10:00 a.m. – Last breakfast at Hostel 64. I’m sad. Here is my last piece of rice flour bread and my last bit of homemade pear jam.
I just asked Rachel if we could have a day of coffee and animals, hitting up the aquarium and a cat cafe. She’s meeting me halfway, willing to go to the aquarium after breakfast.
11:30 a.m. – Leisurely morning at the hostel. I had three cups of coffee just because I could. Aaaaand I made Rachel pose for a quick picture before checking out. (NOTE: It is cold here. I’m glad I threw in a couple of jackets – and one white shirt per Jen’s packing recommendations.)
12:30 p.m. – RACHEL: “What are you doing right now? Texting people?”
ME: “Live blogging.” Followed by long explanation on why I’m doing something so dorky.
RACHEL: “Ah, justifying it to yourself. Does anyone check it?”
ME: “My mom and dad. I think.”
12:45 p.m. – We are eating bread on our way to the aquarium, and RBRANDIZZLE is embarrassed by this nutty blogger.
1:00 p.m. – At the Osaka Aquarium. I picked up some salmon lettuce wraps at the station and am eating in the ticket line which is very un-Japanese of me.
5:45 p.m. – Still in Osaka. The aquarium was PACKED, but very cool. There was a time in my twenties where I contemplated going back to school for marine biology (even though I never took a science or math class that I particularly liked or was good at) and went so far as to get my 40 hr NAUI SCUBA certification, until I realized that I just enjoy snorkeling, swimming, dating scientists, and aquariums. THE JELLYFISH.
I got way better pics with my Nikon. The iPhone4 is great, but not in low light.
Diem met us at the end, and we went back to Osaka Station and ate some Okonomiyaki. So effing good. I think this dish, which is like a Japanese omelet covered in something similar to BBQ sauce, is my favorite. (Obviously not the most accurate description….)
Rachel headed home to Toyama-ken. Diem is staying in Osaka. I’m going back to Kyoto for some solo traveling. I might get a doughnut (addicted over here!) before getting my backpack from the station lockers and catching a train to Kyoto.
8:30 p.m. – Errr, thank goodness I have never lived near a Krispy Kreme store.
I departed Osaka at 7:30 p.m. I love love love this city, so it’s not good-bye forever just yet.
I am now on a bus in Kyoto and have a 40-minute ride to my hostel. Traveling on my own around Japan (or just things in general here) can sometimes stress me out, but Kyoto has way more English than even Tokyo AND I have my iPhone with its updated Google maps app (gold medal app right there).
It’s raining and getting late, so I think I’ll just go to sleep once I get to my new hostel.
12:00 a.m. – Hostel nightmare, made especially painful after an amazing experience at Osaka’s Hostel 64.
In Kyoto, I had no idea there could be a mixed dorm with me and one other guy who was sitting on the floor near his bed, belt undone, and SMOKING. Um. NO. NO. HELL NO.
A friend booked this place for me through an online deal, so they have my money. The manager was nice and moved me to a single for tonight. But the next few days it costs more (I have NO extra money this month) and I would have to move to different rooms because the one I’m in now is booked this weekend. It’s a bit of a nightmare. I may have to cut this trip short.
The silver lining is that I have a kitchen right now. I made myself a weird bowl of oatmeal with food in my backpack: instant oats, peanut butter, raisins, and oranges. Strange, yet comforting.
And the city is supposed to be incredible, so tomorrow I’ll explore and weigh my sleep options. Oyasuminasai.
