海外向けに英文併記しています⇒Japanese

Europe Report(English)

                              Travel at Homecoming
  I planned to travel Europe on my way back to Japan from Nigeria during my termination 
leave. I plotted my travel routes on a world map as follows. Nigeria(Kano)⇒England(London)
⇒France(Paris)⇒Spain(Madrid)⇒ Swiss(Geneva)⇒Italy(Rome)⇒Greek(Athens)⇒Thailand
(Bangkok)⇒Japan(Narita)  In those days European currency was different in each country 
so I made a purchasing plan to buy each currency and booked hotels before leaving Nigeria. 
I had to arrange every thing by myself but I felt happy because my sight-seeing travel 
would be come true. This was only a 10-day and hurried travel for me but I could return to 
Japan without troubles. I realized to have a better opinion for my country, Japan. 
1. Body soaking, my first priority
   Flight No.BR366 taken off Kano airport in midnight arrived at Gatwick airport in London at 
5:35 am on 15th of September. I felt happy because I was released from long assigment in 
Nigeria and was going to travel during my termination leave. I had made my schedule 
indicating countries to visit, currency plan, hotel resevation and sight-seeing plan etc. 
before leaving Nigeria and determined to travel alone in order to study English and to 
improve my challenging mind. I reconfirmed my air ticket and reserved May Fair Hotel at 
information center before going out from airport. I took a limousin taxi named Austin, red 
colored, looked classic with a compartment and bench seat at rear side. When arrived at 
hotel, a sociable hotel boy carried my luggages to my room. First of all I put hot water into  
a bath tub and took a bath in Japanese style. I have been longing to be soaked in hot water 
in Japanese style because we had no bath tab in Nigerian life. European bath tab is not so 
deeper than Japanese one but I could enjoy taking a bath and felt refreshed after removing 
African dust. After then I went to the counter in the hotel and booked a ticket of London 
half day tour by sightseeing bus in poor English. 
2. Cold sweat to my big failure
   Our sightseeing bus left the hotel at 2:00 pm and passed in front of Trafalgar Square and 
National Diet in the street, and we got off at Buckingham Palace to see changing guard. I 
was impressed by seeing the scene in which the soldiers like dolls in a red uniform with 
golden lace were marching in a traditional style. I managed not to get lost from our group 
there because of lots of visitors. Anyway I could return to our bus after visiting Trafalgar 
Square. After then we enjoyed sigtseeing cotinuously by looking from our bus window. Lots 
of bronze statues and sculptures were standing at every corner in the street as if we were 
in an art musium. We arrive soon at Westminster Abbey and I followed our tour guide to 
hear about the historical exhibits from him. I became used to hear King's English a little by 
little at that time, nevertheless I missed our bus there because I could't catch up with our 
group due to my longer shopping and poor English. After shopping, I hurried to go back to 
the entrance in vain and then went back immediately to the exit area but there was no bus. 
The bus might have already left there. I was at a loss how to manage myself and was 
obliged to give up my sightseeing after then. Fortunately carrying a map with me, I could 
find out my hotel from the map and made up my mind to return to the hotel on foot. I 
walked with the map through "Hyde Park" looking at the River Thames right side. Finally I 
could have a good fortune to reach "Mayf Fair Hotel". When arrived the hotel, I was tired 
and exhausted myself. After eating dinner, I went to bed ealier than usually.     
3. Sightseeing in Paris
  The date changed into September 16, and I awoke at 7:00 a.m. After having breakfast in a 
Viking style and checking out the hotel, I hurried to Gadtwick Airport for taking the flight No.
BR886 departing at 11:30 a.m.to France. Immediately after taking off the airport, our plane 
rose to a normal altitude and soon entered descent situation, flying over the Dorba Strait. It 
took about two hours to arrive in Charles De Gaulle airport. I made a reconfirmation of the 
air ticket and the hotel there as usual, and changed dollars into Francs. Going in or out 
Eropean countries was very convenient for me, even though each country had own 
currency and visa was required for travellers in those days. After then 12 countries in 
European area were integrated to EC with the same Euro currency. I found a lot of 
similarity among European countries for example in art, history, tradition, streets and 
buildings etc. Anyway I could check in "Hotel Arc Ely"located behind Triumphal Arch at 3:30 
p.m. I had heard that French had high pride, and valued the word of own country, so we 
could't communicate in English. However a black woman of the hotel received me in English, 
so I could make a resevation for the sightseeing bus tour entitled "All of Paris" on the 
following day, September 17. Next morning, I participated in a sightseeing tour and visited 
historical spots such as Rouble Museum, where I enjoyed seeing the statue of "Miro's Venus
" and Millay's "Gleanings" and "Curfew", and "Smiling of Mona Lisa" by Leonard da Vinci. I 
heard that people in Europe used furniture and furnishing goods with great care for handing 
over from generation to generation. Similarly historical buildings in a town were repaired 
carefully by taking long times. European seemed to prefer keeping old to "Scrap and build" 
in Japan. During sightseeing, I always kept myself not to become separated from our group. 
Therefore when returning to the hotel without trouble, I felt relieved and could make myself 
at home. 
 4. From Madrid to Toledo in Spain 
  I got up at 5 O'clock in the morning and took a taxi at 5:30 to Olre airport not to De Gaulle 
airport for AF511 flight departing at 7:45. I decided to manage myself carefully not to meet 
accidents because of langage problems. Our airframe had already arrived at Madrid airport 
at 9:35 a.m after enjoying about two hour air travel. I became acquainted with Mr. K by 
chance in our plane who was a Japanese and fluent to speak Spanish, so we decided to 
travel together in Spain. We arrived at "Capital hotel Residenshia" at 11:00 a.m, and 
decided to participate in the afternoon tour to Toledo. As the proverb says,"Visit to Toledo 
when you go to Spain", Toledo is the old castle town located from 72km to the south of 
capital Madrid on a slightly elevated hill and surrounded with the river Taho, where alcazars 
and labyrinthine narrow roads along the old streets remained as in the times of the Middle 
Ages. Our bus arrived at the big gate of the entrance of the town after running for about 
one hour and half, through dried soil hills covered with wheat fields. We got off our bus there 
and followed our guide to see historical spots. We walked on sinuous roads and enjoyed 
seeing the symbolic cathedrals in Toledo. I was excited at seeing the stained glasses, Gothic 
decorations and religious pictures. The entire town is magnificent and like museums. We 
arrived on our return while feeling admiration, and I took a shower at the hotel. I went out 
to a nearby Spanish cuisine restaurant with Mr.K to take dinner. It is said that Spanish 
start dinner usually from about 9 p.m and enjoy singing and dancing till late at midnight . The 
restaurant was crowded with people but we could find our seats. I asked Mr. K who was a 
good speaker of Spanish, for ordering food. The Spanish cuisine was very delicious using 
olive oil for fresh fish, lobsters, and shellfishes from the Garcia provinces. After enjoying the 
Spanish cuisine sufficiently, we returned to our hotel.  
 5.Travel to Switzerland
  The date had already changed into September 19, that was the day to enter the country 
yearning so far. I said good-by to Mr. K before leaving the hotel because he had own plans 
on his way to Japan. I departed Madrid by SR657 flight at 9:00 a.m, and I could already get 
off the flight at Geneva airport in Switzerland at 10:40 a.m. The weather was so fine that I 
could look down green mountains of the Alps through windows. I had never seen such a 
beautiful view so far. It became already afternoon when I finished check-in at "Hotel 
California"to be reserved previously. Geneva is the capital city in Switzerland and famous 
as the headquarters of the United Nations and lake Leman. I decided to take a walk around 
the lake Leman with a map without taking a sightseeing bus. I remembered one picture of 
the lake Leman hung on the wall in a barber's shop in my childhood, which attracted me to 
visit such beautiful place in the picture. I was deeply moved and excited at seeing the 
spectacle in my presence now. After then I walked to Rousseau island and paid a visit to 
the bronze statue of Rousseau who was a famous philosopher and born in Geneva. I could 
have a good time freely today. "Well, let's go to France and visit to the highest peak Mont-
Blanc tomorrow." I got excited and slipped into my bed. 
 6.Large panorama of glacier stretching in front of me
  Since I made a reservation for sightseeing bus to Mont-Blanc yesterday, I could take the 
bus at 8:30 a.m. next morning. There was no worry of my seat because the bus was 
additionaly arranged in case of overcapacity. A guide of lovely woman waving the blond hair 
escorted us. Most passengers were likely to be Europen and American sitting around me. 
Our bus left for the small town named Chamonix near the French border where was very 
famous for winter Olympic held before and the point to Mont-Blanc by a cable tramcar. Our 
bus run smoothly into the green country likely to be in the scene of "Heidi, a girl of the Alps
". Then our bus guide started to explain today's schedule to us in English. But I couldn't 
hear clearly, so I asked her a question repeatedly "When and where could we take a lunch?
". Then she replied smiling to me "Are you hungry?". My question was made only for my 
cofirmation not so as dropping from our group, because I had a bad experience in London as 
mentioned before. Anyway I decided to take care of her so as not to get lost from our 
group. The bus arrived at the beautiful town Chamonix surrounded by mountains in about 
two hours before long. We got off the bus there and took a cable tramcar to reach the huge 
gracier called "Meil・De・Glass" with 7km length and 40 km2  area. It took about 20 minutes 
to arrive at the Montanbeil station located at 1,913m above the sea level. Seeing the large 
panorama of glacier stretching in front of me, I couldn't help feeling mysterious and fearful. 
It was nice day to me because I could realized to go up the Alps in a day. After dinner in 
the hotel, I went bed with a little bit exciting. 
 7.Eternal capital Rome
  I got up at 6:00 a.m and after breakfast I left the hotel for the airport at 7:00 a.m to take 
the AZ409 flight departing at 9:45 to Rome in Italy. It took about two hours before our plane 
landded at Leonard da Vinci airport in Rome. I checked in "Olympics hotel"to be booked 
previously that was an old Italian building with high ceilings and large doors looking like a 
youth hostel. I took a breakfast seeming to be very frugal with breads biting hard together 
with owners family. Both Trevino's fountain and Esplanada were located near the hotel so I 
tried to go there on foot. Trevino's fountain was located at the space smaller than I 
expected and I threw a coin into the pond with my back turned toward the fountain 
according to the proverb. Esplanada reminded me of the one scene I had seen the movie of 
"Roman Holiday" starred by Audrey Heppparn in my old days. After then I decided to 
participate in sightseeng to go round the spots of "Ancient Rome " by bus starting from 
three O'clock in the afternoon. There were so many cultural ruins everywhere in the city of 
Roma and I felt mysterious as if I were in ancient times. Seeing such historical buildings as 
Corosseo, Pantheons, and San Pietro Large Church (Vatican City Country) reminded me as 
the proverb said"Rome was not build in a day".  
 8.To Athens, the last visiting to Europe
  The date had already changed into Friday, September 22 that was the eighth day on my 
travelling schedule. The TW846 flight left Rome at exactly 11:00 a.m landed safely to Athens 
Airport in Greece after flying about two hours. It had been already past 3 p.m when I went 
out of the airport after finishing all procedures required for entering the country. I got on a 
bus to "Alpha hotel"reserved previously. The town looking from the bus was dusty and 
smoggy as if it covered with a gray veil. I thought this was caused by dust from rocks and 
vehicles in the town. After finished check-in and relaxed in the hotel, I took a dinner and 
looked over a guide book for the history of Athens in preparation for tommorow's tour 
without going out anywhere before going bed. 
 9.The world of Greek mythology
  I awoke early next morning. It came to the ninth day since I started to travel and became 
the last date for me to spend times in Europe. I decided to take part in a half -day course 
touring to the city by bus departing at 8:00 a.m. On the way we got off at Aquapolis hill and 
walked to Parthenon temple, one of ancient Greek temples. Where, I could enjoy seeing the 
famous marble huge columns standing toward the blue sky, and also I could catch a glimpse 
of part of the Greek history. I had enough time at National Archeology Museum visited next, 
so that I could also enjoy seeing statues and works of art from ancient time including  
Europe and Africa as well. They were well exhibited and arranged. Generally European 
streets including this country seemed an art musium to me because I could see historical 
buildings and spots anywhere even on the streets. This is the different point from Japan. 
After a while, our bus came to the hotel at three O'clock p.m., finishing a half-day course 
touring to the city. I left the hotel so as not to miss the JL466 flight departing at 6:15 p.m. 
after taking a shower. I could enjoy eating meal deliciously and sufficiently in the flight, 
because I had made it a rule to keep myself hungry before bording. On the way to Bangkok, 
temporary landing was made unexpectedly at "Thesaroniki"in the northern part of Greek. 
What happened? Maybe this might be made for refueling. Anyway our flight landed on 
Bangkok airport in Thailand at 11:30 a.m. as scheduled on Sunday, September 24 without 
any trouble , after finishing overnight flying.  
10.Bangkok, final destination 
   Thailand is called as one of agricultural countries in the world. I could see huge green rice 
fields extending over big rivers and canals, from the sky. There were so many water ways 
enabling marketing on the water. I was surprised at people selling actively fresh vegetables,
fruits and likes for tourists on a boat. After exchanging dollars into Bahts at airport, I took a 
taxi to "New imperial hotel"previously reserved and finished my check-in at 1:30 p.m. as 
scheduled. Afterwards I saw the sights of Bangkok by a sight-seeing bus including Imerald 
Buddhist Temple, but I can't remember details for this bus tour. What happened? I suppose 
my abundant memories for Thailand might make me confused. Anyway my travel was 
coming to the end and my mind at that time would already be flying to Japan. I went bed 
this night ealier than usual so as not to miss tomorrow morning flight. 
11.To Japan (Conclusion)
  My calendar indicated September 25(Monday) that was the 11th day since I left Nigeria on 
September 14. I was expected to take JL478 flight departing Bangkok for Narita at 7:10 a.m. 
It was reluctant for me to have to leave Thailand, however I bade farewell to the smiling 
country Thailand and soon after our airplane made a sudden rise, heading toward Japan 
while seeing the urban area of Bangkok spreading down in front of me. Now I would like to 
reflect and conclude on my travel. This was my first experience in traveling long on my 
vacation. As a result, this travel was successful and useful for me, because it was 
economical and timely to me in carrying out the travel on my way back to Japan during my 
assignment in Nigeria. I believe that executing is better than thinking. I had planned carefully 
as described in the preface of this report before leaving Nigeria because the plan was 
adventurous and had to be executed alone. I thought the careful planning led me successful 
traveling. At any rate I was going to conclude my travel without any trouble and I could be 
satisfied with completing this travel. The airfare to Japan was not different largely from the 
original one even if the route to Japan was deviated from original one. The airplane landed 
on Narita airport at 3:10 p.m local time as scheduled. I got off the airplane, walked to the 
turn belt to collect my baggage, and stood in a line in front of an immigration officer since I  
left Japan 13 months ago. (The end)


                                                          
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