I smell pancakes cooking. I walk and watch the autumn leaves fall. I buy postcards and photo books. I look at photos on walls in galleries. I walk along a pretty tree lined canal in Nakameguro. It gets dark and I get cold. I buy drinks from the lane way vending machines. I get to intersections and do not know which way to turn. I walk in the rain. I cross bridges and underpasses. I follow the bright lights to Shibuya and sit high up in Starbucks and drink a spearmint green tea and people watch from afar. I walk until I can not walk anymore. I sit and rest. I umm and ahhh about what to eat. I annoy myself with my indecisiveness. I look at funny bikes. I look in antique stores. I buy lots of stationary. I practise my konnichiwa’s and my arigato’s. I peer into people’s apartments as I pass and think about what it is like to be raised in this big ginormous city. I get lost in suburbia. I get concerend for the little kids who walk themselves home at 8pm at night. I get hungry again and eat raw fish in Shimbashi. I walk slowly back to my hotel. My feet are sore and so is my back. I kick off my shoes and I fall onto my bed. I stare out at the bright lights of the city from the 32rd floor. I order an in room massage. I fall asleep. I toss, I turn. I wake at 5am with the glittery lights of Tokyo still sparkling and the first hint of dawn. I am still wearing the clothes from the day before. I fall back asleep. I toss, I turn. I wake to the hot sun beating heavily down onto my face. I stare out the window and try to decide what to do for the day. I pack my belongings and sit on top my suitcase to zip it together. I check out of the hotel. I go to a shrine I first visited when I was 12 and is full of nostalgia of previous trips. I wander around and take a lot of photos. I catch the subway to Roppongi and go to my favorite bookshop. I flick through books for an hour. I buy a photo magazine that I cannot read any of the words but the pictures look pretty. I visit a pet shop that sells monkeys. I am told off for taking pictures. I travel to my hotel to collect my belongings. I go to Narita. I sleep the entire flight back home.
xo
