My week in Aberdeen

As expected its taken me ages to get into things this week - still haven't done the tax, printed pictures, written articles or sorted out all the stuff at my mum and dad's......and tomorrow I need to be sorted to take all my outdoors gear to Edinburgh!
My laptop is out of action for at least a few weeks which is a major blow, but on the plus side, I think I should be able to cover my travel debts from various sources - yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.
One of the bad things to find out this week was a hidden folder on my webmail containing suspected Spam...and several real emails across many months. It turns out I had unintentionally put all emails from hotmail on my blacklist! So sorry for not getting in touch with people when that was the case, sorry for not being so supportive after friends had bad news on an expedition, sorry for thinking you hadn't kept in touch Tracy, sorry for missing your 30th, sorry to Tom for quietly cursing him for not getting in touch with a date to meet in Wanaka, I'm gutted I missed out on the Wish Party and the couch offered to me in Tokyo and all the rest!
Anyway I've loads to do....

Music

How is it that music you listen to seems to adapt to your life? You listen to albums you have listened for for ages, yet because something that has happened to you, you start to listen to, rather than just hear, words of songs you have heard over and over again, yet now the words seem to be about you? Favourite songs and albums now make you listen hard, or if it's too meaningful you may just hit the button to move onto the next, and not want to listen to that favourite song for a while. Whole albums you have listened to over and over can't be played because they start to mean things they never did before. On the other side, albums or tunes that in their own right are complete and utter gobsh!te but can instantly become brilliant as they remind you of some event or place, and you don't even have to listen to the words?

Post Travel Blues in grey Aberdeen (and a new Logo)

Is this the last leg of travel of my backpacking kit? I think so, but a different batch will head back to Edinburgh at the weekend....

I don't like it when people refer to Aberdeen, my real home city, as dull and grey (after all it is known as the Granite City due to all the granite buildings so what do people expect? Flourescent pink granite?).....but this weekend it really has been dull and grey.

It's rained, it's been windy, it's been cold...and it's meant to be summer......but hey ho. (Picture : Aberdeen beach)
Unfortunately the longer I'm home the more real life depressing things there are to deal with that you don't have to when 'on the road', some of which make it an absolute b*gger to be back and bizarrely you can feel more alone at home than when travelling on the other side of the world with (or without) a bunch of strangers. I've just spent the first night in a room on my own for around a month, and have nowhere anywhere near permanent to stay when I return to Edinburgh. I sit in a house on my own, a comfort I thought would be great when constantly moving, yet now I sit here with thoughts on everything else aprt from the things I thought I'd be doing that sit on my endless 'to do now that I have time' list. The travel meeting emails are drying up , and theres only minor homecoming rehab from other travellers via facebook.
Also what you do every day takes a bit of getting used to (and I'm far from used to it yet), not just for yourself, but also for others that seem to find the reality of you being back may be less exciting than regularly filed stories from far flung countries that can be read when and where they choose. Bumming around without a job, and (so far) without a desire to get a 'normal' one can make you feel like you get in the way of someone's normal life.
I haven't really been telling that many stories about my trip yet, and like others have told me, it seems weird that you hardly actually get asked about it. What can you say when people ask "did you have a good trip?" You can't exactly start reeling off 12 months of stories.
If my mother's psychic card reader is correct though (and there are so many stories she got spot on) I probably won't be around at home for that long.
Apart from that, I've had some great times back home so far - some time in Edinburgh generally not doing much due to a bad cold, pissing myself at the Family Guy DVDs (erm, after a substantial amount of wine), and a good weekend in Aberdeen with Ci. Typical of the Aberdeen train there were some characters on it - this time they were in their 60's trying to chat up the Polish drinks vendor on the carriages.
It was great to be back and open up some of the boxes I've sent back during my trip - even silly things like seeing my Raleigh International t-shirts from Borneo, sand based paintings from Myanmar, pictures, loads of t-shirts and all my outdoors gear all back in one piece. I'm not so sure how much of the 26kg of Vietnamese ceramics are unbroken though as I never unpacked them all as for the foreseeable future I have nowhere to take them to. It really brings parts of the trips back to see all the souvenirs, even the most recent ones from Japan - sake set and classic sumo ornaments!
Even seeing some of my stuff from home was great - the clink clink of my climbing rack, my down jacket, tent and Scottish guidebooks, and seeing my mate's kids, one of them walking since I left!

(Picture : mate's kids - sometimes you want what you don't have)

We went to Transition Extreme in Aberdeen which is a long overdue skate/bmx park and climbing wall at the beach area. Great to see the place busy although I'm sure the miserable rain and wind helped out!

And then it was a lovely meal and drinks selection at my Dad's.
Now it's home alone in Aberdeen for the week, in a daze with even less 'plans' than before, trying to catch up with stuff - post, tax, and all that dull stuff.


I tried to update my site with the my new logo but the blogging software has been playing up.... so here it is as a preview. Thanks to a right wing (sorry! ;->) Floridian I met in Hiroshima for this.

I signed up to Bookcrossing.com while on my trip and the first book that I left in Japan that people have commented on has moved from the Mount Fuji area to Fukuoka and has been read by three others already. Read my book's travel story at BookCrossing.com.

Anyway, this post was a bit of a waffle on.......

As a last waffle I have to laugh at the irony of the USA investigating British firm BAE about potential corruption in Saudi Arabia. Don't get me wrong, if there is/was I think it's shocking but it's kind of insignificant compared to secret plots to overthrow foreign leaders and putting countries through years of hardship so that your country can get their hands on someone else's natural resources.

Normality creeping in

As time goes by and my cold disappears the realities of a 'normal' life are slowly creeping in. The laptop went in for repair today (how will I cope!) and day to day life things you don't really have to face up to are slowly coming into play.
And for next week? I'll be back in Aberdeen so I'll be facing tax forms to fill in, debts, and unpacking 100kg of shipped home boxes :-))
Hmmm...how will my Scotrail journey home tonight compare with the Japanese shinkansen.....

Watch out for a long overdue wanderingscotsman logo appearing next week (maybe!)

Sneak preview (courtesy of a fellow traveller) :

Some things have changed in Edinburgh after all....

If you had told me when I left that Leith would have been twinned with Rio De Janeiro by the time I came back I would have probably put a large bet against it.  Leith is one of those Edinburgh suburbs (although Leithers would hate to be referred as that as they class themselves outside the city) that is coming good.  Traditionally it was a more lower or working class than some of Edinburgh, but now getting more trendy with classy bars and restaurants mixed between the nitty gritty Leith of old.  A great area.  But you see, Leith, in my opinion, has as much to do with Rio De Janeiro as bears have with shitting in a lavatory.  But hey, each to their own.  Good on you Leith!

Also....Budvar beer has sadly changed the colour of it's large bottles from brown to green.  BUT - Beer Lao has made it to the UK!  I'm not sure if this is an official source, but hey

you can buy Beer Lao online in the UK!

As for that I've had a lazy few days as I've been struck with a bad cold being really bunged up, and having horrible nights sleeps.  That and the reality of trying to realise I'm back in Scotland hasn't made me very productive.  I called the 'dole office' today which is always a laugh so will try and sign on for benefits while I work something out - hey I've paid enough taxes over the years. 

Apart from that I've arranged to get my laptop inspected as my speakers haven't been working for some time after it was dropped. Unfortunately it is the worst possible timing as I have loads I'd like to do over the next few weeks, and being a Sony it may well end taking ages, and me cancelling the repair.

Apart from that I have plans to head to Aberdeen to see the folks next week, and try to head away to do some outdoors stuff with a mate for a few days the week after that.

Somehow I'll have to find a way to get some cash in as well!

This is Japanese for 'Travel'....but I need to get my photoshop skills significantly better to make this look half decent!

Post trip haze

So what's it like to be back?  Absolutely bizarre.  It's great to see people, no doubt about that, although I've been easing myself into that.

(Picture : view from Arthurs Seat in Edinburgh)

What does feel weird is not having worked for so long there it is going to take a while to realise that I may end up in the corporate world again to earn some cash.  As I waited for my last flight to Edinburgh from Heathrow, the departure gate was full of people on business flights, wearing suits, carrying briefcases and making last minute business calls : that world seems so far away from interacting with some local using only the best hand signals you can dream up, and going shopping for some food where you can't decipher any of the packaging on the shelfs.

I've been going through some of my pictures in the few days since getting back which is a great way of reliving the trip and reminding myself of things I've forgotten I've done.

My trip highlights in terms of countries would have to be :

Laos - great people and places and so laid back.  Would go back tomorrow.

Myanmar - as above but it's frustrating not being able to find out about the politics of the area easily.

Japan - it's like what I had been expecting for years, yet there is so much more to see than I did.  It took me years to make it here.  Great experiences, wacky and definitely a lively friendly population.  I'd go back with outdoors gear.

New Zealand - For me, NZ can't really be put in a specific place - it wasn't first, it wasn't third, it was just really great.  It's similar to home in terms of you don't get vast cultural differences and you don't have to fight huge language barriers.  The people have a great lifestyle attitude and the country is just so diverse.  I really miss diving the Poor Knights and wish I could do that tomorrow.

There are so many favourite bits, I will try to write some country summaries over the next few weeks as it all seems very weird not blogging about what I'm up to, even though there may be very few readers.

I have a few things I'd like to be trying over the next month or so before I try to get any 'real' work.  I'm going to go through my photography and see if I can work out a way to get some income through that, maybe look at doing an ebook, look into ways of making some cash online and investigate doing another expedition of sorts using my photography and trek leading - maybe to somewhere like Mongolia.

Any other short term work considered!  Drop me an email!

Back in Scotland

I've been back in Scotland for a couple of days now after  a bit of nightmareish delayed journey.  It's bizarre and yet to sink in.  It almost feels like I am walking along in another world!  The lively Edinburgh I left behind all seems so weird, and the weather is dull as well which isn't the best thing to come back to!  I've yet to catch up and say hello to everyone.

Leith Walk in Edinburgh has almost been overtaken by the Polish - three Polish delis and several other business opened up catering for the vast amount of recent migrants to Edinburgh.

I'm not feeling too inspired to write just now and don't have easy internet access....but more reflections on my trip soon!

Leaving on a jetplane, don't know when I'll be back again

Ever since I left my first extended trip in Whistler, Canada many years ago and my mate's 4 year old daughter (at the time) sang this to me on the way to Vancouver airport, I always think of this song when leaving places.

And tonight it's by far the biggest leave since then.  Twelve months to the day since leaving Scotland, eleven countries, over 10,000 km of my own driving, 33 flights, 60+ dives, 1 flooded camera, 1 dropped broken camera, 57 wireless internet networks (hey my computer tells me this I'm not *that* geeky), umpteen bus journeys, 100 kg of souvenirs, clothes and unrequired equipment sent home, 4 notebooks of random travel notes, to-do lists and email addresses, priceless and unlimited memories, and I'm heading back to Scotland tonight.

I'm not too sad about it just now (remind me that after I am back and broke!) as I know it's happening and it will be good to get back and see everyone.  I wish I was heading back to my own place though but I'm still letting it out for financial reasons.  How long that glowy feeling of being back lasts, who knows!  I'll definitely miss the 'different' factor of being away and experiencing different cultures, people and places without the rigid rules back home and won't enjoy getting weird looks if I start chatting to some random person in a bar or on the street.  And just the other day I heard that Scotland is being run by the Scottish National Party and Tony Blair is stepping down in two weeks (I hardly see the news).

I am glad to be leaving Khao San Road though. As lively as it is, the place just doesn't give too good an impression of Thailand.  Full of travellers that seem to have been somewhere too long, too many bars with 'F*ck' in their name or welcome board, too many old guys walking round with young Thai beauties, too many people who know they'll make cash out of you so they don't have to be friendly, too much rubbish sitting around the street, but bloody good cheap shopping and a few great bookshops especially if you are looking for stuff on Asia.

The pool is open, I've finished my banana shake, I'm off to savour the last few hours by the pool before I have to attempt to ram everything in my bags for the last time.  To all my friends : Please don't say 'same old, same old' when I ask what's been happening.  What I'm doing is just something different, I want to hear all your news too!

Back In BKK

 

If you've been in Thailand before you could probably guess I am there just from this picture.

It's great to be back to Thai food.  I realised I hadn't had any for a while as I confidently asked for my green curry 'quite spicy' last night, forgetting my taste buds would have to re-adapt.   Hmmm Hmmm Hmmmmm.

I had a lazy day yesterday getting burnt by the pool and making a trip to the great little BKKer shop to get a tshirt I missed the last time (I have so many clothes from this trip!).

I hooked up with the Czech hitchhikers Petra and Martina I picked up in NZ for 30 minutes which was great.  One of them has been in Scotland for ages so was as passionate about the place as me.  They were funny, that European touch to their accent, thinking my accent was crazy, and we had to go to another 7/11 to buy beer as 'this is not cold enough, we're Czech, our beer has to be cold"'.  Martina was even mad enough to stay in Knoydart in Scotland for 7 months -  one of the hardest regions to reach in Scotland, only accessible by foot or boat.

Anyway, we had a few beers and people watched in Khao San Road which is always interesting.  When we walked past their accommodation I couldn't resist catching a glimpse at cheap Khao San Road accommodation which I've always avoided.  It was a nice enough place but as I walked through it the scenes from Trainspotting were being recreated in my head.   I'm sure it could have been filmed in the same place, although I didn't put my head down the toilet to confirm if that scene was filmed there or not.

I tried to drive a tuk tuk back as I was just around the corner but the driver changed his mind when I followed through with it....he even asked if I had my driving license on me but quite rightly eventually used the excuse I probably had too much to drink.  I never helped my cause by having a freshly opened bottle of Chang in my hand at 0130.

Laos Coup attempt plot foiled in the USA / Borneo Rainforest deforestation

Some interesting Laos news about a failed coup attempt by Hmong exiles in the USA.

Also good to see the deforesation in Borneo is making headlines news.  It's so sad driving around there.  Most of the natural jungle has gone, and you can drive for hours and hours and all you see are endless palm oil plantations and logging trucks......planted and logged by companies that a lot of the ministry apparently have financial interests in.

Back in BKK

I arrived back in Bangkok at 11pm last night.  It was 31c.  Today it is going to get up to 38c.  Jeez I forgot what it was like here.

My flight wasn't the best.  I flew on United and it felt like going with a budget airline compared to my flights on BA and Qantas.  Only one big screen.  No entertainment system you can select yourself. Crammed in like sardines (not helped by the oversized lady sitting next to me which mean I couldn't actually get my table down flat).  The crew spilt stuff on me as they popped ice into drinks, and opened cans next to me so that I could feel the spray in my face.  Still, at least they never questioned my excessive hand luggage.

I had a few wacky thoughts last night.  The wackiest was to try and find a flight to Luang Prabang in Laos and head up there for a night....ooooh I'd so much love to do that.  The other one was to head to the floating market a couple of hours north.  Four or five times here now and I still haven't done it....but I know I'm just going to sit on my arse, meet a couple of Czech hitchhikers I picked up in NZ for a drink tonight, then do some extremely lightweight shopping tomorrow.  And sit by the pool. 

I love being back in SE Asia.  Cheap excellent food and a bit of a wacky vibe.  It's only been just over three weeks since I was in New Zealand and it's seems a lifetime ago.

No more hostels

 

 

 

 

 

As much as I love hostels like K's I'm glad to be sitting on my flight writing this, knowing that I'm not going to be in a hostel for a while. 

No more stinky people (or more stinkier people than me).  No more snorers.  No more people coming in late when you haven't, or leaving early when you have.  No more inconsiderate bastards that even if you are sleeping they don't consider it and rustle their carrier bags, speak, laugh and generally make a noise only because they can't be arsed taking a few steps and doing it outside the room.

A slow last day in Japan

I love it when you leave a country when it all turns to shit.

I woke up this morning with an inevitable hangover, probably the worst I've had for a bloody long time.  It was 9am and I was determined to go to a park today to see locals doing their costume play and take loads of photos.  Luckily it was raining very heavily so I never felt quite as bad when I rewoke at 11.40pm, with just a tinge of guilt for not checking out in time.  However, this is K's House hostel.....they never minded, they're superb. I once woke up early in my trip with a really vivid dream of running a hostel in Scotland which I'd love to do.  If I ever did it I'd want a similar vibe to K's with people having similar thoughts about mine, and have an equally glowing comments book.

So all I did today was hang around, dodge the rain, go to 7/11 to get some breakfast, and journey to the airport for my 6.25pm flight to Bangkok.

It was quite a reflective journey to Narita airport.  Tunes on.  Buildings rushing by.  No more yakitori.  Bring on the green curry and finding the bar that sells Beer Laos. 

All that was interrupted as I realised I had lost a bracelet of the Cambodia flag that I had sat watch being made by a kid on the beach in Cambodia.  I was gutted.  Angry. I thought of all the pictures of him making it and the laughs we had while he did it.  Him using my SLR.  Singing into my MP3 player and laughing with his mates as they listened to themselves.  Walking him back along the beach after he stayed to try and do a Scottish bracelet. Irreplaceable.  I was almost screaming out loud in joy as I noticed in on the train floor in the aisle.  It made me realise all the more that it's not the places as much as the people and memories that make a trip.

 Yes, that was Japan.  And it rocked.  Just as it was turning to shit with the weather, it appeared that everything was happening to remind me how nice a place it can be.  An old guy asked if I needed help while I looked at my last subway map waiting for the train.  Turns out he had toured around Scotland and stayed very close to my flat in Edinbugh years ago.  Two girls were looking at me lugging my 35+ kilos on the subway and started giggling when I clocked them.  The train snack selling girl counted out all my small change for me to pay for my drink. 

I'd love to come back again, see more of the countryside, go mountaineering, and have a budget suitable for me to blow on toys in Tokyo.

Plenty good people and memories :-) 

Picture : Me being quite shocked that you had to pay for WiFi in Tokyo airport, although this being Japan, there were around ten different providers you could choose from.

50 YEN BEER SHOP!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAAAAH!! **AND** it was a Yakitori bar

Yes I know my previous post never mentioned any big night out, despite it's title.  But this deserves its own post.

After I got back from my last full day, the guys at the hostel had mentioned this 50 Yen beer place that no-one staying there had checked out yet.  There were around 8 of us piled over there, and it was true.  Yes, a small slice of heaven in Tokyo....beers for about 20 pence.  That's cheaper than Laos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think they are only doing it for the month of June as an opening promotion, but if you are around the Asakasubashi station, it's just round the back of MacDonalds and round the corner.

 So a selection of various yakitori and sushi was ordered, and several beers.  Superb night as I'd never done anything with any of the hostel crowd yet despite speaking quite a lot.

They were all headed for Shinjuku so I stayed for another beer, about to retire to the hostel for an easy night......

 

 

But as we all know the best nights are the unplanned ones.  As I got back, everyone was just about to head out to a local bar in Asakusa where the were the night before rather than trek across the city and have an all nighter.

Obviously I joined them.  It was a great lively place full of locals.  I ordered more food, got more bewildered by the singing and chanting at the table next to us (there was yet another festival on and they had been taking part in it all day), then it started at another table.  Eventually most of the crowd left, with a few of us staying on.

We moved to the noisy table and introduced ourselves to local crowd....eventually it appeared to be gone 3.30am somehow.  One of the guys with us had tagged on as he had an early morning train, but no accommodation booked.  Luckily the locals weren't persuaded to go to Karaoke with him as I know I would've joined them.  They left, and left a whole bottle of sochu on the table (think of it like a Japanese vodka style drink, but that's doesn't describe it very well).  We took it and seemed to think it would be a good idea to neck a lot of it on the way back.....so wrong!!

A very late unplanned night, but a bloody good one to leave Tokyo on.

Last full day in Tokyo...and a very large unplanned night out

I had a few things I wanted to try and see in Tokyo before I left, one of which was the waterfront area....but I never got there, and as usual did things on a whim.

So that is how I ended up walking around the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. 

Luckily I had an interesting journey on the way there.  I stopped off at Ueno on the way, and had a quick stroll around the park, and thought what am I doing here...I could go to a park anywhere.  Unfortunately I walked through the old fashioned (or at least it seemed that way for Tokyo!) shopping area underneath the train tracks.  I noticed a Gravis sign (the home to some of the comfiest trainer type shoes you can get), had a peek and walked out with a new pair of footwear. 

I then stopped off in Ginza just to wander around.  Taking the exit through the Sony Building, I walked up the musical stairs, took a couple of photos of the crossing and thought, bugger this and got back on the metro to Ebisu. 

I walked out the station and did my cocky 'I've been travelling for ages" and convinced myself I was walking in the right direction.  I quickly realised I wasn't, but in the process was was walking around a residential area that had some really funky little clothes shops and cafes with none of the area in 'The Book'.  A helpful Tokyo resident American (a non English Teacher - wow!) pointed me in the direction and I was soon walking through the exhibits of the Japanese Photographic Society and a Japanese photographer.

I then headed to Shibuya as I hadn't been there yet and had my most Tokyo experience yet.  Standing with my tunes on, guidebook in hand, another helpful Japanese girl came to ask me if I needed any help.  If you want to through yourself in Tokyo head first, get the train to Shibuya at a busy time (erm, like late on a Saturday afternoon like me), walk out the station and gaze at the masses standing around waiting on people, and crossing in all directions when the lights change.  It was like a sea of people, and my picture above doesn't do it justice.  Bizarrely there was a very un-Japanese protest.  I didn't have a clue what it was about but an older Japanese lady next to me volunteered an explanation that it was against the war in Iraq and the government.  She assured me it was unlike the reserved Japanese, especially as people had travelled from many prefectures to join in the demo.

I then headed to the fantastic Tokyu Hands shop in the search for a wacky Japanese t-shirt, but found out they sold pretty much every kind of thing you want, or instantly find out you want but don't know why, except clothing.  I walked out with a cool cliched souvenir of Tokyo - a cord to put on my mobile phone with a flashing Tokyo station sign - suitable wacky.

I was gutted I never found a really wacky souvenir t-shirt.  I almost bought one with a cartoon style character dancing on top of a big red apple with some random Japanese words while I was in Kyoto, but was sure I'd find one jumping out at me with no effort.  Oh well.  Quite gutted I'm heading back without one, so if you are in Japan, please send me one.  Probably a Large size thanks.

Tokyo toys

I'm just glad Yodobashi Camera's website is only in Japanese or I'd want to buy stuff on it all the time. 

I walked into their Shinjuku branch today and it was ridiculous.  Everything was in stock - all those things you kind of know exists in the UK, but that you can only see on websites.  They had compact cameras hooked up to  telescopes (I wanted one, I just didn't know why), all kinds of lenses and accessories, MP3 players (although they still generally only have sexy little ones rather than traveller friendly ones), memory cards, hundreds (literally!) of different kinds of headphones, and basically whatever electrical accessory you could want.

Later I met up with an Irish lad I met in Hiroshima, hunted round for the perfect Yakitori bar in Asakusa.....gave up and ended up in a cracking 'make your own on a hot plate' okonomyaki bar.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Think of it like pancakes, but you mix up some kind of dough mixture, raw eggs, cabbage, meat....toss it on a hot plate in the middle of the table, then add sauces and spices.  We sorted out the world of travel writing, photography, Myanmar, marketing....and all over a few draught Yebisu beers and a couple of sakes.  Wicked. 

(Picture : Evening in Asakusa)

Ghibli Museum

After the fish market I headed off to the Ghibli Museum (NB : link is to a Google translated page).  No, I never had a clue what it was about either.  A few people in the hostel said he was a famous animator, with up there with, or more than, Walt Disney himself.  His museum is around for kids and the entrance has to be booked in advance so there are only a certain number of people in at a time.  "Anyone who can loose themselves in here is welcome" says the leaflet (or something like that).  Anyway, I went, I never had a clue what I was looking at - well I knew it was bloody good animation, and a good museum.

I'll look into this guy more later.  Meanwhile, it was worth it just to have the ticket as a souvenir..... it's like part of a bit of a film strip of his animations, framed in a cardboard sleeve.

I then went a wander around Shinjuku before and after and got a bit Tokyo'd out.

A holiday with a difference.....

....was the title of the email I got this morning from a mate in Edinburgh.  Just as I realised I've overspent too much he's invited a bunch of people to see if there are any takers to join him flying around San Diego while he clocks up the hours for his commercial pilots license!

Arrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg.  And how I love seeing things from the sky......

I also got an invitation to a leaving night in London which coincides with the day I arrive back in the UK....so close yet so far.

Tsukiji Fish Market Tokyo

Somehow I made it to get up at 0545 this morning to head down to the fish market.  This isn't any fish market, it's the fish market for Japan, with one of the most varied seafood diets in the world, thus it's the biggest fish market in the world.  Due to the light over here I often waken up early anyway, but this time I never went back to sleep several times.  (Warning : some of these pictures may make you feel queezy if you don't like these things)

I thought it would just be another thing I'd go and see and wonder why I bothered, but it was really worth it.  I could have spent ages taking photos, but somehow I wasn't convinced I had downloaded the snowmonkeys on my second card, so stopped.

There are all sorts of things there for sale, although I think by the time I got there a lot of the big fish had been....well, make smaller so to speak.

 

One of the funny things was trying to avoid the three wheeled carts they have down there for transport (Picture below).  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of the things buzzing around all over the place sometimes with stuff dripping off the back, and drivers cool as anything, maybe even smoking a cigarette on the move.  I'm sure they must curse all the bloody tourists milling around though.

I'll let the pictures speak for themselves (hopefully!) but if you don't get squeamish you can look at more in my picture gallery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course you'd have to enjoy some of the freshest sushi ever afterwards eh?  (I didn't - too early for me!)

Essential Japan resources

If you are coming to Japan, you should try to get the Japan In Your Pocket series of guidebooks.  I've just spied one of them in my hostel and they're great.  A completely different style to your usual guidebooks, but very entertaining.  The Today's Japan one covers everything from how the trains work, through to transport and food.  There are books on different areas of Japan, and different parts of the culture.  I've found these books a bit too late, but think I'll buy some of them as (more) personal souvenirs.  I'm not sure how easy they will be to find elsewhere though - luckily the guy in the hostel has found a shop that should have them in Tokyo for me.

For train timetables a fantastic resource is the Hyperpedia Japan Rail Timetable online in English.

I'll try to put more online links once I get home (!) next week.

Tokyo - The Return

So I've only been in Tokyo for a few hours, and it's exactly what I thought (even though I've been here a few nights before).

I have already been confused at what replacement to buy for my MP3 player....I was decided, then I saw a larger one for not much more....

But in a few hours I've already been dreaming.....

One larger MP3 player is almost 33% cheaper than in the UK.

The small MP3 player is 25% cheaper than the UK.

An last minute contender MP3 player is 25% cheaper than the UK.

The Canon G7 camera I almost bought several months ago is 30% cheaper than the UK, and the Canon 400D which I'd love is over 25% cheaper than the UK!

Oh dear oh dear, if my money situation wasn't as dire I'd be going mental.  You know you have to spend money to save money!!

I'm back at another Ks House hostel and once again it's superb.  Not quite as cushy and spacious as the one in Fuji, but hey ho.  Although like all hostels with WiFi nowadays there are four of us sitting around staring at screens instead of actually speaking to each other.

Bring on Bangkok I say!  Not that I don't like Tokyo, I'm just not so willing to spend the cash to enjoy it the way I'd like to (Ninja restaurants, jailhouse bars etc).  In saying that I may be meeting up with an Irish guy I met in Hiroshima tomorrow so it may well go a bit wrong....

Fujikyu Theme Park and the Eejanaika Rollercoaster

It was a sunny day today, and to be honest, the one that would have been best to make any attempt on Mount Fuji.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But I went to the theme park. Fujikyu Theme Park to be exact.

And a good one at that.  It was showing it's age a bit, but I went along with a Canadian guy who is in my dorm, and we splashed out 4400Yen for a days pass.  We then spent the afternoon hopping on and off rides, in a park that has two Guiness World Records coasters.

The Eejanaika rollercoaster is so good it's got it's own website (by the way the video on the website just doesn't do it justice).  It has the greatest number of inversions and we went on it twice.  Fourteen inversions during its 90 second ride. The first time we were first of our batch to get out to the ride but were allocated seats so couldn't choose - I reckon lives would be lost in a fight over this elsewhere in the world.  The second time we were at the rear, and it was an even more exciting ride as you had the appearance of being at the front, then the back but you were always in the same place, it's just that your seats rotate as well as the track!

 

We went on the Red Skyline or something like that, where you get hauled up 60m or something, then you pretty much freefall down.  I've been on the one at the top of the tower in Vegas before in the dark, but this ride still gives you a really bizarre feeling - weirder than any coaster I reckon.  We went on this twice back to back, then again before we left.

And off it was to the world's tallest complete circuit rollercoaster, the Fujiyama, topping out at 79 metres.

 

 

And then onto more tame things.  A cracking day and totally unexpected as I had only planned to chill out, and maybe take a bike around the lake for a couple of hours.  11 rides, and probably the most adrenalin pumped day so far!

Mount Fuji also decided to make our day by coming out in full view just after dinner time.  The worst thing about that is I wish I had tried it, especially as the Canadian in my room had tried it the day before.  We celebrated for him last night with a burger, a couple of beers, and watching The Da Vinci Code. We watched this with some French Canadians as well.  No-one thought anything of the Japanese subtitle, especially as French was their main language.  It wasn't until two thirds of the way through the bloody film I said "I wish it had English subtitles for all the French parts" and all I heard was "oh we worked out to do that yesterday, but we never thought". Oh well.  Guess I'll just have to read this to complete my Dan Brown novels!

Some more pics from the theme park :

I also had my first visit to a Japanese supermarket.  Some interesting stuff there, including the octopus!

Uncle Wanderingscotsman

Well it's more than official now.  I am going to be an uncle in October.  Latest scan at my sister's pregancy blog! (!)

Kawaguchiko and Mount Fuji - K's House Hostel

I finally got to the Mount Fuji area, in particular the Kawaguchiko village, last night after spending all day on trains and buses.  To be fair, most folk thought I was mad coming up from Beppu to Fuji in a day, and in hindsight there were other places I would have liked to stop on the way, but that's what I get for planning things out last week....it just stuck in my head and I couldn't be bothered changing it.

So it was at Beppu train station by 0715, 5 train changes as I had to stop off in Kyoto to pick up my 20kg rucksack I left for almost ten days, and two buses.  To be fair, the train changes were easy and twice involved just getting off, waiting on the same platform for a few minutes, then stepping on the next train.  Rail travel here really is a joy.

And now I'm in K's House hostel - another branch of the one I stayed at in Kyoto.  Now I did think New Zealand had the best hostels, but if I owned a hostel I'd want it to be one like K's.  Super chilled out, free internet, 50" plasma TV with free DVD's, bike hire, superb lounge area including a traditional Japanese section, bunk beds that don't squeak, fantastic showers, and a great kitchen.

Unfortunately I'm finding it a bit too chilled as I've hardly left the place.  I'm getting into a mood of looking into things I can do when I get back so have been doing a lot of research into things online.

You see it's like this.  I'm only a few kilometres from the foot of Mt Fuji.  It's cloudy.  I can't see it.  I didn't see it from the train yesterday.  All the other treks wouldn't give you the best views, so basically I'm taking advantage of a quiet hostel.  I may even stay here another night here as I'll only spend a load of cash in Tokyo (although I am also staying at K's House there).

I did rent a bike for a couple of hours today though and went a cycle around Lake Kawaguchiko which was more than adequate exercise for one day I reckon!

Speaking of exercise I have had my first work opportunity offered to me from a good friend.....now don't laugh but I can help him labouring for some extra cash so I may well take him up on that in Edinburgh for a little bit while I pretend to develop other ideas!

Hiroshima and Beppu

I' ve been very lazy in Beppu. I think moving around, heavy nights and coming to the end of the trip have taken their toll.
I went out in Hiroshima with a few folk from the hostel to sample the 'start of summer' festival. It ended up being a good night out of discussions, sake and beer. I headed to Beppu the next day sharing the train with one of the girls from the night out (who was heading to a $250 a day hiking trip!), and did very little.


A good night's kip (11-12 hours!) was finally had last night and all I did today was head to the hot sand bath and got covered in hot sand for 20 minutes. It was a superb feeling though, if not a bit bizarre, and a bit fake given the location - not quite right on the beach as expected, but worth it anyway.
I had intended to go and see Mount Aso, and active volcano, but I slept past the train, and it was raining heavily and very cloudy, so it would have been a bit of a wasted journey anyway.
Tomorrow (Monday) I'm spending most of the day on the train getting to the Mount Fuji area, slowly getting back to Tokyo.

Hiroshima

Unfortunately there is no escape from linking Hiroshima with the A-Bomb dumped there during the war, killing upwards of 100,000 in the process. Luckily it's quite a nice city, now with plenty open spaces, and apart from the museums and required reminders to the world dotted around the city, you would never know the tragedy that hit the city.


Here's a picture of a kids little bike and the damage that was caused to metal during the blast, and a before and after model of the city.















What was impressive was a list of telexes sent by the mayor of Hiroshima to the relevant authorities, registering their objection to every known nuclear bomb test since. Can we stop doing stuff like this to each other?
I did the compulsory tour of the museum which was a real eye opener, if not a depressing one.

If you want a superb guide to Hiroshima, check out the Get Hiroshima! website and pick up their clear map when you hit town.

I arrived at the start of the 'start of summer' festival so went out for a bit of a mad night out with the crowd in the hostel which was cool. We wandered around the stalls and nibbled away at various street stall food while supping a carry out beer or two. Some of us (not me) participated in the local dances, then we went to find a bar one of the guys wanted to have a drink at, went into a different one, but had a drink anyway. We then moved onto a different bar, and all five of us had a different sake so we could sample a variety. The conversation went from finding out why an American in the group wanted to fight for her country, to the goings on in Myanmar, and everything inbetween. We almost witness our first bar brawl in Japan but it only got wild enough for one of the locals to kick a table (erm, it had nothing to do with us!). A few too many beers, and the night ended while I managed to avoid going to a karaoke bar.......needless to say I was a bit hungover the next day!




In the first bar....








The sake bar :-)