Dec 29, 2015, 10:56 pm
Last edit by: Maayan
Who's going? Add your name here. If folks see that quite a few are going, it may incentivize them. Could turn into some mini-DOs.
Maayan - OCT 01-04 *** had to cancel
***
CarpeDiem22 - OCT 01-08
Maayan - OCT 01-04 *** had to cancel
***CarpeDiem22 - OCT 01-08
Crowne Plaza Wakkanai (Hokkaido, Japan) $7
Nov 23, 2015, 8:00 pm
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Austin, Texas
Programs: Airline nobody. Sad!
Posts: 26,062
Nov 24, 2015, 2:08 am
#32
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: Hyatt Discoverist, SEIBU PRINCE CLUB Silver, Marriott Gold
Posts: 20,426
I forgot it was windy and cold. I needed to make this stupid damn bus because when the hell is the next time I'll get here? Hint - probably never. Unless they have another mistake rate. Hopefully in summer this time.
Nov 24, 2015, 6:54 pm
#34
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: MSP
Posts: 44
I don't really know why I do these things. No idea why I go to these bizarre places that nobody really goes to. Why not Monaco or something? Or worst case, Ibiza? Somewhere warm and comfy? Ah well. I enjoy these a lot more since nobody's been here and it's a cool story now. 
I bonded with the lavatory, it was mine, and also I just wanted to get on my bus
These stories are absolute gold! I laughed so hard I almost cried. Please tell me you have more posts from odd places you've gone... I love the first quote. That completely sums up my last few trips as well.
Nov 25, 2015, 4:06 pm
#35
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 156
Was a pleasure to read; wish you would post more, Pseudo Nim!
Do you have a blog or somewhere online with more of your trip reports?
Nov 27, 2015, 2:59 am
#36
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
I've forgotten that sometimes people enjoy some of my writing (my game reviews fifteen years ago tended to gather a laugh or two) so maybe I should update my blog with some more recent adventures. Heheh.
Last edited by Pseudo Nim; Nov 27, 2015 at 5:48 am
Nov 28, 2015, 9:12 am
#39
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Everywhere else
Programs: Miles and frowns, IHG aluminum
Posts: 346
Nice...I did 15 days but in mid to end of May. MUCH nicer.
No problems at check in, they laughed at the rate but no problem. Just charged me at check in. No one spoke English though other than one woman who knew about 20 words to my 10 of Japanese.
I took the bus there from Sapporo (goes up the coast mostly) and then hitchhiked to Furano on the way back.
I sweated that ferry to Russia so hard...but I left for my RTW trip too early and couldn't get the visa sorted (can apply no more than 90 days before). Went to Rebun and Rishiri islands though which were awesome. I'm too broke to stay in normal priced places so camped there, unfortunately in torrential rain and wind for the most part. The view from Rebun onsen is spectacular...as well as the sunrises from the ANA. Make sure you request harbor view. I think I was in 907.
The food in town was awesome, especially uni don. $3-4 got you a 10 to 12 piece really fresh sushi in the supermarket. There's a weird swim center next to the hotel. I recommend the cheap onsen down the street instead...I forget, 300 yen? 500? No English sign. Also this sorta tourist center across the street with restaurants upstairs and gifts downstairs. Another restaurant/ice cream shop/beer place in the bus-train station (also across the street) with a movie theater (only showing Japanese films). There's a cool park with lots of cherry trees which were just finishing when I arrived but probably no good for y'all in October.
Unfortunately I have no pictures, my iPhone broke from a dodgy charger I bought in a Dushanbe bazaar. Hoping one of these days I'll find a repair place that can fix it (anyone have suggestions for Chennai? Or Bodhgaya?)
No problems at check in, they laughed at the rate but no problem. Just charged me at check in. No one spoke English though other than one woman who knew about 20 words to my 10 of Japanese.
I took the bus there from Sapporo (goes up the coast mostly) and then hitchhiked to Furano on the way back.
I sweated that ferry to Russia so hard...but I left for my RTW trip too early and couldn't get the visa sorted (can apply no more than 90 days before). Went to Rebun and Rishiri islands though which were awesome. I'm too broke to stay in normal priced places so camped there, unfortunately in torrential rain and wind for the most part. The view from Rebun onsen is spectacular...as well as the sunrises from the ANA. Make sure you request harbor view. I think I was in 907.
The food in town was awesome, especially uni don. $3-4 got you a 10 to 12 piece really fresh sushi in the supermarket. There's a weird swim center next to the hotel. I recommend the cheap onsen down the street instead...I forget, 300 yen? 500? No English sign. Also this sorta tourist center across the street with restaurants upstairs and gifts downstairs. Another restaurant/ice cream shop/beer place in the bus-train station (also across the street) with a movie theater (only showing Japanese films). There's a cool park with lots of cherry trees which were just finishing when I arrived but probably no good for y'all in October.
Unfortunately I have no pictures, my iPhone broke from a dodgy charger I bought in a Dushanbe bazaar. Hoping one of these days I'll find a repair place that can fix it (anyone have suggestions for Chennai? Or Bodhgaya?)
Last edited by Daichovo; Nov 28, 2015 at 9:36 am
Nov 29, 2015, 9:05 am
#40
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: EWR Ionosphere Club, LAX Clipper Club, Still Traveling Global, yearly BIS miles
Programs: EAL Silver Wings, I-Club, Flying Colonels DL, WorldPass PLat from the olde Meatball and PE SMARTbank
Posts: 1,986
Nice...I did 15 days but in mid to end of May. MUCH nicer.
No problems at check in, they laughed at the rate but no problem. Just charged me at check in. No one spoke English though other than one woman who knew about 20 words to my 10 of Japanese.
I took the bus there from Sapporo (goes up the coast mostly) and then hitchhiked to Furano on the way back.
I sweated that ferry to Russia so hard...but I left for my RTW trip too early and couldn't get the visa sorted (can apply no more than 90 days before). Went to Rebun and Rishiri islands though which were awesome. I'm too broke to stay in normal priced places so camped there, unfortunately in torrential rain and wind for the most part. The view from Rebun onsen is spectacular...as well as the sunrises from the ANA. Make sure you request harbor view. I think I was in 907.
The food in town was awesome, especially uni don. $3-4 got you a 10 to 12 piece really fresh sushi in the supermarket. There's a weird swim center next to the hotel. I recommend the cheap onsen down the street instead...I forget, 300 yen? 500? No English sign. Also this sorta tourist center across the street with restaurants upstairs and gifts downstairs. Another restaurant/ice cream shop/beer place in the bus-train station (also across the street) with a movie theater (only showing Japanese films). There's a cool park with lots of cherry trees which were just finishing when I arrived but probably no good for y'all in October.
Unfortunately I have no pictures, my iPhone broke from a dodgy charger I bought in a Dushanbe bazaar. Hoping one of these days I'll find a repair place that can fix it (anyone have suggestions for Chennai? Or Bodhgaya?)
No problems at check in, they laughed at the rate but no problem. Just charged me at check in. No one spoke English though other than one woman who knew about 20 words to my 10 of Japanese.
I took the bus there from Sapporo (goes up the coast mostly) and then hitchhiked to Furano on the way back.
I sweated that ferry to Russia so hard...but I left for my RTW trip too early and couldn't get the visa sorted (can apply no more than 90 days before). Went to Rebun and Rishiri islands though which were awesome. I'm too broke to stay in normal priced places so camped there, unfortunately in torrential rain and wind for the most part. The view from Rebun onsen is spectacular...as well as the sunrises from the ANA. Make sure you request harbor view. I think I was in 907.
The food in town was awesome, especially uni don. $3-4 got you a 10 to 12 piece really fresh sushi in the supermarket. There's a weird swim center next to the hotel. I recommend the cheap onsen down the street instead...I forget, 300 yen? 500? No English sign. Also this sorta tourist center across the street with restaurants upstairs and gifts downstairs. Another restaurant/ice cream shop/beer place in the bus-train station (also across the street) with a movie theater (only showing Japanese films). There's a cool park with lots of cherry trees which were just finishing when I arrived but probably no good for y'all in October.
Unfortunately I have no pictures, my iPhone broke from a dodgy charger I bought in a Dushanbe bazaar. Hoping one of these days I'll find a repair place that can fix it (anyone have suggestions for Chennai? Or Bodhgaya?)
GREAT REPORT, THANKS
Is it possible to eat at the restaurants with no knowledge of Japanese? Some places don't want to serve or explain to foreigners the menu I find.
Were you able to get non smoking?
Did that seem a problem?
So the deal last time included May? wow that was much better.
thanks, and good luck with finding a iphone repair, sometimes they are very skilled.
Nov 29, 2015, 7:29 pm
#41
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
GREAT REPORT, THANKS
Is it possible to eat at the restaurants with no knowledge of Japanese? Some places don't want to serve or explain to foreigners the menu I find.
Were you able to get non smoking?
Did that seem a problem?
So the deal last time included May? wow that was much better.
thanks, and good luck with finding a iphone repair, sometimes they are very skilled.
Is it possible to eat at the restaurants with no knowledge of Japanese? Some places don't want to serve or explain to foreigners the menu I find.
Were you able to get non smoking?
Did that seem a problem?
So the deal last time included May? wow that was much better.
thanks, and good luck with finding a iphone repair, sometimes they are very skilled.
I wouldn't worry about eating with no knowledge of Japanese. I'm not sure if you're basing what you said on personal experience or hearsay, but I find most Japanese restaurants tend to have picture menus, and are usually quite kind to foreign tourists that don't behave like unruly beasts. So I wouldn't worry. Plus Wakkannai receives a LOT of Russians (I suspect, since even the road signs have Russian on them!) so I would imagine there's at least some level of allowance for non-Japanese speakers. I was there for around eight hours, so it's a bit hard to judge, but I had no trouble
Nov 29, 2015, 8:31 pm
#42
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Everywhere else
Programs: Miles and frowns, IHG aluminum
Posts: 346
GREAT REPORT, THANKS
Is it possible to eat at the restaurants with no knowledge of Japanese? Some places don't want to serve or explain to foreigners the menu I find.
Were you able to get non smoking?
Did that seem a problem?
So the deal last time included May? wow that was much better.
thanks, and good luck with finding a iphone repair, sometimes they are very skilled.
Is it possible to eat at the restaurants with no knowledge of Japanese? Some places don't want to serve or explain to foreigners the menu I find.
Were you able to get non smoking?
Did that seem a problem?
So the deal last time included May? wow that was much better.
thanks, and good luck with finding a iphone repair, sometimes they are very skilled.
These places I went were pretty informal and as I mentioned I mostly self-catered from the grocery with sushi, other prepared snacks, instant noodles, fresh veg/fruit (though a bit expensive!). So yeah, no idea about non-smoking, haha. I didn't see anyone fwiw. Also there was a fried chicken takeout at the one grocery and I made frequent use of the konbini for gyudon bowls, onigiri, no problem to eat!
Dec 19, 2015, 7:25 pm
#43
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 1,470
Sakhalin, anybody?
My partner and I have rooms booked at the CP Wakkanai during the first week of October and we are keen to use the visit as a springboard to Sakhalin.. Would there be anyone else interested in doing this?
If we can get some numbers, tours in Russia might well be affordable and of course more interesting?
If anyone is interested, please feel free to post here on the thread or send me a PM
If we can get some numbers, tours in Russia might well be affordable and of course more interesting?
If anyone is interested, please feel free to post here on the thread or send me a PM
Dec 19, 2015, 7:31 pm
#44
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: In the air
Programs: Occasional RTW club
Posts: 6,917
My partner and I have rooms booked at the CP Wakkanai during the first week of October and we are keen to use the visit as a springboard to Sakhalin.. Would there be anyone else interested in doing this?
If we can get some numbers, tours in Russia might well be affordable and of course more interesting?
If anyone is interested, please feel free to post here on the thread or send me a PM
If we can get some numbers, tours in Russia might well be affordable and of course more interesting?
If anyone is interested, please feel free to post here on the thread or send me a PM
