December 31 night: I went out with a Slovakian girl and a China guy from my dorm. We walked to Shinjuku and ate toshikoshi-soba at this shop.


I didn't bring along my backpack, hence the disposable chopsticks aiks.

When the clock hits 12 am, nothing spectacular happened around Shinjuku but quietness. On our way to Shinjuku station, the Slovakian girl picked up a cellphone on the floor (She picked up a bunch of stuff on our way to Shinjuku). Someone called when we were on our way to Koban aka police box, and he happened to be around the same area as us. So we met him near the exit and returned him friend's phone.

What a nice way to start off our new year.

It doesn't really matter whether we go for huge countdown events or whatever, what matters the most is who we spend our time with. Basically we were just wandering around Shinjuku, and we met random people who greeted us Happy New Year, random Starbucks which still opens even after 1 am, random group of tourist from Hong Kong, pushing their luggages in the middle of night.

The China guy was saying that I am just like a book with blank pages. Apparently I am so mysterious and he doesn't know what the next page is going to be.

I kinda like this metaphor. Maybe I am.

I will be going to Shikoku and Kansai area in next few hours for 5 days. This afternoon I went to Shinjuku to check out whether those internet cafes are 'sleep-able' or not, because I'm gonna spend a couple of nights there.

It looks better than those dodgy hotels or capsule hotels. Plus free drinks, shower, message chair, not to mention manga, DVD, internet. Who needs a real bed?

Anyway, Shinjuku was kinda empty today.


Underground passage to Shinjuku station (1.30 pm, 1 January 2009).

I am kinda exaggerating.

Year 2008 was great. I stopped eating meat other than seafood, stopped drinking coffee, met a bunch of cool YLs, went to Singapore three times, Bangkok once, and now I am in Japan, travelling and seeing a bunch of concerts (besides studying Japanese).


My daily diary.

Happy new year and hope you guys have a great year ahead!!

PS: Some evidence that I really went to Hokkaido.


Hitsuji-ga-oka, Sapporo. I went there because YUI went there before too.

And,




Now left Hiroshima.