New Years Resolution

I was meaning to go to bed earlier so I'd be chipper to wake up at 6am for my flight home.

Probably for the first New Years Eve in a long time I stayed home.

The last few had been lacklustre. Everybody seemed to hug strangers lovingly, and half an hour later it felt like any other night getting pissed.

Best of all I was spared "Auld Lang Syne". Shame I can't say the same thing about "Last Christmas". I heard it a few days before the big day.

As midnight came around I could here the fireworks from the city and revelers cheering. I don't feel like I missed that much.

Let's just say that I hope that what I'm doing here in Japan is getting me closer to my resolution. Make of that what you will.

There was no problems getting the flight. I was there in plenty of time. Jetstar was surprisingly better than I expected.

The flight to Sydney was almost empty and the plane looked OLD inside. I wish it was direct from Brisbane, but I guess cheaper ticket beggars can't be choosers.

The Sydney-Osaka plane was more packed. I requested a window seat exit row. This is the best seat on a plane. First Class leg room and easy to go to the bathroom. Unfortunately I had a big sumo guy next to me which I was hoping was a seat free to lie down.

Compared to europe, flying to Japan takes no time at all. Normally a 8 hour flight.

I brought along quite a lot of food to eat on the plane - corn chips, bread sticks and ah.. mama's biscuits!

I thought I'd have to dump them at Quarantine, so I reluctantly ate as much as I could without feeling like throwing it all up.

The Customs at Osaka are pretty relaxed. I could have saved the food for my time while I am there as they let it all go through, even a monster salami and cheese that I have to go through sometime.

I caught the Limited Express Haruka train to Shin-Osaka where gf had booked my room at "Hotel Live Max" close to where my Shinkansen conveniently leaves for Toyko on friday.

I thought I was doing it on the cheap using my suica card, but an inspector said I had to pay 1150 yen supplement for being on the express. That sucked, but I'm so tired right now I'm glad to get here as quick as I could.

I found the hotel pretty easily. The desk clerk didn't speak any english so it was a little uncomfortable until he called gf to clarify a few things.

The hotel itself is pretty basic for 4500 yen a night. I have a fridge, microwave and even this open wifi connection that I suspect doesn't belong to the hotel.

Outside the weather is a balmy 5 degrees, so I'm thankful to work out how to turn the heat for the aircon.

I'm hoping for a big adventure tomorrow in big bad Osaka.