Tom: Tokyo (August 15)

Tokyo (August 15) · Sep 17, 10:55 AM

My alarm woke me right on time at a quarter to five — and a backup wake-up call came in fifteen minutes later. I quickly gathered everything: my backpack, the carry-on, that awkward hat package, and my shoulder bag. I was at the bus stop just before five thirty, a little late because I had taken the wrong stairwell down to a locked street entrance. An N21 bus picked up about a dozen of us at that stop, and I paid the HKD 33 fare with exact change. At the grocery store in the basement of a building near the hostel I had been very careful to spend all my money except the exact bus fare plus two extra dollars. I have about HDK 175 packed away — both change and bills — but I am saving those for mementos.

It took under one hundred minutes to check-in, pass immigration, get through security, and walk to my gate where another level of screening ensured nobody carried any fluids or gels. I had an empty water bottle to fill from a water-cooler there. I made sure to hydrate thoroughly to prevent altitude sickness as much as possible.

The flight was a comfortable four hours with lunch. I choose the protein-rich omelet option. Each seat had a small flat-panel display, and I caught parts of the newest Pride and Prejudice, then Firewall with Michael Douglas. At Narita I entered Japan via immigration, picked up my bags, walked through customs, pulled 60 or 70 thousand yen, and bought a 1000 yen train ticket to Ueno station. The Oak Hotel — where I have a bed booked for four days — is ten minutes east of Ueno. I check in around half five.

The fellow at reception recognized me from my stay in April. He also helpfully let me cancel my bed for tomorrow and suggested that I buy a shinkansen (bullet train) ticket today — right now. I’m planning to spend a night in Kyoto. From the internet I called home to say hi and then touched base with Rob.

My first errand was to stop at the Asakusa Post Office for another ATM withdrawal; I had forgot where I put the airport money, and now though that I had been screwed by the ATM. I hadn’t — I found my money after withdrawing another 10k. I had been trying for more, but hitting my daily withdrawl limit. Later I’ll find out all those failed transactions were costing me $1.50 US each.

The post office is east of the Oak Hotel, which is east of Ueno station where I walked back to buy a ticket to Kyoto. Tomorrow is a big festival day in Kyoto, but I had no trouble buying a reserved-seat ticket on a 600 series Nozumi train. They are the fastest kind, and make the ___k trip in two and a quarter hours. Outside Ueno I stopped for a pork rice bowl at a Japanese fast food joint — the kind where you purchase a ticket from a vending machine by the door and hand it over to the cook in back.

I called Rob from the hostel again and he invited me over. He also invited me to stay. The Oak Hotel very graciously refunded Thursday and Friday, and I canceled my weekend reservation online before hoofing it to Rob’s flat in Mejiro to hang out for a bit. I found him playing Final Fantasy XII. He was glad to see me, and I him. I left about half past eleven with the stuff I had left with him serveral months earlier. He also gave me a mobile phone to use while I’m in Japan — it’s got free incoming.

At the Oak Hotel I took a shower, packed an overnight bag for Kyoto tomorrow, and set my alarm for about 4:50. It’s worked a couple of times now, but I’m still suspicious about the alarm clock I bought in Carrefour.

* * *

Please tell me it worked right? I dont want to sumit it again if i do not have to! Either the blog glitced out or i am an idiot, the second option doesnt surprise me lol. thanks for a great blog! dd1
— Raymond May 4, 10:33 AM #

http://tom.spacing-guild.net/2006/10/07/kyoto-august-16

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