Usha's Odyssey

Even before I went to Japan we all knew about the tragedy that happened in Hiroshima. We also knew who was responsible for it. My second visit to Japan was in 1982. We went to Tokyo and Osaka. My husband who was Cardiologist had learned about this new Technology that we call Echocardiography. In 1978 when we went, there was a “ World Congress of Cardiology “ to attend which was held in Tokyo at newly built hotel named New Otani. There he had a chance to interact with doctor

We four friends after our trip to Uzbekistan, decided to go to Maldive Islands. We all are senior citizen and so we did not go there with idea of Diving. It was just a visit for pleasure - Maldive is famous for it’s fancy hotels. Our hotel had a very big swimming pool and four different restaurants , esp. for Italian and Chinese food. I did not enter water but the other three ladies did try swimming and got into water close to our building. It was very rough so we all decided

My visit to Turkey was organised by a friend. We were eight people in all. We flew to Turkey from Mumbai. We arrived in Istanbul and stayed on the European side of the city. We stayed in newer part- I am not sure about the name. Across the Bosphorus lay the Asian side, visible yet belonging to another continent. As a tourist, I found this geographical fact quite remarkable. Few cities in the world can claim to stand on two continents at once. Watching the ferries move constan

We were in Singapore for a conference in Cardiology. My husband was invited for a special lecture. My husband had already received a ticket that allowed him lots of freedom. But before that we also had to go to USA to meet our daughter. She was alone at the campus. So he went to Singapore first and from there he flew to USA. I went from Mumbai to USA and we met at the airport. We spent sometime with her and at required date he was back in Singapore. I also returned with him

My last trip outside India was Uzbekistan. In the same year we four friends decided to visit Uzbekistan. We travelled from Mumbai airport to Delhi. The plane connection to reach Tashkent the capital city, was in the early in the morning . So at Delhi Airport we spent the night so that we can reach the early morning next day. There was an arrangement at the Airport where small cubicles with all the facilities were available across the road. With the help of our porters we rea

Today I am writing about Himeji Castle and Kumamoto Castle. Both these castles are famous with tourists coming to Japan but they are quite different in history, architecture, and atmosphere. Himeji Castle Early on once we had 2 - 3 free days. We had friends living in Kobe. They suggested us to go see Himeji Castle. Along with this I had another interest to go and see a museum of Japanese gentleman who had collected lots of paintings of famous Indian Painter. Himeji has an eas

Osaka must be the second largest and busiest city after Tokyo. If you are in Osaka city one may get lost easily. Osaka has 2-4 railway stations taking you in all directions depending where you want to go. After Narita Airport of Tokyo , Kansai must be the second busiest airport. For Sight seeing I would recommend only three places , Osaka Aquarium , Osaka Castle and Shitennō‑ji. 1. Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan This is one of the largest aquariums in the world. The central tank re

Year 1990 was a great year for our travels. We visited several exciting places - but our first trip to China takes the cake. I am inserting a small map to give you a better perspective of where all we went Most of my journeys in over years are connected to my husband’s meetings in Echocardiography. So when we heard that there was an APCDE meeting being held in Beijing in end September we were excited. Via Hongkong we arrived in Beijing - but to our surprise there was no one

Nagano Prefecture is located in north central part of Honshu island. It became famous when winter olympics were held in 1998. The games took place in surrounding mountains of Hakuba and Karuizawa. And in mountains of neighbouring prefecture Yamanouuchi. As I heard from people a special track of rapid train Shinkansen was laid down from Tokyo to Nagano city to make it convenient for international sports people to reach there. A chance invitation by a Doctor who had attended m

This was our second visit to China. The conference was being held in Shanghai. Our first visit was in 1990 when conference was held in Beijing. This time we decided to start with some sightseeing. We reached Guilin from Hong Kong via Guangzhou. Guangzhou airport at that time was located right in the center of city. While the plane was landing I was afraid how the pilot will manage. But everything went alright. From International flight we had to change to local airlines. A

On our way back from Japan we planned to take a short holiday that included Phuket in Thailand and Angkor Wat in Siem reap in Cambodia. Our trip to Cambodia to see Angkor Wat temple was inspired by our friends who went there recently. We flew in from Phuket directly to Siem reap. Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia. We stayed at a modest hotel in Siem Reap. As advised by friends, we used to go for our sight seeing in two sessions - morning between 10 in

For anyone going to Japan, Mt. Fuji or Fujisan as it is popularly called in Japanese, is a big attraction. Mount Fuji is a solitary peak and is not considered part of any specific mountain range within the Japanese Alps. Mount Fuji is a distinct and iconic mountain with cultural and symbolic significance in Japan. Mount Fuji is easily accessible from Tokyo and other major cities. The Fuji Five Lakes region and Hakone, a hot spring resort area, are common bases for those wan

Mongolia had been on my bucket list for a long time. Mongolia is a country like no other. It’s like travelling back in time. For its geography and its history. Silk route and Genghis Khan fascinated me. I always collected travel literature from Newspapers anywhere I went especially in USA and England. While in New York a friend gave me a brochure of travel itinerary of Mongolia. A chance meeting with a nephew of my friend in Mumbai who was stationed in Hong Kong and was worki

After 2013 we decided to go on shorter trips. Looking around different destinations Oman sounded a very interesting place. When we reached Oman airport it was like in the middle of the night. Many passengers were hustling to get out quickly. Some staff members recognized us as tourists and immediately cleared our entry. On the edge of the Arabian Peninsula, you’ll find the Sultanate of Oman. Often overlooked by travellers, an exotic destination filled with incredible attracti

Japanese name for Cranes is Tsuru. In India they are called Kunjar in National language. In Japanese culture cranes are considered messengers of peace. It is a symbol of longevity and good fortune because it was thought to have a life span of a thousand years. Tsuru are also monogamous, therefore, often used for wedding decor. An example of this is seen on formal wedding kimonos, and the uchikake , a decorative kimono that goes over the actual kimono, where beautiful image

During our visits to Saku General hospital, where we went at least 3 times, we had a chance to explore surrounding attractions. Nagano Prefecture in the centre of Japan’s Honshu island, is known for its mountains. One of the attraction is Karuizawa. Sitting around 1000 metres above sea level, Karuizawa enjoys a notably cooler climate. It is a popular destination for people from Tokyo being located on Shinkansen route with only 2.5 hours ride. It offers a cool alpine air of

During our several visits to Kyushu we went to Nagasaki only once. We went to Nagasaki as a young doctor whom we new very well had shifted to Nagasaki University to complete his thesis. He invited my husband to give a lectureWe flew in from Kansai airport and arrived early morning. The airport was located on one of the islands. And our friends took us to the main island where the city is located. We went to Nagasaki on a very short visit. Reaching Nagasaki from Osaka where

Whenever we were in Kyoto we went to one or the interesting town. Takayama is a city in the mountainous Hida region of Gifu Prefecture. To differentiate it from other places named Takayama, the city is also commonly referred to as Hida-Takayama. Takayama retains a traditional touch like few other Japanese cities, especially in its beautifully preserved old town. It ranks as a prime candidate among travelers wishing to add a rural element into their itineraries. Takayama reta

During our frequent visits to Japan, only once we had a chance to go to Okinawa. Okinawa islands are located south of Kyushu island. Okinawa became famous after Second World War. Besides Hokkaido, Tohoku, Shikoku and Kyushu, Okinawa is the 5th island of Japan. And it is the smallest island. A group of Islands forms Okinawa prefecture. They are further divided into 3 groups. Yaeyama Islands, Miyako Islands, and Okinawa islands. Okinawa Island is the biggest among them and the

Daisetsuzan National Park, also known as Taisetsuzan, is a large national park located in the central part of Hokkaido, Japan. It...