We arrived in Kyoto on the rather efficient bullet train and yet again managed to get a little confused trying to find our guest house - these Japanese addresses continue to baffle us!

Although we loved it we don't have a great deal to say about Kyoto really . . . we went Geisha spotting in Gion, we walked a lot and went to A LOT of temples! All of them very lovely and different, but they've kind of blended into one now! We spotted our first Koi Carp and took a few snaps for Dan (they were a bit big to steal, Dan, sorry!).

We arrived in Kyoto at exactly the right time of year - in time for autumn-leaf-viewing season. Everywhere you turn are trees in various stages of turning red . . . Graham's taken rather a liking to them (hence why there's so many "leaf pictures" on the album!), and Gemma has every confidence that when we get home he'll be turning their garden into a perfect forest of Japanese Maples (might be a bit of a squeeze along with the elephant and the panda . . . !)!

Because the "leaf viewing" is so popular, everywhere is really busy and we had to change hostels for the 3rd night. We kept to trend and got hopelessly lost! Just one of many examples we've come across of how lovely everyone has been to us here: looking like scruffy, cross, helpless, stupid English tourists a little old lady could see where we lost. We managed to get across to her where we wanted to be and she beckoned us to follow her. We thought this meant she knew where she was going. She didn't. But we went to see her friend, who did know and gave her directions and she proceeded to deliver us safely at the door. We love it here!

We haven't seen half of Kyoto, but partly because we can't find anywhere to stay and partly because we must get to that sumo tournament(!) we're moving onto Hiroshima - but we're planning on coming back again on our way back up the country . . . to see the rest of the temples! But we're sure it won't be half so gorgeous when all the leaves have fallen off the trees . . . but maybe a little quieter!