Diego’s day on the Naruto train

A couple of weeks ago, after a day trip to Tsuyama for a spot of hanami – more on that in this post on my travel blog – I headed for the station to catch the first available rapid service back to Okayama.

Imagine my surprise when the sight of this train greeted me on the platform.

Chasing after cherries

Flowering cherries, that is.

Whilst a decent figurative title under other circumstances, it now reflects the literal truth for many a prospective traveller to Japan this spring (myself included). Unseasonably warm temperatures sweeping across large parts of the country have triggered a much earlier start to 2013′s hanami season than originally anticipated, with places such as Tokyo seeing their trees break out into clouds of white and pink as early as mid-March. This will likely scupper the travel plans of quite a few visitors who have planned and booked their holidays around older forecasts, sending them – yes, as titled – chasing after wherever the blooming might still be in progress within striking distance of their original destinations.

Diego’s day at St Paul’s Outside the Walls

As I still can’t drum up the energy to type out a decent blog entry, let’s make do with posting a few more pictures from my Italian holiday last year.

Today, let’s have a look round one of Rome’s greatest ancient basilicas, the church of St Paul’s Outside the Walls.

Diego’s day in Castello, Venice

I’ve always had the intention of blogging actively about my travels. As to why that noble intention hasn’t translated into a regular series of travel posts . . . well, I can name any number of excuses: work, acedia, bubonic plague, global warming, etc. (All right, scratch the third one, and I profess a contrarian’s views when it comes to the fourth. But we’ll let the first two stand.)

I haven’t given up entirely on the whole enterprise though, so let’s have another crack at it – this time with a brief account of my November 2011 walk through the back streets of Castello in Venice.

In search of mountains, maples, and maniacal murderous humanoid interfaces

Diego’s flying out of the country for his much-needed annual holiday. This year’s destination: a certain northerly corner of the world his younger brother playfully calls “Canadia”.

Blogging will be put on hold for a couple of weeks. However, if yours truly happens to run into a certain soft-spoken alien in the guise of a Japanese student and answering to the name of Asakura Ryōko – who rumour has it was transferred to that part of the world – he’ll be sure to let the readership know.

(Just don’t tell her about him being a Yukitard. He’ll be sliced into ribbons for sure.)

Cheerio.

My first snowfall

A clue as to my present whereabouts, and a record of the incredible experience I had not more than a few hours ago: seeing and touching snow for the very first time in my life.

No wonder this is one of my favourite cities in the world.

There and back again

. . . and, in due course, perhaps there once more.