We move into our house on Monday! It will be nice to be in our own house (though no swimming pool and we’ll have to make the bed ourselves) – the hotel is very good but after 2 weeks we are a bit bnored.

We’ve had another busy week. Or I have, anyway: Cameon’s just been going to work! I’ve been working as well but have also been back to look at the house to make sure we definitely wanted it (was that only monday?), to a yoga class, which was much more strenuous than the classes I am used to, and out for a revolving sushi lunch with Gail, whose husband also works for Shell. (The sushi itself doesn’t revolve.) I’ve chosen a whole house-full of furniture so goodness knows what that will look like when it arrives, a jumble sale I expect. We’ve registered as aliens (!) and opened a bank account. I got very cross in teh bank when they asked Cameron if I wanted a cash card thengave it to him saying “this is for her”. Talk about a second-class citizen (and then when we went back to finalizse the furniture they were all over him and asked if it was ok that I had chosen it). Gah!

Yesterday, I went with Gail to look at the western supermarket (I dont’ think there is anything you can’t get, I checked for all the essentials. Peanut butter, ice cream, cheese, teabags) then met Cameron at his work in the evening for some welcome drinks. Phew! Today we went to Asakusa, where there is a big tempe and “kitchenware alley” – hundreds of shops selling everything you could possibly want to runa restaurant, including the plastic food they put outside! Then we went up the tokyo tower – ad Eiffel tower lookalike but a few metres taller just because they could! It was hazy so we couldn’t see all that far (we didn’t see Fuji) but it was s till a good view.

PS I’ve attached a picture of Cameron at work in his pyjama-like uniform.

This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.

We’re in! We have (most of) the furniture and – most importantly – we have clean clothes! Once a man has come this afternoon to fix the oven door, I am off to Tokyu Hands for essentials – bins, shower curtains, fax paper etc etc. I had a bit of a trauma earlier today when, after buying a huge amount of stuff from the western supermarket (nissin) I found that they only deliver to ohyamacho on weekends. So I had to get a taxi – much migi*, migi, find the koen**. erm what if we start at the eki*** I know where it is from there… – but I managed! And I was running a bit late for yoga this morning so I just jumped on the first train that came, only it was an express and didn’t stop until it came to shinjuku and then when I tried to transfer to the yamanote line it wouldn’t take my ticket and the chap sent me back to the fare adjustment machine only that didn’t take my money so I went back to the barrier and tried my JR pass only that didn’t work either! So I was just beginning to think I would never get out when a nice man in a smart cap explained that I had to put both my JR pass and the subway pass through together. I could have been there weeks before I worked that out. So I eventually arrived, yoga was extremely hard, went for coffee with Gail and her friend who I think was called Carolyn and another friend called Tina who lives quite near here and has cats so I will have to make friends with her. Then a quick rotating lunch and off to the supermarket which I think is where I started.

Cameron was off yesterday – we were collected at the hotel to come to the house then our air freight arrived almost immediately, closely followed by the furniture. It seems that the new stuff I have chosen won’t be ready for a few weeks, which isn’t a problem but I wish they had explained it when I was choosing. Maromi took us down to the local shops and explained what was what in the supermarket, then left and that was it! On our own. So we bought some essentials, cam back for lunch, and spent the afternoon unpacking – in the evening we wandered down towards the station and found a little bar where we had delicious salads and grilled meat. The korean-style lamb (cut so thin it resembles bacon) was fantastic.

On Sunday we went to Yokohama with Eiji and Yuko, which was very nice. It was a lovely sunny day and Chinatown is amazing – hundreds and hundreds of little restaurants packed full of people, and lovely smells everywhere. Had a gorgeous lunch, apart from the raw jellyfish, which I was not very keen on, and took a boat back to the station, then home in time for a final sauna and swim in the hotel.

And on Saturday, we went to Asakusa to look at the temple (we realised once we had arrived that we’d been there last time**** – no problem, it was a nice day and good to see) and kitchenware alley, followed by a trip up the tokyo tower.

*right
**park
***station
****We had a holiday in Japan a year or so before moving out there to live

This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.

Cameron had Thursday off so we could go and register as aliens – I have to find my way back in 2 weeks to collect the card, which will be interesting I expect. Then we opened a bank account while I quietly fumed about being a second-class citizen; bad enough that they asked Cameron whether I wanted a cash card, worse when they handed it to him saying it was for me! Then went and finished the furniture thing (they asked C if it was ok that I had chosen it) – we’ve ended up with a white suite with non-washable covers, which is perhaps not our most sensible decision but they were cheaper and we had little option.
We then wandered around Shibuya a bit – explored Tower Records, bought some CDs; went to Tokyu Hands and bought a kettle as we can’t move in without one!
Yesterday was busy for me – I sat in the lobby for the best part of an hour while they cleaned the room, did a small amount of work then headed to Hiroo to meet Gail and visit the western supermarket. Also visited a fantastic shop full of lovely things from all over SE Asia. Will be going back! Took an hour to get home on the bus and found an email from C asking me along on an evening out so I had to find my way to Odaiba. Big panic at Shimbashi when I couldn’t find the monorail. I asked a guard “Eigo-wa hanashimasu ka” and he looked completely blank, I could have been speaking Mongolian, until I gave up and said “do you speak English” to which he answered “no”! Anyway, he pointed me in the right direction and I got there OK to join the sararymen in their pub in Shimbashi, the same one we went to with Sara last year. Cameron is turtle-theory and I am clever-flower!*
*Translating our names into Japanese, sort of. Ka-me, turtle; ron, theory; Li, clever; sa, flower.

This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.

We have a house! Hoorah. Went for a second look with Maromi* on Monday morning and we’re moving in next Monday – I think we’ve set a record. Didn’t do much else on Monday – had a walk down to Shinjuku and a look in the big bookshop, bought some lunch in the Takashimaya food court then did some work and had a swim.
Yesterday was busy – braved Shinjuku station at 8 am – not nice – to meet Gail for yoga. Yoga far more strenuous than anything I’ve been used to recently! Then we went for coffee, went to the tourist information centre, had a revolving sushi lunch (yum) and I came back to meet the furniture lady. Spent the afternoon picking furniture – actually quite difficult! She was determined I should have a navy blue suite, which is ok and I expect we will end up with it, but not that comfy. We’ll have to buy cushions! There were some things I liked as well that haven’t appeared on the quote – perhaps because I have already exceeded the budget. Think I’ll have to go back and iterate.

*Maromi was our girl from the relocation agency

This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.

Cameron has left for his first proper day of work – don’t expect him back for 12 hours! It’s a grey and misty morning – but it started grey and misty yesterday, too, and turned out lovely. We went and looked at a house first thing, then back to look at the one we’d liked best on Saturday, which we have decided to try for. Then we got a very busy train to Kamakura, which is on the coast south of Yokohama. Buying the tickets was slightly traumatic as Kamakura didn’t seem to be on any signs, but we asked a man and it was ok.
At Kamakura we walked about for ages trying to find the Daibutsu – big Buddha. We eventually did – it is big – and you can go inside it! Saw a man feeding some very tame squirrels and got shouted at by a small man who thought C had gone inside the Buddha without paying.
After a chinese lunch (sweet and sour chicken) we went to another temple, hasedera or something like that. Very beautiful grounds – arum lily ponds and koi, and a sea view. Saw some big birds of prey (must buy a book of Japanese birds) and thousands of statues of jizu, for dead children. Saw a young couple having a statue blessed by a monk (much chanting and banging of gongs), which was sad. Also a cave with statues carved in the roof and a little grotto with tiny statues in all the crevices.
We then wandered back up the tree-lined path in the middle of the main street to the main shrine, the name of which I forget but it has a famous tree – saw a wedding and a very large turtle. Poor bride looked most uncomfortable! Then back to the station and home, sharing a carriage with a band of kimono ladies, one of whom had blue hair to match her outfit.

This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.

Thought I’d drop you a quick line to let you know what we’ve been up to as we’ve nearly survived for a week now! Helped I’m sure by the very nice hotel (www.centuryhyatt.co.jp). We are on the 21st floor and can see mountains (but not Fuji, we’re looking the wrong way) and lots of other high-rise buildings as we are in Shinjuku, which is the business district – the building next door is the metropolitan government and I don’t know how tall it is but there is an observatory on floor 45! Every morning hundreds of ant-like people stream out of the subway and into it, then they all go back the other way at night.
I’ve been taking advantage of the facilities with a swim and a sauna nearly every day – I could get used to this! Also have been doing some work (I’ll start properly tomorrow, I’ve just been doing little bits here and there) and exploring around. Only on foot during the week as the subway/train system was a bit daunting on my own, but we’ve been out and about this weekend so I’m quite confident I can go further next week. I’m starting yoga on Tuesday with a girl whose husband also works for shell – she is friends with Sara.
We’ve found a house we like. No problems with people coming to stay as every house we have seen as been at least as big as our house in Warrington. You can all come together! Fingers crossed we can have it and can move in quickly as I think we will feel more settled then. It even has a small garden (about 2 sq metres) with a stone lantern and an acer tree. Our air freight is in the country already but I have no idea where the ship is.
We’ve had a nice weekend (weather fantastic, warm and sunny) – yesterday we went to Ueno, which is a different area of Tokyo. We walked around the park (us and every child in Tokyo! There is a zoo in the park that is obviously The place to go on a Saturday) then went exploring the streets, which are narrow and very crowded with market stalls. Lots of bargains to be had although we didn’t buy anything. In the evening we went to Roppongi which is a strange place full of expats, but we were looking for the sports cafe so Cameron could watch Celtic win the league – we found the bar but had to watch Manchester United instead! Horribly expensive, even for Tokyo, so we didn’t stay very long. Then today (after viewing another house) we took the train south, theough Yokohama to Kamakura, which is a seaside town that is stuffed full of temples and shrines. Saw lots of ladies in kimonos and a wedding (you should see what the brides here have to wear!), and a famous tree. Feeling tired and a bit sunburnt now – might have to go for another sauna!

This is from my diary from when we first relocated to Japan – pre-blog. Other entries can be found here.

Well! We’ve been busy. Cameron went to work all day Thursday, while I had a nice day – did a little work, walked to Yoyogi park, around the shrine (saw a wedding) and back, and then spent a good 2 hours swimming and sauna-ing. Knackered in the evening so had pasta in the hotel.
Yesterday was spent house-hunting with two different agents. We saw one apartment we liked especially (though they have all been good). Then a swim and sushi for tea and another early night. House-hunted again this morning and saw one flat that was wonderful except had no outside bit, and a house that we really like and might go for. Found out that stick men arecalled Kevin*!
This afternoon we went to Ueno. We walked round the park – lots of children going to the zoo and people getting drunk under the cherry blossom. Only the blossom has mostly gone now; this doesn’t seem to worry them. Had fried squid for lunch, followed by chocolate-covered bananas, and saw some turtles sunbathing (“cameron” means “turtle”) then went and wandered round the shopping streets, which are pretty amazing. Very crowded. Decided we would find the pub “warrior celt” before we left, but failed – still, we had a good explore while looking for it.

*I can see some of my asides need explanation. All construction works, holes in the ground, etc are guarded by men with sticks. Sometimes mechanical men with sticks. They point their sticks to help you avoid the hazard as you pass. They are called “Keh-bin” or something along those lines

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