Japan

I have been in the Tokyo area for 2 1/2 weeks now, and although the experience of being in an asian country as a westerner continues to blow my mind, in a certain way, I feel very much a part of it all. As opposed to feeling like a tourist along with all the others, I have had the fortunate experience of living with people that live here all the time- both Japanese and Foreigners.
My first week was spent with Chris and Koichi- friends of a friend of mine. I did go off in the day and see all the things one should see when they visit Tokyo- the crowded markets of Ueno, Akihabara- the electronic area, the busy and hip areas of Shinjuku, Harajuku, and Shibuya. But what really kept my mind occupied, (besides repeating the phrase, "Oh my god, Im in Japan!") was what fun and delicious thing i would be doing with Chris, Koichi, and their friends when they got home from work. And it would always be amazing Japanese cuisine for dinner, or some drinking place with a great atmosphere, or my personal favorite: Karaoke! Tokyo is a great city- but it really comes alive at night, and Chris and Koichi have given me some memorable night time experiences. Thanks guys :)
Phase II of Tokyo was staying with my friend Terrie- an awesome Japanese girl I had met 3 years ago on my European tour. Thanks to the powers of facebook, we have kept in touch.
So Terrie and her boyfriend, Hiroki have shown me some amazing parts of Tokyo that one might call "Edgy". (see entry for "Edgy Japan")
Terrie had to do intensive training last week, so she has actually been staying with Hiroki, who lives closer to where she works. So I have had the apartment to myself! For two days I went sightseeing for the day as if it was my 9-5 job in Tokyo (although in TOkyo people work from 7:30am-8:30pm it seems) and came home, cooked dinner, journaled and read, wrote emails and bummed around on facebook. I sort of pretended I lived alone in Tokyo- it was fun, but got a bit lonely. Luckily, the rest of the week was filled with little dates with people; dinner/karaoke with Chris, Koichi and their Jet friends, an EDGY JAPAN day with Hiroki (I'll get to that) a lunch date with a girl named Yuki that I met on the plane, and an adventurous day with Jumpei- a guy I met lost on the New York City subway some 2 years ago.
Phase III- exploring the area. Yuki lives near Mt. Fuji, so we made plans tosee it together in a town called Kawaguchiko. After 3 hours and 4 trains, I finally found myself outside the hustle and bustle, durm and strang, crazy timely complexities of pollution and shopping that is Tokyo. Mountains. A lake. One main street. What I was not expecting- SNOW. Lots and lots of snow. Everything looked quite beautiful and magical covered in white powder- and I love the softening of sound effect that snow has- however, I never got to see Mt. Fuji.
I did have a great time with Yuki. We went up in a cable car to the top of a mountain, and had Houto- a brothy udon that the region is known for.
A down side; I now have a cold.

Please check out my next entry on Edgy Japan, which features the lovely day Hiroki gave me a tour of what he calls, "edgy Japan." He is starting up a website for travelers to find adventures you wont find in Lonely Planet Guides, and tested some of his spots on me.

Peace Love and Travel

Tokyo

Ok. Picture this.

Grand Central Station at rush hour. People who have clearly spent an hour in front of the mirror making sure they look perfect (men and women). They-need-their-coffee-and-must-not-be-late for their very important, high paying office jobs.

Ok, now put that energy in Times Square, but make it noisier, more stimulating, more flashing lights.

Now picture an entire city full of that.

And make it the biggest city you can imagine in your mind.

Now multiply that city times 10.

That's Tokyo.

Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Uluru, Kata Tjuta, the emotions connected to leaving Australia

The past 5 days in Alice/Uluru were intense and incredible, and if I try to write about it all, you would never want to sit and read it all. So I'm going to put in just a few journal exerpts that capture some of my red desert epiphanies. Check out the photos for the rest.

(First off, I don't think I mentioned yet that I did some very fun and successful busking (singing in the street) on Valentines Day in Adelaide. I made $35! And had a lot of happy couples and children smiling at me. (worth more than the money))

16 February
"All the white Australians I've spoken to have said, "stay away from Aboriginals in Alice, they'll mug you, don't go out alone, they're bad people." So how can they be so racist agains the culture they are selling, celebrating, proud of? It's a backwards racism perpetuated on both ends, kind of world out here. You only guess or hear about it from other Australians, but it's so real here."

But then I met an interesting guy who worked for the government and basically helps Aboriginal communities manage their money. He had a lot of interesting perspectives on Aboriginal culture. The teenagers in the street have a lot of aggression because of how their culture has been mistreated and disrespected by white culture, so when they see tourists and backpackers walking down the street, obviously with enough money in their lives to come out and do a tour like this, to sort of exploit sacred areas with their cameras and tour buses, why wouldn't they feel angry, and want to show who's boss? Like I said, it's backwards and perpetuated on both ends.

18 Feb
"I don't know if I have the right words to describe the sky. It was unreal. It was a complete dome- although I couldn't really tell with my glasses) the milky way...
the stars just made me feel tiny and a part of something huge and...
I just had an overwhelming feeling of I can't articulate it...this trip, the stars, the world, being in a wide open space, connection, being able to be a part of it, stupid things don't matter because we are all one and I just FELT it. We are all made of the same red dirt that we slept on. and we came from a star and heat up from a star just like all those stars we saw last night.
I don't know I'm not describing the spiritual epiphany or feeling I just had very well, but it was a feeling of openness in a desert and the stars but also something about the tour and these people. I think it's the fact that we all just had a sleepover in the dirt. No one is worried about looking good or impressing people, we're all covered in dirt and flies and sweat and sunscreen. We have to be a part of the earth to be on this tour."

19 February
"The flies are the keepers of this place. The rock energy is strong. The magic, the sun, which is a star
this rock is big and filled with color
i can't write about it, it's unwritable, only feelable"

Ok, and now I have to emotionally prepare myself to leave Australia, and enter the world of Asia, starting with Japan.

Ft. Broughton and the Yorke Peninsula

6 February- drive to Ft. Broughton

"Last night they had a BBQ party for me- I met all their friends and some people my age...There was also two young girls studying- a girl from France and a girl from Hong Kong- they were sweet and fun to be the "others" with at the party. All the "adults" were nice and fun anf Australian...tonight should be interesting, meeting more 50 year old Aussies, trying to have a context."

"Right now we're in the car, rolling Australian plains surround us."

"This house we're staying in, in Port Broughton, is haunted. I can feel it, Graham and Caroline felt it. But Caroline says it's a good spirit, a good energy. I think so. Just very present- there was an old woman living here. She watches over the house."

"I saw more stars tonight than I have ever seen before in my life. I saw the Southern Cross and the bloody Milky Way."

7 February- The Copper Triangle

"This Port Broughton is really quiet and cute. So sleepy, by the water, this big house with a magical organ I haven't stopped playing with, a zillion stars you can see at night, no tourists or city life, no one my age. It's the real deal Australia. I'm bonding more than ever with Caroline and Graham."

"This is a lovely existence although I can't help feeling a bit useless right now. I need to be creative."

11pm
"So our little tour of the Copper Triangle today, these little towns by the sea- Moonta, the beautiful and strange low tide beach that rushed its tide in with no warning...all lovely. Even our search- which ended up being in vain- more a cornish pasty. Tonight we had dinner with their friends; Graham "Beetles", and Ginette. We ate a true Aussie Pub- which is usually called a hotel...We checked out their caravan- which was so cute and 60's! I want to live in a little caravan like that! Beautiful sunset over the water casting so many colours and silhouettes."

8 February

"I couldn't sleep last night because I was afraid of the ghost. How silly is that?! I tried to write music to the few lyrics I wrote yesterday on the organ. It's ok."

"Being here feels so romantic. It feels so far away, so small, sleepy, real- not full of tourists. This is just the way it is here- not put on display. These turn of the century copper-mining sea-faring towns. It's REALLY HOT today. I feel like I'm really in Australia."

"I think the big old house would be a perfect place to do site-specific theatre- roaming from room to room and out in the garden. Shakespeare or some Edwardian or Chekov piece or otherwise. Especially with that organ. That would be so cool. Maybe we could do an event like that, with scenes from classic plays and music in different rooms of a house, all based on a theme or something. It would have to be a piece about sense of place or something..."

Adeliade

Ok, so I decided to change it up a bit. It's getting tiring to enter these long blog entries with all my journal entries. So I'm breaking the pattern- I'll put my journaling thoughts every once in a while.

So some plans have changed- my plans to stay and work at the farm in Alice Springs have fallen through. I've decided to stay with my Aunt in Adelaide a week longer. I will still be going up to Alice for a 3-day Ayers Rock tour, which should be good.

So I've been with my lovely Aunt and Uncle here in Hallet Cove, which is near Adelaide. (30 min train ride) They live by the beach on a cliff- I took a long walk yesterday and felt the spirit in the rocks on the beach. It was absolutely beautiful and magic. There was a little cafe on the beach where I sat with my journal for a while. This is a perfect Melanie Land- a long cliff hike, wandering along the rocks by the ocean, to reach my final destination- a coffee shop. I could get used to this.

The day before we went to a wildlife center with Kangaroos, Emus, Koalas, strange birds and reptiles. You could walk around with them in their natural habitat, feed them and such. It was in this beautiful mountain range. I also visited a buch of step cousins and their children I've never met. It's always nice to meet new members of the family!

Tonight my Aunt and Uncle have organized a BBQ party so that I can meet all their friends. It should be good fun. And this weekend we're going to Ft. Broughton for their friend's 50th birthday celebration.

I'm having a great time in Australia, and I am loving being able to sleep in a bed in my own room for more than 3 nights!

Hope you enjoy the photos...
Melanie

Wellington, NZ- Adelaide, AU

23 January- on the road to Rotorua

"I really loved Wellington. It was so great to spend time with people who live there too- Jo and Becca...Jo and Seamus went through sort of the whole cultural history of New Zealand with all the Maori relationships, and Jo sang the national song for me in English and in Maori. Maori and the way the language is incorporated into Kiwi English reminds me of Gaelic/Irish."

"So I'm on the bus and I couldn't get any accomodation so I'm staying with a friend of Jo's in Rotorua!"

"New Zealand's history is in it's geological and land history. The history of human beings in this place is not that old- even the Maori came here not that long ago. But the Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Erosions, glaciers- that's where the ancient lies, in the earth and land. That's what makes New Zealand special."

Rotorua, 11pm
"TE PO, INDIGENOUS EVENING EXPERIENCE- It was ok. The show/music/language/dance was really cool and beautiful. The food (Hangi) was really good, and there was a lot of it. But really, I could have done without that part. I also had a boring table. But at the end we saw the hot sulfur guyser- THAT was worth it. That's when it felt sacred. The sun was setting, casting light play all over the clouds and sky, you could see the moon, and the clouds of guyser was all intertwined- it was beautiful and incredible that it was all a part of the Earth. The Maori culture is endlessly fascinating, but I felt that this was a nicely packaged, entertaining "show" as opposed to any kind of real spiritual experience."

"What I like about Maori is that it is a LIVING earth-based indigenous culture that is a major part of New Zealand culture. It is NOT in the background or even very untouchable. Although this thing was so touristy and put on display, it is still a major part of life here."

"Val is really cool and I basically have my own room tonight and I got to play piano for them and I'm lucky that I got to stay here tonight."

24 January- Rotorua

"OHINEMUTU- Maori Village- That was good! That was so real! The church...which was interesting, a real living village, and I spoke to real people and FELT IT."

"I dont feel like I'm going to Australia tomorrow. Or I guess I feel like Australia is just an extension of New Zealand. The West Island, they call it."

"It still hasn't really hit me that I'm traveling around the world."

25 January- Sydney, Australia

"Goodbye, beautiful, laid back, open and 'sweet as' New Zealand. What will Australia give me..."

"Sydney is AWESOME. I am liking it so much so far- cute little alleys and very real workers, livers...So far I don't feel as drawn to Australians as I did New Zealanders. But they're kind of the same to me. The Sydney crowd is more cosmopolitan, sure of themselves, less rugged."

"Now I'm in Coco Cubano- a very atmospheric cafe by the hostel. I'm having a tasty flat white. Sydney is a great place for people watching."

"Ok so I think I'm starting to get homesick. To miss my New York way of life. Coffee dates and deep conversation, interspersed with musical/artistic endeavors."

"Sydney is a hard place to get a read on Australians because it's just a great big city like New York. It quite reminds me of London, actually."

26 January- Australia Day (like the 4th of July)

"I'm exhausted. Spent the whole day walking, in the sun, met with Pauline and Nienke (Dutch girls I met in New Zealand) and had a good time wandering about the throngs of people, sampled a few beers outside in a pedestrian area, and then heard an AWESOME band for free, dancing and all."

27 January- Bondi Beach day

"I've found a spot by the water where a bunch of navy ships are docked. It's quite peaceful among the ships, industrial buildings and few people on their cigarette breaks."

"Now I'm at Bondi Beach. Was here with Pauline and Nienke. It started to rain so they left. Now I've found a little shelter on the beach so I can look out at the waves and surfers and seagulls and rainclouds. So Sydney is a strange sort of place. It is (or seems to attract) a party scene- and therefore in my mind very plastic and souless. People who feel so bad about themselves that they'll do anything for attention. and then, outside the hostel and Kings Cross, there are these little pristine alleys and residential areas, hills that wind and a vibrant arts culture. I guess it's like New York.I also had a epiphany- I don't need to do the touristy things- the real city always lies in the people who live there."

"The Ocean sets me free."

28 January- Sydney

"I just experienced some magical warm things. A puppet shop where clearly everything comes to life at night. I bought a headpiece for my street performing. The shop was in a complex of stone alleys and hideaways, with levels and steps- the sort of thing I love. The magic I felt inside the shop combined with the strange energy I'm carrying with me finally brought the rain."

29 January- Melbourne

"I met my new best friend, Nikki from Brighton...we wandered along and talked for a while, looked in various vintage shops and bookshops, had coffee in this cute, hip, williamsburg-y area called Fitzroy. It was just right."

30 January- Melbourne

"So last night I went with Nikki to a very cute restaurant and had a bottle of wine- it was really lovely. We had a fab conversation about spirituality, travel, relationships, culture- the whole thing."

Seen on a wall in a cafe- 'MORNINGS EVENINGS AND AFTERNOONS, MY LIFE IS MEASURED IN COFFEE SPOONS.'

"Today I am going to attempt to make art out of myself by singing/performing, making live theatrics out of public art- graffitti and murals..."

"and I managed to do it! It was awesome! And Nikki was a huge help- she made it look like something. These two people stopped and watched for a while and then asked me, "were you drawing energy from that mural?" They answered my questions and gave me money and generally supported me. We made some more photos and sang some more, and then I did some more singing/busking in another location. I brought The Other Side, myself, my art, to the streets and real people of Melbourne, inspired people, were judged by people, brought people together and made them think.

I DID IT!

31 January- Melbourne

"SO last night was really lovely. Cooked a big veg dinner with Nikki and Katie (from Scotland), and we went through a few bottles of wine. SO lovely. Two sweet German girls joined us as well. It was very girly and reminded me of a night with the Emilies. Just what I needed. Then the Germans answered my questions, with awesome answers. I feel like I'm really doing my trip, really making it happen, really learning and growing and connecting, and it all feels very much a part of the show."

"Well Melbourne was so peaceful, wholesome, real and girly. I just left and said goodbye to Nikki and the really sweet German girls. I feel very warm and fuzzy from the people I've met and the real experiences I've had in Melbourne. It really felt the most like a home."

New Zealand!

Journal Excerpts, Christchurch, Queenstown, Lake Tekapo, Wellington, buses/trains/ferry inbetween:

(14 January)
"The 13th of January will never exist! We are about to arrive in Auckland! It still haven't exactly hit me yet that I'm going to be in New Zealand."
"My first international cup of coffee. A flat white."
"I did have to not only go through customs, which always makes my heart race in case I'm doing something unknowingly illegal, but after getting my bags I had to declare snack food and my shell. Then all my bags had to go through an x-ray, and they questioned my orb. I thought that was kinda funny.
SECURITY: What is that?
ME: oh..it's a uh...giggle...I can show you, a bouncy ball with glitter inside.
SECURITY: Ok, that's what I thought.

or
SECURITY: What is that?
ME: Oh, that's my magical orb of energy that holds the concentrated power of the universe, I only use it when I need to spread love and peace through movement and song.
SECURITY: Ok, that's what I thought.

"I can't believe I was in San Francisco "yesterday". Christchurch isn't impressing me all that much. It just reminds me of a regular English town, like Nottingham."

10:40pm
"very tired. Now I've just spent the past hour or so chatting with 2 very sweet British girls and one very obnoxious and offensive but amusing and immature Irish kid. It was fun, actually. So there seem to be a lot of British, Irish, and Israeli people here. It's nice to be anonymous. It's nice to be traveling. It's hard to believe I'm on the other side of the world right now! Tomorrow will be an adventure, a series of wanderings, hopefully it will be a day of Melanie Magic."

15 January- a day in Christchurch
"Maori performing group in Cathedral Square...it was awesome to hear the music and see the dancing. They do this thing with their eyes and make this scary warrior face. Tht music is pretty and simple. The language is also very interesting."
"I can't help but thing I'm in England. It just feels like Europe and people speak English."
"What I have connected to is the Maori folk culture and art. The performance was a treat! There is a lot of art and some books at this Arts Centre. THe only thing is that it's all presented a bit for tourists- like Native American stuff or Celtic, and I'm sure every country will be like that."
"meanwhile, I still can't tell the difference between a Kiwi accent and an Aussie accent."
"I did it! I sang! I sang my usual repertoire, with the hat sort of thing. Just leant my voice. I also sang with a young high school girl who was singing musical theatre songs to raise money for a choir trip. I did "I feel pretty" "Far from the home I love" and "Dream a little dream" It was cute and she was excited. When I sang, I made 10.00 NZD! Awesome! At least it's a way to save money."
"The seagulls here do the weirdest thing. They crane their necks in this strange way."

16 January- bus ride to Queenstown
"I went to a lovely bar with couches and a fireplace with a nice German guy I met at the library."
"I wish I was in New Zealand Longer."
"Lake Tekapo for lunch!God its so incredible. I can not describe the depth of color in the blue of the lake."
"Well, things aren't working out so great. Couch surfing Phil never showed up. I had to catch the last bed in an expensive hostel."
"Queenstown is beautiful. The mountains, the lake- it feels very Swiss. It also feels wealthy, like Switzerland."
"I am so happy that I am sitting on a tree by the lake alone while I can hear the rest of the "city" partying."

17 January- Milford Sound
Today I am on my way to Milford Sound. Yet another bus ride."
"So Phil finally texted and he said his internet was down. So I'm staying with him tonight. Phew."
"Sheep on hills. So many sheep."
"right now I am closer to Antarctica than to the equator."
"I had a moment on the ferry of feeling the water and the mountains, of feeling far away, yet being in touch and close to myself and beautiful."

18 January- Lake Tekapo
"Lake Tekapo is pristine, peaceful, beautiful and the water is magical. I'm sitting on a rock in front of the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is too crowded with tourists for me to experience just yet. I find this to be really lovely, and finally the kind of nature I was looking for."
"Oh so I just went for a walk along the lake, which was magical and quiet just after rain (when the world smells good) and as the sun was setting into the clouds, I followed a rabbit down the road."

19 January- Lake Tekapo
"I think I found Olivia's spot! I followed her instructions, and there are a lot of trees it could be, but I felt it was this one. I could feel it's Olivia energy."
"So it's 1:30, I have hiked a mountain, sat on many rocks, had my lunch, dipped my feel in the lake, and now I'm cooling off in the shade."

20 January- bus to Christchurch
"Tekapo was centering and connected me to something, to people to New Zealand. ANd now I roll through on the bus, back past the sheep and hills. There is an over hanging mist in the air that reminds me of Ireland and makes everything feel magic."
"well this is a strange hostel indeed. It is literally an old Jail turned into a really nice hostel."

21 January- train and ferry to Wellington
"yes, I'm on the train passing the ocean and it just gives me so much energy and power. Lakes are pretty, so are mountains, but it's the ocean that connects me to the universe. Trains that run alongside the ocean with the mountains on the other side."

Ok, I promise I won't write something for every day, just highlights from the journal. I get excited in the beginning of the trip, and I want to share everything. Wellington is lovely and my host Jolene is great. More soon, look for photos!
-Mel