Before our story began

When we first moved to Japan, although people had email they did not have blogs. It was some months before I discovered what one was – and longer before I got going myself – during which time I kept an old-fashioned diary on paper and wrote people individual emails and real letters on stationery. I’ve been meaning to dig it out and share it ever since, and as this week has seen me feeling quite nostalgic for Tokyo, I have finally tracked it down (to the drawer of my old desk, which now lives in the shed; not any of the sensible places I looked first).

So this is the first in a finite series of posts, the prequel, if you like, to turquoise and its archives.

Weds, 3rd April 2002

Well we’re here! All out of synch and dazed and confused – it’s 6am but as I’ve been wide awake since 4, I got up. C is still trying hard – but wide awake also.
Did little yesterday. Flights were fine but sleepless then some hassle at the airport about our baggage. Girl sent to meet us very keen. Eventually arrived at the (v big, very posh – huge chandeliers) hotel* and slept all afternoon. Managed a quick walk last night then ate in the hotel and asleep by 9. No wonder we’re awake now! C off to work today…

Thursday 4th

Slept better – had to be woken by the alarm! Which unfortunately went off at 6 as C is off to Atsugi today. I had a good day yesterday – swam and sauna’ed first thing then went out exploring. Went to a convenience store to try to get shaving foam, which I did get after about half an hour of mindless wandering! Took my breakfast to the park and ate it surrounded by the neatest, cleanest, quietest homeless people I have ever seen. Read a bit until disturbed by seven or eight big black coaches blaring out military music. V odd.
Walked all the way up past Shinjuku station to buy a power cable for my laptop (the one I bought doesn’t work. Bugger.) Pottered about, then back to the hotel to meet C – we had fried banana bread stuff for lunch then were collected and spent a couple of hours at the TGA** offices before going house-hunting. Saw three – the first was lovely though enormous (they are concerned it might be too big for us!). Would be perfect for the cats. The second was an odd layout with an odd atmosphere and the the third was ok but purple outside.
Back to the hotel for a quick sleep then away to Odakyu department store to buy C some trunks (loss of face when he went into the changing room with his shoes on; loss of pride when he realised that he is LL here, ie huge! Ha ha ha. My turn soon though I expect) and to eat.

*The Century Hyatt, Shinjuku.
**Relocation agency

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