I HAVE ARRIVED

I finally have internet access, so here's my first report on Japan!

I am so glad I've done this before. It's easy to forget just how incredibly overwhelming and stressful Tokyo can be. You are bombarded with imagery, ads, and intriguing little details which are great if you're as curious and city-loving as I am but it tires you out fast. Taking the train home we had to change lines about three times, which is hard if you're not used to it because there are many railway companies in the same station (or in separate stations in the same area) with separate ticket machines for each one, not to mention having to line up for them and figure out where you're going quickly because you'll hold everyone up if you stop moving. I retreated to the safety of the wall a lot to get out of the flow of people and figure out which line/direction we had to take next.

In the first photo we're at the platform to take the train out of Narita airport into Tokyo proper. I was kinda disappointed that the exchange rate at Narita was so bad (72 yen to the Aussie dollar). I'm being careful not to spend much.

After dropping by our home stay family's place to drop off luggage we went to Shinjuku (second photo) to buy an adapter for my laptop's plug. I thought I wouldn't need a transformer because my AC adapter can take Japan's voltage but it turned out to be too weak and my laptop wouldn't charge.

The people here are so fashionable that people watching is great fun too. Also the fact that people are everywhere. If I see some particularly notable characters I'll mention them.

The first day we didn't do a lot except that little bit of shopping and meeting the family at their house in Saginomiya, Nakano. They're very nice and hospitable, and used to foreigners. It's a relaxed environment, something I've never actually experienced in Tokyo before. They can all speak English (!) and they've got this adorable cockerspaniel Jey.

That's the first day, I'm dead tired so I'll write about the second day (today) tomorrow.