Chasing the Midnight Sun

We just got back from our new adventure which took place further north where in spring and summer, the sun never sets. We headed to Iceland, the land of fire and ice as some might call it. Now having been there, I understand why though Iceland has so much more to offer! The flight was the first time we ever saw a midnight sun and experienced a never-ending day. We departed in the dark at 22:10 and arrived in Reykjavik at 23:55. As we flew west to our destination, the sky started to light up and we soon saw the sun even though it was technically midnight.

We flew with Eurowings which was an uneventful flight (thankfully, in my opinion), just courteous flight attendants. I even had an empty seat beside me. We paid a bit more for the SMART fare which included seat selection, a snack, still water and another drink, and one piece of luggage up to 23kg. The snack was a rather dry sandwich (ham or cheese) but we were really only interested in the 23kg weight allowance. We packed crazy stuff in there and I’ll write more about the stuff we packed and what was useful in the coming posts. We had planned this trip 6 months ago and after much anticipation, it was finally happening!

Travel time: 13th – 30th of June 2016

The JR Kyushu sight-seeing trains, Japan

On the Isaburo/Shinpei sight-seeing train as it was about to whizz into a tunnel.

After spending 3 nights in Kagoshima, it was time to move on. We made use of the JR Kyushu trains to head up north to Kumamoto. While there were faster train options to cover the distance, we were excited to take the “sightseeing” trains that traveled through scenic locations at a more relaxed speed…for sight-seeing!

The JR Pass – Our access to Japan by trains

Our JR Passes to get around Kyushu and Honshu comfortably.

Riding trains in Japan was an absolute delight! Sheldon Cooper (from the Big Bang Theory and yes, I believe some have/do not watch it) would love them! And it doesn’t have to be expensive.

Leaving Yakushima for Kagoshima

Leaving Yakushima was difficult not only because we were having such a great time on the island but also because the waves were getting bigger. The jetfoil we had used before to reach Yakushima (read about it here!) had cancelled their commutes for the previous 2 days. The regular ferry had cancelled their trips too! People were essentially stranded on the island without a possibility to return to mainland.

The waves we were watching along the coast during a bus ride.

Traveling to the Aeolian islands through Sicily

The city of Milazzo, Sicily from the ferry to the Aeolian islands.

We’re headed to Italy!! More specifically, we’re going to Salina, one of the Aeolian island’s off the coast of Sicily. It’s been 5 years since I was last at Salina so I expect that things won’t be exactly the same as it was before.

13 hours at sea

Ferry accommodation for 2nd class ticket holders. Traveling from Naha port on Okinawa to Naze on Amami Oshima.

I love traveling, but that doesn’t mean I love all forms of travel. I’m good with planes, trains and buses, but I’m a horrible sailor in every way possible regardless of it being a one man yacht or a container ship. And yes! I’m a diver, which makes all boat dives so much more intense! So when we decided to island-hop to our next destination by ferry, I got worried and packed heaps of travel sickness pills along.