Day 1: lost and found in Tokyo

Mixing my share of germs from the long-haul flight with the cushioned seat. Connexion between human and things is always so intimate.

A LCD display of the N'EX–Tokyo route

A non-smoking waiting room at the Narita JR platform. A bit counter-intuitive, it's like a designated non-smoking area in Paris.

The exterior body of N'EX (Narita Express) operated by JR

This is not the first time I've been to Tokyo, nor the first time I was on a trans-atlantic plane. I know the routine, I know what's there to see in Tokyo. But deep down it felt different. I was more solitary this time. Yes I traveled by myself to Tokyo which is a bit sad even with the justification of participation in a major conference. The contrast of my solitude with other Chinese-speaking travelers (either come in groups or as couples) draws my attention to the broader circumference for fellow lone travelers: the physical landscape of urban Tokyo and the virtual community centered around this urban metropolis. It's all about making connection, to feel (or fool yourself) that you are connecting with the footprints and footprinters along the pathway.

I arrived at Narita airport after the +10-hour flight from Phoenix. My indolence coupled with my ex's incompetence resulted in a lack of planning and an unnecessary overspent budget in my visit to Tokyo. This time I am on my own so I rely heavily on the information shared by fellow bloggers and travel writers. I did not take limousine bus from Narita airport to Tokyo, which is commonly perceived as the most convenient means of airport transportation. Several sources point to a more economical route introduced by JR (Japanese Railway) for foreigners just a month before my trip (July 2010). Some indispensable background knowledge before submerging yourself in the byzantine subway networks in Tokyo. There are a number of subway companies operating different routes and lines in Tokyo. JR is the national subway enterprise in Japan (not only in Tokyo). But there are non-JR subway companies competing and cooperating with JR in Tokyo. For the Narita–Tokyo route, JR offered a round-trip package with N'EX + a pre-loaded 1500¥ suica card (a rechargeable and refundable pre-paid smart card) for just 5500¥! Now this means nothing to travelers unless you compare it with the cost of taking the limousine bus. A round-trip bus ticket from Narita to Tokyo costs 6000¥/person, without a complimentary suica worth 1500¥！Suica is very useful for budget travelers in Tokyo. With a swipe of the card above the sensor, you can take all subway lines (JR and non-JR routes), bus, and shop at the underground station streets. Seriously, why waste an extra 2000¥ to take bus and more time on potential traffic congestion when you can get so much more underground?

While I found my underway to Tokyo, I was lost in the above-ground Shinjuku. Shinjuku is a black-spot for misplacement due to the multi-connected exits near this point. There are at least 4 exits pointing to different directions under the generic rubric of "Shinjuku": Seibu-Shinjuku, Shinjuku JR, Shinjuku-sanchome, Shinjuku nishiguchi, not to mention the farther apart Higashi-Shinjuku. So if you only go by "Shinjuku", it's difficult if not impossible to find your way along the meandering streets with densely populated and motorized urban surroundings. I am staying at Tokyo inn near Kabuki-cho, which I assumed is situated in the Kabuki town. My assumption is partly correct. It is part of the broader area known to tourists as the Kabuki town, but the epithet of a "town" implies that it is more than just a tourist spot. The location of the inn is off the hustle and bustle of Kabuki avenue, close to Higashi-Shinjuku. I dragged my luggage with an anti-G force handle bar uphill, across the garden shrine, the reputed Mutekiya ramen restaurant, and streaked as fast as I can through the gigolo clubs on my way to orient myself in the puzzling pixelgram of Shinjuku. A friendly young lady very helpfully walked with me to the inn which is very much appreciated. Kind of feel bad for having her walked up a hill in her stiletto heels though >_<

My day of lost-and-found in Tokyo ends with a (deserved) self-indulged dining trip at Mutekiya. Honestly, the ramen is a bit too salty for my inept tastebuds, but I will acclimatize my tastebuds in the next couple days for the amount of salt and oil in Japanese food. I would still give it an "oishi desu" but 900¥/bowl is bit over-rated.明日は別の日"です!

Tonkotsu ramen served at Mutekiya 麵屋無敵家

A rude Japanese receptionist

OK, I did not see this coming:

ME: Do you speak English? I want to confirm my reservation.
A Japanese receptionist: no.
ME: You don't speak English or you don't want to confirm my reservation?
A Japanese receptionist: that's right.
ME: .....well, I am looking for a little help here. Could you help me out?
A Japanese receptionist: No.

Looks like my trip to Japan does not bode well. Who mystified Japanese women as the most polite and subservient women in Asia? Definitely not women from other East Asian regions.

利物浦遊記

早上10時左右到達利物浦John Lennon機場，在機場的ATM取英鎊不需手續費，兌換率也很合理，機場人員還很友善指點巴士站的位置，並對我說5－10分鐘便會有巴士，等了好一陣子，其他乘客都上車了，我還在等。其實我沒有介意，就這樣感受一下英倫的味道也是很自在的。當我等的那一路巴士接近時，那個叔叔還特地過來跟我說今天這路巴士比平時來得遲，讓我久候了。殷勤的態度 讓人感到很溫暖。雖然是初次踏足這片土地，卻有似曾相識的感覺。在候車時，我問身後的兩位英國帥哥車費多少，我本來是打算向他們找零錢，沒想到其中一位帥哥毫不猶疑地掏出£1.6，接著一聲“Welcome to England!" 上車後我才知道原來在英國是可以跟司機找續的（香港和美國都不容許）。也就是說，那兩位英國帥哥早知道我是可以用紙幣的，他們根本沒有必要特地掏£1.6給我。微薄的禮讓洋溢著一份對外國人的友善和好客，和我在荷蘭的經歷大相徑庭。

Liverpool是一個寧靜的小城。從機場到青年旅館的路上都是一幢幢樓高兩三層的房子，車子整齊地在兩邊平排並列。我下榻的Nightingale旅館離市中心很近，放下行李後往市中心購物曲出發，途經China Town，但是在正午12點鐘，China Town所有的店鋪大門都緊緊關上，怎麼回事？路人說這裡的店晚上一般營業至凌晨，所以開店時間也相對較晚。繼續徒步上路，意外發現一家小書店，在書店的 “bargain” 角落如穫珍寶，很多經典的讀物只售£1。Marx's Captial, Nietzsche‘s Beyond Good and Evil, The Symposium, Bertrand Russel's What I believe！心存感激。老闆娘也很友善，明天一定會再拜訪，記下書店名字。再往前走是市中心的大型購物區，很多店鋪打折至少50％。由於我的傷風還未完全痊愈，加入北歐的天氣會更清涼，我打算買一件較厚的外套甚麼的，本以為買不著了，卻幸運地在H&M找到一件特價的風衣，£15，款式也很好，就算在香港也絕對不祇這個價。太陽眼鏡只售£2.59！後來我買了一份小禮物給Maj，在Marks & Spencer買兩件衣服給家人，滿載而歸！

今晚就不出去了，先做些research，計劃一下明天的行程。又或是看剛剛的戰利品，又或翻閱書籍，又或準備ppt，又或寫報告。