Published: June 27th 2007Asia » Japan » TokyoJune 27th 2007


"Go on - hit it son!"
Cav demonstrating his event-winning technique (note the slightly bent knee so his is ready to spring into action at first sight of a wee croc)
Words cannot describe... Went up to the viewing platform of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office. View from the 45th floor? Meh - Tokyo's not a pretty city. Went to the Imperial Palace; the only part open to commoners is the East Garden. Looks like the walls of Canterbury. Only new. Verdict: meh. Not getting much outta Tokyo - I'm ready to leave but the Furlongs wanna persevere. I'm not convinced we'll penetrate Tokyo's ultra-civilised veneer and sample it's real character - I'm not sure it has one. Tokyo is too busy being Tokyo and completely ignores us. Example: Stace tried to play chicken with a late night salaryman as they both followed the yellow brick road that separates left from right pedestrian lane. The salaryman politely sidestepped. In the words (almost) of the the Big E - Stace kept on walking. Stace kept on walking.
Bored, we went to a theme park, pummelled a punching machine (Stace won), bashed plastic crocs with a foam mallet (Cav won) and slapped silly an air hockey puck (Cav won under protest from Stace). Festivities concluded, appropriately enough, in a glorified padded cell - an "It's a Knockout" style inflatable obstacle course


Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
Mr Kieron and Cav (4 rows from the back) wail with pleasure as the roller-coaster roars through a hole above Tokyo's equivalent of Debenhams, almost decapitating them in the process.
complete with guffawing Stuart Hallesque commentary from yours truly (who also thrashed the Furlongs in the time trial). Pumped up, Cav and I braved the super fast "Dolphin Drop" old skool cola-roaster (rollercoaster) - a proper rattle trap beasty that freewheeled up to 130kmph around the claustraphobically tight inner city route. We squealed our heads off - fantastic! Knock kneed Stace abstained from participating, the scaredy cat.
Had tempura for dinner - damn, you don't get much food here, especially if you're veggie. It's style over substance. Stace and I are perpetually hungry.