R & R

So next up was Hong Kong with me mum, which meant I got to be a boy again and enjoy being taken care of for a short time. This was my second time in Hongkers so sightseeing was not a priority. Sleeping, eating dim sum and spending some qt with my laptop... I mean with my mum. She booked us into a nice little hotel on Lantau Island which was nice and quiet. Island life was a nice change of pace from Tokyo.

For the 5 days I relaxed and ate as many cha siu baau as possible and even enjoyed a swim in the South China Sea. I also had a number of small matters to deal with such as getting injections for India and sorting out a few changes to my plane ticket routing. No debauchery to speak of even though Hong Kong has a reputation as being somewhat of a capital of sleaze.

It was very nice to spend some time with my oka-san and sample Hong Kong's finest dim sum (Sydney is still number one) and prepare myself for the chaos of India. I look forward to seeing my good old friend Em and 'do' India as much as one can in a month. I know that if there is anyone to travel Asia with it's Em as she has the necessary skills down to a fine art. Hopefully I can learn from the yogi master herself before my own solo travels commence. Stay tuned...

Hong Kong

Perfect Start (Almost)

My last two weeks in Tokyo were frantic, particularly with trying to make plans and organise a flight itinerary for 19 flights over the next seven months. I think I have squeezed out a good plan, but all plans change so we'll see what happens. It was particularly difficult as I didn't have my laptop which was still in Australia being repaired. Right now I am sitting in a hotel in Hong Kong backwriting all this months posts.

Anyway it all got done somehow, but I had no time to research my first destination; Shanghai. We arrived at the airport more or less clueless with what to do, although Eri had a Japanese guidebook and I knew I had to get to the STA office to organise my flight to Hong Kong. It brought back unpleasant memories of my first arrivial in Thailand, it's not a good feeling arriving in another country without being prepared. In a strange place, where english is not common, carrying luggage around with no one to help you. This time turned out fine actually but just that feeling reminded me how stressful travelling can be if you are not clued in.

We managed to get a cheap hotel in a great spot, right off Nanjing Rd which was nice despite the staff's general unhelpfulness. Thanks to Chin's recommendations we found ourselves at a nice trendy bar next to the Musuem of Contemporary Art after walking around a bit, where we mingled with the expat crowd. Afterwards we wandered into some fashion party next door and helped ourselves to the free wine and food on offer. Sunday was a glorius day, starting off with an amazing lunch at Ye Olde Station restaurant, followed by a trip to the Urban Planning Museum to try and understand the huge beast of a city, then a walk through the 'old town' area, then we saw the Shanghai acrobats show with all the other tourists and finally had a drink on the Bund at Bar Rouge.

Monday was a bit disappointing, as the trip to the famous Oriental Pearl Tower ended up taking too much time. So we had to skip a trip to the artist district of 50 Mogashan Road and one last delicious Shanghai meal to get to the airport on time. Other than that blemish the 2 night trip was perfect. We ate, drank, danced and sight saw a lot in the crazy city and had a great time. Of course saying goodbye at the airport was rough. We don't know what will happen in the future but I definately know it's not the end. It was too good to let it go. I think the 7 months will go quickly, but what will happen after is hard to say; at least we had a beautiful time in Japan, Singapore and especially Shanghai. We should be thankful for those special times and leave the rest to fate, hopefully the future will be even better.

Shanghai

That's a f**king plane ticket!

So here's my itinerary for my trip, all on my round-the-world plane ticket (minus the flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong due to ticket restrictions). Many segments of the trip will be done over land, particularly through eastern & western europe and up the west coast of South America. Some land segments were not by choice but due to the available flight paths (Amman/Paris/Iquique/Sao Paulo). The dates are flexible however the destinations are not.

21/4: Tokyo - Shanghai (JAL)
23/4: Shanghai - Hong Kong (China Eastern Airlines)*
28/4: Hong Kong - Delhi (Cathay Pacific)
31/5: Delhi - Amman (Royal Jordanian)
11/6: Tel Aviv - Budapest (Royal Jordanian)
11/6: Budapest - Dubrovonik (Malev Hungarian)
12/7: Copenhagen - London (British Airways)
18/7: London - Madrid (Iberia)
7/8: Paris - New York (American Airways)
11/8: New York - Toronto (American Airways)
18/8: Toronto - Chicago (American Airways)
18/8: Chicago - San Fransisco (American Airways)
21/8: San Fransisco - Dallas (American Airways)
21/8: Dallas - Mexico City (American Airways)
24/9: Mexico City - Santiago (LAN Chile)
24/9: Santiago - Iquique (LAN Chile)
29/10: Lima - Buenos Aires (LAN Chile)
19/11: Buenos Aires - Santiago (LAN Chile)
22/11: Santiago - Rio De Janeiro (LAN Chile)
1 3/12: Sao Paulo - Tokyo (JAL)

* Not included

(Destinations in italics are transits.)

Key Stats:

- 19 Flights (15 destinations/4 transits)
- 7 & a half months
- 4 Continents (Asia/Europe/North America/South America)
- 370, 000 yen ticket + 100, 000 yen tax ($4700 AUD)
- 1 Broke motherf**ker.

Seeing as I've never been to any of these countries (except Hong Kong) I feel this trip is simply catching up with everyone else and it is more economical to do it all at once instead of as multiple small trips. Fortunately the timing is good for me, having finished my contracts with my schools in Tokyo and I have friends to visit & travel with in every continent (almost every country) and I think 24 is a good age. What I don't have is a huge amount of money but I have enough to get by on a modest budget.

If anyone would like to join me at any particular location feel free. In particular I am in need of a travel buddy in Spain, New York and Buenos Aires (also possibly Rio De Janeiro). Everywhere else I have company but the more the merrier, especially for the rock festival Roskilde in Denmark (early July).

It"s a once in a lifetime kind of deal before I settle down next year. Hopefully I make the most of it and learn & enjoy myself as much as possible, which is not always easy. Wish me luck.

All Good Things...

My Sayonara drinks were actually split over two Friday nights: the Friday of my last weekend and the night before I flew out. Both were just a few drinks at an izakaya in Shibuya with a few friends. My last week of work was fairly normal, just like any other except with a tinge of sweet sorrow.

Japan has been good to me; in my year (and a bit) here I've managed to enjoy my work (for the first time ever), make some good friends (shout out to JIMBO!), get to know a lot of Japanese people, and of course is meet my beautiful girlfriend who has made the whole experience for me so special. But never the less the time has come to leave and move on to other things. Namely travelling for this year, followed by settling down somewhere next. I want to follow through with my plan to visit Europe and South America as part of my 'worldly' education before I settle down somewhere for the long term.

Its time to leave but not move on, my round the world plane ticket will see me return to these shores in December when I can take my old job back or try something else (like find a job back home). At this point I'm undecided, but hopefully by the time it comes around I will have a better idea of what I want to do. In the back of my mind I want to do another month winter camp job in Korea in January to make a bit of money (because I will definately be flat broke). Right now its too hard to say, which makes it hard on Eri but unfortunately it can't be helped. No one knows the future we can only do the best with what we know today.

I should be excited about my 7 month world trip, but it's hard to be at this point leaving so much behind. Even though there is much to look forward to, it's too distant for it to feel real right now. I think what I'm doing is the right thing, but who knows. Someone told me that "you never regret the things you do, just the things you don't do". So in that spirit I'm off to make good on those plans I made many moons ago.

Sayonara Party & Drinks

At Least My Pants Were Dry

Yesterday was the big day, I had heard of Fuji Q Highland not long after I came to Japan and looked forward to/feared the day when I would have to go and put my manhood to the test. The one thing that gave me confidence was looking around at the other patrons of the park who ranged from kids to high school girls to salary-man types to grandmas, which made me think "if they can do it, surely I can". But Japanese people can often be tougher than they look, take the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for example he looks a bit like Yogi Bear.

Anyway, Buri-chan & Aska drove me & Eri, Masa and Buris friend Shun down to Yamanashi near Mount Fuji to get some stress blown away by adrenaline. When I set eyes on the big coasters from the car my hands immediately started sweating which Eri pointed out to everyone for their enjoyment. I was told it's best to go to the main attractions early in the morning so we went to the biggest one Fujiyama first thing in the morning, despite my wishes to go to Thomas Town. Ten years ago when it was built it was the tallest and fastest rollercoaster in the world, while not the number 1 anymore it's still insane and a hell of a way to start the day. The main drop was intense but what is really crazy about this ride is the length. When you think it should be almost over there are another 5 or 6 dips which really push your tolerance capacity. Inevitably I screamed like a girl and Eri laughed in fits at me (not with).

Afterwards I felt pretty good, the first is the hardest so we headed to the next station of insanity Eejanaika which holds the record for the most number of inversions on a ride (14). It's actually called a dimension-coaster because you are harnessed in from the top and your feet remain free to dangle and you move independently of the track (backwards, forwards, in various loops) which is very disorientating and you have no idea which way you are or will be going. The most intense moment comes at the start when after ascending slowly for a few minutes (backwards) the ride comes to its biggest dip which you can only see half a second before you go down it. Its hard to describe but the thing is pure insanity.

After our high voltage morning we spent most of the rest of day on the parks other more tame attractions, including a very amusing 30 minute trip through a haunted hospital with live zombies (Japanese dudes) in it. I think the girls were a lot more scared than the guys, but apparently I pushed Eri in front of me and used her as a shield between me and the zombie but I don't remember it. We wrapped up the day with another go of Fujiyama and me & Eri got the first cart to my (sarcastic) delight and in an appropriate finish to the day I ended up with a combination of spit and nose drippings (it was cold) smeared all over my face with my hair up on ends. Laughs were had (by others), photos were taken and we went home to wrap up another solid weekend of fun.

The last one is gone now which is hard to believe. At least next weekend Eri will come with me to Shanghai which will make it less sad when I go. But still sad indeed.

Fuji Q Highlands

A Disney Weekend

Well it had to be done didn't it? A weekend trip to Tokyo Disney that is... so why not go all the way. Me & Eri left the urban misery of Tokyo for a couple of days to visit the fantasy lands of Disney Land & Disney Sea and staying at the Disney Sea Hotel in between. I didn't know what to expect having never visited any such Disney place but I was pleasantly suprised by how much fun I had. Of course a lot of it had to do with my lovely girlfriend who enjoys the parks equally as much as any of the kids.

There are many false stereotypes about Japanese girls and there are some true ones. I know two for a fact: 1. All Tokyo girls love shopping & 2. All Japanese girls love Disneyland. These are not generalisations but statistical truths.

Disney Sea was up first, which is the newer and more adult-orientated of the two parks (you can buy beer). It is not as large but there are equally as many appealing attractions. Luckily it was not a busy day and ride queues averaged about 40 minutes which is nothing from what I'm told. We did all the main rides and shows and I was suprised to find myself screaming like a girl on the rollercoaster-type attractions much to Eri's amusement.

The hotel was super nice, not tacky at all as you would expect, with Disney images subtly placed in the patterns on the wallpaper, bedding etc; not to mention all the Disney junk you could take home (cups, towels, etc) which excited Eri somewhat.

Disney Land had a lot to live up to, but unfortunately due to the closures of three rides (Eri's 3 favourites), grey skies, the kid-orientation of the park and the outdated nature of some of the attractions (1980's Star Wars anyone) it didn't quite stand up. But after a full weekend of being amused I was happy to head back home for a home cooked dinner.

The weekend was well worth it and one thing to cross off the 'things to do' in Japan list. With time running out quickly there remain a few more things to squeeze in before departure. The thrills from the Disney rides prompted us up the ante and organise a trip to Fuji Q Highland for my final weekend in Japan. The park has some of the biggest and fastest rollercoasters in the world and seeing as I have never ridden a big one before should be quite interesting. Hopefully I don't wet my pants or appear even less manly but it's a definate possibility.

Disney Sea/Disney Land

O-Hanami!!

Spring sees the sakura flower bloom for two short weeks in the year throughout the year, which means it's time to settle in under a tree and drink. The age old practice of hanami is centuries old and the perfect excuse for getting hammered in the middle of the day.

We set up shop in Inokashira Koen, which has to be a contender for one of the most photogenic places in Tokyo. Not too much to tell in the way of stories; we came, we ate, we drank, we left. It was a killer day though, the atmosphere was great I was feelin the love which is rare in Tokyo. I guess everyone is happy to be leaving winter behind and rejoining the sun.

Eri's friends were very hospitable as always and I'm pretty sure Juz had a good time practising his 10-word deep Japanese all day. He has taken to uttering random words from time to time to help him remember them, which often results in him drawing attention to himself and confused looks.

If you can ever make it to Japan in late March/early April I highly recommend it. Last year I missed it because I was in Laos, but I didn't have any friends anyway. I recommend getting some of those too, it makes it much better.

Hanami @ Inokashira Koen