A Phantom to start.....
The Japanese seem to have everything sorted including how to make the Expressway stay Express even when it's a bit like the Friday before Bank Holiday for us. They make the toll for the Expressway a deterrent so that only rich tourist - and probably the average local - can afford it. The toll from Kumamoto to Nagasaki is approx £30 each way, distance same as Bournemouth to London. From what we could understand from Happy Radio in garbled English the A roads are rather busy.
Another thing the Japanese do really well is car parks. You take a ticket on the way in, pay on return to the car but don't have to put the ticket in the exit machine as technology recognises you as having paid and you drive straight out. Saves a couple of seconds, but clever. Compared to what happens when we get back to Heathrow in a couple of days where I am probably expected to produce a credit card that was used to book and pay for the car park 8 months ago which I doubtless don't have any more or on me so I'll end up in the office.
And another thing is mealtime. You can go in any restaurant, choose your food from the photobook menu. Then when ready to order, press a dingdong device (I was tempted to nick one for work for use with the PA but the Japanese don't steal anything so this would be really poor) and the staff appear instantly.
And there's free internet everywhere. My mobile may not work, but that's my provider's fault. Roll on nuclear fusion and free energy for all too. Fusion....leads me to fission....
...as we rolled into Nagasaki town looking for the Peace Park, Atomic Bomb Museum and the Memorial we noticed that an usually large number of locals were using parasols. We were expecting facemasks given the swine flu media coverage. Anyhow, we noted that perhaps the locals had more experience of the effects of radiation than others.
The museum was just great. Describing it is difficult as I can't do it justice but they do do museums rather well too and it makes the point.
Having done the museum and stood in the remains of the church 500m above which the bomb exploded we went to the Peace Park.
I'll think about what to say later.....
...and another thing they do well is drinks machines. They're everywhere - farmers fields etc - and dispense all sorts including hot coffee. Naturally this wouldn't work too well in the UK as someone would just steal the whole machine. Here's me with a can of lemon tea.
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