Yakisoba, Karaoke, and Tokyo

So, after lounging around all day we finally decided to mutually get our bums off the couch and do something with ourselves. I'd taken a nap and relaxed, it was very plesant.

All the girls and I had plans to go out to dinner, most of them still haven't had Okonomiyaki. We were invited to go to Karaoke at "Big Wave" the unlimited booze Karaoke bar. After discussing things we decided dinner was better. Most people go out to the booze karaoke bar to get trashed anyways. We went to a local restraunt:

The girls got their Okonomiyaki, but since I've already gotten it I got yakisoba instead...

After that we still had about 3 hours until cerfew, so we decided to go out to a karaoke bar. It was 500 yen for an hour with a drink, it could be alocholic, but everyone just got sodas. I had this melon soda that was good but it turned my mouth green!

I sung a few songs, the best one I sung in Japanese I'm going to youtube. Dasha sang with me for moral support! We also sang bohemian raphsody and we rick roll'ed ourselves!

Afterwards we walked around the arcade area, I spent 200 yen playing games. Then we all did Purikura for 100 yen. It's like the Japanese photo booths, and the backs are sticky! We're going to do them a bunch and all share them every time we come across a booth.

Then it was time to head home, the girls stopped in the bathroom and I had my first encounter with a squatter toilet. Thankfully I didn't actually have to go, so I passed, they scared me! I noticed for the first time too people stareing at me. But I kind of embraced it, rather than getting insecure... I felt those were really the only options.

We made it back in time and have been relaxing since. Karaoke was a lot of fun, I didn't understand it before, but being in that little room with your friends I can see how people spend hours in there!

---------------------------------

.........................................................

---------------------------------

I also reserved my room at the hostel in Tokyo. I'm very nervous. As of right now I'm the only one who's going amoung us. Some of the other girls are like "Yeah, well, I mean it sounds fun." or like "I'm going to try to go." but nothing commital. And well, I didn't come all this way to stay in Kyoto and Oksaka, as beautiful as they are... I'm really nervous, and kind of scared of traveling alone.... But, I mean, not to sound silly or cliche but it's like something I need to do. I'm going to be careful, I'm too nervous to not be. I decided to go with the bus over the shinkansen. While I had the money for the shinkansen I figured it'd be better to save my money for other fun things. Not to mention, if girls do come they'll be taking the bus. So hopefully I'll luck out...

My bus is an overnight bus, apparentally not only is the most efficent way to get there, but it's also like the only time buses to Tokyo run. So I'm going to leave on Friday the 18th at 12:30am, and arrive in Tokyo station at 8:30am. It's about another hour of trains to my hostel. I'm going to carefully plan it all out before-hand. The girls here who've been to Tokyo said to not be worried, that all the signs in Tokyo are in English too, and it's really easy to navigate. They also told me all the seedy areas of town to stay away from at night.

I think in Tokyo I'm going to adopt a general rule, unless I'm traveling with someone or make a good friend at the Hostel, or an extreme circumstance, to be in by 9:30pm-10:00pm. Most the girls said the bad areas don't become troublesome until 10:30pm. (can you all tell I'm nervous yet?)

The hostel is also ranked number 3 for all the country, and all the news I can find is positive about it. It's the Khaosan hostel group here's their website: http://www.khaosan-tokyo.com/en/ They have free internet access, so I can keep everyone posted every day, and by phone, like I do here. They have lockers for my things, and I get to keep the key.

Either way, I'm going to plan everything out carefully, make a bunch of maps and print outs. Practice my Japanese for "Where am I?" and "How do I get here?" Things like that. I'm sure I'll be fine, and even if no one specific comes with me it's the first big weekend, and I've heard a lot of Kansai people talking about going to Tokyo, so I may meet someone on the bus headed in the same general direction, or even someone at my Hostel. The world works in funny ways at times and I guess I need to stop being so nervous about it and relax. Past a point stressing too much will only make my traveling skills worse.

In the meantime I'm going to try to ride the trains as much as possible and make sure I'm going to be able to get to places easily. (for instance where my bus leaves from Osaka) Overall I have a 5 day trip to Tokyo for 200.00US with travel expenses and hotel.

Anyways, moral support guys?!