0:00:00 > 0:00:03Now on BBC News - The Travel Show.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20Coming up on this week 's Travel Show. I dress up and hit the road
0:00:20 > 0:00:24here in Japan. We are going through the most fashionable part of Tokyo
0:00:24 > 0:00:33and I am dressed as a Thomas. -- plumber. Lucy gets the lowdown on
0:00:33 > 0:00:38travelling without too much plastic. And we meet a woman who was all
0:00:38 > 0:00:43alone in America's smallest town. Everybody else has either passed
0:00:43 > 0:00:48away all moved away and this is where I chose to stay. -- or.
0:01:19 > 0:01:25We are starting this week in Japan, the home of video gaming. It is hard
0:01:25 > 0:01:30to believe that it's a full 40 years since the space invaders game was
0:01:30 > 0:01:34invented here and recently, Tokyo's sobriquet that anniversary of a
0:01:34 > 0:01:38special exhibition and giant video wall, where today's generation of
0:01:38 > 0:01:42gamers can test their retro skills. But space invaders isn't the only
0:01:42 > 0:01:49iconic and to have been created here in Japan. -- videogame. Tucked away
0:01:49 > 0:01:53in the backstreets of sugar year, just five minutes from the famous
0:01:53 > 0:01:57crossing, I have come to find a guided tour with a different. --
0:01:57 > 0:02:08difference. I guess the best way to describe what I am about to
0:02:08 > 0:02:12experience is a self drive videogame simulation with some sightseeing
0:02:12 > 0:02:21thrown in.Welcome to Mario Kart, nice to meet you!
0:02:25 > 0:02:31This brings back memories from my childhood. Yoshi, Luigi and Mario.
0:02:31 > 0:02:38It has got to be Mario. How do I look? I feel like Michelle and
0:02:38 > 0:02:45Mario. -- Michelin.We have the key that starts the engine.These
0:02:45 > 0:02:51go-kart tours have been run, taking in the many tourist attractions for
0:02:51 > 0:02:55several years now and to take part you firstly to show your ID and
0:02:55 > 0:02:58drivers licence from your home country. Then there is a compulsory
0:02:58 > 0:03:04safety briefing.When driving, always one straight line OK? If the
0:03:04 > 0:03:11tour guide does one, it means it you just stop in one straight line. OK?
0:03:11 > 0:03:17If the tour guide does two. Recently come up behind, same lane, always
0:03:17 > 0:03:23the same lane, side by side. See the two go-karts behind me there are?
0:03:23 > 0:03:26They are side-by-side and nice and close, that is the stopping
0:03:26 > 0:03:32formation we want to see when the tour guide does two.Two, four, six.
0:03:32 > 0:03:37Is it possible to stall it?It is impossible. It is automatic. At the
0:03:37 > 0:03:42beginning the engine can be a bit cold so before we depart it might
0:03:42 > 0:03:49cut out, you just start it began.-- began. There is lots to think about,
0:03:49 > 0:03:54like how to drive the car for a start and I feel exposed being so
0:03:54 > 0:03:59alone -- lo, then I have to think about formations? Oh my gosh. I am
0:03:59 > 0:04:05not the best driver, you know, right now this costume is the least of my
0:04:05 > 0:04:16worries. I have got my foot on the brake. Where is the key? John, where
0:04:16 > 0:04:25is the key? LAUGHTER
0:04:25 > 0:04:25brake. Where is the key? John, where is the key? LAUGHTER. This is
0:04:25 > 0:04:41ridiculous! Oh my god. Even though it is a Sunday morning and the
0:04:41 > 0:04:45traffic is light, it takes a while to get used to driving a vehicle
0:04:45 > 0:04:52that feels so low and exposed. Slightly vulnerable, but I think I
0:04:52 > 0:04:57am getting the hang of driving this car now. Oh my god. Do you see how
0:04:57 > 0:05:09close I came to a taxi? We are going through the most fashionable part of
0:05:09 > 0:05:11Tokyo and I am dressed as a fact,
0:05:11 > 0:05:16through the most fashionable part of Tokyo and I am dressed as a fact,.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19-- fact Thomas. Little chance of anybody wanting to copy my outfit
0:05:19 > 0:05:24but Nintendo are reportedly unhappy with their trademarks being used by
0:05:24 > 0:05:31the twos. There has been talk of legal action but the subtle name
0:05:31 > 0:05:37change from Mar Sue Maricar and the inclusion of other characters seems
0:05:37 > 0:05:49to be keeping the lawyers at bay. We are coming up to the crossing. Oh my
0:05:49 > 0:05:56goodness. Oh my gosh, I can't believe we are going through the
0:05:56 > 0:06:06crossing! Although some of Tokyo's taxidrivers say that they can be
0:06:06 > 0:06:12disruptive and dangerous. Johnny tells me that he has supervised over
0:06:12 > 0:06:152002 is without any serious accidents. But several cab drivers
0:06:15 > 0:06:19we met still had concerns.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52Last year, a record number of almost 29 million people came to Japan and
0:06:52 > 0:06:56as Tokyo gears up to host the would-be games in two years time,
0:06:56 > 0:07:01the authorities are keen to see the Maricar tours continue, but they are
0:07:01 > 0:07:03looking into how safe they are.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35New regulations now mean that modifications will have to be made
0:07:35 > 0:07:39to the go-kart and it is hoped that repositioning taillights and better
0:07:39 > 0:07:43back and head protection and mudguards will provide safety for
0:07:43 > 0:07:51other road users and pedestrians. Tokyo is such a hotbed of trends and
0:07:51 > 0:07:56innovation and as the birthplace of idiot games, it would be ashamed to
0:07:56 > 0:07:59see an end to these tours are. Hope the new safety regulations will help
0:07:59 > 0:08:04keep them on the road here. That was so much fun! I really had a good
0:08:04 > 0:08:10time. Once I started to relax and got used to driving this car it was
0:08:10 > 0:08:13crazy, I can't believe they let you drive this on the streets of Tokyo.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18I really felt like I was in a video game that most of the time. It was
0:08:18 > 0:08:23crazy and I was so close to cars, so low down. That it was really fun and
0:08:23 > 0:08:27I felt like a celebrity, everyone was waiting at you, it was a great
0:08:27 > 0:08:31way to see the city. -- waving.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47And if you're thinking of heading to Tokyo any time soon. Here is the
0:08:47 > 0:08:55travel show guide and other things you can see or do. Public transport
0:08:55 > 0:08:59here in Tokyo is clean, efficient and easy to use, with signs in
0:08:59 > 0:09:04Japanese and English on all trains, stations and us as. But if you find
0:09:04 > 0:09:07a language barrier and issue, there are now plenty of reliable
0:09:07 > 0:09:12translation at speed can download to your smartphone. If you are flying
0:09:12 > 0:09:19to all from Narita, one tip worth remembering is not to take a cab
0:09:19 > 0:09:23because the cost can be I watering, so jump on board one of the regular
0:09:23 > 0:09:34trains that run between the airport and the city centre in stead. The
0:09:34 > 0:09:38end of March and the start of April at peak times for travel in Japan as
0:09:38 > 0:09:42locals and terrorist two flock to see the start of spring and the
0:09:42 > 0:09:46burst of colour brought in by the annual cherry blossom season. --
0:09:46 > 0:09:52tourists. In Tokyo, one of the best places to take it in is a national
0:09:52 > 0:09:59garden which is a short walk away from Shinjuku Station. One piece of
0:09:59 > 0:10:03good news for travellers is that nobody here in Japan expects you to
0:10:03 > 0:10:08leave a tip, providing good service in Japan is all part of the code of
0:10:08 > 0:10:13hospitality. So there is no need to give your waiter, taxi driver or
0:10:13 > 0:10:18porter anything other than what it says on the bill. If you do there is
0:10:18 > 0:10:26every chance they might run after you to return the tip. And if you
0:10:26 > 0:10:30are looking for something a little different when it comes to taking
0:10:30 > 0:10:33travel pics, once you have visited all the usual tourist sites in
0:10:33 > 0:10:40Tokyo, why not head to nearby Yokohama or Kawaski, could jump upon
0:10:40 > 0:10:52a night cruise. Picking atmospheric photos of plants, which translates
0:10:52 > 0:10:56to factory passion, is growing study join in and you'll go home some
0:10:56 > 0:10:59striking pictures that are a world away from the usual cherry blossom
0:10:59 > 0:11:03and kimonos that. -- snaps.
0:11:34 > 0:11:42Stay tuned to the travel show because coming up after the break:
0:11:42 > 0:11:46Lucy is here with some tips on how to travel the planet without using
0:11:46 > 0:11:51too much plastic. And we met the woman in America who has a town all
0:11:51 > 0:11:59to herself.I am the May at and I am the town board basically, but then I
0:11:59 > 0:12:02do worry about elections because there is not much competition.So
0:12:02 > 0:12:07they go away. -- don't go away.
0:12:17 > 0:12:23We have been hearing a lot in the news lately about sustainability and
0:12:23 > 0:12:28coffee cup recycling schemes, but being green when you travel can be
0:12:28 > 0:12:31tricky. Disposable water bottles like this are easy to feel at home
0:12:31 > 0:12:35without a second thought, but what if you are in a new and unfamiliar
0:12:35 > 0:12:40city? Weed you go to get clean and free water? Some places around the
0:12:40 > 0:12:45world I try to tackle the issue by providing more drinking water with
0:12:45 > 0:12:49the hope of cutting down on single use bottles thrown away. Travelling
0:12:49 > 0:12:58internationally it is worth firing up the Wetap app. I really like the
0:12:58 > 0:13:02fact that it is community-based, so if you stubble across a drinking
0:13:02 > 0:13:05fountain that isn't identified, you simply tap this button here and add
0:13:05 > 0:13:09it to the platform. In London, a network of tricking points is being
0:13:09 > 0:13:14rolled out in summer. Here in Borough Market, new fountains are
0:13:14 > 0:13:17already up and running and rather than a civil use disposable bottle,
0:13:17 > 0:13:24I have got this to try out the. This what bottle connects to a app on
0:13:24 > 0:13:28your phone via Bluetooth. Once you are connected, a sensor is able to
0:13:28 > 0:13:32detect how much water you are drinking. You can set daily goals
0:13:32 > 0:13:35based on information and it will glow to give you a gentle reminder
0:13:35 > 0:13:40when it is time to hydrate. However, in order for it to keep tabs on how
0:13:40 > 0:13:44much you are drinking it needs to be placed on a flat surface every time
0:13:44 > 0:13:49you take a swig. Great if you are at their desk, not so much if you are
0:13:49 > 0:13:53at the gym or on the move. I like that you can tell it where you are
0:13:53 > 0:13:58in the world, if you are in a hot country it will increase in our
0:13:58 > 0:14:01times he tells you to ring. It is not just cutting down on plastic
0:14:01 > 0:14:06bottles that will reduce your carbon footprint. I popped in to see Andrew
0:14:06 > 0:14:11to talk about some friendly apps for my next trip.One I would recommend
0:14:11 > 0:14:17is going on Green Globe, it has results, and attractions that are
0:14:17 > 0:14:24eco- friendly. Is a pretty extensive list, P on Jamaica. To be in Jamaica
0:14:24 > 0:14:29right now! You can see there is a list of all of the different ones
0:14:29 > 0:14:33here. Quite a lot of resorts. Different resorts, you tap on the
0:14:33 > 0:14:38ones you are interested in and you tap on it and also what it does to
0:14:38 > 0:14:46help the environment. The next one is Olio.I have heard a lot.It is
0:14:46 > 0:14:50supercool, it is great if you are travelling or not. It is all about
0:14:50 > 0:14:55reducing food waste. And so it means that you can give away through that
0:14:55 > 0:14:59you don't need, but also get through that people are giving away. If you
0:14:59 > 0:15:03are planning a trip and you look in your fridge and you are like a have
0:15:03 > 0:15:08got a carton of milk and a fruit role of fruit and it will go to
0:15:08 > 0:15:11waste. Put it on the app and somebody will let it. The other way
0:15:11 > 0:15:16round is that if you are in a city and you don't really want to pay for
0:15:16 > 0:15:20a meal or whatever, you look under the act and see who is giving away
0:15:20 > 0:15:26food. The last one I would recommend is Spinlister, think of it as a B&B
0:15:26 > 0:15:30but for bikes in your local area that you can hire. I have searched
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Los Angeles and you search your local area and find what is
0:15:33 > 0:15:37available and so there are road bikes, mountain bikes, they do surf
0:15:37 > 0:15:43gear, ski gear, all sorts of stuff. It usually works out less than
0:15:43 > 0:15:46around $20 a day and it is much cheaper than getting taxis
0:15:46 > 0:15:51everywhere and you are eco- friendly because you are riding a bike.And
0:15:51 > 0:15:55finally, if you can't start the day without a caffeine fix even away on
0:15:55 > 0:16:02holiday, then the pakito cup could help. Reusable copycats are nothing
0:16:02 > 0:16:05new and some offer a discount if you bring your own. That it can be
0:16:05 > 0:16:09annoying carrying those around. What is great about the pakito is it
0:16:09 > 0:16:13swishes down and extends to three different sizes. It is a little
0:16:13 > 0:16:17fiddly to pull out, but once fully extended about a full-sized cup.
0:16:17 > 0:16:25Regular Americano, please.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37To finish this week, we're off to the vast and rolling prairies of
0:16:37 > 0:16:42midwest to meet a woman in Nebraska who pays taxes to herself, runs the
0:16:42 > 0:16:48only business in town and wins every local election for mayor hands down
0:16:48 > 0:16:53because she is the only person still living there. That has made her
0:16:53 > 0:17:07something of a tourist attraction in her own right. I live here in Monowi
0:17:07 > 0:17:12Nebraska.Everyone else has either moved away or passed away. This is
0:17:12 > 0:17:19where I chose to stay. My parents moved to a farm about a quarter of a
0:17:19 > 0:17:23mile out of town he when I was just over a-year-old. For 14 years now I
0:17:23 > 0:17:32have been here by myself. We get to this corner and an over that way...
0:17:32 > 0:17:37It looks like a rusty building sitting in those trees. That was the
0:17:37 > 0:17:44town jail at one time. These were just family pictures we had taken.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48My array of them here at is immediate family. As a wedding
0:17:48 > 0:17:55picture. This is my German grandparents. And then this was a
0:17:55 > 0:18:00family picture we had. That is me. Basically all of us lived here in
0:18:00 > 0:18:06Monowi at one time. I have a daughter and a son. They have both
0:18:06 > 0:18:10lived away ever since they got out of school. People ask if they worry
0:18:10 > 0:18:15about me and I say they do but they also respect the fact that this is
0:18:15 > 0:18:20what I want to do. The Post Office and the little grocery store closed
0:18:20 > 0:18:25at about the same time we bought this in 71. So that put us into the
0:18:25 > 0:18:35business. I open the Bharat Nayan. Trucks come and salesmen come and
0:18:35 > 0:18:41customers come and some people come to visit and have a cup of coffee.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45They leave messages for one another. Their call to see if someone is
0:18:45 > 0:18:51here. It is a harbour and I think everyone feels welcome to come.
0:18:51 > 0:18:57Everyone needs a place like that, I guess, including myself. I needed
0:18:57 > 0:19:05this type of vehicle to haul things for work and what have you. I am the
0:19:05 > 0:19:10only one who lives in town I thought it would be great to show it off, I
0:19:10 > 0:19:16guess. Monowi. I don't go anywhere where people don't recognise me,
0:19:16 > 0:19:21that's for certain. It was an active church until the middle of the
0:19:21 > 0:19:261960s. I used to go to church on Sunday school there. My father 's
0:19:26 > 0:19:31funeral was the last funeral there in March of 1960. This was broad
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Street. In front of my bar. It was laid out, there were houses all
0:19:35 > 0:19:43around here. This is a new flag. It has not been up for that long. It is
0:19:43 > 0:19:53beautiful. Being as I am the only one here in town there are other
0:19:53 > 0:19:57responsibilities besides the bar. I am the mayor. I am the town board,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02basically. But I don't worry about elections because there is not a lot
0:20:02 > 0:20:10of competition. I kid about it but if you're not within the city limits
0:20:10 > 0:20:19you cannot vote. And here is the library. He had accumulated looks.
0:20:19 > 0:20:26He got put in here. He couldn't do that they were put in for him. A
0:20:26 > 0:20:34wall over their is a clerk that his son made. I think it is a great
0:20:34 > 0:20:40memorial to him because he was such a book person. He would be so proud
0:20:40 > 0:20:52of anybody who comes to borrow some. The town of Monowi and I, to a
0:20:52 > 0:20:59certain extent, we have become a household word. I think people find
0:20:59 > 0:21:02it interesting or fascinating or something. I have people who have
0:21:02 > 0:21:10been here from 47 of the states and I have had from 41 or two foreign
0:21:10 > 0:21:14countries. When you get to be 84 years old there is a comfort in
0:21:14 > 0:21:19knowing everybody and around here somebody is always checking on me
0:21:19 > 0:21:27and looking after me. You know, doing things for me. So I am kind of
0:21:27 > 0:21:33spoiled because they keep track of me and look after me. I don't have
0:21:33 > 0:21:39any desire to live anywhere else. I am perfectly happy right where I am
0:21:39 > 0:21:47at right now.That is it for the travel show this week. Coming up
0:21:47 > 0:21:55next week... We look back at our travels so far this year including
0:21:55 > 0:22:05the time Henry headed to Australia. And when Mike got this gentle
0:22:05 > 0:22:14introduction to life.There gunshots, there are sirens. There
0:22:14 > 0:22:18are people crawling on the ground. I don't know what is going on.I hope
0:22:18 > 0:22:23you can join us for that. Don't forget, if you want your followers
0:22:23 > 0:22:27on the road in real time you can to on social media. Until next time,
0:22:27 > 0:22:52from all of us here in Tokyo, it is goodbye.