The colourful, bustling city of Tokyo was to be the final stop on our year long trip. We were looking forward to immersing ourselves in a vibrant city, mixing new and trendy with old and historical. We had sushi to eat and sake to drink but best of all we would be catching up with an old dear friend for the local's experience.
　

The Final Destination
　

The first thing we both noticed about the Japanese, upon arriving at Shinjuku Station (the worlds busiest train station), was how polite and friendly they were. We must have looked completely lost and confused amongst all the chaos of the train station so a kind man took the time to stop and ask us if we were ok. We told him we were looking for the Higashi Shinjuku hotel and he actually turned around and walked out of his way to point us in the right direction. At first we were weary of this stranger, surely he wanted to lead us someplace quiet to rob us at gunpoint or at the very least he is expecting a tip, but we were soon to discover that he was just being a Good Samaritan. Doing something for nothing is not common in today's world, especially in big cities, and it's good to see that it still exists.
　

Finally out of the station, map in hand, we attempted to orientate ourselves. We were surrounded by bright neon signs and thousands of people walking in every direction… an organised chaos. After a bit of trial and error and a few more helpful tips from the locals we were finally on the right path to our hotel.
　

Our hotel located, we checked in and found our tiny, yet practical room. The room itself was just large enough to fit a double bed with a small walking space around it. Space saving ideas is obviously a forte for the Japanese as everything is perfectly positioned so you don't notice the lack of space around you. After a quick refreshen up we were super keen to get back out into the city and explore and we were even keener to get our smackers around our first authentic Japanese sushi.
　

Bright Lights, Big City
　

Our hotel was located beyond Kabukico within Korea Town, so we headed back the way we had come only this time we weaved within the smaller inner streets. It was now evening in Tokyo and the party people were all coming out to play.
　

When we past down a street lined with hotels offering rooms by the hour it became obvious to us that we had entered Kabukicho, Japans largest and wildest red light district. A few blocks later and we found ourselves emersed in this neon-drenched enclave, packed with countless restaurants, bars, nightclubs, pachinko parlours and a variety of red light establishments. We quickly found a friendly sushi bar, where the staff greeted you in an over-the-top enthusiastic manner, and made ourselves comfortable at the conveyor-belt. After stuffing ourselves with plate after plate of fresh sushi we were ready to head back to the hotel and recuperate from our flight. As we left the staff gave us an energetic goodbye in unison and we promised ourselves to come back soon.
　

Goths and Shrines
　

After a fantastic sleep in the most comfortable bed we have ever had the pleasure of laying our weary heads, we were ready to face a day of sight-seeing. We decided to forgo the transport and enjoy a walk to the close-by Meiji Shrine. The shrine and adjacent Yoyogi Park make up a large, tranquil, forested area in the centre of Tokyo. It doesn't take long before you forget that you are in the middle of a large bustling city and start believing you're in the wilderness somewhere.
　

It was a busy day, a huge progression of people were making their way down the tree-lined path and into the shrine, which is dedicated to the defied spirits of Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shoken. We spent a few moments observing the crowd and marvelling at the young Geisha's posing for photos before we set off to the other side of the park to Harajuku.
　

Harajuku is the centre of Japans most extreme teenage cultures & fashion styles. Here you can see a colourful array of youngsters expressing themselves through fashion. Gothic, Lolita, Visual Kei, Ganguro, Gyara, Kawaii - all names of the various trends readily available in kooky boutiques in the nearby street, Takes***a Dori. Sunday is the best day to go if you want to see a mix of these outrageous styles hanging out within the Harajuku area.
　

After a full day of walking and exploring we headed back to Kabukicho, fast becoming our favourite place to explore. This time, by pure chance we ended up in Golden Gai. This small area of approx 2000 square meters has over 200 bars and restaurants within the dimly lit alleyways. It is like stepping back in time to early post war Japan and is one of the last remaining areas which is original to 'old Tokyo'. The bars here are so tiny, most could only seat half a dozen patrons and because they are so small you are literally rubbing shoulders with a stranger. After spending an hour in one bar we knew the stories of all of the people drinking there including the barman.
　

Going Underground
　

The next day we planned to master the Tokyo underground system and take ourselves to Ueno Park. The metro is unbelievably complicated and at first we had no idea how to get a ticket for our destination never mind find the right branch of the right line to get us there. After a few failed attempts a friendly station worker helped us out and we were soon starting to learn the ways of the underground.
　

Finally at Ueno, our first sight was of the huge market nestled underneath a spaghetti like highway system. We explored around the market for a while and had a quick bite at a small restaurant. The friendly staff took it upon themselves to take us under their wing and chose an exciting array of delicacies for us to try. We had no idea what we were eating but it tasted nice so we just went with it. After exploring Ueno Park we headed to Yanaka, another historic part of Tokyo developed as a temple town in the Edo period.
　

Whilst we were walking around Yanaka we saw lots of old temples and graveyards, traditional wooden houses and small old-styled pubs with locals enjoying a meal and drink. Yanaka is peaceful and cosy and still retains the charm and warmth of the past.
　

After a day of mastering the tube system and going back in time in the Ueno and Yanaka districts, we were ready to head back to our favourite sushi restaurant in Kabukicho, where we were now official locals.
　

The End is Nigh
　

On our final day of sightseeing we took the metro (we are now professionals) to the Tokyo station to explore the Kokyo Higashi Gyoen Gardens (Imperial Palace), this park like area contains several buildings including the main palace and the private residences of the imperial family, along with the archives, museum and some admin offices. A short walk away was the upscale shopping area of Ginza, where we explored the Sony building and caught up with the latest 3D technology. Continuing down the road we finally found the Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world. Of course, at this time of day, most things were closed but we still got an idea of what it was like.
　

Our next mission was to get our gear (stored at the hotel) and head to Roppongi to meet up with Shay's good friend, Shigeki. We found the first available bar by the station and had a few beers while we waited for Shigeki to finish work. After a few hours and a few too many beers, Shigeki arrived and we followed him to his small but perfectly formed flat on the top floor of a apartment building.
　

It was great to have a local showing us the best places to go. That evening Shigeki took us to a Japanese barbeque restaurant which was amazing. Of course he knew exactly what to order and how to order it. At this restaurant we sat around a small fire and a kind waitress grilled the raw meat to perfection right in front of us. The meat just melted in our mouths and almost made us wish we had forgone the sushi for a few more meals like this.
　

After a great few days in Tokyo it was time to head to Narita airport for our final flight to London. It was hard to believe that it was coming to an end. At the other end of this flight lay reality & a cold northern hemisphere winter. We both knew we weren't quite ready for all that yet but would we ever be?
　

Thinking Back….
　

We have had a fantastic year of adventure and met all sorts of weird and wonderful people. We've experienced different cultures, cuisines and surfed some of the most famous surf breaks in the world. We have climbed up active volcanoes and explored ancient Mayan ruins, sailed the Caribbean in an old sailing ship and experienced paradise in the Kuna Yala. We got twisted in the Mexican highlands with the Mazatec Indians and set up camp by the inspirer of our trip in La Saladita. We have met characters from books and real life cowboys and Indians. The list could go on but to mention all our favourite memories would mean at least another page in this already bulging blog.
　

It is safe to say that this adventure is going to affect our lives for many years to come. We had told ourselves that this one last final trip would sedate our travelling appetite and get us ready for adulthood and the responsibility that goes with it. How wrong could we be… and before this trip is even over we are already dreaming and planning the next adventure….
　

Who knows…. this may be continued………