Hiroshima must never be forgotten

Today we are heading to our final destination in Japan, Hiroshima -

on the Shinkansen in 1st class (Greencar).

We have now tried both classes and for us, for just a few more euros, only the Greencar would be an option. Wider seats, with footrests, you can lean back without worrying about encroaching on the person behind you, fewer people, less chatter - it was simply more pleasant to travel.

A brief moment of panic when Schahaatz's phone (and other phones in the carriage) received an acoustic tsunami warning. Following an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8 off the Russian island of Kamchatka, tsunami waves up to 3 meters high were expected to reach Japan's east coast. Good thing we are traveling west. The rest of the train ride went smoothly.

Then came the bus ride - we had managed to get on near the back or middle of the station with our luggage, but over the next 4 stops so many people boarded that they wouldn't have even fallen over without holding on. At stop 5, we had to get off.

A brief explanation of the payment system for buses. You can pay with the Suicacard (rechargeable cash card), on some buses there are fixed prices regardless of how many stops you ride. You get on at the front, place the card on the device - beep - the amount is deducted.

Variant B, get on at the back, the price is based on the number of stops traveled. Then you must place the card on the device upon entering and also upon exiting - only then is the fare deducted. The problem with Variant B is that you always have to get off at the front. And of course, we had Variant B. So how do you get from the middle of the bus with two large suitcases, a heavy backpack on your back, a fanny pack on your chest, and a figure like mine through a packed bus? This is how Moses must have felt when he parted the sea. Suddenly a passage opened up, everyone squeezed to the side so we could get through more or less. Unbelievable that we managed that. And unbelievable how patient and helpful the people are here. A completely different, but very pleasant way people interact here. We could learn a lot from this in Germany.

But no one got off to make way for the squeezed ones. I would have done that.

And then our hotel - prime location -

right at the Peace Museum and adjacent Peace Park. After the usual fee for earlier check-in, we received only a small upgrade with a view of the Peace Park and the river,

but a small, slightly musty room in the tsunami-safe 12th floor. Well, the room size ended as it began.

However, this is by far the worst room of the entire trip. We definitely need to discuss this again with Kitzi. On the other hand, we are also here just before August 6th. The historic date for Hiroshima, so the hotels are quite booked up. Well, or as the Daoists say: