I'm not really sure what to say about my trip to Japan - it was great. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. They say some people go to Japan and find it to be just too wierd for them. And others discover its their spiritual home. Well... I'm one of the latter. There was nothing I disliked. I loved it there.

Its so different, I find it dificult to begin. All in all, the Japanese people seem so genuinely happy and nice. Even the most dangerous area of Tokyo, Kabuki-cho, the red-light district, was pleasant and comfortable. And there is always something to do, no matter what time it is. Everything you could want is at your fingertips, offered always with a pleasant chime of welcome and gratitude.

And the food there? Unbelievable! Even an inexpensive plate of Japanese curry with rice and a pork cutlet is amazing. One of the things that struck me about Tokyo is that it is such an ugly city really... But the smells! There wasn't a single unpleasant smell. The food at every restaurant or street vendor you pass makes you want to stop. And if not that, then the sweet fragrance of blossoming trees. Even now I find myself wishing I could go out and get some cheap Japanese food. Somehow I can't bear the idea of the frozen meals in my freezer or even the Indian take-away down the street anymore. I think I might starve.

There's too much for me to say in one entry, especially as I'm not feeling well at the moment. Both Philip and I caught a cold while in Japan and I'm still suffering. Perhaps I will write more later on about some of the more specific things I did. Until then, here's one of the only touristy photos we took. Its at a tiny little Inari Shrine tucked away in a small, forgotten corner of the Love Hotel Hill area of Shibuya. The guardian of Inari is the fox, so I had to get at least one picture of myself with a guardian statue.