Alright so it's a hindsight post. I know it's Sunday and i'll post sunday after I have done Saturday. Let's face it

there isn't much to post about.

So got up and ready to leave by 6.30. Conrad (i'll forgive him) was a little late getting to our house. My fault

really, I told him to be there at 6.30, I should have said 4. Anyhow the ride to the Airport was nice and straight

forward, after a brief stop at McDonalds to relieve... our excitement... we were on the road and on time for our

Check-In and boarding. It's the first time I've been to Gold Coast airport, or flew on a plane from there. I guess

there is a reason our flights cost less then half what they did last year. We had to walk to the plane on the

tarmac, and then up the entry ramp. On a positive note I've got a good picture of the front of an engine from 3

feet away.

So flight over was boring. Couldn't sleep cause it was a plane, nothing much happened except for catching up on

some episodes of Chuck, and waited until the flight ended. I did learn that not only is Cornrad a master at de-

meating a chicken with cutlery, apparently he can also eat a meat pie with a knife and fork. Who knew? I just ate

with my hands and it got a little messy, but hey, tomato and chilli relish taste great on a Meat Pie.

So we land in Tokyo and already there is a problem, we've lost Conroy. We all walked out the doors on the front of

the plane (passing "StarClass" as we got, I did ask the guy for one of those seats on the way back though) but

Conrad, not to be his fun loving quirky self, desides to see how the back exit works. I didn't know there was a

back exit, but he found one and dissapeared. So after a few minutes waiting, and a few minutes looking, we found

him and made our trip in "Customs" and immigration. I say "Customs" because Immigration at least recorded my

fingerprints and photo'd me. Customs just took my Customs form, looked at my Passport and wished me a good day. Not

that I mind, nice and easy works for me.

So we walked around to find the train information centre. Got our 4day passes and jumped on a train bound for Tokyo

Central. The ride was dark, with brief pockets of light until we started getting closer, then we went underground

and got to the station. More wandering up and down long corridors until we found the subway train we needed, went 1

station and arrived near our hotel. I should mention that wandering around with suitcases going up and down many

flights of stairs does tire one out more then usual. So when we got to our hotel we were exhausted.

After checking in, the plan was to go to a place called Fritoest (or something like that), a bar selling many types

of German/Belgian beers and snacks. But unfortunately they weren't serving food at that time. Seeing as it was

about 10.30. Also 1 little bottle of Leffe Blonde was 1800 yen, so not cheap at all. So quick wander back down the

street (everyone was starving at this point) and we just walked into a little Ramen shop which had a few guys

smiling at us to invite us in. Ordering in Tokyo is never an easy affair if you want genuine food. Yes there are

places selling generic slap up dishes, and a couple of other places that have english (broken) on their menu's.

Now this place was genuine and had the required no pictures and no English menu. Ok, so it's not such a menu as a

machine at the front, which labels all the food and prices, you put money in make a selection and it dispenses a

little ticket. You go to a seat (hopefully unoccupied :o ) and leave the ticket on the counter, that's your

ordering done. Well we walked in, and people were eating cool bowls of Ramen. So good choice on food. Whilst we are

all scratching our heads I said, whatever, I'm just going to press a button pay the money and hope for the best.

Whitney pointed at one and said it had meat (YAY) so I got it. A couple of seconds later she says quizzically

"Well, animal of some sort". So here I am hoping I haven't ordered Whale or Cat or whatever hapless pet may be

wandering around the back door. I don't think the Japanese are like that, mind you, but Animal isn't very

descriptive. Whatever, I'm sitting down and hoping for the best. Everyone else just chose something at random as

well. 500Yen or so for a bowl of Ramen, and it's BIG. Which is good because we all have a voracious appetite.

Well, I'll spare you the suspense, my "Animal" was pork. 1 slice, with noodles, drowned delicately in soup, with a

piece of seaweed laid gently on the side. I'm never sure whether to eat the seaweed. I see other people eat it, but

I always think it's missing the rice and fish. So anyhow, we gorged ourselves on the yummy bowls of goop provided

nicely by the strange man with John Lennon glasses, when his coleague arrived. I didn't understand what they were

saying at the time, not being fluent in Japanese in the least, but Whitney told me later that they were discussing

her. Something about "she's so cute" "get lost old man, you are too old for her" "I wonder if one of these guys is

her boyfriend" etc. I have a new appreciation for Whitney's Japanese skills, I never knew she was so fluent, but

that is ok, cause now I know i'm going to put her to work in translations. Wooo HOOo!

Alright so the Ramen was good, but we were all still tired so it was a quick trip back to the 7/11 to get some

beverages. I had something that smelt like off Mandarin and tasted the same, at 7% I couldn't stomach it. I also

got a Chocolate Maltey Beer, though after the citrus sugar thing I had it didn't taste very nice.... too bitter.

Went to the room, drank some of both, put them down and then passed out for the night.

Travelling without moving - I believe teleportation has a lot going for it.
Hindsight is 20/20, if you have good mindsight.