Overland '05

Day 7 - Thr 5 May 05, Tokyo/Osaka, Japan

Up *very* early, as Charlie had to be at work by 7am! I caught the 07:03 train into Tachikawa, and then onward to Tokyo. Managed to change my reservation for an earlier train, and caught the 08:06 to Shin Osaka.

My tolerance level has obviously dropped - there is a German family behind me playing battleships which is unbelievably irritating. Maybe because it is so loud, or that Japanese trains are normally so quiet.

I've just seen Mt. Fuji in the distance from the train window. I really don't think I'll be back to Japan, yes, I know I said that last time, and the time before - but the only reason I came here this year was to see Charlie. What was once so strange, foreign and different is now ordinary.

I'm looking forward to seeing how different China is to Japan. I guess Japan was an easy introduction to my little jaunt from east to west.

Found the hotel with no problems - boy can I read a map or what? Arrived at 12:00, but they wouldn't let me check in until 3pm, so I left my stuff and headed out to see the town!

Headed for the castle and walked around the moat, but didn't go in. It is scorching hot! Found the river and took the river cruise on an interesting boat - there is a very low bridge, so the top of the boat can be dropped down to allow the boat to pass under - a typical Japanese solution! Caught the tube back to the hotel, where I checked in, and did a bit of washing.

At dusk I made my way up to the Umeda Sky Building - and took the glass elevator up 35 floors! Got some great photos before and after sunset.

Found a great little pizza joint just around the corner from the hotel, I sat at the counter and watched my pizza being created and cooked right in front of me! Perfect!

Oh almost forgot - the Osaka subway is very efficient, and covers most of the city. The map I had showed a light green line (which I needed to use). I got off the red line, and went hunting around the interchange station for the light green line. I could find the yellow line, but no sign of a light green line. Then I looked at my map again, there was no yellow line on it.... I think the printers had run out of yellow ink!