Tokyo, Kanto, Japan
Thursday, May 20, 2010
I don't know if
I'm going mad or if I've dreamt this whole trip up and am about to wake up because it's so difficult to believe that this is really happening to me. I
must be dreaming. Chatted to some nice people at the hostel before I checked out at about 9.30 am, and dragged my luggage through the rain and wind (!!) to the subway. Thought I'd leave my luggage in a locker at Sapporo station until my train at 17.12, as it's probably worth the fee not to have to lug in around any more than necessary. Then I went off to meet up with my new sapporo friends, Shuichi, the very talented guitarist from Brits Beat Club, Razou and Schwartz. First they took me to Sapporo TV tower but Shuichi surprised me by paying our entrance fee, which I thought was a very kind gesture. We got a great view of the city, from Odori Park to the snow-capped mountains on the horizon. Then we walked around some most tourist sites and went for our sushi, at a really posh restaurant, and it was delicious, not like any sushi in the UK, only shuichi paid for our meal again!!! And it was really expensive, about 10 plates!!! I couldn't take it in at all. Next we looked at a few more scenic spots, and stopped off for coffees, shuichi bought me some 'jam tea' which is, yes, tea with jam in it. it tasted sooo good. We
really need it in england! And still he wouldn't let me pay anything! We went to the shops and found HMV, and I was bought a japanese band CD and the studio ghibli soundtrack!!!!! wowwwwww!!!!! And it was really expensive too.
THEN he got me a matcha (green tea) latte, really tasty, and some cookie, and after that some green tea bags to take home too! He refused every yen I tried to pay, it's just staggering how lovely the whole thing was. I was quite heartbroken to bid farewell to everyone and I've had an extraordinary time; I'm desperate to come back to sapporo and bring some gifts from england (mind you, there's not much you CAN'T get in japan). DOMO ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!!!! I don't know what else to say. Bought a bento box for the train (yum-tastic by the way) and guess what? I dropped my ticket in the station again!!! Only this time they found it just before the train left (dead important as it's an expensive reserved overnight one I
couldn't miss). It's mind boggling how efficient and hard-working the Japan Rail staff are. They certainly seem to know me now, as the girl keeps losing her tickets haha.It's so odd travelling by sleeper train, I'm in a kind of capsule with a bed/seat, table, cubby hole, extremely random music playing, and there's a lounge some way down the carriages, but everything's in japaese. It's difficult moving around too, and I'm not sure if I can use the shower in the morning. Dry shampoo to the rescue perhaps? Urgh gtting a bit motion sick now, I'll wrap up by saying I've spent the last couple of hourstalking to a nice british couple about anything and everything, and I'll probably see them in the morning too. My rail pass has also been sent to me!! Huge thanks again, awesome JR people! But biggest thanks to Shuichi, come visit england!
Louise xxxx
