My flight departed Singapore early in the morning and arrived Tokyo?s Narita airport around mid-afternoon. Japanese immigration sent me through a secondary inspection process but eventually issued me a visa. I don?t think they are used to dealing with backpackers simply because the high costs strikes Japan from most shoestring itineraries. Then again, a ride on Tokyo?s underground even at odd hours of the evening produces hordes of businessmen dressed in suits & ties. In fact, I didn?t see any males between the ages of 20-65 that was not dressed in full business attire anytime during my 24 hours in Tokyo. So maybe the secondary questioning about my fiscal ability for a stay in Japan was related more to my t-shirt and sandals than anything else.
Japan surely isn?t cheap. You know you?re in trouble when the ATM only distributes money in the equivalent of $90USD (or 10,000 yen) increments. Imagine an ATM that only distributed $100 dollar bills!!! I decided I needed to be cheap in Tokyo because staying here a night was costing me many more nights of non a/c rooms and squat toilets in Thailand. I headed for a roomy Capsule Hotel?a hotel offering rooms the size of a large coffin for a whopping $30USD/night. It offered a quality sleep with built-in television and radio. Check out my newly uploaded pictures of Japan and you?ll see what I mean.
Northwest weather has been following me around Asia. First the monsoon season of Thailand and now apparently Japan?s worst rain for over a month?the same day I was set to see Tokyo. But I didn?t let the lack of an umbrella, oversized jeans, or cotton t-shirts slow me down, somehow I managed to run between attractions and joyfully saw most of what I wanted to see.
After the $40 train ride into town, $30 capsule room, $10+ meals, and $20 airport tax, I?ve decided that I could have probably skipped Tokyo. The 24-hour period I was in town simply wasn?t worth the hassle or the costs. On a positive note, I did get a chance to speak with Miho, a long lost logger swimmer living in Tokyo. Keep in touch Miho and glad to hear your starting engineering school.
Oh yah, Seoul has really fast internet access and I was able to upload all my pending pictures. Check em out