08/07/09 - Not a good f\\king start
Woke up late, but all good. We needed a bit of sleep. So packed up, ignoring the original plan and headed straightout packed up, ignoring the original plan and headed straight out into the heat, which considering the day we were about to have (at least me) was not a good idea.
With Karen hungry, as ever, we looked around for food, obviously the first dozen places we saw weren't acceptable, but one seemed okay. So we went in ordering a meal that... we hoped, looked okay, and a drink each. The coke Karen went for was ice coffee (pure, black, iced coffee) and my orange one (bright orange) was actually tea. Them and their tea! The meals arrived and I had burger on rice with salad and bolognese and the required egg on top, Karen receieved a cabbage (spiced) sauce instead of the bolognese, that seemed... odd.
So far spent 2 hours looking for internet. Finally found it and realising the difficulities with their keyboards! Like capps lock not working? And all sorts of keys but no @ easily found (though just found it). And no shift required! Slightly better!
Plans today so far all gone to bollox as the museum I want to go to only has:
1. Instructions in japanese - to buy a ticket in a japanese shop - of which all directions are in japanese = helpful.
2. Buy from the UK but need at least 2 weeks prior to departure notice.
Need more sleep and relaxation.
Oh it got worse. After searching around for an email spot. Then getting a train elsewhere to look there...and again... see the problem is the LP seems to give instructions and (very few) road names in romanised. Of course all the road names and building are in kanji or Hiragana... so eventually found a place with FREE internet access, though packed. So we left and went back to the station where... I had no LP...
...not impressed with the whole day to say the least. This nugget of loss did not sit well. So in the immense heat we decided to retrace steps. We had seen a few things around Japan and it seemed the place unless they were tidied up, no one would 'steal' anothers possession. Considering we had gotten lost on the way back as the guys with arrows for the station were fine until they had double headed arrows... retracing was with little hope. But going to the internet cafe, we found it not only computer free, (still full, so people were relaxing not waiting in line) which allowed us to go on, yes free, and yes the LP was sitting there waiting for my return!
After replying to a few email and updating a tad above, we were off (30 min limit) back to the trains, having wasted about 3 hours looking for internet. Now happily in a hostel in Osaka with internet at \\\\\\\\\2.70 an hour, so steep but worth it at the moment! I need to write to ensure I don't forget!@Did I mention the day did't get MUCH better? So soon I was back on the juices, vending machine hear me and smile, but it7s what the Japanese do, so I am only fitting in!
So off on a train to Nagoya, to get away from the accursed Tokyo today. And yet some luck, we seem to be inbetween practically all the festivals in the LP, except for a massive Sumo match! So we'd see about booking that. Sound simple. You'd think. Arriving, we asked at the tourist information for help (and secretly hoping they could just order the tickets for us). Oh no. She was very helpful and pointed us in the direction of two places to get tickets. The first was sold out. The second appeared to have a name everyone knew, but not the name of the actual store, so we passed it twice, whilst asking for directions.
So we went in and gave the written instructions the lovely lady at the tourist information had given us. "Ahh we have changed the system, we can no longer sell them, you must use the machine". Hahahahaha. You're helping us right? He did. And thank the gods for that. He went through all the scrawl and found... the date, the place, the event... error. Change of date... he phoned up (a handy button on the computer terminal) and then proceeded to chat with the girl for about 20 minutes, (nice simple system, we should get it in the UK). She gave him numbers they said sold out. He told us sold out. She told us sold out. She asked if there were other dates? We said when? She searched. she came back with there may be the original date? We called him back over. They chatted again for ages, and soon the tickets were bought. Then it was paying for them... maybe it was a training day? Or no one else had ever used the new system? Took three people, and two more looking on bemused. Of a staff of 6 people, 5 looking on means little work being done! *)
Then it was just a matter of a hostel, back to the tourist info. Hostel booking they are not allowed to do (or at least can't do it if the hostel speak english) so we called up and got a night in the local hostel for sunday. Sorted. We think. Sounds like taxi between all the places. But they have a robot museum!
Love the Railpass. And it will love you back.
With Nagoya sorted, we headed out, no point in doing Nagoya now, if we're back on sunday! For SUMO! So we head off to Kyoto. Arrive and I'm now in pain. See heat and heavy clothing don't mix well to the point of rubbing and then everything gets sore... so hobbling along we know the tourist information is closed. Phone is next. The numbers are in the LP and seems easy enough...
One thing about Tokyo is, it's big. Whilst they say reservation is needed, you can get around this by sheer numbers. We exhausted the LP and RG (Rough Guide) books supply of cheap hostels. Next was to try calling the ones in Kobe and Osaka, but Karen thought it a goodidea to go there instead (after all they areonly a hop on the train, not that she knew that!) Still the idea was good and so we looked to our next stop, as 8pm was approaching and we knew some hostels have a check in time of 8-9pm max.
Kobe was the better choice, as that's where we wanted to spend the day, however cheap it doesn't seem to be. Osaka, however, is. Being but a 10 minute train ride, it didn't seem a problem to go there and then head over in the morning, so we crossed fingers for Osaka being free. Osaka is known for being a nice, but dull place. Certainly nothing in the LP grabbed me, and so it's nice, all in all to come here, as otherwise time is against us. Oh yes, we have a plan for it all. South. Including staying close to meet Lucy. The first hostel we ring up, that both books recommend had spare room! Yaay
Turns out, Lucy has already spent the money, so may not be able to meet us. I sent the info of our plans (see plan 2 page) and we await a reply, though it sounds like anything past Tokyo is beyond her. So close and yet so far...
The hostel is actually very nice and I have read it's won awards for being the best in the world! (Of YHA hostels I believe) but WOW! It's very nice and really makes the hotels... small and private. We're in separate rooms (dorms), cheaper and with a chance to meet new people! Though a guyin mine seemed happy to receive my name but sit there and look stupid. Left him to it. They have internet at a reasonable-ish price, and a cafe, vending machines but best of all is the JAPANESE STYLE BATH!
We checked in, after a few problems trying to find it and put stuff in lockers. Then met again to head out for dinner. Turns out we got a nice but slightly pricey meal. 30 quid for two seems reasonable, though the beer could be larger! Damn european half measures! Food was nice and then to a convienience store on the way back for a beer and to the hostel to make new friends.
I however started on the internet till 11pm where I ran off to have a bath. A japanese bath. My first and...it seemed lonesome. Though as it's naked men, I can live with being alone (though it did mean I didn't know if I did it right). Showering in soap sitting on a plastic stool and showering off, before going in the really hot pool! Still it was fun, others arrived as I was packing up (typical) though I noted they took their clothes in with them. Now net, and bed.
