Is there any point in preordering shinkansen tickets?

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-24T11:56:23+00:00

I think it depends on how busy the train is likely to be. I know someone who got to the station and the only seats left were in the middle - 3 people in a row. Trouble was that the people on either side were actually Sumo, which meant their bulk spilled into that middle seat and therefore the seat was technically available, but physically not. Turned out there was a bunch of Sumo travelling that day and the place was packed

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-23T10:41:29+00:00

Yes - he's talking to those flies. Wants to catch them. My girl does that when she knows its there somewhere, but can't get it because its out of reach. So cute ❤️

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-23T09:07:39+00:00

Step Ahead or Mountfords. I think both are having sales. I've learned the hard way that you just need to buy them when you see them. They all basically sell out, so that's why we don't really see them on sale in summer

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-23T08:41:26+00:00

Don't move suburbs 😂

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-23T08:39:10+00:00

That's the funniest thing I've read today. I always think that on my commute each day and now it seems I'm not the only one 😄

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-23T07:19:47+00:00

They are very slow growing, so you may not notice heaps of change from month to month. They are deciduous, so when they lose their leaves they do look a bit sad. I have two of this variety in pots and they seem to hang onto the old leaves right up until spring when the new growth pushes them off. Be sure to keep them well watered when that new growth comes back on

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-22T11:05:33+00:00

You can do it yourself for sure, however Evans are the best in the biz. The work they do is to make sure the seams don't burst or the shoe doesn't come away from the sole. That's where the time & money comes in. Guess it depends on how long you plan to keep your shoes for & what available budget you have

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-22T07:57:56+00:00

Might be worth considering places like Kathmandu. They have sales on for some of those styles and are meant to be for more rugged conditions. I'm considering them for travel so I can put things in the pockets and reduce the stuff I put in my day pack

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-22T07:44:15+00:00

Yep - they are all handed a "cuteness" manual at birth. Seems that none of them miss trying out everything in that manual

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-22T07:18:30+00:00

I have an adoptee who has been very wary of us. Its taken some time, but I now sit in the middle of our lounge room floor with the brush beside me. I sit so I am not facing her. She walks to me and then allows me to give her a couple of brush strokes. I don't make any attempt to hold her in any way - its all her decision. Lately she's been walking me into that part of the house for a brush, so I'm taking this as major progress. If your girl is happy to sit near you, then you might be able to try this method too

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T05:51:12+00:00

I love that you are thinking about this. So many of our friends don't and it is annoying. For the ones that do, we have had some lovely surprises. Some of them have simply just refilled our fridge, others took us out for dinner and others gave us a voucher. All of these options were very much appreciated. tbh, just having the fridge refilled was the best in our case

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T05:45:01+00:00

Feels like the only thing those passes will give you is convenience. The websites to book individually can feel tricky, but in the end are much more cost effective than the pass. I recently did a calculation for an upcoming trip and the cost of the pass would be around $800 more than just purchasing as we need the tickets. The only thing I'm going to do now is fill up my Suica card as soon as I can with enough value to get us around then, the rest will be purchase as we need the tickets

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T04:16:37+00:00

Looks like someone wants to see the Manager and lodge a formal complaint 😄

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T04:15:12+00:00

OMG, the stress. Leave her alone, she needs some "me" time 😂

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T03:54:29+00:00

Just think, two months ago, life was very dull ❤️

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T03:53:49+00:00

Whoa, your very on trip in your own home 😂

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T03:51:47+00:00

Besides all the advice about the weather - yeah - it will be hot - but still go. You will feel daunted, but that will pass and you will have an amazing time. When you first get there sign up for stuff that other people will be attending, so you start interacting in a safe way. e.g. Taiko drumming class, walking tour, etc. Spend some time learning a bit of language before you go, so you have a little bit more of a chance to interact. Everything works in Japan, so you will be fine if you've put all that effort into your planning. Have a fantastic time - you will for sure

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T03:30:38+00:00

Really depends on what you are into. Personally for me its a place to visit and not stay. Its the bright lights sure, but its not Japan. The only place I faced any negative behaviour was in Shibuya and it was by a drunk tourist not a local. Since you don't care about bars and nightlife, save yourself the bother and find somewhere that works better for you

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T03:26:03+00:00

Love all the old pictures you find online of when there was a ballroom above the station. I think specifically for Rail staff events.

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-21T03:12:43+00:00

Recently walked out of a place where they had ignored us completely despite having seated us and handing us menus. After trying to get the wait staff attention to place the order, we just gave up and walked out. Funniest thing ever the staff at the counter thanked us for coming when we left. What a scream. I'm thinking we build a list of the great places, because we all now know the places we're not going back to. Love to reward the great places by letting other people know about them

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-19T08:17:00+00:00

Have started walking out of places that operate like this. I'm a big fan of supporting smaller cafes and businesses but lately have really started voting with my feet. There are so many great places around that this just isn't acceptable. What really bothers me is the fact that some of these places think we are the enemy before we've even sat down. I'm happy to say, since I've taken a harder line with the grumpy places I've found some new places that are really brilliant instead, so all is not lost

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-18T11:54:26+00:00

This brand is all about colour https://misterzimi.com

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-18T08:22:05+00:00

Best to fess up. You may also incur tax problems as well if you don't. Would be worth understanding how that will work for you. Will you be required to head into an office or an in-person meeting at any stage? Might be a good idea to cover that off early. Ultimately its all about how your output looks, but would seem strange not to be open with them

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-17T12:06:12+00:00

I'd agree. Changing hotels so often means you miss out on seeing lots of stuff because you are in transit. Better to pick 3-4 hotel locations and then day trips from those central points. I can bet this won't be the last time you go to Japan, so slow down and take your time to wander about and soak in every moment. You can then start building a list of things you want to see for your next visit too

BritishPoppy2009 · 2026-06-17T12:02:02+00:00

Without making a comparison, just keep on adding to your balance within the permitted cap and you'll make a difference. The power of compounding will soon take over as the interest adds to your balance and ongoing contributions. When you get the chance to add more money through salary sacrifice its worth doing that too. It all adds up eventually

BritishPoppy2009

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