travelling allrite

Delays and Japan Railways are not usually two words you associate with each other. On our final day in Tokyo we had planned to visit the JR East Railway Museum in Saitama. But our train to Omiya was running late and going slowly. I think the excuse given was congestion. We had to return to Shinjuku by half past three in order to collect our luggage and catch the Narita Express, so we made the painful decision to discontinue our journey at Akabane and head back. The rest of the time was just shopping and eating. Our favourite curry, a hole in an underground wall, run by a lady from China. Searching for clothes and purses and admiring the gorgeous fish tank displays at the end of Subnade. Gokuri and sweets from Can Do in PePe next to our hotel. A disappointing end to a very busy stay. In a rare event we were early for the Narita Express at Shinjuku Station. Once aboard we all fell asleep. Alex slept virtually the entire ride, for me just to Tokyo Station.

As Shinjuku gradually drifts into whatever passes for sleep in this ever partying town so must I. In sadness at leaving Japan. Today was food, shopping and a dose of dinosaurs. The hunt for breakfast was a frustrating one. Alex wanted the Vie De France bakery, but that lead us wandering both East and West Shinjuku and ending up eating burgers at First Kitchen. We caught the Yamanote Line to Ueno's National Museum of Nature and Science. A special "Dinosaur Expo" of magnificent skeletons and fossil on display was our first destination. The main part of the museum had an excellent display of the history of the universe and life on Earth from the Big Bang to civilisation. Meteorites to hominid skulls and satellites. Unfortunately the rest of the museum really required a tablet with English translations that, in our round about entrance, we hadn't hired. Also, B and Alex were very hungry so we hurried through much of the rest of the m