Through the Eyes of a Wombat

Still seems as if the Tohoku people haven't heard from ANU. I base this on having spoken to people here today and no one mentioned it to me, even Uchiyama san. I did ask him where the Tokyo Mitsubishi Bank's local branch was (and made sure I looked at the map he found, just in case he was directing me to the Osaka Toyota Bank instead), and he gave no indication that he was aware I plan to flee the country in only 22 days.

And the purpose of the bank? Had to pay my application fee for the american visa. This was accomplished very easily at the ATM, even though I dont have an account there, with no processing fees, and the ATM even gave me correct change in coins.
Why is this country so advanced in things like ATMs, yet doesn't have internet access in a university hall of residence specifically designed for international students? Why is it possible to take digital video on my mobile phone and email it around the world, but my floor is made of lino?

Found the other foreign import food shop today. Meidi ya (funnily enough, pronounced Meiji ya) got my hopes up by selling Cadbury, but dashed them again when I saw it was made in Canada. Now, I have not tried the Canadian variety of Cadbury, true, but I am very wary of it being similar to the travesty that is American-produced Cadbury. Now THAT is horrible stuff that does not deserve to be wrapped in purple. However today I was in luck, for the other place sells the good stuff. Real stuff.. made in Dunedin. Nick, I thought of you as I unwrapped this, and right now I'm tasting the first bite of Dairy Milk I've had in ... well, OK, it wasnt that long since my supply ran out, but its longer than a week. Almost.

Technical stuff: the Email button on the right has been banished, due to it being highly inconsistent. I did lose emails from that, so if you emailed me via that button in any shape or form and I didnt respond, I am very sorry. It was not my fault.
However to replace the email button, Comments are now available! If things work as I have been led to believe (and we know this is dangerous ground here), you should be able to leave comments after any posts I make. Hope it works...

Who was the first person to look at a cow and say 'I think I'll squeeze those dangly things here and drink whatever comes out'?

Early night tonight and off to Tokyo tomorrow to smile at Americans. (No, not a new hobby nor the latest craze in Japan, but to get a visa! Very exciting. Also meeting up with Chie, who stayed with Mum and Dad a couple of years ago and worked in their schools, and then in the evening catching up with the ANU crowd in Tokyo for a drink and something to eat. Should be fun... might end up sleeping on the couch at RAYs English Club too because the train back to Sendai, even the bullet train, means I would have to leave Tokyo by 9pm. Too early, though I know I'll be tired. So I might head back out to Urawa, for I know I can get there up until 1am, sleep on the couch, get a shower, catch up with the crowd down there before heading back to Sendai... might take the slower trains, its much cheaper.

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