randoms + the big move

i am sorry for the lack of blog postings. i have no excuse as i had just about every day off over the last two weeks. i kept my self busy and also took it easy over one of the biggest holiday seasons in japan known as golden week. travel plans and attractions are really packed during this time so i didn't really do much to avoid the madness. headed into tokyo a couple times. got a cell phone! hung out in chiba. had a few rainy days in the apartment. i have now killed almost all of my "temporary" chiba time though. yay. we head out on wednesday for nagoya to our real apartments, jobs and new lives. here are a few photos from the last two weeks.

friends i made during my tokyo training out for a day in akihabara, harajuku and shibuya. peter from the east coast, ramon from california, nuala from australia and i waiting for a train.

this is a store floor sign showing how three dimensional japan is; stores extend back, up, and down. this electronic place had 8 floors! very different that american style. 

more traditional wedding ceremonies at meiji shrine in harajuku. 

club womb. had a night out on the town clubbing and got this not allowed photo. it was quite an experience, lazers and lights everywhere, thumping music and a busy crowd of all types. all for only a $40 cover. since we are reliant on trains to get around, we also had to stay out all night because the trains stop running from about midnight until 5. i think i made it to bed about 7, this is after my 2 hour commute home. let's just say i am a-ok to have only done this once!

i couldn't resist. i heart hello kitty!