The Glacier

Friday 29th February

The forecast was heavy rain today so I was a little apprehensive as to how I was going to cope hiking on the glacier. We were all kitted out in waterproof coats and trousers, hats, gloves, boots and spikes before embarking on the climb. It was a full on day, eight hours of walking in total (six of which were on the glacier).

Sam and I chose a slower group as we didn't want to race to the top, although in the end we proved faster than the middle group (after the guide told one woman she wasn't fit enough to come on the full day hike and suggested she turn around with another group after a couple of hours). She must have been really disappointed as with the half day climb you only get to see the muddier ice.

We had a couple of brief stops for lunch and a mid-afternoon snack but as it was so cold we had to keep moving. It didn't help when we had had to wait for half an hour in a crevasse while the guides cut out steps for us all. Fortunately it didn't rain much and the sun even came out at one point.

I am really glad I did the hike as the scenery was stunning plus you got a real sense of achievement at the end. I was exhausted though and had two huge blisters on my heels plus a couple of bruises from where I slipped in a crevasse (much to Sam's amusement).

The girls and Dave cooked us bangers and mash for tea (as they did the heli hike the day before) which was really appreciated especially as it meant the rest of us could have a quick dip in the hot tub beforehand.

I had a couple of cheeky drinks but then decided to head to bed. The others weren't far behind after deciding that the possum who ran in the guys room last night and started eating their rolls was not about to make a return visit.

Franz Josef

Thursday 28th February

Everyone more or less made it to the bus on time this morning. Some of the guys were still sporting their outfits from last night and a couple of the girls were being sick, but we headed off on time an hour up the road to the Bushman centre. Here you can learn a bit more about New Zealand's wildlife, in particular the possum as well as sample a possum pie. No one however was up to stomaching that and opted for the more traditional breakfast instead.

We arrived into Franz Josef, New Zealands glacier region around lunchtime. There are over 60 glaciers in the surrounding national park including the Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers. It is one of the only places in he world where glaciers descend into rainforest (the only other being Patagonia).

We went for a quick walk to view the glacier that we will be walking up tomorrow. I couldn't decide between a heli hike (an hours scenic helicopter ride followed by a two hour hike) or a full day hike, but in the end opted for the more challenging walking option. The weather forecast for tomorrow is not great though, so I hope we still get some good pictures.

Decided to spend the afternoon catching up on emails, cooking a meal and soaking in the hot tub. Was going to have an early night however some of the bus are keen on doing the naked mile at midnight so I might have to stay up for that just for the amusement factor. And before you ask no I won't be participating!

Fancy Dress

Wednesday 27th February

Woke up completely bitten by sand flies today. We were forewarned about them but no amount of insect repellent seems to put them off - little buggers!

The jet boating along the Buller gorge was great fun. It was another glorious day and although the boat wasn't as fast as the one I went on in the Bay of Islands it was smaller, which meant it could do loads of sharp turns and spins giving everyone a complete soaking which certainly woke us up. The scenery was also breathtaking.

After being picked up we head up the coast for a short walk to the beach and a bite to eat as we were ravenous as hadn't eaten anything all day. After lunch we stopped off in Greymouth to get outfits for tonight's party which was fancy dress. The whole bus had to agree on a theme and as it was Dave's birthday (one of the guys in my group) we won the vote and everyone agreed to 80's (although a couple of people vetoed it and went in bin bag costumes instead which was the second choice). We had great fun picking out outfits and couldn't wait to get to the hostel to start getting ready.

We all met at 7pm for a group dinner, an assortment of BBQ food, pasta salads and venison casserole before heading off to prepare. I chose a lovely pink dress, home-made green leg warmers and purple headband. The evening was really good fun, some were worse off than others though, with Dave having to be put to bed at 11am.

By the time we decided to get to bed (after too many snakebites and random shots) we realised that it probably wasn't such a good idea that we hadn't bother to hire duvets for the night. I at least had a sleeping bag liner but some didn't even have that and had to make do with a damp towel as a cover. Needless to say we had very little sleep.

Broken Bus

Tuesday 26th February

We set off today with a new driver (Mangee) who would be taking all of us through to Queenstown. The first time we have had a driver for more than a couple of days. After taking a dislike to the last driver for being so patronising we were a bit apprehensive. However within minutes of getting on the bus I knew we were in safe hands as his favourite song is 'Total Eclipse of the Heart'. He is really into his cheese and we have a daily sing-a-long which is cool.

Today however didn't go quite to plan as after stopping off to buy bits for a picnic lunch the bus broke down on the side of the road. A mechanic turned up a couple of hours later only to discover we needed to get a new part which was going to take hours.

After finishing off our picnic roadside instead of on lake Rotoiti (claimed to be one of the most stunning views in New Zealand) we began to get a bit fed up. Most of the bus decided to sit inside (despite it being really hot), however we thought it would be more fun to wave at the cars and get them to honk their horns. Juvenile behaviour I know, but we had nothing better to do and it paid off when a guy in a meat and alcohol van came back for us after dropping off his deliveries to give the 10 of us a lift up to the lake (after we checked with the driver of course). It was hilarious as the van was pitch black so we had to keep the door open so we didn't get too claustrophobic. The others were eventually shuttled up to the lake in a mini bus but at least we arrived in style (ahem).

The lake lived up to expectations and was absolutely stunning. Most of us went for a dip but I chickened out as it was just too cold for me. After a seven hour wait the bus finally arrived to collect us and we pulled into Westport at 9pm. The driver cooked us up a BBQ so we didn't need to worry about food and we decided to head to bed early as there was big night planned tomorrow!

Nelson

Monday 25th February

Despite best laid plans I didn't manage to make it over to Abel Tasman today as by the time we had surfaced, had breakfast and unsuccessfully tried to ring home it was too late to catch a bus. Plus after spending a while on the coach yesterday the thought of another 3 hours drive on our day off wasn't very appealing.

Instead we wandered along the coast to Nelson's beach, which was also beautiful, sunbathed and paddled in the sea before heading back to the hostel for a thai takeaway. It's a shame that we couldn't stay longer really to do a bit more exploring around the national park but with still so much to see it was time to move on.

Drunken Antics

Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th February

Tried to sort out my flight today but after over half an hour on the phone the lady at Qantas, as she went to take the payment realised that actually she couldn't change it as it was a paper ticket and I needed to go to an airport instead. As if it's that easy. Have given up for now but will ring Trailfinders instead to see if they can help me.

Met up with Jasmine and her two Irish friends who are living out in Wellington. We had a lovely day lunching at a deli, wandering round the harbour and then we took the cable car up to the botanical gardens. The gardens were lovely but we seemed to have more fun in the children's playground much to the amusement of the locals.

Went back to the girls flat for dinner and several bottles of wine. It was so nice enjoying the little things like reality tv, music and a comfy sofa. It was midnight by the time we had polished off four bottles and headed out to town.

I think I should have gone home then but even at 2am when Jasmine bailed because her foot was still sore I decided to stay out drinking with the others. After that it becomes a little blurry but I think I got in around 4am, fell asleep in my dress and woke up ten minutes before the bus left.

Sam was ringing me to check I was ok (as I was not sharing a room with the others) and they laughed hysterically when I finally emerged looking really dishevelled. A three hour ferry ride was not really the best way of spending my morning, but fortunately it was smooth so I got a bit of sleep and managed to look a bit more human by the time we docked in Picton.

The weather was really overcast and muggy plus the air con wasn't working on the bus so by the time we arrived in Marlborough at a winery (yes I did try the wines albeit hungover) we were really hot and bothered.

The hostel at Nelson is lovely though. Had a good roast dinner and an early night ready to explore the Abel Tasman national park in the morning, providing the weather is ok. Ironic really that Nelson is meant to be New Zealand's sunniest city.

The Hurricanes

Friday 22nd February

Spent the day exploring Wellington today or more accurately you could say that Sam, Jas and I soaked up the atmosphere by having a leisurely breakfast, a bit of retail therapy and visiting the Te Papa museum.

The museum is actually really impressive. It is THE museum of New Zealand and being free of charge we were told it was well worth a visit. The building itself is huge and there are loads of different exhibitions within it. These range from one on volcanoes to sea mammals and the maori heritage.

We then had to rush back to the hostel as we discovered that the bus was dropping people off at the rugby stadium and to save our legs we were keen not to miss out. Ok so I am the least likely person to attend a rugby game (especially as I have absolutely no interest in the sport at home). But as everyone was going I didn't want to miss out. New Zealands team the Hurricanes were playing against Australia's Reds. The game was actually quite enjoyable with loads of entertainment and a great atmosphere. Which probably helped by the fact that the Hurricanes actually won. Afterwards we headed into town for a few too many jager bombs lethal stuff...

River Valley

Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st February

After leaving Taupo we stopped off for a short walk (well it was compared to yesterday anyway as it was only two hours) to the Tara-naki falls within the Tongariro national park. The waterfalls made a perfect spot for lunch and we had all brought our swim stuff after hearing that there were hot springs. Where they got that name from I have no idea as the water was freezing. It didn't stop the lads from having a quick dip though.

Wednesday nights accomodation was an adventure lodge literally in the middle of nowhere where you can swim in the river, golf, kayak and horse trek. The location was amazing and the weather was so nice we just lay out by the river sunbathing and taking in the views. The flying ants did start to annoy you after a time though.

Arrived into Wellington around 7pm so quickly checked in before heading down to the harbour area to watch the locals take an evening dip in the sea and look around the town. Looking forward to exploring more tomorrow...

Tongariro Crossing

Tuesday 19th February


I still don't quite know what possessed me but I got up at 5am this morning to tackle the Tongariro Crossing, one of the top ten one day walks in the world. The walk is 12 miles in total and is regarded as challenging due to the steep climbs of the devils staircase and the red crater. The scenery is stunning and was used as the backdrop to the Lord of the Rings including the famous Mount Doom.

After an hour and a half bus journey we started the walk at just gone 7am. It was windy but really clear which made the views of the emerald lakes absolutely breathtaking and a well deserved lunch spot by the time we had tackled the steep ascent. Matt decided to do the walk alone and did what should take 8 hours in 4. We on the other hand took a much steadier pace and made it in 7 hours which wasn't bad going, especially as Jasmine twisted her ankle on the way down and poor thing still has it bandaged up now.

The walk was well worth it but by the end we were exhausted and delighted when the bus finally came into sight. My legs were so sore afterwards and I was sporting a few blisters too.

Adrenaline Junkie

Monday 18th February

Was up really early this morning as was going caving or to be precise black water rafting. This involved abseiling down into the caves, taking a zip wire before jumping onto a rubber ring into the freezing water and I mean freezing. The water was really deep as jumping off the rocks into the ring I went completely under. We then floated in complete darkness through the glowworm caves which were magical. After stopping for a pit stop of a cup of tea and a flapjack we continued scrambling through the caves stopping every now and then to look at the rock formations and the odd eel. After over four hours underground we had to climb out of the caves through a couple of waterfalls. The experience was amazing and something that I would definitely do again.

After a quick bagel and hot soup to warm us up we were back on the bus and on our way to Taupo. Taupo is known as being the adventure capital of the North and is also the cheapest place in New Zealand to skydive. I really wanted to have a go and although was scared and tired from the caving thought I would be disappointed if I turned it down. I was only going to sign up for 12,000ft but after being told that when you are that high you really don't know the difference and 15,000ft is the highest you can jump, I thought what the hell and signed up for the whole thing (including a DVD, photos and a t-shirt). Nine of us were squashed into this tiny plane and as we took off I started to get a bit apprehensive and kept asking my instructor if we were properly strapped in. The good thing about skydiving is when it comes to your turn to jump your instructor literally takes hold of you and pushes you out the plane.

The one minute freefall feels like forever and during this time the camera woman is trying to make you do different actions and expressions. I however was so concerned with holding on that I didn't release my hands at first and had to be tapped again to remember what I was meant to do. When the parachute finally comes out and you slow down you can take in the scenery. It was a beautiful day too so could see for miles across the lake. Which is in fact the largest lake in Australasia and big enough for the island of Sinagpore to fit within it apparently.

Waitomo

Sunday 17th February

The next stop off was Waitomo (wai meaning water and tomo meaning cave) a sleepy village which is only visited because of its network of over 300 caves. Before reaching Waitomo we stopped off at Te Puia a thermal park. However we were not aware that it was a paid for activity or that there was nothing to do around the park as we really didn't fancy going on a tour of it. Instead we opted to walk down to the BP garage and have breakfast there.

I think we were generally all a bit grumpy today as as the day progressed we got more and more annoyed with the driver for failing to tell us what we were doing. This came to a head when we arrived at Waitomo and discovered that the dorm rooms she had promised were no longer available and we were placed in twin rooms instead. Being an odd number I ended up checking in on my own. Not really a problem but not very sociable either. Five minutes later one of the guys from the bus turned up. He looked round the room and quickly discovered it was only a twin and by the time I had come back from dinner he had dissappeared. Obviously too much for him to handle...

Lazy Day

Saturday 16th February

The only drawback of deciding to travel round New Zealand on an organised tour is that you really don't get anytime to yourself as you are up each morning either exploring, doing activities or travelling to the next destination. Whilst this is fine most of the time it is nice to have a DIY day to sort out your washing, pop to the shops and stuff. I therefore decided to do just that.

I also wandered to the Kurai Park opposite the hostel to check out the boiling mud and sulphur lakes (or more accurately in some cases ponds or puddles). I then spent the evening chatting to the new arrivals in my room and attempting to play cards with two Norwegian girls. Which proved quite interesting when it came to communicating the rules.

White Water Rafting

Friday 15th February

Rotorua (which literally means second lake, but is more commonly referred to as Sulphur city, due to its geothermal activity) is known for everything water related including white water rafting. Being the wimp I am I was very unsure about this especially as the particular stretch of river is a grade 5 because of a 7m vertical drop waterfall that you go down. However Sam and I eventually agreed that we would do it together. Setting off in the raft everything seemed ok at first, although the instructor quickly realised that neither Sam or I were very co-ordinated and despite following instruction Sam managed to whack her face with her paddle and is now sporting a bruised nose and eyes and I going down the waterfall hit my chin on my knees and made my lip bleed and swell up. After that we were both a bit over cautious and stopped paddling before we were meant to choosing to hold on instead. The guide decided to push me over board as punishment. It was a good afternoon though and I am glad that I did it.

We spent the evening at the spa where we watched the sun set whilst relaxing our aching bodies in the hot water. A tough life hey!

Luging

Thursday 14th February

En route to Rotorua we stopped off at Karangaheke Gorge for a secenic walk and a chance to stretch our legs. We spent lunch in Matamata, home of Hobbiton where you can take tours of parts of the Hobbit film set. Apparently though it is quite overrated so we settled for a few pics of the sign instead.

Arrived in Rotorua mid afternoon where we had a chance to quickly dump our bags before heading off luging. We went up in cable cars to the top of a huge hill where we then spent a couple of hours racing down on luges, which is basically like sledging on tarmac. You then get a chair lift back up to the top to do it all again. It was great fun though and highly amusing.

The evening was spent indulging in a bit of Maori culture where we went to a Maori village (or should I say a recreation of one from the 1600's) were told about their heritage, learnt the Haka dance and had a traditional Hangi meal (which was quite similar to a British roast dinner). Decided to stop off at the local nightclub on the way back which was very entertaining as due to it being Valentines day there were guys dressed up as sperm and condoms promoting safe sex. I would rather have not had a room over the club though as didn't sleep until gone three despite downing far too many shots beforehand.

Sun Burn!

Wednesday 13th February

Before heading out of Auckland we stopped off at Mount Eden (one of the volcanic mounds that I had yet to go up) to take a couple of pics of the views of the city before making our way to the Coromandel Peninsula.

The Coromandel Peninsula is known for having some of the North Islands best beaches and scenery and it certainly didn't dissapoint. The weather was gorgeous and we spent the afternoon chilling out on the beach. Well I did. There was an option of kayaking to Cathedral Cove (known for its impressive limestone arch) however with my track record of all things kayak related and bearing in mind that I even managed to get into difficulties with a swan peddalo, I decided to give it a miss.

There was also the possible option of stopping off at the hot water beach where dependant on tides you can dig a hole in the sand and create your own thermal pool. However unfortunately it wasn't low tide so there was little point in stopping.

I did however get a little bit burnt on my back today so have been sporting some unusual red blotchy patterns. I have learnt my lesson and will make sure that I get someone to apply my lotion in future.

Sunbathing

Tuesday 12th February

With the bus not heading back until 4pm we spent the day sunbathing which was lovely and great to have an opportunity just to chill out. We weren't even hungover either as had had a relatively tame night out, just a few drinks on the beach (which apparently is illegal). Nevermind.

Managed to get a room back in Auckland with just the three girls I had made friends with which was superb as for the first time in nights I actually got some piece and quiet. So am now wide awake and am writing this just before I catch the bus south to Mercury Bay. Will try and add some photos tonight but as you can see from my lack of them they take ages to download and can be a bit tempermental.

Jet Boat

Monday 11th February

Forgot to mention that yesterday on the way up we stopped at a honey factory for breakfast. One Japanese guy we were travelling with bought himself some toast but seemed to think the honey pots on the table came with it and pinched one as a souvenir. However the bus driver discovered him with it and was less than amused and confiscated it. Hilarious.

Was not quite sure as to which bus to choose to travel with at it seemed that everyone had a difference of opinion. In the end I opted for Kiwi as they were offering 35% off and the Magic and Stray buses always seem empty (whereas the Kiwi ones are packed everyday). Whether this proves to be a wise decision I am yet to discover but so far I have met some lovely people (and my age too). However they have been at the end of their trip so will have to see when I head south who I end up with.

Today I went on a jet boat around the bay through the 'Hole in the Rock' one of the Bay's famous attractions (and yes it is just that) as well as stopping off at some of the other islands. It was great fun and we saw dolphins and allegedly a whale (but not convinced at that). As the boat goes so fast you are hurled up in the air most of the time. For the girls this is fine but the lads were a little sore after it.

Decided to make my own dinner tonight in the hope of conserving money but have a little yet to learn in the art of economising I think (although the hostels are as basic as anything). I opted for a ready made salad and added some blue cheese and melon. Delicious but not overly cheap in comparison to the others packet pasta and sauce. Well I enjoyed it, despite a few laughs.

Bay of Islands

Sunday 10th February

Ended up seeing Katie and Dave last night (Vicki's sister) which was lovely. We met for coffee then went over to theirs for dinner together with a friend that I had met on my day trip. We had a lovely evening (their place is beautiful with stunning views of the city) and to have a home cooked meal was a real treat.

Was back by midnight though as had an early start up to the Bay of Islands. It had started to rain too so was wasn't quite sure how much I was going to see today. However by the time we arrived the rain had stopped which meant we could explore a bit.

Pahia (where we were staying) is known not just for its beautiful coastline but as New Zealand's first permanent English settlement where the treaty between the Maoris and the Brits was signed in 1840. Somehow myself and a couple of girls I met managed to sneak in for free and see where the treaty was signed and the 35m war canoe saving us $12 in the process.

That evening we had a BBQ at our hostel then headed out for a few drinks with the German lads that we were also sharing with. We didn't have a choice really as the other guy sharing with us the girls had had the misfortune of sharing with before and not only did he have a personal hygiene issue he also snored uncontrollably. They weren't joking either and despite the guys rattling his bunk bed to try and rouse him he wouldn't stop. In the end one guy got up grabs him and shakes him whilst shouting 'Look mate none of us can sleep here please be a bit more ******* considerate'. Well it certainly did the trick for a bit and I managed to drif off to sleep.

Bridge Walk

Saturday 9th February

Today I decided to take advantage of the free trip around Auckland. Well you know that I am never one to turn down a freebie. First stop was the Auckland Harbour Bridge where in the hope that a few people will pay for a bungee jump they take the group of you on a walk underneath the bridge (strapped in by harnesses) for free. I wasn't brave enough to do a jump although you never know by the time I reach the South Island I might have changed my mind. Iwas also put off by the fact that one German guy wasn't weighed correctly and actually went for a full on dunking in the sea, which wasn't the cleanest. The walk was great though and it gave you fab views of the city.

After that we headed over to Devonport, a part of the city which has numerous Victorian and Edwardian buildings and had fish and chips on the front. We then walked up Mount Victoria, one of 48 volcanoes in Auckland. Although unlike yesterday this was more of a grassy cone.

It is a bit overcast today and have decided to head north in the morning to the Bay of Islands and save some of the activities like swimming with Dolphins that I had contemplated doing here for elsewhere, where the setting will be nicer. Otherwise I am worried that I won't get to experience everything that I want to see.

Rangitoto Island

Friday 8th February

My new found friend and I went over to Rangitoto Island today, a volcanic island just off the Auckland coast. It takes about an hour to walk to the summit where you get the most amazing views. Plus there are also some cool lava caves which we explored on the way back down.

Rangitoto island erupted from the sea around 600 years ago and now has an array of lush vegetation, rugged lava crops and sandy coves. The weather was boiling though which made the ascent quite tough going but the views were well worth it.

I sensibly stopped off for suntan lotion on the way there and was fascinated to discover that they didn't sell anything lower than factor 30. Which is good for me, but also just shows how strong the sun is and how they won't tolerate the baby oil brits abroad bathers.

Everybody here is so friendly (not that they weren't in Japan I just couldn't communicate with them) from the shop assistants to the bus drivers they all want to chat to you. I just hope that when Helen leaves in the morning I meet some other friends to carry on my adventures with.

Auckland

Thursday 7th February

Well I finally arrived in New Zealand, exhausted from the 12 hour flight time and transfer in Brisbane. Plus when I landed it took over an hour and a half to get through immigration. There was quite a hoo hah going on actually as they kept opening new lines but instead of directing those who had been waiting ages they stupidly decided to choose those who had just arrived. However everybodies complaining and shouting didn't seem to help matters (I however restrained myself from joining in) and by the time I arrived at baggage reclaim the carousel had stopped and there were only a few bags left on it.

I swiftly headed to the tourist office to arrange some accomodation for the evening. I was so tired by this point that I did consider staying in a cheap hotel just to get a room to myself but thought if I did I would never meet anyone. Instead I set off for my hostel.

I was put in a room with 8 beds (4 sets of bunks) however only two were occupied and I had no idea when the others would be back but by the time I had a shower and checked my emails Helen one of my roomies had arrived. She was lovely and despite being seven years younger than me we got on great and headed down to the harbour for drinks.

We came back about midnight by which point my other roomie (an Irish guy) had returned but as he was already asleep and left early the next morning I didn't chat to him. Another Indian guy arrived about 4am and left at 9am so we are currently waiting for our next load of roomies to arrive...

Fish Market!

Tuesday 5th February

Got up at the crack of dawn today (OK it was 5.30, the time I used to get up for work but that now seems ridiculous!) to go the fish market. Tsukiji fish market is Japan's oldest and largest which has been around since 1923. 2,300 tonnes of fish are delivered to the market each day and it is certainly quite a spectacle.















I arrived just before 7am and although most of the trading, or should I say bidding war between all the restaurants had finished (except in the fruit and veg warehouse next door) it was still buzzing with activity. Situated along narrow passages, weaving in and out of the market were hundreds of makeshift stalls with fishermen selling everything, from the largest tuna I have ever seen, to god knows what else. People were carrying around their wicker baskets pushing and shoving to make sure they got the best cuts of fish.

Once you have had enough wandering around the wholesale market (plus dodging all the men on their electric carts off loading another few boxes of fish) you can meander along the outer stalls to buy everything from fish knives and crockery, to fish and veg in smaller quantities. You are also encouraged to sample the fish at one of the many sushi restaurants. The queues outside some of them was quite staggering for just gone 7am. However I just couldn't stomach a sushi breakfast, so quickly walked away.

This evening I am off out for a farewell meal with Caroline and Gareth in Shibuya as tomorrow evening I will be saying goodbye to Japan and heading off to New Zealand, so I won't be updating my blog for a couple of days I'm afraid.

I have had an amazing few weeks and have seen so many places and experienced so many different things, it will be sad to leave Japan behind. I also can't thank Caroline and Gareth enough for letting me stay at the weekends, to recharge my batteries before heading off exploring again. I am however looking forward to ditching the thermals in favour of some warmer weather though.

Tokyo at night

Monday 4th February

Was very proud of myself today as managed to communicate successfully with the guy in the post office that I wanted a price list of sending things back to the UK via seafreight. After a few charades like actions I went away happy and headed to the shops to purchase a few momentos. Unfortunately though most things are quite heavy so tried to be restrained, especially as this is only my first stop.

However my successful streak didn't last long as I failed miserably for the second time to buy an international phonecard and was wrongly recommended to buy one that can only be used with Japan so am still none the wiser. Nevermind I will be in New Zealand soon where my mobile should work yeah!

The afternoon I spent wandering around Roppongi Hills (where Daniel works). It is an amazing complex which took 17 years to build by property magnate Mori Minoru at a cost of 280 billion yen. It includes everything from a cinema, hotel, shops, restaurants, art gallery, offices and even a rice paddy on the roof apparently. My favourite bit was the pet shop for the designer minature dogs with the most ludicrous amount of outfits and accessories plus even a cake counter with fancy treats for the pooches. Apparently there are also places in Tokyo where you can pay to take a dog for a walk for an hour. In the UK it's the other way round!



I met Daniel after work and we went for dinner before going to look round the UBS art exhibition. Situated on the 52nd floor the view of the city at night is quite incredible, with the vast amount of high storey buildings and neon lights. Besides an old cemetry there is no visible open space remaining. The exhibition was good too with some really interesting pieces, plus some which in my opinion looked like they had been done by a five year old, but that's art I suppose.

Odaiba

Sunday 3rd February

Caroline, Gareth and I decided to venture out to Odaiba today which is on the sea and consists of a number of attractions including a man-made beach, amusement park, shopping malls (including one just for women) and even random things like a replica statue of liberty!

We took the monorail there with views of the famous rainbow bridge (a 918m suspension bridge) but as it was heavily snowing visibility was a bit limited, but it was still a good trip. We then headed to the aquarium which was quite small but still nice to look around. We didn't spend long by the penguins though as it was far too cold. Why anyone would want to spend the day at Disney today (which is in Odaiba) I have no idea.

We then went for a bite to eat and wandered around the shops before heading back as one of Caroline and Gareth's mates they met travelling was coming to stay for a few days too.

Crepes!

Saturday 2nd February

Explored the parks of Tokyo today. Started off in Ueno which was actually a bit of a disappointment. There were a few street entertainers which were fun to watch and a pagoda but other than that not a lot. The lake was covered in dead reeds which wasn't very attractive and I decided against the zoo after hearing bad reports that the pandas are mis-treated. Instead I opted to join the queue of kids buying a crepe. Well I wished I hadn't bothered. Although they looked fab in their fancy coned paper and pink spoons they actually consisted of 80% squirty cream, 10% dry chocolate cake and then a bit of banana and chocolate sauce. A few mouthfuls was enough and I threw it away and headed to the Imperial Palace.

You can't actually go in Tokyo's Imperial Palace as it is still occupied however you can wander around the expansive grounds and there are some great photo opportunities too. It was just relaxing to sit and watch the world go by. Plus with it being a Saturday there were actually some other tourists.

I also went to visit Yasukuni-Jinga Japan's most controversial shrine as it is a symbol of all those who died for their country including the soldiers in the first and second world war. However it was actually quite peaceful with protestors obviously diverting their attention elsewhere that day.

On the way back I stopped off at the Tokyo International Forum after Daniel telling me that the reason I wasn't impressed the first time was that I hadn't gone into the main hall itself and from the outside you can't see how the glass structure resembles a ship. Well I'm still not sure its worth anyone making a special trip to see it but at least I can say I have seen one of Japans finest modern architectural buildings.

Big Buddha

Friday 1st February

I was a bit dubious at first about just how impressive this Buddha (Daibutsu) was going to be. However you emerge from the trees to see it stood there weathered over time and at 11metres tall it was still quite something. Plus you could even climb inside it which reinforced just how huge it was.

I also visited a few of the must see temples including Tokei-ji, which was originally founded as a nunnery and known as the divorce temple. This is because up until mid 19th century (when women were given the legal right to seek divorce) it was one of the few places where women could seek refuge from their husbands and be granted a divorce after 3 years.

A number of the temples were also preparing for the Setsubun festival on Sunday where soybeans are thrown to drive away goblins and then eaten to wish for good health. I also saw Mount Fuiji today from a shrine set at the top of a cedar forest which was cool. Although I was out of breath when I finally reached the top.

On way back I stopped off at the food market a type of foodhall/deli which puts to shame anything back in the UK. I wasn't exactly sure what I ordered but most things were delicious with the exception of the chicken livers...

Preparations for Valentines day are also in full swing now. But unlike in Europe the 14th is the day when only the men receive gifts. Not just from their wives/girlfriends/admirers but from every women in their lives including collegeagues etc. Then on March 14th it is the mens turn to buy gifts (typically white) for the ladies hence the name 'white day'. An excuse for the shops to make more money in my opinion.