Whenever someone of a different culture offers to cook dinner, I get excited. I mean really excited. During my time in Japan I ate dinner with two Japanese families in their homes. They were both amazing, but one had an extra, little twist.
There’s a link on Boing Boing to some awesome fashion from the Harajuku district in Tokyo. These people officially gather every weekend, but it’s not uncommon to see toned down versions on the streets pretty much every day. From the few times I’ve seen these people, I’ve gathered that they really enjoy cameras. I guess if I spent as much time and money on a costume as they do I’d probably want to show off too.
Here’s a link to the gallery.
I just looked up where the bottle of wine we were given came from. It’s a nice french $70/bottle margaux. I’m having a great time thinking about Melissa and I wandering around Tokyo drinking from a $70 bottle of wine at 4:30 am.
Thank you tattooed, possibly convict English men.
Aaron wasn’t quite ready for me to stay with him last night so I just spent the night in a hostel. I’m continuing my stay where Charlie and I stayed a couple of nights. It’s a really nice place for a hostel, but last night was my realization why I don’t like dorm-style housing with strangers. I have no problem sleeping through their noise when they come in at all hours, but there’s inevitably the one person who can’t handle my noise when I get up early. Maybe it’s just part of the hostel experience, but I still feel bad about it.
Tonight I get to stay with Aaron in his apartment that’s slightly bigger than his body. I don’t know where I’ll sleep.
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We were determined not to fall asleep at 4pm so Charlie and I went for a walk down to a temple. It was a nice walk down a very narrow road. I’m not sure if the people were crossing the street in front of us out of fear or just because the sidewalk was non-existent. Either way it made me feel like a big man.
After viewing temples and taking lots of touristy pictures, we managed to somehow order food at a restaurant. Both of us got unagi in a bowl of rice and some beer. It was really nice.
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Our flight was 10 boring hours, but an uneventful flight is a good thing. We slept a lot on the plane so we weren’t completely exhausted when we landed. It’s still really tough to stay awake. It’s after 5am for me right now. I’m surprised I can remain conscious. Charlie passed out almost an hour ago.
We took a few minutes to get ourselves oriented in the hotel before venturing out. There’s a temple nearby so we trekked down to be supertourists. My pictures are still uploading, but I’ll post more about it when they’re done. Suffice it to say that it was a very relaxing and very fun first day. Pictures were taken, food was eaten, and a good time was had by all.
My brain is turning into a thick, soupy substance as I type. It may be time to give in to this nagging desire for sleep.
After a few days back in Seattle, I’m ready to leave again. The next stop on my world tour is Japan. I’ll be traveling with my friend Charlie and meeting another friend, Aaron, and my uncle. Aaron and my uncle live about an hour outside of Tokyo. They don’t live together, however. That would be weird.
We’ll be flying in to the international airport in Narita. It’s a bit outside of Tokyo, but Charlie and I got passes that allow us to ride the trains as much as we want for 2 weeks. They should pay for themselves after a few short trips.
Being in Seattle has really made me realize how much I’m ready to live somewhere else. Maybe it’s the culture shock of arriving home after some time away. Maybe it’s just my own preference. I can’t really tell right now. All I know is that Seattle is really slow. I think I need more stimulation. I also have a strong desire to start things over. I guess that’s why I quit my job, gave up my apartment, and sold my car. The east coast is seeming like a good place to be. I had a ticket to Vienna, but I’m thinking of canceling it now. My reason to go has all but dissolved. Someday I’ll go to Europe, but I’m not sure now is the time.
It’s almost time. I’ll be heading out to Brazil on March 8th. It’s a trip I’ve been planning for months. Brazil is only the first leg of a 2-part trip. The first 7 weeks will be in Brazil fending off transvestite hookers and trying not to get robbed. I’ll continue updating this page for as long as I’m in possession of my laptop and camera. Once I get back from Brazil, I have about a week before going to Japan for a month. It won’t be nearly as dangerous as Brazil, but it will be quite a bit more expensive.
I have about 3 weeks until I leave. The countdown is on!
I'm not a robot.
