Getting used to Fukuoka part 2: Being alone

I went on a long-ass walk.

No plan or aim (much like this blogpost), just walking for the sake of it. Hoping that getting a real fiscal sense of the size of the city would help me feel a little less lost all the time. And also looking for good ways to be alone in a new land.

Even the familiar is different

The Valentines party
had a chocolate fountain.
This has nothing to do
with the current post,
other than the fact of
chocolate fountain.

Because it does feel kind of weird. All my usual solutions for alone time are either actually impossible (aka Norway-based) or feeling like a bit of a waste after having traveled so far (these being internet-based). And since I've yet to make any substantial habits, I keep having to come up with new ways to spend my time. This is no problem if I'm invited to this or that or whosit (like the school Valentines party yesterday, which was really nice), but when I'm not I have to be proactive, which is not my favourite adjective.

It was kind of nippy, so I bought
these "For Men's" gloves at a 100yen
shop. They're almost big enough for
me, too!

100yen shops. The "Nille" of Japan is
cheaper, and awsomer.

One of my favourite things about urban Japan are the pops of traditional culture that just seem to be everywhere. Suddenly, 

BOOM!

you're in some beautiful old temple. The sound of the wind in the trees made it so tranquil it was hard to believe there was a major thoroughfare just outside the gates.

On a cold day of walking, I become really grateful for the hot drink vending machines hanging out everywhere. 

Yes please.

Why do we not have this in Norway? We should have this in Norway. I will found a political party on this basis if it will give me daily hot ginger ale.

Eventually I stumbeled upon the large park just outside the majorly modern Tenjin area, built around the ruins of the old Fukuoka Castle.

I always find these contrasts between new and old to be incredibly striking

Found lake, had lunch.

"Nikuman" from 7eleven are
my favourite thing in the world.
They cost just about 8NOK,
and I could eat nothing but these.
Seriously.

I don't know. I don't know. I don't know.

Middle of the city. Obviously.

Less hungry, I kept meandering in the general direction of where the fuck ever. It's less boring than it sounds, as being a pedestrian in this part of Japan is a bit of an extreme sport. The bicyclists will run you over, and you will not have time to beg for mercy. They will not stop to clean your brains out of their tyres. Seriously, they are terrifying.

Fly, you fool!

Eventually I got sick of walking, so I jumped on a local bus heading in the general direction of downtown.

...going aaaannnyyyyywheeeere.

Ended up at a Mos Burger (trademark of Japan) ordering a "Fried Pork Burger" that blew my mind!

Can't really see it under the veg,
but there is a saucy piece of
fried yum in there.

Outside, this bush was staring at me.

And then I went home and did my laundry. Amazing!

But that's just the thing. I would like to spend a minute apretiating the fact that even though I'm here, there are going to be days that are boring and uninteresting. And I think I actually need them. Before going out today, I spent a good few hours chillin' on my futon watching bad online television. And I even though it was nothing special, I had a great time. Being alone, recharging by deliberately wasting time. And I felt way better afterwards!

Now I know that this is not the most interesting blog post. I promise the next two will be better. Three words: "Sake", "Festival", and "Owls"!

If you can end with a chocolate fountain, do end with a chocolate fountain. If you can end with two chocolate fountains, well then you just aint got no excuse at all!