Thursday, Friday, happy days

Thursday got off to a late start due to an enjoyable breakfast with my host's husband after he came back from dropping their sons off at the creche, and spending some time on the computer planning routes. I really wish this phone had data for that and maps.

I exchanged my voucher for the JR Rail Pass at Shibuya, then went to book my seats for travelling to Nagoya the next day, plus my crazy overnight route back from Nagasaki to Narita. By the time all that was done there wasn't much time before I was due at an agency for lunch, so I parked myself in a cafe and did some emailing, managing to trash the phone battery in the process. I got badly lost in Shiro-Kanedai, and the battery died as I was explaining to the agency that I'd be late - a great show all round. I finally got there and they loved the chocolates and double-sided business cards, and I ended up having a very nice lunch and chat with the boss.

I had had some vague intention of going on the Big O hubless and spokeless ferris wheel and the Thunder Dolphin rollercoaster at Tokyo Dome, or else looking for craft kits in Shibuya or Shinjuku, but once again there wasn't time before heading out to Chiba for 6pm.

In Chiba I met up with a translator I'd been working with for the last two weeks on a particularly large project. We ate at an Indian restaurant which was quite nice but the state of the waiter's jacket might have made you leave before you found that out - it looked like he had rolled in curry. I headed back at 8pm and got off at Suidobashi just after 9pm, hurrying across the road to Tokyo Dome as the guidebook said it was open until 10, but unfortunately that was the area and not the rides. Foiled! I made my way back to Meguro for my last night in Tokyo.

I was far enough over my jet lag that I slept through my host leaving the the next morning, so we resorted to saying goodbye over email. After breakfast with her husband I went back to the station with my cases and headed towards Yokohama to get to Kamakura, where I had a fantastic lunch and stroll up to Hachiman-Jingu with my friend and her little girl. I was sorely tempted to just keep on going to the giant buddha and Enoshima, but Nagoya beckoned.

The bullet train was on time as always, and I transferred to the Chuo Line to get to the Iidas' for the evening. We had a wonderful meal and great chat, and I was sorry I had to leave the next morning. But the whole trip has been and I think will be like that. There's only so much you can pack into 2.5 weeks.