Off to Tokyo

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by Betonov

The I'll gues you'll be...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsMfSKX1KTw

LOL Maybe but I doubt it.

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

Pick me up some of the cool Tamiya 1/700 ships.

Any trips to the US in your future?

If I see any I'll take a look at them. No trips to the US in sight right now but you never know.

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

Have fun!

if you intrested in this kind of thing, buy some electronics from japan. Last time I went there, you still get much better electronics in japan than the US

Visited Akihaban Electric City today all I can say is wow:

More electronics gear in one place than I've ever seen.

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Have a nice trip, beware the radiation monsters and stay away the used panties machines...the prices are inflated with the economic crisis!

No radiation monsters yet but I did see a cool statue of Godzilla.


And I've got enough used panties of my own so won't be needing the vending machine.

Originally Posted by jimbuna

If you get the time Grant you may want to nip into here:

http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=428&pID=1663

Whish I'd known about this one earlier Jim. I might have made time to check it out. Looks like it will have to wait till next trip.

Here's some more pics:
Kanda Fire Station


Weird advert on the back of a truck:

[Reece]

That's great stuff there Grant, you must surely find it a little overwhelming but exciting at the same time, is it what you imagined it to be like?
Great snapshots!

[TarJak]

Its a huge city so in that respect its much as expected, but the culture is quite different. Everyone is very polite, you don't have to wait more than a couple of minutes for a train and its really clean.

This morning I visited a temple in Asakusa where there was some form of procession going on.


I've shot a lot more photos on my camera as well as the ones I've posted here from my phone. Forgot to bring my AV cable with me so can't transfer anything from my camera onto the laptop at the moment. Will do that when I get home.

From there I caught the train down to Akihaban Electric City where I shopped for a bit before having to go to the office to do some work.

After work a few of us went for a few beers and then a fantastic Japanese dinner at the Ritz Carlton on the 45th floor with spectacular views of Tokyo and lots of sake.

The plan for tomorrow is to visit the Fish Market early in the morning and then unfortunately more work.

Anyway I'm off to bed now. Thanks for coming along on the journey with me it's been a lot of fun so far. Sad to say I've got to go home tomorrow night but I'll post up some more pics and more of an update when I get home.

[nikimcbee]

TJ, are you in a position to visit this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Mikasa

[Rhodes]

Cool pictures! Camera? Lens? What film if so, ehehehe, RF forum normal questions!

They have a Godzilla statue, ehehheh! Sure they will have a Space Battleship Yamato one! If you see a good model at a fair price, le me know!

[Jimbuna]

Nice shots Grant, I'm looking forward to trying out my new Canon dslr

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

TJ, are you in a position to visit this?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Mikasa

Alas not this trip. It's a bit far out of Tokyo for my schedule today.

Originally Posted by Rhodes

Cool pictures! Camera? Lens? What film if so, ehehehe, RF forum normal questions!

They have a Godzilla statue, ehehheh! Sure they will have a Space Battleship Yamato one! If you see a good model at a fair price, le me know!

Just my camera phone for these. I'm shooting with a Canon 500D otherwise and I'll post them later.

Originally Posted by jimbuna

Nice shots Grant, I'm looking forward to trying out my new Canon dslr

Cheers mate. You'll not regret the purchase. I'm very happy with mine and once you've gotten the hange of setting it up for static shots you'll be amazed by the results.

Anyway nice surprise thsi morning when I got up to the usual call of nature. The toilet seat in my hotel bathroom is heated! Not only that but looking at the controls on the side there are a great many other surprises in store should I choose to push some buttons. Sorry to disappoint but I wasn't adventurous enough to do that.

I'm now heading off to the Fish Markets to see what goes on down there.

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by TarJak

Anyway nice surprise this morning when I got up to the usual call of nature. The toilet seat in my hotel bathroom is heated! Not only that but looking at the controls on the side there are a great many other surprises in store should I choose to push some buttons. Sorry to disappoint but I wasn't adventurous enough to do that.

I'm now heading off to the Fish Markets to see what goes on down there.

After putting in our minds your own soiled underwear, thank you for not going any further with the loo. Heated? I don't like a warm seat...

I think they buy/sell fish at the market. I could be wrong, it's just a hunch. Is it an early start for that, my mum used to work for a company that ran the fish market here and it was very early starts every day - she was the only woman on it. At least in Japanese you won't understand the bad language.

[nikimcbee]

So Tarjak, are you going to hook up with one of those Japanese robo-love dolls?

[Reece]

If there is still time Grant buy some bargain stuff then mail them to yourself!
Good hunting and take care!

[TarJak]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

After putting in our minds your own soiled underwear, thank you for not going any further with the loo. Heated? I don't like a warm seat...

I think they buy/sell fish at the market. I could be wrong, it's just a hunch. Is it an early start for that, my mum used to work for a company that ran the fish market here and it was very early starts every day - she was the only woman on it. At least in Japanese you won't understand the bad language.

Funnily enough you were right. They sell a lot of fish and I mean a LOT of fish. Some very interesting sights, sounds and smells. Photos on my camera not my phone so will post them later.

Had breakfast at a great little sashimi place right next to the Tsujiki markets and yes had sashimi and miso soup for breakfast. Spoke briefly to a drunken salaryman who was breakfasting there after a hard night and morning out on the town with some other Japanese bloke who seemed a lot more sober. The people running the sushi bar seemed a little embarrassed, but it didn't bother me much.

I recommend checking out the little streets around the markets to find some really interesting souvenirs and some interesting cultural insights.

But don't try to get into the markets proper until after 9am because the security detail at the gates will turn you back before then.

After this I made a visit to the heart of the Empireto deliver a demand that they surrender, but the gates were closed so I went back to the hotel.

Originally Posted by nikimcbee

So Tarjak, are you going to hook up with one of those Japanese robo-love dolls?

Not this trip thanks.

Originally Posted by Reece

If there is still time Grant buy some bargain stuff then mail them to yourself!
Good hunting and take care!

Got all my shopping done now and am waiting in the lounge for my flight.

It's been an amazing couple of days with some great sights and some fantastic food.

I had to give a presentation today to a room of around 130 people which was interesting because you don't get a lot of feedback during the presentation from a japanese audience. Maybe it was the translators fault.

I did get some questions at the end but luckily they were all in English so coped with them OK.

I'd recommend a visit to anyone interested in experiencing a very different culture and a safe and really polite and hospitable society. I'll definitely be coming back someday for a longer holiday.

As I've said once I get home I'll upload some more photos from the camera and the phone, Thanks again for coming on the trip with me its been a blast.

Next up a 9 hour 55 min flight home to Sydney and back to work in the morning so I'll be off the air for a bit.

[Reece]

Pleasant dreams!!

[Jimbuna]

Safe flight Grant

[Falkirion]

Assuming all went well with your flight Tarjak so welcome back to Australia. Be grateful you aren't living in Melbourne. Nothing but freezing wind and overcast skies.

Thanks for bringing us along on the trip via pictures too. Can't wait to see more.

[TarJak]

//FLASH TRAFFIC!!!//
Large reptilian monster attacks Tokyo!
//END//



Got out just in time!

the flight wasn't too bad and arrived back in Sydney this morning at around 7am. Unfortunately had to go into the office so have just arrived home and will finish uploading some more photos soon.