29 dec - 3 jan

29 Dec 2008

We were packing to check out of Khaosan when my phone rang. It was from the police! Haha, I couldn't understand anything except they found my file. So I rushed down to the counter and made the staff take my call and explain to me in English what to do and how to get my file back. =) We went to Ueno Police Station, collected the file, checked in at Ikebukuro and headed to Shinjuku Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building which unfortunately was closed =X Oh well. But they had really nice statues stuff around so YK and I did some photo-whoring. Haha. Quite fun lah actually. =P If Daryn had been there, she'd have rolled her eyes at how photo-whorish we were. "narcissist!" she'd call us.

Dropped by Biccamera at Shinjuku. Actually wanted to go to Odaiba, but timing did not suit and we ended at some random izakaya. The guy sitting beside us chain-smoked like 7 cigarettes. *chokes* Hmm, but the food was relatively good, though the okonomiyaki wasn't all that great. Sighs, shinsaibashi's okonomiyaki is better *sighs* We tried one of those black sugar liquor thingie. I THINK it's black sugar wine. Could only read the two words: 黒糖. But it was good (okay, maybe cos it was super sweet. haha). We also had some tofu thingie, yakitori, black pig (黒豚) etc. Sadly, they did NOT have horse sashimi. I think Hiroto cheated me lah. He told me any izakaya would have horse sashimi (basashi). =(

Izakaya took a looooooooooong time, cos the food took 10 years to arrive (I think I would almost have died from hunger had they not served the tofu). We then took a random stroll down some alley where there were many many many izakayas. Izakayas suck because it's all smoke. there's not a smoke-free place in izakayas. *sighs* how come they don't die from lung cancer ah? Other than that, the food in izakaya's pretty good =)

30 Dec 2008

Our last full day in Tokyo. The day started off pretty early (9am is early for us! usually we leave at maybe 10.30 ish). First stop was Tsukiji Fish Market. If you do visit that place, please please please be careful of all your belongings. Bring a smaller bag if possible. Protect yourself etc, cos it was DAMNED CROWDED LAH.

I can't emphasize how crowded it was. YK has some pictures but there was a point in time neither of us wanted to get into the crowd because people were pushing and shoving and I almost lost my balance like 5 times. -________-||| But it was pretty fun to just stand in one corner and watch the guy cut tuna. The fish's really fresh in the market. YK said to go to Hokkaido where it's less crowded and where it's fresher. Haha. I bought some black soy beans (super sweet) and YK bought some ama ebi (sweet prawns). Niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee =)

Then, we walked down to Ginza where I bought Daryn her present and we stepped into Uniqlo. AND THEN, I went and stood in the queue for baum at Matsuzakaya Department Store. It was a very very long queue. I'd have thought the craze would have ended 1.5 months on, but no leh. It was still as crowded. I bought one chocolate and one normal baum. They were pretty good; YK and I both liked the chocolate one better... *smacks lips* It was really really good! haha. No wonder there was such a long queue...

We walked to Biccamera again for YK to check out some photography equipment, and then continued onto Hibiya Park. I think, if I came back in Spring, Hibiya Park would be prettier. It was just dead woods and trees. Kinda disappointing =X Not that we actually crossed the road to go visit it. Haha. We just looked from opposite the road.

Roppongi's Tokyo Midtown was our next stop. For a place called... TORAYA. Haha, I got the winter selection. It was similar to the autumn one that I had in Nov when I visited with BK, except that they had chestnut then, and this time they had walnuts! =) It tasted a little salty, and very sweet (i poured all the syrup they gave me). Haha, nice combination, I thought.

We walked to the street near Roppongi Hills Apartment to look at the blue-and-white Xmas lighting. VERY PRETTY. I like very much! =) hehe. I saw it in Nov, but I don't think I'd ever get tired of seeing it again and again. We didn't go to Tokyo Tower because it was out of the way.. BUT, we did find 豆原 and the oden restaurant that BK recommended us. I bought some nuts from 豆原 but we didn't go to the oden restaurant cos...

We went to Odaiba.

Haha, the last time BK brought me to Odaiba, we went during the day. it's a whole new magical experience at night! It was pretty cold though, so we didn't walk on the Rainbow Bridge. But just looking at the bridge made me happy! Cos it was so so so pretty! =) And the christmas decoration! They were so pretty too. And the Ferris Wheel! Haha, we were looking at the Ferris Wheel and YK was comparing the Singapore Flyer to the Odaiba's Ferris Wheel. It's so much prettier in Japan...

I had to choose between oden restaurant and Odaiba. I'm so glad I chose Odaiba. The lights made the trip there worthwhile. Haha, though we didn't have enough time to go into the shopping area and look at the changing sky ceiling. =X saaaaaaaaaaaa~ next time when I go with Daryn or by myself or anyone then. =)

31st Dec 2008

try not to travel on new years. IT'S CRAZY. THERE WERE SO MANY FREAKING PEOPLE ON THE SHINKANSEN IT WAS AMAZING I DIDN'T DIE FROM THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE SHINKANSEN STATION.

yeah, well, I don't like crowds very much.

We missed our train unfortunately (there went my reserved seat. sighs) but luckily the next train, each of us got a seat =) hehe. But it was so crowded that about 30 minutes later, when i woke up from my sleep, the train was packed with people standing. How uncomfortable for them =(

Anyways, the Shinkansen passed by an area that had snow. Just looking at the snow made me feel cold. Robbie told me since I left Osaka, it snowed once. Haha. Okay, I'd like to see snow, but my fear of cold overpowers everything. I really am fearful of the cold... There was once when I was so cold in my room even though my room's heater was set to 20 deg that I couldn't stop shivering. =(

Ah well, (un?)fortunately, Kyoto wasn't snowing when we arrived.

We hunted for the hostels (YK stayed in Khouse while I stayed at JHoppers) and went to Yasaka Jinja at 9ish. Also visited Kodaiji. At 2am, there were 10,000 people (no, I swear, at least a thousand or so people) standing outside Yasaka Jinja. I don't know what for, because we didn't stay long enough to find out. I was tired, and JHoppers was really far far far away from Shichijo Station (maybe about 30-45 minutes?). I don't think I'd ever stay at JHoppers again if I'm in Kyoto, cos the location is just very bad. If I visited Kyoto again, I'd stay at Ichiensou (but then, I've said that already).

1st Jan 2009
Went to Fushimi-inari. =) It was very crowded, but extremely interesting. Haha.YK got quite a number of "temple activities" pictures, like throwing coins or something. A very simple day out, with dinner at a restaurant that Daryn and Alex and I use to frequent. Nice ambience, and relatively good food. Though, I still can't figure out what that mochi thing was that was so hard. =X saaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~

2nd Jan 2009
Went to visit Daryn's Okaasan, helped her send a parcel to Daryn, went back to host family and PACKED, had dinner with host family, said goodbye, went to airport.

3rd Jan 2009
CAME HOME :'( Had 3 pineapple spritzers, 2 pineapple juice, 5 orange juice, 3 water, 1 green tea. Pineapple juice was REALLY GOOD =P As were the spritzers. I blame YJ for introducing me to them. Im now officially addicted to pineapple spritzers.

Okay, I got lazy at the end of the post. I've still not finished packing the closet. Sighs.