Well, we had quite the adventure today!!! It cost us about an arm and a leg to get up to the Japan Alps, but we decided it was something we`d never do again and therefore worth it. Cost so much because first we had to take an onsen town called Hirayu, and then another bus to Kamikochi, the base town for hiking. The second bus was JAMPACKED, not only were all the seats full, but this ingenious little vehicle had seats that folded down into the aisle as well! The J...

I just got out of the onsen, or hot spring bath, at our hostel in Hakone, after a very long day! The onsen is indoors, with a view of a little garden just outside, and is deliciously, almost unbearably, hot. Water trickles serenly into the stone tub, and the steam rose both from our skin and from thge cloudy water. It is all so exquisitely japanese! We woke early from our capsules this morning, and made our way (collosal backpacks like turtle shells attached, no...

After dropping off our giant backpacks at the Capsule Inn, we walked down to the Musical Instrument District in Akihabara, having just found out that Johnny got into Swinburne Uni neither of us could wipe the grins off our faces - I am so very proud of him! We went into about a billion guitar stores, sent him to a little Johnny-heaven. In one place he found some slidy-type guitar that is apparently quite rare (and played by Sir Butler) so he wet his pants over th...

Tonight we stayed in a Capsule Inn in Akihabara Electric Town. The basic idea of a capsule inn is when you miss the last train home you have somewhere to stay for cheap. They even sell clean work shirts at the reception! As I lay in my capsule, I thanked God I am not a tall person!The capsule is long enough four about 30cms extra space above my head, though wide enough to comfortably fit two of me! When I opened my locker, I found two towels, a kimono style nigh...

So we made it - onto Phase Two of the Gooba Gap Year, as Johnny declared. It was quite intimidating to be met with such a rush of japan - really slapped us in the face - but it was almost too easy getting to the hostel! I guess I was expecting something to go wrong, but we arrived without a hiccup! We are staying at the Sumidagawa Youth Hostel in Asakusabashi - and it is such a cute littleplace! NOt half as nice as the hostel we stayed in last time, but decidedly...