Day 2: ただいま - I'm Home!

My flight landed in Tokyo Narita International Airport and I couldn’t believe I was back! I rushed off the plane when we finally reached the gate and heat was a massive shock. I screamed “GADS IN HELL” knowing no one would have a clue what I meant and ran to collect my bag. You know when you are waiting for your suitcase and you are convinced that they must have lost your bag, yeah that. It took about 20 minutes but it did come out and I was off to catch my train! I went to buy my ticket and this old Japanese man came over and asked if I needed help. I told I needed to get to Shimbashi station in Tokyo and needed the next train in the centre. After some confusion it was decided I would get the Tokyo Skyliner into Nippori station and get a 2^nd train to Shimbashi from there. He kept making jokes with me that I did NOT understand. Like he kept saying things I just didn’t get and it wasn’t til I was walking away he asked where I was from. When I said Scottish he said he thought I was Dutch!?!?! And that’s why I didn’t understand? Who knows.

I got on the next train to Tokyo, which took about 45 minutes (I know what a trek) and swapped trains to goto Shimbashi. When I got off I realised I had no idea which direction the hospital was, only which station to get off at. The heat was genuinely unbearable, it must have been about 35 degrees and I had two massive bags weighing me down. I don’t know why I did it but I did, I asked this old crazy looking Japanese man where it was and he took me the biggest wild goose chase which ultimately ended up with us at the OTHER side of the station speaking to the police asking for directions. They pointed me in the right direction and I set off in the blistering sun to find the hospital. I was sweating a proper beast like and after I eventually found the Medical School reception I thought I was going to faint. I managed to speak to the receptionist in good enough Japanese to tell her who I was and who I was here to meet… and also that I was dying of exhaustion/dehydration. She told me to sit down and wait for my woman there. I sat down and she brought me over a cold bottle of water, which I was very grateful for. You should have seen her face when I downed it like a fresher in front of her very eyes in a oner.

The accommodation officer eventually arrived and took me to my apartment which thankfully was just 5 minutes away. 6^th floor up in the elevator and along a cute little corridor and we were there. It’s quite small though bigger than what I expecting to be getting. She explained to me how to use everything and I soon realised every appliance was all completely in Japanese. This was going to be fun… The first thing I asked her was how to put on the a/c because it was like a sauna. She turned it on to 21 degrees and as soon as she left I put it all the way down to 15 (to make it more like Scotland). It became obvious very quickly that the a/c wasn’t great and the room was still very stuffy and warm despite it blowing out cold air (maybe I’m doing it wrong?) I decided I needed a cold shower and it felt magnificent. The only problem is you come out and 5 minute after you’re dry you just feel all sticky again. I unpacked my suitcase and got ready to go meet Kouji (who I was dying to meet) and his boyfriend Carlos.

I left the apartment and was greeted by the unbelievable heat. I walked back to the station and had to buy a bottle of water. Or at least I thought it was water, turned out it was cherry flavoured water and it tasted like absolute gads. One thing I had forgotten was just how much people used to stare at me. It was like I had half a face or 3 arms because people just would not stop staring! I got into the station and purchased the Tokyo equivalent of an Oyster card (called a Suica) and got on my 30 minute train to Shinjuku. Shinjuku train station is one of the biggest in the world. I was happily surprised to see that I still knew where to go when I got off my train. Not falling for the same mistakes last time and ending up a mile in the wrong direction. I left the station and my face lit up! I had forgotten how amazing Shinjuku looks, bright lights and big screens. Next to the smoker’s area outside the station (you can’t smoke outside unless it’s a designated area) there was a man in a panda costume dancing around. It was so cool! Everyone had their cameras and phones out. I had arrived slightly early so I went looking for a Citibank (the only bank I can withdraw money from) and it had moved from it’s last location but the important thing was that I found it.

I headed back to Studio Alta to wait for Kouji and Carlos. People were walking past staring at me again, some of them cute boys. This is something I remembered from last time. If a cute boy is checking me out, how do I tell if he thinks I’m hot or thinks I look strange? L Carlos appeared out of nowhere and I gave him a big hug! He told me Kouji was along the road and had gotten tired walking. I walked over and saw him standing by the side of the pavement with his cute little cane! I forgot how short he was ahah! I gave him a massive hug and couldn’t believe we’d been reunited finally. I said we should go somewhere we can drink beer and eat delicious food! It just so happened there was a restaurant that suited us perfectly round the corner! We sat down and ordered lots of beer and food and just caught up completely! I told him about what I’d been doing since I last saw him in July 2010 and he told me the same. We talked about his recovery and I told him how proud and happy I was for him to get to this stage, considering where he began. It was so nice to get to see him and Carlos again. We decided to do one of my favourite things – PURIKURA! For those that have seen my old photos of Japan you will remember the crazy booth photos! It makes your eyes big and skin white! And you can write over the pictures and put all kinds of shit over yourself (moustaches, hats, accessories ahaha) It was so amazing to get to do it again and the photos look amazing!

Kouji had to go home and I had to go sleep so I said my farewells, telling him I would be in contact once I’d worked out how to get internet/a sim card and that I would see him soon. I got back on my train home, and ended up doing what all Japanese people do – fall asleep and then miraculously know when your stop is and get up and run off. I was clearly exhausted and needed mah bed. Lots of cute Japanese people tried to coerce me into their bars and restaurants on the walk home but I was having none of it. I got to my apartment and it was boiling again. There was no point in having a shower, so I just blasted the a/c on again and stripped down, got on top of the covers and fell asleep. I can’t believe I’m back in Tokyo, my first day was amazing (I’m just absolutely hating this heat). One more day free before I start working in the hospital!