Japan

Having not slept on the plane, I staggered out into the cold air of Kansai airport, a small cloud of steam bellowing out with each breath. I stumbled onto the shuttle bus and prompted fell asleep with the gentle rocking and soothing hum.

I arrived early at the meeting point. I stood by a small fountain and waited for my ride to the apartment. A cool breeze tickled my sunburnt face, it was 7C. A westerner arrived and in a tiny ute, we were flying down one-way streets at breakneck speed, Guns and Roses playing from his tinny car stereo.

The apartment was quite large; 3 rooms of decent size, each with western style beds, a kitchen tucked along the wall of a communial area, western toilet, shower/bath and laundry. I recieved a quick tour around the local area (post office, best curry, cheapest bar etc) but nothing sunk in. The cool air (or lack of sleep) was making my brain fuzzy, hazy.

I could smell gas cookers and fish sizzling somewhere down the local mall as hundreds of people raced past me. "Friendly street", as was the name of the mall sitting barely 10 meteres from my apartment, was alive with Monday morning shoppers. It was lined with pharmacies and shoe shops, gloves and hat stores and hot food stalls. The supermarket was crowded, it felt like x-mas eve, 8pm. There was little room to move as people grabbed fresh vegetables and seafood. Rockmelon - $45. Milk 1L - $2.20. Bread is available in packs of 6 slices, each piece twice the size as back home - $2.50. There are no bread ends and it tastes as sweet as McDonald buns. Red meat is less red, but more marbled and speckled with fat. It costs twice as much as back home and Im positive it would shrink to half the size as the fat oozes out.

If that was friednly street, surely one block over was "Friendly street". My tour guide had point out that it was more a "male entertainment area". Indeed, billboard were plaster with naked women, block dots strategicly placed across their bodies and expressions of lust (or was it pain?) painted across their face. Gruff old men stood outside, attempting to draw people in. $90 for 45mins said the signs. Video stores filled the spare spaces and their curtained off entryways and suggestive posters suggested there would be no Disney favourites.

That night I would met my flatmates - 2 canadians and would head out for a drink. J and I found a small bar hidden in a back alley near the station. We drank beer and Chuhi (like a Ruski) until 1am before staggering back to the apartment.

I have spent the last few days wandering around familiar places. I have eaten Takoyaki (Octopus dumplings) from street vendors and Steamies (hot pizza pocket type things) from 24/7 Lawsons. I have weaved through the back streets of Umeda, and wiped the drool of my chin from 7 story building of PC equiment in DenDen Town.

The weather has been overcast, today there was a even a snow flake or 2. Training begins tomorrow.