Japan 09 - Arrival to Tokyo, Ueno station area

Shinkansen track (for bullet train)

Kyoto to Tokyo on Nozomi bullet train (the trip took around 2hr 40min)

Bullet train

Nokia sports tracker tracked the bullet train at ~250km/h

Within the Nozomi bullet train (lady selling F&B onboard)

Lunch onboard the train

Views from within bullet train

Room in Tokyo/Ueno (Sutton Place hotel)

Ameyokocho market

Japan trip planning part 2

As an independent traveler, it is vital to know how to get around if your idea holiday does not involve getting lost. And so i'll be relying on Nokia E71's GPS & a mapping software for navigation again.

Nokia Map is a free software which allows offline viewing of maps and it has good support of maps in Singapore, Europe, USA ..etc. Ive used it with great success in Berlin as evident here & here. It may not provide the fine granularity as GoogleMap or other payware does, but hey, its free and GoogleMap does not allow offline viewing.

However, I was little disappointed when Nokia Map presented me with a plain piece of land as the map of Japan :(

Map of Kyoto on Nokia Map (Near Kyoto station area)

Why the lack of support for Japan? could it be because Nokia is finding it hard to penetrate into Japan's market? just some harmless speculation .. hmmm.


Anyway, ive found an alternate nagivation software (MGMaps) and ive some screenshots to share.

Map of Kyoto on MGMaps (Near Kyoto station area)

Map of Tokyo on MGMaps (Near Ueno station area)

MGMaps allows the user to choose the mapsource from various providers, and theres a way to 'cache' the map for offline viewing.

So there we have it, a nagivation software for offline viewing of maps of Japan on Nokia E71!

Berlin new year

I'll be flying off to Berlin during Christmas for work (im not being a 'scrooge'). Will be back next year.

This will be my first trip to winter-land, and i'll be alone mostly. I think this will be a much needed experience and also a good time for some self-reflection before embracing year 2009.

Besides work, i'll also be doing some visits. As you can see ive been researching...


Have also 'bookmarked' some of the places im planning to visit on my E71 (Nokia Map). Will be relying on the embedded GPS for navigation.


And i'll be ushering the new year at Brandenburg Tor/Gate!


Its wet & cold in Berlin now (4°C), i actually prefer hotter weather :\
Oh well, lets hope i don't get drunk and get frozen lying on the street :P

Incase im not gonna post again within year 2008, Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all!