Exit Japan.

Crossing the Finish Line We've arrived in Osaka for our final night of the vacation. We walked through the famous Dotombori, Shinsaibashi and Amemura shopping districts, taking care of some last minute presents. Tonight, we'll visit of Chris' old colleagues from NOVA for dinner, before a morning flight.

Skye had her first taste of Namba; Osaka's second downtown. The is the neighbourhood where Chris used to work. This picture is Osaka's most famous image, the Glico Man on the Dotombori river. We had dinner at the Saizeriya restaurant; pasta dinner, appies and a carafe of wine for under $20. Who says Japan has to be pricey?

Well our first day in Japan was exciting, overwhelming and heartwarming. We started with a Japanese onsen visit, a natural hot spring in our hotel. Here you take off your clothes and sit on a bucket while you wash beside others. Then you slip into a hot pool and soak for as long as you can handle it. It's hot!! But I loved it. Our day was so long that all I could think about was doing it again at the end of the day. And we did! Between our early morning and late ...