Today was a helluva busy day. I racked up almost ¥1000 ($10) of train fare alone.

It started with me figuring I wouldn’t go anywhere today – still not feeling great and all. Ended up spending an hour watching salon videos – I have to say that the younger guys in this country must spend yonks on their hair (as well as lots of money?) So I decided to go cut my hair. When I looked around at the prices I thought better of it, but then I noticed something interesting: Shukumou Kyosei (Japanese hair straightening technique). There was a big special going on, where you could go get your hair straightened, then cut if you wanted – as well as dyed for $60. The cut alone was looking to be at least $40. So I figured that was the way to go. I called up and made a reservation, then showered and ran out of the house as the guy told me it was either today (as someone else cancelled) or next week (which may not work as I leave next Tuesday for OSAKA!)

As I ran out of the house I realised that I should check my mailbox. So I did, and found 7 of the 29 CDs I bought (one going to Hag). So I brought them back upstairs, unwrapped them all and then set them down on the table. Then I ran out again.

I got to around halfway between my house and the station before realising that I hadn’t copied down an address, phone number or EVEN THE NAME of the place I was getting my hair done at. So I had to run back home *again* and get those details.

Finally I got to the train station (with much difficulty) and took a Marunouchi Line train to Shinjuku, changed for a Shonan Shinjuku Line train to Shibuya. Got out at Shibuya, ran over to Eyeglass Supermarket and picked up my glasses. At first, wearing them was annoying because I’d get dizzy but 7 hours later – I’ve gotten used to them. Anyway, I left the store and ran back to the station (through the Scramble Crossing whilst knocking people out of my way – I’m a man on a mission!) Then I took the Yamanote Line back to Shinjuku.

I found myself jogging across red lights and over to the hair clinic which I found with little difficulty (aren’t I glad I went back and copied down the directions -.-“) When I went inside I was greeted by a really pretty chick and I told her I had a reservation.

She went off and confirmed this, and eventually came back and said that unfortunately, they couldn’t do my hair because it was too short and it wouldn’t change much even if they did the treatment. She asked me to come back after my hair had grown a few cm, maybe 3 months. Err… no? So that was a mega waste of time.

Ended up eating Maccas as it was the closest thing available and I was starving. Then I got a message from Miri asking me if I could meet her at 5pm at Ikebukuro. So I went over there and tried to find Junkudo (a bookstore we decided to meet at) but I couldn’t find it 🙁 And I asked four people, two of which told me to go one way and the remaining two told me to go another way. So eventually I asked Miri to come to me, just before my phone battery died…

Luckily, Miri asked no questions and came over to where I was, we spent around an hour just sitting down outside Metropolitan Plaza talking and catching up. Then we went to get coffee after getting lost a few times. I ordered a tall green-tea latte with soft-serve icecream topping (it all cost Â¥380 ($3.80) which is uber cheap – if I got that in Aus I’m guessing at least $7?) Then Kei messaged and said she was near, so we left and found our way back to Ikebukuro station to go pick her up.

The three of us went over to Sunshine City and into a okonomiyaki/monjayaki restaurant called Pasta-kan (strangest name for a Japanese food restaurant…) After we ordered and cooked the first okonomiyaki, Ayaka showed up. We then made a monjayaki and for the first time I tried it…

…and I’m with Kumiko (Alice) on this one, monjayaki is shit.

We ordered… either 5 or 7 okonomiyaki all up and one monjayaki (thanks to me refusing to eat them ever again). Cost us Â¥1500 ($15) each. Very much worth it!!!

I saw the coolest little gadget at the okonomiyaki place today. Instead of timers, they had little hourglasses with pink sand that had “4 minutes” written on the top. That is friggen mad.

This place also had pizza flavored okonomiyaki (another first for me – was really delicious actually) and the lovely ladies even used one of the other okonomiyaki to write me a message 😀 (The writing under “love” is my name in Japanese…)

Afterwards we went to take some purikura photos, checked out Bic Camera (which was closing) and eventually went home. I have to meet up with Kei tomorrow as we’re going to go look at phones.

minna, kyou ai ni kitekurete honma ni arigatou!!


Kei is not in the photo… I’ll get one with her tomorrow 🙂