So we are again behind in our bloggin but i will try and fit a fews days into one now.

We spent Sat - Tue in Hiroshima. Stayed in J Hopper and managed to get a private room with wee futon mats. We spent Sunday visiting the Peace Museum and the Park. A very sad and upsetting place to be. The Museum is very good giving loads of info on the run up and aftermath of the A-Bomb going off. There were actually 3 cities in mind to be bombed but unlucky for Hiroshima the weather was clear over the city on the morning of Aug 6th 1945 so they were the target. There were some terrible photos that were hard to look at of victims with massive burns and skin dripping off. We also visited the museum for the memory of the victims in which all known victims are named and a memorial is there for them. There is a library where people can view individual accounts of the bombing and we listened to a lady tell of how she was 15 years old when it happen. So a sad day in Hiroshima.

That evening we were invited out to Karaoke by some poeple from the hostel and so we couldnt refuse. We went to a Karaoke complex where you book a room and pay by the half hour. In the end we stayed 3 hours, 6 of us singing our hearts out. There is a phone in the room to phone for beer and free ice cream and soda all night. The best fun ive had in Japan. We discoved Japanese Plum Wine that night its fantastic stuff. Also they sell a lemonade soda that is alcohol but is cheaper than a can of coke.

Monday a little hungover the 6 of us headed for Miyajima Island where the deer roam free. Very pretty island with a fantasic view at the top of the mountain by cable car. We also met a couple from Melbourne in the cable car on the way down- they gave us their phone details and said if we call when we're there they'll show us around...cool!

Last meal in Hiroshima was at a wee BBQ Shabuu Shabuu restaurant where we got to cook our own meal on a wee BBQ. We ended up in this place on the first night and returned cause it was soooo good.

Tuesday was a long train ride to Tokyo about 5hrs then another 1hrs to the airport. Checked in was empty. The flight was pretty rubbish, sorry Qantas but pasta was like rubber. We had no headset to watch the silly Jackie Chan movie and neither of us slept.

So now we are in Cairns arrived at 5.30am had breakfast and waited 1hr30min for our shuttle bus. So we are currently sitting in reception waiting to check in. Not slept in 30hrs. The hostel is pretty dirty so pray for us our rooms ok.

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not much to add really.......hiroshima ....strange feeling walking round the peace memorials....can't really put that into words...you just have to go and experience that yourself. karaoke rocks...think my rendition of garth brooks- low places -went down a storm!!! the restaurant was great cooking our own meat on the wee bbq- think i char grilled mine though. Bought ourselves a mini trolly each for our bags.....getting fed up of carrying that lug of a bag...now we're pulling them in style!!!!! Claire