So I landed in Japan about 10pm Japanese time. We were greeted by our CST and led to the coach to the hostel where I would be staying for the next few nights. The hostel was nicer than I expected however we were told the showers would not work when we got there until 5 the next day... woo! Mimi, a girl in my patrol, and I went and checked the showers because we really wanted to shower and they worked! Only thing... their communal showers. There was a dry area where you got changed, 3 showers and a huge bath. We were planning to wear clothes in the shower however there were signs asking you not to, so we didn't. This is a big Japanese custom. Onsens are bathhouses in Japan which have numerous communal baths in which do different things e.g. magnets, boiling, cold, etc. I must have gone to sleep about 2:30am that day aha!
Sunday 26th July
So our unit met up at 8am and god I did not realise how hot it was and this was only in the morning. I mean I knew it was hot but... wow! We got on the train to Shibuya, we used these cool cards (similar to oyster cards) to get through the stations and buy breakfast. Breakfast... now being in Japan you'd think my unit would go for something Japanese. Nope it was straight to Maccy D's for most of my unit. We then went to a major food market in Shibuya (right next to the Shibuya crossing!!!) to buy lunch for later. I brought mostly Japanese food with a tuna and avocado sandwich as a backup just in case I didn't fancy the food. I then got the train to Ueno Park where there was a zoo, which I went to, and a couple of shrines. The zoo was really cool there were pandas!!! I also saw a polar bear, a seal, monkeys, Japanese birds, bears, tigers, etc. Whist at the zoo Hannah and I went to the loo. I was trying to flush the toilette and accidently pressed the wrong button and a jet of water came out ahahahahahaha! I also managed to leave my lunch in the loos which was brilliant. After that we went to the Earthquake Centre where we experience a simulated earthquake first hand! Before however we watched a movie about Japan and its earthquakes. You don't realise how strong an earthquake is until you experience one, or a simulation in this case. It was very cool but very surreal, there was also a part of me that was scared even though I knew it was a simulation. We then went and ate lunch and I brought a new lunch which was a sandwich and salted rice cakes. My unit split into new group and mine was going to a pet café. We first attempted rabbits but we would of had to wait 3 hours! So then we tried a cat café which we also couldn't get into so I went to the Pokémon Centre instead. I didn't really find the Pokémon Centre as interesting as I thought I would so Hannah and I went shopping. I brought a Yukata, Obi and the wooden shoes for just under 15,000 yen. Sunday evening we went to Joypolis, an indoor theme park which was really good. I went some of the boys from my unit and we played loads of arcade games and went on simulators. I also went on a car racing simulator with the leaders which was great other than the fact I messed up the gears because up was down and down was up. I also spotted a street racing car outside which was suped up so I went and looked at it. It was gorgeous. I left Joypolis at just after 10. When I got back I had a shower, got my bag and clothes ready and then went to sleep.
Monday 27th July
Today my unit met up again at 8am. Some of the others were late so the whole unit was late getting on the train. My unit went to the Akihabara where we split off, some of us staying in Akihabara and going to the electric city and some of us going to Asakusa to see the shrines and temples. I stayed in Akihabara because I love manga, anime and gaming. I stayed with some of the boys again and we went into the Sega Arcade it was so cool. We played a car racing game and I won against the CPU! Woo! Later that day we went up the Sky Tree it was really cool We went up to the 350 metre floor the view was beautiful. I wanted to go to the top but there was a long queue. When we got down I went to Asakusa however we only had 15 minutes there so I went and looked in the shops instead of fast walking to the shrine/temple. My unit then headed for Tokyo Live!!! When we got to Tokyo Live I thought there would have been more activities but I had a go at shooting sweets of a shelf and watched a ninja show, a J-Pop band, a all girl rock band and the Taiko drummers. The drummers were my favourite by far! The event finished and my unit eventually headed back to the hostel. My feet were dead and my shoulder ached soooo bad! I had a shower and then packed my bags as the next day were travelling to the Jamboree.
Tuesday 28th July
6:45! Ouch. Yepp that's what time I had to get up at on Tuesday morning. We had to fold our bed sheets and pillow cover, clean our rooms and get the coach to the bullet train. The queue for the bullet train was sooooo long but eventually we got on it. The whole train had been reserved for the UK Contingent! It was crazy trying to get on it because the was so little room and like 1,000 participants and leaders! The view from the window is amazing and it goes so fast its crazy!
So that's what I've done so far it is hard to upload pictures so I will try and get as many up as possible. Please share, comment, like this you know
what I mean. Here are some photos of my Jamboree so far.
