First few days in Japan.

Instead of writing my usual notebook entries, am going to write in this in my blog....that way can remember it for longer. Although I will not have my compute with me all the time, so in then I will do it the old fashioned way.

Anyway, arrived here thursday afternoon, pretty tired. Although I did manage to sleep a fair bit on my daytime flight (did my plan work I wonder??) Lou and I went out for a meal after I'd showered etc, her flat here is lovely. On the main road with all the stations. We had the best selection of little foods, zawamakami was the name (or something like that). It was amazing. The lovliest Sake as well. Managed to stay out until 11 ish because of the meal. It was mad walking back, all the lights etc flashing. Quiet compared to London! Remember the chopsticks - you can't leave them standing up in your noodles as that is apparently very rude, as it's like they do on the shrines.

Yesterday I had a bit of a lie-in, sorted some of my bookings etc out on email, and then took my first venture out to Oasis 21 by myself, had a wander around the shops there. It is so different here I can just spend hours walking around looking at all the signs and trinkets and little things everywhere - it's cool!

Then we went for noodles in the noodle bar (after we'd made them understand what we wanted by going outside and pointing at the pictures). The Ramen was amazing, even though I couldn't really taste them, my cold was a little bit bad.

THEN we went to buy my panasonic Lumix, finally. Only thing is the instruction manual is in Japanese (I have downloaded it off the internet in English), and neither of us could figure out how to make the darn flash work without manually setting it. So will have to go back tomorrow and ask at the shop if the menu is faulty (or my brain)!! It's a lovely camera though.

I actually felt pretty bad yesterday with the cold and everything - it was jet lag and cold combined, but by around 6pm we were both on the sofas having got the tube back, hopped out for the camera shop, and then walked from there past Lawsons. Watched a film, decided wasn't going out because I felt rotten, and was in bed by 9.30pm (lovely!!)

IT was probably a good thing as today was up at quarter to 7 to make Takayama markets by 10 ish -which we did. Drove up through the mountains to this quaint little village. Wandered around there, lots of photos (will post some up when I can!) ate the yummiest pizzabread thing. And then into some shops, and finally drove to Hilda no Sento folk village - a replica of the houses in different parts of the country, preserved, or moved from their original locations to this place. Told us a bit about how they were built and the people who lived there. Before Lou very kindly drove us home again - now chilling before my first night out in Nagoya./ I like it here, it's pretty chilled compared to London (and Tokyo too, apparently!!) and am looking forward to my next adventure day after tomorrow.

It doesn't feel like am travelling really as it;s so nice to be in a proper flat - think will be coming back here in between a few hostels etc just to get some home comforts.

Anyway...will let you know how the night went out. It's great to be away. Still a lot of thoughts going around, but then they always do...!