Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Hi everyone!!!! Sorry for keeping you waiting, this is the first time we've been able to write a blog, various computer problems etc etc!
Japan is amazing, loving every minute of it!! We thought New York was impressive but the whole atmosphere here takes it way beyond anything America has to offer!!
Getting here was a nightmare! First of all our plane to Tokyo gets cancelled so were re-routed via Shanghai in China with a promise of a flight to Tokyo as soon as we get there. After we've rushed through immigration, collected our luggage and ran to the check in counter with our rucksacks on our backs (all within our one hour time limit) we find out that we dont even have seats on the plane... the attendant back at heathrow forgot to book us in!! so then we're stuck there until a connecting flight with three spare seats becomes available, we were told we might even have to stay the night in China (quite an inviting prospect, especially after 24 hours of no sleep!)...eventually we got a flight to Tokyo and arrived late evening on Sunday.
The next day we went into Shibuya, one of the major centres of Tokyo (where the likes of Paris Hilton have been spotted many times!) however we were just found wandering as we dont have any money to spend let alone space in our rucksacks for a new wardrobe! Our spirits were dampened further when we discovered we were fat, ugly brutes next to the stunning petite Japanese girls. Everyone of them was clad in their current winter fashion: hotpants even smaller than our white shorts (we didnt think that was possible), thigh high socks and 5 inch heel stillettos. There was us in our five layers of clothing (its freezing cold by the way) about twice the size of most of the popuation (Laura three times)
On Tuesday we used every form of transport possible!!! We took a taxi to Tokyo station, a train to Shibuya, a subway to Odaiba (an area of reclaimed land, that's a big tourist attraction with museums, a waterpark, shopping etc!), a boat to Asakusa, a train back to Shibuya and then a bus home! In Asakusa we saw a traditional street market and visited different shrines. We had our fortunes told here, Martha got the "best fortune" and Nyima just got a small fortune. When we were travelling on the trains we realised that the Japanese just fall asleep on the trains but still manage to hop off on the right stop, took a couple of rather humerous photos!
We had a lie in on Wednesday then went to Ginza at night. this is a mix of Bond St, 5th Avenue and Times Square.... Huge buildings, bright lights and big names! We went into a 7 story Gucci store for a little shopping spree before dinner! The staff there were extremely suspicious of us in our hooded jumpers and huge bags... we were followed around the whole time! We then went for a Korean Barbeque with Martha's old Japanese student. It was fan-blooming-tastic!! We had our own barbeque in the middle of the table and were given raw ingredients to cook with...set fire to the pork quite a few times!!!
We're setting off to Hiroshima on Thursday to start our independant backpacking!
We'll keep you updated from there!
x x x
- comments