Meet downstairs for 10, get some breakfast which I am finding difficult to eat as I am still not feeling 100%. I manage most of it, then we head out to Tiananmen Square, which is just about a 10min walk from the hostel. It's a particularly good day today, blue skys and the sun is beating down. High 20s so a significant step down to what I have been used to, which is nice. As with everything in China, when we get to the entrance we have to go through security and ...

When I got in last night, there was someone sleeping in my bed. You can imagine the confusion as I stumble in drunk, to find a body in my bed. Luckily there was another bed free, so I just crawl in to that. Obviously some mix up with the bunks. ----- So I got woken up early by people leaving the room. So I was kinda up at 10, which was a pain in the ass, but what can you do. I wasn't a big fan of my new city yesterday. Different vibe about the place, people sta...

Full day of travelling! Can't wait. I was also interested to see Osaka airport after Phil tells me it looks good. Unfortunately as I come across the bridge to the island, I notice nothing spectacular. Let down Phil! False intel! ----- So it's on with trying to find where to go, when I do I'm there so early that I can't even check my bag in, I have to wait half an hour. As soon as I get it checked in I go straight through security, don't want to be leaving that ...

There is not really anything else I'm going to be spending my money on here in Osaka, good food and good drink. That's what Osaka has in spades. I toyed with the aquarium, but I've spent quite the bit of money in Japan as it is, I'm also not sure I'm sufficiently interested to pay £20. Bob and I head out for lunch, back to Namba for some more yakatori! We got it off one of the stalls in the street where we got to see the guy making it. It was pretty cool to see ...

Not too early a rise this morning, in fact I'm only woken up by a new arrival in the dorm, Bob from Holland. We get to chatting and he has been travelling for a year now, workin in Australia, just booked a 3 week trip to Japan. He is up for heading out tonight so the 3 of us will probably head in to town. I mention that I'm going to go to Kobe today, and he offers me his JR rail pass. Do you know what that means? That means I can take the Shinkansen!!!! For free!...