bubble space?

So, I decided that it would be a good time to go and see the Cherry blossoms in Kyoto since the backdrop for them are some of the world's most beautiful shrines, temples and castles...

Well, trying to be frugal, I decided on the cheap, overnight bus...hhmm...bad idea...

So, first off - they don't have signs where the buses wait to pick people up - you apparently just kinda know what store they are in front of - so there's me - running in Shinjuku with my bags - basically yelling out - bus to Osaka? Found it just in time, get into my seat - a bulk head, mind you, and attempt to settle in for the 9 hour journey.

My seatmate is a tall Japanese man - a little rounder than most of the Japanese I have seen thus far...;) He takes up most of the space we share and I didn't even attempt to put my arm near the armrest he had taken over...

After you get through all the loud snoring, obnoxious gutteral coughing, the high school girls texting lord knows who at 3 am - you end up with a seatmate that thinks it's ok to roll to one side and stick their large rear and smash you against the window....

At this point, my butt is totally numb from being asleep - I had to pee so bad I thought I might actually attempt the pee-in-a-bottle trick, and to top it all off - the guy had the worst breath - I didn't know that there is a kinda of sushi that should never be eaten before a long road trip - and he must have consumed 5 helpings!!

All in all, I made it to Osaka - a little bruised, a little nauseous...but overall mostly upbeat...

God, these cherry blossoms better blow my mind :)