Michael: Simon have you done much traveling?

 

Simon: I'd like to think that I have. Yes.

 

Michael: OK, so where have you been?

 

Simon: Well, I've been to a lot of places. I'd probably say about twenty different countries. I've taught English in Japan, Korea, and in Thailand and traveled throughout Southeast Asia. I have family in Europe so I've done the, you know, the high school backpacking trip around Europe and since I'm North American I've visited pretty much all of North America, you know, US, Mexico, Canada, and I went on a delightful trip to Cuba.

 

Michael: Cuba! Excellent!

 

Simon: How bout you? Are you well traveled?

 

Michael: Um, not as well as you. I think my tally is now is 14 countries. I've been to Scotland, Ireland, England. I've been to Trinidad and Tabago.

 

Simon: Wow that sounds! That would be an interesting place.

 

Michael: Yeah, it was. I've been to quite a few places in Asia now. Singapore and Hong Kong. I've been to Australia. I've been to about 20 prefectures in Japan.

 

Simon: Oh, wow. That's quite a few. Travel in Japan is quite difficult actually. For those of us that don't make a lot of money anyway.

 

Michael: Yeah, it is kind of expensive, but actually, the prefectures are so small, that you can go to quite a few on a local train from Tokyo.

 

Simon: That's true. That's true. Ah, is there any prefecture that stands out in your mind as being special or interesting or different?

 

Michael: Mm, that's a good question. Prefecture! I don't know about Hiroshima prefecture but the city stands out in my mind. The people are really, really lovely. And as far as the scenery, Mie prefecture is gorgeous and for that real Japan experience for that people from abroad, their image of Japan, Hakone in Kanagawa. I stayed in a Japanese inn there and it was just perfect.

 

Simon: Wow, that sounds great. Yeah, for me, the real good stuff in Japan was Tohoku because it's one of the few places in Japan where you don't see power lines everywhere but you still have a lot of Japanese traditional architecture and style.

 

Michael: Yeah, I had one of those experiences in Tohoku, I think it was in Akita, driving and we passed, we were on a bridge and we passed by a valley with a very traditional Japanese houses and a little tiny river and it was exactly like you imagined Japan.

 

Simon: Oh, that's great!