Back

'In Kawasaki' is back on, because I am back in Kawasaki.

Flights over went about as smoothly as could be hoped. Due to some stuff-ups with my first flight, after a lot of waiting in lines, I got put in Business Class. This was very nice, and my first time to try one of those airbeds, where the seat reclines almost flat. The massage feature was a nice touch too. :)

Woken as usual at 4:30am for breakfast, which is of course exactly what you feel like after approximately half an hour of half-sleep.

Didn't feel much as I arrived - it's hard to muster up much excitement at 6:30am when you're waiting in line for Customs - but once I arrived in Nippori to change trains, I started to feel like I was properly in Japan again. But it's so cold here! It was 4 degrees when I arrived, and quite bitingly cold.

Where am I now? Well, I can't check into my hotel until 4, so I came to an Internet cafe in Kawasaki. Six hours for 1200 yen ($15). I'm in a little, soundproof room with a spongy floor to sleep on.

Now I'm annoyed at myself for having never tried this before! I'd heard of it - Internet cafes that have spaces to sleep; on site they also have washing machines, showers, etc. It's a common thing for people who've missed their last train to kip at one of these for the night. It's also becoming more common for homeless people to stay in these places for the night, as it may be the only accommodation they can afford.

But I didn't realise they were actual rooms; I thought you just slept in the reclining chair in a little cubicle (my previous experience of Internet cafes here).

(Incidentally, I forgot how annoying it is that the Japanese space bar is about 1.5cm long, and right next to the button that changes your character input to じゃぱねせ sorry, Japanese characters. Ha ha ha...)

Anyway, I'm going out soon, to have some fun. :)