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This was our first, and hopefully not only, trip to Japan. We wanted to see the more traditional parts of Japan and do some nice hikes in the countryside. We did not visit Tokyo at all this trip.
I would not have been able to plan the way I did without the help of many people on this Forum, so wanted to pay it forward with this trip report in case it helps any other first-time Japan visitors. Special shout-outs to: mrwunrful, kja, kavey, russ_in_LA, HawaiianTraveler, luisJp, someotherguy, BigRuss, Mara, sue_xx_yy, and others. You all took your time to help me out, and I sure appreciate it!
We jumped around a little more than we usually do on a trip as there is just so much to see! In about 16 days we visited:
Kansai Airport hotel (1 night)
Nara (2 nights)
Koyasan (1 night)
Kyoto (5 nights)
Tsumago (1 night)
Karuizawa (2 nights)
Hakone (3 nights)
Kamakura (1 night)
We flew into Kansai and out Haneda airports on Hawaiian Airlines. Slight shout-out to Hawaiian: we didn't pay baggage fees, and they served dinner and breakfast at no charge. Just like the "old days"!
Caveat: we moved slower than many travelers as my husband had to keep up with work in the mornings, so we were able to see about half as much as I had planned. Most people could see more than what I have listed in a day.
Here is a rather rambling account of our trip (April 3-20, 2015). Am going to post in several parts as when I tried to upload the whole thing it seemed to shut down Fodors!
PART ONE: Nara and Koyasan
April 3-4
Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport
We flew out of San Francisco at 9:30 am on Hawaiian Airlines and arrived Kansai Airport 7 pm the next day. We walked into the airport to a sea of humanity waiting to get passports checked and admitted to Japan. Hard after such a long plane ride…it took about 1 ½ hours just to get through this step.
Dinner was at Hotel Nikko, slurping noodles and listening to a loud rendition of the Hokey Pokey by Vickie Carr, I think…what a bizarre introduction to Japan! Hotel Nikko provided a bountiful breakfast buffet with good coffee, something we would miss later in the trip.
April 5-6
Sakuraya Guesthouse
It took about 1.5 hrs to get to Nara by train from the Nikko.
We loved the Sakuraya! Very bubbly and sweet English-speaking innkeeper at 150 year old house beautifully restored. Lovely tatami room. Shared bathrooms (two) but never a problem. Location was great; right on narrow traditional street where you walk through covered markets to get places. Walking distance from trains station.
DAY ONE (afternoon):
Kayoko recommended a walk along the Saho- gawa (gawa = river) to see the cherry blossoms (sakura) lining each side. Wonderful in spite of the rain. DH forgot his umbrella and was chased down by one of the men in green jackets who volunteer there. When he tried to return it after the walk, they kept saying "gift umbrella"…so sweet! This really was our first real introduction to Japan; the Nikko felt like just about any other Western hotel.
The next day I got a call from my friend Peter who lives in Kyoto, saying he would meet us at the huge Todaji temple in Nara. We didn't have cellphone service in Japan, but I had downloaded the app LINE so that I could get free calls and texts to Peter as well as our kids in California.
We headed off to the temple via Nara Park. I had seen photos of the tame deer there and was eager to see them. They were all over! We saw many more in various spots around the temple as well. Away from the park we encountered several smaller deer who had been trained somehow to "bow" their heads in order to get treats…very endearing..
Todaji is huge, and apparently is the largest wooden structure in the world. It houses one of several Great Buddhas we saw in Japan, along with several awesome, fierce snarling warriors guarding him. There are a number of other shrines and temples close by.
We next visited Kasuga Taisha shrine, famous for its lanterns, which have been donated by worshipers. Hundreds of bronze lanterns can be found hanging from the buildings, while as many stone lanterns line its approaches.
Peter had to head back to Kyoto, but not before we had sushi (not far from the train station). For dinner we picked a very traditional restaurant with seating on the floor. The English menu picture menu stated you had a choice of "gruel" or "fish innards." Not a hard choice…
KOYASAN (Mt Koya)
April 7
Rengejo-in Temple
Getting to Koyasan was not as challenging as I feared…thanks to a nice English speaking ticket officer who helped us with the transfers. The final train was even painted in beautiful colors. We used luggage forwarding to send our suitcases to Kyoto, so only traveled with backpacks. This is a fantastic service for those traveling by train, so that you don't have to lug your suitcases with you on the trains and also so that you can immediately start to visit things in the city you arrive in without having to deal with storing your suitcases somewhere.
One word about Koyasan: FREEZING! If you go during anytime likely to be cold elsewhere, it will be freezing cold on Koyasan. We fortunately brought several jackets, but even then we were cold as it was rainy and drizzling as well.
We stayed at a Buddhist temple (Koyasan is the center of Shingon Buddhism). The temple was also unheated except for your traditional tatami room. They did have a low skirted table (kotatasu) with a heater under the table top, where you could stick your feet to get warm. An unlikely nice surprise was in the bathroom: in this austere temple they had heated toilet seats!
There was a funny incident when the monk first showed us to our room. It was a very small tatami room with futon in the sliding cabinets. We were really disappointed, as it looked like we must have gotten the most awful room in the temple. Then I noticed some sliding doors and started to pull them apart and peek into the next room. Hubby started loud whispering "Stop! That's someone else's room"!! Good thing I opened the screens anyway…there was a lovely room all set up for us with futon already down and hot tea and sweets ready. If it were up to my husband, we would have hunkered down in the ante-room all night cursing our luck!!
One note: the temple did not have its name in English anywhere…I had to download a photo of it to make sure we were in the right place!
There were two Buddhist ceremonies at the temple: meditation at 6 in the evening and chanting at 6 in the morning. We attended both. There were only a few Westerners at each; mainly Japanese for the religious ceremonies. The head monk for the meditation sat perfectly still for over 45 minutes…incredible. Not a wobble at all, while I had to squirm a little to remain comfortable. The morning chanting was beautiful, followed by gong ringing, a recitation of sutras in Japanese and more meditation.
The vegetarian dinner prepared by the monks was beautifully done and tasty (in my opinion; DH was ready for a hamburger right after).
Other than the temple stay, the highlight was walking through Okunoin cemetery, where Kobo Daishi is enshrined. The Ichinohashi Bridge marks the traditional entrance to Okunoin, and visitors should bow to pay respect to Kobo Daishi before crossing it. Across the bridge starts Okunoin's cemetery, the largest in Japan, with over 200,000 tombstones lining the almost two kilometer long approach to Kobo Daishi's mausoleum.
Walking through this atmospheric place in the mist and drizzle was an incredible experience for someone like me who is fascinated by historic, ancient cemeteries. In the evening path lights came on, making the area even more atmospheric.
Unfortunately when we awoke the next morning it was not only raining and cold, but windy too. This was one of the few times on the trip we were done in by the weather. We were soooo cold we just decided take off for Kyoto earlier than planned, even though there were other things I had wanted to see on Koyasan.
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Rain, hail (softened by sakura) couldn't stop us from loving Japan!
This was our first, and hopefully not only, trip to Japan. We wanted to see the more traditional parts of Japan and do some nice hikes in the countryside. We did not visit Tokyo at all this trip.
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PART TWO: KYOTO Days 1-2
April 8-12
Kiyomizu Tenseian (apartment)
Tamahan Ryokan
Arriving at Kyoto Station, we proceeded directly across the street to a Starbuck's!! After the austere Buddhist temple and not sleeping much due to the cold, we were definitely in need of caffeine.
We used GPS to walk to the apartment. We never would have found the apartment without it and indeed once there had to ask a local girl to help us find it. There were no street numbers we could read, and no sign on the apartment. Our innkeeper is a world renowned celadon potter, who rents out the apartment above his studio. He would have picked us up, but we didn't have cellphone service (note to self: rent phone next time). We finally found the place when Haraguchi-san came running out into the street!
My husband told me I really scored with this apartment, and I have to agree! For less than $100 per night (10,000 yen per night) we had a four room apartment. We slept on futon in the tatami bedroom the first night instead of the Western bedroom, then for the rest of the stay used the Western bedroom and set up the tatami room as a living room. The apartment has a kitchen (small) and a study/luggage room too. The only funky thing was the Japanese shower/tub was outside on a small deck (not a big deal). There was even a washer/dryer. The apartment is located walking distance from Gion and Kiyomizudera temple in Higashiyama area. Great location.
Haraguchi-san was great about drawing us maps each night of what we might want to see, and even offered to drive us around one afternoon. I have a friend in Kyoto, so we had to decline as we were seeing him, but what a sweet offer.
The next day we got a late start, and began by taking the bus to Ginkakuji (silver temple). There are many shops that line the street leading to the temple, and it seems my husband stopped in all of them. The temple itself has a lovely garden, but not silver. Apparently they wanted to differentiate it from the Golden Temple (at least that's one story we heard). This is a large temple with lots to see, but it wasn't super crowded as I had feared. I had read that the cherry blossom time is the most crowded, but except for Kiyomizudera itself, found the purported crowds not so bad.
Ginkakuji is at one end of the famous "Philosopher's Path". This lovely narrow stone path follows a small canal lined with cherry trees on both sides. I had read a lot about this and looked forward to it, and it certainly did not disappoint! It was raining lightly and there were definitely lots of other people, but I didn't find it oppressive. There were places to veer off the path and check out (other shrines, etc.) so this area was very interesting.
One thing I loved about Japan in general was finding these lovely (and well-used) little shrines in the oddest places. We would turn around a corner on a busy street and find one…or in the mountains on a hike.
At the other end of the Philosophers Path is Nanzen-ji temple. This is apparently a big sprawling temple complex, but because we meandered along the path very leisurely we got there a little late. We saw the huge entrance gate and found an incredible aqueduct raised above the grounds. Walking underneath it, we hit an overlook and a small stream. I thought the path along the stream looked inviting and took it. It led to a small cemetery. This is another thing I loved about Japan. I just love historic cemeteries, and in Japan you never know when you are going to run into one. I don't know anything about Japanese burial customs (but am now going to read about them) but could see that people seemed to leave large thin wooden slats with characters written on them. These might be to commemorate death anniversaries? Maybe like in Jewish cemeteries where you leave a stone on the grave to mark your visit? Will find out for sure.
On the way back to the apartment we had the first of several walks through Gion. It's bordered by a very busy street, but once you veer off into the small alleys you can lose yourself (literally and figuratively). Many of the narrow streets are lined with red lanterns and are stone paths. It was amazing how small the streets could be and they would still let taxis roar up and down them.
Side note: while in general I found the Japanese people gracious and kind (as expected), I did not expect that sometimes you took your life in your hands as a pedestrian! It doesn't seem the custom to give pedestrians the right of way and in Kyoto the taxis skidded around corners so fast you really had to watch yourself. Most people respected red lights and did not jaywalk, even with no cars approaching. But when cars were coming fast and you started to step into the crosswalk, cars did not seem inclined to stop for you. We soon adjusted to this and were super careful when stepping into the street.
Prior to coming, I used a website that helps you make reservations at Kokedera (Saihoji) – Moss Temple. The website charges a small fee and has the reservation card sent to your lodging, but worth having to try to secure Japanese stamps for the self-addressed envelope the temple requires.
This is one day we didn't plan transportation well. It took us almost three hours to get to the temple, which is located in the Arashiyama area. We hoofed it to a train station, got off in Arashiyama, and then used GPS to wander through these wonderful narrow streets along a canal before finally getting to the temple just in time for our 1:00 reservation. As we left the temple and walked down the road, I found a bus that would have taken us directly to the temple from the Kyoto Station. Live and learn.
The visit to Kokedera was one of the highlights of the trip and worth the extra steps of arranging in advance. You start out by copying sutras, done at small tables while kneeling. You are supplied with a calligraphy brush, block of ink and a tissue page of characters representing one of Buddhist sutras. It was easy to trace over the characters with the brush, and took about an hour. We both finished, but think some other people didn't and it seemed ok.
After copying sutras, we went into the extensive and gorgeous gardens. Impossible to describe the various shades of green in the lush garden carpeted with many varieties of moss. Our visit was actually enhanced by the mist and drizzle…the moss was plumped up and really at its best. There were several ponds, narrow stone paths, everything I had dreamed of. This is an experience not to be missed if you love gardens.
We took the bus back to Kyoto Station and walked about 40 minutes back to the apartment. We had a dinner date with Peter and Yumiko. Peter is a friend of mine who lives in Kyoto (for about 14 years) with his Japanese wife Yumiko. They own an apartment about 20 minutes away from ours. It was quite an experience to have dinner at their apartment. It was modern and reminded me of something from the Mad Men set…lots of black and red accents. Peter is an Irish musician (as am I) and has stored his instruments in the built-in "shrine closet"…designed to hold the ancestors shrine. He showed me the Japanese kitchen…no Western oven. Rice cookers are awesome and hold rice hot for several days if desired. Walls are thick, so Peter and I were able to play some tunes without bothering the neighbors!
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PART TWO: KYOTO Days 3-4
Hubby decided to have a rest day and do laundry and shop. I walked over to Peter's and because he knows what he's doing, we didn't waste any time figuring out how to get places. We visited the following World Heritage sites:
NIJO CASTLE: this is the castle with the "nightingale" floors, which were made to squeak loudly when walked on to warn of intruders. The castle had a scaffolding over part of the outside, but it didn't really detract. It was beautifully restored, with scenes of figures showing how the shogun and his retainers would sit and plan. Many walls had gorgeous gilt paintings (many of tigers).
Peter freaked out as he lost his wallet at some point. But because this is Japan (!) he didn't have to worry about someone stealing it. He retraced his steps until he found the rice ball vendor where he had last used it, who directed him to the lost and found where he was reunited with it.
RYOANJI TEMPLE: We took a short taxi ride to the temple renowned for its Zen rock garden. We sat for quite a while just contemplating the spare but beautiful arrangement of rocks and raked gravel. It was serene and restful despite the other people there. There were other gardens as well that were lovely.
Kinkaku-ji temple: This is the famed "Golden Pavilion" and our next stop. The first sight of the temple with its gilt exterior reflected in the pond below took my breath away. I believe this is the temple that was torched by a radical student in the 1950s (someone will correct me if I'm wrong, I hope). Hard to believe someone would destroy such beauty, but with everything going on in the world today guess it's not as rare as one might think.
ARASYIYAMA: We took a train over to walk through the bamboo forest. Luckily I saw photos of it without people, as there were certainly crowds there when we visited. Peter says you can hear the bamboo clacking and sighing in the wind when more peaceful, but people were out enjoying it just as we were. One thing of note in Kyoto (especially around the temples): there were many women and men out in kimono, many of them rented at shops nearby. There were also several women who went through the laborious process of full geisha ("geiko" in Kyoto) hair and makeup. In spite of the fact of the rental aspect, the kimono were beautiful and fun to see. There were also rickshaws available in this area, and many of the dressed-up couples took advantage of this.
We walked through the bamboo forest and up through a stone path to the top, where there are great views of the river below. If we had more time, we could have gone on a boat ride. We walked down a steep path to the river and walked for a ways. We saw a vendor with food for sale tying up next to a boat so that the riders could buy snacks. There is a super gourmet restaurant there (forgot the name) which we passed by.
Train back to the apartment, where we picked up hubby and went to a Japanese pancake restaurant…("En" is the English name) right by our apartment. Cooked tableside and delicious!
After dinner took a beautiful evening walk around Gion (saw several maiko and a geiko slipping into a restaurant) and over to Marayuma Park to see the ancient giant cherry tree it's famous for. There was a sort of carnival atmosphere there with couples still picnicking on blankets under the trees, vendors selling snacks,etc. It was not far from the giant lit-up Yasaka Pagoda, beautiful in the night, and the narrow stone streets leading up to Kiomizudera temple. I treasured this walk in retrospect, as when we visited Kiomizudera temple the next day the hordes were out.
We walked over to Tamahan ryokan, where we spent the last night in Kyoto. Tamahan is located on Ishibe alley, a small street renowned for its traditional architecture. As with the temple, we didn't see an English sign indicating Tamahan (we later saw a lit sign at night) but Haraguchi-san had written the characters for us so we recognized it. We dropped off our backpacks and walked over to nearby Kiomizudera. In the daytime, the streets were so packed with people it was almost impossible to cross from one side to the other through the throngs. This is the only time the crowds were overwhelming, both in the streets and at the temple. There are many nice shops and food vendors (sampling green tea soft cones is a must). The temple entrances are gorgeous orange decorated wooden structures, while the temple itself is plain wood with a large balcony surrounding it where you have gorgeous views of the city below. There are many paths you can walk along once out of the congested temple grounds, and a hike that takes off from the rear of the temple.
We spent all afternoon here, and returned to Tamahan for a kaiseki (sp?) dinner, a traditional multi-course feast served in your room at a low table. We had invited Peter to join us for dinner and enjoyed it with sake and tea. There were many courses, mainly cold as I remember and mainly seafood. I had to stretch my palate eating raw squid and octopus with tentacles (but not as much as a later ryokan dinner where one of the courses was baby wasps!)
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April 13
Fujioto ryokan
Thanks to my Fodor advisors, I knew to search for Nakatsuwaga train station to get to Magome. We had sent our luggage ahead to our next stop, so we had only day packs and our intent was to walk the Nakasendo way from Magome to Tsumago.
This is the second and last time we were foiled by the weather. When we got to Magome, it was drenching rain coupled with a bitingly cold wind. We could hardly stand to walk the narrow uphill street in Magome to the top, let alone hiking to Tsumago. Several people indicated we would be crazy to try, so we gave it up hoping it would clear up in the morning.
Magome is such a delightful traditional village, which we thoroughly enjoyed in spite of the weather. There is one central stone path that leads uphill through the village. The shops and residences lining it are of traditional Japanese architecture. There was a small canal running next to the stone path, with water wheels at certain intervals that were still in use. We loved it and wished we could have stayed longer.
We took the bus to Tsumago and easily found the Fujioto ryokan (which had a sign in English, unlike several previous traditional lodgings). We checked in right away to a beautiful tatami room upstairs overlooking a nice garden. There was a "family style" bath which you could share together (usually the baths are segregated by sex). If you wanted a shower in the morning, you also used the family bath. There were shared bathrooms upstairs and down.
Dinner was one of the best we had in the entire trip. In comparison to Tamahan ryokan In Kyoto (where we paid an extra $150 USD to treat Peter to dinner in our room) the kaiseki dinner at Fujioto was very reasonable (and better tasting to Westerners I think). Unlike Tamahan, which was pretty much cold raw seafood that night, at Fujioto there was a small brazier which cooked a scrumptious little stew of local vegetables and local beef on a magnolia leaf). This was just one course of MANY. Keiko-san the chef was amazing and we made sure to tell her so. One of the courses was beautiful tempura, so delicate and beautiful. One of the courses was topped with a single sakura blossom, picked last year and pickled. One of the courses was marinated baby wasps…I managed to down one washed down with sake.
Breakfast was wonderful as well. We woke up (on our 42nd wedding anniversary!) to "rain" instead of "drenching downpour" so the Nakasendo was on. The wonderful innkeeper at Fujioto kept our backpacks for us and suggested because we were in sort of a time crunch (we had to get to Karuizawa as our next stop) we should take a taxi to the Magome Pass and hike downhill into Tsumago from there. We took him up on the suggestion with no regrets. Several Fodorites suggested skipping the slog up from Magome and doing this anyway so I didn't feel too shorted although I had planned the whole hike.
We started hiking at 9am and were back to Tsumago by 11:30am. We started down the hill from the pass and saw the first of many "bear bells" hanging from posts that you were supposed to ring to alert the (probably non-existent) bears of your presence. I had read that there was a sort of "greeter" who offered complimentary tea to hikers, and as we approached a structure he indeed popped out and waved us in. There was a traditional stoked fire with hanging metal teakettle, and he served us green tea in exchange for us filling out a form indicating where we were from and what we liked about the area. You could donate something if desired, which of course we did. As we left, he gave us each a small wrapped gift...very sweet.
We kept running into a group of hikers from Tokyo. As we came down the trail to a road, one of the men had actually waited by the road for us to make sure we found our way to the "male" and "female" waterfalls! Another example of the graciousness we were shown by Japanese people.
We saw one of many rather funny signs obviously translated to English, which cautioned us to walk "with caution in the feet." This was almost as hilarious as the menu that offered to serve me a "chubby animal" (lobster) and one that admonished us "do not touch anything doubtful."
It was thrilling to see the winding stone path (often through bamboo) that had so entranced me in the Japan Guide photos. The Nakasendo was everything I had hoped for (minus the rain, I guess). So atmospheric, especially in the misty rain. I followed an intriguing small overgrown path up a hill and found another small cemetery and shrines. Walking down to Tsumago, you hiked through a small village of traditional houses.
It's hard staying only one night in a place, and this is a time where I wished we had stayed two. There was time pressure either day we did this hike, as the first day we had to get to the ryokan by 6 for dinner and the second we had to make it to Karuizawa. Tsumago was flanked by two longer travel days, so the timing was a little more difficult. It did work out in the end, however.
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April 16-18
Fujiya Hotel
The Fujioto is one of those "grand" hotels that reminds me of what the British hotels in India must have looked like. Western but with all sorts of Japanese touches. Lots of different areas to hang out in, a gorgeous large garden to walk in behind the hotel, and men and women's baths.
The Fujiya is located in Miyanoshita, a small village in Hakone and on the "round course" of transportation. We had curry at the "informal" restaurant at the hotel, which was tasty. The other two restaurants (French and Japanese) required reservations and seemed especially expensive. Our tastes are much more moderate.
One of the hopes in staying in Hakone National Park is to see a glimpse of Fuji-san. We never did, as the weather didn't cooperate. In spite of this, we had a great time in Hakone. As I read in the Japan Guide, there are many forms of transportation you take to do a loop around the park. This involves a bus, cable car, train, "ropeway" (gondola) and even this huge pirate ship that looks like something from Disneyland!
Our first day was taken up with progressing around the "course."
Before starting, DH found an antiques store right across from the hotel which I really recommend if you are interested in purchasing something authentic. The store is Yamatoya, specializing in Uikiyo-e (Japanese wood block prints). The two proprietors are sweet and so knowledgeable …we learned so much about woodblock printing and Imari ware from them.
We got then got on the cable car and got off at Gora and went to the beautiful park there. It's fairly large and has several greenhouses to walk through as well. Just as I said "hey, they should have a teahouse" one magically appeared. It's an interesting 130 year old house converted to serve tea by a kimono-clad woman who taught us how to rotate the cup to sip the green tea she served. We then got to see the rest of the house, including the stone onsen below where everyone bathed.
Back on the cable car to the pirate ship; we got on the last one at 5:00. The lake is beautiful and the trip took about 30 minutes. We met a Swiss girl on the boat who was going to the Hakone Shrine, so we all went together on the bus.
The shrine has the iconic orange tori gates standing in the water to provide access to the shrine, which actually is across the street. We first found the walkway to the shrine itself, which was lined with orange lanterns turned on at dusk as we walked along the path. Gorgeous. We found the tori gate across the street, which is large and impressive when you stand next to it. Well worth a detour to see.
Dinner was at a Korean restaurant close to the hotel…sort of bento box style and delicious.
We took a bus to Hakone-machi by Lake Ashi where the boat dock is. This morning we visited the Hakone Checkpoint. This is a restoration of the original checkpoint (Sekhisho) that the Tokugawa Shogunate set up to regulate travel between regions. There were 53 checkpoints designed to also control the flow of weapons and prevent women from leaving the regions they were supposed to reside in (per the literature provided).
Leaving the checkpoint, we walked through the Hakone Detached Gardens. A very large garden with viewpoints and nice strolling paths.
My goal was to find the ancient cedar path and walk along it to the old Tokkaido Road. It was a little difficult to find, in spite of looking "right there" on the map. We decided to GPS the old teahouse we knew was on the route, and found it that way.
The entrance to the old Tokkaido Road is to the right off a street, no question. It was a magical hike, with the old stones lining the road and several plaques in English and Japanese explaining the history. The paths were actually built around 1620, replacing the old tatami lined road that needed to be maintained too often. There was a side trip to a small pond, Otama-go, which reminded me of this ancient narrow path we took up to a sanctuary in Riomaggiore (in the Cinque Terre).
We made it to the teahouse, which has been serving tea for hundreds of years (and looks it, in a good way!). After a welcome break, we decided to take the bus back to Miyanoshita (and got the last bus, at around 5:00…you do have to pay attention to time in this area to make sure your desired form of transit is still available).
Back at the Fujiya, I went to the women's public bath for a soak and we had dinner at the same Korean restaurant. After dinner we were looking in the windows of another antiques shop and the owner appeared and invited us in. Nice conversation about history and how things were made, but no purchases.
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April 19
Kaihinso Kamakura ryokan
We took a taxi from the Kamakura station and arrived at the ryokan around 3. We headed into the separate baths for men and women and relaxed for a while. Before dinner we headed out to see what we could find and ended up at the beach! It was a decent evening so we walked along the beach for a while before deciding to have dinner at Sea and Castle, a German restaurant. We had our last dinner in Italy at a Hofbrau in Genoa, so decided this was a nice tradition. Very sweet older woman Karla who runs the restaurant with her siblings.
Our last day in Japan! We awoke to a Japanese breakfast and asked them to hold our suitcases for us as we had a midnight flight out of Haneda and had all day to spend in Kamakura.
DH found a store selling Kamakura traditional carved lacquerware, so we went in and eventually bought a beautiful plate.
My goal was the Daibutsu Great Buddha, and a hike that took off behind the site. We had lunch on the way at a noodle place, which was unbelievably slow so got to the Great Buddha later than I had hoped. It was an incredible sight, seeing the huge metal cast Buddha. You could even walk into his tummy for an extra fee, but we skipped this.
By now it had started to pour…DH bought a slicker as he had again lost his umbrella, and could hardly stuff himself into the largest size. He is not "Japan sized" as our friend pointed out.
The hike took off from the road to the right of the Daibutsu complex as you exit, up some steep stairs right before the traffic tunnel. It was raining hard but I had really wanted to do this hike, so we kept going up and up through beautiful wildflowers and then lush forest. Our goal was the "money washing" temple, which we found after hiking for maybe 90 minutes or so.
The temple is reached through a stone tunnel. It opens to a beautiful small temple complex carved into the rock. As with most temples, you can buy incense to burn and along with it you receive a rattan basket. You put coins in the basket and go into the temple to wash them for good financial luck.
I hope we have it…Japan was not quite as expensive a rumored, but still probably the most expensive trip we've taken. At 16 days, it was also one of the longest.
Our final dinner was at "Woof Curry" a hilarious name explained by the sweet proprietor that had something to do with a teddy bear character. Wet and bedraggled, we made it back to Kaihinso to pick up our luggage, take a cab to the station and get to Haneda. We transferred trains at Tokyo station and saw a train that looked like it had been packed by "train stuffers" who push people in at commute time. Wow.
All in all this was a wonderful trip and we are eager to go again!
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Thanks for posting your trip report, it was enjoyable to read. It sounds you had a wonderful time!
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What a delightful trip report, leslieq! It sounds like you had a truly memorable experience and made the very best of it, rain and all -- kudos! I enjoyed the reminders of things that I, too, have seen, and I look forward to the time when I will be able to see the things that you have now seen before me and have brought to life with your compelling descriptions.
"Todaji is huge, and apparently is the largest wooden structure in the world." I believe there is now at least one larger wooden structure, but I'm not sure it matters -- as you say, Todaiji is HUGE, and unlike any other current competitor for the title, it is OLD.
I loved the idea of a small table with heater underneath! I don't remember hearing of them before. And I have to agree -- you showed greater wisdom than your husband in your approach to the closed sliding doors in your room!
"Side note: while in general I found the Japanese people gracious and kind (as expected), I did not expect that sometimes you took your life in your hands as a pedestrian!" And never ever, anywhere in the world, get between a Japanese person and his/her tour guide! IME, the most courteous Japanese person imaginable can apparently turn into an awesome rendition of a Pamploma bull under that scenario!
Wonderful story about the lost wallet -- really, where else would THAT happen?!?!
And thanks, leslieq, for your kind words to me and others who provided input on you plans. It's nice to see someone take one's words and turn them into a lovely travel experience. Welcome home!
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Oh how lovely, thank you for sharing your lovely report, sounds like you had a wonderful trip, though not the best of luck with the weather.
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Thanks for this lovely report.
I am trying to sort out my first Japanese stay. Your report along with the other fantastic info from Fodorites will help immensely.
Kyoto is of course a main attraction. Could you tell me how you found the apartment? It sounds particularly interesting to me as I'm a potter and specialize in carved celadon. This Japanese trip will be part of a return to South Korea to spend time with potters there. It would be really interesting to have a little interaction with a Japanese celadon potter as well as somewhere good and reasonable to stay in Kyoto.
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Hi Leslie! Thanks for the report, and so happy you had a good time, despite the soggy weather. We were caught in that April 13 downpour as well, and I don't blame you one bit for delaying your hike by a day. That was the one day that defeated us as well (in Matsumoto). Of course, your Tsumago/Magome description has me day dreaming about a trip #3...some day!
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MaryW - I found the apartment on TripAdvisor. Look under Salon Haraguchi Tenseian
The Salon is a beautiful house situated around Marayuma Park, as I remember. I originally tried to book the house (you share with another family) but too late. Haraguchi-san then offered me the apartment. You can find reviews of the apartment under the same listing.
The apartment was wonderful and at a great price. I will put up a review soon on TripAdvisor as well. If you're another celadon potter, this is the place for you! His studio is under the apartment and he let us see what he's working on. We originally wanted to purchase one of his works but way out of our price range - museum quality items.
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Thank you so much. It looks perfect as a place to stay - both price and style. Being a potter makes it much more interesting. I will try to book early but as we have a good bit of flexibility I will also just change tining to suit.
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Thanks for sharing. Your account brought back some beautiful memories from our visit to Japan and gives me some ideas to consider for trip number two next year.
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Thanks for the wonderful report. Glad to hear that your Kiso Valley visit worked out. Did you skip Karuizawa?
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I very much enjoyed your trip report. It brought back lovely memories of our two weeks in Japan. And it gave me ideas of other places to visit in Japan. Many thanks!
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THANK YOU THANK YOU. going first time to Japan and was really lost on itinerary. Yours really helped a lot to focus me and realize I had too many stops going on. If you get a chance, could you or anyone comment on my itinerary I put in? thanks again. that was super
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H2T - haha, I just posted a reply to your itinerary without realizing you already read my trip report! Feel free to write back if you have other questions. As I said, we chose not to go to Tokyo in order to have more time in Kyoto.
mrwunrfl - Yes!! We did go to Karuizawa and remember you were the one who suggested it. If you scroll down in the trip report (sorry, waaaay too long; couldn't stop myself from writing and reminsicing) you will find what we did there. We stayed at Hotel Wellies and loved it. The weather was really horrible when we where there, but we managed to enjoy ourselves and get out hiking...in spite of a pounding hailstorm coupled with lightning and thunder!!
Want to go back to Japan and pick up Matsumoto, Kanagawa and Takayama next time....if you remember, I wanted to go to Takayama but the major festival there dissuaded me due to the anticipated crowds.
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Hi leslie, I think that Karuizawa may not have posted because I don't remember seeing it either. Would love to read it if you have a chance to re-post it. Thanks!
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Russ - wow, you're right; I missed posting Karuizawa. Note that the weather was terrible when we were there so we really didn't get to do the full range of activities that this area had to offer...so a little disappointing. We did love Hotel Wellies, though.
April 14-15
Hotel Wellies
We took a taxi to Nakatsugawa station and bought tickets to Naka-Karuizawa station. There was another example of the kindness of people, as after we purchased our tickets and went down this long steep set of stairs to the platform, the ticket seller came running down after us and wanted to make sure we knew that we didn't take the next train, but the following one at the platform. Wow! He actually left his window to run and find us to make sure we got on the right train. Much bowing and "arrigato gozaimas" ensued.
As we didn't have cellphones, we had been emailing with Chris Price, the Hotel Wellies innkeeper, as to our arrival time. He picked us up about 5:00, which was very welcome as it had been a bunch of quick transfers and other machinations to get to the right train station.
Hotel Wellies was a welcome break from trying to speak our limited Japanese and having (as we joked) "fish heads and rice" for breakfast. I actually enjoyed the Japanese breakfasts except for the fish course…a little too much first thing in the morning. Chris is a jovial and wonderful host, having lived in many more places than we have even visited. He and his wife Noriko founded Wellies a few years ago and we loved it. Their daughter Mia was the third staff member and all were wonderful.
Our bedroom at Wellies was on the second floor, #207. We were given a choice between the larger room we chose (with a nice sofa for reading) and a smaller room with a larger bathroom. Breakfast was fantastic (best bacon ever, which Chris makes himself, as well as delicious breakfast sausage).
For dinner Chris took us to a restaurant that was renowned for soba noodle dishes, a specialty in Karuizawa. Very tasty.
Chris asked us to have the restaurant staff call him so that he could pick us up as it was late and raining. His arrangement was that he picked you up from the station and took you back for no charge, but charged a small fee of 500 yen for other trips, which we found very reasonable and easier than a taxi.
After dinner my husband crashed in the room while I took my book downstairs to the cozy bar/lounge area. A man and woman came into the bar and greeted Chris and Noriko as old friends, which indeed they were. There is a tight-knight "ex pat" community in Karuizawa, and Wellies is often the gathering spot. Judy was originally from Tennessee, and you sure could hear it in her strong Southern accent. She had an outsize personality and hair/makeup that reminded me of Dolly Parton, but was just hilarious. I sure enjoyed hanging out with the four of them and hearing Karuizawa stories such as the "big snow" that shut down the town and highways for 3 days. Judy told of a friend who was clearing a path through the snow and was gored in the leg by a wild boar, who came charging down her path and she couldn't get out of the way. Yikes.
Coffee!! Bacon!!! Yummy English breakfast.
Chris suggested a hike up to Hanarayama, a small mountain hiking area. He took us to the path and we set off on a beautiful hike. It was well marked for the most part going up and we hiked through bare trees with leafy undergrowth. We saw another wonderful shrine going up, and reached steep wooden walkways at one point. For the final uphill I left DH behind and charged up this steep set of black stairs to the top. Although triumphant at reaching the top, found the views were pretty obscured by the mist and clouds.
We wanted trek down another way and had a little bit of trouble finding the alternate trail, but saw views from the other side of the ski slopes that Karuizawa is famous for. We also saw these wooden shelters that signage indicated were lightning shelters. Good thing we made it down the mountain in time, as we would certainly have needed on of those lightning shelters.
At the exit from the park, we walked down a small street winding through large luxurious (and mainly Western-looking) houses. At one point a Japanese pheasant darted across the road. I squirmed through a fence and found it in an open field…got a nice photo and it then fluffed its feathers and emitted a loud, raucous squawking.
At that point it started raining heavily again. Up went the umbrellas and then suddenly it started to HAIL…not just pitter-patter hail, but knock-you-out hail. We were able to duck under a carport and waited it out. Then came the tremendous flash of lightning (thinking of those shelters on the mountain) and the loudest set of thunderclaps I've ever heard. We certainly did not win the weather lottery on this trip!
We waited for it to rain, not hail, and walked over to Kumoba Pond (a lovely pond which I had looked forward to walking around) to snap a few water-logged photos and then decided to look for a coffee shop. We ended up at the JR station…had coffee…and then took a taxi to the Hoshino Onsen to warm up.
This was our first onsen soak. We'd tried Japanese baths, but onsen are fed by naturally heated spring water and are often sulfurous. Hoshino was beautiful. I first soaked in the inside pool, then saw women bathing in a beautiful outside pool. Wonderful experience of bathing with Japanese women enjoying camaraderie and chatting away.
When reunited with my husband, we had another laugh at something similar to the temple, where he would have had us spend the night in the ante-room instead of the lovely room they had set up for us. He never realized that there was a sauna (which he loves) or an outside onsen (which was much nicer than the inside one). Oh well, he did enjoy the inside bath.
Dinner that night was at Hotel Wellies. We had arranged for Chris to cook dinner at the hotel that night, which was a great decision. He served scrumptious onion gratinee, followed by home-made beef stew and rhubarb crisp. Delicious! As we were finishing, the same two ex-pats, Tony and Judy, came into the pub and we all had a great time talking. Nice experience that you wouldn't get at a larger hotel. Wellies is really a small inn rather than a hotel.
Hubby had to work this morning, so Chris took me to the Karuizawa Bird Sanctuary so that I could take a nature hike with a guide. It was very fun; guide Yuko with another young woman Nami. We saw 5 varieties of tits (the bird kind) and a darling Japanese pygmy woodpecker. I took a photo with Nami and noticed she made the ubiquitous sideways "V" sign that all Japanese tourists seemed to be making. When I asked her about it, she said it was the peace sign. Cool!
Chris picked me up (I had intended to walk back but DH decided it was getting late). Luckily Chris downloaded LINE so that he could call me. Best app ever for communicating in Japan.
Off we went on the Shinkansen to Tokyo, then transferred trains to backtrack to Odawara Station near Hakone. I found the ticket window for the Hakone Free Pass (a must) and was glad to see an English speaking helper there.
After several transfers we made it to Miyanoshita, where the Fujiya Hotel is located. On to our next adventure in Hakone.
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Sorry about the weather, but it sounds like quite an adventure. Thanks for posting!
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Great trip report and really useful resource. Thanks for posting.
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Thanks for your fantastic trip report, leslieq. As a result, we're staying at Tenseian Kiyomizu in Kyoto and are also considering a stay in Tsumago, so will check out Fujioto Ryokan, although I'm a little worried about my husband and his hiking abilities.
I truly appreciate the effort you went through in order to provide such valuable information.
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fantastic report!!
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internetwiz...how awesome that you are staying at the Kiyomizu apartment!! Please give Haraguchi-san our greetings and let him know that you read about the apartment in my trip report. He was such a great host, really went out of his way. I hope you will let me know how things went.
How far can your husband normally hike? Doing it the way we did was a lot easier than starting from Magome. My hubby has a sort of bad knee and we did it in the rain.
You can write me at [email protected] if you would like more details...
Have fun!
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text:
Asda has revealed its in-store price for PlayStation Vita, knocking a cheeky £30 off the RRP of Sony's upcoming handheld.
It seems like a fair price, but remember you basically require a memory card - not included - and probably a game.
The deal-powers that be have deemed this deal "not as good" as the deals from Play and Amazon.
I got a nice deal at HMV in store. Vita (Wifi) + Uncharted + Starter Pack + Pre-order pack for £230
"Online, Amazon and Play have frequently readjusted their bundle prices in an attempt to undercut each other"
Yeh tell me about it lol
Originally I had my pre order with Gamestation, then changed to Amazon and now changed to Play lol
I think if you're after Uncharted in your bundle play.com has the best deal. [£242.99 for Wifi, Uncharted and 8GB memory card]
HMV is offering Uncharted or Fifa free with the console for £229.99 in store, but remember that's without the memory card
But you don't get the free 8GB memory card like Amazon offers in their bundle, and that thing is worth £28. A memory card is mandatory, so Asda's price isn't really a better deal.
guys dont order from game.co.uk
they are charging £269.99 for wifi vita. fifa and 8gb card.
today they changed the pre orders so you dont get the pre order bonus
play.com are offering the same deal WITH the pre order bonus for £242.99

subset: commoncrawl


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About: Croydon University Hospital Croydon University Hospital Croydon CR7 7YE
Posted via NHS Choices (as ),
What I liked
What could be improved
My wife and I arrived to mayday for ante-natal lessons on a Saturday morning. Proceeded to the ante-natal unit at 9.25 for a 9.30 session. There was no one at the door the doors were locked. As there was no one at the nearest reception we went and asked the receptionist at the gynaecology dept who pointed us the way to the outside entrance. Ourselves and another couple proceeded to the main entrance to find the door locked and a sign to state "door locked 9.45am please come again next week". However it was only 9.35am and there was a dozen of people waiting outside. The nurses could see us from the room through the window but did not acknowledge us. One nurse walked out and saw us and then walked back in the room without saying anything to us. Which everyone found was really rude. We then went to the main reception in mayday to find nobody at reception and a big sign stating reception closed open at 10am please use the phone to the side for switchboard. We got on the phone to someone who transferred the call to labour ward who referred us back to the main switchboard. The same person tried to transfer us to three different departments with no answer in any of them. She eventually said try to go to the maternity reception. We walked all the way there. To see no one at reception again by this time it was 10:15. We walked further into the unit and came across a nurse. Who was very reserved. We asked her why there is nobody in any reception at this hospital. She said "it's the weekend" as if it was the norm not to have anybody covering reception. And then asked us what we wanted to which my wife answered i want a complaint form. She said "there should be someone at this reception". We went back and we then saw a nurse getting into reception. We explained the whole situation to her. She said "it was not the first time and she had seen someone just a minute before who complained about the same thing". And then went to get the a midwife.
Anything else?
Eventually she came out to just say to us she had spoken to a midwife and the class was full which is the reason they locked the door. We then said "the sign on the door does not explain that". And how rude they were to ignore us completely. And asked for a complaint form. We needed to go through the switchboard to make a complaint as they have no forms. We found the whole situation appalling and the type of service we were given rude abrupt distrusting and disrespectful for a main hospital in a big borough of London. And we are seriously considering not having our child in that hospital due to the lack of care.


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FREE running event Mar. 22: Great Cherry Challenge (individual or 2-person relay team) with Justin Rudd!
Justin Rudd!
Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 9:00 AM (PDT)
Who's Going
San Francisco, California
London, United Kingdom
Florence, Italy
Event Details
Join Justin Rudd for a FREE 9.3-mile fun sidewalk run (no street closures) across the length of Long Beach on Sat., Mar. 22, 9 a.m.
• Individual distance is 9.3 miles.
• Or, teams of two: 1st leg is 6.2 to the top of Signal Hill, and the 2nd leg is 3.1 miles to the beach.
START LINE and COURSE: at the northern-most point of Long Beach on Cherry Ave. (@70th St.) and run on the sidewalks of Cherry Ave. all the way to the Pacific Ocean (with a quick, steep uphill journey to the top of Signal Hill!).
• This event is FREE. If you are inclined and want to support your favorite local charity, place of worship, or school and to participate in honor of that cause, you can write a $25 check (or other amount) directly to that organization. THIS IS OPTIONAL.
• Start at 9 a.m.: southwest corner of 70th St. @ Cherry Ave., 6978 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, 90805, basically at Cherryfield Village mobile home park, on the City of Paramount border where Cherrry turns in to Garfield Ave.
Have someone drop you off at the start line and pick you up at the finish line.
• Finish: northeast corner of Ocean Blvd. @ Cherry Ave. NOTE: Justin will only be at the finish line area only for those completing the course in under 12 minute-miles.
• Runners will receive a race number at check-in.
• Runners must provide their own water and/or snacks. We encourage you to have friends meet you along the way to keep you motivated, hydrated and energized.
• Runners must provide their own transportation to the start and finish (and to the exchange point on Signal Hill, for relay teams).
• Runners must obey traffic laws and stop at red lights.
• The entire run is on sidewalks along Cherry Ave., with exception of the climb up the sidewalks of Skyline Dr. in Signal Hill to the top of Hilltop Park, 335' above sea level.
• This is a fun run. No course monitors, no refreshments, no water station, no timing, no t-shirts, no grand finish line, no race medals, no official restrooms, no awards. If you need a restroom, stop along the way at a McDonald's or a city park.
• Rain or shine event.
(BELOW) Start area on the Paramount/Long Beach border, where Cherrry turns in to Garfield Ave.
When & Where
6978 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, 90805
Start: southwest corner of Cherry Ave. @ 70th St.
Long Beach,
Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 9:00 AM (PDT)
Add to my calendar
Justin Rudd!
Justin's Community Action Team (CAT) promotes social well-being among the general public. As a 501c3 nonprofit corporation governed by a board of directors, contributions to CAT are tax deductible and are used to help produce quality events within our community that benefit children, animals, and the environment.


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Lube & Tune Services
- Free Basic Wash (a $10 value)
- Change oil and oil filter
(up to 5qts of MFA 5W-20 or 5W-30 synthetic blend oil)
- Check and fill
- window washer fluid
- coolant reservoir
- power steering fluid
- brake fluid
- transmission fluid
- front and rear differential fluid
- transfer case fluid
- Lubricate chassis (if applicable)
- Check and adjust tire air pressure
- Check operation of exterior lamps and signals
- Check engine air filter
- Check cabin air filter (if applicable)
- Check wiper blades
Other Mechanical Services
- Engine Repair
- Alignments
- Steering and Suspension
- Shocks and Struts
- Tune-ups
- Computer Diagnostics
Brake Service
* Starting at $160 Per Axle.
Replace pads with Wagner ThermoQuiet brake pads (Lifetime Warranty), inspect brake rotors/drums, resurface rotors if required and within manufacturer's specifications, grease guide pins & inspect brake hardware. Price does not include new rotors or any other brake parts.
Windshield Chip Repair
Free repair with most* insurance.
Most auto insurance policies with glass coverage will waive the deductible and pay the entire cost of windsheild chip repair without impacting future insurance rates. Have it done today during your oil change.
Headlight Restoration
* $58 Per Pair.
This three step process restores the clarity back to your headlight lenses that have become yellowed, dull or cloudy over time. Improve nighttime visibility and appearance of your vehicle today.
Rain-X Wiper Blades
* Starting at $12 per blade.
Preventive maintenance services
Automatic Transmission Flush
Starting At $119
Radiator Flush & Fill
Fuel Injection Service
Fuel Filter Service
Starting At $46
Air Conditioning Service
plus freon
Gear Box Services
(Differentials, Transfer Case)
Starting At $45


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Here in Richmond, those in-the-know trust their auto repair and service needs to Aarrow Transmission. That's because we expertly handle much more than transmission repairs. We're also a full service auto repair and auto service center that employs some of the best mechanics in Central Virginia.
You can count on our ASE-certified technicians to handle a wide range of auto repairs, including: complete air conditioning and heating check-ups, brake service and repair, tire rotations, oil changes, 40-point maintenance inspections, and any factory-recommended maintenance your car or truck will ever need.
Whether you need an auto repair in Short Pump, Glen Allen, or the West End, or in Midlothian on the Southside, you'll find an Aarrow Transmission conveniently located just minutes away. Our West End and Southside shops are ready to help get your car back on the road and back to performing at its best. Here is a closer look at some of the repair services we provide:
General Auto Repair and Car Care
Making sure that your car receives regular, scheduled maintenance is a great idea. Simple auto maintenance not only keeps your car performing at its best, but it can also add years to its life. Trust our ASE-certified technicians to find and repair small problems before they become big, costly ones. Here are the most popular maintenance tasks we perform:
- Lube and oil filter change
- Transmission service and flush
- Cooling system service and flush
- 40-point maintenance inspections
- Tire checks and rotations
Brake System Service and Repair
Keeping your auto's brakes in good repair helps to ensure the safety of you and your family, so regular inspections should always be a top priority. Our technicians can help keep you, your family, and your car safe with thorough, scheduled inspections and service:
- Inspection of brake pads and shoes
- Inspection for leaks from wheel cylinders, lines, calipers and master cylinder
- Realignment of front disc brakes and replacement of brake shoes
- Rotor and drum refinishing
Electrical System Diagnosis and Repair
Most people never think about their auto's electrical system until it fails. But a complex system of circuits has to work perfectly in order for your car to operate safely and reliably. Aarrow has the scanners, software, and tools to diagnose any electrical issue. We also have the expertise to repair any problem we find, in any of these areas:
- Drivability issues
- Batteries
- Alternators
- Starters
- Lights
- Check Engine light
Cooling and Heating System Service and Repair
Your auto's cooling and heating systems do much more than keep you comfortable: They also keep your car's engine operating at its safest, most-efficient temperature. Count on Aarrow for expert diagnostics, service, and repair of these heating and cooling systems:
- Radiators, hoses and belts
- Fan clutches, electric fans
- Water pumps
- Transmission coolers
- Air conditioning
- Radiator service
- Radiator flush
Fuel Systems Service and Repair
Your car's fuel system is essential, and requires regular maintenance to perform well. A well-maintained fuel system allows your engine to work smoothly and more efficiently – and can save fuel and money. Would you like to save money? Aarrow skillfully diagnoses, services, and repairs the following fuel system components:
- Hoses
- Pumps
- Filters
- Lines
- Tanks
Why Richmond Chooses Us For Auto Repair
Richmonders trust the ASE-certified mechanics at Aarrow Transmissions for expert auto repair and service. That's because we've been keeping local cars running smoothly since 1985. And we know how to take great care of customers as well as cars. Isn't it time you and your car got the attention you deserve? Call today to schedule your service at one of our easy-to-reach Richmond area locations in Midlothian and Glen Allen.


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The other day a friend came over from Norway and when I came home from training he stood in my living room with the biggest smile I have ever seen on his face. Of course, the alarms in my head should have went off, unfortunately they didn't. In stead i found my self standing there smiling just like him. Then he took out this little toy helikopter, and here all my alarms should have went off. Did they? NO! In stead I was filled with this incredible joy and just ripped the box open and assembled the helikopter immediately. And we started to fly it. It had a good engine and went straight up in the smoke detector and crash landed on the living room table so that rotor blades, cups and glasses went in all directions with me and my friend screaming of laughter. The helikopter came with extra rotor blades and was easy to fix.
The next time we had a few test take offs and landings just to get to know the remote controller and the helikopter. After a while we feel secure enough that we starts to think that we need bigger enviroment. The porch door is open…
Of course that door should have been nailed shut, unfortuneately it wasn't and we felt safe that this was a good idea.
It was no problem to fly the thing out the door, actually it went so well that we started to talk about this to be a future thing for us. One minute later we weren't so sura anymore. Because the neighbour had heard us and put his head out just as the helikopter flew past his porch nearly taking his head off. He screamed and we panicked and tried to fly the helikopter away from the building. Unfortunately we flew the helikopter to far away so we lost some contact with it. Of course the helikopter started to go down, and we just got control over it before it crash landet. Then of course this dude had to come walking at the same time, and we almost flew it in to his head. Of course he screamed as well and started to wave his arms at the helikopter, and to save him and the helikopter we flew the helikopter over the river, and there we lost all contact with it and it crashed into the river. Now the neighbour is pissed off, I am out of a helikopter and I'm pretty sure that the dude on the ground is not happy with me.
Best regards Capt. Morten Gamst Pedersen
Katrine wrote:
September 12th, 2010 @ 21:40
så arti, men dårli nabo ves han bi sur av dæ liksom…
Kristin Gamst wrote:
September 12th, 2010 @ 22:07
Haha, you just fail in life! ;p Kødda. Er ikke alle som kan håndtere en nabo og ett leketøy på samme tid, vettu! ;p
Elisabeth wrote:
September 12th, 2010 @ 22:57
Haha, genialt!
Tonje Karlsen wrote:
September 12th, 2010 @ 23:06
Kor genialt!
paez wrote:
September 13th, 2010 @ 00:16
Haha grymt mannen! Kanske framtida yrke som pilot?:D
Jack Pulsford wrote:
September 13th, 2010 @ 07:52
haha.. mine got run over by a car… it breaks your heart. :p
Jack wrote:
September 13th, 2010 @ 12:23
Was with you in san carlos last night morten, I was with the two girls that had a picture with you! hahaa!
Ann Charlotte wrote:
September 13th, 2010 @ 14:13
haha xD er det flere skjulte talenter du ikke har vist enda???
@jordan_wilson wrote:
September 13th, 2010 @ 16:22
Haha, nice story. Just noticed from the pics that you live the next building down to me. Neighbours! ha
Line Greiner wrote:
September 13th, 2010 @ 18:41
Ta m deg kompis og helikopter til finnmark, flyr kanskje litt safere der??
Fortsett å lek uansett!!
Lars-Thomas wrote:
September 14th, 2010 @ 18:27
Hey, Gamsten, hvor i Manchester er det du bor? du trenger selvfølgelig ikke gå ut med full adresse men hvilken bydel av byen?
Lars wrote:
September 15th, 2010 @ 00:51


text:
Austin ken beuerle
- 28 years old
- Date of birth: Nov 16, 1986
- Date of passing: Nov 27, 2014
|Let the memory of Austin be with us forever
This memorial website was created in memory of our loved one, Austin beuerle, 28, born on November 16, 1986 and passed away on November 27, 2014. We will remember him forever.
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A/N: ... Right. Honestly, this started off as a character study on Sam from a different perspective, but just... mutated into this. I... don't even have an excuse. Serious weirdness abounds in this one.
Warnings: SPOILERS for Season 5 up till 5.10: Abandon All Hope. And people, this fic is dark. Actually, it's a deathfic. Yeah, I warned you, 'kay? Also, some swearing, references to blood, gore and violence, metaphor-abuse, and, uh, weirdness.
Not keeping with the holiday mood, I know, but do bear with me.
Do let me know what you think!
Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of its characters.
Fade to grey
Dean was dead.
The first thing one notices is the colour.
The sheer variety of it, rather – the light bouncing off sharp planes, sliding across and caressing others, presenting everything in a multitude of gently varying shades, each so subtly, so fractionally discernable from the other that no artist's palette can or ever will be diverse enough to capture it faithfully.
From the harshness of my captivity – all-encompassing darkness, absolute, interspersed by blinding flashes of fire that burned ice-cold, a hell within hell that was a hypercompacted ball of ice – the soft beauty of this vista, the aesthetic brilliance of it all, is enough to overwhelm the senses. The human eye is pathetically inadequate to truly appreciate its undeserving privilege, but even this slice of Earth is enough to instil a deep, almost spiritual awe in the Divine Brilliance.
It is a pity, then, that such brilliance is subsequently populated by a species so vile that it moves beyond just lack of appreciation and gratitude to blatantly disregarding the truth of its Creation; to claim to look for answers to lofty questions, while destroying this beauty through its petty needs and wants and fragile egos.
It is more than a pity; it is an abomination.
An abomination that must be purged.
The human body I occupy now has had its senses considerably dulled by my long association – there is a constant glaze over my vision, the eye-lenses on the verge of going completely opaque; most of the hair has fallen out and the skin still peels, and while there was once the angry red of burned tissue underneath, there is now only the stinking blue-black of decaying flesh. My host has almost run its course; its inadequacy is to be endured no more.
No more, for my true vessel stands before me, about to invite me in.
"Well, hello, Sam," I say, and my tongue smacks against decaying gums and yellow teeth. "It's wonderful to see you again in person."
Dean was dead.
Dead, dead, dead.
The thought burned through his head, searing along the curves of his skull, rounding back upon itself until it was an out-of-control blaze, a forest fire, an inferno.
To Sam, the very concept of death was unstable, possessed a volatility that made it difficult for him to consider it with the same kind of terminal seriousness as before. After all, he and Dean had died before, more than once – indeed, some supernatural beings had inclined to make a game out of it – and yet, here they were, having defied the norm so often that he and his brother could qualify as one among the unnatural beings that they hunted. Death was not absolute – and the hope that that knowledge provided was more curse than blessing; it left them unable to move on and heal, the loss presenting gaping, seeping wounds that were subsequently infected by evil, by the beings looking to manipulate them.
A Winchester death was more than a mere event; it was a catalyst in the beginning of the end of the world.
Right then, as the devil approached him, stepping over Dean's corpse, Sam could only wish that the black oblivion that death was supposed to promise was true.
Lucifer paused, and smiled. "You do not look glad to see me."
Sam supposed he should respond. He knew Dean would. He knew Dean would smirk and fling a sharp riposte back in his face, even if it was the devil incarnate. Even if destruction surrounded them, civilisation reduced to rubble that was painted in blood both visible and invisible. Even if Sam was hanging on desperately to his last fraying thread of sanity.
Dean wouldn't lie there, eyes staring unseeingly at the sky, spread-eagled and bloodied. He wouldn't leave Sam alone to face his darkest destiny (expect he already had, so many times).
He wouldn't –
Lucifer was close enough now that Sam wanted to gag on the waves of decay emanating from his dying human host. Black infected ooze dripped from open wounds onto Dean's outstretched, immobile arm.
Sam clenched his fists, black fury beginning to kindle in the numbness of his mind.
"Tell me, Sam," Lucifer said. "What now?"
Sam told him.
"You do realise that this is a bad idea, right?"
"It's still an idea, Dean, which is more than anything we've managed these six months."
"Sam –"
"We have to do something, Dean. This can't go on. We can't just... we can't."
"I know, but I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. Not again."
"I don't think we really have a choice, here –"
"We do. This plan, Castiel's plan, will work. You don't have to –"
"—do anything? Is that it? You think I'll be a liability there? Dean, I thought we'd gotten past this."
"I didn't mean that, Sam, and you know it. We go ahead with this, think about failure and success and contingencies later."
"Later? Is that the 'later' that Ellen and Jo and Bobby didn't have? Is that what you're talking about?"
"... Sam."
"I... I'm sorry, Dean." A sigh, and a creaking of bedsprings. "You're right. We should give this a shot before going desperate."
"... Hopefully we needn't have to go desperate at all."
"Uh huh. And hey, does playing Coldplay one last time in the Impala come under 'desperate'?"
"You bet it does."
A snort. "Jerk."
Fond laughter. "Bitch."
Sam looks tired.
Beyond tired: almost ill with an exhaustion that seems to transcend the mere physical. Covered in his brother's blood and his own, swaying from myriad injuries, he should not be able to even stand. The only things keeping him upright are his rage and his stubbornness: a will of forged steel further melted and strengthened by the heat of his anger.
I can feel his fury, and I revel in it.
"If I say yes to you now," he says, "what will happen to Dean?"
I tilt my head, unable to comprehend his meaning. "Dean's life?" Is he asking for resurrection? Has he not learnt his lesson?
He shakes his head, fists clenching tighter. "No," he forces through clenched teeth. "No. After. After all this – does Dean – where –"
"Will Dean go to Hell?" I spread my hands. "That is not up to me, Sam. Your brother has made his choice; he will face the consequences as he is meant to." I smile. "Unless you do something to change it."
Sam's jaw works as he considers this. "But – but what can I do?"
"I don't know." He looks up at me, startled, and my smile widens. "You are more powerful than you or I know, Sam – you have been cultivated, you understand? You are the final survivor in a unique species, having endured and triumphed in more trials than one could ask of a normal being... you have been chosen, Sam, to be my eyes and ears and the source of my power in my final, greatest act." I step closer; he doesn't move. "Even I have yet to discover what you can truly do."
"No," he says numbly, denial slipping smoothly off his tongue, as it has all these years. "No."
"Do you want your brother to join your father, to escape the constant recycling of his soul through different planes of torture? Do you want to end this war... right now? Do you want to overpower me? Do you want to implement the destiny you'd always imagined for this world?" I raise my hand and rest it on his shoulder. A shudder ripples through his frame, but he still makes no move to get away. "You have the power, Sam, to do it all, and then some more. I can help you discover that power – don't deny it to yourself."
Sam snorts, a bitter sound. "Yeah, well, the last time I allowed somebody's help in 'discovering my true potential' and saving Dean's soul, I brought about the Apocalypse." He shrugs out of my grip, and turns away. "I'm not going to make the same mistake again."
I laugh. "Admirable, Sam, but Ruby had no idea of what you are truly capable of." His fire increases in intensity at the mention of her name, and it is pleasing. "Because, really, demon blood? A mere crutch – more hindrance than actual aid. It was merely a tool in her manipulation. I, however, have never lied to you. Nor have I looked to manipulate you, like the other angels have. I only present to you the truth of your power, and the choice to use it."
I sweep an arm at the carnage around us. "Take a look at what your indecision has cost this world, Sam. Has cost the ones you claimed to protect." I pause for effect. "Look at what it's cost your brother."
His iron-clad resolution wavers slightly; pleased, I continue. "Between the will of the angels and the will of your brother, it was no contest. Dean refused to host Michael until the very end. He even brought the Antichrist into play, and the angels were driven away, his life sacrificed in a final blaze of glory." His eyes flick toward Dean's form, moisture forming. "But all for what, Sam? He believed he fought on the side of good, of God, but you should know by now that God doesn't take sides. He never has." I smirk. "All in all, Dean's is the most miserable case of misplaced and utterly inconsequential martyrdom that I've ever had the opportunity to witness."
"Shut up," Sam growls, turning around to face me again. "Just... shut up." His whole body is shaking now, tears rolling down his face, and his grief further feeds the anger within him. "You have no idea –"
"Perhaps I don't." I sigh. "I'm sorry, Sam, that you face such a terrible choice – and I wasn't lying when I said how I wished there was some other way – but I'm presenting you with the power to make that choice. This is not an ultimatum. This is not a scheme. You can either allow this impasse to go on until it has consumed all of humanity, thereby rendering Dean's sacrifice as meaningless, or –" I wave a hand toward him, "—you can do something meaningful. End this, bring about better things, greater things."
Sam finds it in him to give me a weak smirk. "And that's not an ultimatum?"
"No, it isn't." I smile again. "You and I were fated to meet, Sam. I said that it was inevitable that you would say yes to me possessing you, but right here? I recognise your true potential. And I give you the tools to make your own decision. To control your own destiny.
"After all, isn't that what you've always wanted?"
Sam was sick of this.
His non-choices in a non-battle, determined by beings that were only meant to exist in the fabric of human lore and imagination... he was sick of it all. Just what the hell did his family have to do everything, anyway? Why did the fate of billions hang on the word of two war-scarred, world-weary young men? Why did some giant cosmic drama stretching across the length and width of existence itself have to draw parallels with them? Why did the world have to end with them?
Questions, gnawing away at the back of his head for what seemed like centuries with no definitive answers forthcoming, until he was sick of the questions, too.
He just wanted it to end.
At that moment, he thought he could understand the angels' motives. Why continue with an existence spent in grappling difficult, sometimes impossible choices? It was so easy to stop wrangling with yourself and let go, to use what you have to do what you want.
... Except he had already done exactly that, and it turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life.
Lucifer seemed to be waiting for him to answer, an infuriatingly smug smile gracing wasted lips.
He could answer no – after all, that was what he and Dean had been doing all these months, even as Lucifer haunted his dreams, and the widespread destruction from the four Horsemen, his every waking moment. He could throw the devil's arguments back in his face, just as Dean had done. He could draw the line between evil and good, dark and light, and refuse to cross it. He could refuse to be used for his powers yet again.
And yet –
What had come of Dean's stubbornness, his insistence on doing the right thing? Of Castiel, his quest to find a middle path, to find God?
Inaction, and further destruction.
And now – Castiel killed, banished; Dean... dead.
What would happen if he said yes? Would things be any different? Perhaps the world would end sooner; perhaps it wouldn't end at all. He had no way of knowing for sure, other than actually agreeing to host Lucifer.
Either way, it would mean the end of civilisation as they knew it. The end of the world was already happening; all that Sam needed to decide now was how soon the process would be completed.
For a moment, Sam let himself sink into quiet, black despair, floundering for answers.
All his life, Sam had encountered choices at every level: most of his childhood had been spent in a continuous war between his supposed responsibilities and his own dreams and desires. He had been convinced that he was simply not born for the lifestyle of a hunter – not in the way his brother was, anyway – and the more he discovered about the world outside of darkness and monsters, and just how good he was in that world, the more he chafed, the more he longed for escape. Escape from a lifestyle where he was never found good enough, from the constant migration and fights, from feeling like he was a stranger both within and without his family. Dean had been the pillar he had clung to through those tumultuous times, but even he had not been enough.
It took reserves of fortitude deep within him, reserves he was constantly surprised even existed; he fought and he trained and he learned, and found a place in both worlds. Dean had sacrificed a normal life, practically his entire childhood for their father's quest; Sam had learnt to straddle between normality and the supernatural, the demarcation between the two existing only within himself. Sam's self was all he could really trust – Dean came close, but not quite.
He had never been one for meekly submitting to fate (or John Winchester, for that matter). If something was to be done, he would trust himselfto do it, not merely wait for things to come about. Be it working for a merit scholarship to a prestigious college, or avenging his girlfriend's death. It was this strong independent streak, this obsessive need for self-sufficiency, that was both his biggest strength, and his greatest weakness.
His trust in himself had been shaken greatly, though, in the recent past – his demon blood addiction, being manipulated by Ruby, freeing Lucifer unwittingly, allowing his own pride and arrogance to carry him away – and he had faded to the background, for a while. But now?
Now –
His self was all he had.
Will his self, all that he was, all that made him Sam Winchester, measure up to this being, a being older than time itself?
There was only one way to find out.
Sam stepped forward, blinking the tears out of his eyes, meeting the murky gaze of the devil one last time.
"This is dangerous."
"Well, yeah, tell me something new."
"Okay, this is more than dangerous: it's fucking suicidal."
"Come on, Sammy, the kid's the most powerful being on earth right now. Who better to have on our side?"
"We're using him."
"It's his choice, Sam, remember? If anybody could kill the devil and drive away Zach and his Holy Douchebags, it's Jesse."
"He's still a kid, Dean. And, sure, Castiel's brought him to our side, but he's tried to kill Jesse before, remember? What if this backfires? What if we've –"
"Sam. I—we'll be there." A click. "With the Colt, at the ready."
".... but will we be enough?"
"We have to be."
The word rolls like the benediction it is off his lips.
I take my time to savour the moment of triumph – inevitable as it was, the pleasure of one's plans coming to fruition is like none other – and study Sam one last time. He looks tired, but calm, with the kind of strength that only a complete loss of hope can provide. The rage is now reduced to an icy core – all the more lingering, all the more satisfactory.
I allow my host to take one last, deep breath, then... push.
There is a sense of giddy liberation as I rise out of my cage of flesh and bones of the better part of the last year... a sense profound enough for me to lose my orientation, if momentarily. Taking over a human body is as extraordinarily arduous as it is limiting – moulding oneself to adjust to the human physique, taking one's amorphous essence and pouring it into a fragile and limited vessel. There is then the mind to consider – thought, both conscious and subconscious, always so restless, that must be painstakingly quietened, and replaced with one's own. The human personality is a multifaceted thing of complex beauty – capable of such wonder, sometimes so close to divinity – yet blinkered, tragically flawed, restrained by issues so petty, needs so trivial.
It is therefore not an easy task to remove myself from the mind I had made my own these past months. The mind is left scarred by the presence of greater beings such as I – much like the burn-flare from gazing directly into the sun – and it is not something every human can bear lightly.
And the humans that do choose to bear... do not usually survive to remember what anything but the sun looked like.
Leaving my long-suffering host to its final death throes, I revel in the moment of freedom – an instant, no more, frozen and sweet – before I seek out my compliant vessel...
... which lies on the ground, empty and lifeless.
For an infinite instant, I am astonished – Sam could not have dropped dead, and hasn't the boy already realised the futility of trying to kill himself? – before a sudden presence... knocks into me in a way that is startlingly physical and I am forced into a nearby copse of trees, which immediately catch on fire. The flames are quick to spread as I emerge again to face a formless cloud of energy – though painfully inadequate, the word seems to fit, in its simplicity – hovering above Sam's body. It shifts, pulsing light as though kindling a protostar within its nebulous depths, and comes for me again. I realise, now, that my battle with the Winchesters is not over.
It has merely moved on to a different plane.
I am ready for its approach this time; I swerve out of the way and allow the cloud to go careening past me, and into the flames. It rebounds, unscathed, for a second attack, finally beginning to take form.
A human form.
Sam Winchester is full of surprises, as ever.
Once again, I dodge, and really, this is all getting a little juvenile. How long can you keep this up, Sam, I ask, and though it might sound like ear-splitting static to a normal human, I can tell he understands very well. You are now merely a soul that's left the safety of its body – a clever party trick, I must say – but I am in my true form, and there is not a being on earth that can match up to it.
He stops, and is fully formed, now – a glowing, translucent Sam Winchester glares at me from where he is suspended mid-air. I'm much more than you know, he spits, and rushes toward me again.
This time, however, I do not move.
He collides with my form, his essence, the very core of what makes him what he is, intermingling with my own.
It is futile, this effort of his – Sam is still intrinsically human, even if enriched with demon blood. Two components of two palpably inferior species set in an already fragile, unstable mind... looking to overcome me? Without time, without careful cultivation of power? It is more than ridiculous; it is enraging. I decide, then, it is time to finish this farce... now. I reach to envelope Sam, crush his will...
... except he is not there.
He is everywhere.
Suddenly it is not just Sam, but a force much larger, much more potent, and it –
consumes, brings about memories of light, sweet and pure, but no no no –
the rage, the betrayal, pain and the descent –
. . . Descent . . .
Sam knew that he had probably made a mistake.
The out-of-body projection was something he had been practising on-and-off over the months since Bobby's death, since he had discovered that his demon-given powers didn't need blood as a stimulant. That they had never needed the demon-blood as a stimulant. He wasn't sure when exactly he had realised that – it wasn't a split-second instant of wondrous realisation, but rather an incremental awareness in his consciousness through days and nights of witnessing further and further destruction due to their continued inaction, so when he had first felt the crackle of power at his fingertips and the black fire behind his eyes, he had neither been surprised, nor repulsed.
Only quietly ready.
Dean had been a curious mixture of apprehension, disgust and relief when Sam had told him of this – together, no more secrets they had said, no more secrets – and he had made Sam promise that he would even think of using those powers only as a last-ditch attempt, if it at all came to that. Personally, Sam felt that everything that they did now was last-ditch (thousands already dead and millions in grief and the world is ending, dying) but they both knew how much promises, how much setting store by them, mattered these days.
So, Dean. Would your death at the hands of the devil count as last-ditch? Forgive the pun, but, uh, dying to know, here.
And so when the devil rose, and Dean died, and the world ended, and Sam said yes, he released his true self.
Lucifer, bringer of light, glowed bright, brighter than any angel could've, he felt, illumining the immediate night into day.
Sam fought the awe down, and threw everything he had at the devil –
-- who merely flicked his efforts aside, and everything Sam was suddenly was nowhere near matching such evil.
It was then that Sam had realised that he had made a mistake.
For all that he had turned to his self, for all that he focussed inward, he was to realise that the core of his strength came not from within, but from all around him.
The demon-blood required Sam to reach within himself, for reserves of power that he now knew could only access fully by separating himself from everything else; this he had achieved with ridiculous ease in the aftermath of Dean's death, when all he had to focus upon was how much he hurt and how much he wanted to kill Lillith. He saw, then, in that bell-clear moment of clarity, that at that time he could've been frighteningly powerful – Ruby's insistence on demon-blood had been more of a psychological ploy at keeping him under check than a way to build his abilities.
Dean's death, even upon his subsequent resurrection, proved to be the proverbial wound that would never heal – merely scabbed over, ready to break and bleed at the slightest injury. Sam had justified his continued pursuit of his demon powers and Lillith in protecting a Hell-scarred Dean, in ending their desperate fight once and for all, but he now knew that that wasn't entirely true. And in that, he realised why he had fallen in the way he had.
In a time where he could've been thinking of everything else, of Dean, he was too busy thinking of himself.
And right here, right now, he was allowing himself to commit the same mistake.
-- merely a soul that's left its body, he could hear suddenly, and through all the buzzing he could register this voice as belonging to Lucifer's. But I am in my true form, and there is not a being on earth that can match up to it.
And there, right there, was the answer he was looking for.
There was no one being that could match up to Lucifer. However, stretching beyond the mortal confines of just Sam Winchester...
... he found an amalgam of tightly woven emotions and events, pulsing and shifting all around him, that somehow connected to him in some way or the other, just as he was to them.
Sam Winchester was the world, or the world was Sam Winchester; it didn't matter. It wasn't just him standing between the devil and all of humanity.
I'm much more than you think I am, Dean snarled through him.
Lucifer did not move – waiting, once again, for Sam Winchester to come to him. Instead, this time, it was John Winchester's desperate run to save his sons from the fire that forever changed their lives that propelled him. When he did crash into the devil, it was with all the force of Dean hacking through Sam's demons – both real and personal.
Lucifer swirled with desire and pride and hate – with a sense of betrayal running through an as inexorably powerful undercurrent. It called for Sam to pour all his hate, all the rage he felt at the unfairness of the world, all the power and security he longed to have, but would never get... and transform them into fuel for the ultimate form of revenge, prestige and power. The urge was painfully overwhelming... but once again, there was no Sam Winchester for it to call out to.
Every image of Jessica dying, burning, was countered by the soft touch of her unconditional love, the happy glow of the times they had spent together suffusing through black tragedy –
Every instant of John being disappointed in him, of the claims of notenough and was met with lingering memories of his father's unmitigated pride at his research skills; the softness in his eyes as he declared that they were indeed stronger as a family; the warmth of his embrace, his quiet, proud acceptance as they met for the first time after he'd left for Stanford –
Dean dying over and over and over again (because of you, because of what was done to you), but Dean, Dean –
-- It's called being a good son, Sam with I'm proud of you –
-- I might have to kill you, Sammy and unflinching support, I'd rather die –
-- slippery slope, brother, getting darker and darker but he was only doing it to protect, to avenge, and I'm sorry –
-- I'm sorry, Dean, if I could take it all back, I would – I don't trust you anymore, Sam –
but in the end, tentative forgiveness, reforged bonds –
-- renewed strength.
We keep each other human.
Every blow of hurt, of lost hope and seemingly irreparable betrayal, was countered with affection, love and the ultimate effort to break all barriers and seek genuine understanding of the other side.
Lucifer began to crumble under the onslaught; something ancient was giving way...
... And Sam, in his last moment of lucidity, observed their battlefield again, and wondered at a sudden memory, an image, that had crept into his consciousness....
... it was him, and it was Lucifer inside of him, in the same place, and Dean stood there, roiling with despair and anger and wild hope; thunder sounded overhead, and a soft rain was falling...
... Lucifer promising that they would meet again...
Sweet irony, then, Dean chuckled through him. Then it was rain, now it is fire. Appropriate.
And Sam and Lucifer fell into the flames, together.
"I... he... he's gone. Dean – Castiel and Jesse... they're gone!"
"Relax, Sam."
"How can I – Dean, that was our last chance, and the devil is still there –"
"It was not our last chance."
"... what?"
"We've the Colt and the knife and the oil, and, well, you."
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm giving this one last shot, Sam, our way. And if that doesn't work..."
"No. Dean, no. We need to – we need to fall back, we need more help, we need –"
"We've got all the help we could get, Sam. And now we're finally here. I think this is it."
"If what I'm about to do doesn't work... I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry that I left you alone, I'm sorry that I might have to do the same now, and –"
" – what are you being apologetic about, it's not going to –"
"Yes, Sam, it's going to. And I'm –"
"Okay, Dean."
"Okay. No chick-flick moments, right?"
A grin. "Right."
"So... I'm totally not going to say 'I love you' and stuff like that, yeah?"
"I totally don't love you either, Sammy."
"Me too, Dean. Me too."
Sam was dead.


text:
In the aftermath of her horrific assault which saw her gagged and bound at gun point, thrown into a bathtub and robbed of ten million dollars worth of jewelry in her hotel room in Paris, the Kardashian camp has been eerily silent about how Kim is coping.
Instead we have been inundated with the voice of thousands of strangers who, in the wake of the news breaking around the world, took to the internet to share their feelings about what had happened her — and not all of it was good.
With the announcement that Keeping Up With The Kardashians was going on hold until Kim felt well enough to resume filming in combination with eldest sister Kourtney's cryptic Tweet — the first Kardashian to Tweet since the robbery — we waited with baited breath with any further information on just how Kim was feeling nearly two weeks after the attack. Finally, Khloé has broken the silence and in an interview with Ellen has revealed that Kim is struggling since the violent attack.
"Kim's Not Doing That Well"
When asked by Ellen how Kim was doing, Khloe answered honestly that she really wasn't doing very well. She went on to say this was because of the nature of the attack being "incredibly traumatic." I think it's fair to say that for anyone, this would be a very difficult ordeal to overcome.
"But Our Family Is Super Close And Great, And We'll Get Through This Together"
Khloé closely followed her statement about Kim not being in a good way by saying that through the closeness of her family, who notoriously support each other through thick and thin, they will all move forward through this trauma and do everything that can to get Kim to where she needs to be. This echoes the sentiments that Khloé made in a recent Episode of KUWTK which aired at the end of August after Kim and Kourtney threw her a surprise 'TLC party' after she filed for divorce from Lamar:
After telling Ellen that her immediate family are really pulling together for Kim, Khloé extended her gratitude to all of the members of the public who have sent messages of support to Kim and the Kardashian family. However, she did again point out that Kim's healing process will "take time."
"Pulling Back A Bit Is Really Smart"
After Khloé gushed about the support of her family and fans, Ellen asked about how quiet the Kardashian clan had been on their usually very busy social media pages and whether this means they won't be so active from now on. Khloe responded by highlighting the importance of everyone's safety first and foremost, to make sure that "we are all protected" but that these adjustments are made as a family unit, with everyones full support.
She then followed this up by saying she thought it was really smart to pull back a bit from the public eye until Kim, and the family, have healed from this traumatic experience.