Wednesday 14th of April 3:20pm, Tokyo
I am sitting in the department store online cafe again and drink iced coffee as that is the cheapest drink they have. This way I get an hour of Internet for only 1.50 pounds. Fair enough for Tokyo.
AND FINALLY
SHEMUE NEWS
Well, I hope I didn`t get your hopes too high now as it isn`t really news but I just bought Shenmue 1 in Japanese! And guess the price: I give you a hint... It was cheaper than the coffee I am drinking right now

! Just about 1.80pounds!!!! If anyone else wants a copy please PM me and I will see what I can do. My weight limit on my luggage is 20kg and I already have around 15 and plan to buy a few more things... It would be easier for UK members though (shipping wise) but anyway, PM me.
Apart from that I am not enjoying myself too much right at this moment as my right foot hurts like hell. Either I was walking too much yesterday and the muscels are just cramped or I got out of bed too quick this morning... Which could very well be as I had set my new mobile as my alarm and at exactly 9am it started playing "Ave Maria" at a very uncomfortable volume while the light on the front was flashing in every rainbow color following the tune of the music. That is something that can definitely wake you up! And in that matter I might have jumped out of bed too quickly and might have jumped on my slippers (which you have to put on in a Ryokan). I usually don`t remember the first few minutes after waking up as my brain doesn`t switch on immediatly. Especially considering the jetlag.
Well, I checked out of the Ryokan now and am officially homeless now. I will probably stay in my friend`s place or just sleep in the Comic Kissa. It`s quite comfortable there anyway.
Also I had lunch at KFC today and I can not recommend it here. I paid about 3,50 pounds (5$) for the meal and I got a tasty yet tiny burger and about 7 fries... I couldn`t believe it when that woman, who was extremely polite by the way, gave me this mini pack of fries... I counted 7 but it might have been 9. Anyway, I will stick with McD from now on as I can get a meal for cheaper and I can chose between fries or salad or Nuggets and each of them is bigger than the fries at KFC.
I just realized that I am surrounded by Businessmen looking at coffee makers and housewives checking out "Hibachis" (tiny ovens) and so called "Convection Ovens" although I couldn`t really tell the difference anyway. I see all that because I am sitting on the very edge of the internet cafe...
Oh wait! Americajins checking out dishwashers just appeared to my left... What the hell are tourists checking out dishwashers for? I might never know... You can tell they are Americans by their clothing easily and they are tourists because there is no reasonable explanation in hell why a western family would go to a department store altogether with backpacks on other than being tourists. Well, they are gone...
Did I ever mention that to my right there is a tiny TV studio where they record the department store TV programe? I guess I didn`t. Well, I am sure you could watch that TV show on some homepage of this department chain but I have no idea how nor would it be of any interest to anyone as it is basically a woman sitting behind a wooden news-style counter reading out special offers (at least I think that is what she sais...) The DJ who controls the in-house radio station sits right next to her but he looks like is doing nothing at all.
I feel very comfortable in this place I must say and my foot still hurts but seems like it is recovering. It better is because in about 3 hours I will meet my friends for some serious tokyo-style drinking! I have no idea what that means but I am about to find out and of course I will let you all know about it.
Now I have to go to the japanese vodaphone homepage and read through the manual of my new phone as I cannot handle the millions of features (so it seems at least) at all. I cannot even write a text message although I almost wrote an email which eventually didn`t work because of some network error. I am so glad that my phone speaks english at least. Without that I would be completely screwed...
So I talk to you all later!
Phil