Geishas on the metro

So I'm in Japan! And I'm just skipping over my last few days in China, just because there's TOO much to writte. The Summer Palace was amazing, but I'd like to keep that as my personal experience. However I will happily share the nightmare of airport security in China (who confiscated my alcohol hand gel from my checked baggage even though I was fine taking it on the flight to Berlin. As I asked "who do you think's going to be setting a match to my backpack?"). They also did not want to check me into my flight as I didn't have a Japanese visa. Passport holders from the UK and EU don't need a tourist visa in advance, it gets granted when you arrive. As I told them, repeatedly. I ended up whipping out my flights to Australia to prove that I was only staying there 2 weeks, but the whole time I was thinking "surely this should be Japans problem not yours? My Chinese visa is about to expire, you don't want me!". After that ordeal (all before 7am and on 4 hours sleep) the thought "I would kill for a Starbucks" went through my head for the 1st, and I hope the very last time. And the next corner I turned I heard the incipid soft Jazz designed to melt your brains that tells you a Starbucks in nearby. I'm slightly worried that Starbucks can read my mind.... (and for the record, no I don't normally drink in Starbucks, but when you want a coffee in an airport in China...)

So Japan, well Tokyo was hectic, but not as hectic a I'd expected. No-one had to push us onto trains. It is a bit confusing because the overground trains are run by 2 companies that you have to buy separate tickets for, and the metro is run by 2 different companies that you can't interchange between unless you've pre-planned... In fact when I arrived I navigated myself very well until I had to buy a metro ticket, which you have to look up your destination station on a map to work out the fare for. As I stood staring at the VERY complicated ticket machine a kindly gentleman stopped and asked where I was going. When I said he found it on the map, worked the machine and even put in 20 yen for me as I didn't have the right coins, then pointed out the direction I needed to go! You can always depnd on the kindness of strangers :o)

But aside from initial confusion I've mostly been wondering at how neat and tidy and fashionable everyone is. And how you get ladies in full Geisha costume riding the metro alongside the Harijuku girls! I'm definitely not fashionable for Harijuku and I don't know anyone who is....

I've seen the lights, seen the crazily clean streets and on-time trains and climbed the Tokyo Tower (a copy of the Eiffel tower that happens to be just a bit taller - bet the French LOVE that, they even call the cafe at the top "de la cafe" just to rub it in!).

Unfortunately I have not been very well, so the vast arrays of delicious looking Japanese food that has been passing under my nose have predominantly remained untouched.

Today we are in a small town at the foot of Mt Fuji, and fortunately for us the sky is clear and blue, and the view amazing! I say "we" as Lezanne arrived safe and sound (and jet-lagged) for our adventures and many cheesey photos together...