12/10/13 - the final day

Again in actually partially writing this from a toilet. In going to miss these things so much. My hostel or backpacker hotel has just normal toilets or squatters. I mean I'm not an animal! So I started my day with yet another sleep in, woke up at 9ish as opposed to 7 like I set my alarm for. I got to the showers and actually it was pretty new compared to everything else. But I skipped breakfast at the hostel because for 300¥ you get toast and a boiled egg. So I just went to family mart for some food. I think I hear a female in this toilet...the fuck? Anyways so I ate whatever it was, I think some butter thing and so I went to the shopping centred nearby. They all have free samples. I tried a $10 apple. I'm still not sure why it's $10 because to me it just tasted like a normal apple. I then went over to the other shopping centre after cursing the information board which had information in English but everything else in Japanese. So I walked around and saw a girl band called 9nine playing. High security and all that jazz and then the guys dancing along. Salarymen dancing! What. The. Fuck. On top of that, I saw a guy wearing a grey suit. They all wear black suits and white shirts. It's practically their own uniform.

Anyways so I'm taking my time here because it's almost 12 and I apparently need to try Mos Burger and I just found one here. And just so you know, the water pressure on the toilet I just used was either light and couldn't feel it, or water torture of the anus.

On my way to finding Osaka castle I noticed there were a lot of guys in the park surrounding the castle. They all had one thing in common, they were trading pictures of what seemed to be girls in just their...intimate clothing. They were all giggling and having a good time. I mean hey no doubt they would.

Finally in the Caslte I realised that it's by far a hollowed out structure with a boring museum inside. Eh. Waste. There was an annoying Amercan, (I know right, again?!) who was telling his friend how the US has adopted all these different customs and types of government, social an economic ways over time and it's mainly from the 19th century when this all occurred. Dick. Your government just shut down. I had to walk off because he was giving me the shits, all I wanted to see was the goddamn model of the Osaka castle. 

Once I got out of the "Caslte" I saw a guy with his three little dogs. They all had costumes on and one had glasses. They were no bigger than my forearm. Tiny little things. 

I got my way back to the hostel when I realised that the shopping centre I went to today is apparently Japan's tallest building at 300m tall. It's amazing how nice it is, in a shit area and it's that tall. So I walked around back to the hostel and kept walking. I saw all these little karaoke bars and people in there by themselves singing. Horrible horrible voices.

I'm finishing writing this in my room, I realised that I'm as tall as wide as this room I'm in. How about that! Head to toe, wall to wall. Could fit a few of me in here.

So I had a nap again, how on earth did I do contiki!? I'm so stuffed after two weeks. Then I went to reception to ask where I can eat whale meat. The guy said to me it was the first time anyone has asked him and he will need to research online. First time!? WHAT? Sorry. Sorry I offended you. He said only people over 40 will eat whale meat. Well fuck. I just ate raw beef. I even ordered a beer and sake and seriously that was the worst choice. The girl taking my order was confused why I wanted two drinks. Now I see why. Anyways I had deep fried cheese.

And this is where I leave my traveling. Tomorrow I leave early for my flight to be home in Melbourne at 9am Monday. It's Saturday night and it feels like I have a pointless 11 hours of flying. Because I arrive at KL airport at 5pm and leave at 10pm. I couldn't last 3 hours at Dubai airport. How can I do 5? God help me. 6 hours flight, 5 hours of nothing at an airport and 8 hours again flying. Gotta love cheap and indirect flights. 

11/10/13 - Osaka

My morning started off with me sleeping in again. But hey...I'm on annual leave. So I went to eat breakfast thinking crap this is going to be awesome having potato salad again, I love the mayo they use. Nope nope. It was macaroni salad...covered in mayo. Let me tell you, it goes down like a treat when it's with orange juice. So I went back up stairs to pack my bag and dash and mum messages me with some lady got shot dead in sunshine. No surprise there but she actually said for once that I don't need to be told to be careful. That's right worrying wog mother. You be careful.

So I got the tram or streetcar, whichever you prefer, to Hiroshima station. Grabbed the next train to Shin-Osaka and sat my fat ass down. What I love here is that even old people have mobile phones and they're like teenagers, so absorbed into them. So on the train this couple are looking for a seat together. I took the last two spare seats together before I saw them and the bitch gave me the death stare. Well fuck your seat. Hope your break up.

I arrived in Osaka, somehow got a train to my Hostel, or as it's known, backpacker hotel. Or as you can see, tissue box sized room...

I walked into the room and thought when the hell did I book this? I thought I got the western room. Whatever. I actually couldn't care less. I'm the guy who will sleep anywhere. Just not on a car, bus, train or plane. So give me a Japanese bed in a room 3 tatami mats big and I'm happy. Kind of.

I thought at this point what is there to do? I know! Grab lunch. So I walked the streets and realised holy crap I'm staying in the scummiest place ever. Bums everywhere and I feared it was going to be like Paris all over again. It's fine though because the Japanese are so polite. I mean even watching tv last khht they bow as they open with the news headlines.

I got the train back to Osaka or Udeno station. Grabbed some lunch at the first place I saw and I ate eel. Yeah I didn't realised because it said assorted sushi. It was actually really really good though. So on I went to the floating garden. Let me clarify. It's not floating and neither is it a garden. It's an observation of Osaka which is has a lot of roof top gardens. There. Done. Said it.

Then I decided to take a crap as my hostel has normal toilets. Yes, 36 floors above the earth I take a crap on this toilet which has a back rest. A goddamn back rest. Who sits on the toilet that long, they need a back rest?! It even has a music function which is just the sound of the toilet flushing to drown out the poop sounds. I don't care. Hear me poop damn it! 

Then I went to the new shopping centre just outside of the non garden viewing and non floating observation circle. It had a coke shop, the shop I saw Milano with all the clothes in small cubes and a lab shop which was a science type place. Then it had amazing restaurants and stuff. I then went to the station and felt a bit nostalgic when I saw Dimaru shopping centre and best of all, Pokemon centre. POKEMON CENTRE! I went and got a photo in there. The staff just laughed. Eat shit, I'll never see you again silly staff.

I left and got the train back to the hostel and had a nap. Once I got up I went for a walk to Dotorimuri and had Tokonyuki (ocptus balls) along the way. After burning my mouth I got to my destination. After some guy tried convincing me into his bar and inaued the tourist card and couldn't understand him. What, beer? $1? I don't understand. 

I walked around and got some amazing photos of the area and walked back, a total 2 hours walk. I went to the Noya roof top garden and saw some guy grabbing girlfriends tits as she was sitting on him. Ah. So young. You have to learn to be more discrete. But once I got back at 10.30pm from walking random streets I was done. 

10/10/13 - Deer me

I woke up this mornjng and had some potato salad for breakfast, because that seems to be a Japanese dish somehow, see I think Germany and Japan has a lot in common. So I decided to go to Miyajima, you'll know the island if you googled it. I didn't realise that it's all the way over here actually. You honestly can't expect me to know when I've done zero research on this trip. I mean for Europe I did like 9 months worth, even if it were sporadic, it was more than my less than a month worth. To be honest I only got my rail pass and booked my accommodation a week before I left. Anyways the island!

So I got up late. I wanted to sleep early but I kept waking up and slept in during the morning. I went to reception and they had no idea what was going on, I asked how to get to the Island as I read you can use the JR rail pass and it's all included. The girl in reception made me buy a tram and boat pass. Sweet. It was actually a free boat rise for me because of the rail pass. Oh well it was only an extra $3. Then it came to 11am by the time I got to the place. It took over an hour to get there by tram. Like crap it's not like I'm getting the tram to Bundoora. Actually I got into the JR boat not the tram companies boat. I used my innocent travellers look, that card always works.

Did you like that the island itself is considered a god and also that the gate in the water is just sitting there, 16m talk and 24m wide. It's own weight holds it down. It's been replaced 7 times and has been there since 1200. Yep and there's wild but tame deer around the island. I think bears are up the top too but nothing I needed to worry about. I read people can stay for a little or a whole day or two. Fuck that. Up down back and bye. I saw the gate. Saw the deer. Saw the girls taking photos with the deer. Saw the school teachers feeding the deer paper bags. Saw the deers piss in one of my photos. Saw a couple getting married. Saw an annoying American girl kick rocks into a pond with koi fish and no one said anything to her, stupid bitch. Saw a lot of oysters and not many muscles which is what I wanted, so I got octopus on a stick. 

I got the boat and tram back, again more annoying American tourists trying to pay for their tram ticket during the ride. Here it's different. At home you touch on or pay when you get on. Here you pay when you get off and it's a flat rate, generally. That's on the trams. But on the buses you enter through the back door and pay when you exit at the front door where the driver is. So the poor ticket guy had to deal with these fucking annoying Americans. I mean, isn't it enough that you assholes bombed this place?

So I went to the Hiroshima memorial centre and the museum. It was so depressing walking around there. Never have I been to a city that was demolished. I've been to cities that have been attacked by it's own governments, I've been to cities that have burnt, cities that have been bombed by terrorists and been to camps where people have been exterminated. I haven't seen a city where it was absolutely flattened. The devostation is horrific. There were tiles that melted, stone with glass straight through it, twisted iron which were at least 5mm gage thick, clothes of people who had them burnt onto them, fingernails of people who lost them (there was a story of a boy who sucked the pus out of his fingers from losing his nails and he died shortly after, we was in need of hydration), a girl who was sitting at the front of a bank an age just vaporized into the stone. They don't know how many died but it's estimated at 140,000. That was some heavy stuff. I know I went to camps where people died, but it's a different scene again to a city unexpectedly being removed within seconds.

There was a lot of other stuff in the museum about bombs and stuff but it wasn't of interest to me. There were however two little boys who were running around and they actually jumped into the tiny display of Hiroshima before and after. These are big models and they jumped in, the mother freaked out and screamed and hit them. I couldn't help but look. Maybe don't scream so loud?

Anyways later on for dinner, I decided to find some okonimyaki or muscles. I walked for an hour. No English menus. The only English menus were hairdressers. It actually said menu. Then I found some funky weird looking pub. Everything was deep fried, at least from what I could see. There were things like beef uterus and raw chicken skin but I wanted something I wasn't going to vomit over since I wasn't feeling well, hence why I skipped the Hiroshima castle. I just ordered anything that sounded normalish. Prawn, eggplant, pork chops, pork skin, green onion wrapped in "meet", some chin-ui lemon drink, saki (which I still don't know was the lemon thing because I got a glass with clear liquid in it and a lemon slice on the side...then the okonimyaki. I ate as quickly as possible and left. $17 thanks and bye. 

9/10/13 - Kyoto to Osaka in 10 minutes, one hour wait and then to Hiroshima

My choice for this morning was to either go to Nara first thing then travel to Hiroshima or go straight to Hiroshima. Seeming as it was absolutely pissing down when I woke up, I picked the later.

I went to have breakfast but I woke up with a sore throat, possibly from all the smelly shit I've had to deal with in that dorm. The people I've been staying with have stunk really bad, so I just fart my way through it all. Silent ones or not, I don't care, anything to mask the smell. However when I went back up the smell was so musky and strong I actually thought I was going to vomit.

Anyways so I decided to take off and get the train over to Hiroshima and fuck the deers in Nara. Not literally, I'm not that sick in the head yet. I know I wanted to see them, everyone said it's worth it but hey Hiroshima is waiting for me. It's funny because Nik was telling Fujitu San about me going there and he was surprised that other people knew about it. Nik and I were being stupid about it and I asked why what's there to know about the place? We joked how maybe a little firecracker went off and they've made a thing about it. I'm actually really interested to see what the park looks like because I'm staying just a few minutes walk from there. And seeming as it's now clearing up and not raining, things might actually be on my side. It made me realise before that maybe althought I'm traveling, things aren't too bad when it comes to sight seeing because I've never managed to go out for a day and have to cancel plans, they either work out or I work around it.

Anyways so I got to Kyoto station to go and get the 1.5-2 hour train to Hiroshima. Oh I'm sorry, 10 minutes from Kyoto to Osaka by bullet train which is amazing at say the least, take note Melbourbe and feeling, and then a one hour stop at Osaka station seating is as scarce as people's height in Japan. As much asks love to spend almost 3 hours to travel, this isn't my idea of a fast service. However as the lady on the bus said, it took her 10-12 hours by train from Kyoto to Tokyo when she was younger. This makes you wonder that if Japan has a fast rail network, Germany has almost as an extensive network and the rrst of Europe is following, then Thailand is also building it's own fast trains, why the hell has Melbourbe still got a non metro service style train operation called metro and no plans for a fast train service? After seeing all the salary men (that's the guys ways in suits, usually on trains and walking the streets) then why is the worlds second busiest air route not connected by rail? Beats me.

Anyways so funny story. When I was in tongi with Nik there was one guy who was sitting at the train station, a salary man actually, with his pants down playing with himself. Funniest thing. Go Japan.

Anyways so after I arrived at Hiroshima station I went to the hotel motel comfort inn, which I then realised althought it's so close to the Hiroshima memorial, it's a business hotel. So single beds and full or, you've got it, salary men. So anyways I went for a walk, went to get cash out as I'm down to myast 3000¥ and the ATMs all said service is not available. I thought stuff it I'll get some lunch. So I got pasta because it's what I do when I don't see maccas. It was actually pretty good, also the first time I ate salad with chop sticks. So I went to lay and my MasterCard was denied. Cash it is, last 2000¥. I realised after using my card at several ATMs that I couldn't access my money and I just got paid. So I called mum at work and she said she will call the CBA as soon as possible. I walked around Hiroshima memorial park but didn't go into the memorial building because I didn't know what was happening with my cash. I got to the hotel, went to use the wifi in my room and it's not working. So I had to go to the lobby and call home to get this money sorted. CBA was being a massive hassle. Finally after an hour they said go to a post office. I ran over and sure enough the post office ATM worked, but not on my MasterCard. So what. I got cash out. In the meantime I had sent them a Facebook message to call me. An hour later they did just as I got out of the shower. The guy was so helpful but I said I'll see how things go before I call again.

I decided that being 7.30, it's time for a walk in the city. My legs actually feel so tanked after doing all this walking. So I go to the parks where it said on the maps it's famous. Bull. It's full of stray cats. Then got to the red light district. I don't know how I keep finding them. Finally back to the memorial park and got some night photos. Over to 7/11 for some food and up to the room to eat. Thank god 7/11 is next door. 

8/10/13 - How to lose an American family

I woke up early, everyone in my dorm left earlier than I did for some reason and so I decided to eat as early as they serve breakfast and go! I needed to squize in as many places today as possible. So I got to Fushini Inari, this is where I'm sure Jetstar has made an add or two, it seems like the place. But it's an amazing park where there are gates upon gates all lined up one after the other.

So I got into the train, and on jumps an American family. I don't mind Americans, as long as they don't talk loud or attract too much attention. None of which they respected and were loud and annoying. They wanted to go to the gates too and on the train they were talking about getting off at Inari station. However the old lady was a loud bitch and was yelling out how people cherish turtles like gods. Well that was enough for me not to give a fuck about them. Now the park is two station stops outside of the main terminal, Kyoto. We got to the first stop and one of them asked of that's the stop they needed, the girl with them said no it's Inari and it's 30min away from what she's read. Yes, but 30min from where? So we got to Inari, all the tourists got off and I was about to say something to them but thought fuck it, enjoy your 30min trip to Gojo.

I got to the park, super amazing,  I walked as hard and fast as possible to go and see all the gates as possible. I power walked that bitch like there were dragons following me. So I got to the top, covered and drentched in sweat. But it was beautiful. Then it got to going down and there was a sign, exit and it was going up the hill again or there was no sign but it was going down still. So I took the exit, naturally, who wouldn't? Well fuck me sideways. I ended up in some random little village. Serves me right to fuckibg over the Americans. At least they didn't declare war on me.

I found the station, thanks to Google and Apple maps, best things ever. I got to the station and this guy walked up to me an asked if I knew how to get a bus to Tokyo. Hell if I know mate. I said ask information at Kyoto station, seeming as you're going that way. He said no there is no information. So how on earth am I meant to help you out?

I got to the station, found information and asked them how to get to the golden temple. Amazing, they knew how to get there. BY BUS. Thought I was told it would be 14 minutes. Sorry I think she meant to tell me at the information desk it would be 40 minutes. As I was waiting to get on the bus, I noticed a machine to buy tickets. These three Aussie girls went up to the staff next to the machine and asked him if they need to buy a ticket. He said no you pay when you get off. So I asked them and sure enough those lovely girls and I got onto the right bus. We later asked an elderly man who said he would tell is which stop to get off at. So whilst the girls slept, I spoke to the man. He was so nice and really interested in a genuine conversation it was lovely because I've always heard about people being like this here but haven't yet experienced to this degree. We checked out the temple, got a free feed from all the sample foods they had on offer. There was also an instant noodle vending machine, the noodles in a cup. I also FOUD a vending machine for cameras and accessories. So we got to try green tea with gold leaf flakes to go with the theme of the golden temple. It was only 400¥ entry but such a small walk. Anyways I got onto the bus and got off where I thought I had to get off at. As I was talking to the girls they were saying they're school teachers in the Pilbra region and moved from Perth. They had such passion about their work it was fantastic. They were then saying they went from Tokyo to Kyoto then later that day onto Hiroshima and then Osaka. Funny that, same here! Such a small world. I didn't think people would do the same route as me because I did next to no research into this holiday.

So I got off the bus and got to the next stop. The best hung about Kyoto is that it's a grid city, unlike Tokyo. So I asked a lady at the bus stop if I'm going the right way to the imperial palace. She said yes and we spoke the whole way to the palace. I sat next to her and she was so amazingly nice. She said she just came from visiting her first grandchild. I swear these people are great.

I got off at the stop, she was so helpful. I feel bad and don't know how ever repay them. Maybe just a thank you and bow is good enough. I couldn't find the entry I the palace so I walked around the gardens. Funny because you need a permission slip to get in and book in advance. One guy in the hostel said you just go to info and they give you a permission slip...mm okay I didn't see that. But I did find a toilet which was beeping like an elevator and it had a squatters toilet and a sign explaining how to use it then at the bottom it said "good luck!" Thanks!!! I saw a bride and grome though taking photos in the park and some nice things.

Then I got hungry, felt like I needed to eat. So I found maccas. Everyone should know, leave me to my own divices and I'll  maccas anywhere I can find those beautiful Golden Arches. Nothing says Japan like a traditional delecacy - the Big Mac. So I walked past and got sushi from the Family Mart, or I think they call it Fuck here for slang. Anyways I got that and seats are nearly impossible on the streets of Japan. So I found a spot where a homeless man was and sat on the ledge of a building in some random street. Ah traveling...

I carried on and went to Nijito Caslte and walked around there. But on the way I saw a box of free glasses and cups. I swear my childhood Sesame Street glasses were in there. So tempting to reclaim them. I got into the castle and it was a large ground and like no other castle I've see.  Seeming as in Europe they're all stone, this was traditional Japanese with sliding outside walls made from paper and timber. Oh and no shoes inside either. Just like the bed at my hostel, there is an area just outside the bed to place shoes. Like the dressing rooms here. Anyways. I saw a fat bitch trying to walk up stairs. Fuckkkk she was dying I think her face turned purple and she was dying to walk up them. Bitch, 1 minute walk. Get your fat ass into gear. But then as I was leaving there was a snake and I wanted to get a photo of it. I couldn't because the girl it was next to started screaming and it rushed off the snake. Rude. So I had to act like "woah fuck mate" whereas my inner Aussie was like "shit yeah son, a fucking snake! Feed it to the dingos."

When I got back to the hostel I just slept for a bit. Went down to the bar and drank with the same group from last night. Loving the 200¥ beers. We added each other to Facebook and went from dinner. I never knew how amazing Kyoto station looked from up the top. We had dinner, got some photos and headed back to the hostel. Not much of a night life here. 

7/10/13 - Tokyo to Kyoto

Now the backpacking starts. And so did the packing this morning. Struggle! My deal was to fly here with 10kg in my suitcase and I was between 9.9 and 10kg at the airport. I was seriously impressed. Anyways that's not the case anymore. The shopping here is cheap and the quality is good. So after somehow being able to jam pack everything into the bag I thought to myself how the hell did Alicia travel with that for a month last year?! Especially with the amount of shopping she did.

Leaving Niks apartment was a strange and surreal moment, he won't be coming back to Melbourne until he has to leave Japan next year. Although that's not what I wanted to hear, it's what he wants to do and I must respect that. As he explained it was like he was a guest when he came back last time. That's understandable.

So as I set off, the beautiful old lady down the road, Fujitu San was standing out the front. I said thank you to her for all the ice creams and being the lovely lady she is, she gave me things to take on the train to Kyoto. Another mint choc ice cream and custard filled pastry in the shape of fish. Beautiful beautiful lady.

Now sitting in the train I can't help but feel that my holiday, althought I didn't go up close to Mt Fuji, may not be gong to Nara or watching sumo wrestling, this holiday wasn't a holiday from the get go. It was to visit Nik. It makes sense how mum keeps saying a holiday is where you relax. It makes sense that it's not what I see, not what I miss out on, it's not the amazing people you meet and see. It's what you make of it. This is all bringing back such amazing memories of last year, I need not to do this every year to remind myself that life is actually pretty amazing at home.

Now for something a little less serious, everywhere I go I see these Japanese people bowing. For example when the staff get in and out of the cars and between them, they bow. When I got onto the lifts in Tokyo, they'd bow. When I got something from maccas they even bowed. I couldn't help but think how shit my customer service must have been. All I did was "here's your order" and that's it. What a cuntbag I am. Even when staff were going out the back of a shop they would bow and it made me realise the culture is something we need to adopt a bit of.

I got to the hostel and was told that I needed to come back at 3pm to get to my room and to leave my bag in reception. So I did that. But I got a drink and roll at a small store so that there was something for me to at least eat. Then I got to the hostel after walking back eating my roll and realised it tasted like a maccas cheeseburger but it was fish. Eh. 

I got to the room and had a nap thought. Nice room because it was new and had a massive tv in it. Not sure why you'd need that but anyways. It then go to 4 so I enter for a walk and nothing was open. I walked all the way to the Nijito Castle and it was shut but I got some good photos. Even the temples which are all around the streets were amazing at sun set. There was a market which seemed to run for so many streets and it was so beautiful so I walked for most of it. Then I got back I the hostel in time for happy hour and spoke to Britney, Ken and Maddy. We went and got some dinner from the supermarket, 50% off that, 3 beers, only cost me 899¥. That's $10 for 1.5Ltr of beer and a big plate of dinner. We sat outside on the terrace and just chilled until about 11 then went to bed. 

6/10/13 - recovery

*** It was a day of recovery. Not for the alcohol, I'm old enough to be able to maintain that shit, but for my feet. I noticed that the blisters on my left little toe popped so the pain was gone. I just have my right foot wrapped up still.

I slept and slept and slept and Nik and I were meant to go to a picnic for the girls birthday from last night but Nik double booked himself for lunch. I was waiting for an email from Ken, one of the guys from last night and I got it. Wen I headed over to Yoyogi Park my phone decided to be a dick and not dial out. It just kept saying I got a misse call. Because this SIM card you can to dial out it calls you back but in your number. So I just walked. I did see this on the way to the park, I think it's got to have a butcher attached to it. 

When I got to the park my idea was to just find the group, shouldn't be that bad right? Nope. Not bad. Impossible. It was COVERED in people. I had no chance. But I looked and walked around. There was also a nice food festival going on. It was amazing. I got econimyaci (oh look at my bad Japanese spelling) and sat down and this little kid came up to me and started talking to me in Japanese. So cute but sorry kid I had no idea what you were saying.

I got walking around and this stupid Aussie bogan had beer and knocked it and said in his bogan accent he dropped his beer. As he loved his hands he dropped his phone into it. Eh. This is why I hate traveling and seeing Australians. But I've noticed there are a lot of French, heaps of Americans and a few British, Australians and Italians. Oh god they love Italians here.

So I carried on and went and got a gift for mum, she wanted a kimono and so I got it. I told her and she said not to buy anything for anyone else. I don't understand! Anyways it's done. Then again I got a lot of clothes for myself.

Once I got back I managed to call Nik and asked if he wanted dinner. We went for octopus balls. They were so good but so sickening, they were covered in cheese and mayo. We then walked around his area and it's amazing how it appears to be small but everything is openate and everything is everywhere. All the big brands and small local shops. It's amazing. But the best thing is, they're all open late, if not 24 hours. The best thing I found was this jumper though.

We got back as all I wanted to do was sleep. So I did. Two hours later I wake up after a horrible dream where a lady got murdered right behind me and I took a photo and didn't notice she was calling out for help. So I woke up feeling absolutely helpless and horrible. Then Nik took it upon himself to share some ghost stories. Fantastic. What I wanted. But we watched some YouTube or horrible Japanese shows and it was a great D&M we had. Something we haven't done in ages.