Before I start talking about my terrible sense of direction, I learned today that my daughter, Twin I, ordered a kalimba from Shopee (via cash on delivery) using the money she earned from doing her chores. My daughters are learning to work for things that they want. The problem is a kalimba is hard to tune. I know how to tune stringed instruments by ear but a kalimba is a different animal because it’s a small idiophone so it’s harder to detect the smaller changes in notes.

I needed an app to help me with the tuning. And to tune this thing, you literally hit the prongs with a metal hammer either at the top end (to lower) or at the bottom end (to push it to a higher note).

What’s odd about this kalimba is that it only has the major chords. The origin of the kalimba is an instrument from Zimbabwe that was exported to Brazil (called mbira in Brazil). That instrument didn’t follow the western tuning (western octaves) and this modern version was converted to follow the western octave. So you can only play the songs here that use the major chords (no sharps and flats here).

Now about that sense of direction…It’s a miracle that I can travel on my own, go out to provinces in foreign countries and go back home alive. I remember when I was in Amanohashidate I got lost trying to reach the other side of town. I didn’t want to cross the sandbar so I assumed I can take the bus to cross to the other side of town but almost ended up going to Ine, a far off fishing village 15 km away.

So first of all, I took Kyoto Tango Railway line at 5 am and it took me 3.5 hrs from Shin-Osaka station to reach Amanohashidate. It was a nice way to see the countryside.

From the main station before Amanohashidate you have to take a one-car train. It was like a train ride to nowhere.

I arrived there at 8:30 am very hungry and looked for a place to eat. I found a hole-in-the-wall eatery that served ramen for JPY 800 a bowl.

After that, I searched for the way to the viewing deck to see one of the top 3 best views in Japan, according to my research. There was a tram and there was a chair lift. Of course I chose the chair lift because I court danger. And you only live once so why not?

And I traveled all the way from Osaka Prefecture to Kyoto By the Sea to see this view.

I don’t know…it was pretty for sure but a bit underwhelming. I have seen better views in my life and I have traveled far and wide within the Philippines and there are a couple of views here that can rival this. Anyway, my boss in Tokyo marveled at how I was able to visit this when she herself hasn’t been able to check this out. I stayed at the lookout area for an hour or so and explored the park to make my hours-long journey worthwhile.

I can ride a bike on that sandbar to reach the other side of town but it was hot and I didn’t want to get tired so I took the bus and figured I can stop by the Motoise Kono Shrine and walk to the other side of this sandbar.

The only problem was I didn’t know what the entrance to the shrine looked like. So on and on the bus went. And then all I saw was the sea.

There was a couple at my back and the guy was speaking in mixed English and Korean. I asked the guy if I missed the stop to the shrine. He had this horrified look on his face that told me I committed a grave mistake. He told me we were already on our way to Ine, that fishing village at the edge of Kyoto Prefecture. There was no train there and this was the last bus.

He told me to get off the bus immediately to catch the last bus back to Amanohashidate train station. He spoke to the driver in Nihongo to tell him I took the bus by mistake and I need to catch the bus on the opposite side.

Perfect timing, when I got off the bus going to Ine, the last bus going back to Amanohashidate was just arriving. I thanked my guardian angel and took a great sigh of relief. But when I got off the bus, the train going to Kinosaki (in Hyogo Prefecture) was leaving the platform. I was just one minute too late! Damn those very prompt Japanese trains!

So I took my chance and looked at the trains that were leaving the station. I figured I could get another local train to Toyooka or an express passing by Toyooka.

By 4 pm I was on my way to Kinosaki where I had booked a night’s stay in a ryokan with its own onsen. I left the rest of my luggage at my hotel in Osaka for safekeeping so I don’t have to lug it while traipsing around from one prefecture to another.

Thank God for my JR Pass that let me ride all trains that I want.