First blog post – Tokyo travel and haul

i'm back.. do i look the same after 1.5 month outside UK?

finally, back to the lovely London and the very tolerable weather. I have been out of bloggin coz I have been really busy. Secondly, my Compact flash card failed on me so all my data for my china trip are all gone, and i've been on beauty diet since then (all for japan)

first to say, I met up with nic in Japan. Although we're both very lost (we re-enact lost in translation?) but we found each other by the name of Godiva. Who guess Godiva is a landmark in the shinjuku station?

My japan trip is rather hectic, sponsored by university, I first stayed a night in tokyo before heading off to Fukuoka for Gion Festival. I decided to go because I thought of going somewhere which I won't go once I got married. And coincidently, Fukuoka had a festival running from 1st July to 15th July every year. A friend decided to come with me from HK 2 weeks before my trip, so it is all perfect.

Fukuoka compare to Tokyo is cheap. To name an example, my favourite milk tea (the afternoon tea,午後の紅茶) is only 93 yen in Fukuoka compare to 140 in Tokyo. Ouch I say. Cosmetics of course is cheaper, I managed to buy my dhc acerola lotion for 389 instead of 598 in Tokyo. I regret not to shop more … but hey, I have a big stack.

Where's the beauty stuff? Well.. this is very little collection, as the rest is going with a friend to Amsterdam then to London (she offered to carry my things for me because I originally wanted to mail them)

here some teaser:

MM Blush (which you buy the blush, case, and the brush individually)

and these are my haul overall in japan

Bihada mascara remover DHC Lash tonic Mizu no Tenshi (Water Angel) 5 in 1 moisturiser gel Visee eyeshadow No.1 Marie Claire eyeshadow clip your fringe styler

Kiki's Delivery fan

i'm joking, that's not it, most of them are on the way by air as they're very heavy

To those who are planning to visit japan on your own or with a friend, speak japanese or none, I totally recommend the Goodwill Guide service. They are a group of volunteers who speak English and give up their time to take visitors around their city. I arrange a guide to take me around Fukuoka, and I must say this is the best decision ever make.

me and mr ushida in Fukuoka

Ushida used to work in Walt Disney and was the head of the regional branch in Kyushuu, after retirement he became a Goodwill Guide. He told me there's less tourist now because Hong kong ceased to have direct flight to Fukuoka. But he's very happy to meet me and treat me as his granddaughter. He kept paying for his share, when according to Goodwill Guide guidance, you bear the cost of his lunch and travel. I kept fighting to pay for him.

He took us around Fukuoka and answered many questions. When we were on the tourist bus called the Green Bus, there was a Mainichi Newspaper Reporter on board and I was interviewed. Ushida helped with the translation but I managed to answer some questions with my poor Japanese. Here's some photos that should come up in the newspaper.

Fukuoka is small but has everything. There's this underground shopping street and is forever long, and since we're there in the discount season, we managed to bag some bargain.. I bought some clothes as after 50% discount, they're giving 20 % extra in line with the shopping street campaign, pay before 6.45 and you get 20% discount on top.

I might stop here as if not there's too many things to write, next will blog about the Festival :)