What a horrible picture... Anyway, this is the hotel we stayed at in 2001. My friend Mark was going for a conference and asked me if I wanted to go with him. For a free flight and hotel in Tokyo, I decided I could put up with his snoring and farting for a few days.
The hotel is in Odaiba, which is a man-made island in Tokyo Bay. Access was pretty convenient via mono-rail. Next door was big shopping complex called Aqua City.
The JAL food in business class was pretty good. Even on the plane, it was a several course meal. I had beer and water. There's some sushi, salad, gyoza.... I could go for some of that right now. Check out the little table cloth, mini soy sauce container, and yellow chopstick rest. Nice touches.
It was five years ago this month that I went to Japan with my friend Mark. Here's us in business class aboard JAL. I'm still in glasses and braces, practicing the one-handed shot that I've perfected to date. Based on how greasy I look, I would say that we're almost to Narita. I need a shower.
I know, I know... another sunset. But seriously, this is one of my favorite shots from the weekend. I'm actually surprised it came out of my camera. Hmm... now that I notice... when did I switch from Nikon to Canon?
Our site was the fifth nugget to the right. Not too close and not too far from the shelter. We had two competing goals: having privacy and being lazy. It would have been a mile walk if we'd chosen the choicest of sites, site #10.
The three sites to the left of the shelter (otherwise known as red dot) are for group camping (otherwise known as obnoxious boy scouts).
It doesn't look very far on the map, but it felt 10 miles with 40lbs of trail mix strapped to my back. Maybe next time we'll venture farther, maybe as far as site #6.
This is why I had sand in my ass the whole weekend we went camping on Bear island. The only showers were these outdoor ones. Now, I would have gladly made use of the showers discretely at night, but there's also a "No Public Nudity" restriction in the state park. So, you can wash off your body, but your butt crack gets neglected.
Warning: Self-righteous post ahead
Seriously. No, I mean really. Stay off the dunes. The dunes are a protected resource and they serve an important purpose to the preservation of the barrier islands. They're not your personal hiking wilderness. Sure, you can see farther and maybe get better cell phone coverage from the top, but regardless, in case you missed it, stay the FUCK off of the dunes. Thanks.
I'm normally disinclined to care about what other people are up to, but I actually called the rangers on some people that were dune hiking when we went camping. I doubt they were caught, but it was the principle of the thing.
Stay off the dunes.
Jen and I went camping on Bear Island, part of the Hammocks Beach State Park near Swansboro, NC. Here's a shot of the sunset on our second night there.
Camping on the beach was an experience like no other. A sandy dune makes for a nice bed, conforming itself to our bony (and not so bony) parts. It was private too, for the most part. We had to walk about 3/4 of a mile to get water and there weren't any showers, but let's be honest, I smelled like a rose all weekend.
Keeping sand out of the tent was a problem. Each time we entered, we had to perform the ritual of pulling off socks, wiping our feet one at a time, and then shuffling our asses back inside once we were purified. I suspect that Jen failed to follow this ritual appropriately during the wee hours when the pee fairy called. I suspect this because in spite of our efforts (while I was awake) we still ended up with enough sand inside to build a castle, complete with drawbridge and jousting knights.
I hope we can go back in the spring.
