ThrillingTravel - Kagoshima Journey Part 1
< Posted in 2005 >
I went to Kagoshima on 4/17 and 4/18.
I was born in Kagoshima, raised in Kobe after birth, and moved to Oita in kindergarten.
Well, the purpose was
to visit my grandfather and celebrate his 77th birthday.
The action and reaction of life.
Driving is tough, so I chose the train as my means of transportation.
First, I took a limited express from Beppu to Yatsushiro, and from there, I took the
Kyushu Shinkansen Tsubame to Kagoshima. Eight in the morning.
Clutching a station bento from Beppu Station, I rushed onto the
Kyushu Crossing Limited Express. Ticket check right away.
The
passenger attendant who helped me was pretty and looked like Ryo. That aside, this Kyushu Crossing Limited Express, while called a train, is definitely a diesel, and quite sluggish.
Looking closely, it has the feel of a regular train that was just repainted.
Even though it's a limited express.
It stops for signals, waits for oncoming trains on conventional lines, and even at top speed, it's no different from a regular train, plus it's only a two-car train.
It feels like they are selling the slowness as a feature, so there is little hope for future speed increases.
Well, whatever, I'm not in that much of a hurry.
Looking around, the passengers are mostly elderly couples.
A time axis clearly different from the usual, as if matched to the comfortable speed of the train.
The train advances, with the nostalgic sound of tracks and wheels snuggling together, with a languor like
Suneohair. Leaving Oita, entering
Kumamoto, and then to Aso. Rushing through the very center of the Aso basin.
Mountains like a patchwork quilt reminiscent of out-of-season autumn leaves.
In the midst of great nature, the train moves forward, small.
While eating a station bento,
while reading a book,
while listening to music,
with a notepad and digital camera by my side,
since there are no passengers in the next seat, I occupied two seats.
Contrary to the clock, the 3 hours passed in a flash.
Arrival in Kumamoto, from here I transfer to a limited express to Shin-Yatsushiro.
To be continued