During my homestay I took a 3 day trip to Japan's coast and went to stay with my friend Kohei in Tottori. He is at University there, so I was really lucky and able to be a japanese student for a few days...and a teacher! (read about my time with Kohei last year - AND ). I helped teach a few of the English classes with a lady from Zimbabwe. One lesson was on the difference between American English and English English (the correct English). We looked at pronounciation, spelling and what different words there are but for the same thing. [View Full Entry]

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Kobe...this is where I randomly came across this Bluegrass music bar by myself last year, and ended up making friends and remaining penpals with this guy called Kohei who worked behind the bar, and his Dad owned it! (Read about my discovery of it here - ) I thought it would be a good idea if I did a week homestay at his house with his parents above the bar (even though he was not there but at Uni) to experience Japanese life and improve my Japanese! Kelvin came with me to Kobe for the day. Luckily I was able to [View Full Entry]

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Leaving Tokyo, the next stop was Osaka. Kelvin and I stayed in the cutest hostel. It was pretty much like a house, with one open plan room upstairs which had just 6 bunk beds. Downstairs was the shower room and a little living room with a dining table, books, tv, computer, maps, comics... Straight away we met my friend Namiko (Namiko and I last year - AND ). Had some childlike fun on a big ferris wheel...ate at an Izakaya (of course) and had a good old catch up. Our first full day we decided to go to this huge electronics [View Full Entry]

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Last year I did not experience too much of the Tokyo nightlife...so this year, I aimed to see what Tokyo had to offer once the sun set... Night One Met up with my friend Yana from my Japanese class in London and two of her friends. Drinking first at an English pub, Kelvin and I were very much hoping that they served actual pints, which they did but at ridiculously expensive prices. The glass sizes for beer in Japan are so small...I think it may be about them not being able to handle as much alcohol? This is what my Japanese [View Full Entry]

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Most of my time in Tokyo I did not see the sun, however when I could actually see where I was going I made sure I used this time well. One day was spent doing laundry, it was really quite ridiculous. This was where Kelvin and I had a miniscule domestic over a domestic. It was really quite pathetic. Two washing machines. One, lights and colours, the other darks and jeans. The dark one was really full and they were not exactly the biggest of washing machines, so I suggested Kelvin to take out one of his many pairs of jeans. [View Full Entry]

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It has felt really good visiting places that I went to last year, I like knowing my way around (roughly) and things feeling familiar...(Click this next link to read about my time in Kyoto last year! ) My three nights in Kyoto were extremely tiring. Hiring a bike everyday and cycling non stop certainly has had an effect! Although luckily I can sleep through most things...so the hideous snoring in my dormitory did not wake me up...I just had to put my headphones on and listen to The Geoff Show super loud to drown it out before I fell asleep! Day [View Full Entry]

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As most of you know, I have gone back to Japan for one month. From the moment I left Japan last summer I have been thinking about it everyday...and now I am back and feeling incredibly happy! This time my friend Kelvin from school has joined me for 2 weeks travelling. (Click here to check out his blog too! ) Then the rest of my time I will be studying...so this is a very different type of holiday compared to last time where I was on the move for 5 weeks! Plane - Slept for the majority of my 19 or [View Full Entry]

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I am really sad about leaving Japan (yes, the title was a joke). I have had the most unbelievable 5 weeks and the end has just come around far too fast for my liking! My last week has been great though, spending time with all my lovely Nihon-jin tamatchi(Japanese friends). So, 2 days left in Tokyo Japan...what shall I do...go to Disneyland of course! As soon as you enter through those gates your life officially becomes worry free and Mickey Mouse is real... My favourite rides will always be Space Mountain (fast fast roller coaster in the dark amongst many stars) [View Full Entry]

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The train journey was a long one from Beppu to Tokyo...7 hours! Most of which was on the Shinkansen as well...but I suppose it was about half of the country... I finally got to rest my little head in a Capsule Hotel. I had been waiting for this day for ages. It really is a strange but logical concept...just like most things in Japan! The capsule was bigger than I thought...you could actually sit up in it. I really recommend this experience to anyone who is going to Japan...although it is rare to find Capsule Hotels that allow women... I then [View Full Entry]

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Now just incase I wasn't depressed enough from Hiroshima, I decided to go to Nagasaki...the second place to have an atomic bomb dropped on its innocent people. I chose not to go to the museum this time, and just to Nagasaki's Peace Park...no more upset Lucy please! Again I decided to go out in the evening in search of live music. The result of this one was good...found a place called Tin Pan Alley which had a live 7 piece cover band. Was great watching all the drunk business men have a boogie on the dance floor...arms were flying everywhere and [View Full Entry]

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