Today was more eventful than usual.

Fay asked me to come to Shinjuku around 2pm, but being the lazy person that I am, I arrived at around 3pm. I met her at the Starbucks inside Lumine Est and she came with me to get a late lunch. I bought a kebab (don’t get excited – they’re much smaller here, but delicious) and a Dr Pepper and we just sat there planning the next few days. The friend she’s staying with is busy with university, so we’re going to go out for the next three days. I think. Anyway I finished my food and we went towards Sakuraya to check out some electronic dictionaries. On the way I noticed a store which sold glasses and noticed they also had contacts. Figuring I’d try my luck (and because I really really need contact lenses) I wandered in and asked the saleswoman, who kindly brought me upstairs and explained my situation to the doctors upstairs. They were happy to take my prescription (which I got faxed to me by my optometrist) but asked me if I could undergo another eye test, just to be sure. I started to worry about the cost, but the doctor smiled and said it was free anyway.

So I did it, probably to Fay’s dismay as she had to sit outside and wait for me. Dui bu qi, jie jie 🙁

The store gave me a quote on 6 months of lenses which was around $60 cheaper than in Australia, so I went for it. They also gave me a courtesy pair of lenses as the guy pointed out that I’d overworn my last ones and they had the potential to do damage to my eyes. He told me that the courtesy lenses aren’t toric (i.e. they don’t treat my astigmatism) however I didn’t care – I couldn’t even tell that there was a difference! So I got a free 2-week pair of lenses… I love Japan <3

Afterwards, Fay and I went to Kinokuniya to find a book on Tokyo, so that she could make the most of her remaining 5 days. Afterwards, we went back towards the station as I had other places to go to. We took a photo together outside JR Shinjuku Station. 🙂

Afterwards, I got onto a Rapid train bound for Takao (at least I think thats how it’s read) and got off at Kouenji. I was expecting Ayako to be there already so I wandered around but she didn’t seem to be there. I stood in front of a pillar and waited, and I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turn around:

Rik: Ne, osoi yo~~ ore no hou ga hayai koto… (OI you’re late yo.. it’s just too weird for me to be the first…….

The person tapping my shoulder was not Ayako so I shut up. She smiled and said;

Girl: You’re Richard right?
Rik: Yeah just call me Rik, and you are?
Girl: What?!!
Rik: Well, nice to meet you?
Girl: …

Turns out she’s Ayako’s friend, and I met her at Suginami Sogo High in 2005 – I completely forgot her. I turned red and suggested we reintroduce ourselves. Her name is Kanae.

Eventually Ayako got to the station and we went on a long walk through the suburbs to find the store we were going to. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Finally we arrived and walked up the stairs to the third floor, and as Kanae opened the door I was faced with a very traditional-looking restaurant. I started wondering whether we were supposed to take our shoes off…

Ayako: Kana, do we take our shoes off here?!
Rik: OMG psychic.

Kana advised us we didn’t have to, so we walked on in. It turns out that she works there, and it’s a shabu shabu restaurant. We went in and were served quickly, after we finally ordered that is. Just sat around and chatted, caught up, while the hotpot came, and boiled. Finally the ingredients came and both girls started putting them into the soup. Although I’ve had hotpot before, I had a good feeling about this place.

After we ate we got some ice cream too – I ended up with green tea which I can’t complain about. All in all it amounted to Â¥1000 (AU$10) each but I calculate that to mean that Kanae got a 60% staff discount (sound shifty, anyone?) Who’s complaining?

On the way back to Kouenji Station I happened to pass by some random things. One, a condom machine, which Ayako insists is not a normal thing to find on the side of a suburban street.

Two, this little statue thing was embedded in the wall, so I got a photo of it. There’s another bunch of photos (with Kanae included) on Ayako’s phone which I’ll get off her soon. Just before we arrived at the station, we popped into a game center to take purikura. I’ll put them up onto this post when I get them from the others 🙂

We said our goodbyes and I went to Shinjuku. I learned a good lesson tonight – when lost, ask for directions. I left the station from the south exit which was a big mistake. So I figured I’d just walk in the direction of Kabukicho. Or at least, what I thought was the direction of Kabukicho. Thus, after 40 minutes of walking and ending up at the same building I started at (i.e. a massive 3km or so circle) I was pretty SHITTY. Thank God I found a small sign with directions on it.

I don’t know exactly where I had ended up, but a woman came up from behind;

Woman: Massa-ji ikaga desuka? (How does a massage sound… kinda idea)

I turned around. The woman noticed then that I was a foreigner and said instead, in a really good American accent,

Woman: Hey there, how would you like a massage?
Rik: (not thinking) What the FUCK?
Woman: ……….

I shook my head profusely and walked off.

Eventually I arrived at Don Quixote; I intended to buy hair mousse and dye, and hopefully a wallet and some shorter pants (it’s getting hotter here I think) but a good wallet, or pair of pants were nowhere to be found. I suppose thats what I get for shopping at a bargains store. I ended up walking out with some blackhead remover (which works nicely!) a 1.5L bottle of milk tea, band aids and xylitol spearmint gum.

There was something very different this time at Don Quixote! There were at least 3 black people working there… when I was looking for the shorts (they had jeans my size so I figured they should have shorts) I called over the nearest attendant who was (I found out later) African. I wasn’t sure whether to speak English, so…

Rik: Eigo to Nihongo no naka de dotchi hanasou? (Would you like me to speak Eng or Jap?)
Guy: Dotchi demo iiyo. (Either’s good.)
Rik: Oh good, English it is then. Do you have these in shorts?

When I got outside my feet, back, legs… let’s just say everything hurt. I wandered past a Shiatsu (acupuncture) massage parlor and found myself tempted to go in. Then again, I didn’t want to be going into any brothels euphemized by the word “massage”. So I called Ayako, and despite it being 1:26am she picked up. I asked her what she thought, and she explained that since it’s Shinjuku and the place is open all night, there’s a good chance it’s dodgy. So I decided not to risk it. After all, if I get into trouble my guarantor (Nagisa’s mom) will too…

I couldn’t be bothered walking home as I usually do, so I took a taxi. I asked the driver if he knew my address and he said he didn’t and told me I should try another taxi. Once again, laziness got the best of me and I told him to just drive and not worry as I knew the way. Thing is, my area is just like Sydney city – a lot of one way streets. I ended up being dropped off around 1km from my house and power-walked home despite the pain.

Now that I’m home, I want to sleep forever. Except I need to meet Fay at 10:30am at Shinjuku. I don’t know how I’ll make it…