Sorry about that, guys. I've been keeping this running document of journalage open on my computer at all times so that I remember every time I get on it, but the day before yesterday, my computer restarted itself (I still have pretty much no idea how it happened) and the document closed. I only just now remembered that it wasn't open and therefore I hadn't been writing in it.

So I'm pretty sure we went to Akihabara the next day (or the next day I have any notes for, at any rate). It was really interesting, because there was so much <i>stuff</i> available, but all of the most interesting things were electronics, which I really shouldn't buy if I can help it. Most of them aren't likely to work in the US. I couldn't buy any video games, because apparently (according to the internet) the only region-free systems are nintendos portables (Game-boy/DS stuff) or the PS3, neither of which I have.

I still don't understand why someone ever thought that regions were a good idea. I need to go ahead and buy a region-free player at some point, too.

Anyway, so after we spent an excessive amount of time in these stores, we went to one of the little bookstores across the street. There really wasn't much there.

We went to the Sony building, too. They had some of their newest stuff for display. I think the most interesting was a camera with a really good panorama setting. Just hold the button and turn the camera and it splices it all together for you. It's nothing particularly new, but it's still interesting.

We spent the afternoon wandering the Ginza district. Now, I have to tell you that Ginza is probably the most expensive strip in Japan. Seriously, ever big name is in the Ginza. I can't afford Armani, so why we spent over three hours there, I'll never know.

Instead of going straight back to the hotel like everyone else, I took care of more important matters and went straight back to Shibuya to find my jacket, because I didn't want to have to wander Shibuya alone at night. UTTER FAIL. I had a google map and I asked about 10 people and they still couldn't agree on which direction I should go.

Gah.

So after I've been wandering around for almost an hour, I finally ask someone about my age (I've mostly been asking the cops keeping an eye on traffic), and of course she knows where the goth bar is. She didn't speak very good English (that is, it's about the first time that I've felt that my Japanese may be better than a student's English), and I didn't know the area well, so she couldn't explain how to get there. She decided to be super-nice and lead me there, even though that's not where she was going at all. All I really know is that her given name is Ayaka. I'm kind of sad that I have no way to contact her or anything to say thanks again, because she was gone by the time I went into the bar, got my jacket (total SUCCESS) and got back outside.

So I make it back to the train station and get on the trains home. I make the necessary transfer, because I've done this several times now from Shibuya to Kamata, and everything is fine. Then, suddenly, everything stops. The train makes a normal stop at Ooimachi, but doesn't go again. The train isn't going any farther. I had no idea what was going on.

Fortunately, it was a problem easily solved. I just got off, walked across the platform to the rail on the other side, and the next train took me back to Kamata where I was supposed to be. All safe and sound.

Tyler and I went to a nummy curry place for dinner, and had a relatively uneventful night drinking in the room before we passed out for the night (in the very tired sense, not the extremely drunken sense).

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