Entries this day: Back_to_Kawasaki Lunch Tadaima zzzzz

Back to Kawasaki

8:02am JST Friday 15 April 2005

I think I went to sleep around 10pm. During the night, between probably 12 and 2 am, I heard a strange sing-song noise that I recognized as a girl animatedly talking. I guessed she was a loud American yammering with her quieter friend. Then I recognized some Japanese words, and I recognized she was animatedly upsetly crying talking on her cell phone. Good vibes sent her way.

This morning I woke up around 5:45 am, feeling basically refreshed and happy, though I hadn't particularly slept for two continuous ~4 hour stretches like normal. I did a lot of flipping around since I was sleeping on a slight incline, and the ground wasn't as soft as my futon.

I packed up my gear, gave a blessing to the church for offering the space, and to the trees for protecting me, and to the weather for staying clear and dew free. Made sure I had all my stuff and my trash and headed out.

Down the hills like ZZZZooooOOOOooooOOOOoooooOOOomomoommmmmmmmmm flying around corners all zoooooomoooOOOoooOOooomm sailing down the straight parts all ZZZozzozozoooooaooaoaooozoozozozooooommmmm tears pouring out of my eyes from the crispy wind, then slow slow just keep swimming just keep swimming as I went up that shortish stretch of hill, at the top of which I got some pictures. Then down the rest ZzzzzzozozozozoooooooooOOOOooOOOOOoommmmm reliving in reverse all the places I had toiled so hard to climb. Down past all the places I had planned to stop ZzzzzzozozoOOOOOOOOOoooOoOom past the mysterious steps that climbed down to the highway zZZZZzzzzzoooooOOOoooooOOOOoomm past the ZZzzzozzzzoooooooooOOOOOooOOooOoooooooMMMMM past the statues that had blessed my ascent yesterday ZzzzoooooOOOooommmm past the well manicured flowerbed with ハコネ written in blossoming flowers Zzoooo eerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrtt!! (stopping noise). A truck was fully stopped in the middle of the lane. His wheels seemed to be smoking; I'm sure it was his brakes. Little bit too much zooom. I waited for a clear moment in traffic then zipped around him, blessing his journey and my journey and TJ Bike's brakes. Then zzzzozoozoooooooooOOOoooooooooooOOoooooommmm all the way to the bottom of the hill where I arrived back at that station at the end of Odakyu line and looked for my three rickshaw buds.

Of course they were not there; it was probably only 7am, and there weren't many tourists out.

Oh, that reminds me: during my AM descent, most traffic was going UP the hill; in to Gora for the day. I had a pretty clear shot all the way down save for that truck. Oh, and a wide crane thing going uphill, taking up more than half the road.

Other than that, it's been pretty straightforward. Just heading back along Route 1 国道１ (what's the pronunciation for these kanji?)

I'm stopped in 小磯 （おいそ）at Denny's using their electricty to write this entry.

Lunch

11:05am JST Friday 15 April 2005

Stopped for lunch at Jolly Pasta which boasted bicycle parking. Locked TJ Bike, grabbed my computer and camera and trash and headed in.

[We don't open until 11.]

[What time is it?]

[10:30.]

blink. wow. Earlier than I thought; seems like I've been riding for ages. I walked out, a bit miffed, but then I decided I would wait around if they had an electric socket for my computer.

[Do you have an outlet for my computer?]

[What?]

[Computer. Electric. Is there a socket?]

これはちょっと。。。

That's one thing I hate about Japanese. It translates to "that's a little bit..." and I'm supposed to fill in the adjective. Just say no.

- - - -

Went back out, reloaded TJ Bike and headed a bit further down the road and came to a McDonald's. Yes yes McDonald's bad, but I guessed they would be open and might have an elecric socket like in Yoyogi.

There happened to be a dude outside who directed me to a fence to which I could lock TJ Bike (their bike parking area was full). Grabbed my shiznit and went inside. Cute girl opened a register for me and I ordered two 100 yen fish sandwiches and water with no ice. Didn't find an outlet in the seating area, but oh well.

Found ice in my water, went back to the same girl and was like, "is it okay if I get water without ice?" a polite way of saying hey man you forget my original request. With no sense of guilt, apology nor even recognition, she happily replaced my ice water with water.

For the record, I had to agree with Jen; it took them a long time to fill my order. Not even counting the ice fiasco.

11:28am

I am really tired and my arms are slightly sunburned. Forgot to bring sunscreen. 24.6 km to my house.

Tadaima

2:29pm JST Friday 15 April 2005

Back home.

Going to set my cameras to upload to my and Hitomi's comptuers.

zzzzz

12:29am JST Saturday 16 April 2005

Have a bit of a headache, but want to write even so.

After my adventure, I went to the local public bath (for the first time at an actual public bath) and didn't know I had to bring my own soap and towel! No wonder it's so inexpensive! I felt embarassed to be the only foreigner there, wandering around trying to figure out where everyone was getting their soap and stuff from. Everyone was keeping to themselves so I didn't feel comfortable asking a busily washing/shaving/soaking naked Japanese man where to get bathing equipment.

At all hotels I've been to, including Gora last night, all the soap and towels are provided.

- - - -

Hitomi called me today several hours before her flight (not daring to sleep) and I was really happy to hear from her. I invited her to come with me to meet a couple of PB cats (Brandt and maybe others).

- - - -

I chose not to go out with Jeff and Colin and Naz for their welcome back party. I thought tonight was Jen's party (it's next week) so I asked her via textmessage "What will I do with all this pudding?" referring to nonexistant pudding I bought for her party.

- - - -

Foolishly am up too late trying to catch up on email after eating 3 eggs worth of Roboyaki and three cups of pudding, 100 grams of chocolate, and over a liter of Pocari Sweat.

- - - -

I have downloaded pictures but not uploaded them to my site. I've burned a CD of my story recorded last night, but not transcribed any of it yet. Might do it tomorrow at OM after my Japanese lesson (first one on Saturday with Ayana).

12:43am JST Saturday 16 April 2005

Crap. My journal appears to be down and I don't know why. I haven't messed with anything that I know of.

- - - -

journal.pl is working as I expect, but firefox is not honoring the refresh meta tag. Safari does, so fuckit I'm going to bed.