Exploring Eastern Kansas: You're Not in Kansas Anymore

We regularly use SideStep.com to compare the cost of flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages, which is why we were intrigued to hear about the travel search engine's expansion into brand new territory--"Activities." We recently spoke to Anthony Rodio, SideStep's V.P. of Product, who explained how you can now use the site to source tickets to concerts, theater, tours, sporting events, and more in just about every major city in the world--everything from Yankees games to rides on the London Eye and day-trips to Mt. Fuji. We did a few test searches, and so far we're pretty impressed. In most cases, SideStep's results were comparable, if not better than going to the source. For example, it turned up a price that was $5 cheaper than the regular $25 New York Water Taxi's Hop-On, Hop-Off pass. However, when we did a sample search for concerts in mid-May in NYC and clicked on Guns N' Roses, SideStep displayed a lowest price of $85. We found $63 tickets on our own through Ticketmaster. The tab is still in beta, but we think they're onto something: true one-stop search and travel planning.

$1 Record Philly is both the epicenter of soul and American Bandstand's original home. Singles by local golden-age greats like Frankie Avalon, Lesley Gore, Chubby Checker, and Patti LaBelle can be found in the vintage vinyl stores along South Street east of 6th. Repo Records, 538 South St., 215/627-3775, reporecords.com. $8 Pickle fork Reading Terminal Market has occupied the same landmark location since 1893. Amid the many food stalls packed with cheeses, soft pretzels, and farm-raised meats is the Pennsylvania General Store, which sells cherrywood utensils carved by local artist Jonathan S. Simons. 12th & Arch sts., 215/592-9772, closed Sun. $13 Action figure Throughout 2006, Philly will celebrate the 300th birthday of Benjamin Franklin, the great American diplomat, inventor, and bon vivant. The city even has a new slogan-"Philly's got BENergy!"-to mark the tercentenary (gophila.com/ben). From May 13 to July 30, a collection of Franklin busts and portraits will be at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 26th St. & Benjamin Franklin Pkwy., 215/763-8100, philamuseum.org. $16 Bracelet The after-school Neighborhood Bike Works program in West Philly teaches children about bicycle repair and safety. Kids who complete the classes are given bikes, helmets, and locks. Support the program by buying a bracelet made from "spoke nipples" at The Black Cat, a shop near the University of Pennsylvania. 3428 Sansom St., 215/386-6664, blackcatshop.com. $20 Paperweight In recent years, the once-gritty Northern Liberties district has become a loft developer's dream. It's home to Philadelphia Glass Works, a 2,100-square-foot facility where visitors can watch glassblowers in action. Among the artists is 26-year-old native Josh Opdenaker, known for his colorful marbles and paperweights. 908A N. 3rd St., 215/627-3655, phillyglassworks.com. $40 Bag Tired of the boring totes designed for people in their line of work, bike messengers Roland Burns and Ellie Lum started making their own. They believe that, like bikes and helmets, a bag should reflect the personality of its owner. So you sketch, and they stitch your ideas onto a waterproof bag. R.E.Load Baggage, 608 N. 2nd St., 215/922-2018, reloadbags.com.

Sue Sholin and Kate Oliver have been close friends for nearly 20 years, including a decade working as lawyers in the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in Tacoma, Wash. They're also adventurous travelers who went to Africa with a group of other women to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro in 1997. Another iconic peak, Mt. Fuji, figures into their latest travels. "Japan has been a dream destination of mine my whole life," says Kate, whose father attended high school there when his father was stationed in the country after World War II. "When I was growing up," Kate recalls, "our house had a special section set aside for Dad's souvenirs from his time in Japan, including his samurai sword." Sue and Kate want to hike Fuji at the beginning of climbing season (July) and experience as much of Japan as possible, from the sublime to the tacky, the traditional to the futuristic. With only a week's vacation, their basic plan is to fly to Tokyo and spend a few days in the city, climb Mt. Fuji, and head over to Kyoto before returning to Tokyo to fly home. "We're stymied as to the best way to take it all in," says Sue. Since Japan is one of the most expensive countries on earth, Sue and Kate are also looking to save money wherever possible. Before contacting us, they checked directly with airlines, and the cheapest flight from Seattle was $1,060. We advise them to contact airfare consolidator and Japan specialist IACE Travel, which has round-trip Northwest Airlines tickets available for $931. "Are we out of our minds for attempting this without some rudimentary Japanese?" asks Sue. Not at all. While it's true that many Japanese don't speak English, their willingness to help is unrivaled--as is their politeness. If Sue and Kate are desperate, they might have the best luck asking young professional women for assistance. Talking slowly and writing things down is useful, too (especially the hotel address, so they can get help finding their way home!). In Tokyo and Kyoto, much of the signage is in English, as it is at almost all train stations. There will be times when they feel like they're wandering in another world--but isn't that why they want to go to Japan in the first place? Riding a shinkansen, or bullet train, is on Sue's wish list. They'll have the chance to zip along on one of the 186-mph trains (and others) while using their one-week Japan Rail Passes (see Surprise! below). The important thing to remember about Japan Rail Passes, which are a terrific deal, is that they must be purchased prior to arrival in Japan. "The double-decker bus tour around London was a great way to get oriented and find interesting locations," says Sue. "Is there a Tokyo equivalent?" While there are standard bus tours, the JR Yamanote Line (or Loop Line) does a circle around the entire city for a quick, inexpensive overview ($1.25). And it's free to holders of a Japan Rail Pass. One could spend a month exploring Tokyo and not cover the same ground twice. With only a couple days, Sue and Kate ask us to list the real must-see attractions. The wild 5 a.m. tuna auction at Tsukiji fish market is justifiably famous, but even if Sue and Kate oversleep, they'll find plenty of exotic seafood in the colorful market until around noon. Many Westerners know Tokyo only from movies, and Sue and Kate could tour cool spots they've seen on film: the shopping and entertainment districts of Shinjuku and Shibuya, which featured prominently in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation; the cityscapes of East Shinjuku (Yasukuni-dori Street in particular) that inspired Blade Runner; and perhaps Gonpachi, in the Roppongi neighborhood, the basis for the House of Blue Leaves restaurant in Kill Bill Vol. 1 (it's also where Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi entertained President George W. Bush a few years back). After dinner, they should check out Roppongi Hills, a hip complex with top-notch contemporary exhibits--and phenomenal views--at the Mori Art Museum, on the 52nd and 53rd floors. For a nightcap, the surrounding neighborhood is home to hundreds of bars, many of which are easy for non--Japanese speakers to navigate. Tokyo is so stimulating that it's not really necessary to focus too much on the attractions--just walking and gawking is enough. The department stores in Ginza are worth poking around (patrons who arrive right when a store opens at 10 a.m. are greeted in a memorable fashion), as is the ritzy shopping strip of Omotesando. Even if the women aren't interested in Christian Dior, they'll find the people-watching unforgettable. The streets just off and behind Omotesando feel a world away and are fun to stroll. A cooler, more down-to-earth neighborhood is Daikanyama. "We don't need to be pampered, and can do with very simple places to stay," says Sue. "We'd rather spend our money on other things." Kimi Ryokan, in the Ikebukuro district, is a popular, friendly guesthouse; double rooms cost as little as $55. The women are also intrigued by capsule hotels, so we steer them to Capsule Hotel Fontaine Akasaka, one of the few that allow women to rent miniature sleeping compartments. But we warn them about the obvious: Capsule hotels are more for bragging rights than comfort--in other words, one night is plenty. Next on the itinerary is 12,388-feet-tall Mt. Fuji. Sue is the more hard-core hiker of the two, and she was hoping we'd help her convince Kate that they should climb the mountain from the base to the summit. The trek takes about 12 hours each way, so many hikers break it up over two days. Given the limited time Sue and Kate have, we can't get on board with the idea, especially considering that if they do the longer hike they may be too sore to enjoy the second half of their trip. As an alternative, a bus from Shinjuku can take them partway up the mountain, to the Kawaguchiko Fifth Station. Even from there, it's no easy stroll. The average climb to the summit is five hours. Though Sue is more gung ho about hiking, Kate has a personal reason for climbing Mt. Fuji: Her uncle hiked the mountain more than 40 years ago and subsequently lost his prized Japanese walking stick. "Dad wants me to bring back a replacement stick for his brother," says Kate. Gift shops are interspersed along the path, and high-quality walking sticks cost less than $10. As Kate ascends, she can have chops, or seals, burned into the stick for about $2 apiece to prove how high she's made it. The bullet train will speed them 320 miles in two hours and 40 minutes to Kyoto, a city that doubles as a giant museum of Japanese culture, with some 1,600 Buddhist temples and 400 Shinto shrines. The Higashiyama district is the place to go. It's dense with fantastic sites, including the popular Ginkaku-ji, with a sprawling moss garden and enigmatic sand sculptures, and the flower-lined trail along a canal at the base of the mountains, known as the Path of Philosophy. For a hearty, affordable dinner, they should go to Omen, a noodle restaurant with an English menu where the house specialty is steaming udon noodles in a rich broth. "As long as it doesn't involve eating something that's still moving, we're willing to try it," says Sue. "Hostels are fine by me," says Sue. "They're a great way to meet other travelers." Budget Inn and Tour Club are clean, well-run, and less than 10 minutes by foot from the train station; both offer a choice of dorms and private rooms. Sue and Kate can rent bicycles at either to explore on their own, or join a bicycle tour run by the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project. At some point, the women want to experience a soak in a traditional hot spring. They might try western Kyoto's Funaoka Onsen, which has been in business since 1923 and remains popular for its wooden bathtubs, large sauna, and outdoor bathing area made of cedar and rock. If they have any time left, Kate and Sue should head south of the train station to the Temple Tofuku-ji and its Garden of the Hojo, carefully designed with stone and moss. Or to Kyoto's Arashiyama district, where they can wander through a bamboo grove and visit Okochi Sanso Villa. Admission to the villa, which was built by a famous old samurai-movie star and boasts a spectacular view of Kyoto, includes access to its expansive gardens and a cup of green tea. Hopefully, the weather will be clear on the train ride back to Tokyo so that Kate and Sue can catch one final view of Mt. Fuji. The Japanese believe that whoever passes by this sacred mountain should make a wish. We imagine that after whetting their appetites with this quick taste of Japan, Sue and Kate will be wishing for a return trip--with more than a week to spare. Surprise! The Japan National Tourist Organization helped us arrange seven-day train passes for Kate and Sue from the Japan Railways Group, free of charge. The passes, normally $240 apiece, will make it that much easier for the women to do (and afford) everything they want during their packed trip. Operators IACE Travel 800/646-4223, iace-usa.com Transportation Japan Rail Pass japanrailpass.net, seven-day pass $240 Shinjuku-Mt. Fuji Bus 011-81/3-5376-2222, $22 Lodging Kimi Ryokan Ikebukuro 2-36-8, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, 011-81/3-3971-3766, kimi-ryokan.jp, doubles from $55 Capsule Hotel Fontaine Akasaka Akasaka 4-3-5, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 011-81/3-3583-6554, capsule $38 Budget Inn Aburanokojicho 295, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, 011-81/75-344-1510, budgetinnjp.com, dorms from $20, doubles from $72 Tour Club Momijicho 362, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, 011-81/75-353-6968, kyotojp.com, dorms from $19, doubles from $56 Food Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu 1-13-11, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 011-81/3-5771-0170, duck skewers $6 Omen Ishibashicho 74, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 011-81/75-771-8994, udon $8 Activities Mori Art Museum Mori Tower, Roppongi 6-10-1, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 011-81/3-5777-8600, moriart.org, from $10 Kyoto Cycling Tour Project Higashi-Aburanokojicho 552-13, Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto, 011-81/75-354-3636, kctp.net, tour $42 Funaoka Onsen Funaokacho 82-1, Murasakino-Minami, Kita-ku, Kyoto, 011-81/75-441-3735, admission $3À Okochi Sanso Villa Tabuchiyamacho 8, Ukyo-ku, Kyoto, admission $8 Resources Japan National Tourist Organization 212/757-5640, japantravelinfo.com How was your trip? "Thank you so much for helping," wrote Sally Leiderman and Bob Woodcock after returning from their delayed honeymoon to Spain and the Azores. "The trip started out perfect and just got better. Your recommendations were all winners. Highlights included the Cook and Taste class in Barcelona, the Museum of Jewish History in Girona, and Flores, the island where Bob's grandmother was born."

1. Are you tired of catching colds while traveling? Take along a travel-size package of Clorox wipes. Disinfect the tray table and armrests on the airplane, and the telephone and TV remote in your hotel room. Sherill Hacker, Williamston, Mich. 2. Keep your passport information handy. On international flights I used to fumble through my belongings--often having to retrieve them from the overhead bin--after a flight attendant appeared with the landing card. (I don't know of many people who have their passport's number and date of issue memorized.) Now I write all that info on the bookmark of whatever I plan to read on the long flight so that I don't have to dig out my passport. I can then fill out the card quickly--giving me more time to loan my pen to all the people who never seem to carry one. Bill Serues, Springtown, Pa. 3. Don't toss out old prescription glasses. Whenever my husband and I get new pairs of eyeglasses, we relegate the old ones to our luggage, along with an inexpensive repair kit from the drugstore. If something happens while we're away from home, we can hopefully fix the glasses ourselves. If they're beyond saving, we have the backup pairs to get us through the rest of the trip. Carol Alabaster, Phoenix, Ariz. 4. Even disposable-camera lenses should be protected. They scratch just like any other lens would. Place a small piece of painter's tape (or another kind that won't stick too much) over the lens to protect it from contact with other items in your purse or backpack during travel. Hugo Scherzberg, Concord, Calif. 5. Secure any small electronics to a bag.I'm a gadget freak and I don't like to travel without things like my digital camera and iPod. On one trip, though, I put my camera down in a crowded restaurant and then, distracted, forgot to put it back in my bag. By the time I remembered where I'd left it, the camera was long gone. Now, I attach those kinds of items to my daypack with a lanyard. They're still easy to pull out and use, and they never get left behind. France Freeman, Seattle, Wash. You can find more tips in the June 2006 issue of Budget Travel magazine.