RIHGA Nakanoshima Inn Osaka

... br><br>The boat leaves from right in the centre of Shanghai so you go past all the famous skyscrapers of the financial district. It`s all very glamorous and exciting, unlike our bedrooms which were apparently `japanese style`&#12288;which basically meant we slept in a room with loads of other people on a tiny mat on the floor. But what the boat did have was a karaoke room! I couldn`t muster up the courage to sing to a whole room of chinese karaoke enthusiasts but Sarah ...

... hetkinen oli puuskutettava ja keräiltävä kamoja tämän kokemuksen jälkeen! Aivan mieletöntä ja kannattaa ehdottomasti tulla kokeilemaan tämä homma! Perjantai-iltana mentiin sitten tapaamaan Kioton ystäviä ja melkoiset bileet tästä taas syntyikin. Syötiin kaikkea mahdollista Japanilaista ruokaa ja juotiin olutta/Sakea melkoiset määrät. Lämmin sake itseasiassa toimii melko kivasti Japanilaisen ruoan kera. Kaikki muu meni mainiosti alas, mutta ...

It seems a bit weird writing this while already having reached Kyoto for a few days, but some of the impressions and things that happened along the way just deserve to be mentioned. Starting off ofcourse with the trip... I wanted to arrive some time before the move in date to do some sightseeing before the obligations at uni would take away most of my ...

... In the afternoon I head back to pick up my passport. A nice fresh Russian visa all ready for August. After some more wandering in the area, I head back to the hotel and chat to Zarin about her trip. With my passport back, I get up early and make for the China Ferry Terminal to board a ferry for the hour ride to Macau. After another hour queuing to get through customs, I find myself in the former Portuguese colony and the only legal gambling site in China. This was the ...

... stepped on the stepping stones SHE stepped on. Total geek out.<br><br>Whats the ONLY bad thing about Japan?<br>The fact that everyone you meet is Australian. You see, there are backpackers and there are backpackers. I hate Australian backpackers. They all seem to assume you want to party, get drunk and ignore the fact that you are in a place rich with culture and personality. But you know what? I like not being hungover and spending my day in the hostel.<br><br>Rachael Out.

... s one swingin' getup. The entire, crowded little street is surrounded by enormous neon lights *nd signs th*t seem to stretch on forever - gi*nt LCD displ*y screens fl*shing *dvertisements, loudspe*kers pl*ying music *nd b*rking b*rg*ins *nd even gi*nt mech*nic*l moving cr*bs were pl*stered w*ll to w*ll, *ll competing with one *nother to see which could gr*b your *ttention, not to mention w*llet, the most. Amongst the pl*ces we explored w*s * p*rticul*rly interesting est*blishment we were ...

... they pretty much butchered * gre*t Sondheim music*l. Pun intended.<br><br>The next d*y we he*ded on to Beppu! A 'sm*ll' town e*st of Fukuok*. It w*s built on *nd *round * highly volc*nic *re*, the result of which is wh*t everyone c*lls 'The Onsen Town'. It is *lso home to the f*mous Snow Monkeys th*t l*ze *round in the hot springs like they own them.<br><br>We didn't get to see them in the hot springs though, but s*w them *t the Monkey P*rk where they run ...

... shopping, it was easy to waste away hours here and it even gave us an opportunity to immerse ourselves in Japanese movie culture, as we joined an audience for a subtitled viewing of Sweeney Todd.<br><br>While the movie was pretty average, suffering horribly from Tim Burton's borderline creepy Johnny Depp fetish and self-masturbatory directing style, the movie experience on the whole was good fun. So get this; they have three flavors of popcorn - buttered/salted, caramel and ...

... kinda kid, and asks 'why..nande' 24 7. The other day, we were were having lunch. I was innocently eating my rice ball, when all of a sudden he grabbed it and said he wanted to eat it, 'just one bite' he said. It took a while explaining that no he couldnt eat my lunch. Even after explaining, he asked 'why' about 5-10 times. Anyway, I should stop going on and on...:oP Want to wish my mum a HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY for Wednesday. :o) Love ya! Vicki

... of what it SHOULD look like, and part of a pic as to what it currently looks like. You tell me if the effect is ruined. I wanted to ask for my money back, but we got there with 15 mins til closing - we quickly contemplated our existences in a Zen-like fashion and got our asses moving to make it around the rest of the plant garden. Apparently, there is a Ginkakuji (Silver Shrine) but it never got covered in silver.. probably a good idea since silver tarnishes. Gold does not.