Konnichiwa!

Shibuya
Originally uploaded by Terz.

Blogging from an internet cafe in Megumo, where KK has kindly put us up for the duration of this trip. The trip's been interesting so far, excepting that I'm now blogging on computer that's using a Japanese keyboard and spending a lot of time trying to figure out where all the keys are. Which would explain the strangeness of some of the fonts as I type.

Still, it isn't as interesting as walking into a sex shop expecting to find an internet cafe. It was in Akihabara for cryin' out loud. There were pictures of computers on the placard outside and the only word I recognised amidst all the squiggly lines: 'internet'. As it turns out, it's a place where you get a [darkened] booth to yourself，chat on a IRC-esque connection with someone, and then behold! That someone appears in your booth then and fulfills your fantasies...

I haven't taken too many photos so far and they've mostly been limited to street photography. Will upload once I've figured out how to do so on this machine.

As far as expenses go, I'm well within my budget of 1k （or about 6800 yen every day) for the whole trip:

Day 1:
Train to Nippori - 1000 yen - funny story this, will tell it later
Coffee at Starbucks (!) - 270 yen
Sandwich lunch - 220 yen
Train to Otsuka - 150 yen
Train to Shibuya - 160 yen
Locker at Shibuya - 400 yen
Sushi dinner - 940 yen
Train to Ebisu - 130 yen
Beer (very little, very bo-hua) - 1200 yen for 2 very small mugs
Train to Shibuya to get our stuff - 130 yen
Train to Meguro - 150 yen

Total for Day 1: 4750 yen

Day 2:
Train to Ueno - 190 yen
Entrance fee to the Ueno Toshogu Shrine - 200 yen
Lunch - 348 yen
Train to Akihabara - 130 yen
Marlboro Menthol Lights - 300 yen
Lighter - 130 yen
Coffee - 190 yen
Coffee - 240 yen

Total so far for Day 2: 1728 yen

So, yeah. Tokyo on a shoestring budget - highly possible.