The snow is wonderful, it's not too cold and there are some beautiful sites. My motto for the holiday is 'no regrets' meaning that if I get to a jump I don't second guess myself, just go for it. I have three aims for the trip: do a tail grab, do a grind and snow board a blue run. I'm a skier, but I'm learning to snow board. Slowly! We went on a tour in Tokyo. I hate tours - it's official. I hate the organization of it all. The whole "meet back at the bus at this time" The fact that lunch was pre booked and crap. The fact that you get put into a box of a Western tourist who is likely to buy overpriced fans or anything with the Japanese stamp. I'm far too independent for that. But I did get some nice pictures, so I guess that's a plus!
I am having a wonderful time, Japan is very much on my 'BEST OF' list!!
Sapporo was awesome too, when we flew in, all I could see was snow, snow snow!!
Sorry about the lack of comments on your posts, and replies too.
Internet - like everything - is expensive.
Today was amazing and I'm dead tired.
Food is amazing.
Green tea, nori, fuji apples, salmon, pocky, milk tea, sush, dried vegetables, chesnuts, lychee jelly.
I find these end of year holidays give way to self reflection.
I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing!
Okay so I had the expectations of updating you all with quick sentence or two and many a photo, but I feel that I cannot leave out any details, thus when the detail is actually not so detailed. Yesterday I went to Harajuku. Which I'm sure many of you know as the home of the gothic lolittas. As it was a NY holiday, there weren't as many of them, but still plenty of photos! We also went to Shibuya to 109 which is an 8 level clothing store, it is crazy. And packed, packed packed! I've never seen as many people in my life as i have in Tokyo. The levels are so small, and full of crazy teens shopping. The workers are up on boxes trying to yell above one and other to get your attention. I did get some awesome knitted, knee high white socks, some candy coloured knitted fingerless gloves, some lace socks, some knee high stockings with bows on the back and some crazy rainbow tights. Today we went to Asakusa which was beautiful. I bought some chopsticks, all those sort of things. I also got some really good pictures too. This afternoon I went on a mission to find Hello Kitty but, alas no luck. Seriously, that really shocked me! I ate the best Fuji Apple ever, some sugar free lycee jelly and some dried vegetables for lunch. Breakfast was some fruit and Japanese plate - it's a buffet so I just tried a bit of everything. I'm not too keen on the pickles, but overall, I like a Japanese Breakfast. Tomorrow we are going to Hakone. I'd say the next time I'll update it will be in the snow! I am having such a good time, watching awesome Japanese game shows and secretly laughing at J-Pop. I love Japan, and I love the culture here. I don't know what to do when I get back! I've waited for this trip for so, so long. I'm so lucky that I've been able to live a dream! I can tell you now, I am going to come back here!!
Today was a good day, all in all. I'll get the bad bit over first so I don't leave a bad taste in your mouth. So, the whole deal about camera shopping.... the camera I wanted was priced at $5000AUD. It's an old model so I thought I'd be able to get it uber cheap in Japan, but sadly, it's too old and they've completely sold out. They had a price at $700AUD but there were none left. The new model is crazy expensive too, and after some looking about I thought I'd perhaps look into a 50D, which I believe in Japan is about $2000AUD. I told him all about it, and said that I didn't mean to pressure him but I've been waiting and saving for this camera for about 7 months, and I'd be willing to pay half (or some other deal). I thought this sounded like a good idea. But, I got in response a big slap in the face. The whole deal about how I don't need a new camera, I just want one and that I don't understand the value of money if I just want to buy things with it. And that I should be savng my money in case something happens... okay, yes fair point. But I am 19 - I make $120 a week. And I think it's a bit mean to run me the 'value of money talk' on a Christmas present. I hate to compare myself to my brother but I do find that there is a large differance in the way he is treated to the way I am. For example for Christmas he got a new lap top and a Korg synth (Which was together over $2000) and then there are all the small things, like books, CDs and clothes that he got. I did ask for nothing, and told them that I'd rather them put the money towards a camera. I feel like my Dad has a strong contradiction in why Sam got a Christmas present that he wanted - not needed where I am not allowed something I want as opposed to needed. There is a whole other argument where I feel that my photography is at a point where I can move on to a better camera in order to take it from a hobby to a job. I know that I'm just a bit down because I had my hopes set on getting a camera here and never dreamed that I'd get slammed for asking for it. Yeah, I don't think it too petty, I really believe there is a huge injustice in the way my brother and I are treated and while I'm all the way over here, there is no one to really talk to or anywhere to get away to that I can express how I feel. This has been happening all my life with one thing or another. We were were little, I always used to get the blame for anything, even if my little brother would tell my Dad that he was at fault. I guess it's just an old fashioned thing. I try to get used to it but it still brings me down, more so when it's something like a Christmas present.
Moving away from all the negative talk, on to some of the wonders of Japan. I didn't update yesterday because internet is really expensive here. EVERYTHING IS EXPENSIVE IN THE HOTEL. For example, Coke is Y900 here to Y125 in a shop! Yeah, I know! Yesterday we went to the Ginza where we did some shopping (well, Mum did) and went to the Imperial Hotel and Gardens - the hotel is so old fashioned it's kind of a blast from the past! We came back home and had dinner at a local place which was really amazing. Today we went to Akasaka which is very electronic forward. We went back the the Giza to the 8 level paper shop and got some amazing traditional items which are just beautiful. I'll post pictures later. We went and had dinner at a little place under the railway line. All the did was chicken. I really hate chicken, but yeah... it was pretty good, and an awesome thing to do. We've been doing a lot of walking, it may not seem like we've been doing much, but the shops open about 11 here, so we get out of the hotel at about 11.30 and we're not getting back until 8. Tonight we went to a supermarket and *le sigh* went to McD - my brother got an ice cream.
I've noticed here that although there is a lot of sweets and treats, they are all very low in fat (well calories) for example, I had some green tea ice cream cake and it only had 80 calories, my milk tea had 80, my massive sushi roll hat 120 and my miso 35. And with all th walking, I really don't fell bad about having some treats. Seriously, I'm on holidays! Vegan diet awaits me at home!
It takes quite a while to upload pictures here, so they are going on Facebook. I've noticed a couple of you added me - and I've added you back! So, go to facebook for photos. It's late here, so this shall be photoless! Okay, I lied - these three are going up!!!!
I also got complemented on my Japanese today!
GO ME!
Hello, greetings from Japan once more. How was everyones New Years Eve? How did you celebrate, and more importantly - did you kiss a stranger at midnight and what did you wear! I hope there are not too may sore heads, none from those who wish to drink less this year! I feel that 2009 is going to be an amazing year. 2008 was a lot better than 2007 but I feel like I am a place in my life where I can really make things work.
Japan is amazing. It's really beautiful. It was abnormally quiet as it is a MAJOR holiday here. It's a very religious day. We went to Harajuku to a massive temple with perhaps half of Japan to throw money. There were some good photo moments, and it wasn't too cold. I had fish, miso soup, green tea (the BEST green tea I've ever had in my life!), fruit and some strange dumpling things. Lunch was late, some miso soup and some 'made it yourself sushi' from 711 and more green tea. Dinner was a bit of a non event as we are dead tiered and everywhere is closed. Salad and banana smoothie and a couple of mouthfuls of some chesnut parfait. Not so healthy! My NYR are to be more healthy, but also to relax more therefore if I make sure I go to the gym in the morning and try o eat balanced, I won't feel guilty about some of the amazing Japanese treats!
Of course there are some New Years talk I want to write about, but I feel that I'm just so tired that I may not be able to get across just what I mean without puring typos and misunderstandings across the web. I do know that a lot of what I want to be viewed as respectful and capable person and work on deflecting my emotions with either stupidity or humor - although I'm not saying there is a place for that!! I'm still working on writing a manifesto, and fully reflecting on last year. And because of this, I may update this entry tomorrow after a night on a hard bed. Has anyone found that the beds in Tokyo are really firm?
Okay, so I'm waiting for some photos to upload so I may as well get on with some of my goals for next year. Of course there are the 5 major ones I made a while ago - save money, loose weight, eat vegan, improve results and be more creative. But they are of course goals and aims, but there are not the reason why I want to do it. The drive behind it perhaps? So below will be some sort of life motto for 2009.
The Year of All that I can Be
I want to hold 2009 in both hands. To always have something to look forward to but yet, at the same time never regret that I wished time away. I want from 2009 to know that I've done all I can to make myself the best I can. My outlook on this year is that it will be a year in which I am truly myself and not let anything define me rather than me selecting things that reflect and endorse who I am. I want want I wear to be a mirror to my mood, to my day, to my feelings. I want it to be in simply art. I don't want to view clothes as cotton which we sinfully hide our bodies with, but an expression of Zilla. I do not want to settle for mundane, I want to push the envelope to becoming a creative being. I will this year, understand the whole truth to things that I engage myself in, I will stop falling back to safeness when I am unsure. I am going to respect my body and give it what it needs and in turn be rewarded by health and a feeling of satisfaction. What ever I do, it will be an action of growth, health and creativity. I will not accept anything below what is not my best. 2009 and will be all that I can be and prove to myself that I am allowed to be all that I want to be.
The rest of my pictures are up on Facebook - Zilla Gordon. So, if you want to add me, feel free - perhaps write me a PM so I know that you are from eljay not a stalker!!
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