Today it`s spitting. It`s the nearest we`ve been to rain for almost 2 weeks. I`m not bragging, just mentioning it because it`s my first chance to use my new jacket, whereas it`s also the first day in that time that Tom hasn`t dressed as a trucker.
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So we are now in Tokyo, we got here last Saturday in time for the big critical mass ride I was telling you about. Well, there were only 14 of us in the end and so `critical mass` wasn`t really achieved. But it was great to meet the cyclists and their bikes; there were fixed wheel bikes, mini-wheel bikes, racing bikes, touring bikes, folding bikes and a recumbent. It was a good sight-seeing opportunity for us and afterwards we were invited to join them all for a meal and drinks. After the meal, drinks and a visit to the public baths we bivied in the park, which was very comfortable. In the morning just as I woke up a big bird shite landed on my bivi just under my chin (I don`t zip it up at night so it was a close miss), when I then got up I saw there were 5 other ones all scattered around where my head had been and began to suspect I was being targeted. It`s not like I was under a nest (I checked) and they didn`t seem to mind Tom so I was just the victim of their `funny` games. As I was rolling up the bag yet another one came flying down and narrowly missed me once more.
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Anyway the following evening we made our way back to the park and having made sure we were in a clearing were just setting down for sleep when someone walked over to us. It was dark so I`m not sure how he saw us – maybe the birds told him - but he did, and came over to see if we were alright. After talking to him for a while he said that we would be much better off sleeping at his flat rather than in the park and we agreed. His name is Leonard, he`s from Papua New Guinea and is here teaching english, he`s very easy going and we`ve been sleeping in his flat for the past week. His teaching is for the church on a voluntary basis, which is why `GOD is Good` is written on the wall of his flat in luminous letters.
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During the day we have been cycling around the city quite a bit. One of the best parts of Tokyo is Yoyogi park, which we are right next to (and where we camped the first night). At weekends it has a carnival atmosphere, when there are numerous hopeful bands, yet more hopeful karaoke singers, jugglers, frisbee-ers, badminton players, toy aeroplane pilots and so on. Electric city is another favourite spot for us and we`ve been looking at the video cameras as our last one broke in Norway. Anyway, there`s lots of interesting places and so we`re not getting bored. Our ship should be in dock here tomorrow and then we will cross to the USA on the calm seas typical of the Pacific in December.
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This bit is an add-on, an after-thought if you rather but it is too brief to take up it`s own blog and so here it is. The ship is in dock and will leave tomorrow morning at 6am our time, hopefully we`ll be on it. But the purpose of this extra-curricular part is to say that anybody wishing a Christmas card from us should write their name and address in our special place here. And if anyone wants to send a card for us to hang on our handlbars then there is a secret Christmas address that you can get from my mum (01494 862001) or my bro (only1rich2@NOSPAMyahoo.co.uk with the NOSPAM removed of course), it`s Jessie`s house – where we will be eating our turkey this year. Yum yum.