From A Claustrophobic Cubicle in Japan

My first　brush　with　all　things　Japanese　involved　an　obaasan　talking　to　me　in　Japanese　at　the　airport yesterday.　We’ve　already　checked　in　and　were　one　of　the　first　few　at　the　gate,　and　from　what　remnants　of　Japanese that I could remember or muster, I gathered that what she was really asking was whether we were waiting there at the final room before the gate opened or not. Initially I couldn’t understand her at all and replied in English, “Sorry?”, and then finally with the Japanese “Aa hai hai”.

lol.

I also finished reading the book I brought for this trip called The Trap by John Smelcer. I started reading it a few months ago but only had the time to continue reading it from like page 30 or so till the end while on the aircraft. It’s a pretty good book—I was thoroughly engrossed in the shivering winter the author managed to encapsulate within 160 or so pages of the extreme Alaskan surroundings.

Speaking of the aircraft, it was rather empty—it was surprising to me as I had earlier asked the staff manning the check-in counter if the plane was full and she said yes. >_> So initially I got an aisle seat at 22C, but later when I saw the obaasan who was sitting at the aisle next to me went somewhere else towards the back and didn’t return, I did the same as well and picked a window seat. I was sitting right in front of this young Japanese dude who was sleeping across the 3 seats and had his left hand beneath his pants at his crotch nearly all the time wtf.

Oh, and a stewardess was talking to me in Japanese too, mentioning something and the only thing I caught was “okyakusama” wtf. Again the universal Japanese “hai” came in handy, and she proceeded to pull the blinds of the window and turned on my reading light lol. (I also find that the Japanese stewardesses are prettier and have a more genuine smile than the other stewardesses wtf.)
—-

As we approached Tokyo for landing, I stared outside of my window and looked directly into the darkness. The lights of our aircraft were gradually switched off and it was then almost pitch-black, only the city lights beneath us at the horizon twinkled white and gold. A few minutes later there was a sudden brightness from beyond us and it caught my breath—I realised that we were in the clouds just moments ago, hence it was shrouding much of the lights like a dark veil.

Much of the sprawling city below was dark, and then I remembered the recent earthquake and tsunami incident that necessitated energy saving throughout the city. There were swaths of blackness amidst the lights, and I figured it was either the forest or the sea, most likely the latter. Lights continued to peek out from the dark, and when I saw the boats, I just realised that Haneda Airport is rather close to the port.

I got out of immigration and customs without any untoward incident—I was asked to open my bags, prolly because I looked like a suspicious lone traveller wtf—and then headed straight for the information counter. The dude manning the counter told me in halting English (I refused to use Japanese for something as important as instructions out of the airport and into the city because my proficiency in the language was still lacking somewhat) that he’d really recommend me the bus, and not the much cheaper train, at this hour (it was already midnight).

So I went ahead and bought the bus ticket to Shibuya for 2,000 yen (~RM74 wtf), and about 30 minutes later we were all dropped off at Shibuyaeki (Shibuya Station). Perfect.

Walked around somewhat cluelessly, and I stopped a few people in uniforms—be they officers manning the bus station, a construction site, road crossing guards, etc—and asked for directions in my rather halting Japanese. Unfortunately their replies were in a quick torrent of a language that I’m still learning, but I managed to catch a rough gist thanks to sign language and me managing to catch key words like “hidari” (left), etc.

Eventually I found myself in a quiet, narrow alley, strolling alone and I felt really safe here, which would definitely be a no-no in countries like… Malaysia..

But finally I arrived at the Gran Bagus Internet Cafe that was recommended to me by someone on the Lonely Planet forum (had many fantastic suggestions there—thanks!). Figured it was nearly 1.30am—local Japanese time—by then, initially I had just wanted an 8-hour stay, but they didn’t have that in their Naito Pakku (Night Pack wtf). It was either 6 hours or 9 hours, so I went for the 9 hours for 1900 yen which was pretty sweet.

What’s pretty sweet however, I later discovered when trying to ask—again in halting Japanese—if I can buy water from there [which illicit a puzzled look from the counter dude, who then asked “Mizu… nomimono?” (“Water… drink?”)], and then he later pointed to a row of vending machines and a refrigerator containing what I thought was milky stuff, and declared them FREE.

Oh yes. Free Fanta (fizzy drink) and free mostly coffee-related products, but best of all, I discovered in their fridge there were a variety of free juices too (labelled in katakana, which I can proudly say that I can read). So I took a sip of their free orange juice and tried their “pain juusu”, which I then discovered was actually pineapple juice lol.

Sleeping was actually more comfortable than I expected with this reclining chair in a very claustrophobic booth that was given to me. There were rows of these private cubicles that were furnished with my specific reclining chair (I was given a menu of choices earlier—either a high-seated chair, a reclining chair, or the floor wtf, from what I can tell judging by the picture and what the dude said), headphones, a computer, and a leg rest which is pretty awesome in assisting sleeps.

I’d say I had a pretty good 6-hour rest, although I awoke multiple times throughout the night as people came in and a female staff was explaining loudly to said okyakusama wtf. The reclining chair can really, really recline, and I had to switch sleeping positions throughout the night but I must say I’m still pretty well-rested. Not a perfect sleeping arrangement, but I’ll still live lol.

The only negative aspect that I can think of is that if I’d like to use their shawaa, I’d have to pay like 500 yen for 20 minutes, and I think something extra for other amenities (I stopped listening carefully when I found out that shower isn’t free). Well I’m not going to dish out 500 yen which I can use for food.

Well, it:s 9.18am now at the time of writing, and I have to exit by 10.17am or risk paying exorbitant extension fees by the minutes wtf. Most probably I’ll be checking in at my original accommodation at Asakusa Smile—or at least just leave my huge backpack as I believe their check-in time is at like 3pm or something, and then head to Narita Airport.

Ja ne.