It`s Day 3

Very Early

I don`t care what Sirina says this is going to be very fun. :D

Yesterday we did a lot of walking and a lot of sight seeing, including the Tokyo station, Imperial Palace plaza, Imperial East Gardens, Harajuko, Meji Jingu shrine and Takeashita street.

It was a very good day, today is a travel day to Takayama and therefore we may not be able to get to a computer where we can upload photos. As soon as we do it will be on the flickr page (look left on this page). Also, check out the video I left there the other day. And Sirina says `Comment People`

Talk to you soon have fun!

It`s 4 a.m.

It`s　4am and Shaun is bouncing off the walls excitedly because we are going to the fish market this morning to see the fish auction. It`s the thing he`s most excited to see while in Japan. I`m sunburned. And it`s 4 a.m. Enough said. He`ll get his payback when we get to Kyoto and all I want to do is find a geisha.

Day 2

Its day two of the tour!

Last night we ate at a wonderful vending machine restaurant where you look at the plastic food display in the window and then go to a vending machine to purchase it. The purchase is sent to the kitchen and then 10 minutes later voila! food in front of you.

The Japanese are an efficient society. Puts the service industry back home to shame.

We kind of just wandered around yesterday, found a random park called　yoyogi park and wandered around there for a few hours after we found a random Japanese hippy festival. Who knew there were so many hippies in Japan?! We visited Ginza (Tokyo`s 5th ave) and Akibara (electronics district) in addition to Shibuya.

Ooop, Shaun is telling me I have to hurry up because we are on the hotel`s free internet. More pictures when we get to our next internet cafe.

Cheers!

Sirina & Shaun

We are here!

Finally

After what seemed like a flight that would not stop we are in Tokyo and well rested. We got in around 2PM yesterday and by the time we cleared customs and quarantine, and rode the train to the hotel it was about 5PM. We promptly and excitedly without any thought to our fellow man, fell asleep for 12 hours...

When we woke up we went down for an interesting breakfast (it involved doorbells). Then we figured out the Tokyo subway system and came to an internet cafe in Shibuya. Right now it is 8.12AM here on Saturday which is 5.12PM on Friday for Edmonton. We will keep in touch as now we know where an internet cafe is. This place also lets us upload our photos, which is good news for you、 in my opinion、 cause damnit if we aren`t good looking.

That`s all Shaun has to say Sirina?

We`re here!!

We finally arrived! A few things that I have noticed:

1. Japan is a lot more green than I thought. They seem to have 2 settings-- densely urban or completely rural.

2. There is no shortage of golf courses here (which surprised me)

3. Alarm clocks in hotels never work, I don`t know why I keep trying to use them.

4. Shaun had the best Salmon I have ever tasted for breakfast and I was jealous that I got a ハムサンドイチ (ham sandwich).

5. The G8 summit is in Japan and so there are NO garbage cans anywhere right now. You pretty much have to pack your garbage with you back to the hotel.

6. I love having vending machines everywhere.

7. Generally, everyone is nice and happy to help you. We only got the stink eye from one person so far!

8. We generally have no idea what`s going on and stare at the nearest Japanese person to figure out what they`re doing so we can copy it. It`s how we figured out the doorbell system for breakfast this morning.

9. Transit here rocks.



That is all.

Sirina

And we're off....

It's officially 10 minutes to 3 in the morning and we are anxiously awaiting Devon who has graciously offered to drive us to the airport at this ungodly hour. We will try and post as soon as we get to Japan, but we have both essentially stayed up all night, so its entirely possible that we'll fall asleep in the Narita airport terminal and never make it into Tokyo. On the plus side, our condo is the cleanest its ever been thanks to my unending nagging to "Clean!".

Carol wanted to see Yen

Japanese Yen
Originally uploaded by shaun_mcgregor

So I took pictures of Yen for her. See this is the kind of person I am always willing to please! This is just what we are taking so that we have some yen for trains and dinner when we get off the plane.

Only 15 more hours....

Almost Day 1

WOW!

Only 19 hours until we leave, the excitement is really starting to kick in. We have a furious day of errands including dumping our animals on other people's doorsteps. We managed to cajole Devon into picking us up at an ungodly hour to take us to the airport, so I thought I'd say thanks here before hand. I also thought I would update our Itinerary with the name of our Osaka Hotel.

Talk to you soon... from Japan!

Updated Itinerary

• July 4 - Arrive in Tokyo at 2.10PM Check into the Hotel Sunroute Asakusa


• July 5 - Tour Starts "Arrival Day" meet the tour leader and other tour group members


• July 6 - Morning Orientation tour of Tokyo and rail pass validation with a free afternoon


• July 7 - Tokyo - Takayama first Bullet train ride.


• July 8 - Full day in Takayama to explore with optional bike ride!


• July 9 - Early travel to Kyoto (2 hours or so) and a tour of the city


• July 10 - A full free day in Kyoto


• July 11 - Travel to Castle Himeji and then onto Nagasaki


• July 12 - A full free day in Nagasaki


• July 13 - Travel to the Kyushu hot springs with available Japanese mountain climbing!


• JUly 14 - Still in Kyushu


• July 15 - Travel to Hiroshima and then on to a beautiful Japanese island Miyajima


• July 16 - Travel from Miyajima to Fuji city at the base of Mt. Fuji! Ready for an ascent


• July 17 - Start the climb of Mt. Fuji, we spend the night on the mountain


• July 18 - SUNRISE ON THE TOP OF MT. FUJI! Then back to the Tokyo


• July 19 - Tour ends


• July 20 - Our first free day! TO THE ZOO!


• July 21 - The zoo is closed so if we need a second day it will have to be later - Travel to Osaka (3 hours) stay in Chisun Shinosaka Hotel (Only website I could find)


• July 22 - Free Day involving a trip to Kobe and sights in and around Osaka


• July 23- Another Free Day - Goto Nara (1 hour) see Todaiji Temple walk through Nara Park, go see Horyuji Temple oldest wooden building in the world


• July 24 - A 4th free day! - Travel to Tokyo (3 hours) finish up zoo if need be, check in to The Park Hotel in Tokyo for one night of Luxury.


• July 25 - Leave for Home :(