Time flies and we’ve now been here four days. We visited T-Site yesterday; still one of my favorite retail experiences, even though I can’t use half the things they have. It’s a pop culture magazine as physical space: something we all need since the internet killed everything.
Arrived in Tokyo sleepless and went straight to line up for 3 hours to get into Nakiryu, a 1 Michelin-starred ramen joint near Ikebukuro. Intense take on tantanmen, and nearly worth the wait. After a break, went to an izakaya for dinner where we discovered the magic of yuzukosho.
One more week to Tokyo, and I’m super excited to finally have Hinoya Curry. Here’s a photo of a sumo wrestler painted on the shutters of an outlet I passed the last time around. Chris “The Foreigner Who Loves Curry” Kohler added them to his list, so my expectations are HIGH.
I knew nothing about Tasmania before setting off; not even that it’s a whole separate island from mainland Australia. My schedule leading up to the trip was too busy for me to even think about it, let alone look it up on a map. Because everything had been planned by my in-laws, I just had to show up. All I knew was that I’d probably get a few good landscape photos out of it, and be horrified by the lack of fast internet access.
On the first point, it turned out to be quite a beautiful place indeed, if not very convenient to get around. You’re in for hours of driving between small towns if you want to visit the main attractions, and some of the windy roads literally border on death traps—you can slip down the side of a mountain with a swerve.
Finally seeing the new Avengers film tonight, some two weeks later than intended. Surprised at how good everyone in the universe has been about not spoiling it.
I’ve been back in town for a week and have only just encountered a merchant I needed to pay with cash, not Apple Pay. Went to my wallet and it only had Australian notes.
