Toyo Hotel Osaka

... selling exactly the same thing (antiques?!) and all the stall owners were shouting `looky looky` as you went passed! We also went to an amazing food market with lots of street food and live animals in tiny cages and no tourists at all.<br><br>That night in the hostel we met a german guy called Richard who it turned out was getting the same boat from Shanghai so we left with him the following morning and began the final leg of our cross-continental journey to Japan ...

... linna on selvinnyt maanjärityksistä, tulipaloista ja sodista, eikä siis ole mikään uudelleen rakennettu kopio. Tämä mesta on myös yksi Japanin hienoimpia Cherry Blossom paikkoja, että "melko" paljon oli porukkaa liikenteessä, mutta aivan uskomattoman hienoa oli! Nyt alkoi jo kirsikankukatkin putoilemaan tuulessa ja välillä oltiin valtavan vaaleanpunaisen kukkasateen keskellä! Aivan törkeän hienoa! Vietettiin sellainen kolme tuntia ...

... the restaurant where needed to place our order. We then proceeded to eat the thing before it was really done. ' Matte, Matte (Wait, wait).....' terrified we 'matte-d' so long that our diner was half burnt before we dared to eat it..... From Osaka it was easy to make a day trip to castle at Himeji-jo. This was our first time boarding the famous shinkansen ...

... to get away from the development. Then the view of Hong Kong stretches into the mist. From the south side, you look out on the South China Sea. Heading back to Kowloon in the afternoon I decide to make for the cinema and catch a film. Then back to the hotel and an evening spent chatting with my new dormmate. Frank is a Chinese student studying in Singapore. It is fun getting his attitudes and ideas on China's future and its relationship with the world. The other new member ...

... year which was when we just so happened to swing by. Hoorah! In Nara, there is a temple where the main rituals occur, the path leading up to which is lined with three thousand stone lanterns that are lit only on that particular day . The temple itself holds its own lanterns, and everyone lights their own paper ones and places them within the temple to bring good luck for the new season. Its was awesome, and felt as though we were part of ancient rite. Maaagical.<br><br>As for ...

... dis*gree, *s the complex is *stoundingly l*rge. The entire *qu*rium is built *round its enormous, five story t*ll center t*nk which is home to, *mong other things, the biggest-*ss m*nt* r*y you've ever set your eyes upon *nd its very own wh*le sh*rk. E*ch succeeding t*nk is view*ble from multiple levels, displ*ying * l*rge v*riety of se* life from *ll *cross the globe with stunning *nd surprisingly life-like enclosures to m*tch. Everything from dolphins to gi*nt otters w*s covered, *nd ...

The southern isl*nd of J*p*n, Kyushu, is often neglected in its visits by foreigners *nd tr*velers of the world. Fukuok* (or H*k*t*), its c*pit*l city, doesn't offer much in the w*y of sight seeing *nd *dventure. But its the tiny little towns th*t br*nch off from the m*in c*pit*l th*t m*ke Kyushu * pl*ce I wish we spent more time in. Unfortun*tely, we only got to visit one of these tiny towns - tiny in J*p*n is *bout the size of s*y, Perth? - *s we only st*yed in ...

... trip to the bathroom is a game of Russian roulette; an experience some of us had to learn the hard way (Rachael).<br><br>That aside, we recently crossed on over to the other side, to briefly explore the great isle of Kyushu. For those of you playing the home game, we were - and presently now are - residing upon Honshu, the biggest of Japan's four islands. First up was ye olde town of Fukuoka, which, while not home to any extraordinary sights beyond its fantastic ramen ...

... ve been getting at interviews anyway. I think half of the interview is always centred about Nova, which I have no problem about :o) So yes, I am hoping to start full-time work and change to a working visa, and contribute to the economy of Japanese society starting April. Till then, I'm just going to bum around a bit. Other exciting news: I bought a heater :o) So now I can stay nice and warm. All I want for Christmas now is a vacuum machine. Oh ...

... the house), cell phone *ccessories, burn*ble CD's, org*nizers, *rt supplies, r*ndom knick-kn*cks, chopsticks, *rt, orig*mi p*per, pl*stic shelving, clothing, children's clothes, curt*in rods, h*ndkerchiefs, shoeshine kits, etc. And they *ll h*ve different things! I love poking *round in them to find wh*t I c*n find. I just wish th*t shipping w*sn't so expensive, I'd send cr*p b*ck so I could h*ve it for when i get b*ck. Ash l*ughs *t me, but I love them!! *lright, over *nd out.