Day Eleven - Narita (Tokyo Airport) to Frankfurt to London - Goodbye Planet Japan I am going to miss you!

Breakfast in the hotel this morning was surprisingly OK. Well apart from the pickled squid guts! I also found a selection of vitamin tablets and Yakut too.  I know, I don't even question it anymore.  There was also vegetable curry, bolognaise, fried chicken and chips, bacon, scrambled eggs, hot dogs (with buns), Japanese porridge (which looked like wallpaper paste), salmon, rice, croissant, bread, cold meats, pancakes and various other things that I still do not recognise nor want too.  we grazed for a bit, then went upstairs got our cases and caught the hotel bus to Terminal 2.

I wish I could say the flight home was good.  It wasn't.  It was not bad; just not good and another 12 hours of my life I will not get back.  As I keep saying,

when you get to my age (29) you can't keep losing these hours.  My first vegetarian meal was vile.  It was like cardboard soya based thing!  I did not eat that and just had the salad. The snack I could not eat as it was still frozen!  It was a roll, no butter with a tomato and a lettuce leaf - both which where frozen. My final meal did not come.  Normally as a vegetarian you get your meals first and it was obvious, as I have seen it so many times before when I have flown, that they had run out of meals.  I asked if I cold have a drink and was told when my food comes!  I really was not impressed.  Especially as I had asked for the elusive ice cream again and was told it was for 'normal' people.  Now I know this could be a translation thing and let's face it, I really do not want to be known as normal, but really.  Finally, my meal come after I had been told it needed five minutes longer to cook. I did not believe them. Especially, when I cut into it and it was frozen in the middle again!  Not impressed. Sent it back.  It is a shame as the flight out was ok but then the food would have been loaded in Germany. This was loaded in Tokyo and just shows that the Japanese have no concept of vegetarianism.  Personally, I can see a niche in the market and should get myself set up in a restaurant out there.  

Four films I watched:  The Post (very good), Geostorm or something like that (awful), Bridget Jones' Baby which I adore and got a bit homesick seeing my 'patch' and Argo, which I have seen before but think is so good.  I did not sleep as my body clock thinks it is daytime.  I think if I go back to Japan I will see if Qantas fly there as they are excellent.  We did notice that this crew hardly did any bowing either.

So here I am at Frankfurt airport waiting for my connecting fight to Heathrow.  I am dreaming of a Marks and Spencer sandwich and a half decent cup of coffee

Japanese Toilet

on that fight. You watch, they would have sold out or only have meat ones left.  I have just had a rather unpleasant experience going through security.  Firstly, we were separated as a security guy called me over, I had Betsy May out of her case, phone ready and my bag of toiletries all ready.  I went through he scanner and then go called over by a female security who, if I am honest, almost, violated my personal space.  I know there is a line between searching someone and I appreciate the importance of this however, she was extremely intrusive and it has made me feel rather violated.  Andy had a similar experience but with his phone.  We went through the scanner and did not get searched further but they kept his box with his phone etc back for ages.  So much so, and due to the fact I was pissed by now after being 'violated' that we asked where it was!  We have both come away from security feeling meh.  

BA flight back into London was fabulous and I had a cheese and mushroom toasted sandwich from M&S; it was like a gift from the Gods.  The flight took us right up the Thames, past our flat and I had to pinch myself to still believe that this is home.  We quickly got off the plane, got our cases, on the Heathrow Express, Bakerloo Line and home via Sainsbury's.  It had been a long day.

So my reflection on Japan.  It is an amazing country and it will shake you out of your comfort zone.  They have one foot in the past and one in the future and

Controls for the toilet!

not really in the present.  Their trains are fantastic, efficient and clean and they run on time; to the minute.  They are used as airports. Their sweets are shit, in fact, we called them shit sweets in the end.  They started off as lemon and ended up tasting like a stale Werthers Original.  Everything has a green tea flavour, including cakes and Kit Kats oh and ice cream.  The toilets are out of this world and I would love one!  Nothing like it.  I am so disappointed when I go to the bathroom now!  Music plays a key role, remember Hi Di Hi well it is kind of like that. Every announcement ping ping ping, it is like child's playstation game.  Japanese women sound like mice when they speak; tiny, squeaky voices.   Vegetarianism is not recognised because it does not exist. Every part, and I mean every part, of an animal including fish, is used.  I swear Andy was eating donkey bollocks at one point. He did say they were nice. I was quite thankful to be a vegetarian.  Rice is with everything. Knives do not exist and even if I say so myself, I am a dab hand with chopsticks now.  Traditional Japanese costume is still worn and you see it a lot, it really is lovely.  Their coffee is the worse I have every had and trust me I have had some terrible coffee in my time!  I do not know what they do with it, but I have just been down to Borough Market to one of my favourite coffee shops (opposite dear old Bridget's house) for a decent cup of coffee.

They are obsessed with amusement arcades, shopping and eating! Yet they are all so small.  Not much dairy foods which contradicts the vegetarian issue.  Every time you go for a meal you are given a warm cloth to wash your hands.  Sake is lovely, I really got the taste for it.  

I am sure there are many, many more things that made me kind of fall in love with Japan and I have left a little bit of my heart there and would love to return one day.  I hope you have enjoyed this blog.  I write to as to give myself a detailed account of my travels (they are mounting up now!).  So where next?  So many places I want to visit, so watch this space.

As always with my love x