241108

Last night was another great night in Miyajima backpackers.
Met an Ozzie couple that were living in Annerley! What are the chances?
No Ton-jiru but got some Ikane, dried squid with another can of O-Sake.
All this while reading about the amazing developments towards the Singulaity.
Big night, talking to the couple from Annerly then some guys from Germay and Bosnia.
Then the host with the most broke out a bottle of Sake he had received as an opening gift. That went round the table and it was great. I actually got some pics of the festivities this time.
After that a very patient Japanese couple were trying to teach me how to use chopsticks properly. We were up until 4 practicing and they were wanting to know where to go in Australia, what it was like etc.
The guy seemed really interested in the Aboriginals and I tried to explain the current situation to them. That kinda dissapointed them but they still want to see the surf and the reef etc.
This morning I was up at 7 and got my train in to Hiroshima with plenty of time to spare. While waiting on the platform I met a guy from Hawaii, we chatted for a while but he had to get his shinkansen back to Tokyo. Interesting story behind that. His mother is native Japanese but removed since the war. This is his second time in Japan, last time he was helping his mother find her birth mother.
His mum doesn't speak Japanese so he was the interpreter. Amazingly they managed to find his grandmother here and then the rest of the family.
Nice story, anyhow for breakfast this morning got my 100 yen pastry and this time it had sweet potato filling which was a surprise.Also surprising was that it was quite nice for breakfast.
It's raining and 12 in Hiroshima today, according to google last night Osaka is overcast but not raining. It is however meant to be 12 aswell so its definetly getting colder. According to the hosts at Miyajima Backpackers yesterday was the last day of Autumn and I am definetly feeling it.
Gonna be painfull getting off the plane into Australian summer.
On the train to Osaka there was a Japanese lady sitting beside me and we got chatting about what it's like in oz, what I like about Japan and obviously what foods I like so no sleep on the train.
Got to Osaka and it was 11 with rain!! I know the temp as there was a billboard across the street. While looking at my map it dropped to 10! Got two trains to Shin-Imamiya and then had to call for directions to hotel. They provided such great information on the site. Told me which train station to get off at and which exit to leave from then three minutes on foot....
No direction, street or address.
Anyhow worked out in the end and I have checked into my room. The place is a real dive compared to any of the other places I have stayed. Cheap, cause I gave the guy a 10000 yen note he ended up only chaarging me 4000 for the three nights so I now have an extra 50 yen. Unpacked and settled in, still raining. Planned my routes etc, stil raining. Decided not to mope about anymore and caught a train to one of the parks, stil raining. Underground mall! Killed some time in there for an hour or so, all the food got me hungry and it was getting dark and colder, still raining. Came back to hotel and got some cup noodles on the way. Tonight I eat cheap and tomorrow I feast!
Think I might checkout Osaka castle tonight if it stops raining as it is supposed to really impressive by night. They light it up and apparently it shines gold.
No pics from today so far but a few of last night.
Bye