I wonder if you know, How they live in Tokyo

Any Tokyo drift fans will notice the reference.  I’m back from Japan and now I can die a happy man.  Had the time of my life, took nearly 4000 pictures (which in a week since I’ve been back, have yet to go through), and am suffering from some serious jet-lag.  I returned home on last Saturday to give myself sometime to get readjusted before work.  Well this proved to be pretty darn useless.  I’ve been waking up between 4 and 5 am in the morning when it should be 6am.  I’m ready to pass out at work around 4pm and by 10 pm you can put a fork in me.   Can’t remember the last time I was up at 6 am for no reason on a Saturday morning (and I was out drinking last night).   Japan I don’t know what you did to me but if you’re trying to make me a better man, thank you.

Well it’s been a week since I’ve been back and no pics yet (sorry, it’s not easy to go through 4000 pictures when you can barely keep your eyes open).  I had a lot of fun in Japan seeing Tokyo, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Harajuku, (most importantly) Akihabara and more.  Everything was simply beautiful and I didn’t get to see everything I had hoped to but that just gives me a reason to go back!  Saw a lot of city, but no country.  Saw a lot of new, but not as much old as I was hoping to see.  Spent a lot of money, got a lot of toys, ate a lot of great food.  Rode a lot of fast and efficient trains. Explored a lot of back streets.  Spoke to/with many Japanese (in English mostly, my Japanese is limited).  Burned a lot of rubber (from my sneakers that is, soooo much walking hurt my feet every night).

Taking in Japanese lifestyle is a task in itself.  It’s quite different from American culture, and truthfully I prefer it.  It’s a change and a much welcomed one.  Just taking in how things are done and trying to harmonize with the people enough not to stand out is an experience.  I didn’t have a problems with the money but when you’re trying to figure out what a cashier is saying to you when you gave him more than enough money, and the line is getting longer behind you, the pressure starts to build.

I could try to write up my experience in Japan, here, all in one go but reliving it day after day is so much fun, you’ll just have to wait.