outrageous demands to take us into Taipei push us toward the railway station, where we are greeted with smiles and easy instructions and a cheap form of transport into the nation’s capital. Spotlessly clean, efficient, and an absolute joy to experience. Passers-by saying ‘welcome’ is unexpected and is heart warming. My favourite memory is of the two elderly women who almost came to blows over a seat in a train – not because they both want it, it was because each felt they couldn’t take it from the other.

Upon arrival in Kobe, we are whisked into a completely different environment as our tour begins. Our guide provides an overview of Japanese etiquette, including background information on using the toilets, the policy on rubbish, convenience stores, using phones in public, and more. So, by the time we are let out off the bus for the first time, we are well aware of how we are expected to behave in public. Clutching plastic bags supplied by the bus, we are almost ready to tackle anything.

By the time we reach Tokyo, I am in awe of what has been achieved in Japan since World War II. The infrastructure here is sophisticated and efficient and it is clear that culture and traditions have been maintained whilst rapidly moving into the 21st century and becoming one of the world’s most successful economies. Tokyo may be the most populated urban centre in the world but at no time did we feel overwhelmed by crowds or congestion. But we were not in Tokyo long enough to immerse ourselves in some of the more crowded areas either.

Our three weeks in Asia have been enlightening. We find safe, spotlessly-clean cities that are devoid of graffiti, beggars and homelessness, and we feel comfortable walking around markets and streets and shopping centres. We use public transport systems that are sophisticated and efficient, and even use the weird 'dickey' seats in a Japanese bus. We enjoy our short visits to exotic cities and being immersed in physical and geographical wonders on offer. My first glimpse of Mt Fuji was one of the many highlights of this trip and I’m just a wee bit disappointed that the cherry blossoms were not in full bloom whilst we were there.

When a package deal that includes everything is purchased; flights, transfers, hotels, cruise, and tour, it is hard to gauge exactly what you are getting, especially with coach tours. But I could not fault any part of our trip organised by Imagine Holidays. They represent excellent value for money, and I would book tours with them again in the future.

We return home a little worse for wear. The incessant coughing virus that had liberally spread through the bus over six days, and again on the plane eventually catches up with me and knocks me out for over a week. But that doesn’t matter because I had been in good health for the entirety of the trip and for that, along with the many exciting experiences and lasting memories that I have had during the three weeks we are away, I have much to be thankful for.