Back to the future

I’m back in Kuching right now. I am back to my routine life. My body may be here. But in my mind’s eye, I feel like I can still hear the pulsing beats of the music in the stores in Shibuya. I can see the crowds rushing by in Shinjuku station while we try to find our direction. I can remember the smell and the taste of the ramen. I can almost feel the cold wind blowing in my face and at my legs. Tights are no comfort at all.

It has only been a week but I think I left a small part of me back there.

I finally understood what Cheesie meant after all her raving about Japan. I have wanted to go for years, but never really let myself go there (thoughts I mean). Don't think about it, don't imagine. I always thought it was unaffordable, thus don't go there.

But its actually not that bad. The first question people always ask is: how much did you spend?

Well, first of all, you're not me. We spend on different things, we splurge on different things, and we save on different things.

We actually planned for a budget trip. I estimated about RM 3,000 set aside for the basic expenses (train tickets, Disney tickes, convenience store food), and added another RM 3,000 plus for luxuries (eating out, shopping etc). We brought some USD in case we ran out of money.

We did eat convenience store food for breakfast and supper mostly. Lunch and dinner we mostly ate out, tried new things. Our bill at convenience stores mostly still come up to more than Y1,000 each time cos we both can't resist trying new food that we don't have.

We actually spent the most on food. Shocker. Not transport. OK transport too if you want to factor in the Shinkansen (bullet train). But you don't have to sit on the shinkansen. Take JR if you want. Don't go to Osaka or Kyoto. Travelling domestic in Japan is expensive. So plan your transport wisely. Google is your best friend, so is Japan Guide (the forum).

When you go out the whole day, plan your journey properly so you don't spend too much on transport fees (train tickets). We never took the taxi, not even once. Cos we heard how much it costs plus we wanna be rock stars. Hahah.

This is just a short post while I compose the lengthy ones with lots of pics to tempt everyone to go too.

I miss Japan. I miss the food. I miss the people, how polite and courteouos they all are. How they bow all the time. Its funny - you get used to it.

We start replying "hai, hai, hai" (yes, yes, yes), and nodding our head, and saying lots of arigato, and smiling at almost everyone, and we don't litter (ok I do admit I do that sometimes here), I use the recycle bin. The thing is, everyone is so civilized there, you have NO CHOICE but to follow. You have to be polite back, and I dunno..do good things. How do their parents teach them? What does it take to have that culture?

I'm thinking of this cute kid I saw in the dressing room at Yunessun. Wish I had taken a photo of him. I was drying my hair after the shower, and putting on make up. This cutest kid (toddler) came up to me and stared at me. I said konnichiwa (hello), and then ohayou (good morning) to him, but he just stared. So I patted him on his head and just stared back. He's so cute. He was chubby, and had two bright spots of red on his cheeks (due to the hot spring bath).

Not long after, his mum started calling out his name, but he still stood there staring, so I went to get his mother. Haha..when she saw him, she started bowing to me saying arigatou, arigatou. Haha. Wish I got a photo of that kid.

Ok abrupt end.

To be continued..