Visited Sensoji again just before departure, and got “Bad Luck” omikuji twice in a row. Tied both at the temple, and hope the bad luck has been burnt together with the omikuji paper. Haha, somehow I wanted to interpret to be that I shouldn’t be travelling anymore and just stay in Tokyo. Arh well, I would really love to. =)

Overall, the trip was great and badly needed time off – away from work and lazing moments at home. Didn’t really achieved the goal of studying for my N1 exam, but I did exercised a lot (perhaps just enough to cover for extra calories from late night snacking while watching variety shows).

The moments I loved most during the trip:

1) TV programs in Japan – from early morning to early morning

I love everything from News programs to variety shows to commercials. =) I didn’t really get to watch as much Arashi as I wanted to, but there were just too many other things to keep me occupied. From the discussion on the bus crash (due to sleeping driver while driving on the highway), to mysterious locked room murder in an apartment (the case still hasn’t been solved yet), to discussion on weather changes/tornado…

2) Umeda Floating Garden Observatory

This has to be my favorite view in Japan. =) I love the breeze and the open air night view. =)

3) Mount Takao

I am glad I climbed it. =) Would recommend it for anyone who want to take a leisure walk up a mountain.

4) Loft @ Shibuya

My favorite shopping place in Tokyo. To anyone who loves Tokyu Hands, I would recommend they take a walk at Loft too. Less DIY and craft items in Loft, but the store carries an interesting variety of goods from stationary to personal care to household goods.

5) Convenience stores!!!

=)
I love you Japan.

Here I am… back from civilization.
I promise.. I will try to love this country a bit more…

Same day – I stopped by Yokohama on the way back to Tokyo from Kamakura.

The area surrounding The Jr Yokohama station changed beyond recognition. It’s almost as if I hadn’t visited there at all.

Took a long walk around the new area, as far as my ankles allowed me to… before they started complaining. I thought I only sprained one.. why is the other one aching tooooooo… did I gain weight again?

No Chinatown this time though…
I went for palm reading during my day 8′s visit to the Chinatown. a random store by the road. not the same guy as from three years ago though. But not surprised that they both said the same things.. since most probably my palm lines haven’t changed at all during these three years. I was supposed to have been in a relationship between age 24 and 26. Was I? Anyway I have learnt that answers to such questions are not important. I only know that my listening improved so much that I can understand almost everything she said… =) Yay!

I nearly got lost in Kamakura today~

Kamakura is a small city in the Kanagawa prefecture south of Tokyo. It is easily accessible via the Shonan-shinjuku line from the JR Shinjuku station.
Many hundreds of years ago, Kamakura was once the political capital of Japan. Now, it is a very popular tourist attraction with numerous temples, shrines, and historical monuments. I heard the beach at Kamakura is also a very well-known dating spot for locals. =)

Today was my second visit to this small city. =) My first stop was Hase on the Enoden~ (where the Kannon temple and Big Buddha is)

and I was supposedly to take the same route I took the last time to the next station on the line, passing by one temple on the hill/mountain. But on the way, I saw this sign that told me to turn into a residence area due to “narrow roads ahead”. So… I followed the sign and found myself by the sea, in front of the beach. The original route was probably on the other side of the mountain/hill. … Since I saw a bunch of screaming high school kids walking in the same direction, I decided to just follow and take a walk by the sea-side. It was a very very long walk, but a very refreshing one… it’s been a very long time since I last smelled the sea breeze.. it smelled.. of salt. Ended up two stations away from my original station…

I wish I could walk back and take a photo of the misleading road sign. Did I read it wrongly? Or was it shifted mistakenly from its original position and hence, pointing in the wrong direction?

The moral of the story is… not to trust road signs too much. It was already the second wrong sign I saw in the area, just that the first one was hand-written which makes it doubtful enough for me to ignore it. It is just that.. I was rather surprised how much I trusted my instincts. Nvm the longer walk, cos I have already walked a new path that I would not have otherwise discovered.

Unless I keep walking, I will never have reached another decision point.. not to say the destination. I would never have known whether I was on one of the correct paths that could lead to the destination. Do I need to know whether I am right or wrong before I do something? To those people who meet me at the destination, do they even care which way I took to get there?

Time is passing so fast that it is a bit scary..

Definition from urban dictionary: a person who enjoys being single (or spending time alone) and so prefers to wait for the right person to come along rather than dating indiscriminately; relishing equal doses of solitude and friendship; attracted to freedom and possibility. Also adj.: The condition of being equally at home with singledom and being in a healthy relationship, undivided, whole. Of, relating to, or embodying quirkyalones.

=)

The flight was pleasant. I love Delta’s in-flight entertainment. There were just so many movies to choose from. I browsed through 2 (“Horrible Bosses” and “I don’t know how she does it”), and finished watching only one (“We bought a Zoo”) on the almost 7 hours flight.

Landed in Narita at around 2 pm. And boarded the Narita Express to Tokyo. It was my first time on board the Narita Express, cos it is THE most expensive way of getting to Tokyo (apart from private transport or taxi). I got the “Suica + NEX” package which brought down the difference to only 400 yen (from the normal train fare).

It was a comfortable direct ride to Shinjuku. Everything was in a rush after reaching Shinjuku, probably cause I was dragging my huge luggage in the Tokyo crowd, almost completely lost. It is one thing to see Shinjuku on Google maps, and another to be in it. Plus it was my first time in West Shinjuku. Twenty minutes of walking in the rain, and I reached my apartment.

Nice cosy apartment, though the view was over-rated on the website.
Settled for a salad dinner from the Odakyu department store and some snacks from the nearest convenience store before staying in for the night.

I’m finally back in Tokyo! =)

On a happier note, I found a good hair salon, finally!!!! =)
I love it before I even stepped into it.
That was when I met one of the stylists outside the salon, and he offered to open the door for me. =)

And the interior is simple and stylish – that’s so Japanese. =D
My hair stylist is a Japanese guy who just arrived in Singapore. Had some difficulty speaking English but he was trying very hard in engaging me in conversations.
I love the service. Finally I found it~
I love the way how the stylist followed through everything – from design to wash to cut to color to wash and finally to dry.
Once in a while, there will be another stylist helping, but that’s just helping with an extra pair of hands, he will always be there to give instructions.
I like the teamwork shown in the salon.

Finally, Japanese service in Singapore.
Honestly, I didn’t really make a drastic change to my hair style, but I felt really really good when I stepped out of the salon.

I am already looking forward to my next trip to the salon.
=)

If someone is furiously typing an email, with her earphones on, and did not even realise that you were knocking on the table, would you continue to knock on the table and catch her attention to just make a casual comment?
I wouldn’t mind if it was an occasional small chat, wouldn’t mind if it was some constructive questions that isn’t work related, but some casual comments that I don’t even need to respond to?

Maybe I wouldn’t mind if it just wasn’t him?
I don’t like the knocking of table, esp when it is just to make some mocking remarks relating to my friend or things around me.

It has been a long time since I don’t need to be pms-ing to feel so irritated.

I think I need to focus more on international, just that sometimes.. nonsensical news just catch my attention more….

NEWS is back!!!!!!!!!
It was announced through kei-chan’s radio program, where all four members were present, that NEWS is officially back with a new single and best album, and a tour which dates are yet to be confirmed.

The dates of release is yet to be announced, but for the best album, fans will be able to vote for their favorite songs to be included as ‘fan’s selection’. The voting is expected to commence at noon on the je entertainment website.

=)

The group officially released their debut album with 8 members.
Two were kicked out due to misbehavior, and the group started afresh with 6, with some of them crying on stage during the comeback concert.
Then the most popular member decided somehow that he is good enough to be on his own, and left the team in the lurch after a series of solo activities.
His good friend, at the same time, decided somehow he doesn’t fit in with the other four (which I somehow agree) and left too.
I wonder how will the group be like now…
Two of them have been releasing their own albums and holding their own concerts as a sub unit during the group’s inactivity.
The other two…. are probably better at talking than singing or dancing.
Arh well….. probably now that the two most popular ones are gone, the team will be more well balanced.

I quite dislike yamapi since he left the group. His dancing and singing is nowhere near Jin, yet he thinks that he is good enough to venture out on his own?
He cannot even talk well.
Now that his recent drama ratings are poor, they are pushing the blame on the female lead.
Loser.

=P

Aniwaez, congratulations!!!!!!!!