Backpacking

surrounded by some French tourists and some other Lonely Planeters. It depressed me slightly to overhear their (stereo)typical traveller conversations ("Where you from? Where you been? Thailand is rubbish...", as it made me realise the friends around me would be gone in a matter of days and I would be back on the LP merry-go-round.

We got into rounds of sake, and only drank

sake that night. Dutch courage inflated my Japanese language skills, and soon I was yellow across a crowded bar (as is the done thing) "Sumimasen! Nihon-shu nigo kudasai!"

The music improved, taking a route through the Rolling Stones back catalogue and peaking with Screamadelica. As our blood became increasingly concentrated with sake, we sang along (free karaoke!) and got into other people's group photos, whilst Emma spilt sake over her jeans several times and the waiter continued to appreciate our happiness ("Engrand!").

We took a rowdy cab back to our lodgings, with the driver voicing strong opinions to Tak about America and Britain's involvement in Iraq (apparently unrelated to our rowdy state, just because Tak said he lived in Britain).

Day 25: 24th February The Famous Five become four

Tokyo, Japan

After unsuccessfully trying to change her flight, August had to leave Kyoto for the airport east of Tokyo this morning, and I accompanied her. Her and I had got together a few days ago, and I was pretty gutted to see her go. It's