The Amazing Adventures of Tyr Tyrson in the Land of the Chrysanthemum Throne

Started by Josquius, July 31, 2011, 03:58:03 PM

Previous topic - Next topic
Print
Go Down Pages1 2 3 4
User actions

Josquius

July 31, 2011, 03:58:03 PM Last Edit: July 31, 2011, 04:04:38 PM by Tyr
Rather than just spamming the off topic topic whenever I check online I've decided to go with a thread.

____

From OTT:

I successfully made it to Japan. Flying long haul SUCKS.
Sure, having meals on a plane was novel (don't get that on flights around Europe anymore) and the cool little media player thing was awesome but it was generally cramped and nasty. I'm sure some of the food didn't agree with me either which added further nastyness.
Now though I'm here. Its 8am back home, 4pm here, though in my head I'm thinking its like 8pm...yesterday. Saturday just vanished for me.
I'm also sharing a room with a guy who looks very much like a heroin addict- an observation I made to myself when I first met him at the London orientation. Turns out he's alright despite not drinking though, he is a bit on the old side however so I suspect a past to match his looks.
Not that its important.
This is weird, I'm meeting and making friends with people who are getting posted nowhere near me. One awesome potential target in particular but she's off on an island somewhere. Pah.
Right now I'm knackered, can't be bothered with exploring town, but not tired...

___

When I went out with some people we ended up in a little restaurant. Ordering was 'amusing' with me being the one who spoke the best Japanese and my Japanese being only marginally better than my Russian (...ROSSIYA MATHUSKA! DA! PRIVYET!...err...nyet...and.....yeah....). Luckily there was a English menu which had some small descriptions.
One girl who came along was a total vegetarian. Doesn't eat meat nor fish. Obviously there wasn't really much on offer for her which displeased her. Strange she wouldn't eat fish, most veggies do. I always thought there was a different word for a vegetarian who doesn't eat fish like there is a word for those who do eat chicken.

I went with something with a untranslated Japanesey name. The description said it was one of the most popular dishes in Japan and was a sort of fried chicken. When it came....it was KFC pretty much.
I guess the description was accurate, according to what I've read KFC is popular in Japan...but still....bah. What a trick.
Oh well, I've got all year for experiencing proper Japanese food.

____

Sleep was weird.  Crashed out for 4 hours at 5 or so then went for a walk around the surrounding neighbourhood (there's suppsoed to be a red light district around here somewhere...couldn't spot it) before returning to my room to crash again. I woke up unplanned at 5am.
hmm...I guess thats kind of a normal time to get up...I shouldn't have screwed myself too much....but we'll see tonight.
I think I'm going to avoid most of the effects of jetlag due to the lack of sleep over in England and just generally being knackered in general.

When walking the streets some random old lady asked me where I was from then started giggling and nattering to her friend when I said England. Which was queer.
I also tried something from a vending machine which I thought was a form of iced tea. It was foul. I had a few sips before tossing it away. I need to find out what it was so I know to avoid it. Some sort of bottled green coffee maybe?

___

The hotel is swanky. I feel like I'm spending a fortune just being in the lobby. Tonnes of staff in silly hotel staff clothes of the sort I've never seen outside of a movie from the 50s.
The room however wouldn't look out of place in Skegness, very 70s, the old school giant clock thingy is odd.
Not that I'm complaining.

______

I've not really been in the mood for Tokyo, I've been wanting to get settled at my new flat first. But this way of course by far makes the most logical sense. Its a shame I won't get to see much of Tokyo in this stay but for me at least that's not a big deal, I'm two hours max away. Must suck for those being posted to the Japanese version of Sark or Aberdeenshire though, to be here but not getting to experience it.

______


The weather is a lovely surprise. I was expecting it to be hellishly horrible and hot like Greece. Instead though its just...warm. And nice. A bit muggy but I really can't complain at all, quite akin to what I'd class as perfect weather. I can wear whatever clothes I want and am comfortable doing anything.


And yes. Rambling a lot. Just killing time as I'm up damn early (5am? I haven't known there to be a 5am since I was a lad....) and breakfast isn't until 7.30.
██████
██████
██████

Admiral Yi

#1
July 31, 2011, 04:01:28 PM
Fabulous Squeeze.  Hope you have an awesome time.

How much Nihongo do you know?

Razgovory

#2
July 31, 2011, 04:06:13 PM
Quote from: Tyr on July 31, 2011, 03:58:03 PM

I'm also sharing a room with a guy who looks very much like a heroin addict- an observation I made to myself when I first met him at the London orientation. Turns out he's alright despite not drinking though, he is a bit on the old side however so I suspect a past to match his looks.


I wonder if someone else is posting elsewhere,

QuoteI'm also sharing a room with a guy who looks very much like a drunk- an observation I made to myself when I first met him at the London orientation. Turns out he's alright despite not shooting up...
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Josquius

#3
July 31, 2011, 04:10:41 PM
QuoteI wonder if someone else is posting elsewhere,
How do I look like a drunk?
And drunks tend not to shoot up.

Quote from: Admiral Yi on July 31, 2011, 04:01:28 PM
Fabulous Squeeze.  Hope you have an awesome time.

How much Nihongo do you know?
Very little. I haven't been studying it recently either, have been busy with other important stuff.
My Japanese is quite backwards compared to most foreigners, I know hundreds of kanji but my spoken vocabulary is tiny.
██████
██████
██████

Razgovory

#4
July 31, 2011, 04:11:45 PM
I have no idea what you look like.   :lol:  I just know you drink all the time.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Admiral Yi

#5
July 31, 2011, 04:13:21 PM
Then here's Admiral Yi's basic survival Japanese.

Sumimasen, eigo ka dekimasuka? (Excuse me, do you speak English?)

Toire wa doko desuka? (Where's the pisser?)

Jacob

#6
July 31, 2011, 04:16:53 PM
Sounds like a promising start :)

Keep us updated.

Razgovory

#7
July 31, 2011, 04:56:08 PM
Quote from: mongers on July 31, 2011, 04:34:51 PM
Quote from: Jacob on July 31, 2011, 04:16:53 PM
Sounds like a promising start :)

Keep us updated.

Yep, I'm sure Tyr will provide us with some interesting anecdotes.


Though I'd have preferred it if Lettow was in Tyr's place and visa versa.  :D

If it it was, he'd have unveiled his new idea to swim to Hokkaido, and we'd be all trying to talk him out of it.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

Richard Hakluyt

#8
July 31, 2011, 04:58:20 PM
Keep the info flowing Tyr, interested in how you get on  :cool:

Siege

#9
July 31, 2011, 05:45:43 PM
Is there kosher food in Japan?



"All men are created equal, then some become infantry."

"Those who beat their swords into plowshares will plow for those who don't."

"Laissez faire et laissez passer, le monde va de lui même!"

Razgovory

#10
July 31, 2011, 05:49:45 PM
Quote from: Siege on July 31, 2011, 05:45:43 PM
Is there kosher food in Japan?

Vegetables, fruits.
I've given it serious thought. I must scorn the ways of my family, and seek a Japanese woman to yield me my progeny. He shall live in the lands of the east, and be well tutored in his sacred trust to weave the best traditions of Japan and the Sacred South together, until such time as he (or, indeed his house, which will periodically require infusion of both Southern and Japanese bloodlines of note) can deliver to the South it's independence, either in this world or in space.  -Lettow April of 2011

Raz is right. -MadImmortalMan March of 2017

mongers

#11
July 31, 2011, 06:44:55 PM
Quote from: Razgovory on July 31, 2011, 04:56:08 PM
Quote from: mongers on July 31, 2011, 04:34:51 PM
Quote from: Jacob on July 31, 2011, 04:16:53 PM
Sounds like a promising start :)

Keep us updated.

Yep, I'm sure Tyr will provide us with some interesting anecdotes.


Though I'd have preferred it if Lettow was in Tyr's place and visa versa.  :D

If it it was, he'd have unveiled his new idea to swim to Hokkaido, and we'd be all trying to talk him out of it.

Yes, though I didn't mean it in a nasty way, just that it would be a short-cut for Lettow to satiate his Japanese longings and Tyr, well travel man* that he is, would get to meet some interesting Americans on home turf. 


* I'm assuming Tyr hasn't yet been to the USA or at least the West coast/Utah/Nevada that Lettow was so interested in.
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again"

mongers

#12
July 31, 2011, 06:50:05 PM
Quote from: Siege on July 31, 2011, 05:45:43 PM
Is there kosher food in Japan?

Don't know any details, but according to wiki there are 2,000 Japanese Jews.

Actually the wiki, if it is to believed, has some fascinating stories in it about Jews in Japan and occupied territories during WW2:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Japan
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again"

Neil

#13
July 31, 2011, 08:01:00 PM
Quote from: Siege on July 31, 2011, 05:45:43 PM
Is there kosher food in Japan?
I would hope not.  The Japanese know better than to accommodate the habits of inferior cultures.
I do not hate you, nor do I love you, but you are made out of atoms which I can use for something else.

Lettow77

#14
July 31, 2011, 08:14:27 PM
 Have fun! Try to see if you can sneak a catgirl past customs when you leave. If you have no use for her, I could find a loving home.

I'll be following your journey with interest.

(Languish is absolutely right about going to Hokkaido. Sacred secessionists! The republic of Yezo! ara, ara!  swoooon~
although of course kyushu is tea country and that's also wonderous. Really, Japan is just the land of milk and honey where everything is roses and nothing is evil. A land where evil doesn't exist- like Utah.)
It can't be helped...We'll have to use 'that'
Print
Go Up Pages1 2 3 4
User actions