I can:t post photos just yet as I don:t have my laptop and stupidly forgot to bring the cable that connects my camera to a USB port (I thought I would bring my laptop so I wouldn:t need it, then changed my mind at the last minute, that thing weighed 5kg all on its own).
Everything becomes a bit of a challenge when you don:t understand anything. You have to mentally prepare yourself for every transaction, work out what you will say. As I said though, I have used a lot of Japanese. If I couldn:t speak a little it would be very hard.
And not understanding anything leaves you a bit helpless at times. You might hesitate somewhere, not knowing if the sign says :public welcome, please enter: or :trespassers will be shot:. Or you:ll sit on a train for half an hour (as I did), expecting it to leave at any moment but not knowing when it will. (What is the point in translating the message :Welcome to our train from the airport, the toilets are at the back of the carriage, there are phones available:, but not translating the message :the train will leave at --- and arrive at ---?) Or you:ll stand in a lift and not be able to figure out how to open or close the doors!
Oh! I used one of those high-tech toilets for the first time! Haha! First of all, the seat is warmed. You can turn on a fake flushing sound - and change the volume! - to disguise certain other noises you might make... You can turn on a :powerful deoderant: (?), a bidet or a spray. This was powerful and slightly alarming until I realised you had to hit :stop: to turn it off!
Anyway, not much else to say at the moment... I really must do a quick surf before my hour:s up and see if I can find sightseeing info... I didn:t bring a guidebook and there:s virtually no English info at the tourist bureau... I don:t know what places are must-see places...
Anyway, hope you are all well, I will post again when I can... Cheers to you all, I'm thinking of you, but not too much or I'll feel sad :)
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Here's a couple places that, if not must see, are definitely good-to-see:
Kiyomizudera (It's a buddhist temple, also has awesome little shops all the way up the hill to it.)
Kinkakuji (never been, but it's the gold-leaf-covered temple)
Heian Jingu (Also never been, but heard it's cool. It's also near the "Geisha Quarter" so you might see Geisha but don't get your hopes too high or you'll get disappointed by the lack of Geisha.)
Byodoin (most famous buddhist temple in all of Japan, it's on the 5-yen coin. +English Language guides)
Maybe take a train to Nara, feed some Deer and go to the temple with the giant buddha (whose name escapes me at the moment--but they had english language guides.)
lovely to hear of all your experiences so far. Fi and Jo are here at the moment and we have all been laughing about the huge breakfasts and the scary toilet functions. Thinking of you often.
Hi Rebecca, sounds like you are having a great time!
A beautiful big white cockatoo just landed outside the office window and it reminded me of you and your fascination with the sparrows on the window ledge.
Anna at Theo's asked where you had got to this morning and was amazed that you had gone to Japan all by yourself!
Sounds like your having a huge adventure already! I'm sure there will be lots more to come too. Don't get down about missing home too much, remember that its only 1 year in a lifetime and it will be a year you will never forget!
I will be starting a blog soon so that my relatives and friends can keep track of the pregnancy and the baby and see photos when the bub is born, I will post you the address once it is up and running.
Love Jo.
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