Sleep on the plane to trick the workings of a tired brain.

After setting a 4am wakeup call, then excitedly being awake till half 2 I finally drifted off. The shock came when I rolled over and saw the half 5 being displayed on my obviously unset alarm clock.

Springing out of bed I rushed into the hallway where me and Chris almost collided, both saying “we gotta go”

2 quick showers later and we were out the door. Luckily I set my alarm clock an half hour fast for such situations.

Picked up my Parents, so they could bring my car back home, and proceeded to get stuck in the good old M25 traffic. Have I mentioned I hate traffic.

Even with this we hit the airport at 7 40. How can an 80 mile drive take 2 hours?!?

Handed over baggage, straight through customs and coffee.

Flight one was your typical hour and a half affair, although we met some people on the plane who were also heading out there, but going straight to Kyoto.

before the first flight I bought a bottle of water and did not finish it, luckily I remembered this when we had to go through security on the interconnecting flight, half a bottle chucked. Unfortunately someone else I know didn’t. 1 whole bag search for Mr Spicer please.

We arrived at the gate for the big flight, and there it is the big Double Decker Airbus. With an impressive 80m wingspan, that’s like 43 of me lengthways.

After the impressive take off, the ride is the smoothest I’ve ever experienced.

I still could not sleep on the flight, no matter what I did, just managed a few 10min naps. Got through 4 movies and some music albums.

The food was surprisingly good and lots of drinks, only had a couple of alcoholic ones.

During take-off and landing were the best times to use the on-board cameras, showing views from the tail, wing and straight down.B Pure white at cruising.

Upon landing we exited the plane and the first sign I see is one for ‘Mr SPICER Christopher’. Confusion kicked in but after a chat, it seems someone got the passport expiry date wrong.

Made our way through immigration, we are now Short Term Residents.

Grabbed the bags and exited the airport. quick walk to the trains. After some map deciphering we grabbed some tickets, proceeded through ticket machine. Within another 300m we hit another ticketing machine, and being used to these see 2 open so we proceed. Yep at the same time we both got kneecapped by the barriers, seems the want our tickets again. Expect deduction right?

As soon as we exited the train station in the Kuramae district of Tokyo all that hit us was the smell of food, we both looked at each and commented on this.

Our hostel, K’s house was just round the corner. So we checked in and grabbed a shower.

Refreshed we headed towards Sensoji Temple, grabbing a Ramen on the way.

The temple itself was awesome, but due to a service we could not enter, instead we tried our luck at obtaining some fortune. Chris managed to get ‘Good Fortune’ and me, well I got ‘Bad Fortune’. So we should cancel each other out right?

By this point we are both hot and tired, so headed back to the hostel for a quick nap.