I leave the office just before 2.30pm and take the airport express to the airport. Getting through security and immigration is its usual pain free experience. Time for the lounge. I decide to head to the one closest to the gate which means branching out from Qantas. Next time. We depart Hong Kong late, so typically of me flying nowadays!
The views coming into Tokyo are amazing! Man I love this city. Shame I'm not here for longer.
I'm doing carry on so after clearing immigration then customs I'm off into the massive metropolis of Tokyo. Super excited!
I'm standing on the platform trying to work out where on earth I'm going. Carolyn had very kindly sent me two options for the trains to her place so I really shouldn't have any issues but.....when I purchased my ticket the lady told me the train was delayed (wow!) and that its direct to Nihombashi. This means just one stop for me :) but back to present time - I'm trying to locate Nihombashi on this spaghetti train map, not easy for a foreigner! A kind lady comes up and asks if she can help - yes thank you! I tell her where I want to go and within seconds we are rushing to get on the train that is arriving in the platform. She informs me she will tell me when to get out. Perfect! One ride half done :)
We chat about what she was doing and where she is going. I'm still coughing throughout (come on cough medicine when will you kick in?!) our conversation. She kindly gives me a honey lollie to suck on, bless her Cotton little socks. Then offers me a wrap / scarf she had brought for a friend - honestly her kindness is amazing! I politely decline.
Before leaving the train the lady tells me about a shop she visited yesterday, paper museum, and gives me instructions on how to get there. Honestly the Japanese are so friendly and helpful!
On exiting the train I follow the instructions for the Tozai line - I have assistance again with buying my ticket then I'm off. The signs say 2 minutes to the train arrives so I study my next set of instructions. It's 5 stops to Carolyn's stop then a 10 or so minute walk. Thankfully I've done the walk before so should be fairly ok!
I've finally arrived at my final destination and brrrr it's cold! Thankfully I remember the walk from the station. Carolyn comes out to meet me 50 meters from her place which is lovely!
We drop my suitcase then head out for a drink. It's 11.15pm but I feel wide awake! Carolyn lives in a great wee neighbourhood so it's not hard to find a wine bar. Man I've missed this place!
Walking in its a small place, all seats are at the bar. Great to watch what the staff are preparing. We sit and chat! It's well past my bedtime by the time we get back at Carolyn's.....finally crawling into bed at 1am.
Thursday, 21 April I'm woken early by a motorbike outside - thankfully I manage to go back to sleep until my alarm goes off at 7am. More sleep is definitely needed!!
Carolyn and I take the train to work, super easy from her place as its direct. I experience my first pushing on a train. Thankfully it's only a few spots.
I meet a friend for tonkatsu for lunch. Instead of taking the train 1 stop back to the office I walk back, it's so nice to be outside in fresh air as the office is quite warm.
After work Carolyn and I head downstairs to a local bar for a drink; I'll have sake thanks. Sorry we only have beer or wine. Ok that will be a no then :( Beer it is. A few other colleagues join us, with one bringing me a takeaway sake! So thoughtful. Now how do I drink this in here I ask?! Ooh I can't.....ok dinner has to include sake.
Carolyn, Kyoko and I take a taxi to Carolyn's area. She had been out exploring a few weeks ago and remembers a fish and sake restaurant that she tried. Now to locate it.....lots of laughs and of course there are no other options around - yeah ok that is so far from the truth! Finally it's located and we are in.
We sit at the counter and within seconds sake is ordered - Aah this is the life! The menu was in Japanese so I left everything up to them. Sake and food just kept on coming and lots and lots of laughs. I really miss this place and definitely need to
make an effort to come back more often!
It's raining when we leave and with one umbrella between two of us we get wet. As the heavens open more I make the executive decision that we'll get a taxi home. Another awesome night in Japan!
Friday, 22 April I wake to blue sky - a wonderful sight!! Time to pack up again.....
It's so nice being outside in the sun, ooh how I've missed thee!
No pushing on the train this morning, in fact we have room to move. Especially good given I've got my suitcase with me.
I head downstairs mid morning to get a vitamin 1000 drink, need something fizzy after all the sake last night!
At 11.40am 7 of us head out for lunch. Now as most of you know I never eat lunch before 12.45pm at the absolutely earliest so I find this time (as well as yesterday's time) crazy early. But if you don't get in before 12noon it's rush city! Carolyn had booked a sushi restaurant nearby; great we get to go outside and walk. Hello blue sky and sunshine!
The sushi is out of this world fresh and tasty!
I leave the office at 2pm, I have my route down pat which helps! This morning I purchased a ticket for the first train I need to take so that saves me some time!
It's a bit of a hike to swap train lines, going up and down both escalators and stairs. No chance I'll make the 2.09pm train to Haneda! Finally I locate the train line and follow the signs to my platform. Buying a ticket doesn't go as smoothly as other times but hey ho I get in there in the end and have literally seconds to spare before the 2.18pm train pulls up. Can't believe my time in Tokyo has come to an end - Ishigaki here I come!
I finally manage to check in - after waiting in a long line! I still have my sake from last night so decide to sit at one of the "free" tables and drink from a plastic bag, like a crazy person. No need to waste sake thanks very much! In hindsight I probably arrived too early but always better to be safe than sorry. I had already noticed the gate was directly through security, which have no lines, so that's nice and easy.
On boarding we are asked to swipe our own boarding passes; doesn't quite go to plan for me. Clearly this is a normal practice for everyone as no one else seems to have an issue. ANA is very advanced. Sayonara Tokyo - I will return!
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