First time

So for the first time in my life, I have traveled totally on my own by some way other then car bike or by foot. I am now safely in Tokyo in K's House backpackers hostel (Though how I'm traveling isn't really backpacking at this point, I've got way too much stuff for that). It was not a direct trip here though. No that would have been too easy. Though my detour was pre-planned and much looked forward to. Allow me to explain....

So rather then taking the bus from Minami Alps straight to Shinjuku in Tokyo, I had Kazu drop me off at Shiozaki station (the local station). As I stared blankly at the ticket machine I realized how poorly planned this venture of mine was, as I had neglected to look at the train routs or schedules. I was in fact backtracking my route of arrival 2 and a half months ago from memory. I purchased a ticket from the little machine in order to get to Kofu station which was just two stops up the line. I apparently purchased the wrong ticket though, but it didn't cause much of a problem. (the conductor just put the cost of what I had already paid for the wrong ticket towards the price of the correct one.) From Kofu I took the local line to the Fuji station, where I transfered trains and headed for Shizuoka station, which was my intended destination.

Upon my arriaval at Shizuoka I shoved my bags into a coin locker (an ordeal unto itself) and immideatly realized that I didn't have the coinage necessary to lock it. So I stood around with one arm shoved into the locker holding my bags in place and waited somebody to pass by that was likely to have change. My help came in the form of a group of old ladies. They kindly exchanged my 1000 yen note for a 500 yen coin and five 100 yen coins. I shoved the locker closed, put in the coins, and got the key, and then proceeded to thank the ladies. Now down to just one bag instead of 3, I set out for what I was seeking. After asking the information center I found that it was one station back at Higashi Shizuoka Staion (East Shizuoka Station. It is common for large stations to have smaller ones near by that run the local trains.) So 140 yen got me up the line to where I needed to go. And at last I was able to lay my eyes on something I've been wanting to see, but thought I had missed entirely. THIS
Do you see those legs and the set of arms in the scaffolding? That is the start of the Gundam Statue that I so despratley wanted to see. It previously stood on Odiaba Island in Tokyo bay. And I dragged my dad all the way back to Tokyo mainly so I could see this thing. But once we arrived we found that it had been dismantled, but was going to be rebuilt here. When Dad and I were headed to the Orchard from Kyoto I picked a route that brought us through Shizuoka station, only to find that it wasn't going to be up until July. But what I didn't know was that they had to actually build this thing piece by piece like you would a building. As it turned out, they started construction about 2 weeks ago. Many thanks to Tim for sending me the link alerting me to its present construction and allowing me to make the most of the opportunity. So even though it is incomplete, I can now cross "see the life sized gundam statue" off of my list of stuff to do before I die.

From there, I paid another 140 yen to get back to Shizuoka station, grabbed my bags and purchased my ticket to Tokyo. I grabbed a bento box and some bread for lunch and hauled all my gear up to the platform. The train ride was pleasantly uneventful and I got a good amount of reading done. However as I was pulling my bags off the rack as we pulled up to Tokyo station misfortune struck in the form of my beloved bracelet breaking, dropping many of the beads. Most of them landed on the seat below but I had to scrounge on the floor as fast as I could for the rest. (The trains do not stop very long so I was pressed for time). From the train station I took a taxi to the bank that is very near the hostel I'm staying at. (It's around the corner fortunately, So I didn't have to lug all my crap very far.) Upon arriving I checked in, showered, and purchased a small coin purse in which to keep the beads from my broken bracelet. I seem to have lost at least two beads. This is unfortunate because I do not know where to get replacements of the same type. I suppose I shall have to repair it with beads of a different sort, and that will serve as a reminder to what happened on this trip, making my bracelet a little more interesting.

At any rate, so begins my brief stay in Tokyo. Tomorrow I'm meeting up with one of the girls that was at Nakagomi Orchard for a few days. and she is going to show me around Shibuya and Harajuku, It should be fun. Tanoshimini shitteimasu (Translation: I'm looking forward to it) I'll be home in 4 days.