Local Girl Scout travels to Japan
Aug. 11—GREENSBURG — Local Girl Scout Maria Combs, escorted by Troop Leader Ashley Schwering, teamed up with a group of nearly 30 other Scouts and troop leaders from all over the United States to explore the cultures of Japan in cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima.
Combs, 17, a Girl Scout since she was in third grade, had her heart set on exploring the Orient. She began raising funds to pay for the trip in early February, creating jewelry, participating in many fundraisers and selling Girl Scout Cookies so that on Monday, June 26, the pair could step onto a plane bound for Haneda, Japan.
After the grueling 13 hour flight, they went directly to their hotel to rest and recover so that on Tuesday they could set out on a two-day adventure of tasting local foods, visiting shrines, going to Disney Land and exploring the culture of Tokyo, the world's largest city.
Thursday, the 29th, the girls took a tour of Kamakura shrines and temples, taking photos of the giant statue of Buddha there and learning about Buddhism.
On Friday, they got a chance to ride the aerial lift in Hakone, Kanagawa that climbs Mount Koma for a look at Lake Ashi.
The girls spent the balance of their trip traveling to the Ohwakundani Valley and seeing the Nojojo Castle in Kyota.
Then, they trekked to Hiroshima to visit the many temples and memorials there commemorating the nearly 226,000 people who lost their lives in the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
They experienced a monkey park and toured a formal Japanese garden, walking nearly everywhere. They had lunch at the Himeji Castle in Osaka, and after the trip was through were whisked away on another 13-hour flight, arriving in Indiana in the wee hours of July 5.
So what impressed Maria the most and what will she remember about it?
She was impressed with the importance of religion in Japan, having visited many shrines and temples while touring the region.
"There's a lot of walking and a lot of hiking, because it's a very hilly country, and you have to pay for parking wherever you go, and they don't take taxes or tips." she said. "I'll remember it for a long time!"
Contact Bill Rethlake at 812-651-0876 or email bill.rethlake@greensburgdailynews.com
