It's been just over two months since I moved to Japan, I knew it wasn't going to be easy. First of all, I don't speak the language although by now I am starting to pick up a few words and understand a lot more than I can actually speak!
I had come to term with the idea that I could not just pop down the road and dig into a Sunday roast, I must say I very rarely did so but the idea that the option was being taken away from me was quite hard to deal with, after all we the British do love a good Sunday roast and a cup of tea. But, on the upside my tongue was tickling with all the flavours I would have the enjoyment of sampling, the places I would travel and explore!
After months of back and fourth moving dates changed and 6 months of living in different hotels, I finally landed in Japan knowing that I'm about to spend my first night in the new apartment.
One of the first things that you notice when coming to Japan, even as a tourist is that Convenience stores in Japan are awesome (the Japanese simply call it 'Konbini'). they are always clean fully stocked and you can buy almost anything you need, from a fresh coffee and sandwich, to an press pressed clean shirt.
After discovering my local supermarket Tokyu Store, I suddenly realised how much my diet was changing.
Japanese food is great. It's healthy.
Thinking about London, I can't believe UK supermarket are allowed to get away with what they have on their shelves, which is mostly junk. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but if that's all you have on offer in your local store, no doubt that's all your going to eat...
Since Japan is an island nation, seafood is going to be the cheapest and most readily available food, so if you're not into seafood and rice your going to find it hard to eat here.
After a few days finally working out my local area and discovering our neighbourhood's streets, I started to realise just how quite this city actually is. You can actually hear a pin drop, which is not what you would expect from a city that houses 9.273 million people.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT is awesome, the subway and train systems are crazy convenient and accurate. The trains are always on time. The way the Japanese line themselves to board the train is just unbelievable and so incredibly well mannered.
I have spent many of my years be pushed and pulled with people fighting over who is going to board the next London underground train.
Vending machine are everywhere, I have even named the one is my building Rachel! I felt so close to it so I though I'd give it a nickname.
TOTO TOILETS are just the best thing thing ever, you can do your business then get a wash and blow-dry down there, leaving you feeling ever so fresh.
I then found myself returning to Europe to discover how crazy and dis-organised it all was, how loud they all spoke and suddenly realising that Japan had sucked me into its bubble and I loved it...
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