Day 160 in Japan - It's the Most Lastest Day of the Year

We didn't really have many solid plans for today and one of them got ruined strait off the bat, when the man who works at the Ace Inn capsule hotel that we are staying in checked with the Tokyo Edo Museum to find out that it was closed for the whole New Year period. Instead, we walked towards Shinjuku to find some breakfast, caugt some subways to Akihabara, and nerded it up a bit. The boys went of to look at some electronics, while Fiona, jodes and I explored some of the anime shops. We got kebabs for lunch at a roadside stall, then went to a Maid cafe for dessert. It was called ぱぱぷれ or something like that. It was a little creepy - they stir your tea for you, and we listened to a few groups do some voice recording with the maids. Not in itself creepy, but the piece that was recorded involved the maid being late for something, and being out of breath and panting. By the fourth time we heard it, I couldn't keep a straight face anymore, and while we listened to the creepy panting and there was a girl stirring my tea for me I couldn't stop myself laughing (I think I confused the poor girl).

The next thing that we wanted to see was the last sunset of the year from Tokyo Tower. We were really lucky to have a lovely clear day, and watching the sun set behind Mt Fuji was pretty special. Particularly when we know that that is the last sunset of the year. We looked at the Battleship Yamato exhibition stuff at Tokyo Tower, and headed back to the hostel for a rest before heading back out for dinner, drinks, and to ring in the new year.

We headed out of the hostel at about 8 to meet some of Simon's friends in Shibuya. I got to see the scramble crossing and Hachiko. Simons friends were a couple from NZ - Abbey and Jamie. They were really nice, and once we had met up we all headed to the Aldgate English pub together. They had over 20 beers on tap, from Old Speckled Hen to Rogue Amercan Amber Ale to Harry Porter to Fucking Hell (so named for a town in Austria, and Hell, the German name for a blonde beer). I had a blast hanging around int he pub for a few hours, explaining the genital-resembling character Corridor from the Australian kids TV show Plasmo and eating "the best fish and chips in Tokyo". 

We decided to journey out to the scramble crossing for new years, which was definitely a unique experience. It wa quite scary to be in sub a pushing, surging and totally crowded area. It was like a mosh pit without music. I ended up seeing in the New Year squashed up against a lovely lesbian couple from Norway and France and the wall. Afterwards, a Turkish family who live in Tokyo taught me to say Akememashite omedettou gozaimasu post midnight, instead of the Yoi Otoshio that you say to wish someone a Happy New year before midnight. 

We walked up the hill with a stop for some Red Bull en route to get to the club du jour - Womb nightclub in Shibuya. Checked in our coats and spent a few hours dancing to mostly house, but also a little dubstep. Met a very wasted Japanese Olympis snowboarder in the bathroom, a bunch of random gaijin club buddies, and Rob owes me 1000 yen for betting that a Texan dude was British. It was quite fun, although it got very hot at times, and on the top floors the walls were quite damp. We called it quits at about 3:30 and walked back to Shibuya station to catch a taxi back to Akenonobashi. Got into bed at around 4:20. Lovely new year, with only one potentially deadly situation - WIN!

Food Highlight of the Day : Beer and fish and chips.

Day 159 in Japan - This is How I Roll(ercoaster)

The overnight bus ride went OK, but I didn't really sleep much. The bus hit another bus at the last rest stop, so we left about an hour late, but still got into Shinjuku almost the right time. We got Maccas for breakfast from a really overcrowded Maccas right by Shinjuku, then headed to the station to drop off our bags in coin lockers. Then web tried to find where we could catch a bus to Fuji Q Highlands, and totally lucked out. We were lucky enough to find just the right person, who helped us all buy cheap transport and amusement park tickets together to leave on a bus that was going in 10 minutes. It all worked out perfectly. 

So we got on our Gundam themed bus and headed up into the mountains to see Mt. Fuji. Well, actually, to NOT see Fuji, as the case was, as it was shrouded in cloud the whole day. But you could see how big it was, which was pretty impressive. As were the roller coasters at Fuji Q! We could see them as we were driving towered the place in the bus, and by the time we hopped off, we were rearing to go! And we went...

All the way to the first queue of the day, where we lined up for just under 3 hours to ride the worlds tallest (continual loop, traditional style) roller coaster (in 1997). But it was the best roller coaster I have ever been on! It went so fast, and it really felt like this huge free fall. We also went on a roller coaster with no carriages, with seats that swivels around vertically. It was also really brilliant. We rode a few other smaller rides, and I froze my hands off on this one where you sat on swings that spun around and went way high up in the air. Then it started to snow! The temperature had been falling all afternoon and while we were waiting for ouir last ride f the day, the snow came. Slowly at first, then heavier and heavier. Eventually, they closed down the rides, and so we headed off to find something else to do. Jodes, Simon and I all ended up ice skating for about 25 mins in the snow before we had to head out to catch our bus back to Sannomiya. 

Retrieved our bags, headed on the Toei Shinjuku line to Akebanobashi and found our hotel for our Tokyo stay - the Ace Inn. I was just thinking (during my 100 yen paid shower) that I couldn't have stayed in more contrasting places for our stay in Tokyo. With Aaron and Corey, it was all cushy luxuriousness, and now here I am sleeping in a wooden capsule and paying for showers. Its not better or worse, it's just different. Left our bags, had an izakaya dinner and made some rough plans for tomorrow. Now totally buggered, but  half of the JET community is staying at this capsule hotel, so I'm off to meet up with some people. 

Food highlight of the day: the service charge at the izakaya we went to for dinner was a delicious and fresh salad. Which I ate with Gyoza :)

Day 158 in Japan - Packing and BUS!

Today I had my last rest day of the holiday period. I packed my bag to get ready for the big trip tonight, and spent time with Sam for the last time in 9 days. It took me WAY too long to pack my bag - I kept putting in and taking out various bits of stuff.

Eventually, I rugged up against the cold and headed out with my giant bag (I only have the bag that I came to Japan with). I met Jodie and Carl at the station, and we walked down Flower Road to the departure point for overnight buses from Sannomiya. Picked up our tickets, loaded up our bags, and then hopped on for the 8 hour trip to Tokyo. We left at about midnight,  with my iPad loaded up with QI, Harry Potter books and Japanese study apps.

Ready to hit the road with Jodes, Carl, Fiona, Simon and Rob.

Food Highlight of the Day: Farewell eggs on toast dinner with Sam.

Day 157 in Japan - Bri Goes to the ENT (and school)

Today was the last day of school for 2010, and I had my first use of my daikyu (accumulated leave). But it wasn't for a fun reason - I had to go to the doctor to get some antibiotics for a sinus infection.  My first doctor experience was an interesting one. First, I went to the address I had been given for a doctor that speaks decent Japanese to find about 6 places that all looked like doctors surgeries to me!

My last stamping of the attendance book for 2010!

I went to the one that looked closest to my target dot in Google maps (thankyou again, iPhone), which turned out to be a gastroentereologist. He referred me next door to the otolaryngologist, which was lucky for me, because the reason I needed antibiotics was for a suspected sinus infection. I am not used to being able to walk into a specialist office, ask to see a doctor and be sitting in a chair within half an hour. 

It was a bit weird going to the doctor when I had only a minimal grasp of what was going on. He got me to sniff something odd (I guess it affects your mucous membranes?), shoved a camera thingo up my nose, said my sinus was chotto infected, prescribed me antibiotics, put my on a nebuliser thing for 5 mintues and then I left. Buying drugs was also a little different, and the pharmacist came out and sat with me and made sure I understood exactly what pills I should take when. All up it cost about 5000 yen for the doctor visit and the 4 medications he prescribed (overkill much? Antibiotics, antipyretics, pain medicine and something else I can't remember right now) - I think that's cheaper than an Australia trip to the ENT guy.

After all of my feeling crappy and sitting in sick people rooms for hours, I just came home and watched some TV. I finished off all of Freaks and Geeks. It ended up being a really late night, but totally worth it. Freaks and Geeks was a really fantastic show, and I am sad that it finished where it did. I also made some baby booties to go with the hat for my friends baby - while I am doing something with my hands and watching TV, at least I feel like I'm being a little bit productive!

Booties and hat ready to go.

Food Highlight of the Day: Cheap antibiotics.

Day 156 in Japan - Sloth is a wonderful sin

Nothing. So much TV and movies from the couch. A lot of crochet (I made a hat for a friend's baby). Rest. Finally started to feel right again after Christmas.

Baby hat? Or coin storage bowl?

Food Highlight of the Day: Entire contents of the fridge.

Day 155 in Japan - Boxing Day Recovery

Rested all day. Did not leave pyjamas or our house. Watched a lot of TV (Freaks and Geeks, House and QI) - Sam played Terranigma. I finished crocheting my scarf.

Food Highlight of the Day: Leftover mince pies

Day 154 in Japan - メリークリスマス！！

Christmas Day in Japan is an unusual affair. Sam and I woke up with no other family around, and then Sam had to go to work at 10. We made ourselves the traditional Christmas breakfast (Bacon and egg sandwich with tomato sauce), and then Sam headed off while I started making the pastry for the mince pies I wanted to make for our Gaijin Christmas lunch. I made a batch of pastry and a LOT of mess. There was flour all over the kitchen, I used every piece of cookware, the blender, half of our cutlery and ended up with buttery dough up to my elbows. But I eventually got together about 24 mince pies, cooked in two batches in our tiny microwave oven, and they turned out OK - it was a Christmas miracle!

The chaos begins.

Batch number 1, with my awesome Chrismtas hat from Sam's mum (thanks!)

For lunch, I met with a few other ALTs at Jodie's place in Gakkuentoshi (northern-ish, western-ish Kobe). We met Jodie's brother, Carl (the tall blonde dude) who just arrived from Perth yesterday. Jodie made some fantastic sushi (she even made the tamagoyaki - Japanese-style omelette - that is inside the sushi). We played Scrabble - Jodie and Rob are serious Scrabble competitors - and streamed UK radio over the internet, so we listen to England waking up on Christmas day. Jodie has a lovely place, and it was really nice and cosy and a friendly way to feel like a part of a little family on Christmas.

Christmas with the Craig's :)

JODIE MADE THIS. Just casually, like "Oh yeah, I do this all the time."
She just whipped it up out of nowhere.

After a lovely afternoon staying warm with friends, we ventured out into the cold again. This time we headed to the Hobgoblin - my favourite Kobe English-style pub. They were doing a turkey roast dinner, and so a group of 12-13 of us met up for a traditional Christmas. Well, traditional-ish. The dinner was fantastic, the company was great, and to top off everything... we had a White Christmas. It started to snow while we were eating dinner, so we watched snow whirling and dancing outside the window while we ate turkey and drank cider, and talked and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Christmas Dinner.

Merry Christmas night!

A real white Christmas.

The Hobgoblin at Christmas.

Some of my dinner companions - Carl, Nao, Deyi, Hiro-chan and Rob.

After dinner, we went for one last traditional Christmas pursuit - Christmas karaoke. We sang all kinds of Christmas carols and Christmas pop songs (All I Want for Christmas, Last Christmas etc.). Then we headed home on the train. If you want to keep the thoughts of a Happy Christmas in your head, skip the next paragraph...

Christmas Charaoke Chrew!

OK, that one last Christmas event... I caught the train home with most of the people in that picture above. We were chatting all the way back on the 40 minute train ride from Kobe, and I started to feel a bit uncomfortable and hot. I undid my jacket, but by Akashi (two stops from our house) I felt really crappy. I didn't want to get off, because it was the last train. So I told Sam I felt bad, and put my arm around him. We got to Nishi-Akashi (one stop from our house), and I thought "only 4 mins to go". 3 minutes to go. 2 minutes to go. And then I felt dizzy and don't remember anything until I woke up like I was waking up from a dream. I was sitting on the floor of the train, and everyone was looking horrifiedly at me. I had fainted, slumped down on the floor and started twitching. Then I realised the last, horrifying detail. My pants were wet. I had wet myself. A lot. It was running almost the entire length of the carriage. Thankfully the doors opened to our station right then, so I muttered a goodbye, assured my friends I was OK, and ran off the train. I have never had a more embarrassing thing happen to me EVER. I felt shaky and bad, and it was a crappy ending to a lovely day.

So overall, it was a nice Christmas, but a little weird. I missed my family and friends, and Australia. But I was lucky to be surrounded by lovely and caring (and concerned) friends. It was a nice reminder that everywhere there are nice people, and that my life here is pretty happy. With patches of weirdness.

Food Highlight of the Day: Roast Turkey Dinner.