Day 1: After a long bus ride through the center of Tokyo e arrive back at Campus where Kelly lives intime for her to leave for class. So Paul and I wander the street of Kunitachi, taking in the sights and orientating ourselves. After dinner we went to Karaoke and then to the local watering hole for some beers and this weird sweet plume wine. Day 2: Today off to Asakusa, a big red shinto shrine, and lot of market and good thing to buy. In the afternoon we went to the kings palace but we were too late and the grounds were closed. For dinner we went looking in Shinjuko, it was like a Japanese Las Vega but without the gambling. It ued to be the home of the Japanese marfia, and probably still is, but they are less seen these days. Day 3: My Birthday!! Pancake for breakfast and then off to Harajuku where the people stand around in weird punk costumes. Alo shpping and another temple that still had it new year ice carving out. Lunch was deliceous ramen and a telephone call to mum, dad and grandma who happened to be at our house at the time. the a walk to shibuya and to the 40th floor of a fancy shmansy hotel for coctails. Then to hachiko which i a huge apparently famous "postcard" interection. Dinner was another deliceou meal, kelly ate the whole plate of tofu. Day 4: Hiroshima!! Shinkansen!! the two thing (appart from kally and paul) i had been lookng forward to the most. We had a rare great view of Fujisan (the volcano). We found a really nice and cheap hotel at the tourist information place near the train station. A japanese picnic across the river from the A-Bmb dome and then Paul and I went on to the museum while Kelly (like the nerd she is) found a coffee shop to study in. Dinner was Okonomiyaki with the nicest friendliest loudest cook in the world. Ian Thorpe once ate there. My first try of Mr Doughnuts for desert!! YUM!! and paul insists i also say this is where i got some laxatives Day 5: Traditional breakfast was tres good (Pauls words). all sorts of little bowls of stuff. Ferry to Miyajima where we hired bikes to ride to the water gate shrine (Tori shaped). Back on the Shinkansen, with obento for lunch, to Himeji to stop off to visit a 500 year old castle. Kelly's favorite place and I was scared climbing to the top floor. I left the taking photos out side the windows to Kelly and Paul on the 6th floor. Its strange, the 40th floor in Tokyo was no problem but i couldnt go 6 floors here with out feeling like I was going to die. (Paul inserts "first poop!!") Jump back on the Shinkansen and dinner at the train station with an amazing sight I have never seen and may never see again; a longer line at the gents than at the ladies. Day 6: Sleep in!! Kelly decided to skip class at the last minute (naughty girl) to come with us to Oeno. We had Don for lunch, finally, i had heard about Don on the first day and wanted to try since. It is a bowl of rice with mean on top, very plain but this place was deliceous. Then on to Museum of Easturn Artifacts, there was a very litle, very ugly mummy (but we didnt tell him that). the oldest articat we saw was 5 millenia BC. Kelly thought the paint was a bit faded! That evening we went shopping at some sleazy markets under railway rtacks, Omeyoko. Paul and I found a pre-faded pre-pilled flano for around $50. Dinner was with Kelly's host family. Last minute organised but still lots of yummy food. Day 7: Time for me to go home. Early rise and breakifast on the Narita Express.
