there's a loud crackly voice being projected over a dodgey PA system, appealing for something that i can't quite make out... the voice gets closer and louder, and it crescendos outside our unit. it's fucking annoying... it takes a lot to get me out of my weekend sleep ins but they've managed to do it. i open the front door, and see a white panel van armed with half a dozen megaphones... and some lady in a red suit shouting "my name is blah blah, and i would be humbled to serve you as blah blah blah". fucking bitch.
welcome to election time in japan... where any peace and tranquility and in my case sleep, is destroyed by an armada of these panel vans roaming the streets, blurting out some name of some silly dead beat politician... it is by far the most ridiculous and irritating form of campaigning that i've ever come across... as i stand there in disgust, the panel van drives off, the message fades out and is lost as the van turns the corner. i want to throw something... but decide to go back to bed. its only 11.
as i drift off for my second sleep, another panel van turns up... arrrghhh. its impossible. after a long week of commuting, all i wanted was to sleep!! as i sat there on my bed, planning my revenge... maybe a surprise spruiker attack at her house at 5am, i realise that i have already forgotten her name... this campaigning tactic clearly works wonders.
im on the phone to minori to bitch and complain about these maniacs. and during my expletitive laced rant, (its quite difficult to throw in a "fuck'n" in the middle of a japanese sentence for good effect) minori reminds me that this is just a local election... its far worse during federal election campaigns. someone please remind me to book a holiday in tahiti before the next election.
2007年4月22日日曜日
2007年4月16日月曜日
getting to work... tokyo style
3 trains, and 49 minutes... doesn't sound too bad.
first train, not so bad. it's pretty comfortable, just like the 8:34 St. Peters train... i get comfortable, i'm feeling good, relaxed... "easy like a sunday morning" is spinning on the imaginary record player in my head, my fears of a crazy commute is calmed. then disaster.
i get off the train to change, and walk out on to what can only be described as world war 3 on platform 2... all aboard the express to hell. it's a sense numbing experience... there are so many people, frantically searching for that little opening, train conductors and their helpers pushing people into the carriages, while the electronic sound of the "doors closing" buzzer gets ever louder and urgent.
i try to get on but fail to see where i can squeeze between the wall of people looking out at me, with their helpless eyes... "screaming, please don't try to get on, but i understand if you do"... i look to the other doors, and see people launching themselves at the human collage, suddenly i'm pushed aside by a guy who backs into a defenceless little woman, the door starts to close but half his body is outside the train... his feet are still on the platform for god sakes, there is no way he is going to make it... the door is pretty much closed, but held open by his legs, and right arm holding out a suit case... out of nowhere come the helpers... 3 of them, and they squeeze this guy inside the carriage... first the arm, and bag, then the legs. i look at the people inside the carriage as the train departs, it looks stupid. i've never seen anything like it. there is a guy pinned and contorted against the door, he looks like he is trying to lick his own nipple. wouldn't it be funny if everyone inside the train was naked...
the next train is a little better, and after becoming the meat in the sandwich, there are a few things that run through your mind but never blurt out... "whose hand is that?", "sorry, did i just sit on your face", "did you brush your teeth?", "fuck i need to get off at this stop". it's easily the most tortureous commute ever... there's gotta be a better way.
first train, not so bad. it's pretty comfortable, just like the 8:34 St. Peters train... i get comfortable, i'm feeling good, relaxed... "easy like a sunday morning" is spinning on the imaginary record player in my head, my fears of a crazy commute is calmed. then disaster.
i get off the train to change, and walk out on to what can only be described as world war 3 on platform 2... all aboard the express to hell. it's a sense numbing experience... there are so many people, frantically searching for that little opening, train conductors and their helpers pushing people into the carriages, while the electronic sound of the "doors closing" buzzer gets ever louder and urgent.
i try to get on but fail to see where i can squeeze between the wall of people looking out at me, with their helpless eyes... "screaming, please don't try to get on, but i understand if you do"... i look to the other doors, and see people launching themselves at the human collage, suddenly i'm pushed aside by a guy who backs into a defenceless little woman, the door starts to close but half his body is outside the train... his feet are still on the platform for god sakes, there is no way he is going to make it... the door is pretty much closed, but held open by his legs, and right arm holding out a suit case... out of nowhere come the helpers... 3 of them, and they squeeze this guy inside the carriage... first the arm, and bag, then the legs. i look at the people inside the carriage as the train departs, it looks stupid. i've never seen anything like it. there is a guy pinned and contorted against the door, he looks like he is trying to lick his own nipple. wouldn't it be funny if everyone inside the train was naked...
the next train is a little better, and after becoming the meat in the sandwich, there are a few things that run through your mind but never blurt out... "whose hand is that?", "sorry, did i just sit on your face", "did you brush your teeth?", "fuck i need to get off at this stop". it's easily the most tortureous commute ever... there's gotta be a better way.
2007年4月15日日曜日
information overload
Buying a mobile phone shouldn't be so daunting... 3 mobile carriers, and what seems like after looking at a thousand different handsets, I somehow end up with a phone that doubles as a television, has a 3.2 M pixel camera, web browser, email, GPS navigation, but can't send international SMS!!
As I struggle with my new mobile on the train, I feel like I've walked away with everything but a phone... oh well. So won't be able to send text messages... but on the bright side, the TV reception is pretty impressive, and I won't get lost thanks to my GPS, but who the hell watches TV on a phone... I look up from my phone to see a guy happily watching his TV. So I flick through the channels... and find a soccer high lights show... he shoots, he scores, and he can even record the goal for later viewing!!
As I struggle with my new mobile on the train, I feel like I've walked away with everything but a phone... oh well. So won't be able to send text messages... but on the bright side, the TV reception is pretty impressive, and I won't get lost thanks to my GPS, but who the hell watches TV on a phone... I look up from my phone to see a guy happily watching his TV. So I flick through the channels... and find a soccer high lights show... he shoots, he scores, and he can even record the goal for later viewing!!
finally...
It felt like an eternity, the never ending flight... I don't know why the flight felt so long. Not sure whether it's the excitement of starting life in Tokyo or the sorrow of leaving Sydney that was weighing on my mind. Regardless, it was a sleepless flight to Tokyo, even though I had 3 seats to myself.
Was totally excited to see Minori. 4 whole months is just too long... ridiculous. And stupid.
As I hold Minori, I look up at the trademark grey Tokyo sky and smell the crisp cold charcoally air, and realise that I'm finally in Tokyo. A new start, and the end of a crazy, chaotic yet so vividly memorable chapter that I can't help but feel has been cut short. So it begins... life in Tokyo, signalled by a smile, a small tear and the violent grumbling of my stomach. I need ramen, and a coffee... a scotch and a cigarette chaser.
Was totally excited to see Minori. 4 whole months is just too long... ridiculous. And stupid.
As I hold Minori, I look up at the trademark grey Tokyo sky and smell the crisp cold charcoally air, and realise that I'm finally in Tokyo. A new start, and the end of a crazy, chaotic yet so vividly memorable chapter that I can't help but feel has been cut short. So it begins... life in Tokyo, signalled by a smile, a small tear and the violent grumbling of my stomach. I need ramen, and a coffee... a scotch and a cigarette chaser.
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