February 10

I woke up at 9:15 to my phone in my semai heya. I was worried that by the time I got to my travel mates’ room at 9:45, I would be late, but when I went in, there was no sound, and I had to call Amy to make sure everyone was in. The were, and I woke everyone up. Soon after, we went to the supaa for some breakfst (but not before realizing we hadn’t locked our door and had to walk hafl of the distance to the eki back to the hostel).

We got some cheap breakfast and caught the chikatetsu to meet Molly’s friend, Yoshi at the fish market. We didn’t go to see the auctions (because no one would wake up that early) but we went to umaisushiya and had fresh sushi (I had salmon and tuna-steak with rice, covered with delicous nori confetti). I ate too much (and paid too much) ut I guess it was worth it.

Afterward, we went to Akihabara. Today, Jean-Karlo, was for you. We spent so much time talking and looking aroudnt htat we only wentinto three stores. The first was a four-story otaku (comis, games, figures, etc.) sore. I saw a few Haruhis run by while I was waiting outside for the rest of my travel mates to get bored with the store. Second was the five-ish floor arcade. One story was entirely claw games, but her really impessive wpart ws the gundam level. There, you could play a strategy game (with a giant TV display besides the indvidual consoles where people play). The best part though, (for 500en) was the gundam iloting game where you sit in what seems like a gundam and have a 3-D (bowl-shaped) display. Jean-karlo, you should hae been here. The highest floor was sports games (football, soccer, golf, etc.) and seemed to be geared toward older crowds (salary men).

After this, we went to the duty-free shop (why?) and a small store selling gundam models as well as DS games and anime figures.

My travel mates got pretty tired (after only this, probably because we spent a lot of time talking and not walking) sow e made our way toward the restaurants. There werea f ew girls in (non-suggestive) madid outfits on the streets trying to get people to come into their shops, but once again, I was too timid to ask for a photo.

We eventually went to Mister Donut (which I had been curious about, since I love and miss donuts). I didn’ realize we were there until we came out and I saw the sign. They had a good selection but the donuts were about 160en each, so I couldn’t bring myself to buy one. Soem fo the donuts looked like baby theating toys (the ones that are rings of sphere-shaped pieces).

After this, we went to a McDonald’s since Amy said her feet hurt from walking and we knwew they would have seating. I got a shake, I must confess. The upstairs was a smoking section and barely breathable as a resutl, so we grabbed about four chairs (asking to borrw them from toehr guests’ tables) around a two-chair table and sat and talked (forever).

Afterward, we returned to the hostel to meet up with the Australians staying there, because my travel buddies wanted to go to karaoke with them. On the way back to our hostel (after the chikatetsu), we stopped in what seemed like a cheap restaurant for dinner. it was a small, second-story room (much like Waba on Hillsborough street in Raleigh) and we sat down and ordered (after conferring with Yoshi) what was more expensive than expected. The erving style was to ahve the food delivered to your table and then girll it in the middle of the table. The owners, however, agot a bit bothered when we didn’t know what we were doing (or which container was the oil we should use ont he grill). The yakisoba was first, so Dan and Amy made it (badly) and after this, the propereitor made all the dishes for us from behind the counter (except mine). I had seen hottokeki on a plackard on the wall (and it was the cheapest), so , in happy surprize and economic sense, I ordered it and made eight delicous pancakes ont he girll. Yoshi thought I was a bit weird for it, but I was happy. The weird part (at which my mates got overly/outwardly angry) was that the waitress had not heard the sixth order, so she never brought it. Additionally, the properietor had run out of sobea before the fifth order (and didn’t bother to tell us) so two of us went nearly the entire mea witout food. My mates were royally ticked (and not without reason). The part that bothered me though, was that they were outward (nd voicing) bout it.

Everyone was stil a bit hujngry after, so we stopped by the conbini on the way to the hostel. We spent a bit of time waiting for the Australians, but we wended up with ten people for karaoke. Myself and my travel mates were the only ones who spoke any Japanese, so we negociated (this term used lightly). We split into two groups (drinking and non-drinking) to sing, since those who wanted to drink had to pay more and have their own room. I didn’t want to pay for something I wouldn’t do (not to mention you don’t get to sing much in that large of a group). Before we began though, we were required to buy a beverage easch, so we got scammed (though I liked my karapisu soda, it wasn’t worth 350en). We had so much fun taht we stayed for two hours instead of oneand when the second hour was over, I seriously considered a third, but then decided I would rather spend my money elsewhere. Before we left htough, we sang Cash Machine, Hot’NCold, Don’t Let Go, and the Gundam ending song (all reminding me of different friends in the US).

The thing I ‘m most worried about while with my travel mates is that they want to do tings we caould do anywhere else in the world (karaoke, clubbing, meetinghostel mates, McDonald’s, drinking) and that I’m going to miss the Tokyo experience because they’re slowing me down and misdirecting me. This is, of course, not to mention their outward gaijin tendancies, annoying, quriks, slwness to do/do anything, and constant desire to discuss politics, secual orientation, and other uncomfortable topics.

After karaoke, the Australians were a bit drunk, so we noislily went ot (another) McDonald’s (after paying copious amounts and being kicked to the curb at the karaoke place) for shaka-shaka-chicken. We got back to the dorms fairly quickly, but ehn we spent a few hours in the lounde. of course, most of the others drank and talked about accents, movies, etc. I admit, I like meeting people, but I may only bein Japan once, so I’d rather sleep so I can get up early and see more, but it’s kind of useless when you’re stuck in a group where eeveryone else will be waking up late from staying up late.

Tomorrow is Harajuku and Shibuya. I’ll try to get the most out of it...