Hey people! So another day dawned bright in my shared hostel room this morning. I let myself have a bit of a lie in, as I knew today would be hard going. The aim of the day was to relocate myself from Japan's capital city to the more centrally located Osaka. As soon as my fellow room mates in the hostel realised I was moving out, they immediately put into action their traditional going away ritual, namely by providing me with a cup of "sweet tea" (which tasted a lot like those hot malt drinks you can get) and breakfast, all courtesy of a Nigerian bloke that I had never even seen before! Still, proves me wrong about my earlier worries!

Anyway, after packing my things and collecting my deposit, I set on my way. Firstly I took the metro system to Tokyo central train station. From here on in I was going to be guessing really as the internet had provided surprisingly little knowledge about my chosen method of travel for today....the bullet train. Luckily, my guesses about ticket type and platform were correct and so I made it in one piece onto a very empty train. The extra space I was afforded by the lack of a seating companion was both a pleasant contrast to the crowded metro system and a blessing as it allowed me extra space to rest my tired legs! The journey was very smooth, indeed the only hint that we were going over 100mph was the fact that the scenery outside rushed by at a more than normal pace. I spent most of the 2 and half hour journey time staring out the window and was throughly surprised by the diversity of what I saw. Although obviously exaggerated by the speed of the train, I saw a complete mix of culture as paddy fields turned to mountains and mountains turned into sprawling urban areas. Also in evidence was the aforementioned clash between the modern and the ancient in Japan. In the space of five minutes one could see hillside shrines mixed into power stations and warehouses. Traditional style Japanese housing blurred into abodes that would not have looked out of place on a Mediterranean beach. Unfortunately, there were also the good old English 1960's housing blocks! The journey simply flew by, and after another short subway ride I was in Osaka central.

I had chosen to stay in a Comfort Inn in Osaka, taking advantage of the old staff rate while I was employed at one in Reading. The one in Osaka was very well situated, near to transport links, restaurants, bars and ancient marvels alike. Unfortunately, it was also near impossible to find! After instructions both from the hotel's website and a waiter had let me down, I turned in vain to taxis. Again, like in Tokyo, the first driver could not find the place, but to his credit he told me this before I got in and therefore I was not charged! By the time I had found a driver who knew where the hotel was located, and he had driven me there, I had spent nearly the same amount of time I had in making the journey to Osaka in the first place! On the positive side though, I have noticed a few intriguing places on my random wanderings that I will investigate more fully on the morrow.

The hotel itself is lovely, and due to the aforementioned staff rate I have managed to book a large double room for the lowest price they offer, and so I feel a bit spoiled right now. The staff have all been very kind and helpful, providing me with a map and printer facilities. They even have an on-site laundrette, so do not fear mum, my clothes will be clean and dry by the time I move on to Hiroshima!!!