Hello! It’s Da-chan!
This is a bit sudden, but I’d like to share a little record of my solo travels. Believe it or not, I love traveling! I often get a sudden urge to go somewhere far away by myself and end up leaving the very next day.
So, I’d like to tell you all about the 2-day, 1-night trip to Kochi I took at the end of February!
This time, I took my bike on a trip using FDA between Komaki Airport and Kochi Airport.
How I learned about flying with a bike via FDA
It was Keita-san’s blog that taught me I could take my bike on FDA flights.
At first, I thought, “Taking a bike on a plane seems like a high hurdle, will I be okay? Plus, I’m alone…” But the blog summarized the steps so clearly that it eased all my anxieties about traveling solo with a bike. If you are planning a trip with your bike on a plane, please be sure to use it as a reference.
I can take my bike, but what about lodging…?
Another thing I was worried about was where to stay.
Since I was bringing my precious bike along, I honestly didn’t want to leave it outside in a parking area while I stayed at a hotel. But when I looked into it, it turns out many hotels are surprisingly happy to store your bike or let you bring it into your room.
The hotel where I stayed only offered a service to hold the bike in the lobby, but other places might have bike stands in the rooms, or even offer to lend out air pumps and tools.
I thought, “How cyclist-friendly!” and fell in love with Kochi right then and there (lol).
My nerve-wracking first bike trip
On the day of the trip, I arrived at Komaki Airport and set about packing my bike into the dedicated box!
At the counter, I was able to get bubble wrap in addition to the box. Aside from that, I used the curing tape I brought to prevent the chain from dropping, and I covered the frame with old socks to protect it from the sprocket.
Since this was my first time actually traveling with my bike, I was worried about whether I could do it alone, but I had no particular trouble. (My heart was pounding with nervousness while I was packing it.)
It fit perfectly into the box once I removed the front and rear wheels and one pedal. By the way, it took about 18 minutes to get it all packed up.
There was still some space left, so I packed in tools, my helmet, and other items. Just remember that lights and batteries are easy to forget—be sure to take those into the cabin with you.
Arrived at Kochi Airport!
It takes about an hour to get from Komaki to Kochi.
When I arrived at the airport, the staff carefully brought out the box for me.
Taking it out of the box and assembling it was much easier than the trip over, and didn't take much time at all.
I had reserved a hotel in Kochi City, so I set off riding directly from Kochi Airport.
My plan included visiting the sunken bridges, taking a leisurely ride through the city, eating delicious bonito at the market at night, visiting a botanical garden, and enjoying some drinks. I wanted to balance some good cycling with sightseeing.
From here on out, I’ll be sharing lots of photos!
I spent 3 days and 2 nights in Kochi and honestly loved it so much I didn't want to go back to Aichi. If I can take my bike on a plane again, I definitely want to go back to Kochi.
It really expands your cycling world, so I hope you all give flying with your bike a try!
FDA Sports Bike Transport Service: https://www.fujidream.co.jp/checkin/support/support_bicycle.html