Virtual Trip - Iriomote Island

My inspiration for this trip: Azumanga Daioh - Episode 21

Doing a complete 180° from my last post.. I wanted to share with you a dream trip of mine.. Everyone knows.. I .. love.. cats.. and if you didn't.. you know now :D Mixing Anime and my love for cats.. I refer to one my favorite Episodes in the Anime named Azumanga Daioh.. the episode the girls go to the Okinawa Prefecture and take a side trip to Iriomote Island... where??

Did I explain how much I love Google Maps?

If I was ever to go to Japan (yeah.. right after I rob a bank.. anyone know of a Brinks truck that's dropping their payload and leaving it behind? LOL j/k.. but you know what I mean..) I want to go here.. but.. of course.. It's sssssoooooooo far from the mainland.. I mean.. it's closer to Taiwan and Hong Kong than it is Japan! That big blob of land on the left? That's CHINA!! and that weeeeeeeeeeeee bit of island on the top right? That's Japan.. Look at it.. there's Kagoshima (where Nagano works out of) and Miyazaki City (near his hometown).. it' so far away! No wonder it was a treat for the girls to go there!

Iriomote Island is the Island in the middle of the Yaeyama Island Chain... the southern most islands of Japan (Okinawa Prefecture)

Anyway.. I'm totally getting into this.. Anyway the girls go on a school trip Okinawa and then take a side trip to Iriomote Island. Sakaki in particular is looking forward to maybe catching a glimpse of the rare Iriomote cat the locals call Yamamayaa ("mountain cat") or Yamapikaryaa ("mountain sparkling-eyed") or Pingiimayaa ("escaped cat") (or Osaka screws up and calls it Pikanyaa)...

This is Sakaki (I wish I was that cool.. the only thing I share with her is the love for cats and my long hair.. that's it folks.. /sigh.. Oh.. and maybe boob size.. digressing..)

Anyway the trip (checking YouTube video I made).. Take a walk from Ōhara (大原) Harbor.. go to the Iriomote Wildlife Center.. go all the way around.. Get on a tour boat.. go down the Urauchi River (浦内川 Urauchigawa) and see the Mariyudu Waterfalls (マリユドゥの滝 Mariyudu-no-taki) after that we buy suveniers in Uehara (上原) and go home :D

Have NO idea where I got this from.. but me wants it precious.. I want Sakaki and Yomi dolls :D Getting cute attack from that Neco Coneco doll/thing..

Did I explain how I get distracted so easily? Ehem.. moving along.. nothing to see here.. (cough.. I want one.. cough)..

Mariyudu waterfall on Urauchi River, Iriomote, Japan, April 15, 2005 ©jpatokal from WikiTravel

The Mariyudo waterfall, Iriomote, Okinawa.. digital photo on 5th April 2007 ©Geomr from Wiki

Anyway that's it :) I want to meet my own cat and go to this totally cool lookin' island :) So.. any takers? Looks like a great way to spend a day in Japan don'tcha think?