Flights

Of course I am flying to Japan (the other option was to walk but I doubt I have the stamina).

I've been putting off booking the actual flight for a while, but still casually browsing my options for ages. Mostly because.... scary and I needed to have my parents around.

But! It has been booked and I will leave Edinburgh on the 21st of September and arrive in Osaka at 2pm the next day. The flight was under £600 which isn't too bad.

It was a (partial) success. On one hand, I desperately wanted to land in Japan during the day. Something about landing when it was dark made me nervous. And it seemed... friendlier. But... I didn't want more than one change. Of course I have two.

But! They aren't terrible. Two hours in London, two hours in Beijing.

My flight also leaves earlyish in the morning which is a positive, I didn't want to be waiting all day. The excitement may have killed me and dying now would just be the biggest anti-climax in the history of the world.

One of the stupid things I am looking forward to is the "lasts".

Things that won't be easy to get in Japan that my parents or friends couldn't send. Take-out food. Shopping with my friends. British chocolate (apparently Dairy Milk doesn't taste the same in Japan and they probably could send chocolate but... shush). Video games not on my DS. My friends. My parents. And the dogs! And more food because food.

Not that I want to leave these things but I like the idea of experiencing them for one last time before I leave It's sort of comforting.

Another thing I am looking forward to is my best friend is coming to see me at the airport. Of course I'll cry and it's nothing short of tragic my dogs won't be there... But I want to see the people I will miss the most just before I leave for something close to 11 months.


Back to relevant stuff...

Once I arrive in Osaka, I will be getting some sort of magical bus/taxi/horse-drawn carriage to the Ritsumeikan dorm/apartmenty things where I will sleep on the floor.

http://www.yasaka.jp/english/index.html

Here is the link.

They are suggested by Rits where my boyfriend is going so he passed on the knowledge. I'll talk more about how they were and my flight once I am in Japan!

I should warn I may not have internet straight away. My boyfriend's accommodation make you set it up yourself and he doesn't really know how long that will take... More exciting Japanese mysteries!

I have some pretty good intentions ( but when do I not?) I want to explore a little and have an idea of Kyoto before classes start and I am thrown into the university routine. And work out buses. Public transport is intimidating enough in Edinburgh.

And I want a bike. I love bikes. Like so much. Except Scotland isn't bike country. Rain and wind and more rain constantly doesn't encourage cycling.When I imagine myself on a bike in Kyoto it is slightly more idyllic than the reality will be. I will probably be huffing and puffing down the streets, cursing the tail end of the Japanese summer.

And the excitement of Japanese grocery stores and convenience stores...  And Japanese food and... too much excitement for now!

Sarah ^^