Tokyo

I have been in Tokyo a week and I absolutely love it! Unexpectedly and inexplicably it feels like home, and more welcoming than the last few countries I have been in. It is early spring here and although the blossom trees are beautiful I have been finding it very cold, especially after Bali and Vietnam. The city is exciting, almost as `cool` as New York. Huge billboards, bright lights, sky scrapers, just like on the movies. We did go to look at the outside of the lost in translation hotel. Vast numbers of people, and all the peculiar things you would expect.

What I like the most is the peace, quiet and tranquillity of the city, which  I didn`t expect. There is almost no traffic, and everyone gives way to you, it really is the land of courtesy and not only the drivers. I love the politeness and kindness of the people, we are greeted everywhere we go, and even on the trains the guard will turn and bow to the people in the carriage before exiting. People are terribly smart and elegantly dressed, not just suits but waistcoats too, and the suits are all well made and look good unlike Britain's motley collection of shabby, badly fitting suits that are worn everyday. It is so clean, everywhere, even the train tracks, don't think I have seen any litter since arriving! Care, thought and attention seems to go into everything: small vehicles in pedestrian areas which at home would have annoying beep to alert people, here play tunes, manhole covers are decorated, public toilets have heated seats and fake flushes to cover embarrassing noises, on the shinkansen trains all the seats rotate 180 so that they still face forward when the train goes the other way. It feels like the heights of civilisation have been reached, and the rest of the world is lagging so far behind.

I went to the studio ghibli museum which was magical, mostly for the architecture, and of course  came away full of improvement ideas: don't worry, I didn't leave a comment card. We went to the museum of innovative science, which was brilliant, very exciting and all in English and Japanese. There was a robot seal which goes into hospitals as a robotic pets as therapy animal and actually works. We went to the open air architecture museum which was super cool as we got to wander round lots of traditional Japanese houses, again it was just like in old films.

We have bought Japanese rail passes and have forwarded the bikes (Japan has an excellent baggage forwarding service) I want to cycle but I also want to do all the must see things and we don't have time for both. I am already thinking what I would like to do if I come back, but that is just a dream, as I'm fast running out of money and even beginning to look forward to working again, as a paycheck would be an amazing thing!
I am really impressed by everything, totally fascinated by the culture: the courtesy which comes as a matter of course. I wish I could speak Japanese to get to know people better, they seem to invite it. I am not sure if America has been usurped yet, but Japan definitely is up there at the top or almost, of my favourite places on this trip.

Visiting Vietnam

Christof and I are now in Hanoi, after arriving in Ho Chi Minh and sightseeing there we flew north.  Vietnam is so interesting because the different parts of it seem to vary so much. Ho Chi Minh was so western in feel, wide streets with huge modern buildings, bright lights, all the usual designer brands represented and even French bakeries on many corners!  We were both so surprised.

Hanoi really, but it gives you the idea. 

Then we arrived in Hanoi, which was much more as expected, although even more chaotic than anticipated.  We are staying in the middle of the 'old town' which is bustling with tour operators and hotels, restaurants, and traditional shops, people and traffic squeezing through its tiny streets. By day the streets a filled with the sound of birdsong, which seems so out of place that the many caged birds which adorn every building don't fill me with the lightness of spirit which birdsong usually inspires; in the evening, there is nothing to alleviate the sound of the honking horns of the traffic.  It is very picturesque.

From Hanoi we rented a motorcycle and travelled north to explore the hills. Logistically it would have been very hard to do by bicycle, difficulties finding hotels, information, maps etc and as vegetarians who can't speak the language outside of the cities we are reduced to biscuits and UHT milk and bread when we can find it. Everything seems to have some kind of animal in it. We also had limited time, and Christof was eager to drive a motorbike after seeing a Top Gear episode (seems to be Britain's biggest export - Top Gear and Jeremy Clarkson, bit worrying really).  However we had an amazing time, and saw so much.  It was exactly like we expected but better in every way.  The drive was just amazing, mountains, forested hills, sheer craggy rock faces, valleys of lush rice paddies, beautiful old wooden buildings, perfectly wonderful.  It definitely makes it into the top five along with Yosemite, the West coast in both the USA and NZ, and Glacier National Park.

Of course We are technically in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, so here are some genuine posters to entertain!