WE ARE GOING SHOPPING THEN OFF TO HOKKAIDO!
12.12.2024
After a light brekky, Nana drove us to Rinku Town Outlet to see if we could pick up some bargains. It is situated directly opposite to Kansai Airport. It was a perfect day, with blue skies above, so I took two nice photos of the bridge that takes us to the airport.
The Airport, as most of you would know from previous blogs, is a man made island about a kilometre offshore. A third runway will soon be added to what is already one of the busiest airports in the world. It can get very windy on the bridge and you really have to drive slowly or you can feel the car being pushed sideways. Only happened to me once and it was not fun!
While I was taking photos, Mami was wandering around Rinku Town looking for waterproof shoes, as we will be doing a lot of walking in SNOW! After going to New Balance, Nike and Sketches, she finally got a really nice pair of mint and white Puma shoes. For what it’s worth, I think they look great. (see photos)
As usual, Nana was hungry. So she suggested that we have bagels for lunch. While the sisters had ‘all you can eat’ bagels’ each with three different flavoured cream cheese, I got a bowl of chicken and corn soup. Mami’s three cheese flavours were bacon and onions, prawn, and plain, while Nana’s choice of flavours were blueberry, honey and apple caramel. It was a good lunch and I think the apple caramel was the winner as all three of us liked it very much.
With lunch over, we had to get going to Kansai Airport in a slight hurry, as our plane was leaving for Hikkkaido at 2.00pm. Luckily the wind was not strong today, so Nana stuck right on the 80kph speed limit.
We boarded a plane run by Peach Airline. Peach is a budget airline that some of you might be familiar with, It does mainly domestic flights, but also flies to Singapore and Hong Kong.
Our flight took off on time, service was great and we even arrived at New Chitose Airport 10 mins ahead of schedule.
New Chitose Airport is Hokkaido’s main airport for getting to Sapporo.The airport was renovated in 2011, it now hosts a wide array of new shopping and dining experiences. The airport is especially famous for its fierce competition between ice cream shops. The Premium Milk Soft Serve at Kinotoya has won the Soft Serve General Election at New Chitose Airport two years running, so I was obliged to try it 2 years in a row. I love it.
After I finished my ice cream, we boarded a train for Sapporo. The trip was about 40 minutes and we were lucky to get a seat as there were a lot of passengers. At one stop I gave up my seat for an old lady, then realised she was probably the same age as me! Never mind, it was good to show that some gaijin (foreigners) have manners.
It was a one kilometre walk from the station to our hotel and it snowed all the way. I loved it but I had a coat, hoody, T-shirt and beanie, so by the time we reached the hotel I was soaked with sweat from head to foot. I had to have a shower immediately after we got to our room.
I had learnt my lesson by the time we went out for dinner at an Aeon Mall. Even though it was -5 degrees outside, I wore my Coat and just a T-shirt underneath and kept my beanie in my pocket. I was not cold and did not sweat at all. I’ve learnt my lesson.
Dinner was good and we finished off with a coffee and chatted in Starbucks for about half an hour before making our way home in the snow. I love the snow and I love the cold. You can always get warmer if you need. I’m so glad to be here and not in a stinking hot summer in Melbourne.
Give me Hokkaido in winter and I’m in heaven!!
