Japan 2

I realised that I couldn't post any updates until I have finished with my travel journal, so here goes:

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Day Two point Five

It is quite an experience to spend a night at the 漫喫, there is free internet access, free comics, drinks bar, you can even order food, and pay a small amount to use the shower room, just that there is no space to lie down and there is no privacy because the cubicle is not sealed.

Anyway, I managed about 3 hours of sleep at the reclining chair, checking the typhoon every now and then and finally heading to the washroom at 6 to prepare for Day Three. Yes, I spent only $40 for accommodation with internet access and free flow of cheapo corn soup, juices, etc

Day Three

Japan is made up of 4 large land masses - Hokkaido, Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku, according to my Japanese friends, there is nothing at Shikoku but then again, it doesn't feel right not to go and tell people that there is nothing.

So I made my way to Okayama (where Momotaro used to live) before taking the Marine Runner to Shikoku. According to the guidebook, there is this Ritsurin Koen that is extremely beautiful and so I made my way there, and by the way, it took me almost 3 hours to reach it from Hiroshima.

With the typhoon heading northwards to Tokyo, it was bright and sunny in Shikoku and I must say that I couldn't find any tourist-looking people in Shikoku. Walked another 15min from the station to the famed Garden ... I felt I was cheated. Well, it was nevertheless beautiful but isn't the Shinjuku Gyoen just as beautiful? I felt cheated, not the 400yen entrance fees but the 3 hours of hardship, carrying that not-too-light haversack.

Anyway, I spent only an hour inside, took some pictures of the scenery before making my way to Himeji Castle, a world heritage site.

For more info, please see Himeji Castle @ Wiki. Reading the Wikipedia page, I realised that I didn't even need to take pictures since those online were so much better. Haiz... did I also say that I'm not a shrine or castle person? Yes, I did another Amazing Race there, running through the route and snapped some pictures before making my way back to the station (time check: 3.30pm)

I had initially planned for another night at the 漫喫 somewhere in Osaka, but after the experience on the reclining chair , and carrying the 10kg haversack on my back for 2 days, I wanted to lie flat for the night. I could have swiped my credit card and suffer later but I did the more logical thing, called my Godma and booked a bed for myself lol. My Godma is just so nice, not a typical Japanese who would be uneasy with foreigners but she had opened her house to us (foreign students) again and again and would always be sad to see us leave.

Anyway, I returned to Tokyo and had actually slept all the way from Kyoto back to Shinagawa. I made my way to my senior's house to deposit my haversack while bringing out my tennis bag. Fukusho was having company in his house and his friend, upon hearing my holiday, couldn't help but asked - are you really not a student?

If I'm optimistic, I'd take it that I have youthful looks; if I'm pessimistic, I'd think that no sensible adult would just fly off to Tokyo to play tennis and drink with his friends. Dinner was Sukiyaki at my Godma's house, it was comfortable, a proper bed and not just Futon, a homely feeling.

Day Four

With nothing planned (well, I was supposed to be making my way back from Osaka) I tried to head down to Gotenba where my hairdresser Evande informed that I could get good bargains at the outlet stores. Armed with my JR Pass, I headed over to Shinjuku where there are direct buses, only to be told that my JR Pass would not cover that particular bus ride.

What?!?!?!

I sulked and didn't know what to do for the day. Anyway, I made my way around, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Ueno, Akihabara, to grab as much gifts as possible. It was quite a fruitful day since I managed to get something for Shu, Q, Anais, Pangster, Merv. I tested out some office suits but the price just turned me off: at that price, I shouldn't be bothered to bring it back, instead, I should be buying in Singapore (Raoul, here I come)

Dinner was with Katayama (yes, that Katayama Susumu who stayed over at my house and informed me of THAT tennis camp) at his house. We planned to go to the tennis camp together the following morning and so, it is only logical for me to stay over at his place. As his Dad was based in Shanghai (since he knew Chinese), dinner was just the 3 of us. It was then that I tasted my first drop of alcohol in 4 months and we retired early at 12midnight, after setting the alarm for 5.30am

So Fukusho's place (Day 1), 漫喫 (Day 2), Godma's house (Day 3), Katayama 家 (Day 4), I was a homeless man