Comfort and Conveniences

With my exams finished (for now --- come November/ December, it"ll be hello cramming sessions!), and completely sifting through the accumulated 2-week paperwork, I can now indulge myself and relive my Japan experience.

Towards the end of my kenshu, I was super raring to go ho
me. I couldnt wait to see my family and friends, be in my in own room and bed, browse through English books in bookstores, drive my own kuruma, live my real life. Navigating the JR and Subway stations were getting to be familiar that I was getting anxious for Manila -- before I get too comfortable breathing Japanese air.

And why not? With fall coming in, the temperature is cozily nippy. Although sometimes, it feels warm with all the walking we did. Still, all in all, it's perfect walking weather.

In Singapore, I swore that that would be the last time I wear my heels to go around and see the city. I swore too soon, because the first day of the program I was in 2.5 pointy heels.

As I was in meetings the whole day, business attire was the way to go. Hindi naman maganda na naka-sneakers di ba? So I didnt think much of the pinching because I was accustomed to wearing them the whole day in Manila. What I didnt count on was that after the sessions at hq, we would still be gallivanting around town. Kailangang i-maximize ang oras.

For lack of "individual meetings", my colleagues from Sydney and Mexico and I rode the train to Roppongi to scope the area and get a bite to eat.

We found ourselves at a street corner which was notorious as a pick-up hotspot for Caucasian men and Japanese women. Of course, we made ourselves available there

Chisato and me at the infamous corner.

Liz and me still hanging around the pick-up corner.
Still no luck with the pick-ups. Just a couple of curious looks.

Because we couldnt wait for the men to take notice, we decided to prowl Roppongi. According to the guidebooks, Roppongi is known to be more international and touristy, thus more expensive. No hakyuen shops (Y100) around the major street; only a 24-hour duty-free supa which carried everything from cosmetics to laundry soap to food and electronics. I bought me my new I-pod earphones there. It's about time...

A store window, which I now realize, isnt that remarkable .

The coelecanth (right??) is the Duty-Free Supa's mascot.

Thankfully, we ate at a New Zealand pub. I had the salmon sandwich and a Mexicola.