Jo and I arrived in Tokyo and were helped out by a friendly lady who helped us get to grips with the trains and informed us exactly how to get to our hostel. We arrived and were guided to our teeeeny little room. The next day we went to the airport to meet Hazel. Due to not catching the exact train we should have done, we arrived a little (2 or 3 hours) after Hazel's flight actually arrived, by which time she had been interviewed by a Japanese film crew at least three times.
In the evening we met up with a friend of mine, Paul, who is living in Japan as an English teacher. He took us around the Shinjuku area, home to businessmen, shops and crazy lights. We went to a restaurant where we ate some typical Japanese food - okonomiyaki, a kind of egg pancake thingy mixed with ingredients of your choice. This type of food is fun because you get to cook it yourself. Although we had a Japanese speaker in the team we were still provided with an English menu, which provided us with great amusement. Following dinner we went to a bar to sample some Japanese alcohol.
The next day we met up with Paul again. He took us to a trendy, quite studenty area of Tokyo. We ate waffles and visited a cat cafe. In Japan many people live in apartments where pets are not allowed, so this is the next best thing. There were about eight cats in the place and toys were provided to entertain or confuse them, whichever you prefer. Also available was a range of fashionable hats which, if the cats obliged, you could put on the cats to give them a sophisticated air. The one in the leopard print hat looked particularly stylish.
Whilst in Tokyo we also managed to experience some real Japanese life. Just before I was born we lived next door to a Japanese family who since moved back to Japan and who agreed to show us some sights a bit more off the beaten track. We were met by Koichi at the train station where he drove us to his house to meet Mayumi, his wife. They showed us some photos from when they lived in England, with Hazel as a baby and a young looking Mum and Dad. They also showed us pictures of their two sons, who were unable to
Our second destination in Japan was Kyoto. Instead of getting the horrendously expensive bullet train, we had booked a bus to take us
When we arrived it was already evening time so we hung out in the bustling lounge where we met some Americans who were kind enough to share their beer, and a very cool Japanese man called Shu.
The daytime activities of Kyoto involved walking around and stumbling across the many temples in the area. My favourite was probably the Golden Pavillion which as you can guess was very ornate and shiny and beautiful. Another highlight for me was the Nijo Castle, very impressive and old. In the past a special floor was used to protect the King. Footsteps on this floor will create the sound of birdsong to alert the guards of intruders. Very cool and clever, but maybe a bit annoying for the castle staff.
As mentioned above, our Kyoto hostel was rockin'! The second night we made friends with a number of people, to name a few - Tom and Jono from Australia, Nicole the Canadian, Rae our lovely new South Korean friend and Lisa from Germany. Jo and I being the popular party-starters that we are, persuaded everyone that a round of Ring of Fire was a good idea. And I think it was. Everyone was laughing and halfway through the second round we were approached by the grumpy receptionist who shut down the game due to unnacceptable noise levels. Shame! We decided the party was not over and headed out to a local bar. The next night we were expecting a quiet night in the hostel, which swifly changed to a trip to the karaoke, a favourite activity of mine and Joyce's! For a set price you could drink as much as you liked and sing to your heart's content. A jolly old time was had by all involved!
The next day we were to return to Tokyo for our last night in Japan. The bus journey was a lot smoother and more comfortable on the way back. We did some last minute souvinir shopping before heading back to the hostel and ensuring that all our things were packed. In the morning we said goodbye to Hazel who had to leave at some ridiculous hour like 6.30am or something, then Jo and I left at a respectable time of midday to catch our 6pm flight. This was the end of an unforgettable few months and we were looking forward to returning home and seeing our friends and family.
So, that's the end of my travels for the time being, although the past two entries have not been the as-it-happens, hard-hitting and gripping tales of before, I hope it gives you a fascinating thrill of a rollercoaster ride none the less. I will try to keep this up to date as there should be more exciting things coming my way this year. Let the good times commence!
