Thursday 19th April 2018

On the way back we managed to see the majestic Mount Fuji. Another travel box ticked. It almost feels like we're going back home. Back to 'Planetyse'. And what a warm welcome we recieved as we walked in. The girls there gave big smiles and handed over the keys to our twin room! What luxury.

It was around this time we discovered we had left our food in Hiroshima....ah feck!

In order to check our flight details and find out if we had to check in online - we couldn't remember - and the wifi not being the best in the hostel we enquired about the nearest internet café. It was 5 mins away. The girls wrote down the characters to look out for and directions. We found it. On the 4th floor or 4F as it's written over here, they also count the ground floor as floor 1, 1F. Walk in and the girl behind the desk has no english what so ever ... bit like our Japanese! Internet café is also known as a 'Cyber Café', we realised after a few minutes miming on an imaginary keyboard, much to the girls bemusement. The place was full of books, manga type books too, you could order pot noodles, hot drinks too. It was very quiet. Much like a library - even her scanner sounded like the ones you get in libraries at home. And so we had to sign up like a library and pay for the hours we would need on the pc. All without english. One person per booth so Frank opted to go back and do the washing. About an hour later (the p.c. was set up in Japanese, searching the net was SUCH FUN typing in characters! Got what we needed though), we ate in another Japanese restuarant much like the one in Horoshima, down a back street. A little less of an atmosphere - the chefs were behind a perpex screen. No english menu - point, nod and smile. Smoking inside too. The Japanese have designated smoking areas in the streets and only in certain districts, you can't just smoke anywhere outside. So it seems when they can smoke in restuarants they do it more. Then to bed

Friday 20th April 2018

Up and bought breakfast - toast with jam, coffee and a boiled egg. No spoon to eat the egg with - just a knife!?! We pack our bags for the last time in Japan, sniff, and ask to store them downstairs to save our backs. We could put them by the counter as we were "special customers" (no, not that sort of "special", before you say). Off for our last day out in Tokyo.

Our Rail Passes had expired by this stage so we needed to buy a day pass. There we two stood, at the ticket machine, doing that head tilt thing a cocker-spaniel does when it doesn't understand your command...

Erm....

"May I help you?" A soft voice asks. Yes please, we chirp. A business man had stopped for us, tapped away and voila ¥1100 (£7.50) our day pass was ours.

Whilst on the train I took a moment to reflect.... it's nice to be somewhere where I am above the 'average' female height! Practically Amazonian! HA!

Off at Tokyo Railway station, which is massive, on several levels and very very busy. Outside the sunshine was glorious and in minutes we were by the Imperial Palace. A litttle stroll and a few photos later we headed back to Senso ji Temple - for a magnet - via the metro.

Back up in the air with vanilla and matcha tea flavoured ice cream in hand and magnet in the bag, Frank was giggling at something; the people who wear face masks. They do so due to the pollution - which doesn't seem that bad.

He pointed out that there were people taking photos of their friends with masks on, or better yet, others taking selfies STILL wearing their masks... and smiling by all accounts! Imagime showimg your family those photos...

"And here's me in front of the Temple... I think."

" Oh, don't you look....happy (?)... to be there (?!?)"

A walk back along the Sumida river to Planetyze. We said our farewells and off we trotted to Bakorochõ station for the last time, going back to Narita Airport - where we started just over a week ago.

The journey was over an hour long and needless to say our cheap day passes didn't cover it. So we had to stump up the remaining fare - no drama though. Thankfully.

Checked-in early, got dinner, through departures.

Goodbye Japan, it's been magic xXx

Now, to Shanghai....