Tuesday 7 th June

Anne and I decide to complete the bus tour and use it to return to the market section  at Akihabara to explore a less glitzy part of Tokyo. We catch the train to the central Maranouchi business area to pick up the bus and also try to find a place to print the voucher for the Robot Restaurant we are to attend tonight. We are somewhat disoriented when we get out of Tokyo station and need to walk around the block before we identify the exact pick up place. That was so interesting because you could see how so many office buildings have shopping and food courts in their basements and lower floors. We tried to find a printing place at a variety store but found the printer was out of action! At the same time I received a message from the restaurant saying that my phone would be acceptable so the search had been a waste of time in one way but very illuminating in others. It was a good feeling for both Anne and I to be roaming free. Unfortunately the weather has changed and when we boarded the bus we were issued with white poncho type raincoats. Mine came down to my ankles and really we looked hysterical. Caspar the ghost with pregnancy. Our bags were covered as well.

 We enjoyed the ride and learned and saw a few things we missed from the day before. Arriving at our destination we wandered the stalls and shops and saw that this is where a lot of locals shop. I finally bought a Buddhist prayer bangle. We tried our first vending machine cafe and after getting help to get the sequence correct we ordered a dish of scallops, Chinese Vegas and noodles. It was delicious and we were impressed by the efficiency and cleanliness of the two young women who were working there. They were brilliant. They didn't stop! It would be hard work standing all day over the woks. We had to hustle then to get back to the apartment in time to freshen up before the restaurant.

We arrived in our white raincoats which caused the others to collapse laughing. I was sure I knew were we were going but once I checked the phone I realised we were going In the opposite direction. We turned around and then checked with a passerby who insisted on taking us all the way there! She was a Taiwanese student who has stayed on as a translator. The restaurant was up where we had eaten the first night. The show was a hoot. A cross between kitch and electronics, high energy music and youthful enthusiasm. The actors were having so much fun it became infectious.