If ever you wanted proof that cycling is a great way to get to know a country then this is it. And what a country. So different in every respect to the UK. The upside of travelling in November is the glorious colours to be seen all around you, enhanced if you’re lucky by blue skies. The downside, and this was outside anyone’s control even our meticulous leader ‘Tea’, is that the weather can be changeable and quite cold at times.We had some challenging days cycling against a very determined headwind. If you’re a hardy northerner this will be no problem, but if you’re a southern softie bring plenty of layers. Having said that most of the rain fell at night and we were only caught out once and that was at the end of a ride, so you could say that luck was on our side.
For the most part the cycling was on quiet back roads with plenty of interesting stop-offs along the way, where our knowledgeable guides shared their knowledge and passion for their country. Hotels were a mix of western and traditional japanese inns which were generally of a higher standard than you might experience on many Exodus holidays. The traditional inns were very special and allowed you to immerse yourself, sometimes literally, into this unique culture. The food was excellent, but you do have to be prepared to experiment with a cuisine that is distinctly different from ours. The phrase ‘holiday of a lifetime’ is probably overused, but if you’re prepared to soak up the culture, be experimental and are relatively fit then this holiday will probably come very close to matching that description.
And of course the toilets – you’re going to be very disappointed when you return to the UK or anywhere else for that matter!!
