The first day

So, again ist 3.30 in the morning and i have been awake since 2 oclock and already skype home. But lets get to yesterday first.

After the game yesterday i finished my Blogpost and was ahanging around a little bit afterwards. Then I went to the reception, talked a bit and gathered some Tips. So the plan for the first day looked as following: Walking to Asakusa from my Hotel (25min), visiting the Senso-ji there (the oldest and most important buddihst temple in Tokyo) and than going on tiwards Uenostation and visiing Ameyoko there (wich was a blackmarket after war and currently sells a lot of “American goods” like special Jeans).
On the way to Asakusa I got lost again when I already was close to my goal, but it wasn’t as bad as the day before. So I came to my first 100yen shop and saw how they clean Windows on high buildings in Japan.

Later i found the place and went to the Tourist Office. There I got some Information about the area around Asakusa and a Trainmap of Tokyo. The nice Lady there than told me that there is also a Shrine there, Asakusa.Shrine and explained the difference between a Shrine and a Temple to me. A Temple is a buddhist Building and a Shrine a Shintoist. Both were standing really close together.

The Gate
Tourists in front of the Gate

5 story Pagoda

Underneath the Gate

The Temple (The smoke is supposed to bring luck and health, so you could see people standing there soaking it up.)

The Gate to the Shrine

In front of the Shrine (I watched a few peopla walking through that think, so i guess it brings luck.)

I think this is for spiritual cleaning, it was i close to the Shrine

After that i took the Subway to Ueno. After arriving there I walked the way to the Market and stopped here and there for a shop. Then I was in a Gaming Hall where there were a little bit more complicated gaming Stations than at home for exampele Half life as game with a little complicated movement controls and a game where you were a Robot and had to fight against the evil robots together with 3 other players. .

Half Life

Movement control

The Capsule for the Robot game

Inside the Capsule

It had rained a little bit the whole day and off course i hat to leave my umbrella in that hall (wich i just noticed later). So I bought a new one because I had no idea anymore where that Hall was. The I went to get some food, Rice with Tuna (raw) and Wasabi. I put a little Wasabi on the Tuna and accidently breah out through my nose while chewing wich made tears shot up in my eyes. Wasabi is kinda Japanese Meeretich (don’t know the english word right now) wich is really spicy but the spice doesn’t stay in your mouth to long, not like Chilli.Later I found the gaming hall again and got my Umbrella back, so now I got 2…

After running around a little more I made my way back to the Hotel by Subway. Because of the high humidity and a little cold temperaturs I was cold insinde, so I decided to use the Japanese Style bath in my Hotel. It is not mixed, man bath between 5 and 8pm and women between 8 and 10 But i was alone inside anyway, so i washed myself and than enjoyed the bath. Afterwards I lied down to a short nap, but as I woke up it was in the middle of the night. So I just took my close off and went back to sleep till 2 oclock.

Well, so time goes by and im still in a big jetlag and a culture shock. There are some things you hear often if you are interested in Japan and start collecting information. The following already showed that they were true

1: Japanese sleep anywhere and than i doesnt matter how rhey look like. On my first train I already saw a women sleeping with here had to the window, faced to the roof with here mouth wide open.

2: Vending Machines. There are 2 insinde my Hotel and in the 100m around my Hotel you could easily find another 5 selling drinks. I also saw some selling Cigarretes and Alkohol.

3: There are many sensless jobs. Japan has a low uneployment rate because they just give them jobs like standing in front of a building site watching that nobody walks in or regulating the traffic in side streets or where there already is a redlight.

Well that’s it for now, well see what I will do today, I want to try to get my Aliend Registration.

Dennis

EM live in Tokyo

Good morning

its 5 o´clock now and i´m already awake sitting in front of my Laptop. Off course i try to watch the soccer, wich workes the first 20 minutes, after that the stream got cut. I had my Skype running and so 2 off my friend called me. After a little smalltalk Zeiza put his microphone in front of the TV so i could at least listen to the German TV.
It looks like i will be able to watch the final in the TV.


Impressoins:



Go Deutschland go!

Well from that you can guess that my W-lan is more stable now (i noticed the trick with the window after the match). Im not sure what i´ll do today but i wish you a nice night.

Dennis

OLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Finale ooooo, Finale!!
Germany did it, Yes Ole, Ole we go to Vienna.

Well thanks to Zeiza again at this point, he made it possible that i could listen to the EM. I wish all the Germans a good party or a good sleep if they don´t party, wich could be a bit difficult as i can hear the noise through the skype from the honking cars outside my friends house.

Dennis

a little site note: I´m not such a big soccer fan, but i got succed in because i watched the first games in Germany and tonight they have been playing around 15km away from my home, so felt like i should watch it:)

Arrival

This post is actually from yesterday, enjoy anyway.

Well, now it is really true, im in Tokyo. No more Countdown, no preparetions. I left Basel at 12.15, was in London at 13.30, took my next flight on 16.45 wich left the ground at 17.25. I arrived at 12 oclock (Tokyo time) and was at my Hotel at around 14oclock (thats 7 am in Germany). So i was on my way for around 19 hours after leaving Basel. Therefore im still fit at the moment. the time i spent in London was not so good, because i had a big headache and choose to take some medicin because i still had half of my traveltime left. Later it got better and i came to sleep a little bit on the next flight.

The japanese reads Okaerinasai wich means something like "Welcome Home" as i think.

When i arrived in Tokyo, everything went well, better than expected. After filling in 2 forms, one time smilling at the customs and 2 fingerprints i was in Japan. I changed some money (150€ gave 24500yen around 250US$) and bought a ticket to Ueon (1000yen). After 80 minutes on the train i changed to the Subway and paid another 160 yen. After a short Orientation i made my way to the Hotel by foot. One time as i just tried to put a look on my map a nice Japanese on his bike stopped and asked where i wanted to go. To Hotel Koyo? he asked. Right! And so everything went well. Now im sitting in my tiny room and enjoy the fresh air comming inside through my window (its around 23C, but th humitidity is a bit high) and write you over the open W-lan i found (wich just workes when my window is open as i noticed now).

My Room

Nr. 220
View inside the room (already in Chaos)

View from Window 1

View from Window 2

Well, i didnt fully arrive till now, that will maybe take another week or 2. Now im the Hotel (i like it till now) and will go for a walk later. Tomorrow i see if i can watch the semifinal.

Greetings from Tokyo

Dennis

Short Update (wich got a little longer):

Since i posted i have basicly been on my feet, more or less planed. I asked if i could watch soccer somewhere. He said yes, but i would have to travel through half the city. Than i thought about an online Live-stream, but my "Room-lan" was not so good (i just noticed the connection with the window this morning) so i decided to try to find a 24 hours internetcafe. The end of the story was that i went to the wrong trainstation because i didn´t listen carefully and went to the right one (with the shopping center) afterwards (all by foot). For the first time i got the feeling that i have to be crazy to be here and do that Working holiday. I couldn´t read anything and just understand some words.... I even didn´t know what i was buying : D Well i bought some some Riceballs and a Sandwich and went back to my Hotel... that was at least what i thought. After running around for at least 1 hour (i couldn´t even retrace my own steps anymore) i came back to the trainstation. This time really trying to remember where i came from earlier and to just following my feelings i made it back to the Hotel. Well i am really tired, wich surely didn´t help. I hope i will be better tomorrow, i will got shopping again with more time and fit and i will have a look in my Lonely Planet. I will only wathc soccer if it is possible from my room.

Dennis

24 hours

Well, now there are only 24h left. I´m busy with packing now, waved most of my goodbyes and already did my online-checkin and choose my seat. I will fly from Basel (12.15) to London Heathrow (13.00) in an Airbus A319 jet and than from London (15.45) to Tokyo (11.10 Tokyo time on the 25th) with a Boeing 747 jet. The flight time to London will be 1h45min and to Tokyo 11h 25min, wich means i will be travelling around 15h (without the checkin in Basel). In Tokyo i will take another 2 hours or so to get to my Hotel by train.
I also got a mail about my homestay today. Its a couple (both 30) without kids (but 3 dogs). It looks like i will be able to use my Laptop there and there is also another Student staying there (from Taiwan). From the Homestay to the school the estiminated travel-time is 60 min (its a good way outside) I markes the points on the Map.
Off course now im nervous and still cant belive it that it will start tomorrow..... At the moment everything is spread out in the living room, i think i will start packing now.
Well,.... till later

My Time in Australia Part 1 + 2

Well, here is the first Part of my Australien travel.
I will add a link from rapidshare later so you can download it and watch it in High Quality. It may take a few minutes to load depending on the time you try to view it.



Well i just finished the second part. Enjoy:

4 days

Well, just to run a short update. There are only 4 days left!
The first goodbeys are already running, everything is comming closer and still i seem to look at ease from outside because people keep asking me: Are you not nervous? You take all that really easy.
Inside me im very nervous and always ask myself the same questions: Do i really want to go? My Life here is really nice! It wont work out anyway, the money will never be enough,....
Luckily i experienced something similar before going to Australia and so i try to ignore that, or just not think about it (wich is working quite well at the moment, because there are alot of things going on right now)
Well, what else is there? Ah, Germany is in the Halffinale against Turkey!!!!
I was at the Public Viewing Germany vs Austria. I though the game was not so bad, but the Professional said it was a bad game. Anyway, we won Ole, Ole. By the way, i was there with 2 Koreans who travel around the world since 2 years (i showed the around my city). I came in contact with them because of a workmate of my mother who met them in Argentinia and whom they are visiting now (By this way, greetings to you 2). Because im also interested in Korea (especially the cultur) i spend the day with them.
On Thursday i was at a Public Viewing again versus Portugal this time and it was a really exciting game until the end. In the end we won and have to play against Turkey in the Half Final. After the game i took my car (wich i gave to my parents now) to the mainroad and took around 30 minutes honking and with the warning lights turned on to drive around 1km. It was a hell alot of fun and i even got a flag because i didnt have one that time :)

Well i will be in Tokyo when the Half final is taking place. The game is here at the 25th June at 20.45, so that will be the 26th 03.45 in Tokyo (yes in the morning). Because i arrive in Tokyo on the 25th im not sure if i can see the game, but maybe the jetlag will finnaly help me this time.

Well, else,.... oh yes i finished 2 from 4 Parts of Videos. Its more a presentation of the Pictures from Australia, i will try to upload them tomorrow and post them here.
Thats it, im going to get some sleep now.

2 weeks

Well i though that i should write again now, there are just 2 weeks left now. Time is running!
Hm, so what happend since the last time?
I have played around with my Homepage a little bit, so for example you can find on the right site under LINKS a Map of Google where you can see where in Tokyo my Hotel and my School will be. You can change the Map to Satellite, zoom in and have a look at the buildings if you want to.
Well, else im having trouble with my Laptop because its not working properly and its freezing from time to time. Off course i have a Guarantee and stuff, but i think i dont have enough time ti send it there and get i back before i leave, what a pain in the Arse. Well im still looking into that, i hope i can find a solution.
Yesterday i talked to my Boss again (last week of work till Friday) about where to leave my pass for the Area and stuff and that he will give me a kind og certificate (i just lost the english word for that, its just a paper saying how you worked and if they were happy with the work and stuff). Ah... i also got a letter from the Tax office, there are some documents missing... i hope this is through before i leave.
Well, actually there was also something good happening. That is that my Postcards and Business cards wich i ordered arrived. The Quality is really good for the price. I will give everyone i meet such a card. On the front there is a Picture of me (the one in my profile here) and on the back is a Map of Japan. I will then write Date and Place on it and the one getting the card will have to write in a small book for me. I already gave 15 cards away and because i saw that they are going away fast and that i will maybe need more than 100 i just ordered another 100. The price is 27€ with shipping, wich is actually quite alright (makes around 0.5$/50Yen per card). What i was actually thinking about yesterday was buying a miniDV camcorder. Well today i bought one... i couldnt resist, so now im already half-Japanese travelling with 2 Cameras, a Camcorder, a Mp3Player and a Laptop....
Well, what else? Im a little busy during the last days, going out with some friends and already waving the first goodbeys.... got some thing of my To-do list done (especially the dentist) ah, i was in Basel at a Flashmob. That was this Friday at the Railwaystation Basel SBB and it was a freeze Flashmob (like the Original ).
There were really around 200 people and took part, but the Railwaystation was a little small for so many... It was alot of fun anyway, i always wanted to take part at something like that. I took a video while i was froozen and made a short cut. I try to put it on the page directly.



Otherwise, here is the Link. The BAZ (Basel Newspaper) also took a Video, you can find it here. I can only recommend you to take part at something like that if you know of it and have the chance to be there. I found this Flashmob online on Facebook.

Slowly im getting nervous, positiv and negativ. What did i forget? Will it all work out?
I already got some mails from people i know in and around Tokyo and i will probably meet some right during the first weeks.
Ah, i also registered myselfe at Google Analytics, wich shows me how many people visited my Homepage and from where they are logging in, how they found here and 1000 other things (like Browser type, screen resolution,.... isnt it crazy what information you send while browsing?).

Hey, its starting soon! CRAZY!!!! I´m really doing it, yeah :DDD
I hope you enjoy my Webblog once im travelling, if you have any suggestions just write me a message. You can find my ICQ in my Profile (i think also Skype-name), otherwise write in the Guestbook or make a comment
Have fun

Dennis