Hello Nara - Planning and Welcome

Day 4: Shinkansen Bullet train ride - HELLO NARA - Nara: An introduction - Horyuji Temple - Jikoin zen temple
 
N. A. R. A.

Nara was a place I had partially seen... albeit virtually. 5 beautiful blogs by 5 bloggers from Nara, blogging about the places in and around Nara had always inspired me to be there and actually see the this ancient town of Japan in person someday. So when the opportunity to visit Japan came knocking, there was no way I was letting it go. The day I came to know I will be visiting Japan, the first thing I did was mark Nara as one of the places I’d be visiting in Japan and the second was send out multiple mails to all my blogger friends informing them about the same!

3 Day Planning for Nara and Kyoto:

Planning for the 3 days in Nara and Kyoto was pretty simple, for me at least! It involved me doing nothing except shooting out hurried mails to 5 of my resident blogger friends – snowwhite, stardust, cosmos, sarah and Red Rose and notifying them of my proposed travel dates which were very near and fast approaching. That was it!

Everything else was taken care of, by all my Nara blogger friends! Thus, my 3 day travel itinerary for Nara and Kyoto was prepared, a home stay offered in Nara, a medium budget hotel was booked in Kyoto and complete guidance ensured within a matter of a few days of my notification. What helped matters further was that all of us were mutual friends to each other via blogging and that made working out things and correspondence a lot easier.

Finally, my 3 day itinerary arrived in my mailbox and it looked something like this – 

Day 4, Day 5: Ancient temples of Nara + homestay (courtesy cosmos) + A Tea ceremony + home cooked meals + loads of fun and laughter.

Day 6: Exploring the ancient temples of Kyoto + back to Tokyo.

The Welcome

As I stepped out of my Bullet train in Kyoto, two wide smiles were hard to overlook in the crowds. A big placard was peeping out through their hands.

Cosmos and Sarah receiving me with a welcome placard at the Kyoto station
from where we caught a one hr local train ride towards Nara

Coming face to face with bloggers from a different land... It simply felt special. Those few moments of welcoming were truly overwhelming to say the least. And all this was just the beginning of all the hospitality and warmth that was to follow. The unraveling of the beauty of the world that we all live in – Blogging - had only just begun!

Previous Posts from the Japan Trip -



Post a Comment

52 Comments

  1. A great way to get welcomed!!

    http://rajniranjandas.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
  2. it's so great to have such blogging friends across the globe and give you such warm welcome on your visit, Arti. you are blessed to be given the chance to meet them and experience the warmth of their friendships.

    ReplyDelete
  3. How wonderful! The beautiful world of blogger. Looking forward to the pictures of your Nara trip.Have a lovely weekend Arti.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Arti, it must have been fun to enjoy the hospitality of fellow blogge in the 'Land of Rising Sun':)

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Arti Good morning. Just read your new post. Great post. Thanks a lot. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks so much for your visit and comment. It is wonderful meeting bloggers, they are just the best. What a wonderful world of friendship has opened up to us all through blogging. Take care and have a good day. Diane

    ReplyDelete
  7. WoW! Great experience. Happy for you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wow.... how wonderful! It is so nice meeting bloggers.
    Thank you also for the nice comment on my blog.
    I wish you a happy weekend and send you a lot of greetings from Switzerland. Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a fabulous welcome!

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a wonderfully warm welcome - wouldn't it be lovely if everyone was to show such genuine warmth?

    ReplyDelete
  11. You met my blog friends, Arti. Someday, I'd like to meet them, too. The World is large but is made more manageable by friends.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh, this is so nice welcoming you with that banner! That trip must have been so magical. Hope your weekend will be just as lovely and filled with new treasures to be found!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hello, Arti.

    Lovely and heartwarming your works..

    Thank you for your visit.
    I thank for your usual and hearty support.
    The prayer for all peace.

    Have a good weekend. From Japan, ruma❃

    ReplyDelete
  14. Oh my goodness, how exciting and special!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. wow....going to Japan and that too welcomed by fellow bloggers..that must have been something..:)

    ReplyDelete
  16. The placard was Sarah's idea. Funny we didn't even exchange our photos beforehand but we recognized you at the moment.I was surprised how young you were. Welcome to Nara again!

    ReplyDelete
  17. How fun -- I've made some wonderful friendships through blogging. :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. You're so organized and prepared..When we travel, we just pick out a destination, and then do whatever we like..we are lack in the planning part!

    ReplyDelete
  19. It's good news for you and for me too.
    I invited a Malaysian blogger friend and her family for dinner in our house last year.
    If you have a chance to come to Tokyo,I will invite you to our house for dinner.
    I will guide Tokyo if you need.

    ReplyDelete
  20. @Betchai: Yes, Betchai. I indeed feel blessed to have experienced their love and warmth. Those are memories that I will treasure for life.

    @Petty Witter: It would be an ideal world if everybody showed the kind of genuine warmth I was showered with.

    @Barb: I know we are mutual friends, Barb. I hope you do meet them once and I hope we meet someday too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  21. @Cosmos: Thanks, cosmos. I do feel like I am reliving all of it again! In a way, it was good that we never exchanged pictures, otherwise I wonder if I would have got this beautiful hand made card. I think it was a great idea, since it helped me recognize both of you instantly.

    @Precious KD: Even I lack in planning. The 3 days I spent in Tokyo were completely unplanned. We did things that came our way.

    @Minoru: Thank you very much. If we would have known each other earlier, I would have contacted you when I was in Tokyo for 3 days prior to going to Nara and Kyoto. That is so very kind of you and so typical of Japanese to be ever helpful. I love your country and its people and I hope I do get to visit your wonderful country once again. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  22. You are very special to have such kind Japanese Blogger Friends.
    I am excited to read your next post too.
    Me now going to explore blogs of your fellow Japanese friends :)

    ReplyDelete
  23. That welcome sign is great! Just a simple gesture, but it means a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  24. What a nice welcoming card, Arti. And to think that you had not exchanged photos beforehand. What's up with that? Anyway, I am glad you had such a good time in Japan.

    ReplyDelete
  25. What a lovely warm welcome. Those are special friends who do something like that and I love how they took over the planning for you. It's amazing the online relationships one builds.

    ReplyDelete
  26. You're so organized, and it is wonderful that your blogging friends offered such participation in your visit.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Hi,Arti
    You finally come to Kyoto station! We were so glad to see you in Nara. Welcome to Nara again. I will improve my English till then. Say hello to your father. I liked to talk with him too.
    Green Tomato

    ReplyDelete
  28. Hi, Arti.
    When you appear at the ticket gate, we were surprised as you are young. I'm pleased the placard helped you. Welcome to Nara,again.

    ReplyDelete
  29. @ALL Thank you everyone. Looking forward to your company in my trip to Nara ahead!

    @Stephanie: How true! Small little gestures like these matter so much.

    @gigihawaii: We decided everything by mail but forgot to exchange our photographs because of hurry! This Welcome sign made me feel at home instantly.

    @Leigh: Yes, talk of online relationships. And here is one shining example. They are special friends indeed :)

    ReplyDelete
  30. @Red Rose, Tomoko San: Your english is perfect! And yes, finally, I’m here! We were so happy to see you all as well. And me and Ottosan, both, remember all our interactions with all of you very fondly :)

    @Sarah: I loved the placard very much, it not only helped me recognize you but it helped me settle my nerves too.

    Thank you for it and thanks for such a warm welcome, I am very excited to again be back in Nara :)

    ReplyDelete
  31. you've reeled me in Arti! I've been introduced to Nara only through the lovely Keiko at her extraordinary blog One Time One Meeting. I look forward to reading about your experiences there as it is a beautiful place. I imagine that having met people through blogging and then having the opportunity to spend actual time with them, well that made the journey even more magical. happy week to you Arti.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Wonderful Arti! This aspect of blogging is special. You have like minded friends from all across the globe ready to do their best for you :)

    ReplyDelete
  33. I'm so glad you were able to do this, Arti. Nara sounds special.
    I smiled when I read how you put Nara on your list as soon as you knew you were going to Japan -- I do the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
  34. oooh I like that placard :) how exciting having people wait and pick you up in a foreign place ..

    Bikram's

    ReplyDelete
  35. Wow! Can imagine the thrill with such a welcome!

    ReplyDelete
  36. How wonderful to go to a strange new town and already feel welcomed! It puts your mind at ease.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Oh how wonderful that must have been to meet with fellow bloggers and help you discover their area. I always imagine the day one day to come face to face with someone I have only communicated through blogs with. So much is often experienced in other life as well as the support they have given you.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Wow! That must be a great feeling.

    ReplyDelete
  39. That must have been a very moving moment!

    ReplyDelete
  40. meeting bloggers in another land? sounds magical and mystical...looking forward to more..

    ReplyDelete
  41. Nice to see you have 5 friends out there in Nara.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Now I know what to do if I ever get an opportunity to visit Nara...thanks Arti for the lovely post :)

    Padmapriya T S
    http://aalayamkanden.blogspot.in

    ReplyDelete
  43. Aww! How nice is that! I'm sure that placard made you feel very special. You deserve that. :) So happy for you. That is a big and memorable 'Welcome to Nara,' I'm sure.

    You'll let me know when you get to travel this side, right Arti? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  44. So wonderful...this is the beauty of the blogging world. Wonder, what happened to your Bangkok friends..?
    Thanks for sharing, Arti.:)

    ReplyDelete
  45. that was a warm welcome.. :-) wonderful read.

    A Rat's Nibble

    ReplyDelete
  46. wat attracted me towards this post .. the title NARA .. an ancient city and a beautiful sound track wid this title composed by E.S. Posthumus :) and yes one more thing .. JAPAN .. my childhood dream destination I hv seen this plce thru mgz n fotos .. bt one day wud like to b thr

    ReplyDelete
  47. Wow! That is so inspiring! Especially the bonhomie you shared! Kudos

    ReplyDelete

Delighted you stopped by... Your suggestions, feedback are really appreciated. Thanks a lot :) Hope you visit again!

If you have asked a question, please give me at least 2 days to reply back. Thank you :)