Well what can I say – the flight was pretty good, nice plane, ate a Japanese/Italian meal on the plane with chopsticks and had a fry-up when we woke which I also ate with chopsticks as it was served with chopsticks and knife & fork. Drank Japanese beer called Yebisu which was really smooth and tasty too.
Got off the plane and was immediately hit with warm, wet heat. Not as bad as I had prepared myself for though surprisingly. It was 32 degrees centigrade and 70% humidity – it’s really sunny and pleasant but you do sweat a lot with just doing everyday tasks like walking. The toilets are weird and cool, in the airport there were urinals, a normal toilet, a cubicle with a hole in the ground and a toilet with electronic controls!?!
Got a bus from the airport to Shinjinku district – a very posh boutique/business type area with loads of skyscrapers which took us about 1 ½ to 2 hours to get to from the airport but there was an Irish guy called Dave who was chatting to us all the way letting us know what to expect on the Orientation. Were staying in the Keio Plaza, a 5 star hotel for 3 days so were pretty chuffed! Made friends with a group of 5 or 6 people, one guy in particular called Joe from Rochdale (basically next door to Bury where I was born) turns out he’s my room mate too so were just chilling in our room on the 18th floor listening to music and checking out the view of Tokyo while I write this and he experiments with the bum washer on the electric toilet! He seems pleased with the results.
The one thing I must mention is how organised and calm the Japanese are. Everything just runs so smoothly and everyone is so polite and charming. Also I didn’t see one bit of graffiti on the way here – it’s so clean. I asked Dave the Irish guy why it was so clean and he said that at 3.30 or 4pm everyday all the kids at school clean their whole school from top to bottom and they are taught from an early age to look after their environment.
Anyway can’t spend too much time on this laptop. Were off to meet the posse on the top floor (roof with a pool) for a swim and a few beers. Nothing on tonight so off out to eat in Tokyo after. Tomorrow is up early, lectures and workshops all day and a party at our Embassy in Tokyo. (Apparently the British Embassy is one of the few do this). Next day is much of the same but ending with a Karaoke night out (all you can drink for 2 or 3 hours for €25) with all the peeps from my Prefecture.
So far Japan rules! :o)
PICS:
Andy Amy and I Drinking on our Prefectural night out in Tokyo
View of Shinjinku District
Restaurant/Bar in Tokyo
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