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Published: June 30th 2009
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Well today has been a long day. It was 5am when we left the Coast and had an uneventful (thank God) trip down to Brisbane airport. The flight left pretty much on time at 8.45am and we were pretty impressed with the service of JAL. We checked in using the web the day before and picked our seats. Justin got to sit by himself. We were fed a few times on the flight and generally well looked after. We arrived at Narita airport about 5.15pm and had to take a airport limousine (read bus) to the terminal.
Once through customs we purchased the Nex and Suico cards we would be using the next couple of days. The Nex is used to take us from the airport to Tokyo and the Suico card is used on the Tokyo metro system. You swipe the card going onto and off the platform and it deducts the appropriate fare. So easy and convenient. When boarding the train you line up behind the indicator on the platform floor and wait for the train. When it arrives you step to the side to allow passengers off and then get on the train. So orderly and calm.
By the time we got to Shinjuku station it was past 8pm. We were tired and stressed so decided to take a taxi to our hotel. Bec's first chance to speak the language. She asks the driver to take us to our hotel and he stares at her blankly and says something about ABC. Not off to a great start. I take out the paper with the hotel address that I had translated on google and we get more blank stares and stuff we can't understand. So next I take out the map the hotel had sent me and showed it to him. He takes out his magnifying glass and has a look....... my god this man is driving a taxi....... Soon he says hai hai hai (yes yes yes) and we breathe a sigh and head off. He finds the place with little difficulty.
we are staying on the edge of the red light district and as with all things Japanese - this is done in a polite and discrete way. We have not been bothered by the sprookers outside the clubs and there is certainly nothing offensive to see at street level.
Bec checks us
First of many vending machines
These things are everywhere. I am yet to see anyone use one but they must into the hotel in Japanese and we are soon in our room. We are pleased with the hotel although the rooms are small by Australian standards. We don't intend to spend much time in our room anyway.
Although really tired - we head out to get a bite to eat and the first place we find that we understand is KFC - so that's what we eat. We scoff down burgers and fries that cost us over $30 and head back to the hotel somewhat satisfied. Love my KFC. Bec gets a Baskins Robbins on the way back.
When we open Bec's suitcase, the clothes inside are wet. Wet from what i don't know but there is a crisis. I still cannot find the source of the moisture and the outside of the case is dry so it has to be something she packed. I hang the stuff up and hope for the best. Should be dry soon.
We head off to bed - tomorrow the fun starts
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