After collecting our baggage we were received by
the local guide and travelled by bus, first thing first, to eat
lunch.
35-
The Rera Outlet in Chitose - some distance (~10
mins) away from the airport, it's a shopping mall whose design is rather
unique - the whole layout is something of an open-air 'walk'/plaza. We were very lucky
that weather was great when we arrived - heavily snowing. To describe the feeling
- "Kimochii ii ~~"
36- Lunch was Chinese-style food at this restaurant
called Sui-ka. The food there was quite good.
And so the tour begins immediately after lunch, not a
moment to lose! We're headed for the Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, a city which seems
about an hour or more away from Chitose. Here to Asahikawa, it feelsabout the distance from KL to Alor Gajah, Malacca.
We're going from 1 (New Chitose) to 2 (Asahikawa) here. To bring up a more detailed image in a new window, click on the map.
I'd reckon the bus travels about 80~90km/h, not
the 110 (usually more!) km/h that we Malaysians are used to, which made the ride rather leisurely (if you have ever taken a bus up Genting Highlands, you will know what is not leisurely.)
We were also rushing for time actually, since our flight's landing was
delayed somewhat owing to the heavy snowfall. The sun goes down earlier
during wintertime, hence most public places close earlier too.
The gallery of the scenery of route there, taken through the window of the bus, is available as a zipped download* from this site. In fact, everything here is new to me so I snapped a real whole lot of photos along the way.
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