Ready to Roll

A busy couple of weeks - my daughter Julia and her friend has been here and we've travelled a lot.But after a trip down to Kansai I left them to travel down to Hiroshima on their own and caught Nozomi Train 26 back up from Kyoto. I fancy putting my feet up for a day or two ...

I'd carefully planned my return time to get a trip on a Series 500 shinkansen at last but with a reservation in Car 13 I should have known better. When the train rolled in at 15:08 it was a substitute 700 series so I still have to fulfil my dearest wish in terms of Japanese train travel.

Here we go ... the train just rolled in frm Okayama and just one minute for passengers to get aboard before the doors close. The platform controller is already blowing his whistle and waving a white gloved finger. In a few minutes we'll be streaking along the south side of Lake Biwa at 180 mph. Nothing like the 'shink' for the sheer experience of noise and speed